Today we’d like to introduce you to Alejandra Garza Schroeder.
Hi Alejandra, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I am a woman with many different layers, interests, and hats. I started my journey as a physician in my home country of Mexico.
When I first moved to NYC, where I spent over 10 years of my life, I realized that life as a clinician was not a path I wanted to keep pursuing. The one thing I did know was that the core of me wanting to be a doctor was my love of helping others, so I decided to carve my own path to fulfill that.
Being an immigrant myself, I had (lightly-in comparison) seen the hurdles one faces when moving to a new country, so I decided to use my skills to help others; I got involved in the non-profit sector.
I spent the next couple of years directing the health department of a non-profit dedicated to close the gap between Latinx Immigrants in NYC and basic resources such as health, mental health, legal aid, among others.
Travel has always been a crucial part of my formation not only as a health care professional but as a human being as well. I have been fortunate enough to be able to pursue different philanthropic endeavors in remote places of the world like supporting the preservation of endangered wildlife (like the silverback mountain gorillas) or by bringing supplies to the uber-marginalized pigmy tribe of the Batwas.
Doing my part to make this world a better place has always been in my blood, but once I became a mom, that side of me became even more heightened.
In 2021, my life changed forever.
After I moved to South Florida, one of my children almost lost his life in the hands of an abusive nanny. He suffered Non-Accidental Traumatic Brain Injury, also known as “Shaken Baby Syndrome.”
Shaken Baby Syndrome has the potential to not only create unbelievable physical disabilities (such as seizures and paralysis, among many others) but can send a baby into a coma and/or death.
Ever since that happened, I have dedicated myself to rehabilitate him (this is where my medical background came REALLY handy) along an incredible team of doctors and therapists.
I have also made my life mission to work as hard as I can to prevent this to happen to any other babies (over 200 babies in the state of Florida suffer from this particular form of violence every year).
By speaking up, creating awareness, and working along my team of doctors towards creating a campaign. I intend to help educate the population and hopefully prevent this from happening to other children.
I not only see myself as an organizer but as a connector. I like to connect like-minded people, for I think a team of multi-talented leaders will always make a bigger and better job/impact.
Now, I have redirected my focus towards organizations meant to create a better life for children.
I serve as board member and fundraising chair for CISV.ORG (Miami Chapter); a wonderful non-profit that runs global in over 70 countries and whose mission is to create a more just and peaceful world by creating friendship among children from all over the world.
I also, not only on my own but through CISV as well, have been supporting The Tree of Life Organization, a beautiful parenting center that supports immigrant children, pregnant women, and families in general by helping them overcome abuse and adversity.
I do have other passions and for-profit endeavors coming up, but I don’t see them as my main purpose or focus in life.
Not knowing if my son would be left in a position of disadvantage, I have been creating a business for them to hopefully be able to inherit one day.
My business was born out of one of my other life passions: food. Food is good for the body and most importantly, food is god for the soul.
As a Mexican in America, I have missed my food, and sadly I can honestly say I only find authentic flavors at Mexican homes.
That’s why I have decided to launch a Mexican product business.
Starting with different kids of salsas, I created a line of authentic products that celebrate the amazing diversity of flavors we have in Mexico. A line where not only Mexican immigrants can find an authentic taste of home but products that can make our non-Mexican friends feel like they are coming into my home to enjoy a delicious home-cooked dinner by me, a Mexican mom.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all.
Life throws you curveballs left and right, as you can read from the previous question.
There’s been sickness, unexpected moves both internationally and within the same country, and plenty of situations where I have had to start over and/or reinvent myself a hundred times.
While I have emigrated to America in a very privileged position compared to most immigrants in this country, I have been able to feel some struggle.
So, if someone that is lucky enough to have some sort of advantage faces hindrance, one can only imagine the type of hurdles hundreds of thousands of people without such luck have to face. Thats a big reason why I started my work to support immigrants in the first place.
There is always doubt, there is always fear, and for sure there is always pain.
But I guess that being stubborn and pushing through all that is what ultimately makes you smarter, stronger, and wiser. I always like to say: “you can bend me as many times as you want, but I will never break”
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about La Mayamera?
We want to provide a high-quality Mexican food product line that represents the real deal. Not an Americanized version of what people think Mexican flavors are, not the taste of a creative twist of a trained chef, but the real deal. Your Mexican mama’s deal.
The flavors you would find at our long Friday luncheons, at our posadas, in the market on Sundays or at the street taqueria in the corner under a bridge.
Mexico is incredibly diverse in its gastronomy; people would even argue that the food from the north is a completely different entity from what you find in central Mexico or the south.
I want to showcase that diversity, and to have something that will cater to every sense of taste and preference.
As a healthcare professional, I have to always care about the ingredients I use in my cooking. I always make sure everything I serve is nutritious, safe, and of the outmost quality.
Coming soon in January 2023.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
First and foremost, my family. My husband and my two beautiful children.
Second, I care about making a difference, promote change and make this world a safer, brighter and more beautiful place for my children to safely grow up in.
And finally, I care about leaving a legacy that will make my children proud, one that inspires them to share my passion for service and hard work.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @lamayamera
- Other: https://miamifl.cisvusa.org/
Image Credits
Theresa Balderas Photography
CISV – Miami Chapter
