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How I Got Here
Hola! I am Maria Eugenia, a Latina social entrepreneur with an innate drive and can-do attitude who is fully committed to helping Latinos reach their true potential. I truly believe that Yes, You Can thrive!
After nearly two decades of working on different programs and with different organizations to help Latinos improve their lives, I realized there was a need for a solution that could create sustainable impact.
Personal development is the key to continued success.
So, nearly five years ago I took a leap of faith and founded VisiónYes to provide personal development coaching to the Latino community. It’s been a long journey, but through education, work, and persistence I am fulfilling my dream to help others discover their worth and true potential to create the life they deserve.
Better yet, the impact that I can have on people’s lives through my program has made all of the hard work absolutely worth it.
Having grown up in poverty, I know all too well the negative messaging that we are inundated with — “college is not for the poor” and “the answer is no because you are poor” — but thankfully, I was surrounded by people like my grandparents, who were always there to remind me of my worth and dignity as a human being. I was taught that I could accomplish anything if I decided to work for it. And they were right!
This experience led me to decide at an early age that I would work hard to obtain the education I needed to lift myself out of poverty and to achieve my dreams. I also knew that someday I wanted to give back to my community, and that’s what I have been doing for the last two decades.
Do you know why?
Because we all have the talents to achieve our dreams, we just need to learn how to unlock what is holding us back so that we can move forward!
VisiónYes represents the key to unlock the Yes, it is possible for Latinos. I created it to help others discover their true potential so that they may thrive. After decades of academic accomplishments and dedicated work with various organizations, it was the right time to launch this effort to make a sustainable difference in people’s lives.
The VisiónYes program has its roots in my graduate studies in Psychology, Non-Profit Management, and Business Administration.
The lessons that I use to coach my clients toward success are drawn from my education. Using actionable tools and techniques, I aim to empower Latinos who are struggling personally and professionally, helping them to recognize their values, strengths, and talents. With this knowledge of their own ambition and potential, they can go on to provide a better life for themselves and their families.
As an immigrant arriving in the U.S as an adult, I am familiar with what it is like to move to a new country. Learning a new language, integrating into a new culture, job-hunting, education…it can be a bumpy road. I have faced my own adversities, but I have moved past them to focus on a passion that is much bigger than any adversity. VisiónYes’ mission is worth the effort!
Before founding VisiónYes, I worked at UnidosUS for five years and the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA) as Vice President for over a decade. My work promoting the well-being of the Hispanic older adults and their families furthered my desire to continue helping my community. During my graduate studies in psychology, I took a sabbatical from NHCOA to work on the research project that would eventually become VisiónYes.
As I explored personal development as a tool for success, I became convinced that this was the way to sustainably help others.
My work is not about reaching a numbers goal, but instead, it is about helping Latinos discover their fullest potential. I work with my clients to discover what is holding them back and how to overcome it so that they gain all the confidence they need to pursue their dreams.
I truly believe that change starts with the individual.
I hope that through VisiónYes personal development program, I can be an instrument of change for Latinos who are stuck — helping to unleash their talents and create the stability that they and their family deserves.
My goal is to help others realize their worth, so they can go on to help themselves.
I am still so inspired by my grandparents, who instilled in me determination and a love of God, neighbor, and self. Their example of always giving to others, even when their means were so scarce, drives me forward every day. I am blessed to have a husband who reinforces this message every day with his selfless support and tireless work behind the scenes to ensure VisiónYes personal development efforts continue to help others grow.
Come and be a part of this enriching and exciting work — it is worth it…I promise.
