We had the good fortune of connecting with Veronica Janet Lopez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Veronica Janet, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
There are a variety of quotes and affirmations that have kept me grounded throughout my life and professional career. The most important quote being one that my mother has been sharing with me since I was a child. In Spanish, she would say “Mas vale perder un minuto en la vida, que perder la vida en un minuto.” This translates to “It is better to lose a minute a minute in life, than to lose life in one minute.” She would tell me this every single time that she felt that I was frustrated, rushing tasks, or simply annoyed by the current way that life was unfolding in front of me. Oftentimes, she would also just tell me this when I wanted to run across an intersection before the light turned red. Throughout college, I constantly repeated this quote out loud when I needed to breathe and remind myself that patience really is one of the ultimate keys to success. I love this quote so much because it teaches how to stop and treat the tasks and people around you with love and care. It means so much to me that I began sharing it with my colleagues throughout college and I can only hope that they understood its meaning as much as I did in times of need.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art involves several different components within management, leadership, and performing. I started playing the viola at the age of 11. I trained as a classical musician for 13 years before wanting to pursue arts management full-time. I still play my viola and want to continue growing as an orchestral and chamber musician. I am most proud of the values that my mother instilled in me at a young age: dedication, commitment, determination, initiative, being kind, and confidence. She’s taught me so much more but these are the core values I carry with me.

It definitely has not been an easy road to where I am today. I come from a low-income community in Los Angeles called Huntington Park, CA. I left my family and the beautiful state of California at the age of 17 to purse a career in Viola Performance. I come from a single-parent home, am an only child, and proud first-generation college student. It was not easy to go off on my own but I overcame the challenge by reminding myself every single day of my “why?” My “why” is that I want to be a part of the organizations that are creating access for students that grew up with similar backgrounds as me. I want students that come from hardship to know that there are people out in the world that truly do care and want to make it better for them so they can succeed.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I don’t even know where to start! This is my second summer in Aspen and I’m always finding out about new and fun experiences. Let’s start with food! My favorite restaurant in the area (in El Jebel, CO) is “Pupuseria San Miguel.” I am Guatemalan- American and also grew up around Salvadorean family friends. Pupuseria San Miguel is incredible, affordable, and I suggest that anyone who travels down valley make it a priority to pay them a visit. As for restaurants in Downtown Aspen, my go-to’s are Big Wrap, New York Pizza, Aspen Public House, and Local Coffee House. My favorite weekend or post-work hangout is to go up the Aspen Mountain Gondola or find a table near a park and read with a cup of coffee in hand.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many whom I owe so much gratitude for my success, personal, and professional development. First being my middle school music teacher, Margaret Asato. I can talk for ages on how much Ms. Asato believes in her students and goes above and beyond to ensure that students from communities all over Southern California succeed. I was in 5th grade when I reached out to Ms. Asato via email and expressed my interest in wanting to play a musical instrument. At the time, I wanted to do something new that no one in my family or my community consistently did. Little did I know that an email would change my life forever. Ms. Asato encouraged me to apply to the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. She was there for me when I got accepted into Carnegie Mellon University for Viola Performance, and now she is here for me as I navigate my Master of Arts Management Program at Carnegie Mellon and soon be entering full-time into the arts industry. Thank you Ms. Asato for always reminding me of my roots and my why.

Second, I want to thank my friends, mentors, and forever supporters: Brielle M. Stovall, Diya Nuxoll, Jennifer Jo, Brandon Foster, Mia Venezia, Gina Stonikas, Theresa Abalos, Kristen Atchenson, Dr. Stephen Neely, Pierce Cook, Joe Stamerra, Gina Casalegno, Lindsey Nova, Robert Dell, and thousands of many more wonderful humans for always believing in my wildest dreams but also reminding me that I am capable of anything that I put my mind into.

Third, I want to give a massive thank you to the Aspen Music Festival and School for two incredible summers. I have grown so much as an Arts Administrator this summer and am so excited to experience much more growth as I enter my second year of my graduate program.

And to the two most important people in my life, a huge thank you to my beautiful Mom and my partner. My rocks. My everything. It really means the world to know that I have your support in navigating this journey towards finding what makes me the happiest and fulfills me the most.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronicajanetlopez/

Image Credits
Alexander Chen

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