Safe Spaces, Sound Futures: Raquel Borras' Raq the Boat is Amplifying the Voices of Our Youth

Discover the inspiring story of Raquel Borras, founder of Raq the Boat, on this week's episode of the Women in the Arena Podcast. Raquel shares her journey from a childhood overshadowed by the urge to please, to emerging as a beacon of hope, empowering youth through her transformative platform. In this episode, she reveals how Raq the Boat is providing safe spaces for kids to express themselves authentically and helping them navigate life with resilience and confidence.

🎯 3 Reasons You Should Listen:

1. Safe Spaces for Kids: Learn how Raquel Borras is fostering environments where children can freely express themselves without fear of judgment.
2. Empowerment Through Dialogue: Hear how Raq the Boat’s candid chats with kids on YouTube are transforming youth empowerment by amplifying their voices.
3. Innovative Leadership: Discover Raquel’s dynamic leadership style and her unwavering commitment to building resilience and self-assurance in at-risk youth.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• The importance of creating safe spaces for kids to be kids.
• The power of unscripted dialogues in nurturing self-esteem and identity.
• How Raquel's energy healing session realigned her life purpose, fueling her mission to reshape how we listen to and empower our children.

Tune in to this vibrant conversation to gain insights into creating a brighter future for the next generation. Whether you're a parent, educator, or advocate for youth empowerment, this episode offers practical advice and inspiration to make a difference.


https://www.youtube.com/c/raqtheboat

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***Last thing- This is my WISH LIST of interviews:

• Joan Jett
• Dolly Parton
• Viola Davis
• Ina Garten

Maybe you can help a girl out...***

Go check out all of our episodes on our website at: https://womeninthearena.net/

If you'd like to connect, reach out to me at audra@womeninthearena.net

***One last thing...I have an interview wish list because a girl's gotta dream

• Viola Davis
• Dolly Parton
• Ina Garten
• Joan Jett

Maybe one of you can help me out!

Thank you all for supporting this show and all Women in the Arena!

Transcript

Audra: 0:31

Welcome in everyone and thank you so much for joining me again this week. My guest this week is a superstar in both her personal life as well as her professional life. My guest this week is Raquel Boras. She is the social media manager for New American Funding, but, more importantly, she is the founder of Rock the Boat, which is a youth empowerment movement, includes live events for teen empowerment around the country, as well as a YouTube channel that she interviews kids of all ages around the world. It is my pleasure and my honor to introduce to you Raquel Raquel. Thank you so much for joining us and welcome to the show. Thank you for having me. I have long been an admirer of you. You and I run in the same circles. We've just never had an opportunity to spend time one-on-one. We've said quick hellos in certain situations but never actually had opportunity to engage, and I've long been admired of what you do, both professionally but, more importantly, what you do in your off time. So it's a real pleasure for me to have you here today.

Raquel: 1:43

Well, I'm honored. I'm always humbled when I come on these things because I'm like wait, people want to hear what I have to say. Wait, thank you.

Audra: 1:52

Little old me. What do you mean? I didn't think anybody was paying attention. Well, I've been paying attention, thank you, little old me. What do you mean? What? I didn't think anybody was paying attention. Well, I've been paying attention, thank you. Besides you being accomplished professionally, what I'm really impressed with is rock the boat. So first of all, tell us what is rock the boat.

Raquel: 2:10

I know Everyone's like what the heck is that? But then when they see how I spell it, they're like, oh, that makes sense Because, yes, it's R-A-Q. The boat. So for me it's something where I didn't realize how my childhood was going to affect my adulthood until much later in life. And I was that kid that was like the perfectionist and the people pleaser and wanted everyone to like her and never rocked the boat. So it was interesting.

Raquel: 2:41

When I wanted to start a YouTube channel, it just came to me. I was like I'm going to call it Rock the Boat because I finally feel empowered enough to be able to rock the boat and be okay with it, to rock the boat and be okay with it. So that's how it started. And just you know, talking to our youth, because they're the ones that, uh, they're our future and I want to hear what they have to say. So, just like you want to hear what I have to say, I'm like I want to hear what all kids have to say, just from all around the world in general. And, uh, that's just how it started and now it's like a movement, essentially.

Audra: 3:16

What was the spark? I mean starting a YouTube channel, starting a podcast. Something ignites the passion For you. What was that ignition?

Raquel: 3:28

Okay, so this might sound kind of kooky to some of your viewers and listeners.

Audra: 3:34

No, I'm the host. Nothing sounds like a movie anymore.

Raquel: 3:39

So I had a call with an energy healer who actually was referred to me by someone in the industry I can never pronounce his last name, alex. He was with Sales Boomerang and they just changed their name. So Alex and I had done one of his bourbon and something podcasts and we were talking about like energy and healing and all of those things. And he's like I have a great energy healer. I'm like, well, I need to talk to this guy. So I had a call with him on a Friday and what was interesting about that call and I've never actually publicly talked about this is that he was asking me to tap into my nine-year-old self. He's like who's that nine-year-old girl? And so that's kind of like what we were started talking on. So it was interesting because I tapped into my younger self and then at the end of the call he's like listen, we really kind of opened up a lot of stuff and some kind of doors and windows.

Raquel: 4:39

So if you start receiving things, like, don't let it scare you, because you're you're now in a place where, like, you want to receive, where before I was like very closed off. So I didn't know what in the world he was talking about. I was like receiving, like things are going to happen. He's like, yes, just just, you're going to receive. And it was Tuesday morning. I literally like sitting there and suddenly it was just like this crazy download where it was like you're going to have a YouTube channel, you're going to talk to kids, it's going to be called Rock the Boat. The tagline is going to be creating waves through candid conversations with our youth. And there you have it. So like that's what all went down. So it was literally like a spark, because here was this energy healer that like did something.

Audra: 5:27

Ignited something that you had fire for and passion for that you didn't know about because you were too busy being an adult, exactly.

Raquel: 5:35

And too busy concern about what people are going to think and what people are going to say and all of those things, and we are particularly plagued with that because we're female.

Audra: 5:47

So I think that we get plagued with that probably more than most, because that's just the messages that we get from society that you need to be always concerned about, whatever everybody else thinks. Yes, but it's amazing what happens when you tell all those voices to shut up and you get to listen to your own and in your case, you're like oh, I know, I'm going to invest in the next generation, which I think is amazing, because your, your kids, are in college. One of them is almost out of college and one's in the throes of college.

Raquel: 6:23

Well, he actually technically graduated, so I have a graduate.

Audra: 6:27

Oh my gosh. Yeah, here we are. It's something that happens really quickly and you decided I'm going to talk to kids. Yeah, when you set up this YouTube channel, first of all, you set up this channel and you're like okay, now what?

Raquel: 6:47

I'm sure that's what happened. You know what I did? I YouTubed how to start a YouTube channel.

Audra: 6:53

No joke, true story. Where else are you going to?

Raquel: 6:55

find it. I'm like I don't know how to do a YouTube channel and so, yeah, I had to YouTube it and then I figured it out and it's still a work in progress. I mean, I'm three years in, but it's amazing how you know different platforms. You have to learn. You know just the way they work. So, yeah, it's definitely a work in progress, but this is where I tell people like you got to just keep doing it. I might not know all the ins and outs and the hacks and have all the subscribers in the world, but you know what I'm making an impact. So that's what matters right At the end of the day, not to worry too much about the other stuff.

Audra: 7:30

Don't worry about the details. The rest of all in place, exactly so. What kind of kids?

Raquel: 7:38

have you talked to? And what have you talked about? Oh my gosh, I was just thinking about this today because what's crazy is that I, for instance, have a child who is now 14. He's literally a boy genius. He is on the spectrum and I've had him on my show seven times and I did something. For the first time ever on Friday is his dad asked to be on the show with him because he said, I want to be able to explain to you, to me and to your audience of like, what kind of impact you've had on Eris. So it was interesting because, for instance, with Eris, he had him on the show because he wanted him to help with his social cues and just his social skills and he didn't have anybody he could think of. And then he found me and he's like well, let's see if this lady works. And it did Right. So, like that was that was one aspect of it was just now Eris has this confidence about himself because of the show.

Raquel: 8:31

And then I was like and then how in the world did I get a LinkedIn message last week from this young woman who is 16 years old? Her name is Raheen, she is from Pakistan and she asked to be able to be on my show and this world, this girl has accolades like you wouldn't believe. Like been on CNN, she's like won all these awards, I mean, and I'm thinking, oh my gosh, she wants to be on my show, so I'm going to have her on tomorrow. We will record tomorrow. I had Ethan, who was a leukemia survivor and he's raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Then I've had young kids that are like six, seven years old, that literally just want to talk about like Minecraft or video games. I mean, I've had just every single type of conversation you can think of. I've had it with somebody because I've had 77 conversations uploaded. So that's yeah.

Audra: 9:30

They're like a half hour conversations at least that is quite an accomplishment being on this side of the mic. I know how hard that is, because you have to go in and edit everything and it takes dedication, and you did it with kids.

Raquel: 9:47

Yeah, which that's another thing too is that kids, they don't really have a filter. So there have been certain episodes where I, you know because I always have the parents sign off and then they go ahead and look at the video because most of the parents are not in the room with the kid, which I like that, because I want the kid to feel like, you know, he doesn't have someone hovering over him, hearing what he has to say. So what happens is, a lot of time the younger ones, you know, they'll say things where later the parents are. You know what. I don't think I really want anyone knowing about that, but I've only encountered that maybe two or three times. Most of the parents are like, hey, that's what they said. That's what they said, you know, and I love that their parents are also owning what their kids are saying, you know, because that's the thing too.

Raquel: 10:31

We live in this world where a lot of parents are sometimes a little bit maybe I don't want to say like embarrassed, but you know, kids will say certain things and their parents are like, oh no, they didn't die to say that. Or oh my gosh, or I want my kid to be seen in a certain light. You know, that's a big thing too, right when they they want to make sure that the kid looked perfect or the said the perfect thing. I'm like no, no, no, no, we like. This is just a conversation, so.

Audra: 11:01

I've learned a lot, especially working with kids, and I'm curious could you get these kids to open up, which is not always easy, depending on the child, yeah. So how are you? How are you approaching them? That's different, because they see you depending on their age. You could be the same age as their mom, yeah, and so they could see you as. Oh great, another mom is going to lecture me, Right? So how do you make that bridge that they don't feel like it's? Oh, another adult's going to tell me what to do.

Raquel: 11:31

I think, because most of them have no idea who I am. They just know that their parent was like talk to this lady. She has a YouTube channel. When they hear YouTube channel, excuse me, I think they automatically like, oh cool, some kind of social media, I don't know. But I think what happens is automatically, when they come on, I hit record. And so right away I hit record. And so right away they automatically like, oh, she's not like interviewing me, or she's not like doesn't have a bio or doesn't have you know any, she's not introducing me, she's just like starts talking to me and I think right away, like their guard goes down because I just go in at it. Like hey, hey, oh my gosh, okay, wait the button here. Like can you hear me? Or hey, like, hey, hey, oh my gosh, okay, wait the button here. Like, can you hear me? Or hey, like, oh, what's that in the background? Like it's just so unscripted and very just organic in that way.

Raquel: 12:24

I think that's kind of the key for a lot of these kids is they don't want to feel like it's a classroom setting or like, yeah, I'm some kind of like teacher figure that's going to tell them what to do, or yeah, I kind of act like a kid myself. I don't know it's um. Yeah, that's why it's very I. I warn some of these kids, like, for instance, raheen uh, I sent her the YouTube channel. I said, hey, this is kind of like my format, because I think, a lot of times too, these kids think they are going to come on to something very professional and then they realize, like, okay, this is very different. I'm just having a conversation with this adult, but I do that on purpose. That's, the whole point is to show other adults that you can have a conversation with a kid very naturally If you just start talking, asking questions, being curious, just being yourself, like they allow me to be myself.

Audra: 13:20

I think that that is unique because they're not used to having that kind of freedom or agency over their own voices. True, they're used to only speaking their true selves, if you will, to their friends, where they can just be free and be themselves. It's very rare that you're like an adult walks up to them and says how's it going? What are you doing? I really want to know. Yeah, and I think that's really pretty special because you are giving them this platform that allows them to speak freely and vulnerably and transparently, which may be something that sticks in their brain, changes their brain chemistry and follows them through to adulthood. Because, remember, we started the episode saying that you were a certain type of kid and that followed you into adulthood. I also have some bad habits that have followed me into adulthood, but you're creating good habits that may follow them into adulthood. What an amazing thing.

Raquel: 14:28

Yeah, I didn't even think about it that way. Oh, now the pressure. I'm just kidding, sure, no, I just I just think, you know, I I realized how, as a child, not really feeling seen and heard, how that really affected my confidence, just how I felt about myself, my self-worth, all of those things. And so I'm like if I can provide that for a child or a teen, if they can, in that moment, feel seen and heard, and that can in turn empower them and they walk away with a little bit more confidence or a little bit more security about who they are, I think that's like essentially my goal, because I just know how powerful that can be, because now that I have found my own voice and I do feel seen and heard and I, it's very empowering. And when you're empowered like that's, that's when you really feel like you can do great things and change the world.

Raquel: 15:27

And you know, like I, now I have the confidence that I didn't have for very, very long time, and sometimes it takes a while. I mean I'm going to be 49 this year, and that's another thing too. I want to show them that, like, even adults still struggle with all of that. You know, like just because we're an adult doesn't mean that we know everything and we have it all figured out, like. I think it's important for them to understand that too, because then I think that will help them be like okay, I'm not on a timeline, because I think a lot of these kids think that they have to be on this timeline and it's like no, there's no timeline.

Audra: 16:01

Oh, if there was a timeline, I'm pretty sure I failed. Oh, I know I did that's for sure, my kids are young adults like yours and they call me all the time and say this adulting thing is hard.

Raquel: 16:20

I'm like, look there's very little upside to adulting. The only benefit is that you don't have to live with your mother. That's literally the only benefit. Well, kind of, because I live with my mother. Don't tell them that they're going to be like oh great, mom.

Audra: 16:30

Don't tell them that Adulting is hard. It's really hard, and for me it also thing you sort of found it somewhere in your mid forties. Me too, I found it somewhere in my mid forties, quite frankly, because I was just tired of sending my representative, because that's exhausting, yeah, frankly, really exhausting. So you have given this gift to these kids that maybe they don't have to carry the same garbage with us forward and then finally discover themselves in their forties Whereas they figured out exactly who they are young and what can they accomplish with that.

Raquel: 17:27

Yeah, and there's some that like whew, I listened to that. I'm like gosh, you've already written a book, you already have a nonprofit, you've already keynotes. Like, oh my gosh, oh, there are some kids that I'm just like I walk away thinking okay, maybe I need to assert myself more, maybe I'm not doing enough. Let's see Book nonprofit. Yeah, I failed, I told you I failed, I failed. Yeah, but that's the thing too. I talk about how we can't compare ourselves to other people on social media.

Audra: 18:14

I mean, I can't be comparing myself to these young kids. I have to just be proud and just be like good for you. You're so much smarter than I was.

Raquel: 18:24

What has surprised you the most out of talking to all these kids? I think the fact that they do enjoy talking to an adult. That, I think, has really validated what I'm doing and why. That's why I'm still doing it. Because, let's be honest, if I had done like five shows and nobody's reaching out no, like if parents are like, hey, you want to be on the show and they're saying no, then I would have been like, okay, you know what? I guess they really don't want to talk to me or don't care to talk to an adult. But the fact that I have these kids wanting to come back on, these kids reaching out separately, these parents asking their kids and then their kids watching what I do and say yes, that is very shocking to me, to be honest, and it just goes to show you that our kids really are craving those type of relationships. It's just that we're just not offering them to them as much. Those type of you know, relationships. It's just that we're just not offering them to them as much.

Raquel: 19:17

You know, like, I remember as a kid having a rapport with my parents' friends, like, cause I would go to the parties or they would have the adults over, and I remember like them engaging with me and you know, like to this day. I mean, I went out to dinner with my dad's roommate from college. I had never met him, but I was going to be in the same city as him and I was like, oh, that'd be really fun to like see someone who my dad went to college with, right Like. So I just didn't think that that was still a thing and I've come to realize that, even with my own kids I'm sure you've noticed that with your kids like, they probably have some friends that really love you and like, really look at you like a mother, mother, and you know I have that with some of the same you know uh, friends as my kids, where they really like like me as a person and enjoy having conversations with me. So I think that's really what has surprised me, that we, we downplay all of that.

Audra: 20:13

Well, I think part of it is because you and I are part of Gen X and we were pretty much feral children.

Raquel: 20:20

Like, pay attention to me please.

Audra: 20:25

Open the door out. Yeah, that was our childhood. Get out, yeah.

Raquel: 20:31

Come home, talk to people, go just yeah, just don't take candy from a stranger and jump in their car. But now we're jumping in Ubers and we don't know, so it's like another story, but that worked really well.

Audra: 20:43

But we were begging for attention. Yeah, we were largely ignored, and so that's when we decided to, like I said, be feral children and be Lord of the Flies all the time and take care of ourselves. We didn't have that. We did not have that and, as you alluded to, we created that in our household for our kids and our kids' friends, and our living room was set up. We called it the kid zone. We had furniture in there that we didn't care about, so if they ruined it, we weren't going to be sad. We had a big TV in there and I always stocked the pantry and the refrigerator with plenty of food because I wanted them all to feel comfortable to be in our, in our home.

Audra: 21:29

And there was a method to my madness, because if you know your kids' friends, you probably can find out your kids' friends' parents. Because your kids become who they kids friends, parents yeah, because your kids become who they hang out with, yeah, so that was the whole purpose, but the added benefit was these kids were having, they were there, they were looking for an adult relationship with us. Like it's asking advice and what do you think? And can I come over for dinner? I just I need to. I need a break from my own house. I want to talk to a mom, but not my mom. Yeah, yeah, and it was. It was unexpected. So I can see how your entire YouTube channel is probably having a similar result.

Raquel: 22:14

Yeah, and I think the misconception is because our kids have so much access to the phone and online connections and relationships, we forget how important the actual human connection is, and that's essentially what I was trying to do as well, and that's why I have it so basic meaning, like I just hit record and pretty much that's it.

Raquel: 22:35

It is because I wanted to kind of remind people what just a basic conversation looks like. And you can have a very simple conversation with a teenager who you might think, because they're on their phone all day long and their attention span is different, but they're still willing to have a 30 minute conversation with someone like myself and be super engaged. It just goes to show you that, yeah, we, we have this misconception I think of of what our kids needs and wants are sometimes, yes, their brains are different because of everything and, yes, the way they navigate the world is different, but I think at the core of it all, that, just that human connection and wanting to feel seen and heard and wanting to feel like someone's paying attention to me, and all of those things that I think will never change- and, thank goodness, and you've taken this one step further.

Audra: 23:31

I'm really wanting to dive into what these events are. You have live events in cities around the country, is that correct? Well, I'm trying, yes, dive into what these events are. You have live events in cities around the country. Is that correct? Well, I'm trying, yes.

Raquel: 23:39

So I had my first one just in November here in San Diego. It was small, because it was my first one and I think you know, just like anything else, I was promoting it like crazy, but nobody could understand what my vision was. Even the people that participated and flew in to speak to these teens, even my own parents who went to the event, they were all kind of like how are you planning on having teenagers engaged from nine in the morning till 3 PM, the entire time? Like nobody could understand. I'm like no, no, we're going to have, I'm going to have speakers, I'm going to have music, like you know, free lunch and swag bags. And in my head I'm like, no, it's going to work.

Raquel: 24:12

Well, it worked because even though it was a small group of teens like 10 or less they all walked away asking when the next one was going to be. They all shared that it was fun, they were all engaged. Nobody was taking out their phones. It's not like I told them that I put their phones away but they weren't looking at their phones because they were so like just tapped into what these speakers were saying that I realized like, yeah, if you can, if these kids feel like they can resonate and they feel like you have something to say. They're going to listen, just like adults, right? So I was like, okay, like this is working. And then everybody else else there was like now I see your vision and we can see you scaling this and having this all around the world, essentially. So that's why I'm like okay, here we go.

Raquel: 25:04

So the next one's in Houston and I'm very grateful with that opportunity because I'm actually co-hosting it with a friend of mine who speaks to high schools and he's spoken to a ton in Houston. And I actually flew to Houston last week and had a conversation with the high school principal of one of the schools and she was like I love what you're doing, I'm going to support you a hundred percent. I will get you 50 students from my school in a heartbeat. Put them in a bus, I'll drive them to the venue and that's. You know, that's the hard part is because a lot of these kids are like I'm too cool for school. Why would I want to go to an event with adults just talking about their stories? So it can be a little tricky. That's why I want to have music, that's why I have swag bags, that's why I provide food, all of those things, because I know how it works.

Audra: 25:54

Tell me what happens at these events, because it sounds, first of all, it sounds like magic that you've engaged teenagers from nine to three without them looking at your phone. Right, I know, I'm even still kind of like what I think you might be a wizard. So there's that. What are you providing them? Because I'm super intrigued, I think I want to pretend that I'm a teenager and go yeah.

Raquel: 26:18

Well, I mean, I basically like have created an agenda and I'm just going to duplicate it because it worked. So they come in. Breakfast my sister, who's a DJ, was there DJing I know I definitely want to have it like music and she had music going. And so it was just like, and I just started talking to the teens, like I really made it a point to get to know everyone, and then the adults that were there to speak and support they, I told them I said, listen, if you're going to participate and you need to participate that means that you need to get in there and talk to these teenagers. You're not a speaker, that's VIP. In a VIP speaker room, you know and treated like your VIP because you're a speaker. No, no, no, no, you're like the rest of us, right? You just happen to have a really cool story that I want you to share. So that's like how I preface it too and so I made sure that I had speakers there that had really amazing stories of like adversity or stories of like empowering those teens there as well, and they were very much interactive too. Like one of the speakers who actually owned the venue, she did a whole like main character energy, like where you're your own main character in a movie. And so she's asking them, like what would your character be, what would the title of your movie be, had them come up? They were super shy but then they started talking. So I love that these speakers were really interactive with these teens, so that kind of kept it going.

Raquel: 27:39

And then I have financial literacy. I'll always have financial literacy, being in the mortgage industry being how important it is that these kids understand what it is to have a credit card and APR and how to, if you have a job, how you can start saving all of those things. So financial literacy. I had another nonprofit there that does music education lunch. We had pizza burritos, like. So they were loving the food, music still going, and then a couple other speakers and then the last of the last activity was an art activity and they were totally tapped into that too. And then it was the end, like it actually went by really quickly, but that was the agenda.

Audra: 28:24

That sounds like a great day. It was so fun.

Raquel: 28:28

Like even my parents and the other adults were like, oh my gosh, we even learned so much. I'm like, yeah, we can learn a lot, too, from hearing other people talk about their stories. So, yeah, I think the key is just that these kids are there, realizing that we're there for them, like we're not trying to talk at them, we're like talking with them, like we're just being like hey, like we want you guys to like succeed and we want you to do great things and we care about you and you're worth it. Like there's something about that that I think these teens just automatically like want to listen and be like okay, help me.

Audra: 29:09

What's your vision for this? And I'll ask that in two ways. Okay, and I'll ask that in two ways Okay, what's your vision for the kids that you interact with, both on the YouTube and in person, for your events? That's part one. I'll let you answer and I'll ask the other one.

Raquel: 29:25

Okay, that is a really good question, because I think that's something that I'm still really trying to figure out, because the teen events I started out as wanting them to be towards at-risk youth teens that really don't have maybe two parents at home, they might not have a good role model, they might not have the resource, all of those things. So I thought that's who I want to tap into, because they're the ones that will walk away feeling the most, because they don't usually get that at home. But, at the same time, there's so many teenagers out there, like my own teens, that are very privileged, that have everything but yet still really struggle with their mental health and wellbeing as well, right. So I'm like I'm really trying to under, like I'm trying to figure that out, to be honest, because I just like adults, when we go to these events, a lot of us were like, yeah, rah, rah, rah, like we're super, you know, pumped up, and then we walk away and a day later it was like it never happened, right? So like I don't want that to happen to these teens, I want them to really have a long lasting effect on them.

Raquel: 30:29

So I think it's figuring out how to get more of the community involved, having, making sure that there's resources there, making sure that they realize that when they walk out of that event, that they still have the support and there's still people there that are willing to be there along the way for them.

Raquel: 30:47

So I'm trying to figure out how to make that happen because, yeah, I I've had adults kind of approach me and be like hey, but how do you know they're not going to just walk away and then they go home to the same environment and then what it's like? You're right, but if something can happen during that day, that somebody is able to connect with them or somebody says something that just resonates where they're like you know what, I can change my life or I can take this baby step in order to better my situation. That's what I'm trying to like make sure that I have the right people and it's the right type of event so that it, when I say make an impact, it literally makes an impact. And so that's what I envision is having to make sure that these kids do walk away like not necessarily a changed person, but something in them does, there's like a shift in them.

Audra: 31:44

You're giving them power and permission.

Raquel: 31:46

Yes, Maybe that's what it is Power and permission. There you go.

Audra: 31:53

I know that that's a strange thing to say is that you get permission to do that, but so many of us are waiting for permission.

Raquel: 32:00

So then, maybe that's what it is is just making sure they walk away with permission. Yeah, so that's what I mean is, like I'm trying to, it's all a work in, it's all, it's all a work in progress.

Audra: 32:12

That's sometimes the best part. Yeah, as as one of my friends has said, when I started this crazy idea of oh, I know I'll start a podcast, what do I know? She said to me in the very early days. She said make sure you enjoy the journey. And I looked at her. I was like you are insane. What are you talking about? This is going to be a lot of hard work. Yeah, I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know if this is going to work. I don't know if anybody's going to listen to it. She says it's not the destination, because your destination is always going to change and move and grow. Make sure that you enjoy the ride. And I was like I still think you're nuts Three and a half years into it. Tina, if you're listening, thank you, because now I get it, I get it. So same thing for you Enjoy the journey. You don't have to know where it's going.

Raquel: 33:03

Well, I think that's my problem is I'm enjoying the journey too much. That people are like, but what's the destination? How are you going to make money? You know what I mean the business part of it. People start like, hey, but how are you going to sustain something like this Right when? Cause I'm like enjoying just the, how much I'm being fulfilled when I talk to these kids. Like every time I have a conversation, I walk away thinking like, oh my gosh, I'm the luckiest person in the world right now, like I really do feel that way and so I'm not thinking about, okay, well then, you know how am I going to monetize, or what's my you know like my next gap? I don't, and so that's kind of where I'm. I struggle with the uh, the destination piece a little bit, cause you do have to at least at least have some kind of like goal, like you asked me.

Audra: 33:47

Yeah, well then the second part of this question is going to be really hard for you to answer. The second part is what is your vision for Rock the Boats in general?

Raquel: 33:59

In general, I have a ton of ideas, but I literally want it to be like a movement where everybody wants to do what I'm doing, and I know a lot of people would be like, oh, but don't you want to be the one and the one and you have, like, your niche and you are the you know thought leader for that, whatever. No, like I'm. I'm kind of like, the more people I can get to, maybe to essentially do what I'm doing, maybe more podcasts where they're, you know, giving a platform to our youth, or maybe these events pop up, you know, under somebody else's kind of vision, but like, maybe I gave him the idea to do it. I'm okay with that. Like, yeah, I feel like there's so much work to do that the more of us that can collaborate and come together then the better. So I do hope it's kind of like, yeah, movement.

Audra: 34:56

I like that because I have the same aspirations is to have a movement which is like you and I are connected in this way because we just want to change the world. Yeah, you know, there's no bigger goal than that. We want to change the world. Why not, you know?

Raquel: 35:10

Yeah, I want to leave a legacy, like that's like when people are like hey, how are you, what do you do and what have you been busy, I'm like, yeah, I've been busy trying to build a legacy. Exactly, I really am. Now. That's not. My focus now is I'm like okay, when I leave, what am I leaving behind? Like that's kind of like what's driving me at this point.

Audra: 35:30

Yeah, leave a blueprint for other people to follow.

Raquel: 35:33

Yeah, that's, that's what it is. I'm like, yeah, if this can be a blueprint for other people to do this, then so be it, because guess what? More teens, more youth are going to be able to be impacted in a positive way, and that's how you change the world.

Audra: 35:48

Absolutely, and I'm going to ask you, I think, a really difficult question, because you're probably going to have to sit and think about it for a second Okay, which is what has surprised you the most, of how this has impacted you and changed you.

Raquel: 36:12

I think one of the biggest things is my relationship with my kids. It really opened up my eyes to certain things that I was doing as a parent. When here, like here, I'm listening to these kids, I'm asking them questions, I'm being curious, no judgment, safe space and I had to think, am I doing that for my own kids? And that was like a big light bulb moment for me. And it was a moment where I was like, damn, I don't think I'm doing that for my own kids, like that's, that's not cool. You know like they're my blood, my flesh and blood, and yet I'm giving more time and energy to these other kids. That's not fair. So it really changed the way I interacted with my own kids, the way I would respond to them with certain things, and I noticed a difference in our relationship and they noticed a difference too.

Audra: 37:15

For sure You've already started to change the world, because you've changed the world for your kids, because of your interaction with them.

Raquel: 37:23

Yeah, definitely that's going to have a ripple effect.

Raquel: 37:26

Well, and that's essentially what I want this to be an extension as well. Yes, I'm empowering our youth, I'm talking to our youth, but I really want to bridge the generational gap, and a lot of that is with helping other parents, you know, maybe relate better to their own kids or maybe, you know, I've been thinking about that maybe kind of doing something where now it's with the parents and kind of share my experience of what I've gone through with mine, and it's not easy, it's hard. That's the thing is, and I'm sure you know this too, but it's work on our end too. We have to do the work as well. I think just because you're a parent doesn't mean you're off the hook. No, we have to do the work, and sometimes it's more work for us, right, because it's changing our thoughts. It's changing Okay, I grew up this way.

Raquel: 38:21

It doesn't necessarily mean that I have to raise my kids the way my parents raised me. If anything, I'm learning, like, how not to do certain things, right? So, and it's tough to know that you're not doing the best you can sometimes. I mean, I've had those moments where I'm like, oh, raquel, you have to own up and hold yourself accountable for that. Maybe you didn't do the best job here, or maybe you didn't make the right decision, but give myself grace because I'm trying to at least change it. But like that's hard too. Like no, no parents want to think that they're sucking at their job as a parent. You know what I mean. Like nobody, I think we all envision what we're going to have kids, we're going to be that parent and we're going to have those kids. Well, guess what? It usually never works out that way.

Audra: 39:14

Absolutely not. I have blown it big time several times with my children where I've had to come back and apologize because it was a major, major mom fail, Huge. But I was able to say to them guys, I really screwed up, I really screwed up. I don't have a playbook, I'm just making this up as I go along kids, so I'm doing the best I can.

Raquel: 39:43

But that I tell parents all the time the fact that you were very vulnerable and very honest in that moment. Guess what? Your kids are going to respect you more because you were willing to admit that you didn't. You know that you effed up Right, and, like, a lot of parents refuse to admit that they were wrong or they did something wrong and I'm like no, you got to be able to just own up to it, cause then, yeah, they'll respect you more because they'll be like, well, that's kind of cool that mom owned up to that Cause.

Raquel: 40:13

Then guess what? Hopefully then they'll own up to their stupid shit too excuse my language, but you know what I mean. Like so, yeah, I think it just it does build that trust within the relationship too, of like, hey, we can be honest about, like, how this is hard for each side and how we're trying. Then I mean I just don't see how it can't, it shouldn't be, it should be that way. Like I can't see how a lot of parents just like refuse to let their kids think that they're not perfect.

Audra: 40:53

Well, there's plenty of parents out there. They're like oh well, there's plenty of parents out there they're like they can see a flaw in me. I will hand my kids a list of things that I am not good at.

Raquel: 41:08

Sorry, guys, you came with an imperfect mom, but I'm fun, but I am fun. Yes, I am fun too. Yes, that, yes, that that's another one. But yeah, it's, it's difficult, but it's. I think it's worth the work when you can, you know, have a, have a good, strong relationship with your kids.

Audra: 41:26

I agree. So, besides this event that's coming up in Houston, what's next for you?

Raquel: 41:33

Another event. Then I got to figure out where am I going next.

Audra: 41:43

I can make a couple of recommendations. I know.

Raquel: 41:46

I know that's what's so cool is I have so many people like come to my city, I'll help you, come to my city, I'll get you a sponsor. That's another thing, too, is that when I I realized, when I have all these people that want to support, want to be a part of it, that's another validation of like okay, you know I need to continue to do this, even though it's a lot of hard work. Um, but, yeah, do another event. Obviously, I have my full-time job, so it's like I've got that. Um, I still have the podcast, so I have to rock the Boat episodes that I'm filming this week. Yeah, just take it day by day, but I'm definitely not slowing down, I'm speeding that up. If anything, all this Rock the Boat stuff.

Audra: 42:30

We need you to do that because this is world changing and there's no better goal than that Changing the world and me leaving it a better place than what you found it. Yeah, that's kind of the point. Well, this is my favorite part of every episode, where I basically get to shut up. I get to stand back yeah, I know, I know, no pressure, huh. Um, I get to stand back from the mic and allow you to have a very direct and intimate moment with the audience. So the mic is yours.

Raquel: 43:07

Audience.

Raquel: 43:12

Well, I will have to say, before we started this podcast, you said that you were going to ask me a question and as I was speaking to you throughout the podcast, it just solidified my answer.

Raquel: 43:27

And what I would say to the audience and to anybody who's listening, and even to the youth, is to trust your inner voice, is to really listen to yourself, because there is so much outside noise and I think a lot of times we mute that inner voice when, at the end of the day, usually it's you're going to be your, you know, best friend and it will give you the best advice. And I think for so many years I have a very strong intuition and I just suppressed it and I think, had I really trusted myself much sooner, I'd be in a different place. But then again, it's a journey, so I have to trust that it's all unfolding the way it's supposed to unfold and that's okay. But that is something that I've really learned to tap into and to listen to, and that's why I do a lot of yoga and I try to meditate, because that's when you can really tap in and hear what that voice has to say and usually they'll be your best guide.

Audra: 44:45

I relate and I agree. If the audience wanted to reach out to you and ask you questions about Rock the Boat or how to get their child on your YouTube channel, how would they reach you?

Raquel: 45:00

Well, I'm on LinkedIn, I'm on Instagram, tiktok but if anybody wants to reach out to me, I'm really good about answering my direct messages on those platforms, or I mean, I have my email. I don't know if you put that on there, right?

Audra: 45:18

But I tell you what I'll put your the specific links into the show notes and people can reach out to you that way.

Raquel: 45:26

Perfect, yeah, but I'm really good about responding. I don't get. I don't get inundated that much where it's overwhelming, so yeah, just reach out Right, much worse overwhelming. So yeah, just reach out Right. That I'll need like a virtual assistant or an assistant to help me manage all those DMs.

Audra: 45:43

Exactly, exactly, raquel. This has been so fun. Thank you for saying yes to being on the show and giving us a little insight into Rock the Boat and what you're doing to change the world. So thank you for being here, thank you, and thank all of you for listening and we'll see you again next time.