Mariela Esparza (she/her) is the online editorial assistant for Sojourners. She is from Elkhart, Ind., and graduated from Goshen College with a degree in English. During her time at Goshen, she served as the executive editor for The Record, the student-run newspaper. As a Horswell Fellow, she oversaw PinchPenny Press. Her own chapbook, Rasquache, was published by PinchPenny Press in 2024. This collection of poems delves into her identity as a Mexican American woman and features original artwork in printmaking and collage.
Mariela has studied abroad in Guatemala and London.
While researching her speech for the C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest, “Overseen yet Overlooked: Children as an Oppressed Class,” she became acquainted with the work of Sojourners in early childhood development.
In her free time, Mariela enjoys making art, people-watching, daydreaming, and wearing her red cowgirl boots.