Today we’d like to introduce you to Greisy Hernandez.
Greisy, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am the founder and creative director of the organization LCC, short for Las Chicas Chulas. At the end of 2017, I began brainstorming ideas for an organization that I wanted to start. I was not clear about what it was going to be but I did know that the impact would empower people of color and be a resource to find common ground and community in the midst of the hostile political climate. I worked on expanding my idea every day for at least 30 minutes and those moments were often the highlight of my day. I started this because it was the type of organization/ community I wish existed. I wanted to see women of color represented in the media and in front of social justice issues that impact us directly. It developed into a business plan and I used the previous knowledge I had acquired at the UCLA Riordan Business Institute to refine my plan. In February, I made my idea public and I connected with someone that was aligned with the vision. Izel is a sweet supportive individual and I’m beyond grateful. We planned to participate in a pop-up and in March we started expanding our platform to reach other youth who were also passionate about social justice issues and making a change through art mediums. I think that when you start taking the first steps to execute your ideas, everything aligns and opportunities come to you, left and right.
Has it been a smooth road?
We definitely had no idea about what we were going to get ourselves into but that made things more exciting. We also had many moments where we needed to reach out to our community for help or feedback. I’m sure you’ve heard people say, “don’t be afraid to ask for help” but there isn’t information on HOW to ask, we learned that people are more than willing to help if they know the impact it will make. Be direct with what you need and why you thought about asking that person.
We asked on our Instagram story for folks to share any advice and these are some of the responses we got:
-build a mutual support system, friends that hype you up and motivate you when you are feeling down.
-protect your energy, you always have a choice to create the environment you want to be in.
-always strive for more.
Magic happens when you are able to collaborate but the first step is asking.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Las Chicas Chulas – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
LCC is a collective and clothing brand dedicated to empowering young women of color, celebrating our heritage, and giving back to our communities. We believe in positive representation in a world where we are constantly bombarded by media that aims to influence us to think, talk, and act a certain way. The stories we write are a powerful way to take ownership of our own narratives. We’re able to engage with other artists of color and think critically about how we are represented through our photoshoots.
Although we are often faced with tragic news, LCC is a safe space where marginalized folks can go for inspiration and advice. Not only do we provide valuable content online but we also create events and workshops where we can come together in solidarity and learn essential life skills.
Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
I think one of the barriers is the imposter syndrome. Feeling like you don’t belong in a certain industry or that you constantly need to be proving your worth. This is something very common for marginalized folks to feel because they are automatically more vulnerable and often the minority in creative or business industries. Many women suffer from imposter syndrome. Even inspirational, successful and hardworking women like Jennifer Lopez, Maya Angelou, and Jodie Foster have experienced it. But that’s the exact reason why we can overcome it. REMEMBER — You are legit. You are worthy. You deserve your success.
Contact Info:
- Email: Greisyh16@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greisyhh/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/laschicaschulas/
Image Credit:
Romina Estrada
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
