Véronica Rivera // Coach, Facilitator & Writer at ‘a better side’

Long story short, I left the crisis in Venezuela and moved to Berlin in 2014 with 10€ and a box of insulin. Before leaving, I was a crafty designer, teacher, and event organizer for the creative community. But once I moved to Germany, knowing that I didn’t want to go back, I just made my decisions based on what the immigration office wanted.

My main goal was to feel safe and at home, and I completely forgot to nurture my creative self. When I finally got everything I needed (the home, job, permanent residence, partner, and adorable dog)  I realized I didn’t know what I wanted to do with that. I felt lost, and exhausted: now what?

That’s when I started to intentionally explore my migration experience, make sense of it and make peace with it. I tried mentorship, coaching, therapy, and all sorts of individual and group activities. It helped me remember who I wanted to be —besides a migrant— and create a plan of action to get there.

Soon after that, I knew I wanted to support others in their own process and created ‘a better side’. My mission is to remind creative migrants of their unconditional value through tools, workshops, and individual coaching so they can be unapologetically themselves, wherever they live. I also write a lot about migration and how it affects our bodies and minds, from both my perspective and the collective experience.

If you are a migrant and have to constantly prove your value to the place you live in, is hard not to question your worth at some point. But I hope my work helps you remember that you are enough as you are, you have something to bring to the table and that people need to hear the story only you can tell.

Go check out Véronica and her work on Instagram: @a.better.side!