Latina actress inspires students
Live your life for you. You are the only you the world will ever know.
This was the message author, actor, activist and comedienne Jackie Guerra told about 180 students Monday night in the Bovee University Center Auditorium.
Minority Student Services brought Guerra, who played Suzette Quintanilla in the 1997 film “Selena,” as part of Hispanic Heritage Month to talk about her struggles of being a Mexican-American.
“I do what I do because I want to share the perspectives of Latinos in America,” Guerra said.
She said a lot of Mexican-Americans commonly are stereotyped as un-documented and on welfare, when less than 1 percent of them actually are.
Guerra said she was the first college graduate in her family, receiving a political science degree from Yale University.
During her freshman year in college, one of Guerra’s professors offered her extra credit if she told the class what it was like to cross the border.
“As offended as I felt, I realized that there are good people,” she said. “That is why I do what I do.”
Guerra marched with Cesar Chavez, co-founder of the National Farm Workers Association, and was a speech writer for the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
She decided to be a stand-up comic after picketing Hyatt Hotels, and taking the workers out to a bar to help them relieve their worries.
Guerra then signed up for a talent show where she talked about her picket line experience and walked away with $500.
“I want to do for my generation of women and Latinas what Oprah has done for hers,” she said.
The evening ended with Guerra inspiring students to not be afraid of who they are.
“You got to rock who you are, own who you are,” she said. “Those things that make you feel awkward and weird make you who you are.”
Saginaw freshman Veronica Frierson went to Guerra’s lecture to help support Hispanic Heritage Month and because “Selena” is one of her favorite movies.
“Her story was entertaining and inspiring — what she had to over come to be in Selena,” Frierson said.
Okemos freshman Alexandra Lansdale joined her friends who went to celebrate their Hispanic heritage.
“I thought it was awesome,” she said. “It was really funny and had a good message.”
