I am a proud mother, a Cuban- American, and a journalist with more than 20 years in content production and editorial project management, specializing in social media and community engagement, news coverage and corporate relationships.
During the last two years, I have worked tirelessly to accomplish my Masters. Next step my Ph.D. I would say that I have many missions on the personal side, but the most important is to help my only daughter (Uma) recognize and appreciate what is truly important in life. I am extremely proud of the last two years at Queens University of Charlotte. I am extremely receptive to feedbacks and critique from colleagues, peers, friends, etc. I don’t blame others for my setbacks and failures.
I am from Cuba but lived most of my life in Miami. I currently reside in Charlotte. I speak English with a heavy (Spanish) accent, that I love because is part of my culture, my identity and my own history as an immigrant. I came to the United States with a scholarship sponsored by the McArthur Foundation 25 years ago. Chapel Hill was my first home in the U.S. After a while in the South, I relocated in Miami with all the Cuban flavor and the Miami craziness. I love the Cuban “cafecito”. Life brought me again to the South with my handsome southern gentleman and my daughter. The South was in my destiny with its cozy fireplaces, lightning bugs (cucullos), honeysuckle and people who call me “Hon” whether they know me or not.
I want to mention some of my strengths: 1) As a leader or a follower, I am proactive. 2) I am grounded. I am realistic. I set professional/personal goals that I know that they are achievable. I am not a quitter. 3) I act guided and motivated by work ethic. I have never compromised my personal/professional commitment with unethical fraudulent actions or behaviors. 4) I am always looking to renew myself. I practice daily on how to be in the present and be mindfulness. 5) As a leader or a follower, I promote the positive impact of diversity. 6) I teach myself to recognize new venues and opportunities, but excel and give the best of me in my present project. 7) I am not afraid to face new challenges and make these new tasks work successfully. 8) I honor and respect my principles and values: ethic, integrity, honesty, fairness.
I want to share my weakness as well: 1) I am a perfectionist. 2) I need to identify better what is a true emergency and what is not. 3) Balance better my professional and personal life. 4) I need to learn how to relax more and disconnect my mind from work. 5) Recognize that I need to make a pause when I am uninspired, distracted or unfocused. 6) Apply more the concept of Tom Rath: “You cannot be anything you want to be – but you can be a lot more of who you are already here” (Hackman & Johnson, 2013). 7) Don’t feel guilty for saying NO, especially in circumstances that compromise my values/foundation. I cannot please everybody.