Meet Carla Silveira-Hernandez: Creative Storyteller, Marketing Leader, In-house Creative Champion & Cultural Philanthropist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carla Silveira-Hernandez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carla, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
Often we’re enamored with the idea of pursuing our dreams and hold very tightly to this lofty vision in our minds of what it looks like. That vision tends to be pristine and flawless, and the journey short and sweet. In reality, however, nothing significant in life happens that way, and challenges can be our greatest teachers. 

Over the years I’ve realized that when I find myself at what feels like a fork in the road, there are often a lot of emotions wrapped into it. Emotions are not bad as long as you learn to channel them productively instead of letting them cloud your judgement.  I’ve learned to use my emotions as a self-awareness tool while I walk through a series of questions about the decision I’m trying to make. 

There is a difference between giving up and walking away. For me, giving up would mean I was quitting on something I really wanted, and truthfully, I’ve never been a quitter. On the other hand, if there are aspects that are causing harm or I’ve reached a dead end, it’s probably time to walk away and reflect on the lessons learned. Recognizing when to walk away isn’t giving up. It’s wisdom. How do you know the difference? One will leave you with bitterness or regret, the other with peace of mind.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Walking between worlds has been a consistent theme for me in both my personal and professional life. When I was younger, being a box office manager and marketing rep for a band called the Spam Allstars, and taking gigs as a production assistant, press coordinator or a dancer were my side hustles while I took entry level roles doing market research and business administration. Then after college I became a corporate professional working across the entertainment, creative, wellness and tech industries in a variety of roles from digital producer, to writer, to marketing manager and now Director of Creative & Content Strategy. I’ve also worked with independent artists and grassroots initiatives for over 20 years now, and I use the skills I’ve built in my corporate career to help them achieve their goals. 

More recently I’ve found the courage to dabble in my own artistic expression as the executive producer and founder of the Shero Collective, where I get to tell stories about my community without having to answer to any other stakeholder. I’m also taking steps to develop market research around the dance community in order to help them develop partnerships with purpose-driven brands. This past year I also started releasing my own music, which is perhaps my boldest step yet, but also highly unnerving. I am not someone that would ever say I love a challenge, but I can’t live with the idea of being a creative coward. It’s a lot to juggle sometimes, but I feel a level of responsibility to my community to prove that being a corporate professional doesn’t mean you have to give up who you are or your passions. It actually can give you the skills, insights and resources to grow as an artist and have complete creative freedom. So don’t put yourself in a box and just be ready to commit to the work.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
More important than working with talented people, is working with good people. I’m blessed to have a creative tribe who are equally good as they are talented, and that believe in me even when I doubt myself. My husband Artson is an indigenous Hip Hop artist. Working with him on his music has not only inspired me to find my own artistic voice, but also to dig into my cultural roots and tell my own story. We work in creative harmony with a few other trusted partners like our video team from Odin’s Eye Creations led by Odin Magana, our music producer Bboy Wicket, and our sound engineer Huca Bera from Space2813. 

Riyaana Hartley from Love Productions has also been a key influence in my life who has helped me to expand my view of the world and pushed me to not play small when it comes to my own creative expression. Last but definitely not least is my corporate in-house creative team, 368. They have helped me grow so much professionally, given me purpose, and taught me the true meaning of teamwork and leadership. 

While my creative tribe has helped to shape my professional expression, at a fundamental level, my success and who I am all stems from my family. My father lived through the Cuban revolution. My mother is Filipino, and her family’s experiences were similarly tainted by their island nation’s history of war, corruption and poverty. 

Growing up across four continents as a multiracial military kid and living through terrorism attacks, civil unrest, military coup d’états and natural disasters has had an impact on my perspective that I continue to unpack. Lately it’s also been the source of a lot of artistic inspiration. The direness of the experiences we faced at times taught me at an early age to be resilient, resourceful, self-sufficient and personally accountable for my own wellbeing as well as that of others. My sister was often my only confidant and collaborator, and I credit her with teaching me to be an independent thinker. All these lessons I carry close to my heart in everything I do.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?’When I first moved to California in 2007, I stayed at my friend Christine’s house in Long Beach just a few blocks from Bluff Park. It’s a wonderful, walkable neighborhood with great eateries and oceanside bike paths. One of my fondest memories is sitting on the bluff with her overlooking the lighthouse and watching the sunset while drinking hot cocoa and eating a slice of pumpkin pie from the Hot Java on the corner. 

Website: https://www.iamartson.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shero_collective/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/silveirac/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SheroCollective

Other: https://soundcloud.com/carla-a-silveira-hernandez/tracks