Meet Anita Gonzalez

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Anita Gonzalez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Anita below.

Hi Anita, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

When I am the only person in the room who looks like me, I have learned to be successful by observing and assessing social interactions. I like see how I am received and what kinds of questions people ask me. I am prepared to have to explain my role, Often, I seek inclusion by describing my accomplishments. At times this looks like referencing situations or circumstances that may be familiar to those in the room (I know that restaurant, I taught at that school, etc). There are also times when I am the special guest, or center of attention, because I am the only person in the room who looks like me. On those occasions, it’s important to honestly share my stories and experiences so that the listeners will learn more about my perspectives.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am a storyteller and an educator who works in theater and performing arts. I have been involved in play-making since I was a young child and I have had opportunities to write and perform theatrical works throughout Europe and the Americas. I most enjoy collaborating with others to tell stories of the under-represented. I have developed works with folkloric dancers in Mexico, theater artists from the townships of South Africa, and “scousers” from Liverpool, UK. Because I work with artists from other cultures, I incorporate music, song and dance in my theatrical storytelling. Recently, I have been writing operas that tell stories of African American and Latin American communities. These operas have been developed with the American Opera Project, Opera America, and the Washington National Opera. My brand is Anita G and Partners and I seek collaborating artists and institutions interested in developing new stories that speak to a rapidly evolving, multicultural world.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

My strongest skill is the willingness to collaborate. Collaboration means listening to input and ideas from all who are on your team and then working to accommodate the multiple visions that will surface. It is also important to “hold the room” and make sure everyone has an opportunity to contribute or be silent in order to arrive at a collective vision.

A secondary skill would be an interest in history and what has come before. I believe that knowing the past and understanding how history works as a cyclical practice will help us to develop collective visions for the future.

Finally, I believe in organization and planning. I am schedule driven – once I make room for it in my calendar, it will likely come to fruition. Organization allows others to collaborate more effectively as they will know what to expect. But it also involves flexibility. I am most comfortable when I have a plan A, a plan B and a plan C to consider.

How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?

I like to live my life as if I only had a decade left. For me, I want to spend that decade in places with creatives who are bringing together ideas to tell new stories. Travel, companionship and spending time with family are also important. It is also important to have down time to reflect upon relationships and accomplishments. We cannot appreciate the gifts we have been given by life if we do not first pause to reflect.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Photo1 by Jonathan Slaff, photos 2 and 3 by Anita Gonzalez, photo 3 by Teresa Castracane photos 4 through 9 by John R. Diehl Jr.

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