Marivel Mendez DeLeon

Marivel Mendez DeLeon was born beneath the wide skies of South Texas, where the wind carries the tang of mesquite and the land remembers every footstep. She grew up between the barrio of Three Rivers and the ranchos of Live Oak County, her roots sunk deep in the caliche soil like an old oak tree whose branches stretch across kin and country. Her family’s generational tales are rich with history and cultural heritage —spun on porch swings, at kitchen tables, and under a scatter of starlight— echo the voices of people who shaped her. Marivel’s storytelling is a way of honoring this legacy, ensuring the vibrant history and ensuring spirit of her ancestors live on. Now calling Pawnee, Texas, her home ground, Marivel has spent decades weaving storytelling into the fabric of education and culture. She served as the GW Storyfest Storytelling in Schools Chair (2017–2018), has been a Dobie Dichos Board Member since 2021, and devoted 13 years to the Pawnee ISD School Board. For her, every story is a root, and every listener a branch reaching toward tomorrow.