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B: XBlaze Magazine | March 19th, 2021
If you are an avid TikTok user, you have probably seen this stunning young lady, better known as Spencer Barbosa, pop up on your "For You" page with a quick, but impactful message. Whether she is talking about body positivity, loving yourself, or just give some girl advice, this teen always finds the right thing to say to inspire and motivate millions of people! Shortly after stumbling across a video of Spencer's that gave viewers an array of "the best" compliments to give others, we fell in love with her content and knew we had to sit down and chat with her. Besides, what better way is there to celebrate an influential woman than to honor her voice during Women's History Month?
The Actress, Content Creator, and aspiring Real Estate Agent shared her views on the importance of women, gender equality, self-love (something she used to struggle with), and self-identity. The 18-year old inspirational speaker also highlighted some women she admires and looks up to, as well a why she does. Spencer also shared an abundance of advice for other young ladies.
Text in Bold represents XBlaze Magazine. Plain Text represent Spencer Barbosa
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At what point did you decide/ realize these stereotypes were false?
I used to always want a boyfriend and want a prince charming, until I realized that would never complete me. After my first breakup I realized, no guy could ever complete me, I had to do that myself. I think girls are portrayed in movies as fragile, helpless and in need of a man. I can truly say I am so happy to be dating myself. I am not fragile or helpless, I am strong and influential.
Who were, or are, some women that influenced you as an individual?
Some women that have influenced my life in a HUGE way are my mom, sisters and my best friend. I get the chance to see these absolutely incredible women shine every single day. They are funny, kind and inspiring. I have no clue who I would be without them. They inspire and motivate me every single day. Behind one strong woman, is a bunch of other women telling her she can do it.
Have you ever struggled with self-love?
I used to really struggle with body image in High School. Right around the time of puberty my body changed SO much and I couldn't keep it. I felt like a different person and I started to develop body dysmorphia. It was super difficult, but I had to learn to embrace myself through every stage. It looks so long for me to learn to love and accept myself fully but over the course of a couple years I worked on changing my mindset. I believe everything is a mindset.
To younger girls who feel restricted due to things like sexism, gender roles, and stereotypes, what would you like to tell them?
Never let others opinions change your own! If you believe YOU can do it, you will. Your gender is not a reflection of what/how much you can achieve.
What is something you admire about women in general?
The POWER we hold. I admire how resilient, powerful and compassionate women are. I think we are so underestimated and it is so beautiful to see how powerful my whole entire gender is. I am so proud to be a woman.
As a teen, what would be your most essential advice for young girls transitioning into teenhood?
The most essential advice I would give is to “always love yourself first”. No matter what you do, who you are with or a decision you make, you have to remember to always love yourself first. I honestly believe confidence/self love is the MOST important thing at every step in your life, but especially as a young girl. Not everyone is going to always be nice to you, but if you love yourself first it won't matter what others think.
How does it feel knowing people look up to you and you hold an influence on the lives of others?
To be completely honest there are so many pros/cons to having a platform of any size. I am just glad that I have built a page where anyone/everyone can go to feel happy. On the downside, I get some messages every once in a while from trolls on the internet who do not like me, but that does not matter in my opinion. If I like me...I'm golden, others' opinions should not change your own. I truly appreciate that some people look up to me, and I hope that I am the strong kind role model they want.
As an Actress and content creator on TikTok, who are some female Actresses or Content Creators you admire?
I have so many people I look up to but some of my faves are Camilla Mendes, Anna Sitar and Taylor Price. Camilla Mendes is my favorite actress and Riverdale is my favorite show, Anna Sitar creates extremely positive content that leaves me feeling so happy and Taylor Prices teaches young people about financial literacy and the stock market. I truly adore them all and love what they are doing with their huge platforms.
What is your end goal?
My end goal is to be known as the person who changed the minds of the younger generation. I want to be influential. I hope to create content that empowers young people to follow their dreams regardless of age. I think ageism is a HUGE issue that is rarely spoken about. I have been undermined so many times because of my age and I want to start a conversation about it. I want to change minds.
Where do you see yourself in three years?
I don't talk about it often but I actually plan on getting my real estate license and becoming an agent/investor. So within the next three years I definitely see myself getting into real estate and fulfilling my goal. I am a definite people person so I can't wait to help people find their dream home. So maybe in three years I will be a real estate agent/investor, Content Creator, Tik Toker, Entrepreneur, Singer, Actress...the list goes on and on.
What can we be expecting from you in 2021?
I have so many goals and expectations for myself in 2021, but the main thing you could expect from me is Merch. I also love acting/singing so I hope to dip my toes into that industry and complete some projects. I have wanted to have Merch for so long and I think 2021 might be the year I come out with it. Aside from that, I hope to continue to grow on Tik Tok and build a platform where ALL young people can go to feel inspired. There are so many exciting things to come that I can't wait to share with everyone.
WATCH OUR EXCLUSIVE CHAT WITH SPENCER BARBOSA
... like a lot of people want to be [...] influencers and models, and make money that way; but I just want to be [...] influential. Like I want to do a TEDTalks, I wanna go to public schools and talk to kids when they're younger...
