My name is Alexes Salazar, I am from San Antonio, Texas, and have recently graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio. I want to preface this experience of Training Camp by giving a little insight about the feelings I had leading up to it. As I graduated I knew that the VFA family was something I wanted to be a part of and that Training Camp would be an experience that not many people get to have. Even so, the feelings that were stirring inside me were filled with fear, nervousness, and an understanding that this would create a core memory for me to remember for the rest of my life.
Through these two weeks of Training Camp there were many speakers that stood out to me, but the one that impacted me the most was Lorenzo Gomez. He grew up in San Antonio (just like I did) and his story centered around having a “personal board of directors.” Hearing where he started and where he built himself to be was almost like looking at a future that I hoped I could achieve. He had an entire slide dedicated to the same grocery store I grew up going to (the nostalgia).
The rigorous nature of Training Camp taught me a lot, there were many small anecdotes that built my understanding of what entrepreneurship is, what a change-maker is, and stories of people who built impactful, socially motivated businesses that are changing the world. Not only that, the other Fellows very much left a huge impact on me and together we curated an experience that made these two weeks unforgettable. Being in a room with people of all different backgrounds and seeing the success and potential everyone has to be the building blocks for a better future was extremely inspirational.
Overall, Training Camp was a great experience and leaves me with a lot of happiness and comfort to know that this small scary step was very worth it. Two weeks away from home is not a big deal for many people but it is an experience that I have never had the opportunity to have until now. I write this small diary after Training Camp with a new community, a new perspective, and a lot of excitement for what else is to come.