In the Name of Love, Trust, and Autonomy
Hello, cyber world.
Nice to meet you. My name is Michaé De La Cuadra and I am one of the Co-Founders of Consulting QTs. ^_^ I will be using this blog to highlight parts of my journey, share individual updates, and share some of my thoughts and reflections on the world. So welcome to my first blog post.
Hmm, where do I start… Okay so, 3 years ago, I quit my full time job working at a local trans-led non-profit in Los Angeles and have never looked back. I was anxious, nervous, and to be quite honest, scared. That job was my first real big-girl job. And not only did it feel like the first time I entered the professional world, I was working directly to help my own community. That made it so much more than just a job, it was personal. But, at the end of the day, it was still a job.
I eventually learned that an office 9-5 environment didn’t fuel my soul. And I started to think about whether or not that’s how I always saw myself contributing to our movement. When I started though, I was grateful for the structure that type of schedule offered me and it allowed me to really get a sense of both project and time management. Having a daily routine so structured forces you to really be productive–at least most of the time. It was there that I was able to work on passing 3 state bills, work on several local policies, and create training programs all for trans people. It was honestly beautiful and I gained many of the skills I have now during that time. I don’t regret it at all.Three years of that for me though, was enough. As a scorpio, I’m always looking for something new, so, when I left that job, I knew I wanted to create something of my own. Something special.
I created a niche in my skillsets that I’ve offered to organizations across the country, that being policy advocacy and campaign strategy. I’m so proud of myself for not sitting in my fears and going for it. What helped tremendously was that I had people that I love, care, and trust so deeply by my side the whole time. & still do. Yessica & Effy ♡ (if ur reading this, ilysm) Doing this in partnership with my besties has shown me that our journeys don’t always have to be solo. You can lean on your friends and family for support, and achieve your goals together. We don’t have to compete with one another; we can succeed together. It’s been a beautiful thing to create and witness in real time.
What this journey has shown me is that Consulting QTs is a product of love, trust, and a yearning for autonomy. It holds all of me. It has shown not only us, but others, what is possible. & I’m excited to see where we continue to grow.
Ugh.. so cute. But anyway. This was supposed to be about me. I plan to use this space to share different parts of my journey and how I got here, which would be so hard to do in one post. You’ll have to stay tuned for the rest.
Til next time,
Michaé
