Finding a Voice

For this assignment, we were all supposed to write a biography about the same person; our teacher introduced us to Novelina Betancourt, who later gave us a speech about her life. The purpose of this piece was to learn how bland personal statements can be when they all sound the same, it emphasized for us to find our own voice in writing.

Biography

Who is Novalena Betancourt? You may not know her, but she already wants to help you. She’s a family-oriented Puerto Rican raised in San Francisco, taking life one step at a time. She takes each and every experience as a time to reflect and a new way of learning about herself. She’s even created her list of five values to focus on: love, connection, growth, authenticity, and relationships. She’s taken life by the reins by following her self-created philosophies without regret.

Like all of us, Novalena has had her share of struggles. Family life took a toll on her from a young age, the frequent “chemical imbalances” made it difficult to establish good relationships. Although her two long-term relationships ended abruptly, she has held her head up high and moved forward with her interests. After an exciting college experience at UC Davis, she was left frustrated and without a job, disappointed with what life was offering.

With her smooth, instantly likeable voice, she landed a job at a radio station promoting female empowerment. The callers she often spoke with gave her a desire to help and apply her philosophies. A lover of reading and self-reflection, Novalena decided to but the two together and try her hand in the writing business, and is now in the process of writing her second book The Total Female Package. She promotes introspection and the mindset that women have the inner power to do anything.

Like Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates, Novalena has used her past to dissect human nature. She believes that authenticity is key; from a young age her father taught her to be true to whatever you believe to “have faith in action”. She encourages people to love themselves and harvest their underlying feelings to create their ideal happy lifestyle.

Though young and spunky, Novalena Betancourt has developed countless philosophies and ideas about the course of life. She hopes for everyone to find a balance in their life and ultimately find happiness. She has used life’s experiences to her advantage and hopes to inspire others to do the same.