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Born on August 13th, 1976, in Linares, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, Mari Zepeda has been an ambitious woman, loving wife, and dedicated mother. Imprinted unto her since a young age by her parents, Mari has always been a hard worker despite the circumstances. After graduating high school, Mari met her future husband and moved with him to Monterrey, Mexico, where she started working in a tailoring shop. Some years later, she came to the United States and worked at her husband's newly formed construction and remodeling business as his secretary. Even after having her first child, Mari still worked at her husband's business. Even as a single mother, Mari used all the knowledge and experience she obtained working in her husband's business to form her own. Mari then started her own party rental business where customers could rent chairs, tables, and other items. Several years later, She became a house cleaner and soon established her cleaning business for the next couple of years. However, the COVID-19 Pandemic hit, which caused Mari to shut down the business. In early 2022, Mari became the house cleaner and assistant caregiver for my Grandma, Beatrice Rodriguez.

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Mari had very hard-working parents who made many sacrifices to provide for their children. Her father, Luis, worked for the water resource department as an agent who analyzed drinking water. Mari's mother, Hilda, worked as a stay-at-home mom and a seamstress. While raising seven children, she also received seven clients a week.

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Since the age of 13, Mari has been an avid runner and participated in many cross-country events during her school years. Decades later, in 2019, Mari started training and became a marathon runner. She has competed in three marathons placing 3rd through 1st place for runners between the age of 38-60.

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Mari's two children are engineering majors at St Mary's University in San Antonio.

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In-person Interview

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How has your experience been in the United States being a Spanish speaker?

Which country do you feel more connected to, the United States or Mexico?

What traditions, customs, and family stories did your parents pass down to you?

What would you say is your identity regarding race?

Do you feel Texas is a welcoming state toward Latinos?

Are there college graduates in your family?

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Many of the Latinx immigrants of recent years have been stigmatized by many of the Republican power figures. Even today, former President Donald Trump alludes to the concept when he proclaims he will “make America great again!” However, the right-wing belief is inherently exclusionary as it does not encapsulate the broad spectrum of Americans or immigrants who wish to become citizens. Many of the Latinx immigrants of recent years have been stigmatized by many of the Republican power figures. Trump equated these immigrants to criminals and “not good people!” Whenever there is a singular crime committed by a Latinx undocumented immigrant, right-wing news outlets and political pundits will capitalize on the situation to further benefit their anti-immigration stances. Therefore, millions of conservative viewers ignorantly generalize all Latino immigrants as menaces to the country. Political pundit and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson several times proclaimed that Latin American immigrants would soon destroy the country.

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Our nation is still affected by a hierarchal class-based system that still influences the flow of rhetoric for the inhabitants of marginalized communities. The intentional misinformation and misrepresentation of these vulnerable communities by dominant power structures manifest harmful rhetoric and agendas. This results in the perpetuation of stigmas, biases, and prejudice within society. Therefore, it leads to further inequality and inequity within the United States of America.