Today we’d like to introduce you to Bianca Xoyamayagua-Galvan.
Hi Bianca, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am an Austinite, mother and wife to our family of five, public servant, Cowboys fan by marriage, DIY home project queen, driven-achiever, and my motto is Living, Loving, and Planning!
My day job is the Acting Culture and Arts Education Manager for the City of Austin – Asian American Resource Center (AARC) and my nights and weekends are filled with planning and enjoying events in our beautiful city, kids activities, board service and volunteering, zumba and running, sitting on the patio with a glass of wine, travel explorations, teaching myself Spanish and Persian, and knocking out the never ending to do’s! My iPad, laptop, phone, and calendar are always nearby.
I grew up in Austin, but my family comes from Kashmir, Suriname, Iran and The Bahamas. I have always been drawn to culture and community and while my path took some twists and turns, I believe I have ended up right where I should have been. I graduated from Texas State University with a degree in marketing and received a meeting and events certification from Austin Community College. I started my career at the former Highland Mall overseeing marketing and events in various roles and became the Event Coordinator at the AARC in 2013. The first event I ever coordinated was my high school’s first multicultural fair and fashion show and I am now lucky enough to work at one of the only city funded Asian American cultural centers in the US.
I’m also very passionate about giving back to our community and the importance of stewardship. I volunteer as a substitute driver with Meals on Wheels of Central Texas, am on the Board of Austin Sister Cities International, serve with Community Helping Hands, and am a volunteer and advocate for mentoring. I mentor with Austin Partners in Education and host a Facebook live show, Mentoring Moments with Mrs. Austin, which are conversations with mentoring organizations and mentors to share the power of youth mentoring and how to get involved. “Mentoring Matters!” and it’s important to me that every child knows they are worthy, cared for, and given the ability to thrive!
Where does Mrs. Austin come in? Well, I started competing in pageants in 2018 and have not stopped since! I love pageantry because I am a woman who loves heels and being glam; but more importantly I love being surrounded by empowered women who are changemakers, leaders, and activists with hearts for service and are confident and brave enough to bring all of that to the stage! I am currently America’s Most Beautiful Mrs. Lone Star State and invite you all to follow along on the journey!
I mentioned that my motto is Living, Loving, Planning. While life can be long, it can also be and feel short, so it’s important to me to spend my time with people I love, doing things that I love, and making an impact on the place I love. I try to inspire others with positivity and joy.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
My younger days had many obstacles, but I feel very blessed to have had a lot of love and support along the way. There are always challenges especially when juggling so many roles and activities, but I am an optimist by nature. When I am struggling, I remind myself that it won’t be forever and give myself time to process and make a plan to overcome the difficulties I am facing. I have a lot of gratitude for the life I have been given so I try to give and help others.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have been with the Asian American Resource Center since 2013. This was a brand new cultural facility within Austin when I started and we opened our doors to the public October 2013. The AARC was a project of love by community members who wanted a place and space to share their cultural heritage and identity. We are fortunate to live in a City that values cultural diversity and the AARC is part of the City of Austin’s Museums and Cultural Division. Until recently, I served as the Event Coordinator which oversees the rentals and reservations program, coordination of large special events, and collaborator and partner events. I have been fortunate to coordinate lots of wonderful cultural programs including our grand opening, our annual Asian Pacific American heritage month event, CelebrASIA, Styles of Asia fashion shows, a Teen Career Day, and tones: Sounds of Asian America music series (named Austin Chronicle’s Best AAPI soundtrack – Best of Austin 2021) to name a few. A few months ago, I became the acting manager of the facility and I feel very honored to serve in this role. We are at a very exciting time because we are in the process of our Phase II Expansion Plan, which will add a performing arts center to the AARC, with an estimated completion in 2024. I invite everyone to come to the AARC and visit us!
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday! (Partially because it’s my birthday month too!) Every room in the house has a Christmas tree, we bake cookies and host mix and mingles for the neighbors, we shop til we drop on Black Friday, and Christmas carols are on 24-7. It has become a birthday tradition to do a Christmas Bar crawl each year with my friends. The more lights, sequins, and holiday cheer the better! This year is a milestone birthday for me, so my birthday/holiday intentions are to give more, reflect more, and celebrate more!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biancaxoyamayaguagalvan/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/biancaxoyamayagua
- Other: https://www.pageantplanet.com/profile/bianca-xoyamayagua-galvan-1
Image Credits:
Headshot on the mentoring moments graphics is by Matty Jacobsen, Magic Dream Productions
