Today we’d like to introduce you to Mayra Rodriguez.
Hi Mayra, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story started when I was a child. I was born in Mexico City to a great shaman family. I always had a love for the community and for helping everyone around me. I always felt connected and rooted to earth and nature itself, as a child, I always respect the smallest ant to the biggest trees and rocks always got my attention. In a form my spirit always spoke to me and thru me by connecting me to the consciousness of community, care, mindfulness, love, and respect. My great-grandmother and grandmothers were always very loving to me for being “different.” They were and continue to be the core of all the wisdom and teachings that were passed down to me. I grew around herbs, sounds, music, and wonderful smells. My culture created a great positive impact on me since early childhood. Growing up my grandmother’s teaching came in a form of caring for a flower and understanding it was alive and that this flower can help us thru aches and pains, I would see my “mama” help around the community when needed by bringing her herbs and flowers with her. People will heal and get better with time but also after a great talk of their personal aches and pains with my “mama lupe.” As of today, I remember all of these experiences and many more I had growing up and the feeling of being free by doing what I love and feeling natural to my nature. The idea of being helpful around my community by using the natural resources that I grew up with was the result of Rostro. I, however, had a lot to learn about myself and my own path to go through as I got older, these life experiences were helpful to me because it allowed me to look into my own healing and the process of it mentally, physically and spiritually. Once I was on that road, I realized that community support was also a beneficial tool that motivated me to continue healing and growing, I was 20 years old when I bought my first crystal and just by holding it, I was able to remember that feeling as when I was a child and then I knew I wanted to honor my culture , my family practices, the earth itself and pass down in a healthy form what healing itself could be. I wanted to have a safe space where people felt unique, care for, and mainly guide through a more beneficial healing process. I worked on learning throughout these years and the name … well the name for my business took about 3 years to come to life. You would say Rostro De Sol Mexica was already in motion since I was born, yet again it was my responsibility and duty to bring to life and out to the community. Rostro De Sol Mexica emphasizes in the Power of the Sun and my Mexican culture. I had long nights with random words coming to my head and long walks in the park while trying to have a name that was meaningful to me and my roots. It almost seemed like it was effortless yet again it took so many generations to make this dream possible. It’s an honor to my ancestors and their teachings so I can continue keeping, sharing and protecting our beliefs by helping build consciousness in ourselves and the community. Rostro de Sol Mexica is not just selling a crystal or incense is connecting to your inner purpose as the smoke of an incense burns and allowing your spirit to speak as a candle is been light up, Rostro is all of our ancestors, great-grandmothers, great grandfathers, mother, aunts, uncles, teachers and everyone who had cared for healing and continue to be the universal source of power for better beings in humanity. I am a representation of that, and my business Rostro De Sol Mexica, is that source.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Wow! No smooth ride here. It definitely has its challenges.
I didn’t even know what a “pop up market” was. The money was and is something that definitely makes it at times easy and at times difficult. Keeping up with social media is a challenge too, everything seems to move so fast now that makes me wonder, how do I continue to send the right message and hope it’s not just been “scrolled” like it’s just a regular post? Being your own media creator, own investor, own employee and employer, plus the focus and discipline after working a full regular job is a hassle, but is doable. I have a second job literally but I absolutely love more working for my dream than a regular paycheck. Asking for help is also a challenge because sometimes not everyone is out to help another small businesses, or people sometimes won’t share how or tips that can help you along the way. Oh, oh, and do not get me started on setting up your booth in 1 hour or less, depending on the event. Can you imagine that in Houston’s outdoor weather! It’s a hot business that definitely has its challenge, from making up brand names that are catchy to using your own profit to continue investing and trying not to feel like it was a waste but rather a step to grow your business one market at a time!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I work for a refugee department that has partnerships with non-profit organizations such as Catholic Charities, YMCA, Alliance among others. I’m most proud on helping the community as they are entering this country and having to face leaving their family behind and getting accustomed to a new country and a whole new system. I can relate and is always good to hear their stories and what is important to them and their culture. Is satisfying to be able to help them take their first steps to provide a better future for themselves and their families. I believe that my whole team and I are better good working together and one of the things that might set me apart will be the passion I put behind every client I speak with, other than the paperwork I like to share the stories and struggles they face among my peers so we can all continue to see the bigger picture and continue to do our job with pride, honor and love. Passion and kindness for others will always set me apart from the rest.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Houston is diverse. This is what I love about us. You can breathe uniqueness in every inch of it. I definitely dislike driving around but is also fun because I find other places I didn’t even know existed.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: rostro_de_sol_mexica
- Email Address: rostro.de.sol.mexica@gmail.com
- Phone Number: (832) 487-3901
