She began her career starring as Bianca Marquez Walsh in the CBS daytime soap opera As the World Turns (1988–1994), and later made her big screen debut appearing in the biographical drama film Lean On Me (1989).
[2][1][3] Arroyave made her big screen debut appearing in the 1989 biographical drama film Lean On Me opposite Morgan Freeman and Beverly Todd.
She later had supporting roles in films Falling Down (1993), The Cowboy Way (1994), Trial by Jury (1994), Dangerous Minds (1995), One Eight Seven (1997), In Too Deep (1999), Flawless (1999), Empire (2002) and Crash (2004).
[4] On television, Arroyave made guest-starring appearances in Law & Order, New York Undercover, The Practice, Brooklyn South, Chicago Hope, Touched by an Angel and NYPD Blue.
[7] In 2023 she appeared in the Hulu miniseries A Murder at the End of the World, and in 2024 co-starred opposite Guillermo Diaz in the thriller film, You Can't Stay Here.