- Current position: Pro Operations Lead
- Currently hanging out in: Colombia
- Passions, loves & hobbies: Loves to draw, sing, write, paint, all things arts and crafts, embroidery/cross stitching, take pictures, read, feminism, current social issues and challenges, social justice, and definitely has a thing for K-Pop
- Thankful for: Having had the chance to restore her relationship with her mom, better communication all around in every way
- Amazing traits that stick out: Versatile, caring, persistent, reliable, organized, makes life happen on her own terms, low key funny
Let’s get to know Maria. This wonderful person is proud of/that/for:
Discovering herself through the layers of others
There tend to be lots of expectations in almost every family, friendship, society, and culture. Digging through the layers of history and generational attributes, issues, and beliefs that are passed down to us can be, and is, a lifelong process to find who we really are and who we want to be. Maria has been on this journey, doing the work it takes to find where she lives within all of this and has come out shining brighter and brighter every time. It takes courage to face yourself, and find that you don’t know the person in the mirror, only to then truly dig deep to reveal who you truly are – first to yourself, and eventually, others. Maria came to the beautiful conclusion that whoever is going to like, love, and be there for her will like/love the whole package, and those who won’t, won’t. Living a life of authenticity always shows bravery, and Maria has no shortage of that.
Being persistent, learning from the mistakes of others, and doing all of that while being a kind and supportive person
Throughout her life, she has learned from those around her and has been determined to not make the same mistakes. Her persistence shows up daily as she goes towards her dreams, lives her life on her own terms, and does the best she can to be her best no matter what comes. This makes not only a good human being but an excellent friend as well. Anytime a good friend is in need, Maria will be there with understanding, advice, a listening ear, a cup of tea & cake, or a smile to lift them up and let them know they’re not alone. Who could ask for me?
Being part of the Bunny Studio team
Along with the team, Maria is always growing and evolving personally and professionally. Professionally, growing into a better pro through a love of challenges and tackling them head-on, always asking leaders what’s next, how she can get ready for whatever is coming next, and be the best teammate possible. Personally, being able to grow as the company grows, being someone to rely on, learning from different areas of expertise, and always looking to learn new skills, and valuable feedback. What may surprise you is that a while back, she was afraid of change and it took 7 months to warm up to people, while adjusting to a company that was remote, a company culture that managed time independently and held themselves to their own standards, ever higher and better than the last ones set. Within these unique parameters, she grew, fostering independence and discovering even more how deeply her love of challenges fit right in. She loves and appreciates this team, and being able to be a part of it as it flourishes.
Having the chance to have amazingly talented, brilliant, and supportive teachers in university – that also happened to be women
University: one of the hardest public universities to get into in Colombia. Thesis subject: Spanish literature from the 16th century. Her thesis director: the go-to person for that subject in the country. Before the thesis itself, Maria had to apply to be in the seminars she wanted for her subject, and without the teacher’s approval, you can’t get it. She not only got into the ones she wanted, but she also worked for and was blessed to have her teacher for one of the seminars become her director and thesis advisor. When it came time to have the thesis evaluated, Maria was aiming for a 3.5 out of 5. A high mark wasn’t easy to attain for this thesis, and a 3.5 was damn good. When she finally got her grade, it blew her away: 4.5! *cue happy cry* Having powerful, knowledgeable women as mentors, directors, teachers, experts and the masters of their subjects is not only a nicety, is a requirement. Representation has, and always will, matter.
Ability to finish her degree while working full time
The time, dedication, and energy it takes to not only study, but also learn, write and present for a class to then turn around and work a full-time job where you have to be just as present, online, and productive can be…exhausting. The mental capacity to do this on a daily basis is enormous. Though she was continuously tired, her passion was not. Late nights diving into the subject matter, studying for homework, taking tests, and making presentations were followed by waking up to go to work with consistency, an attitude of commitment and collaboration, day in and day out. To graduate after continuously doing this for long periods of time is magic, and magic she has attained. Magic, along with pride, and….a beautiful sleep schedule.
Golden nugget: I’ve found in life that anticipating oneself waaaay far in the future can be counterproductive. It’s good to take things one step at a time, without making up wild scenarios of “what if”. Do your best with what you have right now, prepare, and decide. Your knowledge and what you gain along the way are tools that will lead you through the path you’ve established for yourself. And a personal favorite: “Any spoon can be a knife if you try hard enough”
