Vanessa Stefania Tello

1. What is your story and purpose?
I identify myself as a brave and warrior woman thanks to my family bases. I'm from Colombia and I arrived to Australia 8 years ago, my degree back home is in Advertising and entrepreneur, with tools formed since my childhood in a very united family full of love.
I lived my first 4 years in Australia in Brisbane where I studied the language (English) and gained experience in various fields such as cleaning, hospitality, relationships, dance and physical fitness.
I been leaving in Ballarat for the past 4 years with my husband and together we started our life project called Elemento One, we start it on February this year 2021. Our aim is to reach everyone by sharing our life experiences and motivating them to lead a healthy life full of positive energy and joy, accompanied by physical condition, dance and print them all with our Latino culture.
I have also been part of the APOC family for 2 years, starting as a volunteer in the kitchen and now I am the head barista in the café, it has been a great opportunity where I share my skills, they listen to me and they support my ideas as an immigrant and I feel so grateful because I have been learning a lot through this time.
2. What has been your biggest challenge to date?
My biggest challenge was to have left my country by myself to an unknown country, face a language that I did not speak yet and to live by my own means. All this has had a huge reward thanks to my effort and hard work that has me where I am and gives me the enough tools to be a successful woman.
3. Who are the women that have made the biggest impact on you and your journey so far? And what have you learned from them?
Definitely my mother in first place and all the women of my family who gave me the strength, enthusiasm and security to fight for my dreams.
4. What is your hope for women and girls in the future?
My hope is to be an example for the new generations to fight for their dreams and do their best to achieve them, enjoying all the processes and moments of life. Learning with examples so they can do everything with love thanking each day of life as an opportunity to achieve success.
5. If you could have told your younger self anything, what would it have been?
That life is very short even though it seems like a lot to be done to be adult, so there is no need to be afraid and show the world all your skills with confidence with yourself and happiness.