By Brenda De La Cruz
After watching many families struggle to resolve conflicts within their home, Anallely “Ana” Orozco sought a solution to help, by creating her own non-profit organization.
Orozco is the CEO and founder of Purpose and Zeal (PAZ). She named her organization PAZ because she believes everything should be done with purpose or intention, and she also believes zeal, or happiness, comes from resolution.
PAZ allows her to provide families with skill sets to help them grow and better communicate with one another in order to help improve their relationships. Orozco currently works at a non-profit conflict resolution center.
She decided to venture out and create her own services for families who are underserved and of the Latin community.
Many of the families Orozco helps are those with cultural differences such as immigrants and their children.
Orozco was born in Mexico where she lived until the age of three. Her mother had already migrated to the United States of America, and eventually Orozco followed. Orozco worked as an immigration paralegal where she used her skills to help families through conflict resolution and mediation, which helps prevent court dates for families.
Orozco attests to conflict resolution being helpful based on her own experiences with her mother.
She describes having a rough relationship with her mother in the early years, but with her skill set, she was able to improve their relationship.
One thing she believes is a root of conflict within many Latino families is social constructs imposed on said folks, such as how we are supposed to communicate or behave with one another.
An example of this is how parents simply expect children to listen to commands without questioning. She believes that with conflict resolution families can let go of resentment and heal.
Orozco does not provide therapy, stressing her services are simply a set of skills to help people grow.
The skills she teaches families help create a new lens that helps to address conflict and change patterns created through society’s constructs.
Orozco created PAZ all out of pocket and does not ask for funding. Her clients come from old-fashioned word-of-mouth and community.
Her fluency in Spanish allows her to reach many Latino families. She also works with the LGBTQ population.
Orozco holds an Alternative Dispute Resolution Certificate in Conflict Resolution from the University of Southern California’s School of Law, as well as a Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis in the Law and Society Program from California State University of Los Angeles.
She holds additional training certificates from the California Conference for Equality and Justice and Loyola Law School.
She then discovered the business incubator program at East Los Angeles College Foundation, whose mission is to help startup and growth-phase minority, women, veteran, formerly incarcerated, and LGBTQ owned businesses in the East Los Angeles area.
Participating in this program helped Orozco narrow her purpose and dream of helping the Latin community, as she said.
“Ms. Orozco was highly committed to the program (excellent attendance and participation) while managing a full-time job and continuing her education. And like many who have gone through the ELAC Incubator, Ana’s business idea was inspired by the needs of her community,” Dr. Armond Aghakhanian Executive Director of ELAC Foundation said.
“She has created a new business entity as a Sole Entrepreneur ad is currently interviewing potential clients to test (for free) how best to structure her services and build her business. We could not be prouder of her and know that she will succeed,” Aghakhanian, said.
She is looking for Latin families who are willing to participate in the free pilot program for PAZ. The pilot program consists of learning skills in conflict resolution and having Orozco follow up with families on progress. “Mediation does not fix problems, it gives us tools to address those problems,” Orozco said.
As for advice to other women looking to become CEOs themselves, Orozco says, “Don’t let your fear hold you back from your potential.
There is no failing because failing teaches you from your mistakes. If you didn’t learn anything, that’s failing.” For PAZ services contact (323) 348-7284 by text or phone call.