LESSONS LEARN
The Fellowship 2020-2021 has been a gift for me above all, more than for my business, De Colores C. Consulting. It was the perfect opportunity to dream big again, rekindle my passion for what I do, and unlearn everything that was not helping me grow.
I have regained confidence in myself and in what I can contribute as a person and as a member to my cooperative. Now I dare to express what I am thinking and feeling without fear of feeling judged or less valued. With my coaching sessions, little by little my self-esteem has increased. I am less demanding with myself, and I have been learning to speak to myself with care and compassion. I thank my coach, Claudia Arroyo, for her invaluable patience and teachings.
With the Fellowship I have learned to take better care of myself, not only physically, but also spiritually and emotionally. I have learned to take time to pamper myself and recharge my batteries when work piles up and stress increases, and to find a balance between family, work and self-care, because if I am well, my children are better off.
I am also grateful for the opportunity to closely see the cooperative and committed work of so many entrepreneurs and struggling women that I have met throughout this first year because without even realizing it, I felt inspired and motivated to be part of it all.
During this year of Fellowship we have had many achievements in De Colores, such as:
- Launched our bilingual website in Spanish and English. Thank you Charly Baez and Adela Jaimes.
- Increased our client portfolio from 1 to 10 clients.
- Doubled our revenues so far from 2020 to 2021.
- Increased our reach on social media thanks to the marketing strategy that Madeleine Hernandez and Daniel Guerrero have given us.
PERSONAL GOALS
- Now I can handle accounting with more confidence and ease than before. Thank you Daniella Preisler and Jose Luis Ruiz.
- I have learned to organize my time and work activities in order to be more effective and intentional.
- My knowledge in managing our social media and creating publications for our community and clients has increased quite a lot.
- As I learn, I have been able to share what I learn with other women. This brings me great personal satisfaction, not only because it makes me feel good, but because I learn much more when I do it. That is community building.
CHALLENGES
- Handling different commitments at the same time has been challenging, because sometimes it makes me feel a bit pressured and stressed.
- Creating a balance between all my responsibilities.
- Learning everything related to business accounting. It is very extensive, complex, and requires a lot of attention and discipline.
The opportunity to be a member of Prospera has been one of the best gifts I have been given, because as a Latina woman and single mother without the privilege of having legal status, many times life has been difficult for me, and the future looked too uncertain. But fortunately there are organizations like Prospera and programs like the Fellowship, which came into my life and painted a more hopeful horizon for an immigrant woman like me. I love that here there are no barriers, nor limits that prevent you from enjoying the benefits they offer.
One of the biggest dreams I had for the last 10 years was to be financially independent to cover all my household expenses without depending on anyone, not even my partner. Now I can say with great pride that this dream has been coming true gradually; step by step, and with the support of my partners, the Fellowship, Prospera and the work I do every day, I can now cover my family’s expenses with my income alone.
With dedication, discipline, and love for what I do, my business is becoming, without a doubt, more and more satisfying, more enjoyable and real, because it complements me in many ways. The people with whom I live and work daily have felt a great difference in my life from a year ago. I still feel that I am walking towards a better future with a slow but firm step, without haste, with my eyes set on something big, and continuing to dream great things with my partners Lupita and Angelica, making them reality one by one. We are doing it, thanks to Prospera for the phenomenal support that they have always given me. We are very grateful, and I am especially grateful for my personal growth as a Fellow.
De Colores Collective is so proud of our work with Stanford University supporting access to culturally and linguistically appropriate, evidence-based outreach materials addressing COVID-19 misinformation in the Latinx community. Additionally, we are providing mental health resources, training and capacity building for promotoras (community health workers) in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Check out our work here!