On the final California edition of Immigration MIC, Playwright/ Director, and DACA recipient Rocio Diaz joins the podcast!

🔵 Rocio talks about her mother having to make the important decision to leave Mexico, physically being separated at the border, and as a six year old, coming under the identity of “Jackie”.

🔴 The origins of her passion for art, which she credits for helping develop her as an “authentic, raw, honest” person, and finding acting/ poetry as important outlets.

⚫️ She speaks of being aware of her undocumented status growing up, and how she saw her limitations when wanting to go to college, and the familial pushback, despite being valedictorian of her high school.

🔵 “If money was going to be my challenge, then it was going to be my strength, and I graduated debt free, and turn around and help my family.”

🔴 The difficulties and the intense challenges as president of the student organization on her campus, as a leader, as a woman.

⚫️ The journey to taking a political stance in art, and her plays that incorporates themes such as immigration, domestic violence, and other heavy issues. [Once Upon A Time… Con DACA)

🔵 One of Rocio’s frustrations with the current moment is the lack of people coming together - and gives a great analogy of a team of actors working together to put on a play.

🔴 Rocio’s message to women in leadership roles of being able to make incredible things happen outside of patriarchal societal norms.