Meet Tom Ramirez Boldo

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

Tom, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

“Fake it ’til you make it,” is a popular saying for a reason. I developed my confidence when I was a teenager by figuring out what and who I wanted to be and then telling myself that’s who I already was until I believed it and became it.

I can vividly remember being about 14 or 15 and a friend saying they could always tell is was me walking towards them because I was always looking at the ground. It didn’t offend me, but I realized in that second that it was not how I wanted to portray myself and from that moment on I made a conscious effort to look up at the world when I walked. Eventually it was no longer a conscious effort, it just became how I walked.

When it comes to challenges in my life I’m self aware enough to know what I can and can’t do, but I also don’t limit myself. I don’t start a challenge by wondering if I can do it, I tell myself I know I can do it. That bit of confidence from the start has allowed me to achieve so much in my life.

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

I currently serve as the Secretary/Treasurer for the Mississippi Latinx Art Association and am a co-owner of Nuestro Arte Gallery.

The Mississippi Latinx Art Association was founded to actively promote Latinx art, culture, and events throughout the state. We recognized a significant lack of cultural representation and appreciation for the Latinx community here.

Shortly after forming the association, an opportunity arose to lease a gallery space. We immediately recognized this as the perfect chance to fulfill our mission, and thus, Nuestro Arte Gallery was born. The name, which means “Our Art” in Spanish, reflects our commitment to creating a space for this underserved community.

By day, I am a Community Association Manager, overseeing Homeowner Associations in Bend, Oregon. I genuinely enjoy my career; I am skilled at it, and I take great pride in the work I do.

However, I’ve always felt that defining a person by their profession is limiting. I dislike the common question, “What do you do?” Most people aren’t in their dream job due to constraints like money or education. What truly defines a person is their passion.

My true passions lie in art, creativity, and community service. I am passionate about making the place I live a better place and inspiring others to join in that effort.

Through the Association and the Gallery, we have created a crucial platform, providing Latinx creatives with a dedicated space to showcase their work and share their culture.

While our mission is centered on Latinx art, we have strategically opened our shows to non-Latinx artists to encourage dialogue and education. For example, our popular exhibition, “Nuestro Arte – Your Way,” invited artists of all backgrounds to reinterpret a piece of art by a Latin artist in their own style and medium.

By displaying the original piece next to the recreations, we inspired artists to research Latinx masters they might never have encountered.

This format made learning about new Latin artists an accessible and organic experience for every visitor.

This inclusive approach has allowed us to serve an even broader community: we have proudly given many artists—both Latinx and non-Latinx—their very first opportunity to publicly exhibit their work.

The most rewarding part is witnessing the joy and inspiration we bring to the community. We’ve had countless Latinx and non-Latinx visitors express profound gratitude for a gallery that celebrates Latin art. One woman recently told us that an exhibit “rocked her to her soul.”

Bringing this kind of vital representation and cultural connection to an underserved community is what truly rocks my soul.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Three principles have been instrumental in shaping my career and personal life: Self-Awareness, Welcoming Change, and Maintaining a Positive Attitude.

1. Self-Awareness: The Catalyst for Growth
True growth begins with a deep understanding of self. This means having the courage to recognize your talents, flaws, biases, and areas that require improvement.

The Goal: You must be able to see yourself, both the positive and the negative, to initiate meaningful change.

The Impact: Without an honest grasp of your strengths and a clear understanding of the motivations behind your actions and reactions, personal and professional evolution is impossible. We should always be striving to improve and become a better version of ourselves.

2. Welcoming Change: Leveraging the Future
We operate in an incredibly fast-paced world where technology constantly accelerates. Success hinges on our willingness to embrace these changes and commit to continuous learning.

The Imperative: Rather than resisting advancements, we must actively seek out new knowledge.

The Strategy: Leverage emerging tools—such as artificial intelligence and new technologies—to accelerate your goals, improve business outcomes, and enhance your life. Utilize every available resource to maximize your potential and achieve your objectives.

3. A Positive Attitude: The Power of Belief
Your mindset is the most powerful tool you possess. Success often starts with declaring it before it arrives.

The Practice: Consistently affirm your capability: tell yourself you will achieve your goals, acknowledge the good work you are doing, and believe that things are perpetually improving.

The Outcome: When you truly convince yourself that you can succeed, your body and mind align to make that belief a reality. This conviction is the driving force that will get you where you want to go.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

As part of being self-aware, I know that I get overwhelmed easily. I know that if I open my email and I have more than 20 new emails I feel like I will never get through it. I also know that this is ridiculous and that I most certainly will get through it, but I have to play this game with myself every day.

Often if I have a list of things that I need to do, I’m overwhelmed already. I tackle this problem by relying heavily on task management software. I enter all of my tasks in and I arrange them by importance. I figure out how many I can do each day, with some wiggle room, and separate them out day by day until I think they can reasonably be accomplished.

This makes the list real instead of a made up amount of overwhelming work in my head. It also gives me realistic goals for how much to do each day, and a target date for completion. Once I see the tasks all laid out I feel soothed and like I can get through it.

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