Patricia Velásquez

Creativity is more than just canvas, photos and film. It can also be a catalyst for philanthropy, charity, and activism. Patricia Velasquez, an award-winning actress, history-making model as well as a committed philanthropist and activist as well as an adoring mother, brings an insatiable creative energy in everything she does whether that's appearing in blockbusters like The Curse of La Llorona or launching Wayuu Taya Foundation, and being as a member of the UNESCO Board. She relies on her intuition and develops her own path taking huge leaps. "I view my career like an escalator," she said. "I made every step to the top. It was quite amazing to accomplish this because it was perseverance. I wasn't able to stop moving. just kept my head down. The analogy closely resembles the beginning of a new phase. She was born in Venezuela, but she was raised in France or Mexico. After only a few years she decided to relocate to Venezuela. Her parents, who worked as teachers in South America, moved her family to a cramped apartment without running water or elevators. Patricia often carried large buckets of water up 15 flights of stairs in order to provide water. She tried to assist her family as much as she could despite her studies in engineering and intensive dance training. The pledge she made to her family, which was the key to her rise to the top of the fashion industry, led to her sought-after to model in Milan. She recalls saying, "When they asked me whether I wanted to travel to Italy, my answer was"If you could send thirty bucks per month back home to Venezuela the cost will be worth it, since that will cover the entire cost of the water used in the building's." Patricia's achievements were a major event in fashion because she brought attention to South America for first time. The "first model Karl Lagerfeld photographed" was an enormous breakthrough. Her next step was to be featured in fashion shows and front editorial spreads and was featured in advertisements for Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana and Fendi. Her appearances on Oprah's Supermodel of the World contest as well as Ford Models’ "Supermodel of the World" contest had a ripple effect around the world. Additionally she appeared on the covers of Vogue, Bazaar, Marie Claire and many others.