Meet Inez Gonzalez Perezchica | Educator, public advocate, change agent.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Inez Gonzalez Perezchica and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Inez, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
The most important lesson that my career taught me is that you don’t need to know what you want to do for the rest of your life. Changing jobs, sectors, careers worked out for me perfectly. Now that I’m in my fifties I can say that, but when I was younger the consistent question about what I should do next was very frustrating to me. I couldn’t believe that at forty, I was still wondering what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. When I share this story with college students or young professionals I see relief in their faces, because there is this false expectation that you should know what you want to do for the rest of your life. Life’s journey is about finding ourselves, our talents, our purpose. You can have several very different paths in your career and that is not a bad thing. I’ve known people that knew exactly what career they wanted to pursue and that is great for them, but that wasn’t me. I studied computer science because my dad suggested I do that, and it didn’t take long for me to realize that was not the career for me. I’ve had nine employers throughout my career. Looking back, I see clearly how every single job helped me to arrive to where I am now. Not to mention all the different people I met along the way. Through my career journey I was blessed to find my purpose. It’s a wonderful thing to end your career getting there. Not many get there, studies show that 85% are unhappy at their jobs. I attribute my career success to consistently asking the question what is next? Is it time to move on? Am I still growing and learning? Albert Einstein said: “[t]he important thing is not to stop questioning.” It took me a long time to embrace the big question mark in front of me. Turns out that was a good thing to have. At times my faith helped me be intrepid, leave comfortable and secure jobs for the unkown. I felt rewarded for those bold moves. On the other hand, I won’t have the retirement that others have who stayed put in one job for twenty years. Everyone has a different path and that is ok.

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 been full of twists and turns, with me in the driver’s seat headed to where I wanted to go next. Not derailed by the detours but figuring out how to get back on track. I’ve worked in government, the nonprofit sector, for a private defense contractor (that was the detour), in policy, and in academia. I consider myself a life-long learner with four degrees and also a late bloomer. I’m now the Executive Director of MANA de San Diego, empowering Latinas at all stages of their lives, from seventh grade to retirement. It’s a privilege to be leading a membership organization working to create positive change. I’ve been a member of the organization for 25 years. I’m conscious of the fact that I’ve ‘started the last chapter in my career. Hence, I’m in a reflective stage in my life. I’ve been reading old journals and it’s been interesting to read that even at a young age I was searching for my purpose in life. I’m blessed to say I did find my purpose and it’s because I was actively seeking it. But that journey was frustrating at times, I thought by forty I would not have as many questions as I still had. Several years ago, during a key time in my career, I hired a career coach who helped me find some answers. I recommend working with a certified executive coach. I think we have the answers we are seeking, but we need a good listener and someone who can help bring the answers to the surface. After working with my coach, I was clear about what I was looking for in my next job: impact, visibility, and autonomy. Once you know what you are looking for it’s easier to focus on finding the right next job. Working in academia I learned the relevance of social capital in upward economic mobility. I’m focused on implementing what I learned in my current job. Also, I’m in a place in my life where I understand I must speak up when I’m one of the few Latinas in the room. No matter if I make people uncomfortable, I must call out the lack of diversity in the room, I must highlight the barriers Latinas face in the workforce. Sometimes it takes a lot of energy from within, but I know this is what I must do, be an advocate for Latinas’ upward economic mobility.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
They’ll be a lot of eating and moderate drinking for sure. After picking up my friend from the airport we would go to Coasterra, one of my favorite restaurants with the best view of San Diego. As a binational citizen, born in Tijuana, I would include a trip to Tijuana. Take them to Valle de Guadalupe. A must stop there is Finca Altozano and also la cocina de dona esthela for breakfast the next day. Oh my goodness, by mouth is watering just thinking about it. I go hiking every Saturday morning, very early, so if they are game we would do that. Early morning, 5 am is the best time to go when it’s quieter less busy, and a beautiful view. I live in University Heights so we would walk to Balboa Park and spend a day there going to various museums and stop at Panama 66 for beer and appetizers. Must go over the Coronado bridge one day, spend time at the beach, eat at Little Frenchie outdoor seating to people watch. Each morning we would do my usual morning walk to Balboa Park down Park Blvd, through Cabrillo Bridge, up sixth avenue. Stop by for breakfast one day at Bread & Cie, another day at Breakfast Bitch (excuse the language, but that’s the name). Have to go walk on Sunset Cliffs as well. I have a Justin Wine membership, so for sure we’ll have nice wine in the evenings at my place. So many great places to eat. Another stop is likely to be at Puesto at the Headquarters for some tacos and a stop at the Top of the Hyatt for that magnificent view of San DIego Bay. They’ll be lots of talking, lots of laughing, quality time catching up.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There have been many people who have helped me along the way. The first person that comes to mind is one of my first bosses, Jack Limber. Jack was the General Counsel of a transportation planning agency. He gave me my biggest break in my career when he hired me to run a new program that I knew nothing about. He and I had worked together. He knew my character and saw my potential. He chose potential over experience; he chose to give a young Latina just starting her career a big break. He set me on the path to success. Several years ago, when he passed away, I wrote this about him. “There are some people in our lives that are not our family but are much more than friends. Jack Limber was a special person in my life. He was my boss, a great boss, for more than eight years. He gave me a big break in my early career by hiring me when I had very little experience. he taught me how to write concisely, he pushed me to improve my presentation skills, he cared about my professional development. But he also cared about my personal life. When I bought my first home, he helped me move. When my mother’s health took a turn for the worse, he was flexible and supportive. he became a lifelong mentor and friends. I know he enjoyed following my career, he had contributed to my development ad he was proud of my successes. I’m grateful to have had Jack Limber in my life, I owe him a lot.” I wish for every young professional to find their Jack. Someone willing to give a chance to young talent and invest in one’s professional development. My dear friend Lidia S. Martinez also deserves a shout out for encouraging me to move from San Diego to Los Angeles for a new job. I trusted that she wanted the best for me. It felt like I closed my eyes and took a leap of faith. It ended up being the best career decision I made. And once I moved to Los Angeles and then to Washington D.C., Lidia, a national Latina leader, used her influence and access to help me immerse myself in a well-connected community. I knew I could depend on her support. It helps to have supportive friends that can help you in that way. I also learned a lot from Alex Nogales, a former boss, who headed a national nonprofit organization. He was a bold leader and activist. I was already a leader, but I learned to be a bold leader from him. He would take me with him to top-level meetings and I learned the strategies he used to create change. I also have to say that I come from a very supportive and united family and that is my foundation. When you have that type of family support you know there is a safety net in case you fall. That has allowed me to be a risk-taker in my career. Leaving jobs where I was unhappy without having secured a new job, for example. I’m very grateful to have supportive family and friends. I’ve created a very loving and supportive inner circle for myself, they also deserve a shout-out. I am who I am, because of so many who have positively impacted my life.

Website: manasd.org

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/inezgonzalez/

Twitter: @zezinez

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/sdmanaorg

Image Credits
Matthew Gush Nico Ricoy