Meet Susana Cisneros - Confident Woman Campaign participant
“The CONFIDENT WOMAN campaign” is a photography project aimed to boost confidence through self-acceptance and self-love, to create a platform to inspire and support women in achieving the life they want. It is limited to 25 participants. Reserve your spot now:
Today I would like to introduce Susana Cisneros. Origianlaly from Argentina Susana moved to US to do her Master’s degree. Today she works as senior lecturer and teaches Spanish at the University. Susana is a lot more than a teacher. She connects with students on a much deeper level and transforms their lives in many ways.
Read our interview to learn more about Susana’s journey and her work with youth.
Video interview recap is available below:
Could you please introduce yourself?
I am Susanna Cisneros, senior lecturer. I teach Spanish at the university. I am also the facilitator for the leadership program. I am originally from Argentina.
What did you choose to participate in a Confident woman campaign?
I saw friends and people that I know and I trust taking part in it. So the value was there. It was just for me to decide if I wanted to be part of it. Could I see who I am beyond my everyday look? And that is seductive. I wanted to see myself beyond the surface.
What helped you to become a confident woman you are today?
Well, I am an adult learner of English. I guess being invited and welcomed in the space of different culture and finding that people care for what I say and how I say and why I say it. I think in the past few years I have been in spaces that I would have never dreamed to be invited to.
You mentioned that you are from Argentina. How did your journey lead you to Charlotte?
I graduated from law school in Argentina and then I moved to the States seeking higher education. So I did a Master's in translation in Charlotte. As soon as I started the Masters they offered me to teach Spanish, so I never left.
I've been teaching Spanish at different colleges. But I studied at UC Charlotte. I love what I do. I enjoy the presence of my students. They teach me so much about how life is changing.
Was it easy or difficult for you to move here?
I already finished law school, so I was expecting to continue in Argentina. I took a chance, and it was really hard. It still is in many aspects because learning English at very high caliber like academics can be terrifying.
I had a really hard time being hired full time. But I think it was because I didn't know how to lead. I did a leadership workshop with Latin America Chamber of Commerce (LACCC). Today I am the lead facilitator for Talento program which is the initiative of the Latin America Chamber of Commerce to help Latino youth in their professional growth.
What do you like about your work today?
I have been blessed with all the students I had. When I teach students that learn Spanish at the college level the topics that I choose for that class are more geared to self-awareness, intercultural competencies, leadership.
And those are very impactful to them. But I am the one that gets the most impact because they all get to process the information and share it with me. When they share their thoughts we grow in awareness of what people are thinking today at their age, what their struggles are, where their strengths are.
I enjoy all my classes and that's absolutely amazing. I really think that it's important to give youth a voice, but also not just a voice, but the channels to communicate their thoughts clearly.
It sounds like you find your job really meaningful. What is particularly meaningful for you?
It is really important to me that the youth that we have in any community - doesn’t have to be just the Latino community - have social trust to speak up their truth. And that's where I find meaning. They need to stand up for themselves.They need to find this power and confidence to say things right to you. If they can see how they are valuable, they can grow in confidence. If they can see the impact of their words, they are more likely to communicate.
If they are more likely to communicate, they're willing to make actions that will create impact.
What is a confident woman for you?
To be able to raise your gaze to see beyond, not just the little tree here, but the whole forest and still stand on your feet. That is confidence.
Could you share about your photoshoot experience?
So the photo shoot was fun from the beginning to the middle to the end, up to today.
The whole experience and having, you know, the makeup and the hair and having to select the clothing that I was going to bring to the photoshoot, the shoes. I think I enjoy the energy and, and it was so much fun and we laughed so much.
I think it really showed me who I am. You don’t see yourself in the mirror that often but this is what people actually see and I wasn't aware of that. It gives sense of awareness of how other perceives me.
And I'm so grateful for the opportunity to see myself confident in every single picture.
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