The Atlas Week Signature Symposium is presented by internationally renowned speakers who have dedicated their lives to issues of political and social justice.
The 2020 Atlas Week keynote speaker is award-winning actress and author, Diane Guerrero, who will deliver the Signature Symposium keynote address on Wednesday, April 1, from 5:30-7 p.m. in the Wool Ballroom, Busch Student Center.
Named one of the top 10 Latina actresses to watch by Variety magazine, Diane Guerrero
draws from her personal and professional experiences to inspire audiences that success
is possible—no matter the obstacles in your way.
Diane Guerrero was just 14 when her parents were detained and deported. Born in the
U.S., she was able to remain in the country and continue her education, depending
on the kindness of family friends who took her in and helped her build a life and
a successful acting career. She recounts her story in her memoir, “In The Country
We Love,” a moving, heartbreaking story of one woman's extraordinary resilience in
the face of the nightmarish struggles of undocumented residents in this country.
Diane has, from an early age, had an affinity for the arts. After graduating high
school, she received a degree in political science and communication. She quickly
realized, however, her passion lay in performance art and moved to New York to pursue
her dreams. Diane subsequently appeared on numerous television series and is best
known for her roles as “Maritza Ramos” on the Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated Netflix
series “Orange Is The New Black” (for which she received three Screen Actors Guild
awards) and as Lina in CW's breakout hit “Jane The Virgin.” She recently wrapped a
co-lead in the Sony/CBS pilot “Distefano,” from the creators of “How I Met Your Mother.”
In 2015, Diane was nominated by President Obama to be a White House Ambassador for
Citizenship and Naturalization. She is an outspoken advocate for common sense, comprehensive
immigration reform and has worked with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center and Mi
Familia Vota, a nonpartisan Latino civic engagement organization, to promote citizenship
and voter registration.