Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Zelaya.
Hi Victoria, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is Victoria Zelaya, but you can call me: Vicki.
My story begins in Honduras, where I grew up in a humbling home located in a small city called El Progreso. I was raised with no siblings and a hard-working mother whose perseverance and strength taught me commitment. A mother who taught me the true meaning of discipline and faith when I would watch her get up every morning before the sun to read her bible. Being raised by a single mother never put me at a disadvantage. She was, and is, true strength personified.
At the age of 10, I moved to the United States, specifically to Atlanta, Georgia. As I grew older, like many of us, I experienced bullying, draining relationships, and toxic work environments. Though the path was not easy, it built an extreme independence and strength within myself, leading me to question: How can I provide positivity and encouragement to myself and other women going through similar struggles? How can I create a safe space for women to be open and vulnerable? Would they feel comfortable if I remind them of the strengths I see in them, and if so, how can I continue to empower and feed that strength?
With the help of an amazing friend, Kelsey Patterson, we created The Future is Female Empowerment Group which we host every last Sunday of each month through a virtual conference at 12:00 p.m. We do not claim to be experts, but having experienced many difficulties in our lives has taught us patience and how to be a listening ear to many. We now have 35 women signed up to join our meetings.
Our topics change every month. We have talked about “Red Flags” in relationships, “Work and Personal Life Balance”, including, how to be an “Active Listener”. We are now working on our next topic which we will discuss “Social Media Comparison” in today’s society and how that is affecting women’s self-esteem.
I am uncertain where this might truly take me, but I have a vision and a purpose and that is to promote women’s sense of self-worth, and their right to influence change for themselves and others.
Little by little, we can create a more peaceful world, and for that, I have my mother to thank.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Smooth road? Let’s be honest, no road is smooth, but I am grateful for each rocky and long path I have traveled on. In addition to The Future is Female Empowerment Group, I also am a Litigation Paralegal for a high-volume firm located in Buckhead called Bader Scott Injury Lawyers. I have been in the legal industry since 2015, and I have learned that working in front of a computer for long hours is not about how many hours I have worked throughout the day or week but rather the energy I have throughout those hours and after I get off. Learning to create a harmonious blend of personal and work balance is key to my success and well-being.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am the creator of The Future is Female Empowerment Group. This group ensures health, wellness, equality and sustainability for women.
I am known to be a woman with a mind. A woman with confidence, and a woman who believes in using positivity to inspire others.
I am most proud of my accomplishments. I am a 30 years old, educated, bilingual, Latina woman born in Honduras and raised in the United States. I studied stenography, legal, and medical terminology at Brown College of Court Reporting. I am now a Paralegal, and I continue my education every month whether it is through conferences, webinars, or reading a new book. Knowledge certainly fuels me, and I will never stop looking for it.
My ability to speak up when others fail to speak at necessary times is what sets me apart. I always remember that people in those rooms might need a voice, a perspective, and I should not be afraid to be judged.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Freedom and Happiness.
I do not define success as monetary. I define success as true freedom. I am grateful to have such an amazing career, a great education, a beautiful family, and great friends. That to me is a success.
Everything else is an added bonus.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vicki_zel/
