Latina Life With Jen and Milena

The Importance of Going Through The Roadblocks With Actress Diana Maria Riva

Today our Super Latina Diana Maria Riva enlightens us on the importance of knowing when to keep pushing through challenges as well as knowing when to let go. This first-gen's roots reach to the beautiful Dominican Republic. Her mother's teachings prepared her for the journey from Cincinnati, Ohio to Hollywood, CA where she is a recognizable presence on-screen in some of today's popular TV shows and movies. The award-winning actress shares the first casting challenge she faced, the responsibilities we have to our daughters to always keep going, how her new show "The Gordita Chronicles" conveys the universal message of finding one's place no matter where you are from and more.  Here's to not letting others decide what your story will be! 

The Gordita Chronicles streams on HBO Max June 23rd

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The Importance Of Saying Yes To Yourself with Chef Bren Herrera, ”Culture Kitchen”

You could say that our Super Latina Bren Herrera's journey from a paralegal to an award winning chef on Cleo TV's "Culture Kitchen" was not planned but it was destined. Her family left Cuba as political refugees and made their way to Washington D.C. by way of Miami. While growing up in D.C. her parents made sure to keep her connected to their culture with comida, musica, telenovelas y hablando español. This Afro-Latina embraces and shares her love of her Cuban-Jamaican roots through food and history. Today's conversation dives into the inclusion (and lack of) in the Latina and Black communities in her early years, how it made her question her identity and the challenges she still faces connecting with the Latina community. She shares why she had the courage to change her path without financial security and how an introduction and a dinner party led her to her television show. This conversation is multi-faceted with a look into how food can lead to better understanding of each other and how cultures (Latin, African, Caribbean, Southern) are intertwined. Watch Chef Bren on Cleo TV and remember to always say yes to yourself! 

 

 

How To Be The Master Of Your Own Destiny with Claudia Martinez

She's a leader in one of the most recognizable companies around the world. Our Super Latina Claudia Martinez's path to Head of PR at Amazon Prime Video started in Durango, Mexico before making Los Angeles her home base. You could say that Claudia's sports-loving family trained her for her journey that started off in the finance sector but has taken her into the world of sports and entertainment.  She shares with us how to be the master of our own destiny, the importance of a supportive and helpful Latina community and why a sports mentality will help you be better and prepare you for the challenges in career and life.

Here's to reaching our full potential together!

How To Achieve Your Goals with Camila Alves McConaughey, New York Times Best Selling Author

Believe in yourself, know what you are good at, do not be afraid to ask questions and learn. That is how our Super Latina @camilamcconaughey lives her life.  This Brazilian-born entrepreneur came to the United States as a teenager where she cleaned houses and waitressed while pursuing her dream of modeling. She is a groundbreaker who is increasing Latina representation in the business, digital and literary space. Camila is a New York Times best-selling author for her first children's book "Just Try One Bite", the founder of the digital female empowerment community "Women of Today", a co-founder of the baby food brand "Yummy Spoonfuls" and, most importantly, the mother of three. She shares the challenges she faced as she followed her passion for fashion, ways to stay true to our cultural roots,  what terrified her recently and most importantly, the actions every Latina needs to take to achieve their goals. It's a masterclass podcast that is a must listen!

 

The Importance Of Trying with Monica Fink, Entertainment News Producer

She's a pro at navigating Hollywood's red carpets and creating memorable moments with everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Kanye West.  You could say our Super Latina Monica Fink manifested her destiny to a working Entertainment News Producer when she was a young girl in Orange County growing up watching Oprah. She's a second generation Latina whose parents took out a loan to send her to a private high school, a better and safer environment. She shares how other Latinas bullied her for not speaking Spanish, why speaking Spanish was not encouraged when her mother and grandmother were growing up, what event led her into the world of broadcasting, who made her cry tears of joy after an interview and the importance of trying, no matter what. 

Here's to manifesting our dreams and not taking "no" as the final word on our path to making those dreams a reality!

@monfink

@oprah

@1on1pr

 

 

Why Everyone Should Have A Supporter with Lupita Sanchez Cornejo

Do you want to be a pathfinder or a bystander? An important question posed by Super Latina Lupita Sanchez Cornejo. Lupita has been making her own path as the Regional Vice President of External Affairs for AT&T (a fortune 10 company) and is making history as the incoming Chair for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce - the first woman of color and the first Latina to hold this position!  Lupita's journey has taken her from her neighborhood in Bell, CA to the halls of USC to Los Angeles City Hall where she served as Assistant Deputy Mayor for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs. She shares why it's important to have your own personal Board of Directors, why the group should be diverse, the difference between a mentor and a supporter, and why it's important to say yes to opportunities. Here's to finding our path and helping each other along the way! 

@lupitasanchezcornejo

@hollywoodchamberofcommerce

@att

The Power In Beauty with Regina Merson, CEO Reina Rebelde

Regina Merson is a Guadalajara-born and Texas-bred Mexicana whose love for make up empowered her to become the Founder and CEO of beauty line Reina Rebelde ("Rebel Queen"). Her love for academia took her to Yale University and the University of Chicago. She went on to become a practicing lawyer and used make up as a way to stay true to her authentic self, her roots and her community amongst the sea of black suits. She saw the void in the beauty world for Latinas and decided to start her own line -Reina Rebelde. Merson shares how her mother's love of Mexico instilled pride and confidence in her, how to defy expectations, her own challenges, the educational power in beauty and what is next for her growing company. Here's to the brava in all of us Reinas!

@reinarebelde

 

 

Standing Your Ground with Marissa Solis

An innovator and a trailblazer, Marissa Solis, has a seat at the table with the most powerful people in the National Football League as she is the Senior Vice President of Global Brand and Consumer Marketing at the NFL. Born in Mexico and raised in Texas, Marissa received her business education first hand in her families restaurant business. The road to the NFL started when she attended Georgetown University to study Foreign Service and International Economics. From there she worked in Politics and Fortune 500 Companies like Procter & Gamble and the Pepsico Corporation. She shares the hardships she faced within the Latina community growing up, the importance her father placed on her speaking Spanish, the power of knowing the value of your work,  standing  her ground to be in a meeting for a project she was leading after being told to leave, how her parents influenced her actions then and now and so much more. Most importantly, for all the football fans, she tells us what Super Bowl week will be like, representing the Latina/o community when she is in the boardroom with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. 

@NFL

 

Unity Within Our Community with Flor Martinez, Activist and Entrepreneur

Activist and entrepreneur Flor Martinez has been speaking out for our Latinas (and Latinos) since she was 11 years old, alongside her mother at meetings demanding better educational options for Latin children in California. She's seen the harsh conditions migrant farmworkers face when she worked the grape fields at 15 years old. Those memories and the danger from the 2020 California wildfires prompted her to start the Celebration Nation Foundation to help provide necessities for thousands of Latino/as and their children. She shares how her mom's bravery inspires her, why she does not let the haters stop her work, the importance of  unity within our community, how she plans to take it to the next level with projects in tech and more. 

@celebrationnationorg

@flowerinspanish

https://www.celebration-nation.org/

 

Influential Latinas In History with Author Juliet Menéndez,

Author, illustrator and teacher Juliet Menéndez's journey to the publication of her first children's book, Latinitas, is one that is as textured and layered as her personal background. This Guatemalan-Irish-American has lived in Guatemala City, North Virginia, Paris, Minnesota and Paris. She shares her memories of burying her Latina identity to fit in, the cultural differences she had in school, living in Paris as a Latina compared to living as a Latina in the U.S,. the inspiration for her book about 40 influential Latinas in history and the importance of Latinas to understand their history and worth.