Yanel Rivera is the founder of nonprofit Women Speak Up and secretary of the Perth Amboy Arts Council. She specializes in public relations and media marketing, offering her expertise through guest speaking and managing her team through Women Speak Up. Her mission is to make sure women’s voices are heard on and off the field.
What is your greatest career accomplishment to date?
My greatest accomplishment is being able to start an internship program for women in college that has now been going on for two years. We hire interns for event planning, digital marketing, video production, and public relations. As they grow with us, they are studying and receiving credit to ensure they complete their junior and senior years of internships credit they need. I never knew I’d be able to start a program and watch women go into entry-level positions.
What is your greatest personal accomplishment to date?
One of my accomplishments personally is being able to survive trauma I once endured in my past. Using my trauma to guide other women at our annual Women Speak Up Events by giving women a voice after feeling as though they lost it. Being successful is a dream most people want but achieving happiness by overcoming even the worst of traumas is a successful goal to have too.
What do you do today to impact your community?
As the secretary of the arts council in Perth Amboy, I serve as board member on an advisory panel and approve murals that can be displayed throughout the town.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
As I’m getting older, I see myself one day becoming a mother but being able to create generational wealth while I’m becoming a parent. I love what I do and although motherhood is beautiful, I want to always continue being able to work in my field and one day pass the baton to my daughter or future women in my family.
What is the biggest issue that you want to help solve, and why?
I believe that women’s rights to a better education, a better life, and a better reproductive system will always be in the hands of our country in some way, but we always have the power to educate ourselves and find ways to share resources to women who may not be fortunate enough to have them. In 2017, I was the first woman to start an annual cause for women. There weren’t many safe spaces for women to flourish and now seeing that globally I can make an impact, I don’t ever want to stop researching ways to create equal opportunities for women.
What is a moment when you realized the impact of your work?
The moment I realized the impact of my work was after seeing three articles surface online from 2022 to 2023 about the events I host and my internship program for communication students in college, which were by WAJ Magazine, CanvasRebel Magazine, and Kean University’s newspaper called The Tower. I always knew the work I’ve done was meaningful, but it was rewarding to see the recognition for it even now as were expanding Women Speak Up.
Who inspires your leadership?
Coming from a hard-working household, my father raised all four of his kids and provided for our mom even during the hardest times. I never wanted them to worry about me as a I got older, especially seeing how hard my father worked. Now at twenty-nine, I feel like my work ethic truly comes from him and my ability to never give up has taken me far and helped me find my purpose in helping women around the world.
What is a surprising hobby or interest that helps you stay creative and energized?
Not many people know but I love taking a private interest in Medium, which is a platform for writers, and I have always used it as an outlet for writing poetry. It helps me become a better speaker and writer but mainly it’s my favorite way to unwind.
What is your Latino background?
I’m a Puerto Rican who was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and raised by both Puerto Rican parents. My mother is from Río Piedras and came to New Jersey when she was ten, and my father was born in Aibonito and came to New Jersey when he was three. I love being Puerto Rican and my last name, Rivera, has a strong connection throughout my family and siblings that keeps us going.
What song do you listen to that motivates you?
“I’m Every Woman” by Whitney Houston has been one of my favorite songs to the point that every annual Women Speak Up Event that has happened, we have asked the DJ to play it at the end of the event.
