Liberty Zabala is a 4x Emmy-winning journalist for Fox 5 in San Diego.
Being an empowered woman means to me empowering those around you. I always say “We rise by lifting others”. I truly believe that’s how you empower the world. I have always tried my best to do this through my work as a journalist by empowering viewers with the facts and the truth. I’ve always tried my best to do this through my non-profit work with Asian American Journalists Association San Diego by helping students and working journalists develop and advance their careers in journalism. When you empower others you’re making a difference and hopefully making your community and the world around you a better place.
What has kept you motivated during this intense time?
Like many people, it has been a struggle for me. There have been several times, I felt fatigued and unmotivated during this pandemic. What has helped me to recalibrate is focusing on self-care. Sometimes, we work and work and work and sacrifice our own self-care because of it. But that truly takes a toll. This pandemic has emphasized the fact that we truly need to prioritize our own health. So I constantly have to remind and allot time for myself to literally do nothing but relax, meditate, pray, and whatever else I can to center myself. That helps me stay motivated during intense and challenging times.
What advice do you have for young women and men pursuing their own dreams?
Do not let the opinion of others become your reality. Les Brown said “if there is no enemy within, the enemy outside can do you no harm.” This means you will have doubters but you can NOT doubt yourself. You will definitely have times of self-doubt as you pursue your dreams. Make no mistake about it. But you have to believe in yourself or else why would anyone else believe in you? You have to be your greatest advocate. Don’t worry about what others think. Worry about what YOU think. If you can stand up for yourself and stand proudly, that’s all that matters.