Mariah Barrera is a Mexican-American filmmaker and writer born and raised in Michigan. She is based part-time in New York City as a first-generation student at Columbia University. Her films have been shown at festivals such as HBO-founded Urbanworld, Cleveland International Film Festival, NFFTY and DOC NYC and highlighted by NowThis, Stylecaster, The Washington Post, and Adobe Gen Create. She has garnered recognition as a YoungArts Alumna, Mitú-Walmart Film Mentee, Made In Her Image Panavision Mentee, Hispanic Heritage Foundation Awardee, & Sotheby's Art Noir Grantee.

Her films aim to amplify themes of social justice and equity, drawing from her family’s experiences in the urban Midwest. Using these stories, she is passionate about bridging the gap between narrative and documentary through poetry. Currently, she is exhibiting her film "Still Here," which follows three brothers affected by violence, poverty, and prison. She is also working on her second documentary as a Still I Rise Films Fellow.

find me on IG @mariah.gb