Meet Natalia Marrin

We had the good fortune of connecting with Natalia Marrin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Natalia, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
To me, that is one of the most complicated questions. I have moved nearly a dozen times growing up, so I never have had a place to call home but a feeling. Moving had a huge impact on me. Though challenging, I feel like I have lived so many lifetimes before the age of 20. Looking back on my childhood, I am eternally grateful to the obstacles I have faced, places I have been, and people I have met. The household I grew up in was always a safe place from the outside world. I was encouraged to be bold, be passionate, but most importantly be myself. Without this support, I would not have been strong enough to enter into unknown schools and live in unknown places. My family, my support system, allowed space for me to grow and be who I am without judgment. If it were not for this freedom, I know I would not be as successful as I am.

Growing up, I have always felt different from my peers—my peers did not find solace in a camera, my peers did not move nearly a dozen times before college, my peers did not feel pulled between two cultures. I did. In my life of moving across the country, the one consistency I had was education. School was the one place I felt like I belonged. I related to the characters I read about, and with a subtle push from one of my favorite teachers, I discovered my ability to tell stories through a camera. When I discovered journalism, I began creating videos that related to the issues that my fellow middle school students were experiencing. The wonder and passion I experienced creating my first video are the same virtues I carry into the classroom each day at school. My vision was to attend the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, a goal I am successful in achieving, but I want to go one step further. I plan to earn a master’s degree as well. Earning an advanced degree in one of the country’s premier journalism schools is a dream I could not even have fathomed. Another major part of my life is that I am Guatemalan-American. In a race game of tug of war, I have felt like the rope my entire life. As many biracial kids, I relate to the sentiment of never fully feeling like one culture. I grew up asking my mom why I did not have blonde hair and dyeing it as soon as she let me. I never saw myself represented in any capacity. When I graduate, I hope to be that representation. Never feeling like I belong anywhere has allowed me the ability to float. I am able to fly from group to group and accurately portray their struggles and stories. Whether I am directing, producing, or anchoring, I will lead the charge to tell the untold stories. I am not like my peers. I am a storyteller.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I think I am still coming to terms with the fact that I create “art.” I always thought that art was painting, drawing, or singing; what I do always felt natural, never artistic. It seems that once I picked up a camera, I never put it down. Ever since I can remember, I have created. At the age of 7, I made music videos with my best friends. At the age of 13, I made a short documentary about beauty standards. At my current age of 19, I make videos every single day about my life, my friends, and my community.

Though, for work, I run different organization’s social media accounts and curate feeds to achieve their aesthetic. I love what I do for my job, but for my future career, I want to transition into video and audio production. As I said before, I want to tell stories, and through my degree, I have become firmer in this stance.
Recently, I have focused on making news packages about my community, the Hispanic community. The fact that I am trusted to tell these deeply personal stories about my community will never fail to amaze me. I have learned that within a 2-3 minute video segment, so much can be said. Visual media has always been my way to convey my feelings, so now that I can use it in a way to help convey the feelings of people I care so deeply about, it is a true gift.

Another personal piece of art I create now is my radio show/podcast called Does It Work?, which broadcasts live every week. Does it Work? is my show that I produce, write, and anchor that evaluates if cultural phenomenons, government systems, and psychological theories work. It is my passion project and my creative outlet in school. We have just finished up with 11 episodes this semester, which I am so proud of that along with my schoolwork, job, and internship, I was able to find time for this project. If you want to listen along, you can go to the YouTube channel @doesitworkshow or follow Instagram @doesitworkshow.

I want to focus on the art that fulfills me, whether that be creating more podcasts, continuing short-form and documentary videos, or trying my hand at magazine design. When I am creative and I’m in the studio or production lab, I feel the most me. I know who I am, and it provides calm within my chaotic self.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I go to ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, so living in downtown Phoenix, my favorite area, has to be on Roosevelt Row. The area is lively and filled with young, vibrant people. It is where some amazing festivals take place, like Small Business Market, VeganFest, Farmers Markets, and First Fridays. I am a student, so I am known to frequent a coffee shop, and I am very particular about which coffee shop I choose. My favorite is Fillmore Coffee Co., where I go to do creative work because it has a homey and artistic vibe. Other coffee shops I like are Kahvi, Press Coffee, and Songbird.

One of the best experiences in Phoenix has to be the Phoenix Art Museum. It has some of the most incredible artwork, and I truly think I could spend a week there and not ever get bored. I also love to go thrift shopping. My favorite is Buffalo Exchange. You can always find something cool there.

If we were looking to relax, I would visit Heritage Square. It is so peaceful and calm, and I usually just walk over to the park and sit there with a book. For food places, my roommates and I love to treat ourselves to Thai food; some of the best in downtown Phoenix are ZenThai and Thai Basil.

Overall, there is always something to do downtown, so if all else fails, just walk around the city and you will find something interesting.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First of all, I give all my success to my parents and my sister. Everything about who I am and who I will become is because of and for them. They have always supported me in small and big decisions. No matter if I fail or succeed, they are behind me.

My dad always showed up for me. Whether it was a soccer game or a high school play, I would not even have to look in the front row because I knew he would be there. There is no question that if it were not for his hard work, I would not be where I am today. He has taught me the greatest life lessons and continues to surprise me every day with his profound knowledge within any subject. What I value most about him is that even though he might not fully understand what I do or how I do it, he never fails to be proud of what I create.

My mom is unlike any other. Her support has never wavered, and unconditional love has never ceased. I do not think I will ever be able to fully articulate how much she means to me. Growing up, she gave me the freedom to try every sport, every instrument, and every single thing. She made our house a place where I could live without judgment, and I know that this is what spawned my creativity. Despite anything she was going through, she never cracked to allow me to fall apart. My mom is one of the strongest people, and I am lucky to know her, let alone be raised by her.

My sister is the most exceptional person that I know. She is and will always be my inspiration. To anyone who will listen, I will talk their ear off about how amazing my older sister is and how she will change the world. Though sometimes I see her as this otherworldly being, I am always reminded that I am in fact related to her. Like I said, I never saw myself represented in traditional media, but I never had to because I could always look up to my big sister. If everyone in the world could have a fraction of her intelligence, work ethic, and care, the world would be a better place.

They all taught me the most important lessons and showed me how with hard work I can achieve anything. They are my moral compass, my center, and my home.

Instagram: nataliamarrin_

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/natalia-marrin-638359277

Twitter: nataliamarrin

Youtube: @nataliamarrin

Image Credits
Third photo: Dot Ridenour