Belen Bonilla

I'm just really passionate about what I do, and I really wanted to learn more about best practices for communications. I've always felt like whatever I'm going to be, I just want to be the best at it. I feel like people on the right who are doing these manosphere narrative campaigns against women work so hard on their communications, and they are really good at it, and they're really smart, and they know what they're doing. People on our side who are fighting for working women and the rights of women to be independent and free and live full, meaningful lives in whatever path they decide to take deserve to have all of the skills and tool sets and education and training that we can to fight for those rights as well. That's where I was coming from in wanting to go to school and go to the best possible program I can for this so that I can be as prepared as possible in these environments when I have these opportunities to advocate for people.

My dad was never someone who pushed me in any particular direction. He's so chill and was never like, you need to even go to school, you can actually just do whatever you want. He was like, I just want you guys to be happy. I think it is very grounding to hear that when you are doing all these things, to be like, okay, at the end of the day, really, I just need to find joy. That perspective has really stayed with me.

I would say that you should do it, you know? We need everyone we can get. Nonprofit advocacy is tough, and there's going to be a lot that you have to face, especially in the beginning, just in terms of having to learn the ropes and kind of do a lot of things that oftentimes people get burnt out really quickly. But I think really holding on to why you decided to do it in the first place, and what that means to you and your community, your family, or really having a good why reason for why you're doing this work is so important.

I think mindfulness is really important. I love to walk my dog, go to the dog park, and just be somewhere doing things that are totally different. Taking care of yourself is really important. I do yoga, I do knitting, I'm in a crafting circle. Those things are very important to me in this cold, cruel world. I've always been really passionate about social justice and human rights. Coming from an immigrant family and growing up in a predominantly Latino community in South Texas, I grew up in this equity-seeking community that really inspired me to want to help other equity-seeking communities in my life.