About Marianna

Marianna was born and raised among the cottonwood trees of Albuquerque’s North Valley by her mother, grandmother and eight aunts. After graduating from Valley High School she was the first in her family to attend college. She found her way to the University of Texas at Austin where she cut her teeth in the policy world at the Texas Center for Education Policy. Her love for organizing in community coupled with policy advocacy grew exponentially the summer Senator Wendy Davis filibustered the harmful Texas abortion ban, which ultimately passed. It became clear to Marianna that the most impacted communities were not only being left out of policy discussions, they were often ignored completely. 

Marianna continued her track in academia at UCLA in the Race and Ethnic Studies in Education program. Yet, focusing on research didn’t sit right with her while policies meant to protect families and marginalized communities were being eroded back home, under the Martinez administration. Talking about action was not enough- she needed to participate in it. 

She soon returned to Albuquerque, where she immersed herself in community, served as a congressional field representative and listened to and organized alongside union educators. Her policy/advocacy work continued to develop as she helped repeal NM’s 1969 abortion ban, helped protect patients and providers seeking abortion and gender affirming care, worked to pass New Mexico’s Voting Rights Act and most recently, led the coalition to pass Paid Family and Medical Leave. She now owns a small business that specializes in communications, media relations and policy advocacy.

Marianna’s commitment to fighting for the people of House District 18 comes from her lived experience as a queer woman of color whose larger family has lived in New Mexico for generations, and still, struggle to survive substance abuse, homelessness, and the mass incarceration system. For her, policy is personal. She knows that economic stability, access to quality healthcare and free and public education are key components for a stable life- for not only her family, but families in HD18 and across the state of New Mexico.

During her down time, Marianna seeks nature of all sorts- usually with her three dogs Frida, Mila and Shadow. You can find her at the UNM North Golf Course, hiking in the mountains, packing up for a camping trip, adventuring, or trying her hand at being a DIY home renovator/landscaper. A self-proclaimed foodie, she loves to frequent the district’s local restaurants and coffeeshops.

Bold. Trusted. Proven.

Highlights: Sponsored & Co-Sponsored Legislation

(…passed & signed into law my first year!)

  • ACA Premium Subsidies- we “tapped in” when the federal government bailed out and were the only state in the nation to ensure New Mexicans didn’t feel the massive premium increases the rest of the nation saw. I was proud to be a sponsor of this bill.

  • Immigrant Safety Act- prohibits government entities from entering into contracts with ICE, including the prohibition of deputizing local authorities for ICE duties.

  • Zorro Ranch Truth Commission- there was never a full investigation done at Jeffery Epstein’s Zorro Ranch here in NM. We changed that by establishing a special investigative subcommittee with subpoena power to leave no stone unturned and do justice to the survivors.

  • Driver Privacy and Safety Act- established New Mexico’s first statewide regulations for Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) data, ensuring that location information isn't weaponized against residents for seeking abortion or gender affirming care, exercising constitutional rights, or for federal immigration enforcement.

  • Legislature Modernization- New Mexico remains the only unpaid Legislature in the country, but the resolution I co-sponsored gives us the opportunity to change that. This November, VOTERS will decide whether legislators should receive a salary that will be based on the median NM income. With a paid legislature, we can finally be sure that everyday people —not just the wealthy and retired— can serve, that the legislative branch has more oversight as a full time body, and that the legislature is less reliant on lobbyists for critical information.

  • Confirmatory Adoptions- during a time in which LGBTQ families are subject to proving their parental status in hostile states, we made sure LGBTQ and IVF families have an easier process in which they can adopt their own children— and have the paperwork to back it up! Trip to grandma’s house in a hostile state, your child goes to the hospital and you need to prove parental status? Parents, we’ve got you covered!

Community Service

  • Emerge New Mexico Board of Directors (2016-2022)

  • Judicial Nominating Commission, NM Supreme Court | President Pro Temp Stewart Appointee (2021)

  • Judicial Nominating Commission, Bernalillo Co. Metro Court | House Speaker Egolf Appointee (2021)

  • NM Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network, Board of Directors & Nationally Certified Curriculum Trainer (2017-2019)

  • NM Latino Education Task Force, Board of Directors (2014-2016)

Awards

  • UNM Alumni Association Freshman Legislator of the Year (2025)

  • Bunnie Boom Boom LGBTQ+ Advocacy Award (2025)

  • Emerge New Mexico Rising Woman of the Year (2021)

  • Américo Parédez Endowed Fellowship for Community Service

  • Texas Woman’s University Outstanding Emerging Leader

Education

  • UCLA, Graduate Program in Race & Ethnic Studies in Education

  • University of Texas at Austin, B.A. in Mexican American Studies, 2013