We recently had the chance to connect with Gerri Dolores Marshall and have shared our conversation below.
Gerri Dolores, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: When have you felt most loved—and did you believe you deserved it?
I have felt most deeply loved and understood by my mother—always. Even when I didn’t fully grasp her tough love, I knew it came from a place of fierce protection and unwavering belief in me. As an immigrant from Mexico, she shaped my values, my resilience, and ultimately my path as an immigration attorney. Her sacrifices and strength are the foundation of everything I’ve built.
I also carry the love of my grandmother, Oliva Armida Zapata, in my heart. Though she is no longer with us, her presence, her tough love, and affection continue to guide me. I’ve felt love in many forms—from my husband Shawn, who despite our separation, still holds a place of care and respect in my life after more than 13 years of knowing each other; from my brother Wayne and cousin Luis, whose love and loyalty have been constants; and from my mother’s side of the family (with a special shoutout to my cousin Grecia), who have always embraced me with so much love and genuine warmth.
I’ve been blessed with close friends (Vanessa Rodriguez, Vanessa Manzi, Vianney Peregrina, Deni Marcile (Varela), Valentin Reyes, and Lisa Telles) and my life coaches (Olivia Vizachero and Anthony Diaz), who have stood by me through seasons of change, and even some of my entertainment clients and colleagues have shown me genuine love and appreciation that goes beyond professional boundaries.
And then there’s the unexpected, radiant love from my beautiful nephews, Godric and Sylas Marshall. Their joy, curiosity, and affection have brought a kind of light into my life that I never saw coming—but now couldn’t imagine being without.
As for whether I believed I deserved it—there were times I questioned it. But with time, I’ve come to understand that love isn’t earned through perfection. It’s given, received, and nurtured through presence, integrity, and shared humanity. And yes, I do believe I deserve it.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am an entertainment and business immigration lawyer who also files trademark applications. I mostly focus on obtaining work visas/authorization for foreign musicians, music groups, DJs, actors, producers, dancers, directors, models, variety artists, hosts, writers, athletes, support staff, and business professionals from countries located in Europe, South America, Central America, Africa, and in Canada, Mexico, Australia and South Korea. I also work on family-based immigration cases such as Lawful Permanent Residency cases, Naturalization, Fiance Visas, and DACA cases.
As part of my work, I interact, almost daily, with numerous agencies and organizations across the United States such as: USCIS (Immigration), U.S. Department of State (U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, American Federation of Musicians, IATSE, SAG-AFTRA, DGA, PGA, CAA, WGA, and others.
I am probably most known for my work with numerous Spanish-language music groups and artists from Mexico and South America, and dancers from Europe.
I must note that the work visas I obtain for my clients are temporary (they expire in 1-3 years), therefore, I have the privilege of working with repeat clients and maintain great relationships with them. I am honored and love seeing my clients perform their art in the United States.
Humbly, I am considered an entertainment industry leader, and I am often asked to mentor other attorneys; and to speak on various immigration law and entertainment-related panels, workshops and conferences.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I believed I had to work hard to be loved—that love was something to earn through achievement, perfection, and proving my worth to the world. I carried the weight of needing to be exceptional in every space I entered, thinking that only then would I be seen, valued, and safe.
But over time, I’ve come to understand that love isn’t conditional on performance. I don’t have to be perfect to be worthy. I don’t have to constantly prove myself to deserve belonging. My value isn’t tied to how much I accomplish—it’s rooted in who I am, how I show up, and the integrity with which I live.
That shift has been liberating. It’s allowed me to embrace my humanity, my imperfections, and the quiet truth that I am enough.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes. When I moved to Las Vegas in 2018, I came dangerously close to walking away from my career as an immigration attorney. I was deeply burned out—emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Up until that point, my journey had been marked by relentless sacrifice, long hours, and a constant pressure to be perfect. I had endured mistreatment, felt profoundly unappreciated, and lived under the weight of fear and emotional manipulation from people who should have supported me.
It was a season of reckoning. I questioned everything: my purpose, my strength, my future. But in that darkness, something shifted. I began to reclaim my voice, my boundaries, and my belief in the work I do. I remembered why I chose this path: to advocate for others, to uplift stories that deserve to be heard, and to honor the immigrant experience that shaped my own family.
I didn’t give up. I rebuilt. And today, I carry that chapter not as a source of shame, but as proof of my endurance and clarity. It taught me that survival isn’t enough—we deserve to thrive.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
Aliens, UFOs, and UAPs. I’m incredibly obsessed with this phenomenon. There’s something deeply intuitive in me that says we’re not alone—and that the universe is far more mysterious and populated than we can currently comprehend. I can’t prove it, but I believe it with every fiber of my curiosity
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope they say I was someone who loved hard—with loyalty, generosity, and a nurturing spirit that made others feel truly seen. That I was an empath who carried both the joy and pain of others with grace, and that my intelligence was matched by my curiosity—a curiosity that extended even to ideas I didn’t agree with, because I believed in understanding before judgment.
I hope they remember my passion for music and travel, and how those things fed my soul. That I helped humans and animals alike, not for recognition, but because it was simply who I was. That I gave without keeping score.
And I hope they tell the truth—that I was deeply flawed, not perfect, and never pretended to be. That I wasn’t afraid to express raw emotion, to be vulnerable, to be real. Because in the end, I lived with heart—and that, I hope, is what endures.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gerridmlaw.com; www.gdmthelaw.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gerri_visas/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerridoloresmarshallesq
- Twitter: https://x.com/gerri_visas
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LawOfficeofGerriDMarshall
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/law-office-of-gerri-d-marshall-long-beach-3?uid=kZjk0VgJu5N7B1j87LXe7A&utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gerri_visas
