POWERPUMP GIRLS W(O)W: CHELSEA BORRUANO X YOU AREN’T ALONE PROJECT
Chelsea Borruano is a fun, passion-driven woman who has dreams and is a “doer” who will put the pedal to the metal to make them come true. She graduated from LSU with a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication, concentration in Advertising. Through NYU’s online program she just recently decided to pursue her Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling (you go girl!). She has a twin sister and is professionally trained in improv with LATCo (holla, go peep our last blog!). She has also done some stand up comedy (ayyee)! Traveling is Chelsea’s vibe and you can catch her on a flight if she isn’t working, or maybe she’s doing both #catchflightsnotfeelings. She has been to Spain, France, Greece, Scandinavia, Mexico, Colombia, all with her sister of course, and plans to visit Asia this November (can I be the third sister?)
We are highlighting her as the founder of the You Aren’t Alone Project, which was fueled and inspired by Chelsea’s own experience of pain, loss and triumph. Chelsea is a book of surprises, in addition to her previously mentioned pursuits, she works full time for MESH as Business Development Manager and serves on on several local boards including: Forum 225, Rotaract, PRAL, and BRAC Ambassador.
The You Aren’t Alone Project was founded in 2019 and is dedicated to forming a network of ongoing support for mental health and wellness in Baton Rouge and surrounding communities. This is done with the goal to ensure no one ever feels alone. The project, “exists to encourage understanding, erase stigmas, and to invest in building the right relationships that will continue moving this initiative forward.” The vision of the project is to be the platform that paves the way for mental and behavioral health in Louisiana and elevate the discussion to the same level in which physical health is acknowledged.
Purpose is what sets your soul on fire.
Her incredible support system, made up of her family, closest friends and co-workers, helps her in the midst of trials and challenges. She stresses the importance of her family and considers them to be her rock. They recently experienced the loss of their mom’s sister (nanny) to cancer. She shares that they are still healing but are in it together as a unit, which is important. She wakes up in the morning because of her purpose and this fuels her through the hard times. Chelsea shares her passion of, “ leaving [her] mark on this world by changing as many lives as [she] can for the better.” To the entrepreneurs in the house, Chelsea wants you to know You. Are. Not. Alone. You don’t have to do it alone, and don’t be afraid to ask your tribe for some help when you need it.
Chelsea appreciates with a full heart the opportunity to see others realize they are not alone. She shares that the feeling cannot be described when she sees her organization’s impact on individuals and the community. Looking to the future Chelsea wants to continue growing the non-profit and eventually offer programs as a licensed mental health counselor to those with little to no access to mental health services. What is her goal? “. . .to change the conversation around mental health on a national level and ultimately, change the world, or someone's world, for the better”(wow, speechless). To date, her proudest accomplishment is seeing her vision come to life at the YAAP first annual Live Art Event last summer, which will go down in history as one of the best of her life.