It has always been fascinating to me how one can acclimate to the most difficult of circumstances and find normalcy and calm. Life has taught me that by recognizing your circumstances, you can find determination and a belief in oneself. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, it seemed that everyone had their own set of hardships and the desire to feel important. Diversity was common in my school, and it was a time of immense pressure for kids of all background as we struggled to find our identities. Not to mention, this was during the era of the Rodney King riots, prevalence of gangs, a big population of refugees trying to acclimate and the overtaxed classroom sizes. I can tell you that as bleak as life seemed them, it gave me so much perspective on the human condition as I grew into adulthood.
I left home at a very young age – in my teenage years – and also married at a very young age, resulting in two beautiful daughters and a divorce by the time I was 20. This, coupled with working various call center jobs since I was 15 years old, made me realize that I needed to complete my education. So, when I was 17, I began attending college full time while working nights; with my children being toted from daycare to grandma’s house. After three long years of pursuing my undergraduate studies for the college of pharmacy, I made the tough choice to drop out. I’m not one to share that information very often, maybe for fear of judgment, but I think it is an important indicator that there are multiple roads to success. I value education; however, I’m not sure that I could have received a better education than working hands-on with some of the best mentors in our industry. Dropping out of college was a turning point for me. My goal was to bring the stability that I never experienced to my daughters’ lives; and I could not do that if I wasn’t present in their younger years. As an Assistant Supervisor at the time working for a Fortune 500 company, I realized that the salaries of senior management were commensurate with that of my field of study. So, I highly focused my efforts into learning everything about the call center industry.
As I progressed into various leadership roles, I decided to try my hand in the collections BPO space. This is where the self-awareness crept in that I was a woman working in a largely patriarchal industry. There was very little room for sensitivities to motherhood, sexual harassment or anything related to work/life balance. It was all about getting the job done right with no excuses – no matter your position. I learned a lot about what should and shouldn’t happen in the workplace. Consequently, I value my fortitude to err on the side of doing the right thing, even if it is unpopular or uncomfortable. As a woman, it’s easy to carry a label attached to your gender, and this was something I often had to ignore. These life lessons have served me well. Today, I mentor other women leaders on this belief of “servant leadership” and how our innate ability to nurture translates to a brilliance in our aptitude to support and discipline.
My younger self was never aware that gender could pose such roadblocks. Now, I look back on my experience and see there was a vast number of obstacles and risks in place that as a woman I needed to conquer and take. Developing my authentic self was not easy; mostly because of the natural self-doubt that exists and society reinforces. I had to venture into self-discovery to ensure that I believed in and developed my abilities. If I could give advice to all women, it would be that mindset is equally as important as effort, and all women should subconsciously understand that we have a right to a seat at the table. If you don’t find that seat, find another table! Never settle, never quit, and always show up.
I have been extremely fortunate in ways that I can only explain with a spiritual context, as the circumstances were stacked against me. I’ve achieved more than I ever imagined I would and for that I am grateful to those that have contributed to my life in all ways. Since my early years, life has taken me on a journey which includes living outside of my home country for almost 20 years now. While living in Panama, I met my wonderful husband with the addition of a terrific stepson, almost 10 years ago. Throughout this journey, what matters most can be summarized in a few simple phrases: mother of three, wife of a great guy and VP of Operations in support of over 2,000 superbly talented Foundever associates in Panama.
In honor of International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating the bold and powerful women of Foundever by sharing their stories – about balance, about success, about gender equality, about change, about what it feels like to be a woman today.