Lourdes Sanchez
Florida | Owner & CEO OM Yoga & Wellness Studio
I’m a little brown girl from Brooklyn. I am the daughter of Dominican immigrants, my mother came to the states as a student and my dad with the Dominican national baseball league. I grew up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn where my parents owned a dry cleaner from 1979 until they retired in 1987 at the ripe old age of 40! Needless to say, my parents’ work ethic was instilled in me and has always been my inspiration. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in my family. Growing up, it was understood that society didn’t expect much from little brown girls from the hood. What society didn’t take into account was the expectation of our parents and grandparents to do better, and to be better every single day. Every summer when we went to “camp Abuela” we were reminded where we came from and how hard we had to work and how we were expected to achieve more, so the sacrifices our elders made weren’t “en valde”. So while society wasn’t watching or taking us into account, we became a force to be reckoned with, because there was no other way.
What have been your struggles as a Latina?
My struggles have been what give me my edge or my drive. There is nothing like being underestimated. To me, it’s the best motivation. Must be the Brooklyn in me, but the more you underestimate me or what I can achieve, the more driven I am.
What does Latina Made mean to you?
Latina Made opened my eyes to the fact that no matter how far we have come, we have a long way to go. Latina Made is a platform, a much-needed platform to showcase and highlight that Latinas are so much more, and have so much more to offer globally.
What made you who you are today?
My parents made me who I am today. They taught me everything I needed to be successful. They taught me to live from my heart and follow my dreams. But not like Lala land dreams. Real dreams with real plans, with steps, and milestones. A dream without a plan is a wish, and we only wish on birthday cakes. Everything else takes a plan and action. They taught me if I was afraid to fall then just stay seated because we all fall. It’s when we get back up that we learn.
What advice would you give to young Latinas in our community?
Presentation is key, preparation is everything. Know your stuff, whatever it is. Know it inside and out, know it like no one else, because you will be tested. So stay ready!
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