Mariana Meza is a proud fronteriza from El Paso, Texas who is passionate about immigration justice and social change in the context of the U.S.-Mexico borderland. As a Patman Fellow, Mariana is excited to continue exploring what immigrant communities can teach us about re-conceptualizing citizenship and navigating and transforming borders and boundaries. On campus, Mariana serves as the President of Mi Gente (Duke’s largest Latinx student organization), works as a Program Assistant for the Hart Leadership Program, and is conducting a self-designed Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship project on community-rooted research, advocacy, and engagement practices that center the agency of immigrant populations. In her free time, Mariana enjoys participating in and appreciating the arts and artistic forms of storytelling, community organizing, gardening, going on walks, and getting to know the Durham community.