We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alexandra Castro a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alexandra, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
Wow – does this happen (unfortunately) more often than not. I am a firm believer that when I am in these spaces of inequality, what makes my voice effective is speaking from both my heart and my brain. I’ve learned to be direct without having to worry about being a people pleaser. I remind myself before every room I walk into that my voice, opinion and experiences are just as valid and worthy as the next. I don’t dim my light to match the energy of others but turn up the brightness because I’m worth it. I take up all the space with my voice and I’m not afraid of how others may perceive me. This took many years of unlearning that women, especially women of color, have been placed in a system set up against them. Because of this conditioning, I would always suppress my voice, even if I had the answer. Then one day it hit me that while we have a long way to go with making the “rooms” more just and equal, if I speak up and take space, maybe I could inspire others who feel they must make themselves smaller.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
For my day job, I’m currently a Director of Sales & Marketing for a hotel in New York City. I’ve been in the hospitality industry for 17 years and have worked my way up the ladder from Operator, Front Desk, Sales & Events, Manager and now, Director. The main focus of my job, day-to-day, is to make the hotel profitable. But the part of the hospitality industry that I love is the relationship building. I feel like my actual job is to create memorable experiences and meaningful partnerships. The hotel industry is more than just a place to sleep and I’m selling more than just a bed when you work with me. The hotel industry is about finding your home away from home and being treated like extended family. That’s why it’s been such a hard field to walk away from as I am also an artist! I’ve been a performer for about 20 years and along the way I’ve fallen into theatre, dance, modeling, film/tv, and most recently, the owner of Lone Star Media. Lone Star Media was created to produce stories via the stage, film and digitally that represent, elevate, and celebrate the Latine community. We aim to be the next generation of entertainment industry leaders and Lone Star aims to tell the stories that help with disrupting all forms of oppression, de-center whiteness in our pieces, create more equitable opportunities for creatives and highlight all pieces of the Latine diaspora. In 2023, we fundraised almost $18k and produced an award-winning play, “Aztec Pirates and the Insignificance of Life on Mars” by David Davila, which highlights some of the on-going border tensions between the U.S. and Mexico. What is exciting about creating our own art with Lone Star Media is that we are taking a chance on ourselves. We are no longer waiting to be picked by the industry when we have been excluded for so long. We are creating our own opportunities to share our stories and hope to inspire along the way.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
A few skills have helped me along the way. One of the most important ones for me, especially being a multi-hyphenate, is time management. I try to allocate my time so that it’s intentional and productive. Taking time to write out a schedule or devise a plan of action has always helped me with some sense of balance. Sometimes, this also looks like saying “no” to other things (ex: skipping a happy hour or brunch) but I try to say “yes” to it on a time that won’t overwhelm my schedule or plans.
Emotional Intelligence is another skill that I recognized has been one of the most impactful in my journey of being a hotelier and performer/storyteller. Both fields deal with people day in and out. Whether it’s talking to a hotel guest who is coming off a long flight, working with your scene partner on an emotional part of the show, or addressing your teammates with an action plan, being able to gauge their emotions will help you effectively deliver what you need to deliver. Also, being able to manage your emotions is useful when making decisions is crucial.
Networking, networking, networking. This world is smaller than we think! I’ve gotten many business leads and personal creative opportunities through the magic of networking. I’m a huge believer in supporting and building your community. Your creative or professional networks are key resources for sharing/gaining knowledge and opportunities.
I think folks who are early in their journey have to remember to give themselves grace. There is no ultimate handbook for life. You’re gonna mess up. You’re going to get frustrated. What skills work for me might not be the skills that work for the next person. But it’s key to remember that these moments are temporary.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
The Artist’s Way, A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron was a game changer for me. The self-exploration, “artist” dates and journal assignments were life changing. It came into my life at a time where I was burnt out, trying to break patterns of self-doubt and find that spark again. And The Artist’s Way did just that. One of the most valuable items I took away from The Artist’s Way was the morning pages. What Morning Pages does for your mind is so helpful! It allows you to clear your mind of all the clutter, judgement free, before you start your day. The most favorite thing I took away from The Artist’s Way was the exercise of finding all the compliments that have been written or e-mailed to you and printing/hanging them where you can see daily. These reminders will help overshadow your inner saboteur. We all have that voice that tells us we aren’t good enough, no one wants to hear what we have to say…but the printed reminders will prove that inner voice wrong!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.alexandra-castro.com
- Instagram: @missalexandracastro
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandracastro1/
Image Credits
Photo by Erica Connolly, Krystal Pagán, Danny Hidalgo, Jay Green and Shani Hadijan.
