Today we’d like to introduce you to Pamela Avila.
Pamela, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
As a kid, I always loved reading and letting my imagination run wild with the help of books. So naturally, I gravitated toward storytelling. I remember once in elementary school our teacher asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up, and we all had to write it down on a big poster board and at that time I wanted to be a pediatrician (I have no idea why). But that was the first and last time I remember thinking of that as a career choice because ever since I’ve wanted to be a writer.
Through high school and even some of college, I often let my self-doubt and insecurity hold me back from taking risks when it came to putting myself out there as a writer and journalist. Slowly but surely, I became a lot more confident and open about sharing that passion and dream with everyone else. In college (I went to the University of California of Santa Cruz after transferring from Glendale Community College), I pushed myself to fully go after that dream of becoming of a writer, and since then, I’ve never really stopped. It’s been tough at times since self-doubt is always around the corner waiting to creep in, but it’s been a journey full of ups and downs, that I wouldn’t trade for anything. Now I get to see my byline featured in many publications and most importantly, I get to write about my community and highlight marginalized and underrepresented communities as well. I get to talk to all types of people and learn from their stories.
When I really let it sink in, I can’t believe that I get to do this for a living. I worked at a digital advertising company Quantasy when I first started my professional career post-grad, I then went on to work as a social media producer for Hellogiggles.com, and most recently I worked at Los Angeles magazine as their social media manager. I’ve had the opportunity to work with many smart and creative teams as well as be able to give the Latinx community and other communities a platform at these publications who may not have extensively covered these communities in the past. I’ve also freelanced for The Eastsider LA, LAist, and other publications.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Working toward my passions and career goals hasn’t always been easy, I’ve had my shares of struggles but that’s what makes the journey worthwhile sometimes and it’s what helps keep me grounded. You’ve gotta’ feel uncomfortable sometimes in order to push yourself to do more than you think you’re capable of. As cheesy as it sounds, we all have it inside ourselves to do the best we can be–and then some. I’ve definitely struggled most with trusting my own instincts and with trusting myself enough to know that in a room full of other smart and successful people, I shouldn’t belittle or compare my personal accomplishments, my opinions, or my experiences. This has been most apparent when navigating predominantly white spaces and institutions. As someone who works in media and who is, for the most part, the “minority” in the room–it can be difficult to get through to others. While I haven’t completely “defeated” or “overcome” this obstacle, I try to stay strong and grounded in order for these spaces to become even more inclusive, diverse, and welcoming to other people like me.
Please tell us about Pamela Avila.
I am a freelance writer, editor, reporter, and social media consultant based in L.A. I’m open to collaborating with other local creatives, influencers, brands, and publishers to create engaging and impactful content that elevates women, communities of color, and other communities who don’t feel represented in the media landscape.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I could go back in time and start over, I would learn how to take “no’s” and rejections with a grain of salt. I used to be so much more fixated on what I WAS NOT accomplishing that I feel like if I had not been that way, I could have saved myself much more time to focus on the positives. And never giving up no matter how crappy things might be looking. I think being persistent, consistent, and having a pretty clear sense of purpose has been important in making some of my dreams become a reality.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://avilapamela.journoportfolio.com/
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bypamelaavila/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/bypamelaavila
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamela-avila
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