Meet Alicia Urizar McCallum

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

Hi Alicia, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
When faced with loss and affliction it often leads to the most crucial life-changing decision: Will this experience give me the opportunity to be Resilient and grow or will I be stagnant and motionless?

Resilience is a difficult, harrowing road. To many, it may be the triumph after that dark tribulation, the rise after that painful fall, or the success after that disappointing failure. To me, they are all true. But it was more than that. The truest form of Resilience comes with its dark, isolated, painful, yet necessary counterparts. Re-building, re-shifting, re-learning, all while forgiving oneself and pivoting into a new direction. It’s everything in between while facing the unimaginable unknown. It is the breakthrough after the bondage, and re-discovery after a long journey of rejection.

The majority of my 20s was spent in emotionally abusive and destructive relationships, stealing years of my innocence. I struggled to trust and gain my self-worth, in a world that felt immensely against my growth and independence. These experiences made a forever mark on my life. I was confronted with rejection, and two options: 1) stay stuck and never move forward, or

2) choose myself above everything. I chose the latter. But choosing myself meant releasing everything I knew, and the hardest of all, my acting career. It was in times like these, that my father and mother’s words rang most true to my heart. They always reminded me that I was loved and adored, and most of all God’s child with prosperous plans for my life. Somewhere along the way, I lost myself and confidence, and the comeback to regain it would cost me everything I knew and loved most.

When I think back on my early childhood years, I don’t think about the parts of myself that were strong, smart, or attractive. I was (and still am) a small, petite, brown girl from Oakland, CA, with a shy, yet courageous spirit. I am the child of strong Guatemalan immigrants and the youngest of 4 girls. The majority of my private school years were surrounded by the elite, upper-class folks, who had the big mansions and preppy, expensive clothing.

In my elementary years, I didn’t quite fit in. I looked differently than my peers, was bullied daily, and my grades weren’t anything to boast about. Struggling to have the achievements that would make myself and my parents proud. I was conflicted with my own doubts and fears, and often reminded that I wasn’t “street smart” enough for my black neighbors on the block, not white enough for my classmates at school, not Christian enough for the church kids, nor latina sufficient for my family at home. How in the world could I ever have a sense of identity, when I don’t really know who I am?

My parents each had distinct roles at home. My Mami’s was to put God first, above all else, and eat healthy, nourishing meals. My Papi’s was to never forget my roots, and always study, study, study! However, what they did share in common was that nothing in life comes easy, so work hard and pray. And I mean, hard. This was instilled in me at a very young age. When I turned 14 years old, I knew with every fiber of my being that I would one day be a Hollywood actress. So I worked hard and prayed even harder. Middle school, high school, and college all consisted of my acting endeavors. Both singing and acting led to a purposeful plan for my future. I had a remarkable run with television projects, independent films, and commercials. It was every actor’s dream. I woke up every day with the gift of choosing to focus on my dreams and passions.

In December 2017, when it finally came for my time to face the most crucial life-changing decision: Will this experience give me the opportunity to be Resilient and grow or will I be stagnant and motionless?

Moving into a place of discomfort is the most horrifying, yet rewarding experience. I found the courage to walk away from a psychologically oppressive relationship that cost me my entire life. The feeling of failure and rejection fed the negative thoughts of worthlessness. But it was the boldest, life changing decision I ever made. Having the awareness to change for the betterment and enrichment of my life is easier said than done. Looking back on this time of my life, I am proud of who I was then on that December day, and who I am now in 2023. Surrendering everything I loved, and remembering who I was, in order to re-emerge into the person I wanted to be. If I hadn’t chosen the more difficult path, I would never know the blessings that have now fruitfully blossomed. The in-between moments to get to the brighter days consisted of growing pains and copious amounts of tears. I had to be broken, to be put back together again. Rejection was my ticket to Resilience. Choosing resilience was what saved me. Without the bondage, I wouldn’t have had the life-changing breakthrough.

In 2019, the word Resilient spoke so true to my journey and life, so much that I had it tattooed on my right rib It’s a daily reminder that I am stronger because of my scars.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am an actress, event coordinator & executive assistant. After a 2 year hiatus, I regained my footing in the acting industry and moved back to Los Angeles. Every day is unpredictable and a new opportunity for creative growth and exciting new challenges. When I’m not working or auditioning, my husband and I have a mission. We foster dogs. We have expanded our home for broken dogs to rehabilitate and start their new beginning. We have now adopted 3 of our own.

This past year I’ve had 3 independent films hit the festival circuit with amazing success. I have a couple of writing projects in the works, based on true stories of females overcoming hardships. I hope to gain momentum with my own work in the near future.

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. Adversity is more about the revelation of your character than the challenge itself. Keep your focus on character development and growth, rather than focusing on the hardship of the obstacle.

2. Change is often for the better. Don’t doubt when you feel change is needed.

3. Sometimes taking the high road is the road that eventually, in time, leads to peace.

If I could speak to my younger self, I would have trusted my intuition more. Times I remember having discernment about a situation and I chose not to act on it. I look back and realize that I was equipped with the tools and direction, but I failed to trust myself. Trust your judgment. It always has your best interest at heart. Failure is a part of the journey, and it can be a little less painful if you lead with your instincts.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
My biggest area of growth in the past 12 months has been a journey with choosing my circle of trust. Deciphering who I give my time and energy to is vital to my peace, happiness, and overall well-being. Whether personal or business, surrounding yourself with good company, and those who genuinely love, support, and cheer you on in every season of life, is a true Gift. This year has shown me who those individuals are, and although there were growing pains, I am in a beautiful place with an amazing community.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Caitlin Fisher Photography.

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