Velisa Woods on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Velisa Woods. Check out our conversation below.

Velisa , really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
Letting go of the need to CONTROL and allowing SPIRIT to LEAD! Before now I would have been very hesitant to let go of controlling every aspect of my life and allowing myself to be free. When you realize that you are not in control of anything and allow your belief in your spirit guides and ancestors to lead the way only then will you receive what is meant for you.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hola! Soy Velisa Woods, Mother, Educator, Author, and Entrepreneur. I am the Founder of V. Woods Media LLC. V. Woods Media LLC highlights Afro Mexican and Indigenous communities outside of the United States. We have conducted interviews within the Garifuna/Garinagu (Afro Indigenous) community in Belize and the Afro Mexican community of Mandinga and Yanga, Veracruz (Mexico). Yanga Nation Tours gives Afrocentric tours within the state of Veracruz, Mexico that promotes the African history of Mexico. I have recently finished my first E-book, “Let the Chips Fall Where They May, the Lessons I’ve Learned When They Fell.” My book tells my experiences and lessons I’ve learned throughout my life that have molded me into the woman I am today. It is my hope that it helps someone navigate through their own journey. I am currently on sabbatical after working in Education for 15 years. I started the first half of this year living in Veracruz, Mexico. I am a native of Memphis, TN, lived in 4 States (TN, MS, NV, & CA), worked in 5, and now in Mexico.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
The person who saw me clearly before I could see myself was my paternal grandfather, Robert Woods. I recently realized that he was not only my protector but he viewed me as a strong individual as a child. As a child, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents. He was a small store owner who extended food credit to those in the community when their income didn’t provide them enough to keep food on the table for the month. He was a provider. One core memory that I have is when a friend of his mentioned to me one day that my grandfather said that I was stronger than my father. He obviously saw me as someone that could handle myself in any situation.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Hey Baby Girl, even though family mistreated you for merely existing, there is a reason for that. They know you will exceed all of your dreams. You are FREE! The issue is not with you, it’s them. Continue to love yourself fully. Your tribe will come.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes! I know my purpose in life is to break generational curses. One generational curse is not understanding who you are and that you deserve to live a good life and find happiness. The public version of myself is a display of me living freely. I enjoy traveling and connecting with people of different cultures. I also have had hardships and often give advice based on my experiences. This is the real me.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
African Spirituality exists! You have Spirit Guides and Good Ancestors that you have access to that are here to help give clarity and knowledge. You have to be open to hear and see what they put in your path to help you maneuver through this journey. They are always around you. Ask for help. Pay attention to your dreams! Do the work!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://vwoodsmedia.com
• Instagram: @vwoodsmedia
• Facebook: Velisa Woods
• Youtube: @vwoodsmedia
• Other: LTCFWTM E-book – https://www.vwoodsmedia.com/product-page/let-the-chips-fall-where-they-may