Her Story
About Yolanda
I immigrated to the United States from Haiti when I was 14 years old, not knowing the language and feeling completely lost in a new culture. I went from attending an all-girls Catholic private school in Haiti to a mixed school in America, and the adjustment was so overwhelming that I would go to school and cry, doubting I would ever finish or learn the language. But I put in the work, and now at 24, I'm about to complete my bachelor's degree in business management this August. I graduated with my associate degree back in December, and I will be the first generation in my family to graduate from college, which is one of my biggest accomplishments. I've always worked in customer service, marketing, retail, supermarkets, and fast food, and it was a big struggle finding another job when I wanted to shift to something else. Last year, I had the opportunity to transition from working in a supermarket and fast food to banking, which was really hard but I made it happen. Now I work as a universal banker at Citibank, where I handle both personal banking and teller responsibilities - I open accounts, do wires, credit card applications, count ATM machines, organize branch events, and serve as the main point of contact when clients walk into the branch. I'm very detail-oriented and pay attention to lots of details, especially when it comes to fraud, which is why I see myself moving into auditing, operations, or fraud-related fields in the future. I balance two jobs, still working at the supermarket I started at four years ago, while also being a full-time student. It's very challenging, but I've always been a leader since I was little, and I definitely see myself owning my own business one day because that's been my mission ever since I was young.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Yolanda
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being able to adjust into a new culture and fighting to learn the language. Coming to America from Haiti at 14 without knowing English, I really doubted myself at first and didn't think I would make it - the culture difference was so big. I went from an all-girls Catholic private school to a mixed school in the U.S., and I would go to school and cry, thinking I wasn't going to finish and wouldn't know the language. But I put in the work, and being able to adjust and become a college student in America, working toward being the first generation in my family to graduate from college, is what I'm most proud of. I've always been a leader since I was little, and I never stopped believing that I could make it happen, even when the challenges seemed overwhelming.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Do not doubt yourself. You can do anything that you want, as long as you put in the work and believe in yourself first. Do not listen to whatever people have to say. When I moved to a different setting, everything changed, and I'm pretty sure that your goals are not gonna be the same as they were before. Follow your heart and have your own path, because we are not all designed to be in the same industry. If we were all into the healthcare industry, who would be in finance? Who would be the accountant? Who would be the manager? People cannot tell you what to do or choose what's best for you - only you know what would be best for you. You don't want to work a job later on where you're not happy, because the work is already a lot. So you have to do something that you love and are really passionate about. I hear the most about people saying, 'you're an immigrant, you should be going into the healthcare industry,' but I respect and love everyone working in healthcare - it's just not for me. So do not doubt yourself, do not listen to people, follow your heart, and be sure of what you want.
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