9/24/2025 (Updated: 1/30/2026) - by Rachel Ham - Corporate
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Denver, Colorado is home to award-winning music venues, spectacular vistas and bustling business scene. Weaved throughout the city is a thriving Hispanic culture.
Leaving behind family more than 1,000 miles away, many families immigrated to Denver a generation ago when the city experienced a construction boom.
SouthState’s Dianna Martinez and Maria Garza’s stories both began in Mexico, Dianna as the grandchild of immigrants and Maria as a new U.S. citizen. Both shaped by single mothers who taught them the importance of tradition and family, they have cultivated roots in Denver while proudly holding onto their culture and values.
Maria Garza, universal banker at Denver’s downtown branch, is inspired every day by the memory of her loving mother, Luisa. The youngest of four children, she recalls watching her mother work hard to provide a good life for her family in Juarez, Mexico. ”She taught me the importance of hard work and perseverance,” Garza says.
Garza desired to offer her own children, two boys and a girl, more educational opportunities. Her son began attending school in El Paso while the family still lived in Juarez, and Garza found herself watching anxiously each day for him to return home. The family soon decided to immigrate, not to El Paso, but to the unfamiliar Colorado.
”We choose Colorado because my husband’s niece offered us a temporary place to stay. We got here just with a suitcase, but with a heart full of hope,” Garza says. Though hundreds of miles from where she grew up, Garza stays connected to her roots by sharing family stories and memories, speaking only Spanish at home and prioritizing family time.
”But most important, we share our love with each other. A united family will always be stronger,” she adds. The family holds traditions like celebrating Mexican Independence Day with folk dances and plentiful food. On these special days, the family gathers in the kitchen to prepare traditional foods together.
It was important to Garza to return to Juarez to celebrate her daughter’s quinceañera, a special event held to mark a girl’s 15th birthday and her transition to womanhood. Garza was unable to have a ”quince” of her own, so she made sure her daughter enjoyed all the traditions in Mexico with extended family and friends.
Residents of Denver for more than a decade, Garza and her husband became U.S. citizens in 2025 after completing their visa application process. She’s often the first face people see when they visit the downtown branch. She relishes the opportunity to help limited-English speakers who come in looking for financial advice or to set up an account.
”When I see them struggling and begin to speak in Spanish to them, I see them instantly relax. I’m so happy that I can help customers in this way,” she says. ”It’s my favorite part of my job.”
Though born and raised in Denver, Regional Area Manager Dianna Martinez has always sought out connections to her Mexican roots. Her parents met in Denver after their families immigrated from Jalisco years earlier.
”My identity was really shaped by my mom, my family here, and the Hispanic community around me, where I learned the value of family and hard work,” she says.
Martinez says she was fortunate enough to have representation of her culture all around her, from studying Chicano history in school to the vibrant Art District on Sante Fe, where Hispanic-owned business thrived.
”Denver’s strong Hispanic community gave me a deep connection to my roots,” she recalls.
At home, her mother emphasized culture and tradition, giving Martinez and her siblings a sense of pride in their family’s heritage.
”We celebrated with food, family gatherings, and traditions that always brought us together. Those moments taught me not just about culture, but also about strength and hard work,” she says.
Martinez carries on the legacy by creating a space where everyone is welcome. ”I honor my roots by working hard, supporting my community, and teaching my family the same values my mom instilled in me,” she says.
A banker since 1995, Martinez has been instrumental in the success of SouthState’s Denver-area branches, as well as supporting local businesses and fostering community engagement. When she’s not in the office, you can find her hosting family and friends or enjoying the food and fun in the Sante Fe district.
In observance of Veterans Day, SouthState locations will be closed on Wednesday, November 11. SouthState Customer Care will be open 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET. Transactions initiated or scheduled on a holiday are processed the next business day.