Veteran2-Playbill23
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THE<br />
CAST<br />
VICTOR TAFOYA RODRIGUEZ (HE/HIM)<br />
US MARINE CORPS, 2003-2009<br />
Raised in a small, rural town in central Mexico, Victor is a first<br />
generation immigrant and English learner. California has been his<br />
home since 1997. At 17, he joined the military and went to boot camp<br />
in January 2003; by then, he was 18. After graduating high school<br />
and having no guidance on pursuing a college education, he joined<br />
the United States Marine Corps to gain a life experience of service,<br />
confidence, and, eventually, the benefit of an education program that<br />
would help him pursue a college degree. Serving with the US Marine<br />
Corps, he deployed in 2007 with Operation Iraqi Freedom. While serving<br />
as a reservist with the US Military, Victor came across an opportunity<br />
for an internship at a local television station in Sacramento. He<br />
recently graduated from Sacramento State University with a degree<br />
in intercultural communications. As a veteran and a journalist with<br />
over 15 years in the field, he brings an array of experience that he<br />
hopes can motivate others with similar backgrounds, both veterans<br />
and first generation immigrants.<br />
While working at ABC 10 in Sacramento, California, the pandemic<br />
didn’t stop many families from going to work. The idea of “work never<br />
stops” is all but tattooed in the minds of many first generation and<br />
immigrant families. He realized he could help to provide a caution<br />
message due to the pandemic, not only in their native language but<br />
also at a cultural level. California communities not only need support<br />
in translating information into a language they understand, but they<br />
also find themselves in diverse cultural codes that must be adapted<br />
for a community to react. Today, Victor wants to work on supporting<br />
his community of veterans and immigrant families who need someone<br />
to talk to and give a stage to their stories. Follow along with Victor on<br />
Instagram at @victortafoya.<br />
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