Meet Trailblazer Lorie Rivas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lorie Rivas.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Lorie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was the last of three children to my immigrant parents who, like many others, migrated to the U.S. in hopes of having the opportunity to provide for their family’s. Five and a half years after my birth, life as I knew it, would drastically change when my father was incarcerated. I was being forced to leave the only home I’d ever known and move into a cramped apartment in Manhattan with my uncle and his two sons. We later moved to the Bronx where I grew my wings and learned to fly. The Bronx either makes you or breaks you and I was definitely made. I was taught to have thick skin and to stand up for myself, meanwhile maintaining enough femininity so that my relatives and friends weren’t intimidated and/or ashamed of me. I struggled to stay out of trouble in school and often found myself in predicaments that were disappointing to my mother. In fact, she stopped attending Parent Teacher Conference because I “embarrassed” her, so when it came to school, I was on my own. After barely graduating HS, I went away to college and continued down a path of harsh lessons and tribulations.

At the age of 20, after failing numerous classes, endless nights of dismay and totally losing myself, I dropped out of college and experienced more traumatic BS. At this point I was at the edge of a cliff, hypothetically speaking, but I felt myself giving into continuous loss of hope & dreams. I had no drive, zero motivation, lack of confidence, and crappy self-esteem. I sat in that depression for a little over a year when I realized that I only had one life to live and either I was going to continue blaming my past for my present or I was going to change my present so that I can better my future; I chose the latter of the two. So, I decided to go back to school and pursue my dreams of entertaining. I studied TV Production and reestablished my love for the arts. I always knew I wanted to entertain, since the days of being a class clown to my years of dancing, singing, and acting. Now, I develop stories from paper to screen. Whether I’m writing, acting, directing, or producing, I live my dreams and feed my passions every day.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I often wish I would’ve had a smooth road and then I remember, the bumpiest roads often lead to the finest destinations, and if they don’t, have an open mind and enjoy the ride. My advice for other women is to Stay Strong. Boulders will fall, Tornados will destroy, Icebergs will break and Wildfires will spread and what does Mother Nature do? She allows the change and comes back stronger and more elegant than ever. Basically, what I’m trying to say is that obstacles and challenges are the ingredients we need to enhance our potential. Without it, we wouldn’t be better. And remember, “It’s not going to be easy. It’s going to be WORTH it!”

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am an Entertainer on the brink of challenging the TV norm. I’m currently working on a script that, I hope, will change how we all watch and understand TV; and that’s all I can say about that. As an Actor, I admire the opportunity to step out of my own life and take on a non-fictional/fictional characters’ mannerisms, gestures, thoughts, feelings, reactions and, in all, their lives. I appreciate backstories and invest myself in discovering things about a person/character that aren’t perfectly laid out on the surface. I’m known for my positive energy. No matter how I’m feeling internally, I always do my best to give off positivity in hopes of it reciprocating. This world is infested with negativity and I refuse to add more. Plus, I spent too many years of my life unhappy to allow myself to slip and fall back into that. Which is what I’m most proud of; despite my past and the BS I’ve been through, I continue pushing forward. I fight back when life tries to kick me down! My commitment, determination, and drive are what sets me apart from others. My work ethic is stupendous and I have the ability to adapt to a multitude of environments.

Which women have inspired you in your life?
My Super SHero, my mother. The one who carried me and birthed me into this world. The one who, when shit hit the fan, gathered us all and started a brand new life. She taught me strength. She could’ve given up many times, but she didn’t. Although we struggled to maintain a good relationship when I was growing up, my mother has always been there to uplift my sorrows and remind me that I am capable of being great! A second SHero of mine is my High School Dance Teacher Ms. Madera (Mama Fay). Because when my mother left it up to me to figure out school, Ms. Madera accepted the challenge of straightening me up. Without her, I would’ve never obtained my HS diploma and I also would’ve gotten in a lot more trouble. Dancing with Ms. Madera was an inch short of ROTC, but I loved it. It sparked an everlasting flame in me that drives my passion for performing and entertaining.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoitslorie/

Image Credit:
Kathy D Kaptures

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