Yeni Alvarez

Yeni Alvarez is a Cuban American actress, voiceover artist and writer. She is best known for her role as Anita in the Spanish sitcom "Los Beltran". She is also one of the "divas" behind the blog TravelingDiva.com and a self-described "bon vivant". Career In 1999 Alvarez was cast in "Los Beltran" and starred as Anita until the show's cancellation in 2001. Since then she has been primarily involved in voiceover work. She voiced the artist Carmela on Disney's Handy Manny and Aquamaria in the Static Shock episode "Wet and Wild", as well as featured voice roles on Glenn Martin DDS and the Guardians of Luna TV series and in video games such as Freedom: First Resistance and Total Overdose: A Gunslinger's Tale in Mexico. She has also made on-screen appearances in Resurrection Blvd., Line of Fire, Judging Amy, Without a Trace and Criminal Minds. In 2008 Alvarez started TravelingDiva.com, a blog that focuses on travel, Latin culture and Los Angeles nightlife that is also part of Alvarez Media, a literary and artist public relations firm that she owns. Personal Life Alvarez was born in Cuba, but left with her family to Miami, FL, via Panama, when she was ten. She studied at the Young Actors Workshop and Marymount Manhattan College before receiving her BFA in Fine Arts from Florida International University in 1995. She is a fan of salsa singer Celia Cruz and got to meet her when Cruz was headlining a Cuban Festival in LA at which Alvarez emceed. When they met she asked Cruz for her autograph; Cruz smiled and said "Ay, mira quien es! La chiquita de "Los Beltran." ("Oh, look who it is! The girl from 'Los Beltran'!") Her manager later told Alvarez that she never missed an episode of "Los Beltran", and when she was on tour Cruz would have him record the show. She is fluent in English and Spanish. She is trained in karate and enjoys traveling, citing Paris, Prague,and New Orleans as memorable places. Awards and Recognition Los Beltran received the 2001 Imagen Foundation Award for Best Comedy Series and the 2001 ALMA Award from the National Council of La Raza for Best Spanish Language Comedy Series. It was nominated for two GLAAD Media Awards, the first Spanish-language program so honored by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.