Raised in Santa Ana, California, a primarily Mexican-American community, Mariana Bruno developed a strong cultural identity. These experiences encouraged Mariana to pursue a degree in public history. Currently a graduate student at California State University, Fullerton, her research explores social memory, cultural wealth, and power of place in the city of Santa Ana. More specifically, she examines murals as urban landscapes through oral history interviews. The values gained from her community have encouraged her to collaborate on interdisciplinary projects, to change the dominant narrative.