Redefining the crusty definitions of success that don’t work

In this episode my guest is Julissa Contreras, and after being laid off from WeWork in May 2020 she decided to file a police report about a sexual assault experience she had unconsciously buried in an attempt to stay focused on her career. This episode hits such a wide range of necessary ideas from gender norms to redefining success for ourselves. 

Julissa Contreras is a Dominicana from the Bronx who works to facilitate dialogue and create art that raises overlooked experiences. With a focus on storytelling, program development, and community curation, Julissa collaborates with organizations and artists on opportunities that influence pathways for meaningful change. Previously Julissa was the former Community and Impact Program Manager at WeWork, Operations Manager at Donorly, and Adolescent Leadership Program Manager at Children’s Aid Society- Hope Leadership Center. She is the creator of Ladies Who Bronché the podcast and YouTube’s “Shit Spanish Girls Say” and continues her work as a creative writer, performer, and creative consultant.

In this conversation we explore:

+ the difference between using empathy as a weapon to shut down needed conversations versus practicing compassionate empathy that bridges divides.

+ why generational survival techniques that worked in the past can harm us in the present.

+ why dominant narratives around gender hold us all back from our full potential.

+ the ways success can be redefined from hyper competition to abundance for us all to thrive.

Check it out with the link below