12/10/2020
Hoy tenemos el honor of highlighting U.S. Army veteran and leader, Gabriel Muñoz!
Gabriel Muñoz is a veteran of the U.S. Army, has a B.A. in Health Education and is completing his master’s in management and Leadership. He is an experienced career coach, consultant, and trainer who works with individuals and businesses to successfully navigate challenges and achieve positive outcomes. He is a Life Skills Instructor for People for People a nonprofit organization in Yakima WA and co-founder and Senior Trainer/ facilitator for Empowered Communication that focuses on resolving conflict through communication and mediation.
Más de Gabriel:
Gabriel believes in “Serving others before oneself.” Servir a los demás antes que a uno mismo.
What advice would you give to our youth?
The advice that I would give to the youth is to just go for it! Do not let negative thoughts or people discourage you from chasing your dreams. You must keep moving forward no matter what happens in life. Do the things that you love doing regardless of how much money you may or may not make. Life moves fast, much faster than we expect. So, take advantage of it and never, never, give up!
What would you like to share about your heritage/culture with others?
As a first generation Mexican American, I am lucky enough to still enjoy the many Mexican traditions my parents enjoyed while living in Mexico. Today, I have the opportunity to introduce those same traditions to my kids and teach them about my culture. Some traditions include Los Tres Reyes Magos, which is celebrated on January 6th. La Rosca de Reyes, El Dia de Los Mu***os, Posadas, Quinceaneras, and many more. I cannot ignore the most important tradition of them all that brings friends and family together, the food. I love our traditional pan dulce (conchas with the pink frosting my favorite), our well-known tacos, Tortas, Burritos, Birria, Menudo, Posole, and handmade tortillas! The list is endless, but the most important part of my culture is caring and spending time with our family.
What one thing makes you most proud?
I am extremely proud to have served in the United States Armed Forces as a soldier in the U.S Army. As I look back at my experience, it is hard to imagine my life without the discipline and dedication instilled during my Army career. I also learned a lot about selfless service, honor, respect, integrity, and most importantly personal courage. Serving in the Army shaped my life, and it helped me to become the man I am today.
Who do you look up to for inspiration or mentorship?
The most important people that I look up to for inspiration and mentorship are my parents. They are the hardest working and most generous people I know. Their courage to immigrate to the U.S for a better life gives me strength and motivation to keep going when things are difficult and when roadblocks come my way. I tell myself, “If they could immigrate to another country without knowing the language, with no money, or a place to sleep, what am I complaining about.” With limited resources, my parents worked hard and successfully ran a business for over 30 years! “If they can do it, so can I.”
How do you continue to grow and develop as a leader?
Serve others before oneself is the philosophy that I have applied to my everyday life. In my opinion, leadership is about serving others, and working hard on finding solutions to problems that have a positive impact on people and my community. To continue to grow as a leader, I practice good listening skills, read books, immerse myself in new experiences, and most importantly I always reach for new goals!
Special thanks and shoutout to my beautiful wife Anahi Munoz for all that she does for me and my two little girls Allyson and Aliah. Her support in everything I do gives me the strength and hope to continue pursuing my dreams. Thank you Chiquita.
¡Muchas gracias por su servicio a nuestro país, Gabriel! We are grateful for your leadership, contributions, and strong desire to give back to our community. ¡Gracias por elegir el Valle de Yakima!
