We recently connected with Rebecca Ruiz and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Rebecca, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
Through therapy over the last few months, I’ve been unveiling and peeling away at some of my deepest insecurities of my shadow self. I think it’s very important to celebrate confidence- but be honest about the insecurities we all have and try to address them within ourselves. Personally, my greatest advice for developing confidence and self-esteem is to first honor your creativity. I don’t mean you have to be a “creative” or “an artist”- you don’t have to front a band or paint a mural… everyone creates something every day. Find out what that is and what you like to do and do it as much as you can. Do you create laughter in your friends or family? Do you create amazing coffee at work? Do you create safe spaces for people? Secondly, I would say only keep friends and family close to you who celebrate your joy and empathize with your heartache. I don’t mean people who don’t hold you accountable- I mean people who love you even when you make mistakes. If you have people around you who “look at you like you are magic” as Frida says- you will feel like magic!
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I started Poco A Poco in 2015, and frankly it and I have evolved so much over this time that it’s kind of hard to explain what exactly Poco A Poco is and what exactly I do. I started Poco A Poco because I needed to see Latinx representation in Austin and I needed it to break the mold. I wanted to represent the feminsit, millennial, riot grrl, witchy weirdo latinas who listened to My Chemical Romance in high school, watched horror and sci-fi and fantasy, read Lord of the Rings and tarot cards, etc. I created a line of products based on this identity that was both political and infused with pop culture and humor. I carried products I created myself and also purchased and represented Latina and Xicana owned brands I loved and looked up to like Gilded Nopal, Brown Badass Bonita, and Nalgona Positivity Pride. During 2016 and the rise of Trump and the radical right- I became more and more political and wanted to share my pride in my culture in a time where we as latinxs, Mexicans, and fronterizas. Poco A Poco has traveled with me from Austin to Los Angeles to El Paso back to Austin back to El Paso to Austin again- and now finally home in El Paso once more.
Together we have survived Trump’s presidency, a global pandemic, job loss, high risk pregnancy, severe preeclampsia, a long NICU stay, postpartum depression, a breakup, deaths in the family, and more. I think being true to yourself includes a willingness to evolve and adapt. After my daughter finally came home from the NICU, I had to adjust to a new way of living as a mother. This meant that I could no longer carry and ship inventory or afford to spend my little money on commissioning artwork. In this time, I set up a Bonfire store which allows me to still create and offer products and fund raise for a wide variety of causes dear to me and I taught myself digital art which was a fantastic way for me to cope with my severe postpartum depression and PTSD.
The mission of Poco A Poco stays true today as it was when it was first conceived. I remain dedicated to our Latinx community and the empowerment of women and all marginalized communities. I frequently fund raise for organizations aided migrants and assylum seekers, abortion providers, mental health services- especially for mothers and birthing people, and more. You can check out my Instagram @mercadopocoapoco for fund raising posts, awareness, art, memes, events, and representation and my bonfire store at www.bonfire.com/store/poco-a-poco/ for products I’ve designed- many of which profits go directly to organizations of various causes from Abortion to Immigrant Rights to Mental Health for NICU parents and more!
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?
1) Humility- realized you don’t know everything. Being honest and OPEN about your privileges as well as your struggles and a willingness to change, learn, and adjust accordingly. And being honest about your journey and evolution.
2) Authenticity- this is related to humility because it involves being honest and genuine. It doesn’t have to all be a “Mea Culpa”- it can be fun! Even when calling yourself and your insecurities out. When done with compassion for yourself others will resonate with who you are and what you’re trying to say. I’ve allowed Poco A Poco to reflect my journey over the years. For instance, in my mid 20s I was single and childless- I had no idea what a NICU even was. Since having preelampsia and having a baby in the NICU for 70 days, I’ve become very vocal about birth trauma, postpartum depression, and the trauma of the NICU and fundraised for organizations like the Preeclampsia Foundation and Project NICU. Everytime I show more of myself, I’ve found its an opportunity to connect with others who’ve been through the same or similar and create community.
3) Self Preservation & Having Fun- in the beginning I was very strict with myself. Over the years I allowed myself more joy as my struggles became more and more serious. This was essential in preserving myself as well as keeping Poco A Poco (whatever it is these days!) going. You have to love doing whatever project you’re doing- know it’s ok to take breaks, and be honest with yourself.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
Having chronic mental illness makes it really hard to get started on your mental health journey! I’ve found that being a single mother to a two year old girl has really motivated me to better myself so I can provide a safe, stable, secure future for my daughter and I. I’ve started therapy with a therapist I really connect with and respect, I’m on medication that I believe is freeing me to have a healthier head space, and I started graduate school this fall to study mental health counseling. My personal advice with mental health would be to NOT settle on a therapist if you don’t feel comfortable with them, honestly, find someone you like! I don’t hear people say it often, but a bad therapist- or even one you don’t trust- can do more harm than good.
De-Stigmatizing and normalizing affordable, accessible, and high quality mental healthcare for everyone is really important to me and I hope that when I finish my program I can do some important work in the mental healthcare field!
Contact Info:
- Website: mercadopocoapoco.com
- Instagram: @mercadopocoapoco
- Other: Bonfire Store: https://www.bonfire.com/store/poco-a-poco/
