We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kara Worrells-Gutiérrez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kara below.

Hi Kara, thanks for joining us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

My mamá taught me to live for myself so I can also live for other people. To love, to help, to be present. She brought me up with principles that call for constant betterment and education. We are all perpetual works-in-progress, and it is part of the journey in life to learn and apply what is learned. Without the open dialogue I have with her, I do not believe I’d be who I am today.

I am by no means the one who knows it all, nor the one who always knows better, but I strive to be understanding so as to be a haven for those alike and unalike. Thanks to my mom I radiate empathy and care in every aspect of my life.

Growing up, my family also encouraged me to pursue leadership programs and positions. From elementary school through university, I took upon every opportunity to strengthen my leadership skills. My favorite programs that I attended are from middle school and high school. The NYLC/NYLSC, or the National Youth Leadership Council and the National Youth Leadership State Conference, gave me a foundation of further empowerment and direction that promoted hope in my life. My parents supporting me in these endeavors helped sharpen my independent mind. Life-long friendships that I formed at these events also showed what aspects of my intelligence I needed to work on in order to get closer to my ideal self.

My family’s hopes for me and their esteem of me are the most important factors in where I am today, both professionally and personally. They did right by telling and showing me they believed in who I was and who I could be. I inherited so much love, and I can only do right by passing it on.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Que tál! I am a first-gen Latin@ native of North America who grew up as a dual citizen in the South Bay of San Diego. I am a self-taught artist who began writing poetry in elementary school as a coping mechanism for adversity and complex stress. As a multidisciplinary, multimedia creator, my work is centered around mental wellness, emotional intelligence, and consciousness as a whole. I also tackle a plethora of subjects branching from identity that advocate for anti-racism, anti-colorism, anti-discrimination, and anti-ignorance.

My primary works include poetry, pottery, photography, painting, rhetorical analyses, radio journalism, copywriting, copyediting, and volunteering. I am also a small business owner who sells wearable and non-wearable art to show pride for Latin@/X culture. My business is called Sol Pottery and I have an international client base, selling in México and Southern California. I’m a big fan of dialectical nuance, so I wanted to incorporate that into the name of business, as it represents who I am and what I strive to promote.

I am also a published and award-winning poet-writer who is currently working on three books. The first is my poetry chapbook, the second a poetry book encapsulating grief, and the third an anthology comprising of a novel, short stories, songs, plays, and poetry.

I aim for brilliance in my work, as our internal worlds are the richest sources of inspiration that we have. Whether for technical or creative work, I constantly challenge my intelligence and paradigms with newness. While traditions appear in my work, I believe that metamodernism is a crucial mind-frame for being conscientious of our present history.

As Carlos Santana once said, “There is no greater reward than working from your heart, and making a difference in the world.”

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

The story I am about to share may trigger, or provoke, some people to relive their own experiences, so I want to be considerate and give space to anyone who may need to take a breath before they continue reading.

The good news is that I’m in recovery and am actively working on my health. I hope you are, too.

For the past two years, I have struggled to find a stable job post-undergrad that aligns with my 7+ years of editorial, managerial, and educational experience. Combined with the dysfunction in my personal life and the turmoils of the world, I have experienced a series of crises that led to voluntarily hospitalizations. Despite the love I have for myself and others, the overwhelming sense of hopelessness and distress can take me out.

In November of 2022, I overdosed as a suicide attempt. It is one of the most terrifying experiences that I have survived. I didn’t know if I would be able to walk again, nor heal my nervous system. Thankfully I can, and I did.

Since then, I began working on a novel and a poetry book surrounding grief so I could better address the need to get out of my head when life is especially difficult to cope with. My internalized pain is a heavy burden, but an important reminder to honor how I feel and to give the time that is necessary to let pass.

I talk more about my experiences in the book, Better Humans by Janeane Bernstein, and call to action a need for preventative change through mental health education. It is the most important read of our present moment. Rocket Garcia’s experiences are especially necessary to reflect upon, as they beam a light on what it means to be resilient.

I inherited resilience from my family. I also inherited clinical depression, anxiety, and PTSD. I am high functioning and strong. I work to pass on that strength just as my family did for me.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The goal driving my creative journey is to empower the betterment of our human experience through sensibility, empathy, and sentimentality. Humanity has a living history of burying emotions, as vulnerability is seen as liable for exploitation, abuse, and suffering. Emotional intelligence is a strength, learning to control and channel emotions is a strength, not a weakness. My creative journey is one of setting an example of discernment and reigniting the humanity that so many have buried in pain.

Marginalized people are the most in need for cultivating havens in spaces that are not separated. I believe I have insight and wisdom that can speak to anyone, anywhere, and I know when to sit in my power and when to stand. Therefore, the abuse, the prejudice, the betrayal, and the dysfunction that I have experienced throughout my creative journey are essential for reinforcing the safety, the peace, the unity, and the harmony that I actively work towards.

Growing up, I had the impression that I, and everything that came of me, had to be perfect and I still struggle a bit with Imposter Syndrome, aside from other clinical diagnoses. Now I know that progress is more important, and being honest with my humanity is part of the process. Shame, doubt, and self-righteous judgment can stop us from facing what is actually occurring in our lives, turning us towards faking our capabilities and joy. I want to set an example of a healthy life as I continue to unlearn maladaptive behaviors. I want to serve humanity and the good we all have inside us.

Connection is everything in my creative journey, and I hope you’ll join me.

Contact Info:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kara-worrells-53091a210/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/SolPotteryCA

Image Credits
Credit to Alex Dejecacion for the Car Show photo. Credit to New Forum for the picture of me reading a poem at their spring quarter event. Credit to Veronica Worrells Gutiérrez for the rest of the photos.