12 Jul Real series: Victoria Tenasco

Do you have any advice for other women of colour?

Develop a family or a makeshift family for when your family isn’t there. I remember an elder telling me that every population has something that they’re good at and I believe that people of colour are geniuses at family and interpersonal relationships. So when we don’t have our families to socialize with because we moved away from home or we feel that no one will understand our struggle, we need those families to communicate. All the things I’ve gone through; mental health, miscarriage, assault, domestic abuse, I know women who have experienced the same things, but we don’t talk about it. But if we did, then imagine how much less stigma would surround mental health. It’s scary to think I have to take Prozac to function but nine times out of ten someone from my circle will understand me and so I feel okay with it now. We need those support systems and we need to not be afraid to ask women to be in our circles.

What empowers you?

I’m still learning to look at myself in a positive way and so “empowerment” is a positive thing so it’s hard to answer this. But something like this empowers me; sharing my story to you and whoever this gets to. Connecting with other people empowers me. Uplifting other women is empowering to me. Education empowers me because I want to break that cycle of colonization. Learning my language empowers me because I’ve lost a lot of it. Practicing my culture empowers me. All the things I’ve talked about today empower me. They empower me to help others. I firmly believe that before our nations were affected by colonization that people genuinely helped each other and that’s what I’m trying to do. That’s what empowers me the most.