Meet Apollonia Gallegos

We had the good fortune of connecting with Apollonia Gallegos and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Apollonia, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I’ve always been fascinated by the intricate and powerful journey of womanhood. Witnessing my first birth at the tender age of nine sparked a lifelong interest in the magic of the female experience. Women are capable of extraordinary feats. They can lead boardroom meetings while breastfeeding, shape public policy while bleeding, teach entire classrooms while growing the next generation. The balancing act can seem effortless, but beneath the surface, many women are navigating and grappling with complex challenges connected to their biology.

In my early thirties, I faced my own struggles with recurrent pregnancy loss. Sharing my personal experience was never part of the plan, but the evolving landscape of women’s health has made it clear that these challenges shouldn’t be endured in isolation. My journey led me to explore both western and holistic medicine and modalities, seeking a deeper understanding of my body and its rhythms.

As I delved into this exploration, a glaring gap in foundational knowledge about the female body became evident. It wasn’t just me who lacked this understanding; my friends, family, and colleagues were equally uninformed. This realization ignited a desire to create a space where science and intuition could coexist. A place where women could access both ancestral wisdom and modern knowledge, empowering them to embrace their unique journeys.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My career has always been about empowering others, but that passion has expressed itself in different ways over time. I started out as an elementary school teacher with a national education non-profit because I believed in the power of education to change lives. That experience ignited a passion for identifying and developing talent, which led me to become a recruiter, and eventually, to lead teams of recruiters at the non-profit.

During my time there, I discovered a knack for designing and executing impactful recruitment initiatives. I thrived on creating programs, internships, and events that not only attracted talented individuals but also provided them with transformative experiences. This passion for crafting meaningful experiences eventually led me to a tech company, where I focused on advocacy recruiting.

While I loved that work, I also felt a pull towards having a more direct impact on people’s lives. Specifically, I noticed a real need for women to be empowered with knowledge about their menstrual cycles and how this impacts every aspect of their lives. This led me to start building a business centered on empowering women. Over the past decade I have sought out experiences and education to further inform my approach, including becoming a yoga instructor, photographer, doula, fertility awareness educator, and soon, a women’s hormone health coach. I’ve also pursued opportunities to learn and grow, like completing a midwifery fellowship and a global girls’ education fellowship. Each of these experiences has deepened my understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing women and girls, and has equipped me with the tools to make a real difference in their lives.

Most recently, I’ve also been able to combine my love of designing impactful experiences with my passion for women’s empowerment by hosting events centered around women that create community and connection.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love San Diego County! Here is an itinerary for a week long trip to SD:

Day 1: Arrival– Get your luggage and head over to the Portside Pier to grab drinks and appetizers, walk along the harbor and check out the Star of India and the USS Midway. Head over for dinner in Little Italy, thinking Ironside or Underbelly. Head up to North County for the stay.

Day 2: Walk to Little Joy in Del Mar and grab the best Oat Milk Latte from Drew, cross the street to grab breakfast at Zels, then head down to Powerhouse Park and let the kids romp around at the playground and play on the beach. Walk back up to Monarch for lunch and take in the views on the decktop in the Del Mar Shopping Plaza. Head over to Annie Canyons for an afternoon hike. Then end the night eating at Fidels Little Mexico!

Day 3: Grab e-bike rentals from Michelle at Culture Ebikes off Cendros Ave and either head up to Encinitas or down to Torrey Pines, seeing where the wind and day takes us. Maybe stop at the Fish shop for Lobster Tacos before the day ends. Or grab a heated yoga class from GOOD Yoga to conclude the night.

Day 4: Head up to Oceanside, grab coffee and breakfast at Communal and then grab a day pass from the Seabird and enjoy the pool/hot tub and beach amenities. Explore the pier and grab some tacos from Craft Coast Beer and Tacos. Then head on down to South O and check out some of the cute shops along the 101, take the kids to the new corner lot shipping container hangout meets foodcourt hangout spot, Crackheads, and let everyone in the fam grab what they want to eat.

Day 5: Head inland and explore some of the wineries in Escondido’s Highland Valley. Start off at Espinosa Vineyards, then head over to Domaine Artefact, then Speckle Rock, and end the night in Cordiano with the best pizza!

Day 6: Work off all the wine at FWRD fitness in Rancho Bernardo or hike in the Elfin Forest and then head over to the Safari Zoo for some family fun.

Day 7: End the week getting facials at Angelica B Beauty in South Park, getting a new outfit next door at Thread + Seed, and walking around Balboa park before heading to the airport.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The most important shout out is for my supportive husband who is always my biggest champion. I have also been blessed with a lot of opportunity to gain insight from providers through my own journey (midwives, naturopathic doctors, acupuncturists, OBGYNs, chiropractors, massage therapists, herbalists, etc). Alisa Viti, Lara Briden, Nicole Jardim, Lisa Hendrickson-Jack, and Aviva Romm were all authors I read early on that also inspired me. I have wonderful friends and family who allow me to share all the things I learn, ask questions, get insight, who show up for me, and who confide in me, and who allow me to support them in their private moments. A special shout out to Dr. Hilda Gonzales who leaped with me on my first in person event and CPM Tema Mercado for creating a fellowship that opened me up to so much more. Finally, so much gratitude for all the families I have had the opportunity to be a Doula for, and all the women who have had me photograph important milestones in their womanhood.

Website: www.mihita.co

Instagram: @mi_hita

Image Credits
Mi Hita Photography