I’ve known Astrid since I was about 12 years old. You’d find her hanging out with my brother and their friends at my house almost every day after school. I recall her always having the greatest personality. She was friendly and could strike up a conversation with anyone about any topic you threw at her. And she dominated the room. She spoke with certainty and determination. Astrid was motivated and if she set her mind to something, she was going to get it. The day we had our video interview Astrid was getting ready to meet with country music singer, Craig Campbell at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium where the Falcons play. A few hours later, I saw her Instagram post of the interview with Campbell and Freddie, the Falcons mascot. She’s a go getter and unstoppable.
But everything she’s earned is exactly that. She earned it through hard work. Astrid and her family immigrated to the U.S from Medellin, Colombia when she was six years old. “Pablo Escobar was taking over in his reign of terror. It felt almost impossible to survive there,” she said. Her aunt sponsored them and they initially went to Providence, RI. In 1989, the family moved to NJ. Her father was an educated college professor in Colombia. When he came to the U.S he had to take a factory job for $3 an hour and worked as a driver. Her mother took a job as a seamstress. Her parents worked multiple jobs and their shifts varied long hours. But that was life and they adjusted to it.
The family moved around a few towns through NJ over the years and her parents worked hard. But they didn’t always understand the American culture. Her parents didn’t speak the language. It was difficult at times for Astrid and her siblings to assimilate and find balance between their Hispanic roots and what had become home in the States. Many of their friends were in similar situations though so they didn’t feel difference within their group of friends.
Astrid was diligent in her school work and went on to college. She graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Theater Arts and English. She then returned and received her degree in Broadcast Journalism and Latin American Studies. When Astrid was 24 and in her last year of college, she had her daughter. It prolonged her schooling a bit and she graduated when she was 25. Undoubtedly, it took longer for her to obtain her goals. She wasn’t able to intern at the place of her choice, but she also wasn’t willing to give up her first and foremost priority to be a mother. Astrid was 27 when she landed her first reporting job. In the field of journalism, this was considered being late in the game. “I moved around for work with my daughter. I had to find nannies in new cities. In the beginning I only found jobs that started at 2:30a,” says Astrid. She recalls, “I had to stay up with her if she was sick and then go straight to work. There’s been times when I’ve gone over 24 hours with no sleep and I had to function.” She would quickly make friends with people in the churches and in her local community when she would move and learn who she could trust. She’s moved from Florida back to New Jersey to Texas to N. Carolina back to Texas and is now living and working in Atlanta. “I wanted to make it work as a mom and as a career woman and you can’t find excuses,” says Astrid.
When her daughter was younger there were times when she had to bring her daughter to work. She would tell her boss “You’ll get a good story. I’ll work extra hours.” It was difficult not only because she was a single mother trying to be a career woman, but also because she was a minority. She was always a people pleaser, but she observed other women taking a stance in the workplace and realized she had to and could do the same in order to grow. She was determined and good at engaging with her audience. “You have to make it work,” she said.
She was able to speak about the lowest point she’s experienced. In 2015, while she was living in Charlotte, NC she dated an athlete. He validated her and she found her value in him. In the midst of becoming invested in the relationship she began to lose focus. She wasn’t concentrating and found herself making some mistakes. She had to make the choice to leave her job before they could let her go and her relationship soon ended. She had worked so hard in fear of being poor. “Now no one wanted to hire me. I couldn’t find a job for six months,” she said. Astrid began taking this time to re-center herself. She came back to NJ for a few months and took in the emotional support from her family.
After a brief break, she was back in the game and better than ever. “The bad moments brought me to where I’m at now. The happy moments don’t always get you to where you want to be. Hardships will help you grow and your season will come,” says Astrid. She acknowledges the importance of self-reflection and focusing on yourself and less on others wants and needs.
Astrid truly understands the sacrifices she’s made to get to where she’s at today. Her daughter has seen her mother do it without a man and she wants her to know that women can do anything they want. This past year Astrid reached a huge milestone in her career when she won an Emmy Award in journalism. “My boss had submitted one of my reports. It was the first award of the night. I was completely caught off guard because I was stealing a bottle of wine from another table when they called my name,” she laughed. Then she realized it was her name had been called. It was an honorable and memorable moment for her. Astrid is now working on the entertainment side and has a segment on CBS in Atlanta called “Astrid in the ATL.” For her future, she envisions going national, continuing to build her bond and dedicating more time to her daughter and keeping the balance in her life she’s worked hard to obtain.
“I’m in a happy place and feel good about the mother, woman and daughter I am right now,” she says. She grasps the ability to control her emotions and not to let them control her any longer. As per Astrid, “Always be kind. It doesn’t take much and doesn’t matter who you are. A pretty face can get you in the door, but a shining personality is what keeps you in.”
When asked what her advice is to women who are still finding their way and trying to rise she said, “Everyone’s path isn’t the same and you’ll know when and if it’s time to change your course. Be true to yourself and be strong.”
A woman who practices everything she preaches. Astrid herself has risen above the struggles and is breaking barriers. Stay tuned because you’ll be seeing more of this woman who is a motivational figure for women of all ages.
Follow her journey @Astridtv1.
Best,
Tanvi Mathew, MS, LPC
EMERGE- The Counseling & Coaching Center
