Diane Guerrero: Actress And Activist

This lovely actress is well known for her roles in Orange Is The New Black and Jane The Virgin (which I must say; are hilarious, suspenseful and addicting shows.)

Diane's personality is the type that captures all the attention in the room. She may be short, but she is full of so much power. You can see it through her acting. Especially that big confidence that gleams through her. She's amazing!

Now I know, we all know this Boston/Columbian chica is a very charismatic actress, but have you ever asked yourself what her backstory is? I could have never imagined the loss and challenges she had to overcome until I stumbled across this video on Facebook one night.

This was all I knew about her background, until September 27, 2016. She came to speak at Notre Dame to students. And I had the privilege to listen to her story and the important topics that needed more awareness.

You may have seen her on @OITNB or @CWJaneTheVirgin but she was right in my ND lecture hall! THE @dianeguerrero__! pic.twitter.com/P0l6YQxeKH
— kayah (@kayahstgerard) September">https://twitter.com/kayahstgerard/status/780576474... 27, 2016

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At the age of 14, Diane came home from school to see that dinner was half made and that her parents were gone. She later found out, her parents had been deported. The nightmare she had feared the most, had come true. After her parents were deported, Diane was alone. No one checked up on her, to see if she was okay. No one from the government came to check up on her. Luckily Diane, later on, was supported by friends, who lent her a hand and home. Despite the distance from her parents, she chose to stay in the United States, to pursue her American Dream.

Diane attended Regis College to pursue a degree in political science. Then she made the risky choice to leave her job and with the little money she had and move to New York to accomplish her dreams of becoming the amazing actress she is today. A few years down the road, and we all know her hilarious characters of Maritza or Lina. That was all we knew. Diane never opened up about her past. She remained quiet because she didn't want to say too much, or because of the judgment (aka hate) she exposed herself to. Until one day Diane chose to write for the Los Angeles Times to discuss her past and how it impacted her life. (You can read the full article here) Diane wrote this article thinking no one would read it, but the outcome of readers was the complete opposite.

You can buy her book too. (It's really good I promise)

Diane spread awareness on an important topic: immigration. Her awareness became so well known, the White House named Diane as an Ambassador for Citizenship and Naturalization.

Many people don't know how hard it is for undocumented immigrants to receive their citizenship. People don't know what its like to live with the fear of being separated from a close loved one. They don't know what it's like, having to see the paranoia of a family member when they see a simple cop. They don't know about the opportunities taken away from immigrants who were raised in the United States, but not born here.

There is so much that is unknown, so people just assume. Diane slams those assumptions and highlights what the reality is. She lets others know that they are not alone in this. She educates people on a topic that is so controversial and underestimated. She is an example of the right way to fight for change. She is not insulting people or promoting you to hate. Diane wants us to be leaders. She is using her voice, along with her humor, to spread awareness on a topic that affects many immigrant families today.

I am the daughter of immigrants. I have friends whose parents are undocumented. I know the struggles and fears behind this issue. I was so moved by Diane that I thanked her at the end of her presentation. She is spreading awareness on an issue that is close to many people's hearts. It's so motivating how much she overcame, and how far she came along despite her past. She reminded me about all the sacrifices that my parents and grandparents made, so I can be where I am today. As the first generation in my family to go to college, I have all this pressure to complete all these goals. But Diane reminded me why I am here, and that I have a voice. I have a voice to spread awareness and to create change. As long as positive actions are performed, positive changes will happen.

Thank you, Diane, for using everything that you can to stand up for your Latino community. Keep slaying girl. But most importantly keep educating and motivating people. I can't wait to see what more you'll have in store.