We were lucky to catch up with Esperanza Jimenez-arriaga recently and have shared our conversation below.
Esperanza, thank you so much for joining us and offering your lessons and wisdom for our readers. One of the things we most admire about you is your generosity and so we’d love if you could talk to us about where you think your generosity comes from.
On my second-grade report card, my teacher described me as caring and thoughtful. I have core childhood memories that affirm my genuine desire to make others feel safe—whether it was sharing my favorite toys with friends or hosting sleepovers with my cousins. As a child, I felt so much joy in seeing others happy.
Kindness, humility, and generosity are values that keep me rooted as both a person and a leader. As I continue digging into my lineage, I realize that my generosity is not just my own—it is something I inherited from my parents and ancestors. I am continuing a legacy of “buena gente”—good people—farmers, medicine women, teachers, doctors, artists, and leaders. At our core, the desire to be in service to others is an ancestral purpose. Understanding this gives deeper meaning to my work; generosity connects me to something greater than myself.
Yet, generosity is not just an innate quality—it is a practice that needs tending and cultivation. For me, prayer is a way to stay connected to the source and to myself. Beyond asking or desiring more, gratitude allows me to be even more receptive. I see it as a reciprocal relationship, much like my connection with nature. When I pause to observe, I remember that Mother Earth, Tonantzin (as she is known in the Nahuatl culture), is endlessly generous—offering the air I breathe, the bees that pollinate, the plants that heal, and the food that grows from the land. It is a perfect ecosystem, a reminder that we, too, are meant to be in sync with one another—to cultivate reciprocal connections rooted in kindness.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Born and raised in Mexico, Esperanza is deeply rooted in love, freedom, and tradition. After migrating to San Francisco at the age of eight, she graduated from San Francisco State University with a B.S. in Public Health, focusing on Holistic and Women’s Health. Navigating academia, Esperanza found herself returning to her family’s healing practices, discovering common threads between Chinese Medicine and Traditional Mexican Medicine. This connection to ancient cultural wisdom deepened her understanding of nature’s elements and their universal presence across the globe.
Her journey of self-discovery, rooted in ancestral traditions, has been instrumental in healing past trauma, navigating life beyond immigration status, and reclaiming her power. Esperanza’s creativity is nourished through dance, travel, and connection to Indigenous knowledge, all of which fuel her commitment to guide others on their own healing journeys.
In 2021, Esperanza founded Un Mundo sin Fronteras, a youth-led hybrid program dedicated to creating a space for newcomer, undocumented, and Indigenous youth from Latin America to build community, heal, and stay connected to their cultural roots. Over three years, Un Mundo reached young people across California, Washington, Kansas, and Colorado.
As the Director of Cultural Arts and Healing Sanctuaries at Freedom Community Clinic, Esperanza envisions and creates innovative programs that support the healing of Latino, Indigenous, and African American communities in Fruitvale and East Oakland—neighborhoods that experience high rates of violence, insecurity, and limited resources.
In October 2023, in response to the collective grief and awakenings surrounding the Palestinian and Congolese genocides, Esperanza founded Medicina de Amor—an ancestral coaching program designed to support individuals during intentional life transformations. Medicina de Amor blends ancestral healing practices with interactive tools to empower participants to reconnect with their wisdom, navigate change, and cultivate self-love.
Esperanza’s work is a celebration of life’s beauty, honoring the legacy of her ancestors and the power of collective healing. As she prepares to launch the Spring Mentorship Program in April 2025, Esperanza invites you to join her in exploring the deep, transformative potential of ancestral guidance through group courses, rituals, and one-on-one sessions.
Medicina de Amor is more than a program; it’s a love letter to self and an invitation to disrupt the status quo, create new legacies, and embrace the fullness of our existence.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Finding power within myself meant confronting the fears that had long kept me from pursuing the dreams my spirit deeply desired. Whether it was dancing in front of an audience, solo traveling, or launching a business, I came to realize that my biggest obstacles were not external—I was afraid of being seen or failing completely.
One of my greatest awakenings was releasing the idea that my citizenship status defined my identity and my life. Growing up undocumented, labeled an ‘illegal alien’ by the U.S. Immigration Department, meant living in fear, shaping the way I believed I had to exist in the world.
As a young person, I feared law enforcement and unconsciously developing resentment toward those in positions of external power. I believed that leisure travel was out of reach or that I had to work endlessly to prove myself worthy of certain experiences. Over time, I’ve realized that I have the power to shape my realities and the ways in which I give power to the words I speak—to myself and to the rest of the world. While I still face certain restrictions due to my legal status in the U.S., solo traveling to Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and other states sparked an inner shift—a realization that I am far more expansive than any label or limitation placed upon me. It is a balance between embracing my limitless potential while staying grounded in reality. My spirit is alive—courageous, free, and open to experiencing all that I desire. I, we, hold the power to create the lives we desire and deserve.
Through this journey, I’ve learned that intention, action, and trust are essential. Setting an intention, taking the leap, and believing that the message behind my ideas will reach those who are meant to receive them is a daily affirmation I carry with me. Every person, experience, and challenge is a lesson—a mirror reflecting areas of growth. Shifting my mindset in this way has completely transformed the way I experience life.
I invite you to trust yourself. Your pure intentions are powerful—they can be felt across time, space, and hearts.
As a caretaker, healer, and leader, I’ve come to understand that the most important person in my life is me. The work I do brings deep fulfillment—witnessing individuals and communities embark on their healing journeys is a beautiful experience. Yet, through moments of deep exhaustion and burnout, I’ve learned that without healthy boundaries and intentional self-care, depletion is inevitable. It’s easy to lose oneself in the work if we are not also tending to our own well-being.
Prioritizing joy has become an essential part of my self-care. Whether it’s spending quality time with loved ones, immersing myself in nature, or embracing solitude, these moments allow me to replenish my spirit. Being resilient also means knowing when to ask for help. I’ve built a support system of professionals who care for my mind, body, and spirit—shout out to my therapist, my acupuncturist, my financial coach, and my gym buddy. These relationships remind me that healing isn’t a solo journey.
I invite you to invest in yourself and seek support. Our ancestors cared for one another—it truly took a village. Let us honor that wisdom by allowing ourselves to be held, just as we hold others.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
My mission is to reach immigrant communities worldwide and Spanish-speaking audiences across the United States. I look forward to building connections within networks that have a broad reach across various sectors.
I am calling in collaborators to help amplify the narrative of breaking free from societal constructs, believing in ourselves, and acting in community. My story speaks volumes to the need for deconstructing illusions designed to limit us.
What we will witness in the next four years is a reflection of the inner chaos present in disconnected societies across the world—lack of compassion and respect for all living beings, misunderstanding of power and how to wield it in a way that empowers rather than oppresses, and a growing disconnection from our shared humanity.
We are being called to return to ourselves—to reimagine and actively create a different world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.medicina-de-amor.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@medicinadeamorhealing
- Other: The Healing Portal by Freedom Community Clinic with Esperanza Jimenez
https://open.spotify.com/show/5VHe0WeqOfNlwmSC9tWPqI?si=58d42b2d953c4e18
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
