Her Story
About Dora
I've always been passionate about communication, viewing it as a tool and vehicle for social justice advancement and uncovering inequity. My dream was to travel the world and uncover stories of inequity and advance social justice. While in undergrad, I was working for a nonprofit organization that paid me to help write a proposal for a Radio TV Lab for a local middle school, Garnett Patterson Middle School, a Title I school. When we were funded, the principal asked me to come in and teach radio TV production. I had no intention of teaching, but I had fallen head over heels in love with the kids, the school, and the culture. Throughout my career, I've worked in various communications roles, always focused on mission-driven work. I'm honored to serve my community, working from my hometown. What drives me is serving populations that really need this service. I spend a lot of time managing press and pitching good stories that bring equity to devalued and underserved populations. I will be at KIPP DC probably for the next 5 years, and then my goal would be to work full-time for my daughter's non-profit organization serving young women experiencing homelessness.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Dora
01What do you attribute your success to?
Hands down, I had an excellent support system. My relationship with Christ and being mission-driven are what drive me. I used to tell this story all the time when I was at the Department of Human Services - I never could have been successful if I was working at a big Fortune 500 company like Coca-Cola or something like that. The mission is what drives me, for sure. I think following that path has caused blessings to come my way and helps me to be successful in what I do. It's quite fulfilling working from my hometown, and serving populations that are considered low-income is what gives me my get-up-and-go. That's the fuel that lights my fire.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Follow your passion. Follow what speaks to you, what drives you, what's gonna make you get up excited to get to work and out of bed every day, and the money and the resources will follow. But if you follow the money, you'll often feel empty and kind of lost, and even to some extent, lonely. Life is very short, and you should wake up every day doing what you love, and I promise you that the resources will come. That's really what success looks like - fulfillment is key. I encourage my own children and the children that I come in contact with to follow your dreams, despite the sacrifices, despite the hard times. The investment is well worth the reward.
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