Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Clark.
Victoria, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Growing up, I always knew I wanted to be a lawyer. I stayed focused on that goal, almost to the exclusion of everything else. I graduated from college (NC State) in 3 years, at 20 years old, because I knew my goal was to go to law school and I wanted to get there as quickly as possible. I went straight from college to Cornell Law School and at 23, walked across the stage with my JD. It was a great opportunity, but later I would realize that there’s no need to rush.
After law school, I moved to Washington, DC. I had a few different jobs, which were fine, but the real source of my joy was serving on the boards of organizations, such as the Northern Virginia Urban League, where I could directly impact the community and the Arena Stage Young Patrons Board where I get to work with other professionals around our shared love of the arts. Around 5 or so years out of law school, I realized that my career wasn’t going to be the source of my fulfillment that I had grown up thinking it would be.
When the pandemic, I was running my own law practice in DC where 95% of my cases were litigation-based. And then the pandemic happened. Court closed, and I spent all of my time at home, with my workload dwindling. I spent a lot of time thinking about life and decided to do more of the things that would bring me joy.
The first thing I did was to build a garden in my backyard. I built it by hand, by myself, and was so proud of what I’d created. I immediately began planting seeds and seedlings, and by mid-summer 2020, had a space full of produce, and was eating garden-to-table. I loved it! I also have always loved to cook and bake, and started to document what I was making. I started sharing my photos and recipes on social media. More recently, I started selling baked goods and plant-based milk at pop-up shops and through direct inquiries. Last year, I came across an announcement that a yoga training school was giving scholarships to Black women to complete a yoga teacher training. I had started practicing yoga in college, so I jumped at the opportunity! Yoga definitely helped to calm my mind during a stressful time. I have not yet begun teaching classes, but it’s something I plan on doing soon.
I’m now working full-time in a job I love, but am still focused on my creative side. Through cooking, baking, gardening, and yoga, I’ve learned more about who I am, and also have helped grow into the person I want to be, and I love having the ability to share what I do with others.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When I graduated from law school, I did not have a full-time job lined up, which stressed me out and distracted me so much, I ended up not passing the bar the first time. At the time, it felt like the end of the world. I then got a job and had to study for the bar while working full-time. Thankfully, I passed.
The pandemic brought another challenge. My income was reduced significantly, and like most other small business owners, I really struggled. I got through it with the pandemic relief provided by the government, later got a job doing voter protection work in North Carolina with Biden-Harris 2020, which due to the pandemic, I could do remotely from DC. I then ended up deciding to close my firm, after realizing that I didn’t really love the work I was doing. Although the pandemic was tough, it ultimately led to my decision to focus on the things I do love: cooking, baking, gardening, and yoga. So, overall, I came out of it a much better, happier person than when I started and I feel like I actually know what I want to do with my life.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I think one of the hardest things to do as a lawyer is to not let your career consume you. It can be such a mental drain, and people in the legal profession can sometimes fall into letting their career be their whole identity. I’m proud of myself for making the decision to explore who I am outside of being a lawyer and figure out what really makes me happy. I would love to be known for pursuing physical and mental wellness through non-work endeavors. For me, that’s cooking, baking, gardening, and yoga. Especially with working from home, it’s easy to get lost in the work I’m doing and spend hours at the computer. Having shifted my priorities, I’m better about setting boundaries so that I can prioritize my interests.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Like: food, having so much to do
Dislike: cold weather and traffic!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: instagram.com/rayelle_esq
- Twitter: twitter.com/_VictoriaRClark
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC481EZ24ByhLeXBvcEaoCsg
