Since immigrating from Bogotá, Colombia, to the United States at the age of four, Mariana Rocha-Goldberg has learned to maintain her identity while encouraging civic engagement in her new home.
As Coordinator of the Path to Citizenship in The Hispanic Center, uses his own experience as an immigrant to guide others in their search for a place in American society and politics.
“Many say that I am more from here than from there, and yes, but I still live the culture,” he explained.
Her commitment to dance, community service and civic education are just some of the ways Mariana celebrates her Hispanic heritage and helps others find their voice.
Identity and community
From the age of four, she immersed herself in the world of folk dance, a heritage that her mother considered vital to keeping Colombian culture alive.
“Dancing is a very beautiful way to show our identity, who we are and the history we bring,” said Mariana.
Through her performances, she has managed to connect not only with her roots, but also with an American audience that, in many cases, was unaware of her cultural heritage.
Over the years, she has explored various dance styles such as hip-hop, ballet, jazz and modern.
“Dancing is extremely important to me. If I don’t dance, I feel low on energy, as if there is something I can’t get out, something I don’t know how to express,” she explains. “It’s a way to express myself and release all my feelings.”
However, life in the United States has not been without its challenges. Mariana recalls the difficulty of adapting to an environment where English predominates and there is a shortage of Spanish speakers.
“Being one of almost no Hispanics was always a challenge growing up because I never knew who I could relate to or who could understand me. Until I found a group of friends, we were the most diverse group in our school,” she said.
Dancing and her participation in the Hispanic Center were key in her adaptation process.
“The only thing that exposed me to my identity was dancing and also coming to the Hispanic Center with my mom,” Mariana said.
Since she was nine years old, Mariana has been involved in social movements and at the Hispanic Center as a volunteer. Her mother, Pilar Rocha-Goldberg, is now the president of the organization, a place that has been a fundamental space for her identity and desire to help.
“It left me with a feeling that I still have, which is the passion to help and advocate for the community, and to be able to say ‘yes, I know how to do it, well, I’ll help you,’” she said.
Mariana studied history at Wake Forest University with minors in dance, Spanish and Latin American studies. Her goal is to learn more and be able to tell the story of the Latino immigrants U.S..
“Many times we are the ones who have to write our own story,” Mariana explained. She highlighted that her story of migration with her mother and sister exemplifies the diversity of Latinos who emigrate from their native country.
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Empowering the Latino community
Today, as the Pathway to Citizenship Coordinator at El Centro Hispano, Mariana is dedicated to helping others in their naturalization process. Her work not only involves facilitating access to legal information, but also building bridges between communities.
“If they don’t come to the Hispanic Center, they spend a lot of money trying to find answers that they can get here through our programs. That’s a significant way to help,” he explained.
Her experience as a paralegal in a law firm has provided her with valuable tools to offer support to those facing complex situations.
It also helps with voter registration, where many people come with doubts about their place in a political system that they often feel does not represent them.
“It’s very important to have a young person, because I can understand and communicate with different generations. Also, as a migrant, I have been able to study here and understand where the government is failing in reaching out to the Latino community,” Mariana said.
A diverse identity: Jewish Latin
Mariana proudly identifies as a Jewish Latina. She converted to Judaism at the age of six with her mother.
“Being Jewish is a fundamental part of who I am,” Mariana said.
Through her Jewish religious identity, Mariana occupies a diverse position in the predominantly Catholic or Christian Latino community.
“I am always asked about my religion, and I am here to share and learn together,” she said.
In her day-to-day life, she practices her faith in ways that are meaningful to her. Although she doesn’t attend synagogue as often, she does celebrate Jewish holidays, such as Shabbat every Friday and Havdalah on Saturdays.
“It’s like the closing and opening of the week, and I always wear my star,” she added, referring to her symbol of faith.
The path to law
Mariana has a clear ambition: to become a lawyer specializing in immigrant rights.
“I have always been interested in the field of law and the power to help. Having a Latina voice and being a lawyer will be my greatest challenge, and when I achieve it, I will be very happy,” said Mariana.
Mariana’s work is not limited to civic education every four years. She also seeks to inspire others to get involved and be proactive in representing the community.
“The system is not going to change overnight, but we can change little by little and help people who don’t understand the system and think it’s never going to help them,” Mariana said. “If we work on this and bring more attention and education about what’s going on, we won’t need to ask someone else to explain it to us anymore; we’ll be present in those spaces, and that’s what I want.”
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