MaryLou Banuelos – Celebrating Women
MaryLou and I met at a Dodgers game, if I recall correctly. Her husband and I worked together and are also friends, and the team was doing a fun weekend outing to Dodger’s Stadium. MaryLou is the type of woman who captures your attention with her friendly smile and convivial voice, always making everyone in the room feel welcomed. You might say it’s because she’s a Human Resources Consultant and HR Business Partner – it’s literally her job to make people feel welcomed. But I would say it’s also her nature.
Let’s get to know a bit more about this East coast born-and-bred woman I’ve had the pleasure of calling my friend for the past few years.
MARYLOU BANUELOS
You've got 2 minutes to tell me your life story
How do you respond?
Well since I’m telling you my life story, we obviously clicked/vibed upon meeting! If asked to tell my life story in two minutes, I could do it. I can describe myself using three words : awkward, unique & quirky. VERY accurate of me.
And since that only took seconds of my two minute limit…to REALLY know me (side note: I relate almost everything to a song & can almost always turn anything into a song but have terrible tune, could be one of the world’s worst singers)… I’m like Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated.” I can be Katy Perry “Hot & Cold.” There’s MANY times I’m Shania Twain’s “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” and for my “softer” side (side note: that instantly makes me think of Sears rebranding (early 90s?) “come see the softer side of Sears”). Anyways Eric Clapton…. “Wonderful Tonight” – one of my favorite songs, MY wedding song (first dance), and I say mine because I KNEW that would be my song when I was a teenager.
Wow! That’s a lot. Good thing I talk fast, I could say all that in two minutes (and it would be random thoughts just like that).
What is a defining moment in your life that shaped your identity as a woman, and how did it influence the way you navigate the world today?
The stories I could tell from my childhood. I was Miss Independent right around the time Kelly Clarkson was born… on my second day of preschool (age 3) I told my mom that I didn’t need her anymore because “I know what to do.” I had told her she could just drop me off. My mom explained to me that she HAD to/was required to walk me into preschool. While I don’t remember this story myself, this shows I’ve always known that I’d figure it out.
As an adult (fast forward to the year 2015, age 35) the passing of my Mom DEFINED me.
Can you share a time when you felt underestimated or overlooked because of your gender, and how you responded to that challenge?
YES. Just today. It’s a past event, but I was reminded and the feelings came back today. April 1993, it was the first ever “Bring your daughter to work day.” The short version: My dad and I were interviewed for a quick clip on local morning TV news. During the segment, the TV Host called me either adorable or cute. After that I was mortified, embarrassed. I was thirteen. I didn’t want to be “cute.” I remember coming home & telling my mom about it. I don’t recall what she said. In that moment, I didn’t respond or say anything back like I would now.
How has society’s view of women evolved, and what barriers still need to be addressed?
Perception has evolved. I think of the story my grandma shared about meeting my grandpa. My (maternal) grandmother worked as an assistant manager (Grant’s Department Store) during WWII. Once the war was over, and the men came back home, the men went to do that work. My grandma was the one that trained my grandpa so that he could be a manager. So, they met at work, but once he was trained, he replaced her. I cannot imagine that today. Yet with so much divide across our nation…I don’t know. I don’t know what the future holds, what the world looks like.
What does empowerment mean to you, and how do you nurture it in yourself and other women?
True empowerment is when I realize and recognize that I have the power and strength to accomplish “it” myself. No matter what the “it” is, like it could be a crucial conversation, giving feedback, completing a task pushed off, finishing a project, meeting a goal…exceeding my own expectations.
I do this professionally, daily, across most conversations, whether it’s with a mentee, a teammate, or a client that I am helping to compliantly meet their goals.
If you could speak to your younger self, what wisdom or encouragement would you share about womanhood, strength, and self-worth?
What woman - either personal or public - comes to mind when you think of a source of inspiration, and why?
This is really making me think, I actually don’t have one.
"True empowerment is when I realize and recognize that I have the power and strength to accomplish “it” myself."
What’s one burden you’d trade for a deeper breath?
Nothing. If anything were different/easier, I wouldn’t be me.
Anything else you'd like to share?
Thank YOU. I appreciate & value your friendship.
Thank You, MaryLou! Those sentiments are mutual, and I so appreciate your participating in the Celebrating Women series. Cheers to your strength, wisdom, and independence! Thank you for being the kind of friend who shows up, listens without judgment, and continually makes me laugh.
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