The Women’s Resource and The Multicultural Center collaborated to bring in nationally renowned speaker Julia Garcia to kick off the last week of Women’s History Month. The lecture titled “21%: The Rise of Women and Entrepreneurs” was a combination of both self-questioning activities as well as a moving lecture.
Julia Garcia is on the last leg of her speaking tour and stopped at our university to deliver a much-needed lecture on overcoming obstacles in our lives. Ms. Garcia who in conjunction with Monti Washington founded a motivational speaking group (TRUality) that infuses empowering messages with the creative arts, such as music, slam poetry, theatre and much more. With a mission to inspire the world to believe in themselves and fulfill their TRU potential they have set out to do exactly that.
Ms. Garcia who currently resides in Phoenix, Arizona credits her upbringing for making her the person that she is today. She shared a picture from her adolescence with the audience and explained how that had been a time where she felt the happiest in her life. She shared how that young girl had dreams of owning a hospital when asked her plans for the future by her kindergarten teacher. She spoke on her early age trauma, being 1 of 6 siblings, dealing with a violent divorce between her parents that left one incarcerated and the other down a road of prescription pill addiction. She touched on the depression she battled, the suicide ideation and how she managed to hide how consumed she had become by the bad energy around her. Unfortunately, by the age of 21 she had already been in and out of a rehabilitation center.
Ms. Garcia says her realization for a less destructive life came in college when she decided to start putting value within herself and away from toxic friends. Her decision led her to a new group of individuals who would feed her intellectual needs.
This breath of fresh air led her toward graduating college, authoring a book, pursuing her doctorate, having a child and getting married within the next week. She shared with us so much of her life because “You cannot be selfish with your experiences because you never know who it can help”. She then encouraged us to participate in a silent activity that would have us challenging our self perception and figuring out what made us who we are and what motivates us to move forward “ If it scares you, It dares you” said Garcia.
The activity left the audience with a newfound perspective on overcoming negative perceptions and connotations. Ms. Garcia did a great job of altering her lecture for the audience she stayed away from addressing the 21 percent wage gap between men and focused on women and different ways for women to invest in their career, education and the factors that prevent individuals from rising above the adversities they face.
The lecture was one of enlightenment and positive vibes.
