Mothering Out Loud

As a woman in a male-dominated field, Ana María finds that she receives a lot of pushback for being a woman director. She finds that she is often not taken seriously and often hears her work described as “recreational.” Alvarez prides herself on her passion for creative thinking, living into yes and pursuing what’s possible, but that often earns her the labels “pushy” and “over the top.” Everyday is a choice to not let the hurtful words of society influence her work and goals. She perseveres by continuing to challenge the injustices of society and perform with grace and confidence. Alvarez is passionate about the way motherhood is perceived in the professional sphere and hopes to ultimately the dismantle the stigmas she has personally felt as a mother pursuing her career. As a mother herself, one of Ana María’s goals is to shift societal perceptions towards professional women. Choosing to pursue both a career and motherhood requires extremely high levels of dedication which often leave her feeling exhausted at the end of the day. However, Alvarez is passionate about “mothering out loud” which to her means being open and intentional with the role that mothering plays in her career and the ways in which she can reduce the stigmas surrounding professional women choosing to be mothers.