Today we’d like to introduce you to Angeluz “Angie” Carrera
Hi Angie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I turned his physical abuse into my greatest strength.
When I was 19, I was in an intimate partner violence situation. The relationship ended abruptly when it became apparent to me that his physical abuse could one day take my life. After countlessly retelling my story to city officials who clearly didn’t care, I realized the justice system was not a just system.
His abuse left marks on my body, but the greatest scars were left on my mind.
As I sat in yet another government building, fruitlessly seeking a protective order, I hated how helpless I felt. Nothing made me feel safe. There were other women in that room with me. One of whom was another Hispanic woman. She, however, didn’t speak English and was accompanied by her daughter to translate. The forms they gave us asked about our education level, ethnicity, and age. She and I became statistics that day. We were reduced to numbers.
All I could remember was the rage that coursed through my mind and body. I became obsessed with researching the Texas Penal Code and formulating my argument. This is what inspired me to go to law school.
That wasn’t enough.
As a woman, we are taught we are physically weak compared to men. Maybe that’s why I never fought back when he abused or assaulted me.
I had been lifting weights for some time but did so sporadically and casually. As a product of this relationship, I was heavily reliant on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications. At one point, I overdosed and landed in a behavioral clinic. After the relationship, I wanted to feel again. I didn’t want to be sedated. I wanted to feel physically strong enough to stand my ground.
After several years of weightlifting, I needed more. That’s when I discovered competitive bodybuilding. My body craved to meet its fullest potential.
Enduring this relationship led me to the law and bodybuilding. I made it my mission to empower my body and mind in a way I’d never felt before. Even though the justice system never brought my own justice, I created mine. I refused to let my life be another statistic. I resolved to make an example of myself to inspire other women. Despite what may happen or how dark things may feel, there is hope.
It is possible to be your own light.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Of course there have been struggles.
Law school is a harrowing experience that is strategically meant to break you down to build you up in the image of a lawyer.
Enduring a bodybuilding prep is a test of mental strength more than physical. You purposefully starve yourself to reach the lowest body fat percentage possible.
Neither was my biggest challenge.
In reality, both the pain of law school and a bodybuilding prep are temporary. The relationship that brought me here was temporary.
I get to practice law. I get to participate in an elite sport. There are moments when I love my career and sport way more than they love me.
I chose my challenges.
Some might say everything I’ve lived has been a true test of Faith.
My Faith has never wavered.
I’ve always known with every fiber of my being that Universe/God/Allah/My Higher Power wouldn’t have put me on this mountain if I weren’t meant to be a conduit of Their will. An example of what being knocked down over and over again can create in a person who is willing to wait for divine timing. I’ve always trusted there was Power coming to me.
Accepting that Power has been my greatest struggle. Ever since I was a little girl, I knew I’d come into a Power I’d never imagined. I still can’t fathom the extent of it.
Now I have what feels like only the tip of that iceberg. I admit, like many other women, it took me a long time to understand the Power I created for myself. Even longer to not be afraid of it.
After enduring another personally challenging year in 2024, I became tired of playing meek and coy. It started to feel like a personal betrayal.
I’m grateful to be surrounded by so many strong, intelligent, and beautiful women who have taught me what wielding their Power looks like.
I’m ready to step into that Power fully. I’m not afraid anymore.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
After attending the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, I returned to Texas. Upon passing the Texas bar, I joined Botkin Chiarello Calaf, a majority women, boutique litigation firm specializing in intellectual property and commercial/business matters.
It’s this firm’s dedication to revolutionizing the practice of law that has allowed me to continue my pursuits in bodybuilding.
I’m extraordinarily blessed to be in two communities that support everything I do. My firm and bodybuilding team, Team Hard Bodies founded by my coach, Ivan Meraz, have been instrumental in my success and growth as a corporate athlete.
In both communities, I’m known for my work as an attorney and bodybuilder.
After passing the bar, I became a certified personal trainer. This includes working with other busy professionals to help them achieve their own wellness goals.
From personal experience, highly driven individuals aim to be successful at everything they do. Their health and wellness are no exception. However, the responsibilities of work and home life often mean those wellness goals fall to the wayside.
Through my personal experience as an attorney and bodybuilder, I educate others on how to achieve those goals. I hope to continue this growth to develop more educational resources. In the next few years, I aim to begin speaking engagements to open the dialogue about corporate health and wellness.
My ultimate goal is to continue sharing my story. I’ve had many people, even some in my own family, who have tried to silence me. Given the state of the world, I realize I have to be relentless now more than ever.
It’s not lost on me the position of privilege I’m in. It’s up to the few of us to be a voice for the voiceless. I often think back to the woman who sat with me in that government office. We may not have spoken a word to each other, but our fears, worries, and pain were the same.
I’m not just doing this for me.
I’m doing this for us.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
The thing I enjoy most about our city is how easily you can build here. There is plenty of opportunity if you know where to look. On the flip side, of course, is that many people recognize this potential. There is overcrowding.
Not just in the fitness and legal industries, but everything in Austin. The highways, parks, shopping centers — much of our infrastructure has become condensed with people flocking here. While this means the experience has changed over the years, there’s a way to get the best of it all.
While it feels like Austin is ever changing, there are still hidden gems throughout the city that keep their essence. I’m interested to see how this development will both aid and hinder Austin as a city.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.angiecarrera.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angie_carrera98/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angie-c-701aab1b9/
Image Credits
Mike Loyd Photography
(for the graduation pictures)
