This is My Story

Ever since middle school, I’ve found myself in academically rigorous and competitive environments, which led me to believe, from a very early age, that we need to work hard and struggle for what we want. These hyper-competitive environments also led me to seek validation through external markers of success (test scores and pedigrees) whilst simultaneously leaving me to deal with a severe case of impostor syndrome. I never felt like I measured up to my classmates.

Despite feeling academically inferior, as a low-income, first generation college student from an immigrant family, I was also very driven to “succeed” in order to break out of poverty. During my senior year of college, I landed a coveted consulting job where I was going to make more money than both of my parents. My hard work paid off and I felt like I was on top of the world.

Alas, it didn’t take long for the excitement to wear off when I discovered the monotony of my job. I was confused – I had worked so hard, only to have a job where I felt like my brain and soul were rotting. After 1.5 years, I left my job and despite knowing, deep down inside, that it was the right decision, I suffered from self-judgment. None of my consulting friends liked their jobs; however, they stayed and I was one of the first to call it quits.

I took a pay cut to move to a healthcare startup, where I also lasted ~1.5 years before moving into the nonprofit world. During and in between jobs, I took sabbaticals where I traveled around the world trying new things in order to find my purpose. My adventures include the following:

• I’ve represented the U.S. at the World Expo in Italy

• I’ve served as a reporter & photographer on a cruise ship that sailed around Oceania

• I’ve led domestic & international trips for adults with developmental disabilities 

• I’ve worked as an agribusiness consultant in Zimbabwe

It took me a decade and multiple forays into different industries to realize that it didn’t matter if I worked for a corporation, a startup or an NGO. I was done playing by other people’s rules and checking off other people’s boxes. Through many years of soul-searching (working with coaches, attending 10-day silent meditation retreats and journaling), I have rediscovered and listened to my inner voice, the one that knew, since middle school, that I wanted to positively and directly impact other people. (7th grader Angela wanted to be a teacher, nurse or psychologist).