Warrior Woman Wednesday: Marlina Rogers

January 12, 2017
Warrior Woman Wednesday: Marlina Rogers
Marlina Rogers, Buona Sarah Photography– http://www.buonasarahphoto.com/

After much anticipation, I am delighted to share with you my new series, Warrior Woman Wednesday! The posts will highlight a strong, encouraging woman from various professions and lifestyles. All the women featured are those who live uplifting-lives and achieve their goals.

First up, is a remarkable woman I had the pleasure of attending middle and high school with, Marlina Rogers!

Warrior Woman Wednesday: Marlina Rogers
Marlina holding her newly acquired law degree with her husband, John.

Marlina Rogers wears the hats of many roles: attorney, wife, mother, alopecian, previous collegiate athlete, and cat-lover. For as long as I’ve known her, Marlina always had the brightest smile and personality. She was successful academically and athletically. Her confidence was exceptional. However, Marlina was secretly coping with alopecia since the age of 11.


While in law school, she became public with her alopecia. Alopecia is an autoimmune disease which results in hairloss from some or all of the body. From when she was 16 to 24 years old, she did not encounter another person with the disease.

Marlina didn’t feel comfortable around anyone without a wig, aside from her family. She found the strength to not wear her wig every day after her first Alopeciapalooza, an alopecia event hosted by the
Children’s Alopecia Project. In her role she spoke to kids with alopecia and helped build their self-esteem, however she felt she was the one who was impacted the most.

“Being around those kids, and the other adults with alopecia, was so
freeing. Many of them never wear wigs,”
Marlina said. “Now I tell everyone, even strangers who compliment my wigs . . . alopecia is a gift. It helped me mature much faster and it helped me find out so much about myself”

Her husband and best friend, John, was always supportive. He’s there for her: to laugh, watch Netflix, plan dream trips, watch a lot of football, and reminisce often about the best meal they’ve eaten. Their best moments together include a bundle of joy with Marlina’s blue eyes.

“The most important role
that I play in life is one that I have never prepared or gone to school
for and have only been doing for 9 months,” Marlina said. “That is Mom—it also
happens to be my favorite.”

Warrior Woman Wednesday: Marlina Rogers


Q&A with Marlina Rogers

1. What motivates you to succeed?  
Having a child does change the way you think about success. I want to laugh every day. I want my family to be proud of me.
2. Who inspires you? 
Ruth Bader Ginsburg. All of my fellow alopecians. My parents.
3. Your biggest achievement? 
It’s
hard to say because I still want to accomplish so much. If I had to
pick one thing in my professional life it would be working with the
families at the immigration clinic. In my
personal life, probably opening up about my alopecia and being able to
meet the terrific kids with alopecia through the Children’s Alopecia
Project.

4. Goals for the future? 
I
want to learn something new every day. I want to be fluent in Spanish. I
am still working out the details of how I define professional success.
In my personal life, I want to raise a loving
child who grows up with empathy and understanding. I want to retire
(hopefully, someday) with my husband and move to the mountains where we
can have coffee and donuts on the porch and go fishing in the
afternoons.
5. What has your journey to your success taught you? 
The journey is the fun part!

6. Favorite quote or Bible verse?
Luke 10:38-42 about Martha and Mary always enthralls me. I’m the oldest of three sisters, so I guess I find it relatable.

To learn how you can help children with alopecia, please visit Children’s Alopecia Project.

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