My experience participating in the Salvadoran Women Designers in the UK event
In commemoration of International Women’s Day, on Friday 5th of March, I had the honour of being part of an event organised by the El Salvador Embassy in the UK. It showcased me, and two other outstanding designers, Carolina Gomez, and Gabriela Larios. We talked about our professional development, the importance of networks and our Salvadoran roots, to see the invitation, click here.
It was an online panel chaired by distinguished Salvadoran designer Milagro Garcia Prieto Mena.
A wonderful experience which I am grateful to have participated in as a panellist.
On the day of the event, the organisers requested us, the panellists, and the chair to log on about 30min before the event. It was the first time that most of us had met, though virtually. We got to know each other a little bit and Mayra, the Secretary General, designated Consul General of the El Salvador Embassy was kind enough to run us through the program and virtually introduced us to the Salvadoran Ambassador, Vanessa Interiano. It is truly inspiring to feel the energy that is created when women come together. We were able to discuss a little bit about ourselves and our work whilst waiting for the event to commence.
The event started with some tech issues, with the sound, but it was handled quickly, and the Ambassador was able to welcome everyone with a beautiful introduction that included the role of women in El Salvador in the past, and now.
By this time, I was feeling a bit nervous, as I knew I was going to be the first panellist to be introduced by the chair. I did apply to the palm of my hands some wild orange essential oil, to keep me focused. I had previously practiced delivering my presentation with a friend, but in a Q & A, you are led by the questions and it is a more dynamic format. I will not lie, though I felt nervous, once we started the conversation, I began to feel at ease and enjoyed the experience.
We talked about my international background, and how it has influenced me as a person and my designs. Living in many countries shapes the way you approach life, absorb other cultures, and learn to adapt. We also discussed my professional journey. After graduating from architecture school from Monterrey Tec in Mexico, I moved to El Salvador for the first time ever, to be close to my family and experience my roots. Through my professional experience there, and the close relationship and trust formed with my clients, I realised the importance of delivering a complete service, from architecture design to interior design. I decided to move to Barcelona, to complete a Post Grad in Furniture Design, where I was greatly influenced by the works of Gaudi and of such a vibrant city. So, how did I end up in London? Because of love. I met my Irish husband and moved here to be with him. London is an extremely competitive market, for this reason, once here, I got certified as a Project Management Professional from PMI.
In El Salvador I worked as a freelance architect. I wanted to keep on working directly with clients here too. I am passionate about design and helping people feel happy and proud of their spaces, and most importantly, guiding them through the design and build process so it is a stress-free experience. At first, I did not know how to do it. It is hard enough to move to a new country, let alone start your own business. During the event I was asked about the importance of networks. I started with PMI. Being part of such an elite network as PMI reassures your expertise. It validates your knowledge and experience. I also mentioned Internations, as it is one of the networks that I have been the longest member of, though not for business purposes, more for the social aspect. No matter where you go, you are sure to know there is most likely an active Internations chapter around. I have also recently become a member of Houzz, which is a professional online community about architecture, interior design and decorating, landscape design and home improvement. Finally, I am a member of The Interior Designers Hub. A wonderful mentoring community that has had a key role in helping me launch my interior design business. If you are interested in signing up click here for my affiliate special offer code.
The second person to go on the programme was Carolina followed by Gabriela. I have made a video, which you can find here, with the highlights of the event.
When the event ended, I was overwhelmed by the number of supporting messages I had received from family and friends. It also came to my attention that many people had been left unable to attend the event due to the logging links not working or having been sent out too late. It is the unfortunate thing about technology, it is so wonderful when it works, but when it does not, it really lets people down. Once I finished reading all my messages, and speaking with my husband, mum, sister, and close friends I decided to do a Live on Instagram, to recap what had happened on the event for all of those that had been left out. You can find it here.
I want to thank the El Salvador Embassy in the UK for having organised such a distinguished event, along with the chair and fellow panellists for their outstanding participation. I also want to thank my dear husband, family, and friends for their unconditional support, and thank you for taking the time to read this blog. I am always happy to have a chat, if you have any questions or would like to know more, get in touch!