Owning your Origins: Margolin Master Class & Lecture with Jean Guerrero

Owning your Origins: How embracing your heritage transforms personal experience into social impact

Every student comes to campus with a unique history: a rich tapestry of cultural heritage, community roots, and personal lived experiences. In this inspiring Master Class, New York Times journalist and award-winning author Jean Guerrero discusses what happens when you stop hiding your past and start leading with it.

Owning your origins is a vibrant call to action for the next generation of leaders. As you reflect on Jean’s story you’ll be invited to rethink your identity and to explore how your lived experiences can become a roadmap for you as you pursue your journey toward impact and positive social change.

Jean Guerrero is an award-winning journalist and author who is a national authority on U.S. Latino/as, immigration, and the forces that shape belonging in the U.S.. She is a New York Times contributor and recently became an Associate Professor of Journalism at the University of Southern California.

Jean’s first book was Crux: A Cross-Border Memoir. The book, which follows her journey to learn more about her father’s Mexican heritage and about his struggles with mental illness, won a PEN literary award and was named one of NPR’s best books. In her talks at the University of Denver, Jean will discuss her journey of self-discovery that she traces to her college days and discusses in her book.

Jean’s work also has been published in Vanity Fair, Politico, The Nation, Wired, The Washington Post, and the LA Times. Jean is author of the authoritative biography of Stephen Miller titled, Hatemonger: Stephen Miller, Donald Trump, and the White Nationalist Agenda. She was named Latina Journalist on the Rise by the California Chicano News Media Association and a member of the Latina Futures lab. Her investigative reporting has been recognized with an Emmy and has been cited by members of Congress. She also served as a foreign correspondent in Mexico and in Central America and in 2019 was named Journalist of the Year by the Society of Professional Journalists.

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