The power of breaking expectations

In a few months, I will reach two years as an independent professional, and believe me, it has not been easy. Just over three years ago, I found myself in what anyone would consider a successful moment in their career, during my time working with the Barça Innovation Hub and the Higher Institute of Law and Economics of Barcelona. An experience I hold dearly in my heart and in my career, thanks to the friendships and clients that remain. Everything was absolutely great—this was also my period as a university lecturer, traveling to New York and Zurich with major international institutions.

It was then, during the trip to New York, that I accompanied law students to attend a trial. A person who had been convicted for protecting the life of a child in a criminal context received additional years in their sentence after requesting a review of the case, because they had been unable to access a lawyer during the pandemic due to Covid restrictions. The result was an even harsher sentence, also due to outdated legislation. The students cried: the law is not synonymous with justice.

After that, I was invited to the Mobile World Congress. I believe the number of women invited and/or attending could be counted on the fingers of a few hands. And I had to read the unfortunate news that the city’s prostitution services had been exhausted and that external services had to be brought into Barcelona to meet the high demand during the Mobile World Congress. Drop by drop, day after day: not all men…

I was tired of highly male-dominated sectors or those stuck in unbearable conservatism, such as classical music, the sports world, the legal profession. Since I was 16, I had worked or collaborated with people of many nationalities, ages, and ideologies. I needed a change and also needed to say “enough.” And how do you do that? By starting—because to change, you must begin. Overcoming fears. Especially breaking the expectations of those around you, the ones who will suddenly talk about you and say things they believe they know for certain. But let me tell you a secret: they don’t know, they don’t understand—absolutely anything. 😉