Lindsay Mendez is a Mexican American actress who grew up in Norwalk, California, and collects accolades for her experience in the theater industry. Mendez has highlighted the lack of Latino representation in the lead roles of Stephen Sondheim's musicals, citing Chita Rivera as one of the few visible exceptions growing up. She considers it an honor to take on meaningful roles, breaking down barriers and challenging stereotypes.

Mendez was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in “Merrily We Roll Along”, cementing her position as one of the few Latinas to be nominated for theater's top honors at the 77th Tony Awards. She had previously won a Tony in 2018 for “Carousel”, describing the experience as a moment of shock andjoy.

The actress reflects on the impact of the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement on the theater industry, mentioning ongoing efforts to promote inclusion and diversity, for the NBC News story. She notes a significant shift in initiatives to tell stories from diverse voices and diversify theater teams.

“Despite the visibility of Latino performers such as Rivera, Ariana DeBose, Lin-Manuel Miranda and John Leguizamo, Broadway is still largely a white industry. A majority of the overall audience is white, according to the Broadway League, while Latinos accounted for just 3.5% of the active membership in Actors Equity, the union representing theatrical performers”.

Eden Espinosa, another Latin American actress mentioned, was also nominated for a Tony for “Lempicka”. She shares her journey and the importance of recognition in the industry, while also highlighting the reality of frequent rejection in theater.

Other Latino Tony nominees include Emilio Sosa, David Israel Reynoso, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, and Kristoffer Diaz, each bringing their stories and challenges in the quest for representation and success on Broadway.

Lindsay Mendez expresses pride in her work and mentions the importance of balancing her career with her personal life, especially while raising a family.