Daily Inspiration: Meet Diana Silva

Today we’d like to introduce you to Diana Silva

Hi Diana, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My roots are planted in the city where I am now. I do not know if I will always be here. I know for a fact that I will not forget it. When I feel lost, I try to reconnect with myself and remember what built me up to where I am today. This is my drive to move forward when I am low, needing new inspiration. When I was a child, my innocence drove me to please my parents which often left me disappointing myself. All of my interests felt like they would not please the people around me. I have wanted to be a veterinarian ever since I was in kindergarten! My dad wanted a doctor or a lawyer. While my mother just begged us her children, three of us, I was the middle child to do good in school. My parents immigrated from Michoacan, Mexico as young adolescents started their American dream without a proper education. Becoming citizens, first time homeowners, and starting a family was surely no easy task. The amount of pressure placed on us as first-generation Chicanos scared me. That is how I spent most of my life afraid for the future. With little guidance I wanted to gain the respect of many with my intelligence. I wanted to learn how to advocate for my likes and dislikes. I have the honor to talk about it now.
I owned many pets. I mentioned how I wanted to be a vet. Surely, I must love animals. Did I even pursue that career in the animal field? Or with many things as a child. Did I give up? To answer that I may not be in the medical animal field quite yet. I am growing my knowledge on how to better work with animals. To open my potential in animal practice. There are many branches of work that make the animal field, some new to me. With the advancement of technology and travel these types of jobs change day to day. Like anything, ultimately human advancement is the goal. My practice would be to apply the knowledge I have learned with school and experience to help teach people about their pet’s health care and husbandry.
Though my love for helping people and pets. I do not recommend you should take stress from the workplace home. What we can do is find healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with day-to-day stress. How did I do this? As a survivor of post-covid world something had to click. We were forced to stay home with our minds and families. Many started small businesses or hobbies to keep them grounded through those blinding years. I became a kid again when I connected with roller skating. I had a pair of blades when I was 9 years old. I knew the muscle memory was there. Afterall, I had a blast at the rink at my high school senior banquet. With age I had grown this fear I did not have as a child. Suddenly I found myself afraid to do the same small jumps, or skate backwards. With the steam of TikTok roller skating as a whole has blown up since the last time it was big in the 80’s. Most of us became known as the “pandemic” skaters. Talent skyrocketed with all the extra time on people’s hands. From Freestyle Dance to Park/Street skating there are also branches and levels of skills to this type of sport.
These are the works and skills that I have achieved on my own will. But there are also hobbies and skills that I grew love for because they were shared with me through other people. This includes different forms of art expression, car building, PC gaming/building, video editing. Friends and family make the best support system. Not surrounding myself with the best forms of that feeling can be mentally even physically draining. How, I have something called Endometriosis, something that hit me at puberty. I had no control of this monthly, “womanly” pain. I thought it would go away when I started my family. It only worsened with different trauma in my life, I developed Fibromyalgia. During the covid period… I was still trying to figure out how to work. Now I had to figure out which jobs were going to accept my calling out consistently due to stress and pain.
Years later, post-covid i stand at 26, still trying to figure out my career unaccredited as a student. Managing my pain better. Telling my story better. For the ones who just need to hear a similar story to keep pushing. For the ones who wonder how I did it or do it. For the mistakes I have made and might make. I must always remain grounded. Ultimately to the earth is where I return after all. All the money we make does not go with us. A legacy of their own everyone can create. The memories at the end of our life and always thinking about the future.

With Love,
Diana S.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My mental and physical health throughout my teen years really affected my decisions in life. I was my biggest guide and enemy most times.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I would say I specialize in animals. It started with a retail job named Petco. Tried batheing, cashier, merchandise ops specialist. The management was complained about until I eventually left as well. Went to dog walking/pet sitting apps like Rover, Wag!. Went to school online for final months of covid policy, currently at an unaccredited school for vet attendants and techs named OCVAS. I am proud of this because even I can see that i put some effort in having a career in this. Whether it works out or not.

I have a hobby that I am proud of as well because it brought me out of my darkest times alone. Roller skating, with social media I knew I was not alone in this. That everyone got their start somewhere. Wether you’re 6, 21, 53 as a community we say, “as long as your doctor says its okay roll with us!” “All wheels welcome!” We are better as a group because it helps us all grow individually.

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
As far as roller skating goes, I only see it as a hobby now I feel the trend for it will die down. It is on ads lie coke, feminine hygiene products, and in the Super Bowl! Even though careers have come from it that is only one small shot for me to make it. I also know that trends do not last forever in fashion, music, etc.

For veterinary medicine it feels that there is plenty of need and care for dogs/cats. But as an exotic animal owner myself I struggle to find care and education for these animals. I encourage anyone with this interest to shoot for it as competitive as it might seem that type of care is needed. I do not see the pool for exotic veterinarians growing in the near future. I do have hope.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roller.waifu/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@roller_waifu
• Other: serious inquiries gmail: wagnroll87@gmail.com

Image Credits
My fiancé thank you for taking photos and videos of myself and others including yourself at events. For taking the time to attend and be physically and mentally present at these events. I would not be here without you. May we keep supporting each other’s greatness and potential.

Love,
Diana S.