Voices Behind the Vision: An Interview with Diana Holguin
Introduction
What genres of voiceover (VO) do you work in? Why do you love being part of VO4TP? What motivated you to join VO4TP? What are 3 words your best friend would use to describe you?
My name is Diana Holguin and I’ve been a fulltime bilingual voiceover talent working in Spanish and English for the last 6 years. My main genres of work are commercials, explainers, elearning and corporate and my dream is to voice something for NatGeo or Discovery.
I love a lot of things about being part of VO4TP – The chance to work with fellow voiceover talent who all really care about the future of out planet is really motivating. I love that we are all committed to helping businesses and environmental organizations to do better, get exposure and obtain donations to do good, important work. I’ve been an amateur environmentalist for as long as I can remember! I used to ask my mom to donate to WWF and Greenpeace in my name when I was a tween then I became co-head of the environmental club at my high school and now I’m constantly looking for ways to be kinder to the planet. Needless to say that being a founding member of VO4TP is 100% in character for me.
3 words that my best friend would use to describe me: kind, loyal, generous
Additional Work Insights
What aspects of your job bring you the most joy? How did you get started as a voice actor? If you hadn’t pursued voice acting, what career path might you have explored instead?
I get the most joy from voicing projects that truly align with my values. If I can make even a tiny impact, that makes it more than just a “job”. The idea that my voice can potentially reach so many people and maybe make a difference in their purchasing habits, eating habits, anything that might plant the seed to create change really matters and it adds up. I also love when people tell me they’ve heard my voice somewhere! I feel very fortunate that I’m at a point in my career where I can be more selective about the auditions and jobs I accept and if they do not align with my values then I’m happy to pass.
I got started as a voice actor by chance. I grew up acting and singing but by the time I left high school I left that behind and focused on preparing for “a real job”. In 2008 I moved back to Colombia and a friend asked if I could record a voiceover for a video he was producing. I agreed and the moment I stepped into the recording booth I felt at home. I began looking into voiceover more and more until I reached the point where I could go full time. That was just about 6 years ago!
If I hadn’t pursued voice acting I honestly could have ended up anywhere! I had so many jobs in my 20s and 30s. I was in the process of applying to be a Foreign Service Office for the US Department of State at one point. I opened a boutique translation agency with a friend in Bogotá. I taught English and translated full time for USAID. I have a degree in Culinary Arts, a BA in Restaurant Business, a Masters in Gastronomy, and a specializtion in International Development and Project Management. I wrote a successful food blog and had a food tour agency in Bogotá. I am very lucky to have found voiceover because I love it and it allows me to be a part of and learn about so many different topics that interest me in addition to giving me the flexibility to pursue other passions like brazilian drumming, birdwatching and cooking.
The Business Side
How do you manage your schedule and prioritize projects? In what ways has being a part of VO4TP challenged or changed your day to day business? What is it like working in a collaborative group like VO4TP?
Having a job with flexibility is tricky for me. I do love it but sometimes I crave more structure so I just have to try and create it for myself. My inbox often dictates my schedule depending on how many auditions I have pending or if clients need something from me like pickups, contracts signed, tax forms submitted, sessions scheduled, etc. As most voice over talent will tell you, we wear many hats. There is the administrative portion, the marketing aspect, the performance, the client manager, the bookkeeper, and so much more. It’s definitely not boring and there is always something to be done so it’s important to set boundaries and know when to rest and not feel guilty about it.
VO4TP has added more work, of course, but it means more to me than many other projects in my day to day business so it’s something I welcome with open arms. I know that our hard work will pay off and I’m so excited to see what the future holds for our collective.
I also really enjoy working in a collaborative group like VO4TP because I generally don’t get to collaborate too much with others on a day to day basis. Building something from the ground up is very rewarding and we are a great group of people from different backgrounds and with different skill sets so it’s really been fun. It’s also comforting to work with really nice folks who share a lot of my passions and values.
Environmentalism
Which organizations are you most passionate about giving to with your time and money? Any great tips on being sustainable in your work and/or life? How do you stay informed/inspired/educated about environmental issues? Got any great resources you want to share?
I’m constantly on the lookout for organizations that are doing great work. Many of them are food related like The City Harvest here in NYC or World Central Kitchen, which help provide food for those in need either due to food insecurity or natural disasters or any other event that would make it difficult for people to access nutritious food. I am also a huge animal lover and eat a plant based diet so organizations like Educated Choices Program mean a lot to me. When I am in VT I love volunteering at a horse rescue up there called Gerda’s Equine Rescue. Other organizations I currently support are Seeding Sovereignty that works in food sovereignty, community building and cultural preservation with a focus on indigenous communities and issues of social justice.
Some tips for being more sustainable are to eat less animal products, find as many swaps as possible for single use plastics, use public transportation, walk or bike as much as possible, compost, get involved and volunteer at a local environmental organization, be more mindful and stop buying cr*p, think of buying secondhand or refurbished items first … I could go on and on.
I follow several Instagram accounts that keep me informed about different environmental issues like Commons, Intersectional Environmentalist, Queer Brown Vegan, PattieGonia, and 1% for the Planet, of course! I definitely make it a point to find and listen to voices from many different backgrounds in regards to environmental issues.
For Fun
If you could have any animal as a pet (real or mythical), what would it be and why? What is the most adventurous activity you have ever done, and how did it change your perspective? Imagine you’re creating a playlist for a road trip through the world’s most beautiful landscape. First, where would you be, and second, what would be the first song on your playlist?
If I could have any pet(s) I would have them all but if I had to choose just one I would probably have a donkey – they are so freaking cute! Those ears! I’d also have one of each of the animals I no longer eat, preferably rescued. A cow, a chicken, a pig, and a little lamb and give them the best life possible.
One fo the most adventurous things I’ve done so far was trekking through El Cocuy National Park in Colombia. It was the most awe inspiring and humbling experience I’ve ever had in the wild. I saw the magnificence of the Andes mountain range in person and also saw how climate change is affecting that natural environment. Even in these seemingly untouched and remote landscapes, the effects of our modern world are still evident. It was absultuely stunning but also hear wrenching to think that places like that might not exist in the same way in just a few decades.
I’m going to swap the road trip for a train trip though the Canadian Rockies because I’ve been wanting to do that for a while now and I want to travel by train more because it’s so romantic and better for the planet! The first song on my playlist would be No Surpises by Radiohead.
Learn more about Diana Holguin
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