Dive into the inspiring journey of Valerie, a resilient and multifaceted individual who defied societal expectations to carve out her own unique path. From navigating the pressures of conforming to traditional norms to embracing a multitude of passions including dance, modeling, writing, and public service, Valerie's story is a testament to the power of self-discovery and perseverance. Through setbacks and rejections, she learned to redefine success on her own terms, constantly pushing herself to grow and evolve. Join us as we explore Valerie's journey of rewriting her story, finding purpose in pursuing her passions, and inspiring others to do the same.
Can you share a bit about your upbringing and how it influenced your journey of rewriting your story?
My parents to were strict with me and made me follow societal expectations: go to school, study, get good grades, go to college and majored something practical, graduate, get a good job, buy a house, get married, and have kids.
The end.
However, I didn’t actually follow societial expectations. Yes I did what I was told to do until I started in college, when I started to figure out who I am. I’ve discovered new interests like dance and being politically involved in my community.
My parents didn’t like I majored in Public Policy, while my mom complained I danced too much. I didn’t have any prior experience dancing in front of an audience nor have any experience with choreographing, so to me, it was a life changing experience.
As for my major, what sparked my interest was taking my political science and sociology classes when I had no idea on what to do. My parents wanted me to go into nursing, computer science, or anything STEM or business related. I couldn't find any interest, they were boring, and I wasn't doing well in them. It was tough for me to grasp.
I had to go against what they wanted me to do and create my own path. When I graduated, I was having trouble deciding what to do next, especially since the job market was bad for us recent college graduates. I originally did not plan to attend grad school right away but due to how difficult the job search was despite my internship experiences, extracurriculars, and a college degree, it wasn’t enough to land me into a career job. So with my parents’ help, I enrolled into an online master’s business program.
While taking my classes, I learned that I still have some growing up to do and decide what I actually want to do out of my life. I did some freelance writing for a few online publications, volunteered for a couple of youth nonprofits virtually, and started applying to more federal government jobs. I did have interest in working for the federal government because I actually want to help my country and serve a purpose, knowing that I’m working towards the greater good instead of making someone else rich.
After several months and hundreds of applications, I’ve landed an internship with the government, which turned into a full-time permanent job after I’ve graduated with my masters.
I’ve asked myself "is this it?" The answer was no.
Why should I follow society’s expectations?
Why should I follow my parents laid for me?
I knew deep down in my heart I was met for so much more. I have multiple interests ranging from dance and writing to public service. My inner thoughts and fighting spirit taught me that It’s not too late to start over and pursue new things.
Now, besides working full-time for the government, I still do freelance writing (and I like to confirm that I’ve interviewed 2 Disney voice actresses which was amazing) and still do dance by taking dance classes at a nearby studio.
And instead for looking for a partner, getting engaged, getting married, and having kids, which many of peers are doing, I’ve decided to enter into my first pageant, Miss Maryland USA 2022 under the Miss USA/Universe pageant system.
I saw an ad for it on instragram and figured, “If not now, then when?” I wanted more out of my life so why not? Even though I didn’t win, the experience is something I would never forget as I represented my hometown California (yes California is a city in Maryland).
This experience led me to compete a couple of more pageants, especially competing at my first national pageant representing Maryland. Not only that, this also led me into modeling and acting since I knew deep down that I was interested in both but had no idea how to get into them. Long story short, the connections I’ve made when I competed in pageants and also utilizing social media more to look for opportunities landed me to sign with a couple of agencies, taking classes with an acting studio, becoming an amabassador with CB Modeling Associates for one year, published in a few magazines as a model, walked in a few runaway shows, and so much more to come.
I do plan to compete in more pageant systems in the future though. Besides all of that, I still volunteer and have gotten more involved in politics. My pageant platform focues on women voting, which I’m in the process of focusing more on youth voting since the youth have the power to influence the future by voting. I’m also a part of a couple of political organizations and serve on a central committee. I also serve on my college’s alumni council as the youngest voting member.
I know it’s a lot to many people but as a 26 year old Gen Z Filipina American, I have a lot to offer. Based on my experiences, I didn’t find a partner, get married, and bought a house. I went out to pursue new interests while still living with my family, for which I’m not ashamed, especially in this expensive economy.
I rewrote my story to live my own life my way because life is too short to follow the crowd and be stuck inside of a box. I wanted to showcase to many people that you can rewrite your own story anytime in your life and it’s okay to not follow society expectations. Plus, it’s okay to go against your parents sometimes to do what’s right for yourself since It's your life.
What motivated you to pursue a career in writing and other creative endeavors?
I got into writing when I first got involved in writing for my high schools newspaper. I like to write about what’s going on in the world and give advice or tips about anything. I didn’t get involve in my college’s newspaper unfortunately, but looking back, I wish I did, I started getting into freelance writing at the begining of my junior year of college. I did some online searching to figure out what publications to write for, and I’ve continued to do so today. I’ve enjoy the process of writing everything down because I want to get the message across of what I’m writing about to people.
As for my other creative endeavors, dance, pageantry, modeling, acting, and also creating content online , came to me when I least expected. I always wanted to join a dance team while I was younger but felt like I wasn’t good enough, especially since I didn’t have prior dancing in front of an audience. All of these creative endeavors allowed me to express myself and showcase who I actually am. I can be my true self, especially in spaces where I am underrepresented a petite Gen Z Filipina American. Those things are what kept me motivated me to keep on going and do what I love.
How did you cope with the setbacks and rejections you faced early in your career?
I do have to admit that it can be upsetting with setbacks and rejections early in my career. It made me wonder if it I wasn’t good enough or if my interview went horrible. I’ve been given the advice that the job search is a numbers game. You just have to apply, interview if selected, and then forget until the company or person comes to you to offer the position.
I read somewhere online that whatever is meant for you, won’t let you pass by. And if it does, then it was never yours to begin with. That reminder has helped me as I continued to navigate to where I want to be in my early career. I told myself there has to be a light at the end of the tunnel since I knew this wouldn’t go on forever. What also helped me is not focus too much on job searching and rejections. I also focus on my hobbies and taking care of myself since my health is a priority. The end of tunnel is there but taking care of myself comes first.
Where I work now, I’ve never imagined myself in millions of years that I would end up where I at. It came when I least expected. It was a rigorous hiring process after hundreds of applications I’ve went through. Despite everything, the end of the tunnel was there.
Could you elaborate on the decision-making process behind pursuing a master's degree online?
Pursuing a master’s degree online gives me more flexibility to do what I want in my life, especially with working full-time. My internship while pursuing my master’s online was full-time so I was working 9-5 and then afterwards, I do my schoolwork during the evenings and on weekends until I was finished. This method has benefitted me since I can do my schoolwork in my own time instead of a set time.
What were some of the biggest lessons you learned during your graduate studies and pathways internship?
My biggest lessons during my grad studies and my pathways internship were to never ever be afraid to ask for help, even if the question you are asking sounds ridiculous, and that time management is always key to success. Doing both was not easy since it requires to plan and stay committed. If you want to learn and chase what you want, then you have to reach out to your colleagues and professor who are there to help you.
One more thing I want to mention is that networking is also the key to success. I’ve managed to network during my time in grad school and at my internship. I’ve learned about people from many different backgrounds. This aspect carried on with me to today, which allowed me to connect with many people from many industries.
Balancing a full-time job with freelance writing, dance classes, modeling, and volunteering sounds challenging. How do you manage your time effectively?
I do this by always having a plan and always be ready whenever something cancels at the last minute. I like to plan out my days and sometimes the weekends when I have nothing to do. I make sure I get enough sleep and exercise since taking care of ourselves is important.
Lastly, the mindset I have when I do everything is that I’m serving a purpose in this world and that I’m giving back to people, which would have a positive impact on them and also on me.
Can you share a particularly rewarding experience or achievement from your journey of self-discovery and career growth?
I have to say when I started pageantry. I thought at first pageantry was about all of the glitz and glam but there’s more to it. It’s about serving a purpose and supporting for humanitarian causes while showcasing and expressing your true self as a woman. I am a Petite Filipina American woman. There aren’t enough woman who look like me in the pageant industry. By entering into it and representing my city and state at the state and national levels of pageantry, I wanted to showcase my background and what I can offer if I were to win. I didn’t let my height at 5’0” stop my from chasing my goals. I wanted to showcase to many people that I’m proud to be a Filipina American and the us Filipina Americans are capable of showcasing our talents, providing a voice, and serving our communities.
Lastly, during my reign as Miss Maryland Petite 2023, I promoted my pageant platform women in voting. I’ve encouraged all women, especially young women of color, to get out and vote in elections. I also volunteered over 100 hours, which led me to earning the Bronze Presidential Service Award. During my interview with the judges at the state and national level, I had the opportunity to share my platform and work.
Even though my reign is over, I’m on hiatus from competing pageants right now, the work isn’t over. I’ll continue to promote my pageant platform and encourage many people to get out and vote.
How do you stay motivated and focused when faced with obstacles or self-doubt?
I stay motivated and focused by telling myself to step back and think when encountering obstacles or self-doubt. While I was watching the Miss Universe 2022 pageant, Miss USA Rbonney Gabriel mentioned her favorite quote during the Q&A round, which was, “If not now, then when?” And that stuck with me a lot because time in this world is limited. So why wait to go after your dreams, even if it’s a difficult journey ahead? I knew I can accomplish anything if I believe in myself.
What role has mentorship played in your professional development?
While growing up, my parents guided me through the process of professional development but in the end I have to figure out what I want.
I’ve reached out and networked with people from various industries to learn more about their background and learned how they got to where they are in the first place. Me being involved in extracurriculars has helped me a lot with professional development along with maintaining good relations with my references and previous supervisors.
How do you define success, and have your definitions evolved throughout your journey?
My definition of success is going after what you truly want and achieve that. Throughout my journey, my definition of it has included happiness. After you achieve your goals, are you happy that happened? Hopefully yes.
I’ve achieved a lot so far ever since graduating from undergrad. I always ended up being happy with what I’ve achieved, whether I’ve received a promotion, made an impact with my pageant platform on increasing voter turnout for women, or being published in a magazine either as a writer or model.
Could you share any specific strategies or techniques you use for personal and professional growth?
For both my personal and professional growth, I never stop learning, whether if I’m taking an online course or being out in my community volunteering. I take each experience as a learning opportunity to better myself as a person.
How do you navigate uncertainty and embrace new opportunities in your life?
I always have to be ready for the worse case scenario if something doesn’t go my way. But I also have to be ready when a new opportunity presents itself to me. I tried to not overthink. I actually think through each scenario and decide the best course of action. This applies when I’m auditioning for casting calls, writing a new article, or trying to figure out how to move up in my career.
Can you speak about the importance of resilience in the face of adversity?
It’s important to stay resilient, even in the worse case scenarios because how you face and tackle what stands in your way would affect the end result and how you feel in the end. To me, it’s important to know that in the end, everything will be okay. One of my favorites quotes, which is from a videogame series called “The Legend of Spyro,” is, “To ride out this storm, and live to fight another day,” which is said by the character called The Chronicler. It’s important to keep on going because it’s not over until the very end. When I say the very end, I might by accomplishing what you truly want.
What advice do you have for individuals who feel stuck or uncertain about their path forward?
My advice is to take a step back and think. And write this down on a piece of paper if you have to about what you actually want out of this life. Think about the hobbies you do and the content you like to look up online. I recommend follow people on social media who have similar interests like you do or set themselves as role models pursuing their passions that inspires thousands of people. I follow so many inspirational like minded people like myself social media to figure out my path forward.
Lastly, networking is key.
Reach out to people and talk to them about how they managed to get where they are today. This would help you get a better sense about your path. Everyone has a purpose in their life. You have a purpose.
Looking back, is there anything you wish you had known or done differently during your journey of rewriting your story?
There is a lot that I wish I had known earlier. One example is to network as early as high school. I had no idea networking was one of the keys to success.
I also wish I knew that you can pursue multiple interests at once. You can pursue, for example, a full-time career in government while also doing dance, writing, modeling, acting, pageantry, volunteering, and doing content on the side.
Along during my journey of rewriting my story, I’ve discovered I was a multipontialite, which means someone with many interests and creative pursuits. I’ve always known that I have many interests but I didn’t know what the term was until I’ve read an article of this one pageant girl who has many interests like I did. She mentioned she was a multipotentialite herself. That term stuck with me since then.
And to be honest myself, I wish I did everything earlier (doing internships earlier, taking acting classes, competing in pageants, etc.). I do consider myself as a late bloomer though. However, it’s better late than never. I told myself that life is not race.
Sometimes, I wish I could go back and done things differently with the information that I have now but I’m glad things turn out the way they are. During my journey of rewriting my story, I have to learn to not compare myself to others. Everyone is different. As I got older, I learned more and more about myself and what my purpose in this world.
I wasn’t met to follow the status quo but be the change for society and break barriers as a petite Gen Z Filipna American as I set the stage for the next generations to come.
If you want to get in touch with Valerie, here is her Linkedln
