Whether you know her by her real name or the character she plays, if you’ve seen Orange Is the New Black then you know who Diane Guerrero is!
Guerrero plays the role of Maritza Ramos, moost famously recognized from her dynamic duo on the show with her best friend Marisol “Flaca” Gonzales.
If you haven’t already noticed through social media Guerrero, has been battling with legal residency problems in her family. Growing up with undocumented parents Guerrero, spent most of youth afraid, knowing any day her parents would no longer be around. The day came sadly, and her life completely changed around. With the love and support of a close friend Guerrero, moved into her friends house and spent the rest of her childhood there. With living proof of all her accomplishments, we can all see her future took a turn for the best.
In the past couple years, DACA, which stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival, has been a nonstop topic since Trump has been in office. Being a daughter of undocumented parents Guerrero, voiced her story. Guerrero, unlike many other celebrities used her platform to discuss important political topics. Topics which most celebrities would be ashamed of or uncomfortable discussing. Guerrero’s story had an impact on many people. Her story gave people hope by having the voice of DACA supporters heard at a higher aspect.
Recently, Oklahoma State University was able to have Guerrero as a guest speaker. With Guerrero being famously known as a OITNB character first, and a proud DACA activist second I was expecting the room to be full of people uneducated about her story. Coming from a Latino background, I felt like I would benefit from hearing her story in person. I had seen interviews and read articles of her story many times before, but listening to it and being able to connect with her in person would’ve been a completely different thing.
Going into her event, I had the mentality that I was going to be touched and moved by the words to come out of her mouth. I was hoping to leave the room in tears.
Sadly, that wasn’t the case here. Her introduction felt more scripted than in the moment. The speech was short and to the point. Yes, she did cover the DACA topic, as expected, and her family experiences, but only at a root bases. I understand that when giving a speech your time is limited, and there’s only so much you can say. I also believe that you don’t need too much time to tell an impactful story. I had hoped she would discuss the difficulties Latinos go through in society. Especially, Latinos attending college working to earn a good career for themselves. Being a Latino we understand that earning a college education comes with more obstacles to us. With her achievement, and the high latino turnout rate, I was hoping for more impactful stories.
Overall, Guerrero is an amazing actor and person. With her respectful platform Guerrero, was able to share her story, helping many people with similar backgrounds. However, when it came to her speech I attended she wasn’t too motivating.
Hopefully, in the near future I’ll get to see her live again, but leave with a different experience.