Hey guys! I don't even know where to begin with this one. Let's take this back a few weeks ago when I became part of Neutrogena's new campaign, "Never Better". Yeah, you read that right. I'm so lucky to announce that I will be partnering up with Neutrogena for an entire year to spread the good news about what makes me feel Never Better and encourage my readers and followers to live out what makes you guys feel Never Better! It's such an exciting time in my blog life that I never thought could even happen. With my new sponsorship came the beauty of attending the most amazing summit dedicated to Latina bloggers, We All Grow Summit thrown by We All Grow Latina. I had previously attended this summit, but this time, it was so much more impactful than when I first attended. It's easier if I highlight every day in chronological order, so let's do this!
Day 1: A few influencers and I were lucky enough to be part of an opening party fashion show presented by Neutrogena. This was so out of my element, but it pushed me out of my comfort zone and straight into diva mode. All the influencers and I showed up the evening before the opening party to try on our clothes, selected by Miami celebrity stylist, Karla Birbragher. After each girl was done trying on their outfits, we then moved on to a different room to meet with our modeling coach, Pili Montilla. Our time with Pili was so special because she really helped us tap into our inner divas to truly rock that runway and our lives in general haha!
Day 2: All of the girls and I showed back up at Hotel Maya in Long Beach, where the summit took place, and had a day long event of getting ready for the big show. We had our hair and makeup done and honestly, the entire time this was happening, I just kept asking myself who in the world I even was to be getting pampered by the Neutrogena team all day long haha. I really just had to soak it all in and live in the moment because this was an opportunity of a lifetime. Once the show started, I soon realized just how huge that moment was and by the end of the night, I was on stage with none other than Eiza Gonzalez.
Day 3 & 4: Although the summit began for me on Wednesday, the actual learning began on Friday and Saturday. During these two days, all attendees enjoyed monumental keynote presentations and awesome smaller classes that provided so much education to bloggers, business owners, social media influencers and even those just working in the media world. The classes I attended taught me about monetizing my blog and Instagram, how to build a digital brand strategy, how to take my writing beyond just my blog and so much more. Beyond just the classes, we also enjoyed a little shopping at the Latina Maker's Market, where creators brought along some of their most amazing pieces that us bloggers absolutely loved.
Also on Friday and Saturday we enjoyed lunch with St. Jude Hospital and Disney Parks. Friday's lunch was so touching because an actual St. Jude patient joined us and we had the absolute pleasure of listening to her story and how much of a success she already is. Saturday was a lot lighter on the emotions because Disney Parks joined us to talk all about what's coming soon to the parks. The lunch itself was amazing on Saturday and then Buzz and Woody walked in to make it even more special - obviously the Disney fan in me freaked out haha.
The best part about this experience and We All Grow Summit in general are the friendships you take away. It's a sisterhood and bond that actually lasts. As a blogger, I meet and support other bloggers and influencers online all the time. Actually meeting these people is where the magic is because that's where the connection happens. We All Grow is different because it brings some of the best Latina influencers under one roof to create power and strengthen our abilities to grow together. It sure also helps to know the tiny staff that runs this awesome organization is full of boss ladies that are in total control of their lives and truly care about spreading positive influence amongst the Latin culture. That alone makes me even more proud to be a Latina and to also have a voice within my own culture.
For those of you who have never attended the We All Grow Summit or have heard of #WeAllGrow Latina Network, please please please click on this link to browse their website and fall in love with this company the way I have. I totally plan on attending this summit again next year and who knows, with all the knowledge I was fueled with, I might just come back to the summit as a speaker! The world is my oyster and thanks to this summit, I'm even more ready to take on my career and blog life by the horns.
Special thank you to the We All Grow team, Ana, Melissa and everyone else who worked tirelessly to create such a successful event. To the Neutrogena team, the makeup and hair artists, Pili and the entire C-Com Group - I am forever grateful for the opportunity to have worked with you.
Xo,
Melissa Victoria
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