Episode 69: Playing Big & Owning Your Story | Annie Gonzalez | Actress, Producer & Mental Health Advocate
Annie Gonzalez is an actress, producer, and songwriter known for her roles in Netflix’s Gentefied and STARZ’s Vida. Proudly representing her East LA roots, Annie is committed to telling authentic Latinx stories and making profound ideas accessible to everyone. She shares how growing up in a culturally rich neighborhood shaped her identity, why mental health advocacy is personal, and how she’s using her platform to inspire others to play big and live boldly. Annie also talks about creating her YouTube channel, producing work that matters, and why she believes our greatest gift is the one we give away.
“If I can be a catalyst for someone else’s self expansion, then that is the greatest purpose I have on this earth.”
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Follow along using the Transcript
Chapters
00:00 Meet Annie Gonzalez
03:15 Growing Up in East LA
07:45 Landing Roles in Gentefied and Vida
12:20 Why Authentic Latinx Representation Matters
16:55 Advocating for Mental Health in the Latinx Community
21:35 Creating Her YouTube Channel and Producing Original Content
26:50 Balancing Acting, Producing, and Music
31:20 The Influence of Family and Community
35:45 Making Profound Ideas Accessible to All
40:10 Encouraging Others to Play Big
44:25 Advice for Owning Your Story
Because I've been in the industry since I was about nine years old, and I understand how big the machine is and how it can really overtake you and make you feel like you're this small in comparison to the grand scheme of things. And I realize that my art is always at the forefront.
That's Annie Gonzalez and this is The Powerful Ladies Podcast.
Hey guys, I'm your host, Kara Duffy and this is The Powerful Ladies Podcast Podcast where I invite my favorite humans, the awesome, the up to something and the extraordinary to come and share their story. I hope that you'll be left, entertained, inspired, and moved to take action towards living your most powerful life.
I am so excited to introduce you to Annie Gonzalez. She's an actress, producer, creator, songwriter, taking on the world, and sharing what matters to her as especially on her YouTube channel. Her commitment is to profound concepts being told in regular language and accessible to everyone. She's not afraid to speak her mind, be herself, or to educate and provide spaces for others to expand, be heard, and gain visibility.
In this episode, she shares her journey as an actress, her passions for community improvement, and what's next for her. All that and so much more coming up. But first, if you're interested in discovering what possibilities and businesses are available for you to create and to live your most fulfilling life, please visit the powerful ladies.com/coaching and sign up for a free coaching consultation with me.
There is no reason to wait another day to not be living your best life. When you instead could be running at full speed towards your wildest dreams today.
All right, well, welcome to the Powerful Ladies Podcast cast. Yay. Thank you for having me. My pleasure. I'm so glad that Jordan recommended you. Um, let's begin by telling everyone who you are and what you're up to.
Hello. Hello, beautiful people. I am Annie Gonzalez. Um, I'm a actress, producers songwriter, extraordinaire.
I love yourself title. Mm-hmm. Um, yeah, currently working on a couple different things. I have pen that just came out, Viva actually it's their premier today, so I'm also on that. Whoa. And um, I'm working on my own, uh, YouTube channel.
Very cool. Um, for people who don't know, let's tell everyone what he unified and Vita are about and then we'll circle back to your YouTube show.
Yeah, so Ified was,
um, a show that has been in the making for the last four years. They started off as a web series and then converted to, and the Netflix picked them up, and now they're an actual series, and I get to play. It's, so basically it's about gentrification going on in the neighborhood of East La Boyle Heights.
I'm born and raised in East La Boyle Heights, so it's very close to my heart, to my home, and to my truth. So I'm so honored to be a part of that. Program as well as V. It does play to a completely, I think, personally, different audience, but in the same realm of gentrification and Latin experience. Mm-hmm.
Mostly. Highlighting, um, the queer Latinx experience, um, femme queer in, in that community, which I don't think is as heavily talked about. Um, which I love the relevance they bring to it because it is, it's so real. I mean, I myself identify as. She's not to identify, but if you had to put a label, I'm, I like it all so queer, I guess.
Right. Um, so it's nice to see that representation on screen, especially with faces that look like mine because we really don't get it. So
mm-hmm.
Both shows are brilliant, beautiful. And talk about such important subjects that I think our communities need to hear and see and other communities need to hear and see because above all, it's a human story.
Right?
It's so true. Yeah. There's, um. I, I was doing some homework prior and I read a great article that talked about how proud you were to be working on, on programs that got to speak and share the truth that you've experienced, like from your neighborhood, from your Latinx experience, and like just how proud you are that you get to be part of this new chapter of.
Showing people like all the varieties of people and, and like real stories from all these different subgroups that have been ignored most of the time. Yeah, I think
it's important. I think it just. I feel like a lot of media in Hollywood mostly depicted us because it's not us being able to tell our own stories.
It's mm-hmm. You know, it's white men and women and other, you know? Mm-hmm. Telling the stories from a Latinx perspective, which, how can you really do that authentically if you don't understand the experience, you're gonna continuously put us in these boxes of, of the way that you see us, which there's nothing wrong with, well, there's a lot wrong with that.
You know, it's nice because we do have. Have the creators that are willing to do so. It's just trusting that we can tell our own stories, I think. And it's so nice to see the baton being passed or being forcibly grabbed, whatever happened. I'm just glad that it's here and, and I, I know that it's just creating the conversation so more artists will wanna tell their story and their truth.
Mm-hmm. Yeah. Uh, generation and race and ethnicity for everyone, not just the Latinx experience, but Asian experience and, you know, everything. I think it's important.
Yeah, completely. And I love that you talked about how it started as a web series. Um, we partnered with, uh, we Powerful Ladies, partnered with Web Fest Berlin for 2019.
And it was great 'cause we got to go and do some panels there and do some workshops. But I love seeing the like, um, web series community and how it's getting recognized. And to me it kind of aligns with the podcasting world where. People get to create whatever story they want and tell it in whatever format they want, and it's finally being appreciated as here is where you can find amazing storytelling and the like, the sorority behind what that world brings.
I love it. Mm-hmm. I feel like it's finally a place where artists can take control of their narrative. That's what inspired me, essentially, to start my YouTube channel. Yeah. 'cause you know, I mean, you're obviously, you guys are creators, you know? Mm-hmm. And how many times have you felt, well, we'd love to do this with you.
Condition and you're like, F you and your condition. Like, don't and silence how I'm feeling or how I, how the story should be told. It's my story. So this is your way of taking ownership. Mm-hmm. Which as you should, and look at the people that you're affecting. By doing so, you are inspiring so many other people to take ownership of their story and keep creating because it's important.
It's so important.
Yeah. Yeah. So what are you excited to talk about and like how are you crafting your YouTube channel? Lemme tell you.
Um, so I think in terms of mental health advocacy, that's one of like my strong. Something that I really wanna push to the forefront of my mission. I realize now gaining so much visibility in the industry and just in general, um, because of Hfi, which I'm so grateful for the way in which I've been able to make sense of it.
Let me rewind. Was watching the Super Bowl. I'm watching it and I'm looking at these commercials and I'm like, Ugh, look at all just consumerist. Like, what are they selling, like fatty foods and chocolates and, and things that just mess with your mental, like it's not, they're not selling anything positive.
Not selling anything good. Like what? What's gonna. Feed my, you know, and so I'm saying all this stuff and my friend looks at me and he's like, you do realize that you are about to be consumed? Because I was talking shit about consumers culture. And he's like, you do realize that you are about to be consumed like everywhere because you're on Netflix.
And I was like, Hmm. Well you have a good point. Okay. Okay. Well maybe it's not the consumers culture, it's about what is being consumed. Okay. Well, since I'm gonna. Assumed what, how do I control this narrative, right? Mm-hmm. Before I let it control me, how do I, because I've been in the industry since I was about nine years old, and I understand how big the machine is and how it can really overtake you and make you feel like you're this small in comparison to the grand scheme of things.
And I realize that my art is always at the forefront. Mm-hmm. And, and in realizing that I was gonna have all this visibility, something that I'm really passionate about is mental health advocacy, especially in Brown and.
For, for the brown, brown and black communities to go look to someone or something that they feel seen in a lot of where I've gotten my, I mean, even when I was looking for a therapist, it was hard for me to find someone that looked like me and felt where I felt comfortable enough to share my story. And I'm not saying I'm the end all, be all of anything.
I'm not saying that I have any of the answers whatsoever, but if I can be a pit stop or a catalyst for someone else's self expansion mm-hmm. You know. For them to look at books that I've recommended or teachers or artists or things like that of that nature that have helped me God, then that that is the greater purpose of why I'm here on this earth, and I'm so grateful to be able to.
Because I wish that that would've been there for me, you know?
No, I totally understand. I mean, the origins of powerful ladies, there's many whys in how we started, but it really was two paths. One, selfishly, who do I wanna hang out with and who do I wanna have conversations with? And then also like just being of service.
Like of all the entrepreneurial things that I've done and still do, it's always been like, it doesn't have to be this hard. And so if we can make things easier. And show people like it's not this hard. Here's like five steps to make it easier. Here's something else you can have, like being of service just to like let people know it's possible is so important.
Oh yeah, I, and I see that with so many artists, like true artists and I like, once they tap into that consciousness mm-hmm. They understand. I don't create, for selfishly, for me, I think, I think artists who understand the collective consciousness understand I'm creating for myself because it's going to do so many things for the greater good because I, in myself, I see you, Kara, I see you Jordan.
I see. Like we see each other and that is why we. Understands that if it's helping me, it's gonna help someone else. I can't be the only one going through this experience.
Yeah, completely. And, and you, you getting to do you at what your Level 10 looks like for satisfaction is going to let somebody else know that's okay too.
Like you can, you can equally be selfish and serving at the same time. And when you get to that, that, that's like the flow state, right? When you're like, how is it possible for it to be this simple?
You just gotta allow it to be. I, I, I, I feel like I practiced that via the mantras that I have. I've, people have been telling me to make a YouTube channel for forever.
'cause I sing and I dance and I'm a performer. They're like, it'd be great, like, put your stuff out there. And I'm like, I don't, I don't wanna do the work. It feels like too much work. And I know where I, where, where my strong suit is and it's not with organization. It's not with.
Someone did not come along to me recently and say, Hey girl, call me outta the fricking blue. And was like, girl, I think you'd be great on YouTube. You should create this channel. I will do it for you. I have someone working on your logo. I have some. And I was like, universe, I'm listening. God damn you. I'm listening.
I'm nervous as hell. Like, you know what? Because I understand this is not about me. Yep. And this is something larger. Exactly what you're saying. And it's selfish because it's me realistically. Right. I'm telling people like, watch my channel. They're like, what is it gonna be about? I'm like, anything I fucking want.
Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Uh, what is it about the mental health that has you so fired up? Is it the missing for your community, or is, is there like a deeper root that you're like, this is the thing? Like how did you find your, your passion path? Hmm.
I think initially it started off when I. Started diving into my journey
mm-hmm.
And, and realizing like, I feel good, but I, something was still missing and I, I couldn't figure it out. As I started going to therapy, realizing how trauma can be passed on.
Mm-hmm. And how
there is so much deep rooted that we don't even know. And once I started to finally, I hate using the term, like feeling better or whatever, but when I, when things started finally becoming clearer.
Yeah. Right. Because I don't like to assign a value to anything, because then it just puts too much pressure on shit. It's like, shit is what? It's until it ain't, you know? That's how I feel about it. But until I started getting more clear on like, oh. My mom has treated me this way, or my dad or whoever is treating me this way because of the result of their trauma, but, and they're just not aware of it.
Mm-hmm. But now that the veil has been lifted for me, how helpful it has been to deal with the world around me and how I don't have to react so steadfastly and I don't have to be so mean or vindictive or cutting, I can just have truth. And how it's so much easier than anything else I've used as a coping mechanism.
That was the, that was the catalyst for me. That was, at first I was just like, did you guys know about
this?
Oh my gosh, that's where it started. And then seeing the lack of, of visibility. When I would talk to my family, it's very much this fraternity based, um. Lifestyle that we've lived, like, where it's like, well, my mom hit me and, and so I hit you.
And so it's fine. And we, you shoulda have seen what I had dealt with. I didn't have time to worry about your feelings because I was trying to put food on the table and a roof over your head, which like, all of that is good and well, like totally, but like, that's a tired excuse now. Mm-hmm. You know? Mm-hmm.
Our parents heard that. Their parents heard it. The difference is, and what I understand, the privilege that we have now is accessibility to podcasts such as one like Powerful Ladies podcast, right? Mm-hmm. And to other, it's to Super Soul Sunday that Oprah does and to, you know, all of these things. So I, I realize now with the privilege that I have, I need to then pay it forward.
Mm-hmm. What was it about acting that made you start at nine? Oh girl, I.
I love performing. I love storytelling. I love the way you can make people feel things off of your vibration. Really. I mean, like, you know me, I love getting a little meta, so I love being able to change the tone of a room to allow someone to feel something they never thought they could. And I think that's, and it goes hand in hand with the mental health advocacy.
It's so funny how. Once you just trust even your child, like self knows what it is you wanna do. Mm-hmm. And, and since I was a little girl, I remember I would, it was like first grade, I was like seven at this point. I've always sang, I've always danced, I've always loved to perform. And um, my teacher, my first grade teacher told my mom, um, she's not paying attention.
Like, I don't know, you might have to just come in and check up on her. My mom comes in and I'm there. Day dreaming. She's like, whatcha daydreaming About one day when I'm a famous smoothie star and I'm winning an Oscar, she's like, really? And I'm like, yeah. She's like, alright, Kevin. I, but movie stars need to learn how to read the book.
You right, mama. Yeah. I've just, I've always loved storytelling. I've always loved performing and, and jumping into other people's experiences.
Mm-hmm. And was it, um, you know, living in LA you definitely had access, right? Because it's in your, in driving distance. Mm-hmm. Um, but what, what was it like coming from East LA and being of the Latinx community?
Like were there barriers then, or was it just, you just started and started getting work and you just kind of kept going from there?
It's so weird when you're a kid, there's not, there's not as many barriers when you start as a child. It's not these things that get placed on you. You know? Or, or at least you're not aware of it really.
And growing up, because I'm fifth generation. I was so Americanized that my mom never put those barriers on me. It was never like, we're Latinos, so we have to work harder than the next. In my head, I was like, that Midler's my like, what do you mean? Like, I'm totally like some girl from of Bronx, New York, like I am the Jewish woman.
Like, what are you talking about? Like, I didn't, I did not understand that I identified with fricking Barbara Streisand, Uhhuh as well as Rita Moreno and Selena. You know, I just, I never saw that, which I think. Is great. Even in my experience now, now that I have experienced a different side of it being an adult.
Mm-hmm. Being a woman who is queer and Latinx in this industry, people look at you now as an adult. When you're a kid. They're just like, oh, this cute kid. Like, I'm not gonna put labels on, but as you tend to mature and your body develops and things like that, there's so many different words that get thrown.
Um, we need short hair, Latin, Latinx, really sexy, um, still tomboy, like we get placed into these boxes of things. So it wasn't until then that I was like, oh, I'm, I'm this architect. Like this is who I am. This is how I come across. Like, that is interesting. Yeah. How people wanna versus how I perceive myself and, and all of these things.
So it, it wasn't until I got older that I felt the. The strain of stigma.
Stigma. Mm-hmm. I know. It's, it's gross when you see it. Just like you were talking about, there's freedom once the curtain is lifted in some things, when the curtain is lifted, there's also like a sting sometimes too. You're like, oh man, I thought it was better.
Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I
it, but it's, it, I'm, I've really been learning to love. The shadow. As much as I love the light, because then it finds me some, it gives me, it gives me the time to rest and untangle the things that I don't like and to change them within myself. So if I don't want, if I don't want there to be weight on these things, and I'm going to learn to talk about them freely as well, the way I'm able to talk about.
I mean, because there was a time where I would flinch and be like, well, should I say like white people? Like, like, should I say, you know what I mean, to white people? Like am I gonna make them uncomfortable? And then I'm like, no, fuck it. It's, it's only uncomfortable if I make it uncomfortable. Mm-hmm. I'm not saying, and you know, it's just, these are certain truths and the more we get comfortable with the icky truth, which is really, it's just the truth.
It's not icky unless we assign a value to it. Right? Yes. I think that's essentially what causes the separation between ethnicity and gender is not just acknowledging what is in front of us. And I, and I think that's why I'm so lucky to have grown up with the perspective I did because I'm not afraid to.
I go in and out of, this is my Latinx experience, but this is also what I grew up with, not seeing any type of experience other than the human experience. So as long as I move with that at the forefront, and if I can mm-hmm. Be an informant and help other people who may not understand like, hey, like totally understand you're coming from this place, but this is the truth that you were negating because no one's ever told you because no one's felt comfortable enough.
I'm not afraid.
Yeah. No, I, I, I should think, I think just taking the stance of I am not afraid and putting whatever you want after it is great. Right? I am not afraid I'm gonna have my own YouTube channel. I'm not afraid. I'm gonna just talk to you about what's so, and I think also we make it so hard as adults that.
I always, Jordan and I had this discussion in the past and I've said, you know, if a kid would ask a question, would we think that it was stereotypical or just them asking, like just clarifying what is so in the world. So I think we give adults a hard time when it's the first time they're asking that question and I'm like, well, can we just give them a break?
I'd rather they ask than not ask.
I agree. 80 million thousand percent. I don't think we give ourselves the room to be bad or wrong at something and, and when we do, it's like we shame people into, I don't know how. You didn't know. I didn't know because I wasn't exposed to that experience. Damn break. Yeah, I think we need to have a little bit more reverence with the people around us.
'cause it might, the only way you can grow and learn is in love with love at the forefront. We don't think about it even the way our childhood, I mean, at least my childhood, right? Your parents think, well, you need to, you need to go think about this and feel bad about it. Well, you go think and you feel bad about it, and then you're back to doing the same bullshit that you did before because all you had to do was feel bad about it.
You didn't have to learn or understand it. You just had to feel bad about it. Now, imagine if your mom or an authority figure would've given you the room to be like, uh, you made a mistake. Do you know? Do you understand why it was a mistake? We might have the same reverence with everyone else around us.
Yep.
I feel you, girl. Well, when you look at what's coming next for your YouTube show and other projects, what are you really excited about and like, what's lighting you up about new opportunities that are coming to you because of, you know, having a show on Netflix and the other things that are opening up?
Uh, I am so excited because I feel like the roles that I've played far have been.
I got a who comes from who? Graduated from Stanford and is coming back and dealing with life in East LA and still understands that her community is worth pouring back into. So having pride in somewhere she came from and wants to go give back that same energy that she learned and outsource. So I feel like it's very in tandem with what I'm doing as far as the YouTube channel, which it's so crazy.
I did not like it. This just came about. So I'm excited to share important messages. Here's my mission statement. Lemme tell you, girl. Oh, I'm ready. Mm-hmm. Tell you girl. Profound concepts, simple language, accessible to everyone. I think a lot of the time we learn about these, these beautiful, profound concepts in any given subject matter, and we hear about them from experts.
And some, and there's a lot of language barrier in a lot of different communities, whether you're from the low.
Where I'm grateful is I, I don't got no filter. So as eloquently spoken as I can be, I'm also feeling like, right bitch, like, you feel me? Like, so I think that people might wanna gravitate towards it because they'll feel like they're talking to their best friend who just wants. The best for them. I, I'm excited to bring on different nonprofits that I've partnered with mm-hmm.
To shed some light on them. I'm excited to bring on, um, spiritual psychologists that maybe, you know, can help be a catalyst for, for, uh, spiritual and emotional change. I'm excited to just, just talk about sex, talk about love in a way that it doesn't feel like taboo. It just feels like you're in your living room, having a glass of wine with your best friend.
Yep. We need more of that, right? Mm-hmm.
Yes.
One of the, um, we, so in addition to powerful ladies, I'm a business coach and we've been doing a lot of, uh, CoLab projects of like crisis budgeting and you know, how to sell what, you know, like just teaching people as much as we can right now to make sure they get through this time.
And one of the things that I. Didn't realize I was passionate about until recently was the financial literacy and when you hit on low income families and neighborhoods. It makes me insane that no one is providing the true simple resources for more people to be financially literate. Because if you don't know what's available or how to ask for it, or what these definitions mean, you can't actually move forward in life.
It drives me batty, like so I love the fact that you're like, what can I bring to. My people or whoever wants to listen and like just give you one thing to level up one thing to keep moving you forward each time.
Yeah, I, that's, that's it. I would love to have a financial literacy coach on there. I would love to have, have different small businesses come on and talk about how they did that.
'cause I know there's so many people who are like, I'd wanna, but I just dunno how to. Start. Yes. So that's has been the first thing that I said on my first video on YouTube was like, y'all, I'm terrified, but they say the hardest thing is to just freaking start. So I'm starting, I don't know what I'm talking about.
I don't know what's gonna happen, but we're gonna figure it out along the way. So just hold space for me. Yeah. So, yes, I. I'm have you, I need to have you on, girl. Help us with our financial literacy. Let's do it.
Let's do it. Mm-hmm. No, I mean, it's, it's my favorite thing again, like making things easy. You wanna start a business, it's easy.
It really is. Like, let's do it. Like, yeah. It's simple. When you think of the word and the phrase powerful ladies, like what does it mean to you? Like, what does it bring up? Good, bad, ugly.
Oh, powerful. Ladies. You know what it reminds me of? Here's what it reminds me of. I saw this quote that said, not fragile like a flower, fragile like a bomb.
Oh, that's what it reminds me of. And I love that. That's a good quote.
Mm-hmm.
Right. Not fragile like flowers, though. We can be. But don't forget that we are also the bombs. Okay. We will disrupt and erupt as quickly as we are beautiful to the eye. Mm-hmm. Because we are, we are so many things. We are an amalgamation and I think that that's not how we get represented.
Mm-hmm. And
so, but, but no, we are because you guys are doing this. So thank you Powerful Ladies podcast for being Thank you. Brilliant and existing. What do they say? Modesty empowers some and provocative empowers others. Mm-hmm. I air more towards the provocative side, but you know,
when you look at how your life has progressed and evolved, who are some of the women who have supported and mentored and guide you along the way?
Wow. So there are so many people to name, but just to name a few. Um. Honestly, every single woman I've came in contact with, I've, I've really taken something from them, whether it be a piece of reverence, a, a sentence, a feeling, you know, someone who just gave me the space to exist and not have to perform.
I've had so many beautiful women enter my sphere. I mean, even, even the toxic women that I've met, the toxic, you know, those. There's so that I've learned there where I had to learn, wow, you are passing so much judgment because you don't understand it in yourself, Annie, and that is not fair. So even those moments, I've taken such gem with me.
Um. Gosh. Okay. Let's see. My mom is a big one. Yes, there's a lot of turmoil there, but I just see how hard she's tried and still tries even at 50 years old, continuously working on her own growth is it's, it's inspiring. Um. Um, I had, so I was raised with a lot of women. My mom, she has two sisters. There wasn't a lot of men in my family.
Even on my dad's side, he has three sisters. So there's so much like divine feminine energy around me. And then we tell you strong women, you gotta be a strong man to keep up with this for me. Um, and another, let's see, another powerful woman would have to be someone who's really impacted my life within the last 10 years or so, would be Linda Chavez.
Um, she's one of the co-creators on Ified and she has become like a big sister to me in so many ways. I came to her saying, um, I did a pilot with her when I was 19 and she just became a mentor, whether she knew it or not at the time. But years after the pilot, I came to her and I was like, I hate the industry.
I dunno if I wanna do this anymore. They hate it. It's over. She was like, cool. Then leave. She was one of the first people that gave me permission just to. I, even though I had met her in that space of us working together and doing, you know, most people are like, no, but you're so good and it's okay. You just have to push through.
She gave me permission to be whatever it was I needed at the time and, and still does, and so I'm so grateful for her sister. Hood and our friendship that we have. Yeah.
When, when you're not working on your craft and creating, you know, art of some kind, acting, producing, like what else are you doing for you and your personal development?
Hmm. I love to work out. God, I love it man. I love lifting heavy shit. You, I'm five. I was gonna say, you post on Instagram and it inspires me and I'm like, holy cow, yo. Yeah. Let go. I love it. I'm see I'm five feet tall. And I used to be, not that it's about weight, right? Because it's not, I'm beautiful at any size.
So I say this before I say anything. I used to be a hundred and like 75 pounds and now about one 30, but even at 1 75 I was a bad bitch. So let me just start off by saying that, okay? But. I realized that a lot of the weight we carry has nothing to do with weight itself, but more so emotional.
Mm-hmm.
Pain and I, and, and learning to love myself then was how I was able to love myself now, and I'm still, every day it's a, it's a practice, but I do enjoy lifting weights and like.
I being athletic, even though I wasn't raised in that environment, like I didn't grow up doing sports or like lifting. Mm-hmm. Like I was, you know, but now I'm like, God, there's so much. You realize how it's mental and physical and spiritual. It's so much more than just the way you look.
Yes.
So, yeah.
God.
Yeah. No, I love that. Um. When you look around at how the industry is changing, what are you proud about and what do you think still has places to go?
I am proud that they.
I'm proud that the industry is slowly but surely starting to implement more female driven, more women driven stories, um, and, and more queer stories and more brown stories. Um. But I do think that we have a long way to go where that, mm-hmm. Where that comes from. I think right now you hear a lot of things that are like, you know, um, diversity, like you, it's like, no, don't just give me diversity for diversity's sake.
Like, make it the best thing you can be. Have that on every front. Then have that in your production team. Have that on your stages, because that's the only way that it's gonna make a difference. Otherwise, there's times that I go on sets. Or there's no faces that look like me, and it's harder for me to reproduce the truth that you want because then you're telling me to do something.
And it's not in alignment with the story. It's just alignment with the, the stereotype that you want. Mm-hmm. And so you're never gonna get the product and with its authenticity, if you do not have more faces of what you want on screen as well.
Yeah. Like otherwise, it's a forced benetton ad instead of actual storytelling.
Yeah. Mm-hmm. I just, I think, I think the way that women are depicted in film is so much more of a catalyst for the man's feelings versus we are so complex and beautiful and strong and soft all in the same breath. That like, give us the freedom to have those types of roles give, make us the lead and make them the catalyst for our feelings, you know, like, let's try something
different.
How, how have you had to pivot and adjust since we've had quarantine and COVID-19.
Oh, wow. Yeah. Um,
it really forced me to take. Again, ownership of my narrative. I think that was the whole catalyst for me wanting to start the YouTube channel. I realized, mm-hmm that this industry, especially as an artist is concerned we're, we're freelance, so you're paid on whether or not I think you're worthy of being paid for this job, and even then I can negotiate your pay to what I think it's worth.
Mm-hmm. And seeing that and seeing how I had no ownership over my artistry. Right after I finished, I was like, oh, look at me. I'm a,
my ego was like flying, like realistic. And then the rug was ripped from under me and I had to move out of my apartment, and I had to move back home with my mom and mm-hmm. And even people now are like, but you're on a Netflix show, like, aren't you rich? Can you give some money? Because I can't pay my bills during COVID-19.
And I'm like, psych. No, I could not, I can give you my spiritual wisdom though. Follow my YouTube channel. So it. It's forced me to take ownership of everything. Mm-hmm. Take ownership of my humanity, take ownership of my ego, take ownership of my higher self, take ownership of my artistry, and then now understand that art itself is not a luxury, it's a necessity during this time because that is how we heal the world.
Mm-hmm.
During the Great Depression, what did people do? They watched fricking Shirley Temple. Yeah. Right. Now what are people doing? They're looking at YouTube videos and fricking Instagram lives and Netflix and you know, TikTok, TikTok. Like people are then understanding that, oh wow, I am a creator as well.
So it this, this COVID-19 has really reminded me that. I don't need anything outward. I don't need the validation that I've been seeking since I was a little girl. Like, you're good enough, you're talented enough, you're pretty enough. I need to do that. And I am doing that. Mm-hmm. By creating my own body of work.
No, I love that. I mean, the. Powerful Ladies' mission is to, uh, encourage and enable people to curate a life of their design. And for a long time, I was separating my business coaching from powerful ladies, uh, because I didn't want to focus only on businesses and entrepreneurship and, and making money, but.
That's the fastest way to empowering yourself, and I love that you used the word ownership, like being an entrepreneur just means that you own your professional destiny. That's all it really means. And it doesn't need to be this crazy tech y Combinator, you know, next Facebook thing. It just needs to be something that's you being authentic to you and putting it in a package that people say, yes, I would love to contribute to that.
Here you go.
Yes. That's, that's always at like the forefront of my message. When I'm saying be your best, it doesn't mean you need to be the next fucking Oprah. Like your best can be like, I like to make beaded bracelets and that makes me really happy on the side, and that's my best. Oh my God, please do that then.
Like that is your best. Yeah. Yeah, I totally agree with you.
It's, it's the namaste philosophy, right? The light in me shines on and sees the light in you. And if, if, imagine if we were all operating at that level.
See, and that that
value someone who own his own multimillion dollar business, you know, equ much higher. Per se owns like a small little mom and pop shop. No. They're both brilliant and amazing and hold the space that they need to hold. Yes. You by your judgments, whoever's listening, if you're having judgments, are assigning a value that it doesn't need to be assigned.
Because if you're judging that baby, then you're judging every other aspect of your life to someone else's truth. Yes. You know?
It just flows in and out of each other. It's our physical form that decides to place a judgment. Like if I look at you like, oh, her hair is light and mine is dark, one is bad, one is good. No, it just fucking is. Mm-hmm. But us as human form, in our human form decide to place judgments on those. But if we were just floating consciousness, we would be like, Hey girl, what's up?
Oh, where? Where do I begin?
Oh, okay. I wish we had that on video. 'cause that was an amazing representation of exactly what you said, floating through space. So we'll have to do, we'll have to have you send a TikTok of that so we can include it in the podcast posts. No, but it's, it's so true. Like, and, and as a business coach, I know that working with.
People who dunno what they wanna do, they just wanna do something different to people who've been established and doing finances for people who have no money to lots of money. Everyone is we, I have to go and start at the same questions for everybody because. Half the time how, how money has fallen into your lap.
Like, it's so, so often it's on accident, like how many people don't have a plan or a method and if you ask them to recreate it, they couldn't, is fascinating to me. So.
Mm-hmm.
I totally agree with you that a successful business just means that it, it. It does what it was meant to do. It has nothing to do with how much money it's making, and quite often you don't even need to be making a profit to have a great business.
Like the goal at first is like break even the end.
That's the best. Mm-hmm. That's the best at the time. Yes. Yeah. Oh, I love that. Success is just it doing what it needs to do. Ooh, I That is a bar. Si. All right. You can take
I, you can take that one new post-it on, write that.
Yeah. And people freak out when I say that they don't need to be making a profit in their business. I'm like, listen, if your budget is made the right way. You're, you should, you're breaking even should be paying yourself. Um, when you look around at your peer group, like do you feel that a lot more people than before are looking to create their own thing and looking to have more ownership?
Where do you see the trend going or from maybe traditional career paths to something untraditional.
Wow. I see so many of the people around me just going. To the beat of their own
drum. Kind of
creating, yeah. Not kind of definitely creating the life that they want to live, because I think the more life that we live, we understand, and especially right now during this uncertain time, we're realizing that this life that we were living, the monotony, the day-to-day, whatever practices we had, was essentially just an illusion.
Mm-hmm. Right. We thought we had to live in this construct of this life that, of these other rules that were placed on us. Because you have to, you have to get the car, you gotta get the house, you have to find the mate, you gotta get the kids, and this is how it needs to be if you wanna be happy. And then the rug gets ripped under us, right?
Which is the capitalist society of money and production and productivity and everything else that I, I realize now more than ever, I see everyone around me like. How do I innovate? And so they're finding their own set of rules, their own discipline that makes them feel comfortable. Mm-hmm. Which I think that is the truth all along.
We need discipline. We do need a set of rules. It's almost like we're, we're, we're just grown up children. We're children in adult bodies. Yep. And even with children, right? You have to create parameters for them to feel safe so that they can play. Mm-hmm. If a child doesn't have parameters, if a child doesn't have structure, they go crazy, they'll, they'll get into trouble.
They'll do this because they're looking for some type of attention, some type of structure. Same as adults. That's why we don't pay our bills on time because we love the chaos of it because maybe we didn't have enough structure in our childhood, and so, right, like it's all these things. So now it's forcing us in adulthood to be like, oh, I need to create my own discipline of life.
Well, what does that look like for me? What is gonna make me feel safe? Well, I really like doing this one thing, and I actually do think that this thing is profitable. I see people doing said thing. Mm-hmm. And it's so inspiring to see people create their own discipline of their life for the practice of their peace.
Yeah.
No, it really is. Um, there's a, a great book out, uh, discipline Equals Freedom by Jocko Willink. And there. But then I also love the book The One Thing because it takes, it's like a discipline might not be the path to freedom. The right word might be habit. And I love that because discipline makes it sound like we're gonna be in pain and punished.
Or habit is like, listen, you learn how to brush your teeth every day. Like it could be that simple of just adopting one new thing that shifts. You know, that one degree change, right? In a boat, you go to a totally different place. So what's the habit you need to really propel yourself forward and, and change what your future looks like?
Because we've had some people at powerful lady meetups that are asking for tips about like, how do I do more proposals? I hate writing them. I'm like, don't, don't do 'em. Like get people to just give you money over the phone. You don't need to send a proposal. And they're like, what? I'm like, no, like you're, you're, it's your company.
If you don't wanna send proposals, don't send proposals. So there's so many habits we think we need that we don't need. So I agree with you, like lean in on the ones that you actually, the ones that benefit you and actually make it more fun and easier and successful.
And reach out to your collective for the ones that you know that you're not good at.
I myself, I do not wanna take the time to learn how to fucking edit a video, so I will not. Luckily, someone came to me and was like, Hey girl, I'll edit all your videos and post them up for you at this certain day at certain time. All you gotta do is get 'em to me. What? Thank you Jesus, baby Lord. They're nothing like, okay.
Yeah. Like, I like do that for me, but so I, yes, I I love that you said that you don't, sometimes the word discipline can feel like, ugh. And I've heard when I had talked about discipline on one of my live videos, and somebody was like, I don't like that word. I like structure. I'm like, then use structure.
Someone was like, I don't like that word. I'm like, I like this word. Then use that word. It's, it's, that's why we have language. Okay. I like to say practice. I put this in my practice. Mm-hmm. So I I love that. Yes. You are so right.
Well, and I love that you brought up too, how certain words we hear. We again, have that meaning we put on them where we can stop listening to the message.
And same thing, like, if you don't like that word, just sub it out for the one you want and keep listening. 'cause the message is what matters. Like if the message matters. If you don't like the word Holy Spirit or God plug in universe, does the message still apply? Okay, we're all talking about the same thing.
Great. High fives, what's next?
Like, I was gonna say amen. But maybe you don't like that word either. I don't know. I say not my, say delight in
me. Recognize the delight in you, girl. This, I think, ah, man, applies to everything. Ah, amen. Hallelujah. Right? Like. If it makes you, to me, it's like you are literally high fiving the like whatever's up there.
High five. Thank you, five. High the
God,
hold on. I got a visual for you guys. Oh, this is great. Yes. And I mean, and high fiving a money tree of all things to High five. Yes.
Well, we ask everyone. We ask everyone on the podcast, where would you put yourself on the powerful lady scale? If zero is average everyday human and 10 is the most powerful lady possible, where would you put yourself today? And where do you think you put yourself on average
today? I feel like about a nine, 10.
I'm feeling really powerful today, on average. Like it. On average, I, I try and sit between a seven, eight. Mm-hmm. I do. I like that. I give myself the room to be, I even think when I'm fragile, I'm still powerful.
Well, it's true. Yes. Especially with a shoulder twitch like that. That was very powerful. I did. I did.
Yeah. Well, it's funny 'cause like when people are in a space where they don't feel confident and they don't feel powerful, I'm always asking like, what do you do to. Get in the head space you need. Right. And as acting like you know this, right? Like you don't have, if you don't feel good, doesn't matter. Like go be happy.
'cause that's what this scene requires. So I'm always curious, what do people do? Is it physical emotion, like the snap you just did? Is it music like. How do you bring yourself back to, I, like, my minimum is a seven. How do you get back there when you feel like you're not there? Ooh. Um, I love my mantras. I love my mantras and I do them, I do them, uh, trying also to embody the physical.
I, I kind of have like a ritual that I do in the morning that usually sets the tone.
Um, and I'll, I'll do my morning mantras and I'll say things like, I'm beautiful. I am kind. Smart I am. And then depending on how I'm feeling, they'll have new mantras that come in. I'm honest, especially if I lied to someone, I'm like, I'm honest.
I'm honest, girl, you're honest. Like I, you know, I, I do that. Um, and I write down how I feel a lot. I journal all the time. That really does help me and, and, um, reminding myself that sometimes I give myself too much credit as far as when I'm feeling like what, for the negative feelings that I have. Like, oh God, I'm the worst.
And it's like, I guarantee you there are other people that have done worse things than I have. Like, chill out girl. Don't give yourself that much credit.
Yeah, it is, it's, it is, it's so funny. Like we think that we are winning at the negative stuff and totally losing at the good stuff. Mm-hmm. That's my thing
lately has been hold space for the, the sewage of your life so that you can wanna hold even larger space for the light.
Mm-hmm. Like learn to, to hold them equally. Like just as much as I can be like, fuck, I've been lying, I'm lying. I've lied to like eight people today for stupid shit. Alright, well yesterday I was brilliant. So you can be, if you can have brilliance once you can have it again. It's okay.
Yeah, we just had our powerful ladies monthly virtual meetup now.
Um, but the whole thing is about creating space, like creating space for what you wanna be doing next. And we talked about how sometimes that's like literally purging like Marie Conduiting your, your spaces and sometimes that you have to do that same work mentally, emotionally, spiritually. 'cause we fill up all those spaces with junk and it's like, no, it doesn't suit us.
It's not part of our. We're gonna go be badass tomorrow. Like it's gotta go. It has to go.
Yes. And the truth is right, like none of that is you. These things that you like, anything that you're, I like do not identify with any of it, not your higher self or your ego. Understand that you are water and you flow through them, and sometimes you're fucking great and sometimes you're shit.
And then also sometimes you're just a goddamn human. Mm-hmm. Don't identify with any of it. We're all learning in this experience like that too. Like I don't identify with when I'm lazy or when I'm lying. I'm just like, okay, I, I can. I can see it, I can accept it, and now I can allow it to move through me or for myself to move through it.
Whatever language works for whoever. Right.
Well, and that's actually what I think is great about the Spanish language, because of the so asto distinction in English, we don't have those two distinctions. So to take the permanence away from a feeling I think is so powerful. Like I, I wish every language had that clarity.
Hmm. We're starting it today. Right now. Right
now. Let's go. That's right. Now you're, as we wrap up today, what would you love to leave everyone listening with?
Oh, I would love to leave everyone with this quote that I love to live by. Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, or fabulous? Who are you not to be?
By you letting your light shine, you unconsciously allow others to do the same. You're playing small, does not serve the world. So I say to everyone here, listening, keep playing big, play large, play whatever you need to play in each given moment because you are giving the gift of yourself, your truth, and, and opening up someone else's truth in light.
Maryanne Will Maryanne Williamson, I believe that's, that's her quote and it's one of my favorite ones. And I have since I was 11 years old. I say it every day and it still rings true.
That's a good quote. It's amazing. She's amazing. Like if you haven't read her work, like go read everything that she's ever done.
Uh, my book club right now is reading, um, I'm gonna pull it up so I don't butcher it. The Law of Divine Compensation.
Ooh. Yeah, I love that. I've never read, so I have a book clip too. And, um, we're reading, we're, we're reading the Four
Agreements, so I'm with
you system. I'm gonna have to have us read that next.
Yeah. I love it. Well, it has been such a pleasure to meet you. I am so excited with who you are and what you're up to, and getting to shine your light in some new places so more people can find out who you are and hear your message.
Yes. Oh my gosh. Okay. So where you can like, touch me and everything that I'm doing is always on Instagram because you know me, I love Instagram.
Um, follow me. It's Annie g Gonzalez, A-N-N-I-E. G-G-O-N-Z-A-L-E-Z. Um, the link in my bio, you can go to my YouTube channel, click a little, subscribe like a video. Don't tell me what you like up in that little piece. Um, I am on ified on Netflix and Vita On Stars comes out April 26th, so it shall be screaming.
I am so excited for you guys to see it. And thank you to the beautiful, powerful Ladies podcast for having me on. I am honored and so grateful to be a part of this today.
Annie is a powerhouse. Her energy, her passion, it all aligns with her purpose, to use her gifts to change the world, while also dazzling the world. To connect, support and follow. Annie, you can find her Instagram. Ask Annie g Gonzalez, and of course on YouTube on her channel, Annie Gonzalez. And we totally recommend that you check out her two shows, ified and Vita.
All other ways to connect with her will be listed on our website, the powerful ladies.com/podcast. Thank you so much for listening. I hope you've enjoyed this episode of The Powerful Ladies Podcast. There are so many ways you can get involved and get supported with fellow powerful ladies first, subscribe to this podcast anywhere you listen to podcast.
Give us a five star rating and leave a review on Apple Podcast. Follow us on Instagram at Powerful Ladies, join the Powerful Ladies Thrive Collective. This is the place where powerful ladies connect, level up, and learn how to thrive in business and life. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube page, and of course, visit our website, the powerful ladies.com.
I'd like to thank our producer, composer, and audio engineer Jordan Duffy. Without her, this wouldn't be possible. You can follow her on Instagram at Jordan K. Duffy. We'll be back next week with a brand new episode. Until then. I hope you're taking on being powerful in your life. Go be awesome and up to something you love.
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Created and hosted by Kara Duffy
Audio Engineering & Editing by Jordan Duffy
Production by Amanda Kass
Graphic design by Anna Olinova
Music by Joakim Karud
