Meet the Blogger - Mariana Barbara

Mariana Barbara was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but was raised in Miami, Florida. Growing up, Mariana loved singing, drawing and reciting scripts from various movies and TV shows. During high school, Mariana was inspired by her mother, Rosa Maria, to advocate for other students with special needs like herself and her younger brother in the public school system. It was also during this time that she discovered her love for musical theater and used these experiences to develop her self-esteem, socialize with her peers, and communicate her emotions.

Mariana completed her studies at the Miami-Dade College Honors program at the Wolfson Campus. She then transferred to Florida International University, FIU, Honors College, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a minor in political science. Mariana later returned to FIU to complete her master’s degree in psychology with a track in behavior analysis. Throughout her time at FIU, she was very active with the Catholic campus ministry and the pro-life movement. Mariana is currently involved with The 72 Young Adult Youth Group and works as a registered behavioral technician at a behavioral clinic in Tamiami.

She is studying to become a board certified behavioral analyst. Her current hobbies include singing, drawing, reading, and attending comic conventions, and she hosts a podcast focused on musical theater and Pokemon called Diamond Badge PML Podcast (available on Spotify and Instagram).