Judi Polanco was born in New York City and raised in the countryside of the Dominican Republic for most of her young life. The only girl in a herd of brothers, she struggled with her identity from a very young age and strove to rise above her situation. Always the tomboy, she fought against the gender stereotypes enforced on her, refusing to become a “housewife”, as the rest of the women in her family had.
Judi majored in Forensic Psychology. As a student, she worked full-time at a New York law firm to support herself and her studies. Judi’s experiences with racism, gender bias, and domestic violence inspired her to direct her first documentary, She Survived, which touches on violence against women. Judi is now a wife and mother. She is also a children’s book author and Human Resources professional with over 10 years of experience.
