Meet Claribel Bocanegra | Founder of Gemstones in the Making

We had the good fortune of connecting with Claribel Bocanegra and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Claribel, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I am a native of Puerto Rico, daughter of a teenage mom who had no support. Grew up watching a young girl raise, to the best of her ability, two children and doing very hard things to survive. Witnessed domestic violence against my mom and how the system failed us but most importantly witnessed how she never gave up, she fought against all odds to empower herself and to provide for her daughters a better life and to gift them opportunity. Today, I appreciate all of her sacrifices and value all of the struggles and experiences lived for they made me the woman I am today. My upbringing and experiences are what fuel my passion to empower other women through my non for profit Gemstones in the Making.

What should our readers know about your business?
I love learning. Since I was a little girl, school was my favorite place to be. The instability I had growing up in my household presented many challenges. The lack of parental, family and community support while growing up really played a roll in the opportunities I had access to. I had to start working to support my self at the age of 17. I was on my own trying to survive without any support nor guidance and because of the state of survival I was in, the dream of higher education was impossible at that time. , I met my husband when I turned 20, a recently graduated dentist, who gifted me with the opportunity to learn while on the job. With his support and guidance I learned the business of dentistry, enrolled at UF and completed my Expanded Functions Dental Assistant Certification and a Fellowship at the American Association of Dental Office Managers. Together we run a very successful dental practice in Ft Myers, Florida.

I accomplished that while raising four children, learning how to believe in myself, and lacking self esteem. The journey of becoming is not easy, it is a daily choice to outdo yesterday’s you everyday. I learned that I must believe in myself before anybody else believes in me, to persevere, to never give up. Nothing good comes easy, hard work and commitment to yourself and your goals will help you achieve them. I learned that there is value in choosing strength and choosing me. Most importantly, I learned that power is infinite when shared, that when people work together and share their skills, knowledge and resources, they have the ability to achieve more than when they work alone.

After 25 years, I have taken a step back in the dental practice to found Gemstones in the Making, a non for profit organization that empowers middle and high school girls through camps, workshops, scholarships, mentoring and by building community and sisterhood.
I am most proud of the scholarship we offer through our non for profit, The GEMS that Dream Scholarship. A scholarship that opens the door of education to immigrant young women in the US that do not qualify for FAFSA due to their legal immigration status. We have partnered with colleges that offer in state tuition for them and a community of 50 women come together every year to fundraise $10,000 for each recipient. This scholarship promotes social and economic advancement and strengthens our community.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
SW Florida is known for its pristine beaches. My favorite hotel has to be La Playa in Naples. Great dinning options and great beach. Boating is one of the main attractions in the area. I would take a couple of days to boat along the coastline and visit Sanibel, Captiva and Gasparilla Islands. The waters are crystal clear and collecting shells is always fun. SW Florida has many options to experience Broadway plays and local theater companies with great productions. We can experience an Opera Naples performance, take a stroll around the Botanical Garden and visit the Baker Museum and take a stroll around 5th Avenue and experience the unique shops and great dinning. One of my favorite day trips is getting to Captiva. This trip takes us through the Island of Sanibel, its unique landscape and shops. As we reach Captiva the homes along the coastline are breathtaking. We can have lunch at the South Seas Resort and watch the most amazing sunset and if lucky we will catch a few dolphins swimming along the shore.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost, my mother. She is my source of inspiration for everything I do. Her determination, strength and perseverance inspire me everyday. Our life stories drive me to make sure that no young woman ever feels alone in their journey. It is my mission to create opportunity and to empower young women around the world. I am also inspired by every woman I’ve had the pleasure of sharing space with. The sharing of our stories has gifted me with the understanding that we are not alone in our struggles and that together we can conquer anything. We are not meant to do life alone, we are stronger together. If we want to solve the problems we are facing as a society and worldwide we must learn to lean on each other and collaborate. Only by empowering each other, creating opportunities and forging the way for one another will we be able to experience the true beauty in life.

My son, an inspiring human who is a member of the LGBTQ+, has been one of my greatest teachers! His courage to live his truth unapologetically and his patience and education to help me unlearn all the lies organized religion taught me has transformed me into a better human. Through our shared experience I have learned that we must always move out of a position of love for our Creator, ourselves and each other. He is one of my absolute heroes.

My daughters and my husband are my biggest cheerleaders. Their support and encouragement allows me to exercise my passion in making this world a better place by building an army of strong, confident and powerful women ready to transform the world we live in for the better for the next generation.     

Website: www.gemstonesinthemaking.com

Instagram: @gimpodcast

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claribel-bocanegra-382bba67/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002499634080

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj56Yl0O5mgTuMFNAFZpo_g

Image Credits
Claribel Bocanegra