Meet Roxana Damas

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Roxana Damas a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Roxana , 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?

You can choose to see this as a disadvantage or as your unique superpower. Of course, there are times when this can be the most challenging, but the more you learn to stand in the beauty of your truth and essence, look and listen beyond what is in front of you, and find the unifying factors of what is needed in that space and time, and what your uniqueness brings to the table. At the beginning stages of being the only “different” person in the room, it can be intimidating and disheartening, but if you find ways to transform this pain and fear and build a support system that helps you see that the difficulty of being the outlier and how others may challenge you charpens your skills and your way of thinking and expressing yourself. Furthermore, being heart-centered, respectful of others, and genuinely interested in learning and connecting with others at a human level with purpose and vision to reach a collective outcome will get you a long way. Observing and being silent is essential to the process. We do not always have to be the loudest, or voicing our opposition to something (unless necessary for safety reasons), Many times listening and learning on how to best apply this knowledge and integrating your own experience is best way to learn how to navigate these situations. Eventually, you find a way to shift this from a fear to a thriving factor in your life and career.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

When asked what I would do if money were not an issue, my response is always that I would be a Professional Troublemaker—but for good trouble. The essence of my work, in all its forms, has been shaped by my childhood and honed through my education, adult life, and hands-on experiences as I navigated the various cultures I grew up in, having been born and raised in San Francisco to Salvadoran immigrants. At the core of my work are my humanitarian-focused values, which guide all the projects I engage in at different stages of my life.

My work encompasses advocacy, strategy, business, music, and entertainment, as well as healing modalities for wellness. These elements have always been central to my mission, and I continue to embrace them. Since 2019, both business and life have shifted significantly, leading me to prioritize my efforts in the wellness space and return to music and entertainment. After years of consulting for a variety of organizations, including government, small businesses, and non-profits, I’ve experienced a notable amount of burnout—both for my clients and myself. Recognizing this, I’ve made it a priority to bring more balance and healthy solutions to business and advocacy work.

Currently, I am focused on:

– **Business Consulting and Life Coaching**: I work with small to mid-level business owners navigating significant life and business transitions. This month, we are launching a mid-year retreat and peer accountability group. July and August provide excellent opportunities to assess and realign your results and vision for the remainder of the year, as well as to begin planning for the upcoming year.

– **Wellness and Fitness Modalities for Inner Healing**: I lead ongoing workshops and teach various classes, including Inner Goddess Healing Embodiment and Belly Dance workshops, Stretch & Mobility, Meditation, Yoga Trapeze, and soon, Zumba. I’ve partnered with women-owned gyms, wellness centers, and event planners to host multiple events and classes. Coming up in September is PCOS Awareness Month, and we will be launching a group challenge to raise awareness.

– **Advocacy**: After taking a break from advocacy work, I’ve become increasingly alarmed by the human rights violations facing immigrants in the U.S. Everyone can play a role in ensuring that people are treated with humanity. I am reactivating the network of partnerships that were instrumental during the Kids in Cages U.N. Periodic Review Process in 2020/2021 and seeking new supporters and funders to help us build national and international support for those affected through Alquimia Global.

– **Music, Fashion, and Entertainment with Purpose**: I am gradually reimmersing myself in my original passion and creativity. My goal is to bring more joy to the world, and this aspect of my life provides a creative outlet to transform pain into beauty. I look forward to sharing new performances, music, partnerships, and events, with plans set for late 2025 to 2026.

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. **Go Within**: Understand that self-analysis and introspection are crucial for your well-being and success. Even when it appears that external circumstances cause your troubles, remember that while we cannot control external factors, we can control our responses and actions.

2. **Build Strongly Aligned Relationships**: Surround yourself with supportive partnerships that keep it real in your life. Consider this: if one day you lost everything you believed to be true about your life—your career, health, or any sense of security—would your circle of friends and family provide support and hold space for you? I’ve learned this the hard way, but I’ve also discovered the beauty of genuine, reciprocal relationships that show up when I need them the most. This experience has made me discerning about who belongs in my immediate circle. We need mentors, colleagues, and mentees; we uplift each other during tough times.

3. **Define Your Values**: Whether you’re running a business or starting a career in any field, your values serve as your foundation. Consider these values as the blueprint for your life, career, or business plan. Some might refer to this as your brand; others may call it your boundaries and non-negotiables. These values create an outline and guide that nourishes your mind, body, and soul. Keep in mind that your personal and professional lives, while seemingly separate, are interconnected. Working in an environment that contradicts your beliefs can deplete you in unimaginable ways, just as maintaining personal relationships that don’t respect your values can lead to chaos. Therefore, it’s essential to define your values clearly and revisit them regularly.

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?

**Multiple Simultaneous and Unexpected Losses**

When I look around and witness so many people facing difficulties around the globe, it reminds me that I am not alone in navigating the various tests and challenges that have come my way over the last few years, especially in the past 12 months. Every area of my life—family, business, and personal—has been impacted. At times, I thought I would never emerge from this struggle alive or sane, but here I am, standing stronger and more at peace than ever before.

Three of my favorite book titles describe this process of grieving and letting go of everything I’ve ever known or planned:

1. **When Everything Changes, Change Everything**: Nothing you once relied on is working, so how can we expect different results from the same approaches that led us here? This is the moment to take a leap and transform your life. That inner voice that persistently nudges you knows the next step.

2. **Shake Hands with the Devil**: This title is inspired by a quote from Gen. Romeo Dallaire, a U.N. Peacekeeper who stayed behind during the Rwandan Genocide: “Do you believe in God? Yes, because in Rwanda, I shook hands with the Devil.” This serves as a reminder that even in the face of humanity’s worst atrocities, we can find hope while confronting our fears.

3. **Maktub** by Paulo Coelho: One of my favorite words, Maktub is an Arabic term meaning “It was written.” Sometimes, we must let go and trust that everything unfolds as it’s meant to be, and then learn the lessons from it.

I have deepened the practices I learned to address the numerous challenges I faced in life. For example, I began meditating at 11 years old when I moved to El Salvador and struggled with the transition. More recently, I added to my meditation practice, and I have discovered Kabbalah and various indigenous practices that have helped me find meaning and peace amidst the storms. I want to give a shout-out to David Ghyam, a Kabbalah leader, for following his life mission and sharing his knowledge publicly on Instagram. His message came at a crucial time when I needed support to get back on my feet. (By the way, please continue sharing your knowledge with the world; you never know who you may resonate with and help transform lives.)

This season has taken me back to a healing process I developed in my early 20s while searching for ways to transform the pain of surviving child sexual abuse. Back then, I was self-destructing, but God guided me on a path to practice and write about the “7 Voices of Healing.” Last year, I revisited sections of this curriculum and felt inspired to focus on the embodiment practices that helped me cultivate self-love and release pain, depression, anger, and fear, initially through dance. This eventually led me to develop the “Heal Your Inner-Goddess Embodyment & Belly Dance” workshop series.

These practices have shifted my focus from my head to my body. Now, as I bring this practice on the road and work with other women, their transformations have been incredibly powerful for my journey as well, enabling me to find more joy and peace amidst chaos. The work I have done to overcome these challenges has been extensive—too much to share in a single article. However, I can assure you that I have questioned and changed everything I could in my mind, body, spirit, relationships, and business.

When the victim mentality creeps in, I challenge myself with something new until I can push it out of my system. If the 11-year-old and 20-year-old versions of me figured it out through the worst with limited knowledge, I trust this version of myself that everything is aligning to help me live my best life, and that the lessons I’ve learned are meant to be shared with others as well. Stay tuned.

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