Pt. 2 - Showing Up Authentically in Spaces Not Meant for You w/ Pamela Barba
Episode Summary: This is the second part of two-part feature of Pamela Barba, Founder of Vamos Ladies. Vamos Ladies is a network by and for Latinas, on a mission to increase wealth in Latinx communities. Pamela is an entrepreneur and creative strategist who is always working to create liberating spaces for herself and others.
In this conversation, Bethaney connects with Pamela to talk about entrepreneurship and racial equity in the tech industry!
Transcript
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
spaces, diversity, work, create, immigrant, gap, life, episode, talk, people, business, podcast, story, pamela, organizations, entrepreneurship, experience, entrepreneur, design, support
SPEAKERS
Bethaney Wilkinson, Pamela Barba
Bethaney Wilkinson 00:06
Welcome to The Diversity Gap podcast where we are exploring the gap between good intentions and good impact as it relates to diversity, equity and inclusion. My name is Bethaney Wilkinson and I am your host. Hey there, Diversity Gap podcast listeners. It's Bethany here. And this episode of The Diversity Gap podcast is a part two to the episode featuring Pamela Barba. Pamela Barba is the founder of Vamos Ladies. She's a creative strategist, a graphic designer. She's one of my really good friends. She's an entrepreneur, I think she's amazing. And so I wanted to take a moment to ask her just a few questions around her journey, starting her own company. And just to get a little bit of insight into some of the nuances of who she is, and the work she leads in the world. Now really quickly, I am a woman who is on the go all the time on the move doing things. And so I actually recorded this short conversation with her in the parking lot of a grocery store. And so I just pulled out my podcast equipment, and recorded it there. So if there are any funny sounds, or I don't know big trucks that drive by, just know that I was in a public place, having a good conversation, and I didn't want to miss it. So thanks for listening and enjoy this episode. Hey, Pamela, so in at the end of your talk, the one that you gave a blackbox a few months ago, I guess was back in April. So it's been a minute, you left us at the very end with a little bit of tough love. And you said that pretty much when it comes to finding spaces where we can be like we really are, you pretty much made the point that we can't really expect other people to do that work for us. And so my question for you, my first question for you, is what do you think keeps people from finding the spaces that they need in order to thrive to be well, to really be their authentic selves?
Pamela Barba 02:35
Sure. So I think really the, the answer is pretty simple. We just wish we didn't have to, I think and at least that's my experience, I really had hoped that the spaces that I was in would be enough and would provide the things that I needed. And for you know, some of my colleagues or classmates or people in my life, sometimes it was enough and they didn't need, like the extra spaces for that extra support. And so I think that's, that's the answer. We wish we didn't have to.
Bethaney Wilkinson 03:07
Yeah, that's so simple. And it's so it's so true. Do you think you found? Like, I don't know, unexpected gifts, and having to create those spaces, even though initially, you maybe didn't want to?
Pamela Barba 03:23
Oh, totally Well, before I felt really powerless, I guess I would say because I felt like any step that I any place that I like stepped into, I would have to see if that was like a safe space for me or not. And so it put a lot of power outside of myself, which was kind of exhausting. And I am one of those people that I quit jobs. You know, if things weren't right, I would quit and move on to the next job. And I got to the point where I was like, Okay, I can't keep you know, continue to quit jobs. And that's just not the answer. So I realized that the power, but like you said the ball was in my court, and that the power was within me to create the spaces that I needed, so that I could be in any situation and be okay.
Bethaney Wilkinson 04:07
That's so good. I wonder too well, this is actually switching gears just a little bit. But in some ways it might be connected. Something I so respect and appreciate about you is how you persistently and almost relentlessly center your family's immigration story and your work is this. And this is something I think you don't have to do. You have plenty of other I feel like skills and stories and expertise even that you don't have to center the story. And so why is that something that you choose to do?
Pamela Barba 04:41
Sure. So one reason is because for me really it was that moment when we immigrated to the United States where my life kind of got turned upside down. And I had I became way more conscious of the ways I moved in the world and way more intentional I had to become more intentional. So that was really a turning point. In my life, but the other two reasons is because one, I know that there are people that don't have an immigrant in their life, and may have no idea what it's like, like what that experience is like. So I feel like by sharing my story I'm letting them in. And I'm allowing them to practice empathy and to think about what that was like. And for people that do share my experience, or do share some similarities with it, I think it's important, because hearing my story and kind of learning from my path, can help them feel seen. And I know that's always been the case for me when I hear other immigrants speak. And so I hope that people can feel empowered to see like, oh, my gosh, like she went through the same thing. And then now she's doing this thing like, I could do that, too.
Bethaney Wilkinson 05:44
Yes. And I yeah, that visibility. I know, I think we've talked about this in different places, or at different times. But the visibility is so powerful, and almost in ways that feel intangible. And the moment I find myself, if I see my story reflected in someone who's on a stage, or I don't know, he's been given a platform, or who's out here doing something awesome. In a really deep way, it affirms that the things I'm dreaming about can become a reality to Yes, yes, that's exactly it. Yeah, it's a game changer. So one of the biggest shifts I've seen in you, and I guess over the time that I've known you, as an entrepreneur, is in how you've been able to integrate your passion for social justice into a plan for business minded impact. And I think because of your story, your experience being a part of an immigrant family, as a woman of color, I feel like you are really uniquely positioned to, I don't know, to speak into this possibility for people. And so how are you hoping that business can be leveraged as a tool for community organizing and change.
Pamela Barba 06:58
So in my experience, you know, when I was younger, when I was in college, I organized with different immigrants rights organizations in the state. And then I worked for a nonprofit, and I volunteered for nonprofits. And there was this constant, I noticed two main things, there was a lot of money and resources usually, which means that the people that were there were either not getting paid and burning themselves out or getting paid very little. And then the other thing that I noticed is that there was kind of a lot of like, entrepreneurial innovation in a way thinking about how we could do things that make money that could sustain the work that we were supporting. And so I come from a small business family and kind of have the entrepreneurship bug. And when I quit my job a few years ago, I did it from the beginning with this intention of how can I find the intersection of business and create a model that is self sustaining, but at its heart, really, it's about social justice? In making change?
Bethaney Wilkinson 07:57
Wow, how's it going?
Pamela Barba 07:59
It's definitely hard. I think entrepreneurship on its own is difficult. But when you're starting a business about something, or when you're starting any sort of organization about something that you care deeply about, like I do with vamos ladies, there is a lot of like trauma and healing and growing that has to happen along the way, along with figuring out a business model that works. And so I think these sorts of organizations just take more time. Mm hmm.
Bethaney Wilkinson 08:28
Yeah. And then what does it look like for you? And this kind of goes back to even what we started by talking to start talking about, what does it look like for you to find the support that you need to create this new kind of thing? Because I haven't seen it before. And I'm guessing you're kind of making it as you go. And so who are you like, depending on right now, as you're in the midst of creating this?
Pamela Barba 08:53
Yeah, it's really, my support group kind of looks like a scrapbook of different groups and people, I realized that I needed to find people in the you know, social impact social entrepreneurship space, I was so happy to meet plywood people in that way. I also needed to find spaces that supported and entrepreneurs and women of color. So I have like my friends kind of in that world. And this year's special for me has been a lot about like, healing and finding the support that I need to be well to be the leader of this organization that I'm making. So it's looked like a lot of coaches and therapist and friends that I can be real with.
Bethaney Wilkinson 09:34
Yeah, yes. Oh, gosh, I feel like that could be its own conversation. Maybe I'll start another podcast, or we can start a podcast to talk about entrepreneurship and trying to create these new things as women of color who are making sense of our own identities along the way cuz I feel like it's it's, it's an extra layer of work.
Pamela Barba 09:54
Totally. Yes. So like for somebody like me, like I really care about, you know, women's empowerment. And so it's really difficult for me to like not pay people or do things that other people have been able to do to grow organizations, because it's rooted in what I care about.
Bethaney Wilkinson 10:14
Yes, absolutely. And even thinking about, yeah, just like, I just struggle with that, too. Like if I'm trying to design something that is equitable and reflects pay equity, but I really just need someone to like, do this thing for free for a minute, it creates a lot of internal strife in tension. Yeah. Okay, so what are you reading right now?
Pamela Barba 10:39
This month. So if you had asked me last year, I would have been reading some like insane business book or strategy book. And like I mentioned, this year, for me has been a lot about just learning to take care of myself so that I can be a great leader. So lately, I've been really enjoying the Harry Potter series. currently enjoying the Goblet of Fire. And it's just been really life giving to go back to something that I have loved so much in my life, but also, there's some great lessons in Harry Potter.
Bethaney Wilkinson 11:10
Oh, my goodness, that is the best. I'm so happy. You said that. I was sure you're gonna give me like a great business book.
Pamela Barba 11:18
Nope. Sorry.
Bethaney Wilkinson 11:21
That's amazing. Okay, so my last question for you in this moment, because I really could talk to you for a long time about a lot of things is when you look at society, what are the biggest diversity gaps you see? And how can we close them.
Pamela Barba 11:41
So I spent some of my life in the tech world. My background is in design. And I'm really interested in innovation and designing technology, especially as we think about really how a lot of jobs are going to go away and how they're going to be replaced by automation and things like that. So what worries me a lot is the rooms where there are people deciding what this technology looks like what the new world looks like, with this technology, and what that room looks like in terms of diversity. And how do we fix it, I think we have to help people that to to follow those career paths so that they can be in the room, which is it's not really easy. There's there's a lot of things around like design thinking that are kind of obscure and not really accessible. Like you have to get some fancy design business degree in order to even be considered somebody whose opinion matters.
Bethaney Wilkinson 12:40
Yeah, so how do you think we can begin closing that gap?
Pamela Barba 12:45
I think if people if designers because I keep talking about them, if people that are designing these sort of technologies can understand that they need to bring people in the room, whether they're like, quote unquote, experts or not. They're experts in their own lives. So making sure that if you're designing, I don't know something for the medical system, that you truly in that room have a representation of the people that that's going to serve, so inviting people in and listening to them.
Bethaney Wilkinson 13:16
That's so good. And I think that's something that we as leaders of whatever we're creating can do. And I love how you frame that to whether people are perceived to be experts or not, because they are experts in their own stories, their own lives, their own experiences, and they have something to offer. Yes, absolutely. In fact, they have something that we need in order to create a good product.
Pamela Barba 13:39
It is it is I mean, you know, it makes good business sense. Not Not that we should do that just because of that we should do it because it's the right thing to do.
Bethaney Wilkinson 13:46
Absolutely. Wow. Okay. Well, thanks, Pamela, so much for your time. And for your work. Thank you for giving to the diversity gap two times now in different ways. And yeah, I'm just really grateful to know you. So thanks. Thank you for listening to The Diversity Gap podcast. If you've been challenged or inspired by what you've heard, please rate and review the show. You can also subscribe to make sure you never miss an episode. If you have thoughts or questions I'd love to hear from you connect with me at thediversitygap.com or on Instagram at The Diversity Gap. This episode was produced by DJ opdiggy for Soul Graffiti Productions.