Meet Emily Arenas

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

Hi Emily, so happy you were able to devote some time to sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our community. So, we’ve always admired how you have seemingly never let nay-sayers or haters keep you down. Can you talk to us about how to persist despite the negative energy that so often is thrown at folks trying to do something special with their lives?
With being a Latina female in racing comes many haters. There are a lot of people who doubt me and tell me that I don’t belong. I use their negativity in a positive way. I seek to prove them wrong. My goal is to prove that females and other diversities do belong in a white, male dominated sport. My wish is for little girls with big dreams to see me and my success and know that they can do anything that they put their minds to. I used to allow my haters to get to me. They made me feel like I didn’t belong. I then realized that the only reason they were hating on me is because I was a threat. I must have been making a difference if it was causing people to speak out and try to stop me. One of my favorite quotes from Dale Earnhardt is “it doesn’t matter if fans boo or cheer, as long as they’re making noise.” As long as people are making some kind of noise, whether is cheering or booing, you are making a difference. If people are hating on me and trying to bring me down, then I must be making a difference. Something that I’m doing must be working, right? When I came to the realization that I was actually making a difference, I began embracing my haters. I knew that I was making a difference and that is all that mattered.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a Colombian female race car driver in the Us Legend Cars INEX series. My grandfather manages the NASCAR Cup series driver Daniel Suárez. Ever since I went to my first race I have wanted to be a driver. My goal is to reach the NASCAR Cup series. Not only do I want to compete in this series, but I also want to be a competitive racer. My dream would be to win the Championship. I wish to bring more diversity into white, male dominated sports. I promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in all that I do.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Throughout my journey of growing in Motorsports, I have had to learn discipline, time management, and resilience. I had to strongly discipline myself to get to where I am today. I lost 80 lbs, began eating very healthy, and I now go to the gym 6 days a week. I go to school and right after I go to the gym for 2 to 3 hours. I then come home and get on my racing simulator for 3 hours. I do all of this to train myself. I have had to give up having a normal teenage life to reach my racing dreams. I had to find a balance between school and racing and develop strong time management skills. I have never really been resilient until I began racing. There have been times where I have gotten into very bad wrecks. I was severely injured and clearly unable to continue racing. Despite being in horrific pain, I always ask if my car is alright and if I can get back in and finish the race. If you are strongly passionate about something, you will find the power within yourself to develop these skills. It may take some time to develop them and I can’t lie and say that it will be easy. If you do not give up and you keep going after your dream, then you will gain these skills, along with many others, to accomplish your goals.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
My parents have given up everything and given me everything for my dreams to come true. When COVID hit, we had to choose to continue living where we were or for me to continue racing. They sold our house and moved in with my grandparents. They did this so that I could continue my passion. They give me the constant reminder that they believe in me and that they do all of this for me. It is my family that truly motivates me to give it my all in racing. Knowing that they have sacrificed this much for me, I will continue to use this as motivation as I progress in racing.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Highlighter Series
Are you walking a path—or wandering?

The answer to whether you are walking or wandering often changes from season to season

Highlighter Series
What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?

With so many high-achievers in our community it was super interesting to learn about the

Highlighter Series
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?

We asked some of the wisest people we know what they would tell their younger