According to the Huffington Post, more than 45 million Americans live in poverty. For some of these citizens, poverty is a cycle that can’t be escaped, no matter how determined. Defying the odds, Yesi Morillo-Gual climbed her way out of an impoverished childhood and into corporate success.
“The things I’ve accomplished are all the things I was told by my family I could never [accomplish],” she said. “I’ve beat lots of expectations, sometimes my own – this makes me a maker.”
Yesi views being a maker as not only creating or building, but making a life. This is precisely why she was drawn to TEDxNavesink’s 2016 conference. The theme of makers, she felt, fit her to a tee.
“I immediately associated the theme of makers with creating what you want to see for yourself,” Yesi said.
Yesi will speak about breaking the cycle generational poverty at TEDxNavesink on April 9 at Monmouth University. Her talk, “Breaking the Cycle: Making a Life,” will focus on making a life that is different than the one you are born into. Yesi believes that people exist in two worlds — the one they were born into and the one they make for themselves. The first is defined by circumstance, the second by choice. Yesi firmly believes that everyone has the power to shift from circumstance to choice.
Not only will Yesi discuss her incredible rise to success in the corporate field to became a corporate executive director at Citigroup, but she will share one of her biggest passions with the TEDxNavesink audience — Proud to be a Latina (PTBL), a group she founded.
PTBL is a “personal and professional development network that educates, empowers and encourages Latinas to rise to their full potential.” Yesi and the group inspire fellow women to realize their potential.
Yesi began her journey when she became the first person in her immediate family to graduate high school in 1990. After graduation, Yesi knew that college was her next step, and that she wouldn’t let a lack of finances stand in her way. “The chance to go to college was overwhelming,” she said. “I remember being afraid of not being able to pay for it. So I worked two jobs, and typed papers for money. I never wanted money to be a reason for failure.”
When she earned her college diploma, Yesi remembers sitting on her couch and hugging the paper for hours. This moment opened her eyes to what the word “possibility” had in store for her. Yesi powered up the corporate ladder, her determination, worth ethic, and education getting her to the Senior Vice President position. “But as I climbed I didn’t see anyone who looked like me. That’s when I knew I had a responsibility to reach back. Sharing my story of successes and failures was something I thought could motivate others, and would be an important contribution to my community.
Now, Yesi has two master’s degrees and plans to finish her Ph.D. next year. She also has an aspiration to write a novel, and will continue to inspire people in the corporate world and through PTBL.
“Faced with my own career challenges and trying to figure out how to navigate the insane world of corporate, I sought out other Latina women to share and learn with,” Yesi said. “What I learned instead was that they were just as challenged and as lonely as I was.”
The PTBL network creates a way for women with a common bond to encourage each other to power through challenges and end up on top. A big goal of the program is to encourage the next generation of women to succeed.
“We have to remember that we are women paving the way for the next generation,” she said. “How can we pave the way if we aren’t being bold? PTBL promotes boldness, courage, and disruption (in a good way) of the status quo.”
By coming out to TEDxNavesink on April 9, you can hear Yesi’s story for yourself and become inspired by her challenges and successes. As Yesi says, “I love the beauty of this success, not just because it goes in line with my intended goal, but because it allows me to communicate with women on two very important topics that often elude them: higher education and executive leadership.”