Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Karla Arroyo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Karla, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
As a person of color I thought I had to fight to be heard as that is what we usually have been taught to do. I have always been outspoken, however for many years at the beginning of my career I often had to fight to felt seen or heard. After years of trying this strategy I found out I was being heard and seen but not being taken into consideration when it came to decision making strategies. Often when I shared my ideas these came along with frustration and anger and what I found is that individuals who heard my ideas (not me or my experiences) took them and present them as their own, got them funded and finalized (often those individuals did not look nor sounded like me). After seeing my intellectual property and passion being taken over and over, I decided to take a step back and engaged in a period of self-discovery through therapy, and self-help books. During this process, I accepted all the qualities that I have, I discovered and accepted my abilities and strengths and I became proud of having a high intellect and ability to create and to implement many projects. I became proud of being successful in taking a concept all the way to implementation of processes. Once I was able to hold my own positive weight I decided to be strategic instead of fighting and being angry to the lack of understanding of the experiences of others (due to race, language, income, religion, ability, etc.). I have mastered the task of creating alliances, the tact of listening and knowing when to speak to be listened to, and the subtle gift of staying silent when is not the right time to talk yet.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I was born and raised in Mexico City. I immigrated to the United States at the age of 24 years old after graduating with an Economics degree. As an half-undocumented individual in the U.S, I had to work as a food truck driver, waitress, carver (at a buffet restaurant), housekeeping and many other jobs in between while I was attending different schools to move up on the education ladder. First, I started with english classes then a local college where I graduated with an Associate in Business degree to move to a masters program in Social Work and finally in May 2023 graduated with a PhD in Social Work. It has been now 24 years (half my life exactly) spent in this journey of immigration, resettlement and many moments of happiness and success. In my professional career I was able to move up to administrative roles in the non-profit sector and had the opportunity to start my own business when my partner lost his job. In 2015, I started the Multicultural Counseling Center, a local mental health agency that provides comprehensive outpatient treatment to individuals seeking help. Our organization in 10 years has been able to grow to employ over 35 individuals and has provided services to more than 20,000 community members.
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?
The three most impactful skills in my journey have been: 1. The desire to always learn more, 2. personal commitment to do things right and well ALWAYS 3. commitment to invest in myself (direct my own resources such as personal time and money to grow professionally) without being compensated in the moment.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown. This book was key in my career and my self discovery journey as it taught me the importance of focusing on what you want to create or get done. It helped me understand the importance of saying no. But most of all it taught me and challenged me to test the premise that “there will always be an opportunity to chase, the key is to chase the ones that will lead to projects that are aligned with your specific overall goal”.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mccounseling.com
- Other: I am not active in any social media as an individual since July 2024. I have decided this to prioritize my family and my mental health. I have a facebook account that I have not used in over 4 months and I do not want to delete as my pictures show up randomly and they are the greatest reminder that life each day is a blessing.
Image Credits
Cristina Arroyo
