Wellness & balance for trailblazers and rule breakers
The last year has been difficult across the board, for men, women, children, and everyone in between. As the pandemic continues, our challenges have become compounded by what is largely recognized as a women’s recession. Today, on International Women’s Day, I’d like to recognize all the women that are keeping families, business, economies, and nation states running smoothly.
I could tell you about the potential of the LatinX community based on personal experience and obvious bias, but you don’t have to take it from me. Indeed, actual studies confirm: the future is Latina. Over the summer, I attended #WeAllGrow, a professional summit for Latina changemakers – creatives, creators, and entrepreneurs from all over the United States and Latin America. Over the course of four days, 500 women gained expertise, resources, and an amazing network. But the magic of the event was in the sisterhood, designed to inspire and empower high-potential Latinas. Really, it was the first time I […]
I’m sorry you didn’t see actor and comedian John Leguizamo‘s Latin History for Morons because it’s brilliant. Like his other stand-up specials, it’s hilarious and physical, yet sad and very real, but this show, in particular, is extremely well-researched and -scripted and it’s such important work. The hubs and I went to see the live version of the show (which you can see on Netflix now, if not in person) last Friday upon my heavy suggestion. We’d already seen the special on Netflix, but I could watch it over and over again. Needless to say, I knew what I was […]
Dora and the Lost City of Gold and a surprising interview with legendary Mexican actor Eugenio Derbez When Dora the Explorer debuted nearly 20 years ago, the show was hit with kids and celebrated by adults. Dora, a bilingual preschooler, solved mysteries and engaged directly with her audience. Like the children who admired her, she has grown up. The world has changed and the mysteries to be solved are more complicated, but in Dora and The Lost City of Gold, out this Friday, Dora stays true to roots – something executive producer and actor Eugenio Derbez says makes her our […]
Avengers: Endgame, the newest in an anthology of Marvel Studios films, reaches the pinnacle of character development, weaving together the back-stories of our favorite imperfect, fallible Marvel superheros in the ultimate intergalactic heist. I was invited to attend an advance screening of Avengers: Endgame. I love Marvel – count me in! The heroes and antiheroes are morally challenged and real – they are responsible for saving the human race, but their humanity parallels ours. That said, I’m a casual fan. I’ve watched and enjoyed most of the movies, but I’ve never dressed as a character (if that’s your thing, check […]
I was invited this week to a private screening of Blindspotting, out in theaters on Friday. The trailer looked interesting, so I went in with high hopes, but I was not prepared to be grabbed by the heart and rattled around a bit, then set down gingerly to sit with my thoughts. Just my kind of film. Blindspotting was co-written and stars longtime friends and collaborators Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal. It’s about two men in Oakland surviving, and about how where you’re from can be a source of pride and also your demise. As the world changes around you, do […]
Growing up, most of my heroes in life, films, books, and TV were the rebels. I never liked the prescribed protagonist, most likely because she was nothing like me and I identified more with those on the periphery. As I got older and more self-aware, I realized none of my role models were Latinas. I grew up in a border town, but publicly, our successes were not celebrated. Fast forward to now, I’ve built a respectable career but I haven’t yet realized my full potential and I still need Latino heroes. There’s a particular set of challenges we face, and as I […]
Lately, my four-year-old has been asking some hard questions, perhaps a testament to the times we’re living in: Why do we fight wars? Why do soldiers die? Are you going to die? Does everyone die? We’ve been seeing trailers for Pixar’s Coco for about a year and were anxiously awaiting its release (today!), but given her inquisitiveness, you can imagine my concern. We were invited to an advance 3D screening of the film, so we drove more than an hour across town and arrived on Mexican time…but they let us in anyway. I don’t know who between my daughter, husband, […]
Young professionals have fallen into a grossly generalized demographic: the Millennials, or depending on who you are, those effin Millennials. They are a generation of the workers who grew up with technology, are adaptive and disruptive, and they’re giving the rest of us a run for our money. Millennials don’t do things the way we do them, which isn’t bad and is probably a good thing. We can leverage our collective talents and avoid multi-generational pitfalls with some of the tips I’m about to share. But let’s just get it out there – It’s time to stop saying Millennial like […]
Fifty years ago, the president of this country had the social consciousness to celebrate the contributions of Latinos in United States during National Hispanic Heritage Month. It’s more important than ever to continue the tradition, tell our stories, share our joy, and dispel myths and prejudices. Hispanic Americans have risen in importance and power, but still, we are classified by color and culture. An intertwined tale of Hispanic Heritage Nogales, my hometown, is named after a walnut grove that belonged to the Elías family (Los Nogales de Elías), which was then a part of Mexico. Following the Gadsden Purchase in 1853, the Elías […]