Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Infante.
Victoria, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born and raised in México (Guadalajara) and when I was 26, I moved to LA. Because I held a Journalism degree I was able to get a job as a reporter for La Opinion, maybe the largest and most influential Spanish newspaper in the country. While I worked there, I attended Cal State LA, where I graduated from the MA in Spanish Linguistics and Literature. After I became mom, and after 16 years working in the paper, I decided it was time to slow down; when I left I was Editor for the Entertainment section. Since I became independent, I’ve written for many outlets, among them, Voces Huffington Post, AOL, and Las Mananitas Show. I currently write entertainment stories for La Opinion. I also write on a weekly basis about my experience as mom in Baby Center Latino. I also have my own blog, Ser Mamá Latina, in which I write about my life as a journalist mother in LA. For my site, I cover movie junkets, movie premiers, but what I love to blog about is children’s books. Reading is my kids favorite hobby (besides visit Legoland). As a family, we love to travel to México. We visit the country as much as four times a year. I love to show my kids (two boys, 5 and 7) where I grew up, where I come from, and the beautiful things it has. I speak only Spanish to them because I know the value of speaking more than one language. I live in San Gabriel with my husband, a Graphic Designer from Mexico City, and my two kids, Victor and Jorge Mario.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I won’t say it was easy, but I must recognize that my editors and bosses always recognized my talents. For me, the key to success is to excel in whatever you do. I was able to scale from a journalist to an Editor position because I was good at what I did. I also had the passion for what I did, and when you do what you love, and get paid for that, the rest comes easy. The hard part was when I became a mom. My editors weren’t very supportive of my schedule so I decided to leave. I think for moms that’s the hardest part. It is impossible to manage your full-time job with your responsibilities with your family. Spend time with my kids, taking them to school, being with them when they’re sick, was more important than a well-paid job. Now, I have the best I can: I still write and I enjoy the most I can with my kids.
My advice to other women is don’t get married young, don’t have children before 30, and get an education, the most you can. That will be the key to a life plenty of satisfaction (also, never expect for a man to support you).
Please tell us about Ser Mamá Latina.
I’m a freelance writer and I specialize in Entertainment, which was the beat I covered for 12 years. Since I started my career as a journalist, I’ve interviewed megastars as Celia Cruz, Plácido Domingo, Rocío Dúrcal, Tito Puente, Gloria Estefan, and many, many others. I never thought that a language other than English would take my career to a level I never imagined. But also, I keep studying, and I think that sets me apart from other people. I keep myself informed about changes in the language, I read a lot, I love to know new words. Being curious is one of my characteristics. I can’t stand misspellings or bad syntaxes. I consider myself an excellent writer, storyteller, translator, and interpreter.
What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
Don’t let anybody step in your way. Believe in yourself and know your abilities. Once you know your capabilities and use them with passion, everything will come easy. Also, be patient. Good things never come from one day to another. Just walk at your own pace, to the direction you want and the rest will come by itself.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sermamalatina.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/sermamalatina
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/sermamalatina
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/victoria_infant
Image Credit:
Victoria Infante
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