Speakers at The Corner: The ConSentida Revolution comes to The Corner Hotel

It's possible that a day will come when talking about ConSentidas will be as familiar to us as talking about the Bilderberg Club or the G7. And hopefully, their influence on decision-making, in pursuit of a more egalitarian society, will be a quarter of that of the lobbies mentioned here. Utopia or vision, no one can deny the unstoppable growth of this group with over 9,000 followers– and growing – which now spans six Spanish cities (Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Mallorca, Zaragoza, and San Sebastián) and is aimed at promoting the role of women in our society, shedding its male stereotypes and reclaiming its essence, albeit in an inclusive way, without excluding men and understanding that the ultimate goal is not equality but equity.

Now these sessions come to The Corner Hotel with Speakers at The Corner, where once a month an inspirational woman with a story will share her experiences with the attendees. The first will be the writer of Indian origin Asha Miró, next Wednesday, April 24th. To better understand this “movement” we have spoken with the creator of the project, Julia Salsas, a journalist by training who became the first ConSentida in history by becoming aware of where she was and where she wanted to go in life. Although no one can explain her story better than she herself.

Tell us, Julia, what are the ConSentidas and how were they created?

Las ConSentidas was born 5 years ago in Barcelona with a proposal that came more from the heart than from a business plan or anything similar. I realized there was a social demand indicating that women need time and space to get to know themselves. And through life stories of women who are references for me, a community of over 9,000 women has been created, which currently has a presence in six Spanish cities.

And how did you come to identify that social demand?

At 25, I had an existential crisis that made me rethink everything. After completing a master's degree in Madrid, I started working as an external researcher for the ESADE Institute for Social Innovation. It was at that time when I created ConSentidoComún, a CSR consultancy with headquarters in an office that didn't inspire me at all. Working there for 10-12 hours was not particularly motivating. And it was precisely at that moment, when I was unclear about what I was doing with my life, that I suffered a stroke and realized that life was giving me another chance.

There I made two major decisions: One, to change my office and the other, to focus on what I could contribute to society: I wanted to wake up in the morning knowing that the day was going to be worthwhile, that it was going to add value to my life; and I wanted to go to bed knowing that, indeed, everything had made sense. For two months, I met with people who were looking to reinvent themselves and came to me for advice. When I zoomed out a bit, I realized that 70% were women. I understood that there is a very evident social demand from women who are asking for social change. Someone suggested that I do a group coaching on female leadership, so I really liked the idea, but I thought 'I'm not a coach' and suggested that she come and give it. I would provide the space, the women, and we would co-create it.

The day of the presentation was a resounding failure. The planned program assumed that schedules would be blocked for 6-7 consecutive Fridays. This does not fit into the agenda of the 21st-century woman. So I thought of having a monthly meal where the main course would be the life story of a woman. And that's how they were born. With this simple idea, but one that is having a very evident social impact on women.

What requirements must a woman have to be a favored muse? Can all women be one, or are they already?

Everyone is, but not everyone believes it. I always tell them and encourage those who come as participants that if anyone has the desire, enthusiasm, and something to share, they should raise their hand. In fact, once a year I trick them and call them for a session where they all are the inspirational ones. And those sessions are magical. Many of them have never had the chance to express who they are, how they feel... and as a result of these sessions, many assure that they have become aware of who they are and what they truly want.

And now the ConSentidas project lands at The Corner with Speakers At The Corner…

Barcelona is the only city where ConSentidas is done in a meal format, in other cities it's an afterwork. But here I often meet women who tell me that, although they love the idea, they are not available to attend at noon. So I thought about making a proposal for all those women.

The Corner Hotel is an ideal venue, as it offers a very interesting range of leisure and dining options in the evenings, but it was missing the most inspirational, cultural part...etcetera. So from that demand and opportunity, this project was born, in which we will have the presence of inspirational women and men.

What? With men, too?

That's right. After five years of the project, I've realized that when it comes to equality, either we start being inclusive with them or we won't progress as quickly as we would if we joined forces. I admit my mea culpa in the sense that Las ConSentidas has always been a project, not excluding, but indeed exclusive to us. Throughout this process, many men have approached me to ask for the ConSentidos project or have said to me: “Hey Julia, I'm a feminist, I really like supporting women, I believe we complement each other, why don't you include us?”

You often emphasize the difference between equality and equity…

I don't want to be the same as a man, I want equal pay, equal rights... In fact, I think it would be a mistake for us all to be the same. If I behave like a man, I lose the opportunity to be the woman inside me. And if men start to act like us, they lose out too. We should take advantage of the talents of both. That's why I think equity is a fairer term. We're talking about equality of rights.

After the sessions, what feedback do you receive from them, how do you know it's working?

Consider that, at meals and events, about 25 women attend, so each month I receive 100 feedbacks from the 6 cities and I have never received a negative one. Once you create a space of trust like this, they open up so much that I've received emails that have made me cry. Once, a woman who is a regular sat next to a colleague who was new and said to her: “Is this your first time here, isn’t it? It's going to change your life. There's a before and after in my life with Las ConSentidas” and then I thought “Oh my, what a huge responsibility! How exciting, but what a responsibility!”