Evelyn Almodovar shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Evelyn , thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Would YOU hire you? Why or why not?
I would totally hire me. If I am passionate about something I will work hard at it and grow into something new.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Evelyn Almodóvar, and I’ve had the joy of living and working in Manatee County for nearly a decade, leading nonprofits and consulting on projects that make a real difference in people’s lives. Born to Puerto Rican parents and raised in the Caribbean, I grew up witnessing the power of community advocacy, which sparked my passion for creating equitable access to the resources individuals and communities need to thrive.
I hold a Master’s in Public Administration from Post University with a focus on social innovation, and I’m currently pursuing a PhD in Public Administration at Northcentral University. Over the years, I’ve worked across sectors from corporate strategy to international public service and local nonprofit leadership always with the goal of turning complex challenges into common-sense solutions.When I’m not working, I’m at home with my husband, son, and a few farm animals or traveling, cycling, salsa dancing, gardening, or scuba diving.
At UnidosNow, I’m driven by the belief that meaningful change happens when we combine community insight, creativity, and action helping families and individuals not just survive, but truly thrive.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
My earliest memory of feeling powerful was in 5th grade. I learned that our school didn’t have a graduation for 5th graders, apparently, moving on to middle school wasn’t “significant enough” to merit all the celebration. I thought that was unfair, so I spoke up to my Spanish language teacher. Instead of dismissing me, she asked the principal if she could help me organize a small graduation and she got the green light.
Together, we went to local businesses to fundraise, priced out caps and gowns, and at the end of the year, we had an incredible graduation complete with a marching band parading through our small town in the Dominican Republic. That experience taught me a powerful lesson: when you’re passionate about something and get the right people on your side, you can make almost anything happen. It was my first real taste of how advocacy, persistence, and community can turn an idea into reality.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has taught me lessons that success never could most importantly, to always choose kindness. Beyond that, it’s taught me to truly pay attention to what I might not be seeing or hearing directly from the individuals we serve. Too often, people are labeled as “disengaged” or “not interested,” when in reality they’re struggling with challenges that prevent full participation.
For example, I had a student recently who seemed completely disengaged. A simple call to the family revealed significant barriers the entire family was facing barriers that, thankfully, we had the capacity to address. Suffering taught me to look deeper, with compassion, and to meet people where they truly are.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
I used to believe that people in positions of influence always had it all together that they were smart, confident, and had all the answers. Over time, I’ve realized how naive that was. The truth is, we’re all learning as we go, figuring things out in real time. The more we approach challenges with an open mind and a willingness to learn, the better we become but most of the time, we’re just winging it and figuring it out as we go. Embracing that reality has made me both more humble and more confident in my own journey.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: When do you feel most at peace?
In the mountains, which is funny because I live in FL.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Unidosnow.org
- Instagram: Dr3mur
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evelynalmodovar
Image Credits
UnidosNow
