Hi everyone! My name is Mariah Fuertes, it’s lovely to meet you all.
I’m a born and raised Florida native. I’ve lived in three different major cities: Tampa, Fort. Lauderdale, and now, Orlando. My husband and I enjoy the Central Florida area, however, every now and then I’m tempted to move North in order to experience the changing of the seasons.
Currently, I wear two hats: I’m a part-time Library Assistant and a Reference Intern at Valencia College. I love what I do and feel fortunate enough to work in an environment that not only supports my career growth, but allows me to balance motherhood graciously. I have an almost two-year-old daughter who keeps me on my toes. She’s my pocket-sized best friend. My days off are usually spent playing with baby dolls, singing Ms. Rachel songs, and reading piles of books together.
I began my MSI journey in Fall of 2023 and will be graduating this Summer in 2025. I’m excited to begin my career as a librarian post graduation, as well as have the opportunity to (hopefully) expand upon my other interests/academic skills. I also have a BA in English from the University of Central Florida and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Full Sail University. My goal is to either be a Youth Services or Academic Librarian.
In my spare time, I’m also an aspiring author of fantasy and literary fiction. I’m convinced that escaping reality is the best coping mechanism, as I’d much rather get lost in a floating castle than pay for a therapist. As a writer, my goal is to craft stories that challenge the unimaginable, and make even the most skeptical believe in the subtle magic of everyday life.
When I’m not editing story drafts, you can find me binge watching Bravo TV, practicing beginner ballet, cozy gaming on my Switch, or strolling down Main Street at Walt Disney World.
I enjoy digital media creation, and have studied different variations of it in the past! I’m looking forward to learning about new programs, tips & tricks, and overall gaining some insight on how to properly incorporate digital content into the LIS field.
Wishing you all a great semester! 🙂
Hey Mariah,
You and I have similar origin stories, I’m a Tampa native who moved to Orlando (where I currently live) in 2008 to attend UCF where I got my bachelor’s degree. We also have similar aspirations, I am currently looking to relocate out of state so I can experience seasons. Your blog post is very well written and uses images and links appropriately. I love that you included subtext for the photos you included to clarify the subject of the image and provide context. I am questioning what the title, “Getting my “Pink” Back”, means. I pray it’s not a reference I’m too old to understand, lol. Nice to meet you. 🙂
Hi Sara! Great Question–and definitely not too old to understand, as I just learned this myself haha. So the phrase, “getting your pink back” is a metaphor for women in the trenches of motherhood. When flamingos are raising their young, they slowly start to drain in color due to the high stress. Overtime, as their young grows, they begin to gain their color–or pink–back. 🙂
Hi Mariah,
It’s so nice to meet you! Early congratulations on your upcoming graduation this summer! Like you, I’ve lived in three cities in Florida: Naples, Gainesville, and Tallahassee. I was raised in Naples but currently live in Tallahassee, and the change of seasons has been harder to adjust to than I expected. I am someone you would say has “thin blood”. When the temperatures drop below 70, I am freezing! Being an aspiring author is so cool! I love to read too and completely agree that getting lost in a book’s story is the best therapy. I’m excited to take this class and look forward to learning more about digital content with you!
Take care!
Thank you, Kristopher! You take care as well. 🙂
Hey Mariah,
That picture of you and your mini-me is so precious! AND the throwback circa 2001, someone tell that little girl covered in books she will get to work in Libraries and become an author! I love your post, that your starting ballet too, really letting that kiddo know nothing is impossible – very inspiring!
What’s not inspiring? The SNOW. I totally recommend visiting the change of the seasons, can’t imagine how anyone could live in what seem to me to be inhumane conditions haha. But I hope you get to experience it all soon and find what makes you happiest, best of luck to you!