We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Victoria Coburn-Harriel a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Victoria, 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?
Being raised by parents who called me an alien or often questioned where I came from was a HUGE part of it all. It might have been a running joke but it stuck. I was okay with being the weirdest person in the room even if I didn’t mean to be. Telling people I would change the world with food was and still is realistic to me regardless of the climate we find ourselves in.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a cook for my nine to five but I spend every other waking and sleeping moment thinking of ways to positively effect and motivate different communities to come together and build the “melting pot” fantasy that was sold to kids in the 90s. Being in a military family that traveled the world exposed me to environments more people should experience. Living in Türkiye I was embraced in a way that was never familiar to me in the country I was born in. The hospitality that was showed to me I wanted to bring back State side and help shatter any stereotype formed around those who embraced me. I watched them lose homes and businesses in the name of pure destruction. No matter what happened the night before they all came together to rebuild and fight for their home.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Persistence.
I could work myself until I collapse and I’m still not satisfied with the work that has been done.
2. Time management
I have successfully figured out how to work all 24 hours of the day; sleep included. I make a plan in my sleep then when I wake up in four hours execute.
3. I learned to ask for help.
I LEARNED TO ASK FOR HELP
Not everyone will want to help or even offer the proper type of help. However, when you find the crew of folks that will go on the journey with you nothing can stop you.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
The Mark of a Lion Series by Francine Rivers. I first read the series in middle school. It was given to me by my late God Uncle. The resilience the main character Hadassah had throughout all three books not only helped me over power the anger I had for my past but also started my journey of strength and what that looked like for me.
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