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learn or be punished once they've learned." Her passion for educating potential allies visibly ignites while she speaks, and her fire grows as she explains how staying silent and refusal to listen only keeps the current systems of oppression in place. After graduating from Wesleyan, she received two master's degrees from Florida State University in Art erapy and Art Education. Before she began the pursuit of her doctoral degree, her education was put on hold when the illness of her mother and the duty of "the eldest female in a Latin American family" called her to home to care for her family. "A year to the day I moved home, my mother passed away," Mariana said. Her mother's legacy of strength, passion, beauty and talent left a permanent impression on Mariana. ose elements weave in and out of her stories, as well as her life. Later, tragedy would strike her family again with the untimely death of her younger brother, Junior. is haunting memory drives Mariana's daily search for peace, love and positivity. Her boyfriend, Kevin, comes to refill her wine as we discuss her decision to make Macon her home. It began with a couple of visits where she met the people who would eventually become her chosen family here. After attending a party and a wedding – my first marriage, in fact – and feeling the same electric connection she felt when she first arrived here in 1988, the wheels were already in motion to return for good. Now, along with her constant companion and furry sidekick, Gus, she wears many hats at Wesleyan as the assessment coordinator for education, the program assistant to the MBA and the graduate program admissions counselor. She has made her community a priority by participating in events like Leadership Macon, co-planning the Soapbox Derby and supporting education initiatives like Change the Narrative 365, "the 2020-2021 women-led MEd cohort that seeks to put black history into daily education instead of relegating it to the shortest month of the year." "Coming from larger cities, where small contributions seemed like just a drop in the bucket, here, in our city, those little things make a big difference," she said radiating passion as she talked of her inclusion in Macon's evolution. Mariana is a humble ally, a captivating storyteller and a true friend. She believes in change, no matter how uncomfortable. She loves and protects with her whole heart. How lucky we are, that she found her home where she found her voice — in Macon. And now this plant whisperer is putting down roots. "COMING FROM LARGER CITIES, WHERE SMALL CONTRIBUTIONS SEEMED LIKE JUST A DROP IN THE BUCKET, HERE, IN OUR CITY, THOSE LITTLE THINGS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE." -MARIANA FURLIN HARDWOOD | CARPET | CER AMIC TILE VINYL | MARBLE | RUGS 4989 Mercer University Drive (478) 742-3366 www.burgessflooringcenter.com OUR SHOWROOM IS SAFE FOR CUSTOMERS! AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020 | maconmagazine.com 81