Meet Barbara Valle

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Barbara Valle. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Barbara , looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

I’ve always been driven by my parents example. My parents have always been very hardworking people. They were both born in Puerto Rico and came to New York when they were in their late teens. They worked hard everyday to keep a roof over our heads and food on our table. That meant, they woke up early at 5am to get us all ready to go
I’ve always been driven by my parents’ example. They have always been incredibly hardworking. Both were born in Puerto Rico and came to New York in their late teens. They worked tirelessly every day to keep a roof over our heads and food on our table. That meant waking up at 5 a.m. to get us ready and take us to our grandmother’s house, who would then take us to school. From there, they commuted to New Jersey, where they each worked in different factories. There were even weekends when they both had to work to ensure we had everything we needed. I am a product of their hard work and unwavering dedication to giving my siblings and me a better future.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I have been a nurse for 16 years and am currently working as a school nurse for preschool children with special needs. I truly love what I do. I’m very protective of these children and treat them as if they were my own. My experience with children began with my four godchildren—three of whom have special needs. One is on the autism spectrum, and two have a genetic disorder called Fragile X syndrome. I want to make a meaningful difference by addressing the ways the system and society have failed these children. My goal is to encourage them and show them that there are no limits to what they can achieve.
I’m also a professional salsa dancer when I’m not working as a nurse. Dancing has given me the opportunity to travel across the U.S. and to parts of the world, sharing my passion along the way. I hope to spread the joy of dance and bring light to this sometimes harsh world. I currently teach Afro-Cuban movement alongside two of my best friends.
We will be traveling to Atlanta to teach and perform in July. We will then travel to Puerto Rico to compete against other dancers.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I think perseverance, hard work and passion are the main qualities that have helped me succeed in nursing and dance. You have to love what you do. I hate sounding like a cliche but you have to find something that doesn’t feel like work. I get to go to work loving what I do and I enjoy every minute of it. You must also surround yourself with positive people who will support you and accept you for who you are. It is important to understand the importance of honoring those that came before you.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

The most impactful thing my parents did was teach me the meaning of hard work and determination.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Nurse_bodaciousbarbie