SOLDIER

many people of different races and walks of life honor Guillén, who was Mexican American, during a time of great divisiveness in the country, Garza said.

Guillén’s death sparked a movement nationwide calling for changes to military culture after her family said she was being sexually harassed but was uncomfortable making a formal report. Military servicewomen have shared their stories of being sexually harassed or assaulted using the hashtag #IamVanessaGuillen.

“It touches everybody differently,” said Nina Ramos, who is not in the military but organized the convoy with a friend who is active duty and asked to not be identified. “I know that so many people that are military identify with her struggle of having experienced sexual assault, sexual harassment and not having anything done with it.”

Her death also has struck a nerve with those in the Latino community who feel the Army did not do enough to protect her and was too slow to respond to her disappearance. It took investigators

10 weeks to find her remains. Meanwhile, her mother and sister publicly pleaded for help.

“There’s definitely a lot of the Latino community thinking that and feeling that ‘What if?’ What if she wasn’t Latino? What if her mom didn’t only speak Spanish?” Ramos said.

That’s also why Garza said it was special to see the large outpouring for Guillén.

“It’s also about her being an American, a Mexican American, and Mexican Americans don’t get the recognition they should,” Garza said. “There’s plenty of Mexican Americans who have

lost their lives serving this country.”

From the park, dozens of people walked half a mile in nearly100-degree heat, carrying signs and mementos, to Café Azteca, where a memorial was set up for Guillén.

Marlina Castilla carried a 38-by-42-inch portrait of Guillén, bordered by rows of sunflowers that she had made. Sounds of Tejano music mixed with the fallen-soldier bagpipe tribute, both being played at the memorial off Roosevelt Avenue.

“Take action. Investigate Fort Hood,” read a sign carried by a Hispanic woman as

she walked along Padre Drive where motorists turned into the park. Drivers honked and waved in a show of support.

On Friday, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy announced that he would launch an independent review of the command culture at Fort Hood after a meeting with leaders of the League of United Latin American Citizens who McCarthy said have been “helping the Army identify and address challenges Hispanic service members face.”