Eliza Green
Ms. Los Angeles County 2014 and
Inspirational/Motivational Speaker
Ms. Los Angeles County 2014,
Eliza Green, passed through in-between two huge rose bushes at the Rose Garden
at the Science Center in Los Angeles’ Exposition Park, walking tall, confident
and smiling. I thought I have died and seen an angel but her Ms. Los Angeles
County sash told me I am still breathing. At 5’10”, this tall, dark and
beautiful woman made me feel diminutive but she made me at ease right away. She
made the interview felt like a meeting between two long lost friends. I should
be the one doing that since I am the interviewer but I sometimes get all
weak-kneed when I find myself face-to-face with a gorgeous woman.
Eliza’s family history has so
much in common with so many families making up the diverse demography of
California. Like most immigrant or mixed race families, her family’s story is
complicated. Eliza’s mother is Mexican and her biological father,
African-American. Her mother and grandmother raised her in Tijuana Mexico until
they migrated into Los Angeles California when she was five. Her adjustment
into her new surroundings proved to be a challenge; she was treated as an outsider by her
peers for she had a darker skin tone than most kids that considered themselves
Mexicans. “I was bullied early on…they called me ‘La Negrita’…I didn’t understand
it because I thought I was Mexican until my grandmother told me that I am also
black…” Eliza recounted as if she found her innocence silly “…it never occurred
to me (that) I was different…I didn’t know I stood out in the (Mexican)
community”.
She studied in different schools
from Elementary to High School and had encountered the same “outsider” feeling
whether she was in a Mexican or African-American Community. There were a lot of
Ups-and-Downs throughout her school years but she felt truly at the bottom when
she turned 18. “I hang out with the wrong crowd…at one point I was homeless and
was squatting” She recalled sounding amused.
Eliza exuded positive aura
throughout the interview—full of enthusiasm—like she has been freed from a
lifetime of captivity. In fact she did say that things started to turn great
when she discovered a “Self-Help” Inspirational movie; “The Secret” a movie
about “Law of Attraction” a theoretical and spiritual concept concerning the
practice of positive thinking. From then on she only entertained positive
thoughts and feelings, in her mind and heart, and has meditated daily. Offers
of work came with so little effort, first as a paralegal then an executive
assistant to an oil businessman. At both times she decided on seizing the
moment. “Wish for what you want…for the opportunity…and once it’s there you go
grab on to it—do not hesitate!” Eliza seemed tireless as she also started Green
List Productions, a promotional agency, while doing her regular jobs.
Her positive attitude reflected
on her interests as she co-founded The Inspiration Booth with her cousin Venice
Trippetti. It is a social event wherein Eliza and Venice sets up a booth in
parks and create positive slogans and signs, such as “I am Happy”, “Love”,
“Joy”, etc., on brilliantly colored cardboard and have the participants wear it
as a plaque. The participants then go on a quick walk, jog or hike. From there
Eliza has created what she called “Inspired Jewelries”.
Her consistent and passionate
approach to spreading happiness and positive thinking is what she believed
helped her win the Ms. Los Angeles County 2014 title. She was invited to join
the pageant a mere week before the event, and as always, she went for it. Eliza
did not hesitate to divulge her personal history to the pageant organizers, the
“dark days” of her life, stories that would make her ineligible from most
beauty pageants. But Eliza’s personal tragedy is eclipsed by her commitment to
better herself and promote positive mental attitude in the community. She sets
up “Empowerment” workshops in corporate and non-profit organizations and has
spoken at length on self-improvement and against sex trafficking and bullying.
When asked what she would do next she responded with the same eagerness and
positive thinking “Whatever that would inspire me I will go for it!”
Edited by Paul Remy of Nxup Magazine
For more photos of Ms. Los Angeles County 2014 Eliza Green, check out www.3RPhotography.blogspot.com
All photos and article are copyrighted
Copyright 2014 RG Los Angeles Stories
