From the moment I met this woman, I knew she was family. She trains with me at our beloved 9Round Kickboxing in South Orange County, CA. She is as fierce, looking as she is passionate about the ones she loves. If she tells you that she loves you, you feel loved. If she hugs you, you feel safe; also, you will smell like Tiger Balm or whatever her perfume is, for hours into the day. I have to admit, this is the one interview so far I was not able to sit down and ask the questions face to face. Life is busy, and as a mom of three kids myself, and her a very devoted mother and grandmother, we always tried to make it work, but it ended with me having to email her the questions. That’s life, that’s reality, however, I wish I could have you all hear her accent. This accent is to die for! I mean, we all adore anyone with a fantastic accent. My hope for you all as you read this, is that you see, hear, feel, the maturity in her words as something to learn from, but also, I hope you, my girl crew, hear a woman that even though she is our oldest knockout so far, she struggles and celebrates the same things as we do. This thing that we are doing, life, knows no age, race, religion, etc. We are all women on a united front with certain dreams and aspirations made into our very DNA.

 

Where are you from? Where did you grow up? You have this fantastic accent, but I don’t actually know where you are from.

 

--Seriously, this woman’s accent is even kind of haunting. I love, love it!

 

“I was raised in a beautiful island southeast of Brazil called Florianopolis. A paradise with 42 beaches that unfortunately got invaded with many outsiders and its a place I don't want to be during summer or carnaval.”

 

You are not only a mom, but a grandma as well!! How are the two different?

 

“Being a mother was always a dream of mine and I enjoyed it, and I still do every second I can.I still spend time with my children, but being a grandmother, that’s a feeling I’m not sure I can quite put into words. It’s something magical. You hold this little soul in your arms and literally see your children’s soul within. Of course the situation is not the same as being a mother, but the feeling of knowing I passed on the knowledge given to me  by my mom as a mother and grandmother, then to my kids;  makes you feel incredible. Like, walking on clouds.”

 

What inspires you most to workout as hard as you do? Why did you get into fitness?

 

--Ok, having worked out next to, with, around this woman, I know without a doubt she could kick the crap out of me. Just saying, not to be messed with.

 

“I'm very competative, I always want to be and do better than I did the day before. Sometimes, I don't allow myself to fail and it's not good. The feeling of beating yourself without  letting you be just human can lead to frustration sometimes. I learned with hard lessons that it's ok not trying to be perfect all the time. Perfection is a moment in a second of an event in your life. My inspiration are my grandchildren. I want to age healthy to see them grow and be an example.

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I grew up always doing sports, track and field, volleyball, beach volleyball and tennis. I always loved to ride bicycles, since I was a little girl. My mom used to lock my bicycle because it was the only thing I wanted to do all day long. A few years after I moved to the US, I started mountain biking and started playing tennis again and even though I was always fit, in 2008, I was planning my trip to Brazil for my mom's 80th birthday. It was actually the first time I was going back after I moved here back in 1999. And I thought, ‘dang it, I want to look good, toned and strong.’ I added resistance workouts to my almost daily rides. From there, I've never stopped. It's my addiction and my therapy. Keeps me grounded.”

 

Who are some Knockouts in your life, living or not, who have inspired you to be who you are today?

 

“My mom is one of my greatest examples of a knockout. She taught me love, kindness, forgiveness, to fight for what you believe in, to see the value of a true friendship and family values. She showed me the true meaning of becoming and being the best mother you could ever be. My children, as well, truly for loving me and accepting who I am with no judgment, they forgave me for the mistakes I've made along the road, and I know it has made who I am today.”

 

I know you believe more in a more holistic approach to healing, what are the main benefits you see from that?

 

“I grew up learning home medicine and the benefits of it all, mostly to help relieve symptoms or to help prevent to getting sick often. A Holistic approach can have greater benefits and no side effects whatsoever. Mother Earth has so much to offer to keep us healthy, but unfortunately, we've been living in a world where illness brings great financial benefits to pharmaceutical industries. I have my theories but I won't go there.”

 

Why do you love your body?

 

“ Why do I love my body? Hmmmmm, I'm still learning. Learning to see myself in the constant changes of going through menopause. So, I choose to take the approach of ‘love who Jackie is’, my soul, what and how I can contribute to everyone I'm blessed to have in my life to help them find their truth. The truth and true essence of my soul. When we find it, its deeper and greater than your physical body. And this is the one we should truly love.”

 

If you could go face to face with your younger self, what would you tell her?

 

“It's going to be a bumpy, painful and hard road, but you are going to be ok. Keep your head up and fight for everything you believe in.”

 

What is your definition of ‘strong’? What does a strong woman look like to you?

 

“ A strong woman is the one that has inside of her a warrior soul, a fighter, a believer, humble , courageous with an open soul to face all fears, to fail, to fall hard and rise stronger than before.”

 

--Could this answer be any better? Made me stop and think for a moment.

 

Do you prefer leggings or jeans?

 

“I absolutely love jeans, no doubt.”

 

--Well, ok then. Done and done.

 

What would you say is your greatest fear?

 

“My greatest fear is dying in an airplane crash. I don't like to fly and it freaks me out every time I have to travel.”

 

If you had only one more meal to eat, what would it be?

 

“Anything my mom would cook, if she was alive. She was a great cook and I absolutely loved everything she made.”

 

What do you think women struggle with most? Just in general.

 

“Believing in how much power we have to change the world, and maybe being submissive.”

 

You have really cool tattoos, which one is your favorite and why?

 

“All my tattoos are my favorites, they all have a meaning in my life. They are related to the ones I love the most and myself. They are for my dad, my children, my grandchildren and my 4 legged son. The ones related to me, reminds me the power and strength I have within from God but it's too easy to forget sometimes. I have one in the project for my mom, but I'm just not ready yet.”

 

Why did you want to be a part of the knockout collective? What makes you a knockout?

 

“Because it brings truth, support, and courage. It opens this huge door to a universe of awareness where women are constantly disrespected, used and abused physically and sexually. It does break the disbelief that we are just incapable to be better than a man in a society the contaminates generation after generation. It shows the truth of being a woman, a mother, a wife, a human being that faces problems and struggles to keep it going sometimes holding everything inside. Having moved to the US not knowing the language and leaving everything behind, including family and friends, to have faced darkness and to have risen, to have learned from my mistakes and be able to forgive myself, to be what I am today, who I am today; that makes me a knockout.”   

 

How does one follow any of that? I was so excited to share this amazing woman with you all. I am always excited to share all of our strong, amazing women in our lives with you. Jackie has reminded me what it means to love your family in a very protective way, but also that you don’t have to be blood to be family. She truly is what The Knockout Collective and how Hannah and I see our collective growing. Each gal in our midst has such a fantastic story that it gives us great joy to share them with you. Be sure to comment below and show this girl some love, let us know what you think, or reach out to us if there is anything you are struggling with, or even just want to celebrate with us, and your girl gang will always have your back!!!!

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Interviewed by Emily Bishop

Photography: Eric Spraker

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