Mariana van Zeller’s reporting reveals why opportunity — and dignity — matters
Mariana van Zeller stood outside the dean’s office at Columbia University, unsure of what to do next. It was her third attempt to get into the journalism program, and she had traveled from Portugal to New York with no appointment — just a quiet hope that maybe this time it would be different.
She paused. It would’ve been easy to walk away. But then she reminded herself why she had come: to pursue her dream of becoming an investigative journalist in the United States.
So she knocked on the door.
That moment changed her life. But it also taught her something she’s carried into every war zone, black market, and border crossing she’s reported from since: Sometimes, the only way forward is to knock — even when the world tells you not to.
Telling Stories That Matter
For the past two decades, Mariana has built a career on telling global stories. She’s interviewed war survivors, victims of violence, and youth risking everything for a better future. But what ties all these stories together isn’t danger — it’s humanity. It’s the quiet, often invisible struggle of people trying to survive in systems that weren’t built for them.
“One thing journalism does and should always do,” Mariana says, “is to place you in somebody else’s shoes. And if I’m able to get someone in small town America to understand what it’s like to be an immigrant, why a person is taking the incredibly dangerous journey to reach the United States, then my job is done.”
Starting Over: The Immigrant Experience
At Upwardly Global, we work with immigrants and refugees who arrive in the U.S. with degrees, experience, and dreams but lack access to the professional workforce due to systemic barriers. These are doctors, engineers, and teachers — all shut out of their fields.
Mariana understands this. Not just as a journalist, but as an immigrant herself.
“I never want to compare my experience to the vast majority of immigrants,” she says. “But I know what it’s like to start over. And I know how important kindness and opportunity are.”
Creating Opportunities Through Storytelling
In her reporting, Mariana has met countless individuals whose stories highlight a need for opportunity. During the first season of her show, “Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller,” she met a teenage boy in rural Peru who dreamt of becoming a dentist. When she asked why, he said, “I love to make people smile.”
“Your options are only as good as the opportunities you’re given in life,” she says. “So, I think creating more of these opportunities around the world is really the solution — the only solution.”
Investing in People, Investing in the Future
And that’s the heart of Upwardly Global’s work: expanding those options. We help immigrants and refugees rebuild their careers, not just because it’s the right thing to do — but because their success strengthens all of us. When we invest in people, we invest in the future.
“Upwardly Global is the solution, in many ways, to the work I’ve been doing for so many years,” Mariana says.
As we reflect on 25 years of Upwardly Global, we’re proud to celebrate voices like Mariana’s — voices that challenge us to see the world more clearly, and to act more compassionately.
Because sometimes, all it takes is someone opening the door.