: Bisila Bokoko
: We All Have a Story to Tell An inspiring testimony to help discover the extraordinary story of our lives
: Plataforma
: 9788419655486
: 1
: CHF 8.80
:
: Biographien, Autobiographien
: English
: 274
: DRM
: PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet
: ePUB
If a single word could summarize everything Bisila Bokoko conveys it would be 'inspiration'. Her personal story, is one of a racialized woman who has learned how to grow in the face of adversity, and her business, her wisdom, her love of books, and her philanthropic spirit will act as a guide and a path for those who dive into the pages of We All Have a Story to Tell. Discover how to make our dreams come true, how to learn from failure, how to be happy despite the hurdles, what reading can do for us -as the pages of her parent's library did for her, with which she uncovered Africa for the first time- and how to handle our fears. These are the lessons to be learned from the story Bokoko narrates so we can know how to do the same with our own. The United Nations award winning author, founder of the Bisila Bokoko African Literacy Project and owner of a life full of anecdotes and valuable lessons, reveals a vital trajectory that will help us take that step we all need to go further into the story of our lives.

BISILA BOKOKO is Spanish by African parents and American by choice. Her studies in International Relations (The City College, New York) and Law (CEU) make Bokoko an advocate for honest international partnerships based on universal values such as peace, ethics, and respect. She is a 'Global Ambassador' and a business mentor and is considered one of the ten most influential Spanish women in the U.S. business world. She is the founder and CEO of BBES, a New York-based business development agency that represents, promotes, and markets brands internationally. She was the executive director of the Spain-U.S. Chamber of Commerce. She is also the head of the Bisila Bokoko African Literacy Project, an international non-profit organization that promotes African people's literacy through libraries. She was appointed 'Citizen of the World' by the United Nations in 2019.

1.“Come home, we are taking the stories out”


“Los relatos personales celebran lo que es único en cada uno de nosotros y simultáneamente tienden puentes hacia lo que es común en todos nosotros.”

[Personal stories celebrate what is unique in each one of us and simultaneously build bridges to what we all have in common.]

LUCINDA ELODIN andDENNIS FREDERICK

Everything begins with a woman


My story begins with my great-grandmother who had significant influence on me. She was driven by her commitment to education, and insistent all women should have an education, gain independence, and exude leadership qualities. Her legacy lives in me. However, she quickly realized that in a changing and uncertain environment, she had to adopt a “disruptor” attitude to increase her chances of success in life. She was fixated on the development of female talent. She was, in a way, a visionary. As we know nowadays, embracing disruptions and advocating change initiatives are essential qualities of a leader.

Although the idea of being a ”disruptor” seems to be a new trend, disruptors have been around since the beginning of time.

Currently, people who “disrupt” are talked about as being visionaries, creative, innovative, and revolutionaries and are considered groundbreaking individuals who defy conventionalities. With a disruptor mentality, overcoming obstacles is easier, as it allows us to conquer self-doubt, the weight of being judged, perfectionism, and insecurity. Even if it seems impossible, anyone can be a disruptor; it is an ability that lives deep within each of us and only comes out to the light through discipline.

My great-grandmother was a disruptor “avant la lettre,” in her day and what she taught me then, I carry with me to this day:

  • Education is the key to opening the doors to choose our destiny.
  • Education is the great equalizer.
  • Every one of us can build a new narrative.
  • The sense of belonging comes from self-love and self-esteem.
  • No one can choose where they are born, but they can choose how to live.
  • Starting over is an excellent opportunity to rewrite our stories.

Atypical immigrants


“¡Oh, amor platónico! ¡Oh, fregona ilustre!

¡Oh, felicísimos tiempos los nuestros, donde vemos que la belleza enamora sin malicia, la honestidad enciende sin que abrase, el donaire da gusto sin que incite, la bajeza del estado humilde obliga y la fuerza a la que le suban sobre la rueda de la que llaman Fortuna!”

[O Platonic love! O illustrious scullery-maid! O blissful age of ours, wherein we see beauty charm without malice, honesty fire up without ember, pleasurable grace without incite, the baseness of the humble state oblige, and the strength put onto the Ferris wheel of life].

MIGUEL DE CERVANTES,La ilustre fregona

My mother immigrated from Fernando Poo, Guinea, to Valencia in 1966 when she was fifteen to make her dream come true. She left her house and family to study nursing because it wasn’t an option in her country. It was her choice. It was not my grandparents who suggested she leave the country. My mother found her mission in life when she was just a kid. She wanted to become a nurse and never doubted it. I have always deeply admired the passion for her job and the commitment to her purpose.

On the other hand, my father came to Spain