who is Marisa Holguin?
Early Life and Growing up in South Pasadena
Marisa Holguin, a Mexican-American born Latina originally from the City of Los Angeles and eldest of two siblings, has always taken pride in being the best possible role model for her younger brother and has worked diligently to make her family proud. Marisa along with her younger brother, mother and father all lived in the heart of Los Angeles early on in her childhood. The family lived there until one day when her parents decided to move. Marisa remembered the deciding factor of her parent’s decision to move from the City of Angels, into a more family-oriented neighborhood was one New Year’s Eve, Marisa recalled being able to hear fireworks going off, but also gunshots near, just outside from their house. She remembered her father shielding her and protecting her and then a feeling of uncertainty, as well as fear. This was the last straw for her parents and so when she was around six years old, Marisa’s family moved to South Pasadena. It was in the City of South Pasadena where she created many of her core memories. Attending Monterey Hills Elementary School and South Pasadena Middle School along the way, it was during the summer months in South Pas where she has the fondest of memories of how her friends would come over to her house and they would walk together to other friends’ homes, being able to go on and explore their fun vibrant town. Marisa described South Pasadena as a “great neighborhood to make lifelong friends”, having had two good friends from elementary school that she is still close with today and feels as though she made lifelong friends that have been extremely supportive of all her endeavors. During high school Marisa attended a private school in La Cañada which lacked the diversity compared to her experience in South Pasadena creating challenges for her in those crucial high school years.
Greatest Impact and Role Model- Marisa’s Father
Originally attending Loyola Marymount University to study business, Marisa later transitioned into law. Although first interested in business Marisa ultimately decided to follow in her father’s footsteps, regardless of his many weary precautions. She looked up to him and chose to study law. Carving a new path, Marisa went to Whittier Law School. Currently, Marisa is a practicing lawyer and has been provided with the opportunity to work with her father. It has been an incredible experience as her relationship with him has had one of the most positive impacts on her throughout her life. Marisa describes her dad as her forever best friend, who now has quite literally turned into her mentor, always supporting her and having her back. She explained, “Now that we are in the same field it is wonderful to have somebody you don’t hesitate to call when you have a question or if we end up working on the same project.” Given her experience growing up, Marisa values the need for cultural representation in all places, which is why today, Marisa practices labor law and represents organized labor clients where she is always trying her best to represent and include more people of color in her work. Though having just started at her new firm, she is always on the hunt for a Latina mentor, “I am trying to make a change three years in and I hope to make a difference the rest of my career.”
College Education and Life Challenges
After having transferred to USC, Marisa takes pride and strength in having pushed through her academic obligations during a very difficult time after having lost her grandfather. This represented a major challenge for her as it made staying focused and keeping on track difficult. Having had her grandfather around most of her life, his passing really hit hard. Marisa explained, “I think he was the closest person I have ever been to that passed away… It happened right before finals and it was hard because we knew it was going to be soon since he had cancer.” She remembered all of her family went to visit him more often and she wanted to visit him more. She was studying in her final year of law school, trying to transfer, trying to get out, trying to get ready for finals, and be there for her family. Marisa recalled the immense guilt she felt as she was not there as much as everyone else, but knew deep down that her grandfather would have wanted her to do what she did in order to get her degree.
Life Achievements and Accomplishments
In addition to her transfer to USC Law School, another huge accomplishment for Marisa was passing the infamously difficult BAR exam. For those who do not know, the BAR is the exam given to become a licensed attorney and is a two-day exam which you take in July and do not find out until late November whether you passed or not. Recounting the emotions she felt throughout the day, leaving work early to come home and trying to relax on the couch in a last attempt to relieve herself from the weighing anxiety of the outcome of her scores. The results came out at six o’clock and she was super nervous because it is one of the hardest exams to pass on your first try. Her fiance made dinner in the kitchen, being very quiet, not wanting to say anything because he knew when the results came out too, but when the time came she logged on and her name was on the passed list! Overwhelmed with emotions, Marisa recalled asking her fiance to read it just in case she had not read it right, but in the end she was able to call her loved ones and reveal the wonderful news of her achievements.
consejos/advice to the next generation of Latinas & Youth
“Be confident in yourself, be proud of yourself, be proud of how you look, be proud of whatever you accomplish or don’t accomplish, that is always a lesson in itself. Surround yourself as much as you can with people that support what you want to do or help you figure it out… think support systems and don’t be afraid or scared to reach out because there is inspiration you can draw from anywhere!”
