What Is Right For Others…

May not be right for you (and vice versa).  The women we’ve spoken to have made very different life choices from each other — and each of them made the right choices for *them.*

From my perspective, it’s important to remember that what may be right for someone else may not be right for you and what’s right for you may not be right for someone else.  This is, in part, why it’s so important to exercise your intuition, get to know yourself well,
and make the choice that is right for YOU, no matter what anyone else says…

I’m reminded of something I heard one time that if you’re favorite flavor is vanilla and another person’s favorite flavor is chocolate, are you ever going to convince the other person your choice is "better"?  Of course not!  Why is that?  Because what is right for you may not be right for someone else — we all have different tastes.

We all know this, and yet, how often do we listen to someone else’s advice about what we should do, instead of listening to ourselves?  Now, this is not to say that reflecting on the right path with a girlfriend or sister or mother is *not* the right thing to do.  Rather,
I’m suggesting that at the end of the day, your life choices are up to YOU, no matter what anyone else says, or whether or not you can articulate your reasons for WHY. 

Ultimately, you may not even know why something feels "right" or "not right", but these messages are YOURS to interpret regardless of outside influences.  Outside messages can be helpful, but they should not be determinative.

Our interviewees knew this instinctively — this is one of the reasons Nancy Mirabal, Professor of History, Eva Plaza, Partner at a law firm, Elma Gonzalez, Ph.D. in cell biology, among others, went away to college, even when their families wanted them to stay close.

Eva Plaza, when appointed to the position of Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Employment found that, no matter how wonderful a position it was, it was not the type of position that was the best for her  long term (even though she stayed and did an
amazing job while she had it).  She knew her next position had to be of a different type. 

Jeanette Cisneros, Medical Director of a Public Health Clinic, decided to combine a career and family even when people told her she "couldn’t". Naomi Quiñonez, poet, activist and scholar, listened to people’s critique of her presentation style of poetry, and still decided to do it "her way."  Susana De Anda, co-Executive Director of the Community Water Center, broke away from friends during undergrad to find her own path and pursue the studies and interests that were *her* passion.

These are just a few examples.  In short, when others make suggestions, it is up to you to listen, learn, and ultimately, make your own decision.  Our Powerful Latinas have listened to their own inner voices, and I encourage you to do so as well.

Stay tuned for more exciting lessons and insights from our awesome interviewees!

Do you read during the lazy days of summer?

Marcela shared some interesting insights with us about the publishing industry this week.  One of the misconceptions, she says, is that Latinos don’t read, or they don’t buy books.

Marcela urged us to buy books, and to urge others to do so (as opposed to sharing one copy among many people, or buying used books).  Well, I know that I, for one, am *definitely* doing my part.  I’m a bit of a book-aholic, if one must know.

I love bookstores, and can spent hours in them (and hundreds of dollars!).  I love exploring new authors and am constantly reading books — usually three or four at a time.

This week, I would encourage you to pick up a book if you haven’t lately, or share the name of a favorite book with a friend of yours, or reflect on the kinds of books you like and stand in front of that section of the bookstore to see all the different things that are there!

And among these books, are there Latina authors?  We’ve talked to several during the course of the interview series so far.

Sylvia Mendoza wrote The Book of Latina Women, and is also a romance novelist.  Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez has written The Dirty Girls’ Social Club, among other novels.  Haters is Alisa’s recent young adult novel which may get made into a Nickelodean series.  Juana Bordas wrote a book on leadership, Salsa, Soul and Spirit.  And last week’s guest, Cristina Perez, wrote Living By Los Dichos (and won a Daytime Emmy Award this past week for Cristina’s Court!).

There will be more authors upcoming during the course of the year.  The "lazy days of summer" is a great time to pick up a new book.  Have a fun time exploring new worlds, chica — reading is a wonderful way to do it!

Marcela Landres

Marcela Landres, the daughter of immigrants from Ecuador, is one of the few Latina editors in book publishing, and works as an Editorial Consultant.  She grew up and still lives in New York City. She is one of the few Latina editors in book publishing, is an Editorial Consultant who works one-on-one with writers providing developmental editing for manuscripts, critiques of book proposals, and strategic advice on how to launch and manage a successful writing career.

Marcela works with writers of all backgrounds in fiction and nonfiction, and specializes in helping Latino writers get published.

She was formerly an editor at Simon & Schuster where she acquired and edited the bestselling authors Karen Rauch Carter and Dora Levy Mossanen, as well as oversaw the award-winning Spanish language imprint Libros en Español.

>>  I’ll be speaking with Marcela about how she got into book publishing and why she focuses on Latino authors.

Marcela is also the author of the e-book How Editors Think: The Real Reason They Rejected You.

Additionally, she is the Publisher of Latinidad®, an award-winning e-zine which was chosen as one of the 101 Best Web Sites for Writers by Writer’s Digest Magazine.

>>  How does it feel to be both an author and an editor?  Is she her own worst critic?  Or has she learned how to be her own best friend (as a writer)?

The media, including The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, and The Boston Globe, often quotes her as a publishing expert.

She has been a guest blogger on an author’s website, weighed in on the subject of “chica lit” (as well as other multicultural chick lit), and commented on issues from author publicity and learning the business of book publishing to more personal topics of her life and personal views.

>>  What does she say to the media about the publishing world and the Latina authors within it?  What insight into the industry can we learn from her?

Marcela is a member of the Brooklyn Literary Council, Women’s Media Group, New York Women in Communications, Editorial Freelancers Association, and Las Comadres.

Shamansdance Newsletter featured Marcela as one of the Inspiring Women in the May/June 2006 issue of their Eye of the Moon newsletter.

LatinoGraduate.net, an organization that helps Latino students to get into and graduate from college interviewed her as a Latino role model, and she was honored to be one of four Visionary Souls featured in an issue of Para Mi magazine.

>>  How did Marcela come to be awarded these honors, and what have they meant to her?

She speaks frequently for organizations such as The Learning Annex, Columbia University, and The National Association of Latino Arts and Culture.

A graduate of Barnard College, she has been on the Literature Panel for the New York State Council on the Arts, and was a judge for the Beyond Margins Award for PEN, the Latino Book Awards, and The Scholastic Art & Writing Award.

>>  As a public speaker on the topic of writing, what kinds of questions does she often get from her audiences?

Raised in the projects of Long Island City, Queens, as one of five children of Ecuadorian immigrants (four girls, one boy) Marcela was the middle child. Her mom was a teacher in Ecuador and her greatest gift to Marcela was teaching her to read at a very young age.

Aside from reading books voraciously, she loves to cook and try new restaurants, which is part of why living in NY–the ultimate foodie town–is such a joy to Marcela.  A native New Yorker, she was born in Manhattan, grew up in Queens, and then married a nice Jewish boy from Brooklyn and now lives and works in Brooklyn.  Other connections to the city include the fact that Marcela’s dad is a retired firefighter and her brother is a proud New York police officer.

To learn more about Marcela – and what she does for authors! – check out her website at www.marcelalandres.com.

There's no getting around hard work…

Although all of our interviewees have had great tips and advice for us about how to combine work and family, how to motivate ourselves during the tough times, how to find and build upon our passion and how to value ourselves, our relationships and our  experiences, they all have also referred to the need for hard work…

Nancy Mirabal, history professor at SFSU, spoke to us about the fact that while affirmative action may have opened the doors for some of us, it doesn’t take tests, study or write papers.  That all comes from hard work.

Similarly, Ramona Romero, Corporate Counsel at DuPont, spoke of the need to work really hard and to make a reputation of being a hard worker early on in one’s career.  She also joked with us about not having time to sleep. 

Sylvia Mendoza, journalist, author and speaker, told us that to make it in her profession you have to really "hustle."  Hard work, determination and perseverance are required traits for a freelance journalist.

Jeanette Cisneros, Medical Director of a Public Health Clinic, told us of *years* where she did not have a day off without actually leaving town.

In sum, these women all acknowledged that, in addition to support, opportunities, intelligence and skills, an absolutely necessary component of success is hard work.

So next time you believe that someone was just "lucky," remember that hard work always plays a part.  That also reminds each of us (including me!) that nothing takes the place of hard work — sometimes you just have to buckle down and do it.  Darn!

Cultural stereotypes…

In Cristina’s interview this week, she said something interesting that highlighted to me the ways in which cultural stereotypes can be misunderstood on several levels.

Cristina said she learned from her father the reason for machismo is that women are the backbone of the family, and therefore men are protective of them. 

What was interesting to me about this statement, and a later one she made about how her husband is macho, and yet he’s so proud of her, and supportive of all she does was that 1) we don’t all use terms in the same way, and 2) the reason behind a person’s actions can make all the difference in the world.

Obviously, Cristina was encouraged by her father to pursue her education and also obviously, Cristina’s husband is supportive of her media career and therefore what Cristina means by "macho" is not what many people may think of as "macho."

Perhaps she refers to traditional values, or she refers to respect or certain attitudes toward women (such as wanting to take care, or tenderness), but she certainly was not talking about an attitude that would say that women should not be educated or that they should be kept out of the public eye.

And then she refers to the characteristic of "machismo" being driven by an attitude of valuing women and women’s roles in the family life of Latinos generally.  It puts a different spin on "machismo," doesn’t it?

Whether or not you agree with Cristina’s characterization, it is interesting to see our cultural definitions used in a variety of ways and explained in different ways, too.

It *is* useful to think about someone’s needs and what might drive them to act the way they do, or to think about the different versions of terms we use with abandon.  And even more interestingly, are we using terms in a context where we *think* we all mean the
same thing, but we don’t?

So next time you hear a cultural stereotype, think about what someone really means by using such a term or idea, and what the reasons might be behind some of the actions we label as a stereotype.  Can you think of different view- points from which to see the comment?  Is this useful?

The whole goal is to question assumptions, and to continue learning more about ourselves, our culture and our world.  I encourage you to have discussions with those good girlfriends we spoke of earlier in the week.  What do they think?  And how can we turn on its head what people think they understand about Latinos?

Cristina Perez

A multifaceted woman, Cristina Perez is a successful lawyer, television personality, radio host, entrepreneur/business owner, national author and columnist, and devoted mother and wife.

The daughter of Colombian immigrants, Cristina was born in New York.  Growing up, she lived in many areas ranging from one of the poorest neighborhoods of New York City, to the big city of Guadalajara, Mexico, to the border town of San Ysidro, California to Hartford, Connecticut, and then back to California, which she has now called home for over twenty years.

>>  Join me as I ask Cristina what she’s learned from living in different places, and what her influences were as a young person…

Growing up, Cristina was exposed to all walks of life, cultures, and differing problems facing each community. She watched her parents struggle with racism, finances, and adapting to the U.S. culture with a foreign language. Cristina learned to speak English around the age of 10 and today has mastered both languages. With her unique and well-rounded background, Cristina credits her family’s example and desire to remain close to her heritage and culture for all of her personal and professional achievements.

Today, she and her family are living out the American dream. With her parents’ examples to follow, it is easy then to understand her passion for community awareness, the practice of law and most of all, for reaching out to all types of people and from all cultures and guiding them toward their own dreams.

>>  I’ll be speaking to Cristina about her parents’ influence and what she believes have led to her success.

In the media world, Cristina’s claim to fame was her role as the enormously popular host of the Spanish language television program “La Corte de Familia” (Family Court) which aired nationally and internationally in fifteen countries on the Telemundo Television Network/NBC from 2000-2005. The program appealed to viewers of all ages. The show, one of the highest rated Spanish language programs in the U.S., re-enacted the courtroom drama of family law related claims. Cristina was the first female Judge-Actress to air on a nationally syndicated Spanish network series.

Cristina made her television debut on the program “La Corte Del Pueblo” (People’s Court), which aired locally in Los Angeles on KHWY Channel 22 (1999-2000). The show re-enacted general small claim matters and allowed, for the first time, cameras to enter the judicial arena and bring the drama of legal battles to the Spanish language viewer. The series was an enormous success and the producer decided to cast Cristina, once again, as the just Judge for “La Corte de Familia.”

Cristina utilized La Corte de Familia and La Corte del Pueblo as vehicles to raise the consciousness of the Latino community. The success of each show relied on the fact that each celebrated the strength of the Latino culture and the importance of family. It also reminded viewers, of all ages and ethnicity, not to forfeit their culture and the great lessons learned from our ancestors to make it in the United States. It is reliance on these lessons which she believes are key ingredients to be a success in life.

>>  We’ll be discussing what she’s learned from her career in television and how she’s found the experience of combining law and a media career.

Cristina Perez is a lawyer who is as likely to hug the plaintiff as she is to pound her gavel. Today, she is a fine-tuned example of a successful Spanish to English market crossover. Currently, an English-speaking judge on Twentieth Television’s sophomore syndicated court show drama, “Cristina’s Court,” Cristina has demonstrated to her fans that not only is it possible to be truly bilingual and accepted by both cultures equally, as proved by her steadfast following, it is a proud way of life. Noted as the “healing judge” by colleagues and fans alike, Cristina maintains to rule the same way in English that she has always done in Spanish.

Cristina brings to her show a fresh way of connecting with people.  Cristina is the ultimate crossover host, who while being a hip, professional, multicultural woman, always seeks to introduce traditional values into the lives of people young and old.

>>  What does Cristina have to say about the way she’s portrayed in the media?  What does she like about it and what does she not like?

With a passion for law, family and culture, Cristina was the first television judge ever to crossover from Spanish-language to English-language television.  In contrast to her tough persona, Cristina doesn’t wear “rubber gloves” in her courtroom.  She has the unique ability to connect with her litigants on a very warm and personal level by sharing her wisdom, background and moral beliefs with everyone who stands before her.

“Cristina’s Court” consists of small claims cases but focuses on conflicts and legal arguments between celebrities, families, couples and other relationships in turmoil, including friendships, business partnerships and relationships between co-workers.

Armed with the life changing lessons learned from her immigrant parents, Cristina is a leader in the community and is committed to community awareness. Cristina has worked to make a difference in her community at every scale. She is an active member and leader of several community and legal organizations.

Cristina believes that quality advice is one of the most valuable gifts any parent can give to their child.  Cristina turns to her parent’s wisdom every day by reflecting on her dichos (proverbs) that were passed down to her.  In her debut book Living By Los Dichos (Simon & Schuster/Atria), Cristina shares those that have most powerfully influenced her life.

>>  What led Cristina to write the book, and what has she learned from the process?

Cristina frequently lectures and speaks at seminars sponsored by public/community associations, law schools and professional organizations. She is also frequently featured on radio and television. Cristina serves as a weekly Attorney Co-Host on Radio UNIVISION in Los Angeles, California.

In 2007, Cristina was named as one of America’s ten most inspirational women (Siempre Mujer magazine; special introduction by Hillary Clinton).  She is currently the Los Angeles County Bar Association Spokesperson for the Lawyer Referral and Information Service (a position formerly held by Judge Wapner) and was the 70th Anniversary Honorary Chairperson for the Lawyer Referral and Information Service.  In 2005, Cristina was selected as a California’s “Woman of the Year” for her community activities and was named one of America’s top 10 “Latina Advocates,” for making the world a better place for women and Latino’s rights by the national magazine LATINO LEADERS (National Magazine of the Successful American Latino).

Academically, Cristina has a Juris Doctor degree from Whittier Law and two Bachelors of Arts degrees from UCLA.  She is the founding partner of Perez Gonzalez, A Professional Law Corporation.  The law firm specializes in counseling clients in areas of corporate/business and civil law as well as professional immigration and nationality law.

Overall, Cristina has worked to make a difference in her community, unknowingly breaking through the stereotypes and misconceptions of what a Latina is or should be. Cristina is a powerful role model for young women in any community and particularly for Latinas. Not only has she excelled in two demanding fields, but she has utilized her skills to advocate for many who have no access to justice. On a daily basis, Cristina strives to be a powerful role model for all people.

Cristina and her family reside in Los Angeles.

>>  I’ll be asking Cristina how she combines family and career and what life lessons she’s learned throughout her experiences.  Join us for our first interview with a television personality!!!

To the Sisterhood!

Thought of the Week:  Make sure you have a good support system around you…

Last week’s interviewee, Nancy Marmolejo, Information Marketer, shared with us that one of her secrets to motivating herself when she’s down is to turn to what she calls her "comadre circle," women who she trusts and holds in high esteem.

Interestingly, many, many of our interviewees have spoken about the women in their lives, and how they count on those women for a number of things in their life — support, feedback, advice, etc.

For example, Nancy Mirabal, Professor of History, talks about having girlfriends she can call at 3 in the morning, if necessary.  She describes a circle of women around her who have pulled her out of the toughest positions, and given her perspective when she needed it.

Similarly, Jessica Herrera-Flanigan, Staff Director for the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, spoke about friends around her who she says have been a sounding board for her for years.  They give advice and feedback, and support her when things are
difficult.

And yet another powerful example was when Jeanette Cisneros, Medical Director for a public health clinic, lost her husband.  She says that when he died, the whole time was a blur.  She doesn’t recall exactly how things happened, but this group of women, a
group of Latina professionals who’d been gathering and were her friends, that just jumped in and took over and coordinated everything.

Eva Plaza, former Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing, spoke about the group of women around her — some Latina, some not — who have supported each other and she says, "we’re each other’s best advocate."

These are just a few examples.  So, girlfriend, cultivate, hang on to, and be grateful for your women friends. 

Dream big…

Isn’t it incredible how the world is changing?  This week’s guest, Nancy Marmolejo is an Information Marketer — a position that didn’t even *exist* ten years ago, maybe even five years ago! 

It’s exciting to me to think that the jobs we might hold in 20 years haven’t been dreamed of yet.  And yet, what she does — help others find and share their creative spark — is a timeless endeavor and has been honored by people throughout the ages.

This push/pull, encountering the new and different, and finding within it the core of humanity, is an interesting study, and one that authors, scholars, artists and others spend their whole lifetimes doing.

Ok, I have to admit I’m a science fiction fan, and one of the things I love about science fiction is the conversations it inspires, and the way it makes one thoughtful of the world as it exists around you today and how much better things might be in the future — or worse, if we’re not careful.

So when we look around us and discover what’s new and different, it helps us to dream, to imagine, and at the same time — as we’ve been discussing all along — reflect on the past and the present.

This week, spend some time thinking about your dreams of the future and how you think it will be and reflect on how that affects your day to day.  And, if you’re so inclined, check out a science fiction movie and think about what in the movie is something we have today, what is something we don’t have but aspire to, and what does all this say about us?

For example, Uhura was one of the first major African American characters on an American television series and she played the role of an officer on the Star Trek show.  What will the next exciting role for a Latina be?  We already have a Latina astronaut — let’s dream BIG!

To the stars and beyond…

Nancy Marmolejo

At 5 feet 10 inches tall, Nancy Marmolejo is not your typical Latina. Born to a mother of Mexican descent and a father of German-Austrian descent, she grew up between two cultures in a time when people wanted you to claim a single identity. Always one to march to her own beat, when asked what her ethnicity is, Nancy will quickly respond “I’m a 5 foot 10 inch tall Mexican-Aztec-German-American cultural hybrid!”

>> Join me as I ask Nancy how she came to her views on ethnicity and what it took to be comfortable with her identity…

After finishing high school, Nancy went on to study Liberal Arts at San Francisco State University, eventually getting a teaching credential and Master’s degree in Multicultural Education. She taught in the public school system for 12 years before starting her first business, Comadre Coaching.

>> What did she learn from teaching and what led to her starting her own business?

With Comadre Coaching, Nancy blended her love of creativity with her love of women’s entrepreneurship. Her clientele included top Latina authors, non-profit leaders, and business owners as well as many start-ups and artists. She became known as a voice of the new Latina with her podcast “Release Your Inner Loca” and blogs that celebrated creativity, community, and culture.

>> I’ll be discussing her career twists and turns and how she fits in the new millennium!

Along the way, Nancy picked up some prestigious awards including the Anna Maria Arias Memorial Business Fund Award from Latina Style magazine, Wells Fargo, and the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She also won Entrepreneur of the Year from the National Hispanic Business Women’s Association and was named one of the most inspiring and influential Latinas in Orange County, California.

After getting over 100 media credits to her name, Nancy decided to change the focus of her business and help women entrepreneurs get their businesses and their messages into the spotlight. She launched www.VivaVisibility.com in 2007 and soon became recognized as a gifted strategist in PR, media, and social networking. Her clients have been featured on major radio and television networks, magazines, and more.

>> Nancy has promised to share with us “creative mindset” tips! Don’t miss it.

Nancy is an avid lifelong student, constantly improving herself and her skills by enrolling in seminars and coaching programs. She is able to turn her knowledge around quickly and share it with clients.

Proud of her multicultural roots, Nancy embraces her Aztec ancestry and is a member of an Aztec dance circle. She credits her spirituality and faith in a higher power for fueling her success.

Nancy lives in Southern California with her husband and young daughter. When not in her office, conducting teleseminars, or on the phone with clients, Nancy can be found spending quality time with her child and enjoying time with family and friends.

Nancy can be found on the web at www.VivaVisibility.com where visitors can sign up for her free 7 part audio course, 7 Quick and Simple Tips to Stand Out and Sizzle as a Sought After, Recognized Expert.

>> Join us for this interview to learn more about the new careers of the 21st century!

Make your Desire Big…

Remember a few weeks ago, I mentioned that one of the lessons we’ve learned from our interviewees is to find your own motivation.  The motivation for what we do is different for each of us.

But the next step is to make that motivation *big* — like last week’s lesson, you have to focus on it, but you also have to want it A LOT.

Almost all of our past interviewees have talked about DESIRE and the passion to make what you want happen.

Nancy Rodriguez, longtime artist and arts activist, pinned down the birth of her passion for indigenous arts, and really, a transformation in her life, to one particular sweat lodge she attended.  Since then, her passion has been so great, she’s *had* to share her lessons with others — and she does so by coordinating retreats and events to share indigenous arts.

For Raquel Aldana, human rights lawyer and legal scholar, said she didn’t realize her calling until she was in it, but then she was so caught up in the intellectual exercise, and the *sharing* of information and the interplay of ideas and their practical consequences, that her passion was ignited.  She keeps it large by living it, sharing it, teaching it.

Raquel also spoke about the passion, the drive and the mindset of immigrants, who hold on to such a strong belief about the possibilities, a better life, and new opportunities, that their *desire* (along with a lot of hard work!) allows them to achieve success.

Rocio Cordoba, Executive Director of California Latinas for Reproductive Justice, spoke to us about her passion to make the world a better place, to let women know they can make a difference and help them have their voices heard.  She talked about her own overwhelming desire to make a difference.

Eva Plaza, former Assistant Secretary of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, talked about politics as her passion.  Although she learned through her life experiences that she enjoyed certain kinds of positions better than others, she retains her passion for politics. This interest is large for her, and she finds a variety of outlets for it.

Last week’s interviewee, Adriana Vela, Founder of NanoBioNexus, and this week’s interviewee, leadership guru Juana Bordas, also talked about the need for a strong desire to make anything happen in your life.

Each of the women not only talked about the need to find your passion, to have a great amount of desire for the outcome, but also to keep the desire alive, to focus on it, and that it will get you where you want to go.

So find your desire, and then stoke those fires of *passion* to make the desire BIG and PRESENT.

So make that desire large, and you can do what you want to do!  Have a great week…

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