Big Mike and Karla Quezada-Torres

I am excited to introduce our readers to amazing and caring people who live, work, play and do business in our community and city. Learning about people of all lifestyles, talents, and personalities who I think would be interesting for our readers to enjoy. San Diego has a wonderful diversity of individuals that make our slice of paradise the greatest place to live and enjoy each other’s uniqueness.

How did you end up in San Diego and what do you love about it? Tell me about yourself.

I was born in El Salvador, Central America, and my parents brought my younger brother and me to Los Angeles due to the war in our country. I moved to San Diego to attend San Diego State University in 1997. I come from a very conservative and traditional Latino Family and leaving home without first being married was frowned upon by many, but my parents were supportive if I stayed within a two-hour driving distance from home. SDSU was close but not too close! I was the first one in my family and village to graduate from High School and pursue a college degree.  During my first semester at SDSU, I met the person that I now call my wonderful husband. It was love at first sight, from me at least. I knew then I would never go back to Los Angeles. Together we have built a home with six children (age ranges from 6 to 24 years old), two dogs, a cat, and a bird. What we love about San Diego the most is the people! Our San Diegans are so diverse in race, ethnicity, culture, food, music, etc. We come together to support and care for each other during difficult times.

In your professional life what makes your business stand out and how has it changed your life? 

I always knew I wanted to be in the healthcare industry. I volunteered at LA County Hospital, worked at a Nursing/Hospice Facility, and became a nursing assistant all before the age of 18 yrs. old. I wanted to be a doctor, but things got a bit complicated, and instead, I decided to focus on Community Health Education. What I bring to this world every day is my life purpose of bringing love, affection, empathy, and my authentic self to everyone at every interaction! I love spreading knowledge, empowering communities, and supporting individuals in activating that power through ongoing growth development, collaboration, and trust. I see myself as a gardener, planting seeds of trust that then lead to growing relationship gardens. That is what is unique about what I do as a Community Liaison at Gilead Sciences and as my unique self!

Where goals do you see yourself accomplishing in the next five years?

Our Family sees us moving forward in creating a better world with equitable and holistic care for all people. Our family understands our privileges and our duty to our communities to be that voice for them, with them, by them in mind. In five years, I would like to create opportunities for other people like me in companies like Gilead Sciences. I want to bring more representation of BIPOC/LGBTQIA individuals into public health and healthcare settings. I want people to see that having a family should not stop you from achieving your goals/dreams. We can have a loving home and a career that meets our financial expectations without sacrificing ourselves.

What nicknames do you have? When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

I didn’t have any nicknames when I was growing up, but people then and now still call me “Karlita”.  As far as what I wanted to be when I grew up, I wanted to be a doctor or work in healthcare settings in which people would thrive vs. dealing with illnesses.

Who inspires you in life to do your very best and why?

My first inspiration came from my mom and dad. Fleeing a country at war to provide their two kids an opportunity to live and thrive is admirable. They didn’t speak the language and worked long hours a day with multiple jobs, went to adult school to learn the language, and obtained their GED. I learned from them to love, be kind, build up people, and embrace diversity. Now, it’s my supportive husband and my children that inspire me to be the best! They are paying close attention and most importantly joining me in making this world a better place.

When asked, what’s the one question you always answer with a lie?

I will always lie about my weight! I don’t mind answering honestly about my age, as I am proud to be a 44-year-old, cis woman, married to a wonderful spouse and having six kids. I have had a wonderful life. Even with the obstacles, I have learned many lessons.

If you could give someone advice about your art, hobby, or business, what would you tell them?

I always tell people to build people up by building honest relationships! People won’t care unless they know you care! It doesn’t matter what your job is, what you are selling, or what you are offering.  People care for people that care for them and others.

If you enjoy cooking, what is your favorite food to eat, and if you don’t like to cook, what is your favorite food and your favorite restaurant to eat from?

I love cooking!  My mom and I owned a Salvadorean restaurant in Los Angeles for many years prior to moving to SDSU. I love fusion cuisine with a touch of Salvadorean and Mexican culinary traditions. Although with my current job, I don’t get to cook as often as before due to long-distance traveling, but I try to cook as often as possible for my family.

Gratitude is so important in each of our lives, what are you most grateful for, and how do you pay it forward?

I am grateful for my life! I am grateful for my privileges (some unearned and most earned through hard work). I don’t take things for granted and constantly ask myself, how do I pay it forward? I love developing leaders and have been doing this for many years now. Many have now taken on leadership roles within large organizations. As a family, we do a lot of community engagement activities. We volunteer and bring others together to continue growing and uniting our community. We combat stigma and discrimination especially around HIV by being vocal about the needs in our community and normalizing the conversations. I invite everyone to pay it forward! Let us work collectively to make a difference in one more person!