About Me

My name is Vanessa Micale (she, they) and I am the founder of Poderosa Voz LLC. “Poderosa Voz” means powerful voice. I am a bilingual storyteller, writer and performer. I work as a coach, consultant, facilitator, and speaker. I work one-on-one as well as with groups and organizations.

Personal Practices: I draw from various modalities of movement, sound and language. I strive to engage with presence and purpose. I am anchored by daily movement, meditation and creative practices. I love to hold space as much as I love to be held by community. I love to support folks to shine their light on this earth.

Professional & Experiential Strengths: I am a strategic thought partner and relational leader with experience in narrative framing, bilingual communications and digital marketing. As a bilingual and bicultural mixed Uruguayan American, I am fluent in Spanish and practice popular education. I have created bilingual curriculum, facilitated trauma-informed workshops and participated in public speaking in local, national and international settings.

I have two decades of nonprofit and public sector experience from direct service to leadership roles in public health violence prevention, transportation justice, economic sustainability for immigrant families, the movement to end gender-based violence and creative writing teaching in juvenile hall.

I have contributed to and co-led multi-sector coalitions, DEI (Diversity Equity and Inclusion) community engagement work, project management, and policy advocacy as a subject-matter expert. I have concrete skills in budget, contract and grant management.

Training & Education: I am a certified Resilience Toolkit facilitator through Lumos Transforms since 2021. I am completing a a 12 week somatic certification course with Linda Thai. I am a changemaker who practices popular education. I have received training via IAP2 (International Association for Public Participation). I hold an MFA in Creative Writing from Randolph College (2024).

Sensitive Superskills: I am a multipotentialite. I move through the world with deep sensitivity and offer “intuitive forecasting, deep pattern recognition, ethical discernment, relational leadership, creative problem-solving, emotional intelligence, strategic sensemaking, and boundary clarity,” as named by Lindsey Mackereth’s Substack The Complexity Edge.

Creativity & Somatic Embodiment: I am a writer, multidisciplinary artist and performer. I am an Aries Sun, Libra Moon, Aquarius Rising. I am a pleasure activist. I am familiar with liminal space. As a queer neurodiverse being currently in the shape of a person, I experiment with lyric, hybrid genres and forms. I appreciate soft nightlife, forest baths, animals (especially dogs), and lush glimmers of joy.

I am sustained by the teachings and wisdom of many including: Nkem Ndefo founder of Lumos Transforms, Linda Thai, Lindsey Mackereth, Sumayya “Fire” Coleman, Soleil Blackwell, Blanca S. Villalobos, Perle Noire, Marinka, Dhalia Kash, Che Che Luna, Stella Harris, Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski, Jen Soriano, Tanaïs, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Ev’yan Whitney, Sonya Renee Taylor, adrienne maree brown, Prentis Hemphill, Tricia Hersey, Nedra Glover Tawwab, yung pueblo, Bayo Akomolafe, Mixed in America co-founders Meagan Kimberly Smith & Jazmine Jarvis, Sister Dang Nghiem, Lama Rod Owens and Thich Nhat Hanh.