Written by Marta Cámara
I am Marta Cámara, a woman of faith, a writer mom, and an explorer of this world and many other imaginary worlds. Reflecting on my journey, I see how my roots in Madrid, Spain, have shaped my path. Studying law and practicing as an attorney for several years laid a strong foundation for my career and brought me to China. The pursuit of advanced education took me to the National University of Singapore, where I earned a Master of Laws, and later to Durham University Business School for an MBA.
For the last nineteen years, since 2005, life in Asia with my husband and our children has been a blend of personal and professional growth.
Here, I've had the privilege of discovering and merging my passions for history and writing with my role in advising companies on regional investments and social entrepreneurship projects. I am not afraid of exploring new paths. I love traveling, immersing myself in different cultures, and learning new languages. Writing is my true calling, alongside teaching and advocating for social causes, especially regarding education for girls and vulnerable children and women's growth and development. As an author, I’ve explored diverse genres, penning five historical women’s fiction novels and four contemporary romances under different pseudonyms. My latest novel, published by Penguin Random House in 2023, marks an important milestone in my literary journey.
I try to embody the spirit of "Be the change that you want to see in the world." Growing up, I was involved in social work with my family from a young age, but it was during my time in law school in Madrid that I really committed to making a social impact. While many of my peers were out partying on Friday nights, I spent hours with friends in the city's poorest district, providing warm food, coffee, and company to those struggling with drug addiction. This initiative, called Bocatas, continues to this day.
When I moved to Shanghai to work as an attorney-at-law at an international firm, I became involved with the NGO Caritas. I cared for sick orphan children in the hospital and even fostered a very ill baby until he was strong enough to undergo heart surgery. My family and I then went through a long and challenging process to adopt him. My commitment to causes I believe in is something I take very seriously, always putting my whole heart and soul into my efforts.
Motherhood has been a profoundly enriching part of my journey. The experience of fostering and adopting a child who needed so much care and love has deepened my understanding of commitment and empathy. Balancing motherhood, writing and my professional and social endeavors has taught me the importance of nurturing the mind, heart and soul, and the impact of unconditional support.
I also support International Animal Rescue and live with seven rescued cats. After several years in the legal field, I felt ready for a change and transitioned to the food industry and hospitality. As a Spaniard, food is a significant part of my culture, but it also holds special importance due to my family's teachings and values. Both sides of my family come from very poor backgrounds. My grandmother, Segunda Díaz, was a widow with five children, and despite the hardships, her home was always open to everyone. Her generosity, sense of community, and joyful spirit have always inspired me.
My father's family was even poorer. My grandfather, Pedro López, worked fixing bridges for the railroad and traveled extensively, leaving the family to often struggle with hunger. One of my father's happiest childhood memories was when his father brought home a sack full of oranges. These values and the aim of ending hunger and building a healthier, fairer, and more nourishing food system motivated my start in the food industry. In 2020, after 12 years of experience in operations, development, and strategy, I founded my own consultancy, Impactrum7. Through it, I support, mentor, and manage projects related to food with social or environmental purposes and impacts.
I took on the responsibility of managing the program for a charity called Shanghai Young Bakers, which provides bakery and pastry vocational training and life skills to disadvantaged youth. Many of the students I worked with faced various challenges, but I never gave up on any of them, even when advised to send some back to their hometowns. One particularly challenging situation involved a girl who had been abandoned at birth and abused by her adoptive mother. During the program, she had an emotional crisis. Despite the high risks and the organization's recommendation to expel her, I brought her into my home and supervised her personally. I believe that every act of generosity requires hard work and pushes our limits, but committing personally is the best way to lead and bring true change to the lives of others.
Two of my recent projects involve implementing food waste prevention programs across different countries. The impact of this work is multifaceted. Environmentally, reducing food waste lessens the demand for production, conserves water, soil nutrients, and energy, and prevents pollution. Socially, it ensures that food remains within the system, available for those in need. Financially, preventing food waste saves money, which can be better used elsewhere in the business, benefiting employees. It also raises individual awareness and changes behavior towards food. So far, my work has prevented $635,504 and 203,241 pounds of food waste, avoided 642 metric tons of CO2 emissions, conserved the equivalent of 2,264,493 bathtubs of water, and saved 169,361 meals from being lost.
The Man in the Mirror, a song by Michael Jackson inspires me every day: "If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change." For anyone who wants to contribute to social causes, my message is this: "Look around you; there is always someone who needs support, a kind word, or a strong hand to hold. Start by helping within your closest square meter and expand until your kind heart touches thousands."
In my life, the roles of mother, writer, and socially committed individual are deeply interconnected. As a mother, I’ve learned the importance of unconditional love and sacrifice, which I bring into my social initiatives and writing. As a writer, I channel my experiences and insights into stories that inspire and connect with others, rescuing episodes from History that can fire up our present, while shedding light on social issues and human resilience. My social commitment drives me to create meaningful change, whether through direct action or by influencing minds and hearts through my words. My aim is that each facet of my life enriches the others, creating a tapestry of purpose, passion, and impact. I hope that we can walk this path together as Global Moms.
Commentaires