Today we’d like to introduce you to Lupe Mora.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My journey has led me to become a #1 New Release author, business owner, and writing mentor, but as a first-generation daughter of immigrants, my story begins with my parents. They worked hard to provide for our family, studied diligently to learn English to eventually become American citizens, and prioritized the education of my siblings and me over everything else. They instilled me with grit, resourcefulness, and an undying motivation which are the traits I credit for getting me to where I am today.
To be honest, though, some of my motivation was also rooted in the pleasure of proving people wrong. Having grown up with the odds against me, with a trauma-filled childhood, the satisfaction from breaking stereotypes became addicting. As a result, I would forcefully try to prove my worth as a female. As righteous as that seemed at the time, it consumed me to the point of becoming unsustainable. That tough exterior shell limited my growth for years and eventually closed in on me.
It wasn’t until I decided to stop living defensively, sought counseling, and focused inwards that I was able to change my perspective and find motivation in love, mainly self-love, and accept my vulnerabilities to step into my true self. That’s when I had the breakthrough that gave me the sense of belonging, focus, and clarity needed to find my authentic voice, write my debut book, Magic (v.), and mentor others through the writing and self-publishing process.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I believe that greatness does not come without its set of struggles. At least in my experience, the journey has been full of detours, crossroads, and dead ends. As much as I praise my parents and credit them for my grit, it wasn’t always that way. There was often a difficult and complex dynamic at home because the hyper-strict, traditional (and to be honest, sexist at times) Mexican set of ideals that ruled the home very often clashed with my idea of a liberated American approach to life. In response to the house rules, I had a rebellious period and eventually became part of the low-income minority statistic of teenage pregnancies in an abusive relationship.
Single motherhood and battered woman syndrome almost became the end of my story. Trying to heal from that while caring for a child while I was one myself was definitely the single most difficult struggle I’ve had to overcome. Everything was made much more challenging under those circumstances. I had to start college late, at the age of 22, and it took me seven years in total to finish my undergraduate studies. My twenties were not about fun and self-exploration. They were about beating the odds, surviving, and hustling to make something of myself. In retrospect, I can’t help but put a fist up in the air and quote J. Cole, “It’s beauty in the struggle”.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about #Babed!, Inc.?
I founded #BABED!, Inc. in 2016. The motive behind the incorporation of #BABED! was to create a company with an ethos that would fulfill my version of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. As a domestic abuse survivor, I had a particular set of needs to restore my self-love and thrive. I needed to feel believed, appreciated, beautiful, empowered, and determined to heal. These needs were a personal mantra of mine, formed the acronym BABED and became the inspiration for the brand name, #BABED!. It began as an online blog and evolved into a publishing company that highlights, promotes, supports diverse writers, and advocates for inclusive storytelling. On the website, you can find the Writing Sanctuary courses and Writing Mentorships, which offer meditative guidance on the writing process. The website also features The Loving Bookstore with amazing, self-published authors and The Merch Mercado with products that align with the #BABED! philosophy.
Of all my projects and endeavors, I am most proud of my debut book, “Magic (v.)” reaching Amazon’s #1 New Release status. It made me feel validated after having exposed all my vulnerabilities for everyone to read. The completion of this workbook served a dual purpose. It healed and restored my self-love and paved the way for others to do the same. The personal stories found in the book are intended to provoke self-reflection. The prompts that follow each of my flashbacks, if answered wholeheartedly, allow the reader to experience self-awareness, self-acceptance, and, ultimately, the sensation that they’re being accompanied and guided on their self-love journey. This book also explores the philosophical concepts I introduce, such as the title itself, “Magic” in the verb form, “the exquisite self,” and “love being”. In the upcoming book, “Magic (v.) Volume II”, I explore some of the same concepts but now from a place of peace and not pain.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memory is a collection of the times my siblings and I crafted creative ways to play. We had such little resources sometimes that toys were not abundant, so we used imaginative means to create our own little world. I vividly remember one summer when we managed to buy a book with tear-out pages that instructed us how to fold and create awesome and unique paper plane designs. Rationing the number of tear-out pages in kept us entertained the entire summer!
Pricing:
- Paperback books, $12.95-$20.00
- Stickers, $6.99-$8.99
- Writing Courses, $475-$2,995
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.babedinc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/babedinc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BABEDInc/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWxJhgp5gV2DI873WZ6_41A
Image Credits:
Photography: Andres Ortiz & Kristen Michelle Makeup: Cynthia Hernandez
