Aliento Features: Renata Herrera Marquez
“Just because my dreams are different from yours, doesn’t mean they’re unimportant”, a statement given by the eldest sister Meg from Greta Gerwig’s Little Women. This quote, being one of my personal favorites, highlights the importance of acceptance, compromise, and empathy for the human experience. As I finish my Senior year at Mountain View High School, I begin to notice that everything we do, the way we like to present ourselves, and the way we interact with others relies on empathy and compromise.
Hi, my name is Renata Herrera Marquez. I am a proud daughter of Mexican immigrants and am roughly one minute younger than my twin sister/best friend, Regina Herrera Marquez. I enjoy spending my free time reading, learning about computer software, shopping, and drinking iced lattes! I’m an AP and Honors student, and I am actively involved at my high school's Spanish Latino Club, National Honor Society, and We the People Program.
I first got involved with Aliento through my good friend Hidalty Gonzalez, a previous fellow when I was a freshman in high school. As she hosted different events at our school as part of her fellowship and began our annual field trip to Education Days at the State Capitol, I began to understand Aliento’s mission. After my first E-Day, I was immediately hooked and overwhelmed at how empowering speaking to our State Legislators made me feel as I began to relate to other first-generation children, when it comes to feeling a lost sense of belonging and similar origins. I found a passion and joy in advocacy. At Aliento, I was able to connect with people my age on how we can make living in this country a better place for our hard-working immigrant families through rallies and campaigns. The fellowship has helped me provide resources and knowledge not only to other Arizona families but also to my own.
As I advocated for SCR-1044 my freshman year, which eventually became Prop.308, and Canvassed/phone banked for Prop.314 in the recent elections, my understanding of government impact and policies has altered significantly. Having such hands-on experience on the 2024 elections took an emotional toll on me and has driven me to pursue a career in law. Campaigning and showing up to pro-immigrant rallies gave me hope for progress in our immigrant communities. The campaigning process was a huge opportunity for me and my family. We were able to make meaningful connections, and I was able to directly interact with neighboring areas.
Although canvassing was sometimes met with some backlash on our cause, their rejection only fueled my efforts to learn more about the Proposition and how impactful it would be on Arizona families. Specifically, a rally I attended in Scottsdale and my hometown of Mesa was eye-opening on how truly important immigrant rights are here in Arizona. As I stood on the sidewalk with signs for people to see, the energy and enthusiasm were met with mostly positive feedback. The art and healing workshops, for example, our Journaling workshop, were able to help other students feel a sense of belonging while learning ways to heal their traumas. And most importantly, Education Days, as a fourteen-year-old, I was extremely timid of entering a legislator's room for the first time, checking in at the front desk, etc. At almost 18 years old, I had my most memorable meeting with Representative Olson, from my hometown district, and we were able to have a productive conversation on the immigrant youth in Mesa. That conversation has helped me find hope in future conversations on finding middle ground and building relationships with our representatives.
I would describe the Aliento Future Fellowship as a life-changing experience. Debriefing with like-minded individuals every month and learning about current world events is the best part of the fellowship. My most memorable cohort meeting was the cohort meeting right after the elections. The energy in the room felt so heavy, unlike any I had felt before, and definitely not a typical feeling at the cohort meetings. I remember sitting in the conference room listening to Jose and Reyna discuss our impact and what things would look like for us in the future. This meeting brought genuine tears to my eyes during and even after the meeting, as I felt a shift in our fellowship. However, this was not an uncommon feeling as most of us in the Cohort are children of immigrants who now must worry day and night about their parents possibly not coming home one day. This outlet was incredibly helpful and even healing for me to know that I did not have to go through this time alone and that we were all in it together. If you have a passion for politics, education, and helping others, this fellowship is perfect for you! Along the way, you make meaningful connections, share stories, and invite those in your community to be a part of something bigger than yourself.
I hope to attend the University of Arizona in the fall of 2025, majoring in Computer Science and minoring in Political Science. I hope to continue my advocacy with Aliento throughout my university years and will continue being a voice for those that aren’t as comfortable sharing theirs.
