Available to book
Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez
Transform immigrant narratives with Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez, speaker, memoir author and storytelling advocate. Elizabeth empowers organizations through diversity leadership and resilience expertise, featured on NPR with her New York Times Editor's Pick memoir "My Side of the River."
Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez is a storyteller, advocate, and the author of My Side of the River, a memoir published by St. Martins Press/Macmillan in February 2024.
Born and raised near the US-Mexico border in Tucson, Arizona, Elizabeth's upbringing was marked by resilience and determination. At 15, when her parents were forced to return to Mexico due to issues with their immigration status, Elizabeth chose to remain in the U.S., navigating homelessness while fiercely pursuing her education. Her journey from adversity to achievement culminated in her graduation as valedictorian, a testament to her unwavering resolve.
Elizabeth then pursued higher education at the University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated in 2018, earning a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. During her time at Penn, Elizabeth was selected as The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) Scholar of the Year, a U.S. Department of State Gilman Scholar, and a part of competitive business programs at Harvard and Stanford.
Upon graduating, Elizabeth worked in finance as one of the few Latinas on the trading floor within Wells Fargo’s Markets division. In February 2020, she was selected out of 1000 internal Wells Fargo applicants to participate in Wells Fargo’s Ignite partnership with the TED Institute.
Her TED Talk recounts her story of finding opportunity and stability in the U.S. while examining flaws in narratives that simplify and idealize the immigrant experience. Within a month, her talk reached over a million views. In June of 2021, Elizabeth transitioned from working in finance to technology, becoming a Product Manager at Meta, where she hopes to continue to use her background and knowledge to empower communities.
Since the publication of her memoir, My Side of the River, in February of 2024, she has been featured on Hola Magazine and NPR. Her book has also been praised as a New York Times Editor's Pick, People Magazine Best Book to Read in February, and one of Goodreads' Most Anticipated Books of 2024.
Topics, sessions and talks
Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez discusses the importance of activism in achieving social justice, emphasizing the role of community involvement and personal commitment in driving societal change.
Elizabeth brings a unique blend of resilience, insight, and real-world experience from her journey from homelessness to Harvard and Stanford programs, and onto the trading floors of Wells Fargo and the innovative corridors of Meta. Her compelling story of overcoming adversity, coupled with her achievements in finance and technology, offers invaluable lessons on diversity, perseverance, and innovation. Booking Elizabeth as a speaker will inspire your team or business with a fresh perspective on overcoming challenges and achieving success against all odds.
Testimonials
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frequently asked questions
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To book Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez, email elizabeth.camarillo.gutierrez@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm Elizabeth's availability and speaking fee. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and about your audience.
Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez draws on memoir and personal narrative, structuring her talks around her own lived experience — from navigating homelessness at 15 after her parents were deported, to graduating as valedictorian and working in finance and tech — to examine systemic flaws in how the immigrant experience is portrayed.
Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez speaks on activism and social justice, immigration and the immigrant experience, and personal resilience and adversity. Her memoir, My Side of the River, published by St. Martin's Press in February 2024, was named a New York Times Editor's Pick and a People Magazine Best Book, and her TED Talk on the immigrant experience surpassed one million views within a month of release.
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