Knowing the World and Fighting for It MARIANA KIIMI ORTIZ FLORES

United States in pursuit of a better life. When she finished her undergraduate degree, she decided to pursue a master’s degree at the university’s Mexico City campus. She was particularly interested in researching the situation of deportees who have been forced to return to Mexico. Today Mariana considers herself an advocate for the rights of individuals and Indigenous Peoples. She is aware of what is happening in other countries and of the tools and mechanisms used to bring about positive change. Mariana considers going back to her origins and trying to recover the language of her ancestors to be a revolutionary act. She would like the Indigenous Peoples in Mexico to be recognized for their own cultural identities and not to be folklorized or left out at the international level, and she recognizes that much work needs to be done to raise awareness that being Indigenous is not synonymous with inferiority. Mariana believes that governments around the world must stop treating Indigenous Peoples as different and recognize that they have the potential to improve the world from other perspectives, which, she says, “will be possible as we continue to raise our voices and make visible the injustices against Indigenous Peoples at the international level.”

In her personal life, Mariana enjoys reading both fiction and nonfiction that transport her to other worlds and inspire her to continue growing personally and professionally, as well as writing reflections on her life and other social issues. Music is also an essential part of her daily life. On joining the Cultural Survival staff, she says, “I would like to specialize even more in the defense of human rights. I want to continue studying and putting into practice what I have already learned. I would like to contribute to the growth of my community in a more direct way, to promote and ensure that young people do not need to emigrate to other countries out of necessity and that they have equal opportunities and possibilities, as well as love for their people and cultures.”