Emerging from the Fear of the Unknown Between Mental Health, Motherhood, & Professionalism
I spent my life as a wallflower- never attracting attention in order to survive. Growing was a byproduct of life, as opposed to its main objective, and standing out was against the unspoken rule of “keep your head down.”
From Wallflower to Mental Health Advocate
Naturally a bookworm as a child, the idea of doing anything that required me to poke my nose out of the latest Magic Tree House book (anyone else obsessed? Harry Potter who?) seemed unnecessary. The real world was a cruel, cold place and I would rather be anywhere but. However, true to the theme of my life, I was forced out of my book-built comfort zone.
My first memory of "standing out" was in 3rd grade when I was the only Latina in the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program. What sticks with me isn’t that achievement but the angry mother questioning why I got in and her daughter didn’t. That experience taught me to move incognito and celebrate in silence when caught, pretending not to care too much under the guise of humbleness. Most importantly, you learn to stay out of the way if a louder, more prominent voice takes stage. This “keep your head down” mentality followed me through school and even into my decision to pursue graduate school.
Microaggressions and Mental Health: Building My Own Table
Microaggressions are tough to navigate, feeding into systemic barriers that are hard to acknowledge or even recognize. While that’s a conversation for another day, what’s clear is that sometimes we gotta build our own table to get a seat. For me, that means carving out space by going a little rouge and embracing my new identity as a C-PTSD and mental health "blogger."
Without the constraints of a 9-5, I’m rekindling my love for learning. This summer of change has me pondering life’s potential next seasons, like motherhood. Maybe it’s all the new bouncing babies in my circles (I’m still convinced there was something in the water 9 months ago), but I’m questioning how I can continue to grow now while preparing for potential changes later.
The Importance of the Intersection of Motherhood, Mental Health, and Growth
I’ve always been apprehensive about motherhood. My childhood was shaped by a married single mother, so I learned early that I’m all I have. Though children are wonderful, they can change the opportunities available, and adding another set of stereotype to my identity feels unsettling at times.
With 10-20% of pregnant women and new mothers experiencing a mental health disorder (shoutout to the World Health Organization for that one), that apprehension seems valid. The overlap between motherhood and mental health often gets swept under the rug, but when it comes to mental health, prevention is better than recovery.
At the Emerge Summit 2023, presenting with panelists Jocelyn Guzman and Esther Muriithi (left to right) on workplace challenges for women of color. PC: @shotbyjuliann
Emerge Summit: Slaying Stereotypes and Embracing Vulnerability
In a mix of curiosity, apprehension, and growth, I asked myself: How can I develop now while preparing for the future? Enter the Emerge Summit, a young professional conference in Sacramento. This is my 3rd year presenting—first as a keynote speaker, then tackling workplace challenges for women of color, and now as a moderator for a panel on motherhood, mental health, and mentoring.
Third times the charm might apply in other situations but it doesn’t make it easier to step up and out. I may seem cool, calm, and collected but sometimes, I can’t hear your reassurances over my heartbeat.
As a first-generation student, I had tons of questions and no idea where to start. When my grad school offered free tickets to the summit, I jumped at the chance—without realizing what door I was opening. Suddenly, I was the keynote speaker in 2022. I hadn’t presented to large groups in years, so my skills were rusty. The summit’s #ChallengeAccepted theme hit close to home, making it both necessary and difficult to speak on. Vulnerability was key, and it turned out to be exactly what others needed to hear too.
That experience stuck with me, so I raised my hand again the next year, leading a panel on workplace challenges for women of color. I didn’t think my topic would be accepted, let alone fill a room—but I was wrong about both. It turns out our community wanted to learn and grow together, showing me the value of speaking up, taking up space, and being authentic. It also highlighted the hunger of marginalized communities needing to learn from each other to thrive, not just survive.
My Emerge Summit experiences taught me that raising your hand was the first step. The second, and much harder one, was following through, which meant confronting fears, self-doubt, and panic.
Growth and Advocacy: Becoming Your Own Best Advocate
As a recent UC Davis Graduate School of Management alumna (go class of 2024!), I’ve learned a lot about myself, and I’m committed to being transparent and, hopefully, inspirational. My journey with C-PTSD has shown me the value of candid, vulnerable conversations—they’re key to growth, or so my therapist says.. In the right community, you become unstoppable with the shared wealth of knowledge, heart, and experience.
In choosing to submit conference proposals like my “Slaying Stereotypes: Motherhood, Mental Health, and Mentoring”, I hope to learn more for myself and create space for women with experiences that can shape a healthier generation of mothers. It’s about addressing the elephant in the room that we’ve been taught to ignore.
My encouragement: Be curious about who you can become. It’s not just about what you need to do but who you can grow into. Mother, professional, leader—or all of the above—embrace the questions. You’ll be grateful later for being an active advocate in your own journey. And don’t forget, you don’t have to do it all alone.
For the mothers out there, any advice or life lessons for the rest of us?
P.S. Want to know more about the Emerge Summit? Get another perspective from my colleague’s blog!
