“I was worried before I came here today,” Rosa Valdés said as she arranged her Educated Chola T-shirts, totes and bags at Café Girasol in Boyle Heights. “Just because I got anxious doesn’t mean my anxiety is gone.”
Having met with friend and colleague Beth Guerra, a brand strategist at Cal State LA’s Los Angeles equity finance accelerator & partnership program, offers support and helps calm her nerves for the photo shoot, Valdés takes a deep breath and moves on.
The Valdés lived anxiously. In 2018, the 33-year-old businesswoman was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, which left her with insomnia, poor appetite and migraines.
“When I feel very bad, I turn my thoughts more and I’m depressed,” he explains. “I don’t think non-neurodivergent people understand how much you have to fight with your brain when you have a mental illness.”
Today, that energy has turned into his own line of t-shirts, backpacks, stickers and jewelry, which range in price from $3 to $40, and into encouraging other Latinos to feel more comfortable talking about their mental health.
Chola’s stickers are designed to explore mental health, especially in the Latino community.
(Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
“Talks about mental health are prevalent in my culture,” Valdés said, while folding t-shirts with the slogans: “I have many feelings” and “breathe deeply.” “The purpose of my business is to raise awareness about mental health. There is no shame in taking medicine, even though it carries a huge stigma in communities of color.
Guerra said he experienced the same problems as Valdés, whose parents immigrated from Tijuana. “Our origins are very different,” Guerra said of his friend. I am a fourth generation Latina, while Rosa is the first generation, and yet our worlds are very similar. Going to see a psychiatrist is something very important.”
Although she surrounds herself with friends like Guerra, Valdés knows that it is very easy to feel alone, especially with a woman of color who has not been taught to talk about her feelings. “While the new generation of Latinos are more open about their mental health, there are many who don’t want their families to know they’re struggling or helping,” he said.
Valdes’ assertion is supported by a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study that Latinos do not seek the same therapies in the same proportions as other racial or ethnic groups.
Chola learned mugs.
(Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
Such emotions are what prompted Valdés to try to deal with normal mental problems, by linking them with humor. “I try to be as funny as possible,” says Valdés, “because if you feel me and I can add laughter to my day or another day, I feel that I have accomplished something.”
At a Unique LA creator event in downtown Los Angeles last year, Valdés drew laughs from patrons as he shared stickers printed with witty slogans like “Always tired” and “Amygdala, included!” next to bracelets with serotonin molecules and colorful earrings representing lithium, Cymbalta, Xanax and Prozac.
“I think it’s a fun but subtle way to break down the mind’s way of attacking a brand of mental health,” Valdés says of the earrings. “I always love explaining it to people and I’m happy to do it if it helps them.”
Valdes was born in Boyle Castle and grew up in south Los Angeles. After her father died when she was 5, she and her two sisters were raised by their mother, who encouraged Valdés to “get in the spirit” of the difficult times. “It works,” he said with a smile.
Valdés’ quest to get people talking about mental health is based on his lifelong experience with anxiety.
“I clearly remember being depressed at times, but not knowing what it was,” said the youngster. “When it comes to anxiety, I’ve always been very ambitious and a perfectionist, to the point of exhausting myself. So when I was in third grade, I was always trying to get straight A’s because I thought if I didn’t do the honor roll, Associated Press or honors classes, I wouldn’t get into college. Now we know that’s not exactly true, but what happens with care: “Things turn disastrous and you assume the worst. I did everything I could to avoid failure. “
Rosa Valdés sells Chola-bred products at Café Girasol in Boyle Castles.
(Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
While studying for graduate school at New York University, where he earned a master’s degree in public administration, Valdés felt that he did not fit in with the other students. “I think I and other color enthusiasts have had imposter syndrome,” he explained, “but we’re so good at hiding it, or like we know what we’re doing, that we tend to suppress it as we move forward.”
After graduating from NYU, he took a job at a non-profit organization, where he found it difficult to advance. “I learned that profit is not a healthy place for people of color,” he said. “I had a master’s degree, but they offered me the same jobs as before. Many institutions are not built for people of color to succeed.” Also, mental health was not helped by the job. “I already have impostor syndrome,” Valdés said quietly. “He pissed her off.”
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, Valdés decided to fulfill a lifelong dream: owning his own business. Use your savings and continue working full time as a rental agent. Educated Chola began, inspired by what he felt within. “I’ve always felt bored because my brain is always on the go,” he explains. “When you’re worried you’re always thinking and thinking. You have to stop. It’s probably because I’m always tired.”
Inspired by her transparency and vulnerability, Valdés’ TikTok and Instagram accounts are often flooded with direct messages from followers who want to try the therapy and are curious about her experience.
“When she goes to events or pop-ups, people see pill earrings and open up to talk about their mental health with Rosa,” says Guerra. “It’s impressive to see her break down stigmas in real time.”
Although Valdés emphasizes that she is not a medical professional, she feels comfortable talking about her own experience with mental health in hopes that it will spark conversations at home.
“I always tell people, whatever your family or your humanity says, do what’s best for you,” he said. “It’s your mindset. What works for you and knowing it’s good to be afraid when you ask. [ayuda] mental health profession I did this business out of that fear and that shame.
Prescription earrings mean lithium, Cymbalta, Xanax and Prozac.
(Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
A gold dopamine necklace designed to represent mental health issues.
(Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
When asked what advice she would give other Latinos struggling with anxiety and depression, Valdés suggested exploring places with family first. “See what they feel about mental health and how supportive they are if you share their struggles,” she says. “If they favor you, great. If not, don’t let them take care of your mental health
“As part of our culture, we tend to feel that we have to share everything with everyone, especially our family members, but we are allowed to keep things to ourselves.” “And in this case you are the most important first care. You cannot do anything to help others unless you put yourself first.”
A bag of Chola Scholars.
(Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
Having a lot of emotions is difficult and exhausting, he says. “I’m there full time and I’m always trying to come up with new ideas. Pour all the days off on me. From time to time, he adds, and as I feel my anxiety creeping up, I realize that he has called me out before he shouts at the group. That gets me started. This year I said I would do less and not feel bad about it.”
As he progresses, Valdés hopes to turn his learned Chola into a full-fledged brand. “I would like to create a database of resources to help people navigate mental health based on their insurance or lack of insurance,” he said. “I’ve been on Medicaid before, and it’s very difficult to navigate and find mental health services. It’s easy to do that. But it’s not.”
Sometimes, you may want to have your own care event or conference where you can offer group therapy to anyone willing to participate.
In the meantime, he will continue to sell his products at Molcajete Tienda in Montebello, Café Girasol in Boyle Heights, online, and at various pop-up events, such as the March 19 LatinaFest.
Rosa Valdés takes a breath while wearing Xanax earrings.
(Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
It comes with a risk of being vulnerable, but the opinions about their products are worth accepting.
“There were people who came to me and thanked me for being so open about my mental health issues,” Valdés said. “People send me hugs or good vibes on my social media accounts, and I get all the good vibes. But I say to them: Make someone in your life. Do it yourself.”
