Embracing Challenges & Creating Magic: My Unforgettable Night at the Voto Latino Our Voices Event

If you came by Friday you’d know that I put a placeholder here because I was in the thick of preparing for the Voto Latino Our Voices event. And if you keep up with the socials you’d see there was tons of content that came from it! So let’s break down all the fun we had in today’s recap.

Now on the surface this was simply a celeb studded night with nothing but good vibes and photo ops, but this is the blog where we get real about things and amigas: I had so much anxiety! This had absolutely nothing to do with the actual event and everything to do with me. For context, I was leaving my beautiful 4 year old “puppy” at home alone for the first time ever. Look, I logically understand this is a dogs life: waiting at home for their next adventure. However, my Sugar is a registered emotional animal and it’s usually me giving her support.

They say dogs take on the temperament of their owners and well she’s living in a high stress environment. I type as she lays peacefully on the bed next to me at 2:30pm on a Monday. Why is she so peaceful? Because we are together. Anyways, long story longer, I tried getting her a sitter but no luck and knew I wasn’t going to miss this opportunity just because she is my safety blanket.

So, I tapped into my higher-self and pulled myself by the hair *figuratively* to get out the door in the windy rain. I feel like this is such an important note to make because by the looks of the pictures, videos, and celeb interviews I was having the time of my life—and I was. But I was also having a wild internal battle with myself. Fighting off excuses not to go, swatting away intrusive thoughts like what if I don’t make it back home to her, etc. etc. etc. all very real for being complete figments of my anxiety. This is what you would never know if I didn’t tell you, but if you spoke to me for two seconds that day it was no secret—even the lady at TJ Max knew. All this to say, sometimes the hardest part is showing up. One thing about me is, I know when I do magic happens and this night was the most epic proof of that.

I knew who a few of the attendees would be so I arrived early, ring light in hand, ready to be a production crew of one. Was I the only one who did this? Yep. Was I in a room full of journalists, also yep. It was their night off and my night on! Fun fact, my first major (that ended up being communications) in college was journalism. But I didn’t love that you couldn’t have an opinion in the stories you reported on and even though I was always an excellent writer I was intimidated by the GRE because me and standardized tests were not friends. So, I went another route but have always followed and looked up to journalists. I’ve even been an online correspondent for ABC many years ago so I’m no novice at this whole recording myself in public thing.

I knew Rosario Dawson and John Quiñones would be in attendance and through my own investigative journalism figured John Leguizamo may be there was well (he posted about being in DC this week and I knew he had a segment coming up with Co-Founder of Voto Latino Maria Teresa Kumar). So I was on the look out. I was told there would be a small red carpet for me to get set-up at but that wasn’t exactly the case. I basically had to loiter around and track them down if I wanted to chat: challenge accepted. I should also note this night was to honor Cecilia Vega the first Latina to host 60-minutes, and while I did see her and stand very close to her at times, I had to make the decision to not ask her to a chat. Not because she isn’t incredible but because I didn’t want to miss my window to chat with Rosario!

I had the honor of interviewing Rosario last year at SXSW and basically paid to fly myself across the country to ask her two questions so I felt like our time wasn’t done. She also follows and likes posts often so I feel like she’s part of the community! Want to see the interview I got with here this time? Check it out!

Also if you’re a 90s kid you were very likely also a “What Would You Do?”, with John Quiñones viewer. And my interview with him was chaos, and epic! See it here. I was so close to his eyes I was mesmerized by his words and was completely in the present moment. I hope he really is as much of a gem as he seemed because if so he is one Latino we can all claim and be proud of! <3

All in all the night was one of the best nights of my life. It challenged me, it rewarded my efforts, and it proved to me that I am stronger than I was yesterday and wiser for it. In the end I drove home in the rain, at a careful speed, often times unable to see the lane: and made it home to my Sugar. She was a wreck for a good 30-minutes and that is something I hope to not have to do again for a very long time—if ever. But I know if I needed to we can overcome and life is for the living.

This is my ELATED face!

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre was SO kind!

Caught John on his was in as I was standing at the exit. Yay for forcing myself to stay til nearly the end!