Raquel Vélez - a plus sized Latina who discovered her love of the outdoors later in life. Founder and CEO of Alpine Parrot, an outdoor apparel company that caters specifically to people of size and people of color.

<p>Raquel Vélez is the Founder and CEO of <a href= "https://alpineparrot.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://alpineparrot.com/&source=gmail&ust=1698113540623000&usg=AOvVaw1L5xpUboMGHWFSHvF5Nyfx">Alpine Parrot</a>, an outdoor apparel company that caters specifically to people of size and people of color. She brings with her almost two decades of engineering experience, having received her degree in mechanical engineering from Caltech, worked and studied as a robotics engineer, and eventually shifting over to software engineering and engineering management. </p> <p>Now, as an apparel engineer, she's creatively tackling one of the oldest (and most polluting) industries by creating sustainable, inclusive clothing for a market of people who have so often been neglected in the outdoor space. </p> <p>As a plus sized Latina who discovered her love of the outdoors later in life, Raquel has put an incredible amount of careful consideration into the design of each product, focusing on great fit and quality construction. She was named one of <em>Outside Magazine</em>'s Outsiders of the Year 2021 and one of <em>Well+Good Magazine</em>'s Changemakers 2023.</p> <p>Raquel has lived in 4 countries, speaks 5 languages, and currently lives in California.</p> <p>***</p> <p><img class="an1" src= "https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/e/notoemoji/15.0/1f399_fe0f/32.png" alt="🎙️" width="20" height="20" loading="lazy" data-emoji="🎙️" aria-label="🎙️" /> Don't miss out on the latest episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast, released every Tuesday at 7am UK time! Be sure to hit the subscribe button to stay updated on the incredible journeys and stories of strong women.</p> <p><img class="an1" src= "https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/e/notoemoji/15.0/1f4aa/32.png" alt="💪" width="20" height="20" loading="lazy" data-emoji="💪" aria-label= "💪" /> By supporting the Tough Girl Podcast on Patreon, you can make a difference in increasing the representation of female role models in the media, particularly in the