Latino Leaders Magazine | Oct/Nov 2013

The Arts & Entertainment Issue with

The Conscious Revolution of

CARLOS

SANTANA An exclusive interview

October/November 2013 Vol. 14 No. 6 Display until 12 /10/2013

www.latinoleaders.com

Catching Fire’s

Elena Sanchez Leader of the Pack’s

Cesar Millan and

Santiago Pozo’s amazing 25 years

Follow the LeadersÂ

Experience the lives of our leaders digitally. Find them here

www.latinoleaders.com www.petroleoenergia.com www.lideresmexicanos.com Connecting Leaders, In spiring the Future

CONTENTS October / November 2013

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COVER STORY: Carlos Santana

Legendary musician Carlos Santana knows his gift has impacted millions of people for over 50 years. Here he tells Latino Leaders about how his cultural influences helped him stay true to himself and what he has in store for the future.

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October / November 2013

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CONTENTS October / November 2013

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18 Monica Rial: As a voice actor, Monica Rial gets to play some interesting characters. However, she has only voiced two Hispanic characters out of over 300 characters total in her career. Monica shares her cultural roots and why she’s proud to finally be voicing non-stereotypical Latinos.

20 Helps International: Photographer Ejen Chuang

spent a week in Guatemala covering the work of the organization Helps International. View how they are making a difference by providing medical and domestic needs to a developing nation.

28 Elena Sanchez:

As a stuntwoman, Austin, Texas-based actress Elena Sanchez knows a thing or two about acrobatics and gymnastics. However, she shows the world that she can actually act, too.

As her upcoming film, The Hunger Games- Catching Fire, approaches, she talks to Latino Leaders about where she got her start and her continuing studies of the art form she loves.

34 Cesar Millan: As a pack leader, Dog Behaviorist

Cesar Millan must have calm, assertive control over all aspects of his life other than just his dogs. Learn about his latest ventures and the success of his philanthropies that made him the brand he is today.

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October / November 2013

56 Santiago Pozo: The Arenas Group will celebrate

its 25th anniversary this year led by CEO Santiago Pozo. The former Universal Pictures intern shares how he created the first Hispanic marketing agency after discovering the ever-growing consumer market.

64 Jazzamoart: Francisco Javier Vázquez Estupiñán

embodies his artist name, Jazzamoart, being the perfect blend of jazz, amor and arte. Let him take you into his world of inspiration and how he reflects it on canvas or with mediums like plastic or natural metals.

Events Coverage 70 Maestro: San Francisco 76 Wealth Creation Series: New York

In Every Issue 06 08 10 12 14 80

Publisher’s Letter Editor’s Letter Collaborators Lexus Luminaries Featured Winemaker: Renteria Wines What is Jorge Ferraez Drinking?

Connecting Leaders, Inspiring the Future

Publisher Jorge Ferraez

President and CEO Raul Ferraez

Editor-in-Chief: Sara Pintilie sara.pintilie@latinoleaders.com Director of Journalism: Mariana Gutierrez mariana@latinoleaders.com National Director of Events: Yol-Itzma Aguirre yaguirre@latinoleaders.com

Publisher’s Letter

O

On a warm and sunny morning, we landed at the Las Vegas McCarran International Airport on a Southwest Airlines flight from Dallas, our hometown: one word.

National Sales Director: Joshua Baca jbaca@latinoleaders.com Administrative Director: Cathy Marie Lopez clopez@latinoleaders.com Editorial and Events Support Coordinator: Emilia Gaston egaston@latinoleaders.com

It was 9:30 am and already 89 degrees! But it was not humid, which is a decisive factor to start suffering the suffocation of warm weather. Perhaps, that warmth was the prelude to an even warmer welcome by Carlos Santana and his staff at his band’s nearby quarters.

Soon after we made our ways into the odd building, we were welcome to set our “stuff” for the interview in what we assumed was one of the rehearsal rooms for the band. The wait wasn’t long, and very soon, we saw that smiling familiar, face. It was relaxing and easy to speak with the music legend and icon: Carlos Santana.

We sat and started a very nice conversation on his life, memories and music. There were moments when, we think he really enjoyed talking about his memories, others in when he became emotional, and some others when he was very funny. He made us laugh a lot indeed.

Art Director: Fernando Izquierdo ferdiseno@latinoleaders.com Editorial Art & Design: Rodrigo Valderrama Carlos Cuevas Luis Enrique González Human Resources Manager: Susana Sanchez Administration and Bookkeeping: Claudia García Bejarano Executive Assistant to the Publishers: Liliana Morales Circulation System Manager: Andrea Luna For advertising inquiries, please call 214-206-4966

We left with two great things: a big smile on our faces because of a great interview with one of the musical icons of our time, and the certainty to have encountered a leader at his peak.

With this great exclusive interview, we open our first ever Arts & Entertainment issue, with a collection of great interviews and stories about Latinos transcending in this competitive and relevant industry.

Please enjoy!

Latino Leaders: The National Magazine of the Successful American Latino (ISSN 15293998) is published seven times annually by Ferraez Publications of America Corp., 15443 Knoll Trail, Suite 210, 75248 Dallas, TX, USA, September 2013.

Subscription rates: In U.S. and possessions, one year $15.00. Checks payable to Ferraez Publications of America, 15443 Knoll Trail, Suite 210, 75248 Dallas, TX, USA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Latino Leaders, 15443 Knoll Trail, Suite 210, 75248 Dallas, TX, USA.© 2001 by Ferraez Publications of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

No part of this periodical may be reproduced without the consent of Latino Leaders: The National Magazine of the Successful American Latino. The periodical’s name and logo, and the various titles and headings therein, are trademarks of Ferraez Publications of America Corp.

Member of The National Association of Hispanic Publications

Audited by Member of

Publisher Jorge Ferraez jferraez@latinoleaders.com 6 • October / November 2013

President & CEO Raul Ferraez rferraez@latinoleaders.com

Reg. # 283/01

MEMBER OF SRDS Latino Leaders The National Magazine of the Successful American Latino 15443 Knoll Trail, Suite 210, 75248 Dallas, TX, USA Phone: (214) 206-4966 / Fax: (214) 206-4970

Editor’s Letter sara pintilie

Editor-In-Chief | sara.pintilie@latinoleaders.com | @LLmag_ChiefSara

From Sara’s Desk: I know I am not supposed to have favorites, but I’ll admit, this is my favorite issue to date.

Cool Books

Not only is this issue a personification of my true journalism background, everything and anything entertainment, but we had a chance to ask well-known celebrities about topics general population magazines would never bother to ask. Which questions? Well...read the magazine and find out.

‘The Sign of Four’

By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

I hope you enjoy this edition as much as I have, and please tell me/us! We want to hear your thoughts in the website comments section or via social media.

I want to make sure our readers are happy! Enjoy!

From Sara’s Camera this month:

Since watching the BBC’s Sherlock, I decided to revisit old Sherlock Holmes books. “ The Sign of Four ” is one of the few stories of the detective I have never read before. They had me at “a terrible death, an unknown benefactor, stolen treasure and a secret pact between criminals stretching back to a mutiny-torn India.” Also, I find that when I read whodunit stories while working on an issue, I tend to come up with more creative solutions.

‘Painless Spanish’ (Barron’s Painless Series)

By Carlos B. Vega, Ph.D. Still plugging away at that Spanish.

‘El Dador’

By Lois Lowry I love learning new languages by reading familiar books in foreign languages. So, of course, as I work on learning Spanish, I turn to one of my favorites -- “The Giver”.

Favorite Business Card I actually don’t have one this issue, but I have a feeling that’s going to change when the Chicago Maestro rolls around!

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Collaborators Writers Writers

Mark Bauer

Mark Bauer is a Dallas-based freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in American Way inflight magazine, Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Arlington Today magazine. He writes about culture, law, politics, digital news, and any subject that inspires him. He particularly enjoys when each of those topics intersect. When he’s not working, he’s tweeting about baseball and fantasizing about a Texas Rangers World Series win in 2014.

Judi Jordan

Cover photographer A ndrew Buckley Andrew Buckley is a freelance photographer based in Dallas, Texas, specializing in photojournalism and commercial photography. He graduated with a BFA in Photography from the University of Texas at Arlington and won numerous awards as a photographer and photo editor while working for the award-winning student newspaper, The Shorthorn. His work can be seen in a number of publications in the DFW area including the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. More of his work can be seen at AndrewBuckleyPhoto.com.

Judi Jordan, Latino Leaders contributor since 2008, loves the written word, and its power to provoke change. She is, or has been, a contributing journalist at Estylo Magazine, Latino Futures, Venice, LA Downtown News, Hollywood Reporter, Entertainment Today. You can contact her via www. linkedin.com/in/judijordan.

Terri Doty

Terri Doty is a freelancer living in the Lone Star State.

She’s best known for her work in the wonderful world of Voice Over. Since her humble beginnings in 2008, Terri has lent her voice to a variety of projects in anime, audiobooks, live actions, and so on. Terri also produces, directs, writes, and podcasts. Wanna know more? Check out terridoty.com, follow her on Twitter (@TeeDotally), or find her on Facebook!

Amanda Casanova

Amanda Casanova is a writer based in north Texas.

Previously, she has worked for “The Galveston County Daily News,” “The Houston Chronicle,” “The Abilene Reporter-News” and “The Lufkin Daily News.”

She is a Texas A&M University graduate.

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Photographers photographers

JSR Photography

When not shooting editorial, JSR channels her inner Carmen Sandiego and disappears into the world. She shoots mostly travel, anywhere from Korea to Italy to Texas, but also loves shooting anything outside of the ordinary. You can visit her portfolio at www.darlingjonas.com.

28 Ejen Chuang

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Born & raised in Houston, photographer Ejen Chuang rode horses to school and roped cattle. At least that is what folks in California think. After graduating from the University of North Texas, Ejen moved westward to Los Angeles where he calls home today. In his spare time, he travels the country attending comic book conventions. Visit www.ejenchuang. com to contact him.

Emilia Gaston

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Emilia Gaston is a Dallas, Texas-based professional photographer and photojournalist. She has had work published as a photojournalist in various media outlets, online and in print. She recently graduated from the Frank W. and Sue Mayborn School of Journalism at the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in News/ Editorial Journalism. Visit emiliagastonphotography.com for portfolio.

Latino Winemakers By

Jorge Ferraez

R enter i a

Wines Owner: Oscar Renteria Property & Vineyards: 72 acres on Mt Veeder and in Carneros AVA(s): Stags Leap District, Mt Veeder, Napa Valley, Los Carneros, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast First Vintage: 1997 Current Labels: Chardonnay Los Carneros ($40), Pinot Noir Los Carneros ($40), Pinot Noir Russian River ($40), Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast ($40), Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley ($32), Cabernet Sauvignon Mt Veeder ($50), Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District ($60).

Where to get it: Total case production is around 2,000 cases per year, split among Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Although this is a small amount, the wines can be found in many fine dining restaurants and boutique wine shops across the country. The wine is proudly served in Michael Chiarello’s Bottega Ristorante in Napa Valley and Morimoto’s in Napa Valley. The wines are distributed in the following states: AL, AZ, CA, GA, KS, MO, NV, NC, OK, and TX. Also, the wines can be found on the winery website at www.RenteriaWines.com Story of the Winery: The story begins with Salvador Renteria beginning work at Sterling Vineyards in 1962. As an ambitious immigrant from Mexico, he quickly learned every phase of viticulture, soon becoming vineyard supervisor. He left to develop vineyards at Beaulieu, Clos Pegase, Cuvaison and Silverado. His entrepreneurial attitude was matched by a natural curiosity, and so he began experimenting with trellising, canopy management and other aspects of viticulture. Some of Napa’s top winemakers, including the late legendary André Tchelistcheff, admired the results.

With hard work and excellent results, Salvador laid the foundation for his own Renteria Vineyard Management Company, begun in 1987 and now managing 1,500 Napa acres with 350 employees. His son and co-worker Oscar Renteria assumed ownership in 1993.

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In 1997 the family inaugurated its Renteria Wines label. Fruit was no problem, since it could be sourced from many premium, Renteria-managed vineyards.

Today, those sources include Renteria’s estate vines on Mount Veeder, as well as the recently purchased Brown Ranch Vineyard in Napa’s Carneros district planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

A boy with a set of pruning shears and a dream has led to a respected family winery in one of the world’s top appellations. Congratulations and a toast to Renteria Wines!

Who is Oscar Renteria: In 1993, Oscar Renteria was passed the torch and assumed proprietorship of Renteria Vineyard Management. Oscar has continued to care for the handful of distinguished vineyards his father cultivated and progressively increased their clientele. Oscar was born in St. Helena in 1967, and graduated from high school in 1985, and received a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Mary’s College in Moraga, CA in 1989. He immediately began working for his father at the Renteria Vineyard Management Company. His father, Salvador retired and Oscar became President in 1995.

Renteria Vineyard Management, Inc. has become the third largest vineyard management company in the North Bay Area. “We manage about 1,560 acres of prime vineyard land, and continually seek to increase the quality of these geographically diverse vineyards,” says Oscar. He has

Latino Winemakers implemented new approaches in vineyard technology. While father and son are always hands-on and close to the fields, Oscar believes, “that the infusion of technology is a benefit for the future.” By combining practical, generational field knowledge with innovative trials and experimentations, the Renteria Family has found the balance to produce the finest grapes possible.

What the Renterias have produced, with the help of winemaker Karen Culler, and will continue to produce are wines in depth, excellence and integrity, wines that will continue to reflect the persistence, pride and heritage of a Napa Valley Hispanic family.”

Awards, recognition and milestones: Because of the combined years of experience that both Oscar and his father Salvador have, they are often asked to speak about their viticulture knowledge for such organizations as the Napa Valley Vintners and Napa Valley Grapegrowers, as well as the Napa Valley College. The wines have earned high marks from Wine Enthusiast and Sunset Magazine, as well as many International Wine Competitions. Recently the Napa Sonoma Mexican-American Vintners Association was recognized at the California State Capitol with a resolution honoring their contributions to the wine industry and Renteria Wines was proud to be a part of that day.

Renteria Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder 2007 ($55) From a Renteria wine, excellent fruit is granted.

The very same man who has taught many other how to grow grapes in California, is showing his best when it comes to his own wines. This particular Cabernet, made in part with his son Oscar shows intense and deep black fruit notes, perfumed spices, wet tobacco and some green notes and a whiff of rosemary. Rich and bold with wonderfully firm tannins and a fairly complex structure. It is full of jam, blackcurrant-nosed and layered. Beautiful expression of the best fruit in Napa.

Renteria Chardonnay Carneros 2012 ($40)

Los

Ample nose with great opening of flowers, vanilla and citrus. Great body and structure, oily and bold, strong character Chardonnay shows peach, melon and tropical fruit medley. This wine should be excellent with some chips and guacamole, over some quesadillas and pico de gallo and even with a great Tostada de Mariscos, Mexican style!

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By Jorge

Ferraez

“We manage about 1,560 acres of prime vineyard land, and continually seek to increase the quality of these geographically diverse vineyards,” says Oscar. He has implemented new approaches in vineyard technology. While father and son are always hands-on and close to the fields, Oscar believes, “that the infusion of technology is a benefit for the future.”

LANDING

MONICA RIAL VOICE ACTOR

GETTING

TO KNOW MONICA

STORY BY: Terri Doty Photo provided by Monica Rial

A

Favorite N ovelist/Wri ter: As clic may sound hé as it for an acto r to say this a huge Shak , I am espeare fan .

If you cou ld have an y other care would be: er it Hairstylist You never leave hom e without: phone My I like to sp end my fr ee afterno I do have so ons: me time off , which is ra If I like to eith re, er catch up with friend spend som s or e quiet tim e alone.

My worst habit: Pick ing at my n polish. As so ail on as my p olis peeling it o ff like a child h chips, I'm .

The last m ovie I saw : Baz Luhrm The Great G ann’s atsby My favori te thing to wear is: M roomy, com y fy writing cl othes.

My favori te place to eat is: Ther a little hole e's -in-the-wal l Vietnames restaurant e in Houston ca lle it's my abso lute favorite d Le Viet and .

One thing on travel and I'v my bucket list: I love to e got so m uch I want to see.

scrappy young lady with a heart of gold…

The mischievous vixen with less than good intentions…

An overly anxious teenager with her sights set on the club treasurer…

You name it and chances are, Monica Rial voiced it.

Whether it’s behind the microphone or in front of the camera, Monica puts her acting chops to the test at a moment’s notice.

And she has been for the past 14 years.

Fans of dubbed anime or Toonami on Cartoon Network, may have heard more than a few of Monica’s performances.

With hundreds of titles to her name, Rial is a voice actress that is hard to miss.

Despite the large amount of credits she has accumulated, Monica has had few opportunities to portray characters of or similar to her nationality.

“Out of 300 characters, I’ve played two Hispanic characters,” she said. One such opportunity presented itself when she was cast in the titular role of Michiko Malandro in Funimation Entertainment’s English dub of Michiko & Hatchin.

“Finally we’re seeing a character that’s Hispanic and isn’t a stereotype,” Monica said. “She’s a real person, a real three-dimensional person as opposed to just some silly character in an anime.”

Like any actor, voice or otherwise, some characters tend to stick out more than others. Everyone has their favorites. Monica was quick to name Michiko when listing some of her more treasured performances.

Many of her normal cache of characters utilize the high pitch, sweeter side of Monica’s vocal register. Not Michiko.

“She’s sassy,” she said. She’s low, gritty and chalk full of attitude.

Just the way Rial likes it.

"The story itself focuses on relationships and how people can be changed by those that enter their lives,” Monica said.“There’s a real, powerful message.”

The backdrop for Michiko & Hatchin stands out from somewhat similar shows by taking place in a pseudo-Brazilian world

with heavy, old-school anime references. Because of the numerous references to South America, namely Brazil, Portuguese was the language of choice for director Christopher Bevins.

Monica’s father, Manual, hails from Vilagarcia de Arosa in Pontevedra, Galicia; a small town outside Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain.

This particular region of Spain speaks Giago, which is a mixture of Spanish and Portuguese. Needless to say, Monica had an advantage over her fellow voice actors because of her familiarity with the language and culture.

Though Rial is first-generation American, she spent much of her childhood in Spain.

Due to her upbringing in a bilingual household, Monica’s first year of school was spent in ESL classes. It wasn’t long, however, before she was able to discern the differences in the two and know when to speak what language.

When visiting Spain, Monica was regularly woken up in the wee hours of the morning by her younger brother to watch morning cartoons which also included Spanish-dubbed anime.

Since she was the only fluent speaker out of the Rial children, it was her job to translate and give play-by-plays of everything that was happening on shows like Doraemon and Dragon Ball Z. Rial even went as far as performing the different voices.

“It was kind of my first foray into anime dubbing, really,” said Monica.

Since her start in 1999, Monica has expanded her resume to include video games, commercial work and original animation. She is hopeful on what the future holds and continues to split her time between Houston and Dallas.

Michiko & Hatchin is now available on Blu-ray/DVD combo.

A scrappy young lady with a heart of gold

With Helps in Hand HELPS International brings new light to Guatemala.

1 2

3 1.- On Monday morning, patients scheduled for surgery gathered under the morning mist awaiting to be lead to the clinic.

2.- Mauricio Rosales (HELPS) along with volunteer Frank Castanedo assembling the stove for a family.

3.-One of the HELPS team greets patients in the morning.

Photos by Ejen

Chuang

5

6 uatemala, simply, is a beautiful country.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I journeyed down to Central America with a HELPS team of 60+ volunteers to provide medical attention to those in need, but I came back with an education. It’s rare to meet so many dedicated volunteers, who gave up their vacation and time with their families to cross borders and give a helping hand to those who appreciate so much what HELPs has done. I never felt myself surrounded by so many people willing to help. My days were spent documenting and photographing this mission - the operating room where doctors operated tirelessly to the waiting rooms where nurses gave out stickers and crayons to kids to the recovery room where three shifts of nurses watched over the patients who often had loved ones by their sides, sometimes sleeping on the floors. Being in the United States, you get a comfortable sense of how life is, but you never really know how the world around you is until you step outside, off the beaten path and witness how life is outside of tourist hotspots. I came back with a sense that I had a responsibility to help my community in my own way.

As a professional photographer, I went to Guatemala to photograph the HELPS mission experience and in some way to help change their lives, and quite unexpectedly, that process changed my own.

-- Ejen Chuang

4

HELPS International is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to provide enduring programs of practical, social and spiritual value to the people in the developing world through a system of partnership and mutual responsibility. To learn more about the organization, visit www.latinoleaders.com or www.helpsintl.org.

4.-Patients lined up to be checked in.

5.-Jennie Mendoza gets a kiss from a patient.

6.- Toy Mouse in the pocket of Gary Daniels.

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12 7.- The two operating tables. 8.- Annie Biggs brighten children’s day with her puppy dog puppet Ms. Wrinkles. 9.- Steven overseas the staff on Sunday - end of day pow-wow before the big day on Monday. 10.- Nurse inserting IV tube. 11.- Two children coming in with the first group. 12.- Overall view of the scene outside the military gate where people arrived to seek medical help.

As a result, HELPS was incorporated in 1984, and its programs have since developed into an integrated set of developmental solutions based on a philosophy of sustainability. Currently, the program encompasses four main areas: education, healthcare, agricultural development, and community development through the use and implementation of the award-winning line of ONIL products, also developed by HELPS.

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19 13.-One of the patients drink medicine to help kill what parasites. 14.- Frank Castanedo putting together the stove as a boy of the family looks on. 15.- One of the translators with two patients. Many volunteers bought stickers to give out to the kids. 16.- Sonia Tucker asking questions of a patient. 17.- Two Guatemalan overlooks the HELPs bus where the Stover Teams are meeting. 18.- Dorte Eichhorst takes a break between helping out the various departments at the clinic. 19.- Guatemalan family tries out their new stove.

20.- Sonia Carolina Miranda reflecting after a long day at the clinic after the last patient has left. 21.- Greg Imier checks on his patient the morning after surgery. 22.-Volunteers hand out wrist bracelets. 23.- Guatemalan girl looks over as Molly McAmis and Chris Harrison build the outside stove. 24- Molly McAmis treats the kids to Pringles. 25.- The Stover team hike some distance to their first house. 26.- Surgery. 27.- Love from patients.

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The Dual Forces of

Elena Sanchez The stunt woman and actress shows her grit and class in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Story by Sara

Pintilie Photos by JSR Photography

L at ino Le a de r s

lena Sanchez looked up at the creaky rafters of the abandoned burger stand.

“I really want to hang on these,” she said but decided against the it. Instead, she posed for another photo in her Thakoon dress, leaning against the red slanted pillar. As the photographer directed her on leg placement, a man in a white truck rolled by, honking and catcalling at her.

She laughed. “Yeah, that’s how you get a woman,” she joked as she prepared for another shot.

Her smile was genuine, her blue eyes, still laughing at the truck and after the shot, she moved to where the photographer was pointing.

But not before a quick glance at the rafters.

Sanchez had been in some of 2013’s biggest films, though you wouldn’t have seen her. If you did...well, then she isn’t doing her job correctly. She was a stunt double for Ashley Judd in Olympus Has Fallen, Alice Englert in Beautiful Creatures and Emily Blunt in Looper. Sanchez also has done stunt work in Oblivion, Texas Chainsaw 3D and Now You See Me, among others. And along with her stunt schedule, she also has acted in various movies and TV shows.

But now she will be seen in the sequel of a blockbuster movie -- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire as Cecelia.

The first Hunger Games made more than $400 million and currently holds the title of being the “sixth-highest opening of all time,” at more than $152 million, according to www.boxofficemojo.com.

She talked a bit about her District 8 character, a mother and a victor from a previous Hunger Games.

Cecelia, along with other previous victors, come back to fight in the new competition in the sequel.

“It was a mind-blowing experience,” she said. “It’s been incredible to be a part of something that speaks to so many people. The support from the fans has been amazing. They welcomed all of us newcomers with open arms. I think part of what makes Catching Fire so exciting is that the tributes entering the games are now adults, which makes it more relatable to a wider audience.”

BEFORE DISTRICT 8

Sanchez decided to become a full-time actress about six years ago, when she needed to take an arts requirement for her hotel management ecucation at Cornell University. She took an acting class and enjoyed it so much that even though she only had a semester left, she continued on to the next-level acting class.

30 • October / November 2013

L at ino Le a de r s

“I thought that it would be so cool to work in movies and get to play all these different character and different roles, but I thought everyone thought that and it was something that wasn’t realistic, I guess,” she said, as she spoke fondly about taking those two classes. “I had no idea how to make it work as a career or what to do, but I knew that I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to find a way to make a career out of it.”

She learned about the in-and-outs of movie/TV sets by being an extra in New York on shows including Gossip Girl and Law and Order.

“I was an extra on all the shows filming in New York at the time,” she said with a hint of a laughter before turning serious.

“But there came a point, where I was like, ‘if I want to go to the next level and want to be an actor, and I want people to take me more seriously, then I have to get more training.’”

She turned to New York City’s Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute for her training and then the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London last summer.

“I started doing so much stunt doubling and stunt work, that I wanted to remind

“I have been called to double Hispanic people, and I will have to get a spray tan,” she said about her pale skin. “It’s

funny, because people have this preconceived notion that Spanish people are darker-skinned.”

32 • October / November 2013

Elena is wearing the seamed waist flared dress by Thakoon, available at Mode-B.com.

Hair and makeup by Maggie George of Keith Kristofer Salon in Austin, TX.

L at ino Le a de r s

myself, as much as other people, that I am an actor as well, and I can do both...and [the training from RADA] kinda cemented that fact.”

When she was in drama school, she booked a Sony Ericsson commercial, where they needed a gymnast that hung on wires for a stunt. Sanchez, a seasoned gymnast, took the job and found that she missed having an athletic element to her life, and stunt work married the two aspects.

She did the research to start a career in stunt work, and booked jobs for the aforementioned movies by pounding the pavement and making herself known in the stunt world.

“If you are there as someone’s stunt double, it’s your job to make sure that they are safe. So, they are the most important thing for you to watch out for,” she said, citing the differences between being a stunt woman and an actress. “As far as you doing your stunt or performing... I compared it to competing in a sport.

If it is something very physical or a routine, I notice I get in the same mindset.”

Stunts are very planned out and done as safely as they can. Everything is planned precisely, and as long as the stunt doubles follow that plan, they are most likely not going to get hurt.

“Which is why people that are crazy daredevils don’t make good stunt people,” she said, “because they are the ones that will end up getting hurt.”

Most stunt doubles and/or workers usually have a specialty that they are trained in, Sanchez said. She has been doing gymnastics since she was 3. You can find evidence of her gymnastics skills on Instagram, where she has a fun habit of doing handstands on cars.

She continued to branch out with her stunt work, learning more martial arts and training to better her career. Then, she decided to go to RADA last summer.

“I felt like I was falling into the whole ‘stunt people can’t act,’ which is kind of a stereotype out there,” she said. “And a lot of them don’t want to and don’t think it is important… I wanted to prove to myself and prove to other people the fact I was adding to my resume and my training. And have them go, “Oh, she has pretty serious training at these schools.’”

She wanted people in the industry to see her as not only a stunt woman but a working actress, who is also fluent in not only Spanish but German.

“Ideally, I want to act in a role that requires a lot of stunts and do my own stunts -- action acting basically,” she said. “Because I do love both, and I want to continue to do both.”

Her wish was granted. She has five films in post-production for 2013/2014 and a few more in earlier stages, mostly involving a combination of stunts and acting.

“You usually do start off with one main thing, but you branch off, and you try to learn as much as possible. The more skills you have, the more valuable it makes you.”

34 • October/November 2013

Leading packs the

Story and photos by Emilia

Gaston

Cesar Millan talks about his philanthropies and entrepreneurial spirit outside of what viewers see on television, and how a dream got him to places he never expected.

n a warm Friday morning in Southern California, world renowned Dog Behaviorist, Cesar Millan, called one of his most recognizable dogs, Junior, without saying a word.

Commands like this register with Millan’s dogs simply based on the calm, assertive energy between the pack.

Junior, a blue pitbull, happily complied and followed Millan up a steep hill to a spot in the mountains that overlooked his 45-acre Dog Psychology Center.

He continued talking about his comeback to television, his entrepreneurial spirit and his philanthropies.

For someone who was once just a regular 13-year-old boy living on a farm in Mexico, Millan is proof that having a simple dream can get you a long way.

“I asked my mom, ‘Do you think I could be the best dog trainer in the world?’ And she said ‘You can be whatever you want to be.’ Which just reaffirmed what I was already feeling,’” Millan said.

At age 21, he would cross the United States border into Southern California to fulfill that dream, a successful move that was nothing short of a miracle. The things he learned on that rural farm in Mexico were things Millan said he would’ve never known he could sell had he not come to America.

“I think it would be almost disrespectful to God to say that I plan everything.

That day when I made it over the border I had $100 in my pocket. The coyote who helped me charged me exactly $100 which

he eventually used to pay for my cab.

Coyotes aren’t usually there for humanitarian purposes. As Hispanics, we master believing in faith.”

And when he says faith, Millan means it.

After studying with Deepak Chopra, widely known as a guru for holistic health and New Age practices, his faith took an even more pronounced meaning.

Little religious and spiritual relics, like a St. Francis statue lay in gardens of well-tended plants at the Dog Psychology Center, creating a zen-like atmosphere reminding visitors of the aura of peacefulness and contentment. Millan also plans to build a temple atop one of the many mountain peaks where he has already placed what looks like a 10-foot, severalhundred pound statue of Buddha, which he jokingly said “took three Mexicans and a dolly to get it up there”.

As he pointed to the 40-foot high mountain top he explained, “The point is that you can’t just climb up to the temple. You have to MAKE it there.”

That same faith helped Millan to maintain an open mindset, being an immigrant in the United States who didn’t speak a word of English. Taking a job as a dog walker and groomer was the first step in his journey of eventually being noticed by celebrities for his immaculate skill with animals. Millan was not your average young Latino with a college education aspiring to be a corporate CEO or politician or business owner, he had a unique dream and he stuck to it.

“I had a dream and desire since I was 13-years-old. That goal was very important to me. My goal was to come to America and learn from Americans; I never thought I would teach Americans.”

Struggling to make it in the Southern California hustle and bustle, Millan often had to sleep under interstate overpasses

From Cesar’s Instagram @cesarsway

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“Nobody wanted to become a dog whisperer.

Immigrants see things that other people don’t see.”

and use his only money to buy as many cheap burritos as he could get his hands on just to eat for the day.

Millan held a gift that was not being fulfilled by anyone else at the time, especially not in the market of celebrities, which was his ability to teach humans how to treat their dogs with respect and become the “pack leader,” a philosophy he coined early on in his career. Millan states that as an immigrant he was not taking jobs from Americans, he was simply filling a void that nobody wanted at the time.

“Look, I understand jumping the border is illegal, I get it. But at the same time there are going to be people like myself who will apologize, but then we’re going to create business and inspire people.”

After years of working with celebrities’ dogs, Millan landed a show on the National

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Geographic Channel, called The Dog Whisperer, which aired for nine seasons and maintained an average audience of over 30 million weekly viewers. After gaining the exposure of international audiences, Millan finally could see himself making an impact in the world.

“Obviously there is business to be made as you are making a difference. Because money is made, you can do more of the things you have to do to help more people.”

“I can now say, ‘I know you have no money and there is no government help, here is my money.’”

And that’s exactly what he did.

Millan opened the first Dog Psychology Center in Los Angeles in the mid-2000s, eventually moving it north to Santa Clarita.

The center gave Millan a place to live out his dream of training dogs, working

with people and providing a safe haven for thousands of rescued animals to be rehabilitated.

On Valentine’s Day in 2007, he launched the Cesar Millan Foundation, “a national, non-profit organization designed to aid and support the rescue, rehabilitation, and placement of abused and abandoned dogs.”

“That’s where I want to invest my money, in third-world countries that are willing and open to learn to make sure kids respect Mother Nature at an elementary level. As you learn English or Spanish, you need to learn to communicate with animals. I want them to understand instinct, empathy and compassion.”

Although the Cesar Millan Foundation has commercially done so well, it is only one of the various ventures that Millan has undergone in addition to television, but not without difficult times interrupting his path.

Three years ago, the man the world had come to know as the go-to guy for dog behavior training was hit with several tragedies he never expected. He suffered

severe depression, went through a divorce and found out he was facing business bankruptcy all during his grieving period over the loss of his right-hand-dog, Daddy.

He felt as though he had failed in life and let his team and family down immensely.

“I learned that I got sidetracked, and I lost my essence. Life has a way to knock you out of it so you can taste rock bottom.

That was the perfect opportunity to come right back and regain control.”

Millan had to regroup his pack. He made business-savvy changes that only allowed the best people to work around him for the goal of reaching the greater good. He states that he had to embody the fundamentals of ownership, control and leadership to be a better person to his team and build a closer relationship with his family. The key was mastering the

“That’s why it’s important to migrate.

We are all immigrants, just some of us don’t have papers, so we have to do it in a most primal way.” idea of uncertainty, Millan said. He had to be comfortable and content with the fact that obstacles will be thrown in the way of anyone striving for success, no matter how much fame or wealth they have experienced and accumulated.

After finding out he didn’t own the rights to the show that had catapulted his career, Millan had to take ownership of what couldn’t be taken away from him—his name.

So he launched a new chapter in his life of becoming Cesar Millan -- not the host of the Dog Whisperer program.

He had to figure out what inspired him and how to go about getting to his goal in a new way, after facing such life-changing adversity.

“To understand what drives you is very important. Money should not be the driver. You need to have passion to the point where you will do it for free. That’s how bad you want it and that’s how bad you like it.”

Millan’s face illuminated with joy when he discussed his passion of helping people and animals through his work.

Now-a-days, Cesar Millan is the brand he never expected to be. With a new show shot in Spain and surrounding countries, that just aired its first season, Leader of the Pack on the Nat Geo Wild Channel, Millan is finally able to implement programs that further the reach he has in communities worldwide.

“In order for you to save, you have to think about running it [your talent] as a business because you then can generate money and you can help. It went from rescuing dogs to educating people.”

This is coming from the guy who can mentally control a pack of 40 dogs at once, as many people have seen on TV. This goes hand-in-hand with the fact that the entire time our crew was moving around the Dog Psychology Center, a group of 3 dogs were following him at his heels.

You could almost hear the stout, goldeneyed American Pitbull Terrier, Junior, the ponytail-wearing Yorkshire Terrier, Alfie and the ever-smitten with life Chihuahua, Taco saying “we want to be where you are” without them uttering a word.

Millan’s classic tagline of “training people and rehabilitating dogs” was in full effect.

Beginning in 2012, Millan created Training Cesar’s Way Fundamentals and Clinics that give people the opportunity to learn in a classroom setting from Millan’s triedand-true methods on dog psychology. He uses his calm-energy philosophies to allow students to implement the techniques in their homes, creating a balanced relationship between owner and dog.

Millan says the biggest reward from teaching the courses is when people can recover themselves and let the effect ripple into different aspects of their lives.

“This is the best money I’ve ever spent,” is something he often hears after completion of his courses.

However, he has still not reached the the goal of being the best dog trainer in the world. But his goal has changed.

“That is no longer my goal, I want to make a difference in the world.”

Making a difference for Millan includes reaching the larger-scale “pack

leaders” like legislators and even the president.

One of his biggest initiatives is a spay-and-neuter campaign which would essentially help alleviate the spending of taxpayer money used to euthanize four to five million dogs a year due to backyard breeding and irresponsible ownership.

Now, in 2013, Millan is returning back to his roots on a LIVE! tour through South America where he performs an informational stage show in front of thousands of people. In South America he can finally take what he has learned from America and apply it to people who understand where he is coming from.

He explains that in Mejico, dog psychology is in the streets. This is where he learned everything he knows--by observing and practicing with dogs in their natural habitat.

“The approach and symbolism is completely different due to cultural differences. In Modern America, people have not honored the dog as a dog like one would honor the horse. People have become too intimate and taken the wild out of the dog. In South America, it’s about bringing people into that intimate space and helping them with the lack of trust that surrounds the human-dog relationship.

“When I come to Latin America, I’m not just the dog guy; I’m one of them. I’m an immigrant and I went against all odds. It’s almost like a hero kind of thing.”

Millan is living proof that a dream can become reality when the right level of passion and determination works in conjunction with business-smarts and financial integrity, but for him it’s simple“I finally know who I am; that’s huge.”

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2013 MillerCoors

S

Líderes

Since 2006, MillerCoors, through its Líderes initiative, has sought to highlight the achievements of young Hispanic leaders in the U.S., while simultaneously supporting non-profit organizations.

In addition, it has built a talented network of more than 100 leaders across the country and offers leadership guidance for the next generation of Latino leaders. This year, 12 leaders are vying for the title of “Líder of the Year,” and the opportunity to win $25,000 for their respective non-profit organizations.

These Hispanic leaders were chosen as the 2013 MillerCoors Líderes because of their contributions to advance the Latino community.

Facebook.com/MillerCoorsLideres #MillerCoorsLideres MillerCoors Lideres

* HOW TO VOTE

om .c s e r e id L s r o o C Miller on Voting ends

Oct.31

Gloria Alejandra Antia

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Marithza Calderon

Executive Director, Citizens for a Better South Florida Gloria is dedicated to providing environmental education to underserved communities; she is also passionate regarding bringing awareness about conserving our natural resources and their impact on the environment.

A rising civic leader and role model who inspires young women of Hispanic descent who dream of pursuing careers in environmental education, Gloria has introduced the Neighbors Replanting Neighborhoods/Citizen Forester initiative to more than 50 neighborhoods in the Miami-Dade County.

She leads the Community Science workshop, believing the lifetime skills students gain through science projects will help them become successful in future endeavors.

She serves as a mentor to YPBranchingOut and to college students who participate in CBSF’ Professional Development Internship.

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Jazmin Chavez

Volunteer / Advocate , ¡Adelante!

U.S. Education Leadership Fund Marithza is Newscenter 25’s first Hispanic female morning meteorologist and is currently the Chief Meteorologist for KWEX Noticias Univision 41 in San Antonio, TX. She is a graduate of the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas, and has a Bachelor’s of Science in Meteorology and a Master of Arts in Administration with a concentration in Organizational Development. Along with academic excellence she always found time to be involved with several community groups such as VISD HOSTS, Catholic Education (CCD), Peer Assistance Leadership Skills (PALS), Kinetic Kids, Special Olympics, Catholic Charities, and the SA Food Bank to name a few.

Among the numerous academic recognitions she has received are Deans List, Presidents Scholar, Distinguished Alumni, Outstanding Achievement in Meteorology, and the 2009 ¡Adelante! Scholar.

4 Coordinator, Engagement Network & New Media, Latino Justice PRLDEF

Born in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, Jazmin creates communication, social media, and civic engagement strategies to empower and engage Latino communities to become advocates of change.

She oversees the Youth Leadership Academy, a program that trains young people in many forms of leadership and advocacy from using social media, to storytelling, to movie production, amongst others.

Jazmin is a passionate advocate and strategist for civil rights, dedicating her professional life to becoming an effective innovator for communities in need.

She is a featured writer for Being Latino and the Huffington Post and was named a Gen-Y Millennial Influencer. She has presented at Netroots Nation, Social Media Week NY and LATISM and was named New York’s top 40 under 40 Rising Star for 2013.

Celina Cárdenas Volunteer, Parents Step Ahead

Celina has been an Ambassador for Parents Step Ahead since 2011 and was instrumental in expanding the Parents Step Ahead program for parents in Richardson, Texas.

With her leadership, more than 1000 families have been served through the program in Richardson, and more than 30 community and business organizations have partnered in this specific endeavor.

Her passion to advance the Hispanic community through education stems from her early work as a High School teacher. Celina truly believes that parental involvement in the schools and in education is the key to a student’s success. She currently serves on the Dallas Mayor’s Star Council, is a current member of the Leadership Dallas Class of 2014, and has served on a number of Boards and Committees throughout the greater Dallas area.

latinoleaders.com

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Victor Jett Contreras

Edgar Delgado

Board of Directors / Director of Program Development, Arizona Ivy League Project Victor has always focused on improving the educational outcomes of our youth and guiding them on a path towards life-long academic and professional success. His first-hand experience dealing with the lack of educational opportunities for minorities and people of limited socioeconomic backgrounds is the reason for his persistent drive for change.

A respected leader in the South Phoenix community in areas involving education reform in Arizona, Victor serves on the City of Phoenix’s South Mountain Village Planning Committee, where he focuses on improving the streets, parks, and public safety. He is a founding board member of the Arizona Ivy League Project, a non-profit that serves as a vehicle for disadvantaged students to attend the best academic institutions in the world.

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Laura Maristany

Edgar’s passion and dedication to the community began by serving as a volunteer at the age of 10 in various church functions and fundraisers, where he started several basketball leagues to keep neighborhood teenagers off the streets. He later joined the US Air Force and participated in the Presidential Missions, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Edgar stays involved by serving on the Illinois Veteran Advisory Council, providing guidance on how to assist and help veterans. His passion for community service has made him an active ambassador of the NSHMBA Chicago Chapter since 2009, contributing towards increasing the number of Hispanics graduating from MBA programs and participating in NSHMBA’s Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) to teach youth the importance of higher education.

8 Executive Director of Legislative Affairs, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)

Passionate about improving educational opportunities for Hispanics, Laura works as Executive Director of Legislative Affairs at HACU, developing and advancing the organization’s legislative affairs and relations with Congress, the Administration, federal agencies, policy centers, Hispanic and other minority organizations, and higher education associations.

Laura serves as the President of the Hispanic Leaders Association, an organization committed to strengthening the bonds between the Hispanic Community in the U.S., Spain, and Latin America. She also served as Co-Chair of the Hispanic Education Coalition, a coalition of 26 national organizations dedicated to improving educational opportunities for the 51 million Latinos living in the United States and Puerto Rico. Prior to joining HACU, she worked as a Legislative Assistant to former Congressman Luis G. Fortuño and later, as part of Congressman Pierluisi’s legislative team.

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Compliance Officer / Secretary, National Society of Hispanic MBA’s (NSHMBA)

Joaquin Lopez Volunteer, Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber

Joaquin is a passionate supporter of the arts, donating his time and food to theater openings, art exhibits, and arts fundraisers.

In 2009, he won a Hero award for his volunteer commitment to The Miracle Theater.

Joaquin regularly contributes his time as an artist to Portland area schools, writing songs, singing Mexican folklore, and speaking at high school leadership programs.

His vision is to create a Latin American festival of food and art produced by HMCC Leadership graduates, creating a fundraising experience to endow the leadership program. He values the Portland Latino Gay Pride, a festival recognizing the talents of gay Latino/as in Oregon, mentors emerging small businesses, and works to inspire and mentor youth to become future social justice leaders.

10 Pedro Toledo

Jennifer Rodriguez Volunteer, National Hispana Leadership Institute Jennifer helps empower young Latinas to reach their goals though the Miss California Latina™ and Miss Teen California Latina™ program. She has successfully managed to incorporate her business skills and love for entertainment by establishing Miss California Latina™ and Miss Teen California Latina™ into the largest state pageant for Latinas in

the country.

Jennifer has successfully managed to incorporate her business skills and her love for entertainment by establishing Miss California Latina™ and Miss Teen California Latina™ into the largest pageant for Latinas in California.

She has shared her vast skills, business know-how, and knowledge with several organizations and contributed to the growth of several companies.

The City of Los Angeles has recognized her with an award for her successful community initiatives and nominated her for the Los Angeles Business Journal’s Latino Business Award. Jennifer is also known as one of the Bad Girls of Sports, part of the first-ever female duo to cover the world of sports.

11

Veronica Torres

Director of Community and Government Relations, Redwood Community Health Coalition Pedro is a trailblazing non-profit health care executive, a tireless advocate for students and a committed community leader. Pedro serves as the President of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Sonoma County, as the Director of Community and Government Relations for the Redwood Community Health Coalition (RCHC), and as the Director of Healthy Kids Sonoma County.

He works to ensure that every student in Sonoma County has access to prevention-focused health care, affordable health insurance, and nutritious foods. Pedro understands that our community prospers when young adults have access to higher education, and that businesses are only as strong as the people who work in them. Pedro also leads efforts to fundraise tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships each year for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Sonoma County.

12 Miguel J. Zazueta

Secretary, Hispanic 100 Veronica is a passionate advocate for healthy lifestyles.

She established a Healthy Latinas group to encourage Latina women in Dallas to adopt healthful eating and exercise habits.

Veronica has launched several young professionals groups, including the first-ever Hispanic Young Professionals group through the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

She organized the City of Dallas’s first multi-Chamber of Commerce event and brought together the business leaders of the Asian American, African American, Hispanic, and LGBT communities.

Her work has been recognized by the Dallas Women’s Foundation with the Young Leader Award. Veronica currently serves on several boards, such as the Mayor’s Star Council, North Texas GLBT Chamber, and Hispanic 100, amongst others.

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MillerCoorsLideres

Young Adults Council #1116 President/Founder, League of United Latin American Citizens Miguel has contributed to the empowerment of Latino communities since the age of 15. He organized and met with high school students to discuss community issues; raised funds for leadership conferences; and exposed them to community service, civic participation, leadership trainings, and other opportunities.

Serving in several capacities of LULAC Youth Councils, Miguel helped create different scholarship funds, raising thousands of dollars to provide scholarships for Latino(a) students to continue their education. Miguel is mainly passionate about helping farm worker students, as he grew up migrating with his mother to farm-worker camps in the lettuce fields of California.

He currently serves as President/Founder of LYAC#1116 and as the Vice President of Arizona Inter-Agency Farm worker Coalition (AIFC), one of the strongest advocacy organizations for farm workers in Arizona.

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Story by Sara

Pintilie Photos by Andrew Buckley

The Conscious

of Carlos Santana “What I want to do is uplift consciousness, heal this planet and boogie.”

46 • October / November 2013

itting in a practice room in his Las Vegas office, Carlos Santana flipped through the last issue of Latino Leaders.

“Oh! I know him!” Santana said cheerfully, as he pointed at a picture of Esai Morales, one of the featured people in the July/August issue.

He thumbed through the issue as he tapped his boots, as if an upbeat melody wafted into the room that only Santana could hear.

He sat on a drum stool with his recognizable hat and patchwork boots, that put any other pair of patchwork boots to shame, and talked about music, women dancing, being Mexican and integrity.

“What do we have in Mexicans that is really, really beautiful to offer the world?” he asked. “Somos gente noble. We are noble people, man. You come to my house, and if I only have a couple of tortillas and frijoles, I’m going to share it with you. That’s the beauty of Mexican people.

They work hard over there and over here.”

“I am proud that I was born in Méjico,” he said.

“I am very, very proud to say I have never shown up late or drunk or missed a concert, other than Mother Nature saying, ‘you’re not playing today.’”

Lightning and electric guitars don’t play together, he said with a laugh.

He credits a lot of this to his heritage and the lessons his father instilled in him at an early age. He told a story of when his father once bought a box of Wrigley’s Spearmint gum and split it in half, Santana said as he mimed the action as he voiced an accurate portrayal of cardboard ripping. And his father told him and his brother to not come back until the box was gone and their pockets were full of money.

Earn your keep.

He continued learning this at a young age, while playing music for money for tourists in Tijuana.

“Song mister? 50 cents a song,” was the second thing he learned in English.

The first thing?

“Stick it up,” courtesy of watching Roy Rogers.

Santana had a crystal clear vision of what he was going to do in life. He wanted to be like his father, because people adore him and his musical ability.

“Music was a way of life for us,” he said about the Santanas.

Santana played all over Tijuana, mainly strip clubs during the week and church on Sundays.

“I discovered I was professional, the moment in Tijuana someone paid me and I could buy my own tacos,” he said. “And bring back money to [my mom].”

The money he earned helped pay for his sister’s dental needs, the legal papers to travel to America and other essentials for the family.

“I think the first time I knew I had something is because I gave myself chills,” Santana said about the first time he discovered his talent 48 • October / November 2013

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in Tijuana. “If I can give myself chills, then I gotta give someone else chills.”

He soon left Tijuana and ended up in San Francisco for his junior high school education and beyond. He went to Philharmonic West while working at Tic Toc Burgers.

But he figured out that he could play the music that Cream, B.B. King and other blues players were performing at the time, he left his normal routine and hit the streets.

“I made a decision not to be a weekend musician. I wanted to be a fulltime musician. There was no guarantee, except that I was going to have fun.”

There were a lot of things presented to him during this time, but he listened to his mother’s voice in the back of his head to keep a straight path while paving a way in those turbulent times. He said it was a wonderful time to grow up. Santana spoked fondly of Dolores Huerta, Cesar Chavez, Martin Luther King Jr. and how they helped with the Civil Rights Movement.

“I had to be solid with my convictions.

I wasn’t born to win popularity contests.

I was born to make a difference,” he said about being in the States in the ‘ 60s.

“That turns me on more than anything else. To know that I can wake up, even today, right now, and I can show up anywhere, Telemundo, Univision, anywhere you want, and I can make a difference.”

Santana credits this to the ‘ 60s, saying those 10 years made for the most important decade of the last century, citing protests, Ronald Reagan, Vietnam and the importance of the real Hippies as why.

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Everyone was playing blues, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Queen, he said. Everyone was playing blues, just louder. Bigger Marshals, bigger amplifiers, but it was still the blues. They were playing musica tropical.

Women loved and danced differently to musica tropical.

He showed the dancing, explaining the differences between Stones fans and his fans. The music validated the divine sensuality that was encoded in them, he said about the women dancing.

“Look at Santana’s band, man,” he said he heard people saying. “Look what they are do-

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“And I was in the middle of it. Ground Zero for conscious revolution in San Francisco.”

And the music just got stronger, he said, listing bands including The Grateful Dead and The Rolling Stones.

The young people today, they have to go through the classic rock bands to find their stuff. It is because a lot of the music of today is very lightweight. It is very hollow, shallow, predictable, disposable and unnecessary, he said.

“You are not going to remember a lot of this music 10 -- you are not want to remember this music 10-15 years from now, no? But you remember The Doors.

And you remember Jimi Hendrix. You remember The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. You remember Santana,” he said. “The reason I say that with a lot of conviction is because we were trained like soldiers not to bulls**t music. Don’t mess with sound resonating and vibration. It has to come from the heart.”

Santana integrated into the music scene easily, because his band was doing something different than the majority.

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ing to the women. They are dancing differently.”

And then other bands started adapting elements of musica tropical into their sets.

Santana and his band went on to perform at the legendary 1969 Woodstock Music & Art Fair, win 10 Grammys, be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and sold more than 100 million records to date, according to the band’s website.

“Make yourself indispensable and necessary,” he said.

“Don’t make yourself unnecessary and a victim… Walk like you got the stuff and people need it.”

Santana tells people to envision what they want to do in five years and how much money they want to make and how are they going to do it.

“I’m learning not to tell people what to do, who to be or how to do it. That’s an imposition,” he said. “I’m learning more to invite people to say, as soon as you open your eyes in the morning say ‘I am a beam of light that comes from the mind of God. Therefore, I can create miracles like Jesus and Virgen de Guadalupe, and I am unstoppable.’”

With all of Santana’s brands, shoes, hats and partnership with Casa Noble, the money goes to the Milagros foundation and other causes to help people be just that – unstoppable.

“When someone looks at me and says, ‘Mister Santana,

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I want to thank you from the center of my heart, because I am the first one in my family to go to college because, you made it possible. Thank you.’ And I’m like, ‘alright man.’

That’s my platinum album. That’s my Grammy. That’s my Oscar. That’s my Heisman trophy.”

He also stressed the importance of people just being people.

“It’s never too late for you to live your light,” he said. “Put aside your darkness and illusions and your sense of doubt. Get rid of doubt. Get rid of hesitation. This Mexican has never sang Mañana.”

He explained that a man told him that he should sing this “racist” song, and Santana blew him off, refusing to be stereotyped in anyway. He talked about the Frito Bandito, a cartoon mascot for Frito-Lay in 1960s-’70s as an example.

“We need Spanish language people to dictate without being vulgar, brutal or violent how you want to be represented,” he said. “We are not represented on American TV other than Telemundo and Univision. Other than George Lopez. And in the movies, it is the same thing.”

Santana spoke of when he scolded a few Hollywood actors about playing the same roles over and over -- a pimp, a wife beater or a drug dealer.

“Do you really need the money that bad?” he asked them, showing them hunching over in shame.

“If we want to change it, why don’t we just treat people like children of God and get rid of the flags and the stereotyping...,” he said. “I don’t even speak Latin.

The Pope speaks Latin... I speak Chicano, man. So why are you calling me Latin? Every few years, they call you some kind of name, Spanish, Latino, this and that. Man, I am a child of God. And that’s all I want to be know as. A child of God. My name is Carlos Santana. And that’s it.”

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Bauer

Fast and The

Arenas celebrates 25 years with CEO Santiago Pozo

ith all the purchasing power of the Hispanic market touted in the media, it’s hard to remember a time when large corporations didn’t court the Latino wallet.

Recent Nielsen ratings show the Latino purchasing power topping $1 trillion and growing to $1.5 trillion by the year 2015. Moreover, the impact of the 50.5 million Hispanics in the U.S. moves beyond retail and can be felt at the highest level of U.S. elected office.

In 2012, CNN polls showed President Barack Obama won the Latino vote by a margin of 44-percent over then Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. And today, leaders of both major political parties are drawing up strategies to implement comprehensive immigration reform, with an emphasis on immigrants originating from Latin countries.

Most noticeably, however, is the Latino impact in Hollywood. While Hispanics make up 16-percent of the U.S. 56 • October / November 2013

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population, they account for nearly a quarter of all movie tickets sold. It’s fitting, then, that one of the earliest outreaches to the Latino market began in Hollywood, where the silver screen is said to reflect real life.

Arenas Group, Hollywood’s first Hispanic marketing agency, turns 25 years old this year. When CEO Santiago Pozo founded the agency as its lone employee in 1988, he was tapping into potential in the Latino market he discovered as an intern at Universal Pictures.

“In a way, I was inventing a job for myself. In turn, it turned into big profits for the industry,” Pozo said.

Originally, those profits weren’t so easy to predict.

Movies were distributed in film cans, and it was generally looked at as too costly and risky, said Beargrass Marketing owner Michele Reese, who worked with Pozo at Universal.

An early hint at success came with the marketing of Zoot Suit, a film adaptation of the Broadway play of the same name. The film, directed by Luis Valdez and starring Daniel Valdez and Eddy Olmos. follows a group of young MexicanAmericans unfairly prosecuted and charged with murder.

“Everyone in the hierarchy thought it would be a little picture, hard to market given it was Latino focused, about a rough time in the U.S., based on a Broadway production, all things that did not immediately spark confidence

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Furious

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in it becoming a breakout hit,” Reese said in an email.

The successful marketing push for Zoot Suit set the foundation for Pozo to suggest a major Hispanic marketing campaign for the re-release of E.T. Extra-Terrestrial in 1985, even though the movie itself lacked a Latino emphasis and angle.

“I was such a fan of the film and honestly did not see any reason that it would not appeal to every market in the same way it appealed to the traditional segments,” Reese said. “Santiago was a great advocate and on board with the attempt and everyone was so high on the project that committing to a bit more in film cost to do the voice-overs early and release day and date was not considered too much of a stretch.”

“I was such a fan of the film and honestly did not see any reason that it would not appeal to every market in the same way it appealed to the traditional segments”.

“It was such a huge success that from then on the Latino option was a standard part of the marketing discussion for most of the Universal films,” she said.

That proved true in 1986 when Pozo convinced Universal executives to release another Steven Spielberg film, An American Tail, with a marketing campaign focused on the Latino market. It was the first animated film released with a marketing push focused on Hispanics, which helped it become the most successful animated film at the time.

That run of successful marketing to the Latino audience with mainstream films has continued to today with such movies as Fast & Furious, which has seen a number of installments over the course of the franchise. The most recent installment, Fast & Furious 6, took in $117 million over a four-day weekend. The series’ success is credited in part to a dedicated Hispanic audience, which Arenas helped to target in the franchise’s first release in 2001.

In 2002, Arenas branched into film distribution, and the agency also expanded into other industries outside of Hollywood, including marketing for sports franchises and politicians, which Pozo said isn’t much different from asking an audience to show up to a movie premiere.

“When you market a politician, you are asking the public to show up and vote on a specific day,” he said.

Expansion into other industries, however, is a no-brainer, particularly when the Hispanic community’s buying power is projected to become the world’s ninth largest economy, surpassing the GNP of Brazil, Spain or Mexico.

“I think every industry, regardless of type, has to respect the Latino market,” Pozo said. “It’s the new injection of vitality.

“They are the salt of the earth.”

NALIP’S FAMILY FORTUNE: The Tril ion $ Latino Market- Where is Our Share?

Commentary by Judi

Jordan

he National Association of Latino Independent Producers is like a family that never loses hope that you’ll succeed.

A steadfast, positive and productive organization that has inspired and sustained the mission of Latino filmmakers, writers and producers since 1999, it has weathered organizational storms, the economy and remained a friendly support system of entertainment folks dedicated to making programming for the American Latino audience. NALIP’s yearly conference provides a collegial environment to hear the hard truths about the industry and look for solutions.

This year, the tantalizing title “Spotlight on the Trillion $ Latino Market” reminded us of the potential, and the imbalance between our buying power and the lack of decision-making power we have in Hollywood. NALIP’s statistics underscore the clear motivation, the solutions prove more elusive. Short of tunneling our way under the Studio gates into the executive offices, there doesn’t seem to be an open path into the inner power circles where the real decisions are made. In spite of the astonishing facts you will read after this rant, there is not one single Latino studio head, or even a direct second-in-command being groomed for the eventual gig.

For all of the ‘conversation’ about diversity in the creative ranks, the ultimate game change comes from the top, which is completely Anglo-run with the exception of recent shocking [and hotly-contested, by other would-be heirs to the throne] appoint60 • October / November 2013

ment of Kevin Tsujihara to CEO of Warner Bros. It would be a brilliant move to appoint a Latino-American, given the future of America’s media consumers. But with less than 3% Latinos as studio and network ‘creatives’ [writers, directors, producers] in Hollywood, it’s highly unlikely that the C-spots will go brown anytime soon. Are they aware? Do they know what we represent in profits? Oh yes.

Hollywood lives and breathes numbers. They know exactly who’s watching their programs and buying movie tickets. So, do they care what Latinos want to see? Not really. We have to make them care. Our dreams of seeing noble, educated, successful Latinos doing good things in the world are sidelined by sneaky maids, sleazy gang bangers, corrupt border cops, a teen dad and a loud, busty Columbian. This is their image of the modern Latino, and what they deem appropriate portrayals for mass-consumption programming. Our ‘brand ‘is in trouble--it needs a serious reboot. As Charles Garcia, co-chair of Latino Rebels Foundation, dedicated to wresting control of the distorted Latino image in the media, states, “Power is never given; it has to be taken.” Even Oscar-nominated star of “A Better Life,” red-hot Demian Bichir, now cast as detective Marco Ruiz in FX’s The Bridge, admits in a recent interview with industry journal “The Wrap;” “It’s hard to change

Latinos represent an overwhelming 28 percent of today’s heavy moviegoers, that they buy more tickets per year than any other ethnic group, and constitute the fastest-growing segment of the overall movie-going population.

Twenty-six million U.S. moviegoers are Latino, most commonly between the ages of 12 and 34, and are 100 percent more likely than the national average to be considered “frequent moviegoers.” Latinos also watch more television and consume more media [radio, online, magazines and newspapers] than any other ethnicity, yet Latinos comprise less than 1 percent of executives in Hollywood. Latinos are estimated to expend more than

$1 billion on U.S. filmed entertainment, and $1 trillion in general market-buying power.

So why are we treated as second class-citizens when it comes to being heard? It’s not for a lack of trying. NALIP has stellar panels with diversity executives who represent the top studios and networks. Lucky writers and directors get meetings and sometimes even get hired. But the result seems to be the same; insiders--Anglos write and direct 97 percent of the shows that get on air.

Films are different, and offer more Latino voices but they are typically low-budget [with the obvious exception of Guillermo del Toro] and have

We enjoy sharing experiences as a culture, and they don’t need to be ‘Latino’ stories, just Latino characters that acknowledge our place in America.

personal stories that pose the ‘niche’ problem, is it too personal, or even too familiar, but not escapist enough? Latino filmmakers are finding the balance, and in the 14 years of NALIP, Latino projects gestated by members have progressed to Sundance and numerous festivals, domestic and foreign. NALIP-endorsed projects have aired on PBS, nunoTV and HBO, Showtime, among several mainstream TV outlets. The yearly event attracts 500 executives, TV and film cre-

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those [negative ideas] because there’s a way Mexico has been perceived throughout the years. If you change it, or show Mexico as a beautiful place, which is the way it is, maybe the audience won’t buy it, so they throw in a little filth. I don’t think that’s fair, it’s just the way Hollywood works.” Sorry, Demian, but we can’t continue to shrug this off. We have the economic clout to change that.

One in six Americans now is Hispanic. The size of the U.S. Hispanic population worldwide ranked 2nd only to Mexico with 50.5 million to 112 million respectively. Forbes has called the Latino market the “New Media Jackpot,” and Hispanics’ spending patterns help to determine the success or failure of many youthoriented products and services; 65 percent of U.S. Hispanics are “Millennials,” ages 22 to 35. Nielsen Media has determined that

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atives, actors and producers from the entire United States, including Puerto Rico and Latin Americans living in the U.S. Executives from Time Warner, HBO, YouTube, Google, Sony, ABC/Disney, NBC, CBS, PBS, Fox, SAG-AFTRA, DGA, WGA, PGA, CNN, HGTV, Travel Channel, NPR, Scripps and the Sundance Institute listened to ideas from attendees chosen for the ‘LATINO MEDIA MARKET’” but even the execs admit that the progress is a slow process and out of sync with the growth of the Latino population. The shrugs and ‘our hands are tied’ excuses have run their course; it’s time for bold action, from inside and out. I’ve watched the progression from optimism to realism, from tentative to tenacious, as it grew obvious that despite the presence of well-intentioned mid-level studio executives and friendly TV ‘suits’ hired to find ‘diverse’ talent, there would be no magic carpet rides from networks, studios, production companies or casting entities. The inner doorways remain blocked, despite appearances, and Latinos began to sense that, despite the obvious market for our product, we were destined to be outsiders, unless we found a way to seize the market.

It’s a trillion-dollar gold mine with very experienced security at the gate. You need to know the password, and until now, it has eluded us.

We watch our favorite actors struggle, great shows with Latino leads get cancelled prematurely, or worse, never aired, and we

wonder aloud, why? We are 50.5 million voices -- don’t we get a say? At NALIP 2013, we learned that all three of John Leguizamo’s 2013 pilots were dropped from network slates. A roar went up, the question was asked: “Who makes these decisions?” Why don’t we get the same polling power about what we want that the general market receives on a constant daily basis? Dennis Leoni is the executive producer of the Showtime series “Resurrection Boulevard”, one of the first quality Latino shows to air. Cancelled after two seasons, Leoni is consistently vocal in his disappointment of the state of TV for Latino content. At NALIP, the answer-- raw and real, comes through: It’s because they don’t want to. Studios and networks want our butts in seats and our cable dollars, but they don’t want to green-light films or TV programming by and 62 • October / November 2013

Latinos also watch more television and consume more media [radio, online, magazines and newspapers] than any other ethnicity, yet Latinos comprise less than 1 percent of executives in Hollywood.

for Latino Americans, because they want us to consume what they want to make, for Anglo audiences. And with few alternatives, Latinos watch the programming that is available, because we love stories; it’s in our blood. We enjoy sharing experiences as a culture, and they don’t need to be ‘Latino’ stories, just Latino characters that acknowledge our place in America. There is a learning curve, even with the knowledge that there is an audience hungry for the right meal, served as they like it.

The response has been to go to the folks who make it.

Don’t ask an Anglo-American chef to make Peruvian, Brazilian, Spanish or Yucatan Mexican food. We have to make our own food and open our own restaurants.

Clever off-shoots like FLAMA and FUSION offer alternative strategies for reaching what Forbes dubbed the ‘new media jackpot.’ Like with most ‘jackpots,’ there is not a motivation for sharing. Rather, it is more about ‘capturing’ and ‘containing’ audiences. That being the case, Latino media-makers must accept the fact that the longanticipated handout from the studios is not forthcoming.

Lately, as shows about Latina maids, Latino gang bangers and Mexican-border murders of Americans are green-lit and John Leguizamo’s more sophisticated show, based on his intriguing real-life on Manhattan’s affluent Upper West Side, gets ditched, it’s pretty darn clear that Latinos need to raise our collective voice about what we and our children want to watch and find a way toward innovative strategies for reaching American Latino viewers seeking quality, inspirational entertainment.

NALIP has always acknowledged heroes in the Latino entertainment world, and the passing of icon Lupe Ontiveros was particularly important to highlight, as she was snubbed at the 2012 Oscars. NALIP created an award in her honor, to insure that she will not be

The inner doorways remain blocked, despite appearances, and Latinos began to sense that, despite the obvious market for our product, we were destined to be outsiders, unless we found a way to seize the market. It’s a trillion-dollar gold mine with very experienced security at the gate.

You need to know the password, and until now, it has eluded us.

forgotten. The first “Lupe” went to the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, founded in 1997 by Jimmy Smits, Esai Morales, Sonia Braga, Felix Sanchez and Merel Julia. The Foundation received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Advocacy presented by Heineken for their continuous efforts for increased Latino representation in the Hollywood community. The Estela “Rising Star’ Awards went to talented young actress Gina Rodriguez, star of “Filly Brown,” Ben DeJesus, documentary filmmaker for his “Tales from a Ghetto Klown,” which follows John Leguizamo as he returns to Broadway with his one-man show, and to Aurora Guerrero for Mosquita y Mari, a 2012 Sundance Film Festival success story. All were awarded a $7,500 grant endowed by the McDonald’s Corporation. Surprise guest Michelle Rodriguez introduced her friend Danny Trejo, as he fought back tears, picking up NALIP’s highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award. Danny’s pal, Ray Liotta, good-naturedly posed for pictures with everyone in the room. And the family of Lupe Ontiveros openly wept, as its mother finally received the honor due to her. Parties are great, but the heart of the NALIP national conference is the three days of workshops and seminars on film, television and documentaries, with informative case studies.

Panels included “The Million-Dollar Screenwriting Workshop,” “Reality TV: From Idea to Air and Beyond” “Movie & TV Marketing Trends in the 21st Century Studio,” “The Money Trail Agreements: Sell Your Film, Not Your Soul” and “Packaging your Documentary for Success.”

On the encouraging “Entertainment Industry Writer Development Programs” panel, dedicated and knowledgeable ABC/ Disney Diversity VP Frank Gonzalez and new ABC drama exec, Juan Alfonso, Karen Horne of NBC, Christopher Mack of Warner Bros. Writers’ Workshop, Fox’s Chris Bythewood and National Hispanic Media Coalition’s Nilda Muhr discussed the opportunities that writing programs provide. When the positive stories we want to tell are finally picked up, it will be a great day for these execs, who have invested so much in diverse writers over the years. Waiting for those great scripts are actors like those found in the panel “The Next Generation: Latino Trailblazers”: Gina Rodriguez, Nicholas Gonzales, Jesse Garcia, Jeremy Ray Valdez and Justina Machado. These were eye-opening, refreshingly-direct actors who talked about their frustration with what is offered, projects they are excited about, the necessity to generate their own material and the effort required to stay relevant via social media. Gina Rodriguez’s acclaimed performance in the film, “Filly Brown” was nominated for the 2012 Sundance Grand Jury Prize. The film also featured the acting debut of late superstar Jenny Rivera.

Gina admitted being sensitive to “Not wanting to get famous off of Jenny’s death,” and not being sure about how to handle the surrounding media attention. These young artists take their role in the Latino community seriously, reflecting awareness of their part in the future of the Latino image. NALIP’s mission to address the vital need for equitable Latino representation to the most underrepresented and largest ethnic minority in the country across all entertainment mediums continues to chip away at the barriers that confine the Latino stories but not our spirit

Jazzamoart: To paint is to be

rriving at the studio of Francisco Javier Vázquez Estupiñán is like entering into a rare world. From the outside of his workshop, you can hear the music. Only upon crossing the door’s threshold can you begin to appreciate and identify a series of musical notes from a saxophone or clarinet... looking for improvisation, by means of an acoustic medium. The smell of paint and plastic material is overwhelming. This is the place of Jazzamoart, one of Mexico’s contemporary plastic artists. His artistic name is a perfect blend of three Spanish words: jazz, amor, and arte. “Jazz” because it is his preferred choice of music to listen to while he works. “Amor” (Love) from which his passion is conceived. And “Arte” (art) with whom he has been engaged to since childhood.

“When I was five years old, my father gave my brother and me a studio in miniature. It was, for me, the best Epiphany gift that I had received because practically since then, I have had some sort of workshop; small, large; of all sizes. My first studio was my bedroom, where I spent countless hours painting until the wee hours of the morning. The best part was that my father respected it,” he recalled.

“He was a great influence on me. He would gather with poets, writers, and painters from my hometown of Irapuato, where there would be extended soirées of literature, drunkenness and music, like he would say; it was that Bohemian atmosphere that defined my interest for plastic (art).”

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Story by Gerardo

Yong Photos by David Eisenberg Translated by Melissa Conte

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The musical notes float through the trumpet of Miles Davis, what is reflected is not only his enjoyment of jazz, but his vast knowledge of his performances. As a matter of fact, what he enjoys most is “Free Jazz” because it is the style that most relates to his work: diverse themes, liberal expressions that open like spores looking to reproduce on canvas.

Many of them wait on the walls of the studio, for the moment they will be utilized to receive the baptism of oil, as if it were a classic film.

“Around the age of eleven, my father took me to see the movie, ‘The Agony and the Ecstasy,’ about the life of the Renaissance painter Michelangelo who was one of my first influences in art history,” he said. “The other painter was Van Gogh, whom I consider to be the best painter of all time. If it is true that Saint Luke is the patron saint of artists, I believe that Van Gogh would also be worthy of a having us light a candle in his honor, in the hopes of everything going well. We must remember that he was a great artist, never completely understood. I often tell my students, when they are feeling depressed, that Van Gogh endured far more anguish, yet he still achieved the status of a great artist.”

The conversation is entertainingly pleasant. One has no idea at what point the music had changed. Now the notes explode from the piano, appearing to demand attention.

The moment coincides with his mention of his international and national plastic influences- from Spain, Antonio Saura and Francis Bacon (the painter, not the philosopher), he emphasizes his teacher, Gilberto Aceves Navarro (with whom he associates his work) and Francisco Corsas, Manuel Felguérez and José Luis Cuevas, from whom he learned through observing their expositions - the same ones, who have served to define his work, much like soccer, bulls, and most notably, jazz.

The success of his art, which spans across painting, sculpture (wood, bronze and stone) and drawing (silk-screen printing and engraved lithography), has consisted of and when to distance oneself from those that only cause conflict to his work.

knowing how to recognize the right moment

“Since the 70s, until now, the motive of my speech has been jazz. Although I nourish myself with many things, I have always had the aspiration that my painting is like jazz that I have left something to chance, almost impromptu. I try to surprise with things that are there, but that one may not even have seen; it’s something that is quite enjoyable,”* he explains. “It’s very difficult to classify yourself, because there are many ordinary artists, and you can’t really label yourself as easily, as before. I have a lot of expressionism, figurative and abstract, but more than anything, painting is a pleasure; a form of life.”

Jazzamoart is a trilogy that defines his personality as an artist, a fetish that he uses like an ideological flag that is pleasant to the ears and allows a unique identity to be recognized, across the thousands of “Javieres Vázquez” in the world, as he himself, says.

“It’s also the name of my eldest son. He stole it from me. That’s why I always say that I am the false one, because there are three in the family: Jazzamoart the grandson, Jazza66 • October / November 2013

Jazzamoart is represented worldwide by Galeria Oscar Roman Mexico City. For further or contact information, please visit www.galieriaoscarroman.mx

moart the son, and me- but their names are officially registered. I am only Javier Vázquez in the real world and in the artistic realm, my stage name is Jazzamoart,” he clarifies.

“In New York it is more difficult to be successful, because there they really judge your work, but in Mexico, it’s different. Here you need to be a bit outrageous to stand out,” he reveals.

“The sensationalism in Mexico is extraordinary in all forms. For example, if a particular painter who likes bulls, cuts off the ear, I assure you, the press will never acknowledge it. However, if the bull has been gored, it will be mentioned. If I host an exposition, it will go on unnoticed unless I fight with Cuevas or another artist. The rumor is what makes you visible. In other words, it’s difficult to stand out, or for them to applaud your actual merits.”

Without inspiration, there would not be any masterpieces. It’s not only a formula for artists, but for many other artistic professionals and other cultural and intellectual sectors. For Jazzamoart, he is not the exception. For him, the most memorable moments are the ones that arrive when they are least expected.

“I work in many different forms, with notes, ideas and dreams. At times, I joke about eating a hearty dinner so that I can cause myself nightmares and have a motive to paint. Inside of my art, there is optimism and joy. Others are a product of my troubles of life or a selfportrait demonstrating my worries. The truth is, even though you have an idea in mind, life is your current mood, it is what defines how we work.”

It does not appear that the music has ended. Although there are only faint notes from an instrument, but these are scattered throughout Jazzamoart’s studio. It’s precisely the metaphor that projects his future as a person, an artist and a father.

“My work has been emotional, at times, visceral; it allows me to attack the piece even after I have finished it. In the end, I try to include a bit of freshness, and more than anything, sincerity and authenticity. I have always thought that it has been expensive being Jazzamoart.

There is no return. You cannot change your style: painting is not a fashion: it is being oneself,” he concludes.

events

Maestro

SAN FRANCISCO

September 5, 2013 Parc 55 Wyndham

PHOTOS FOR LATINO LEADERS

BY Juan Carlos Pometta

Innovation: Jerry Porras Professional Achievement: Lorena Hernandez

Community Service: Ortensia Lopez

Leadership: Cruz Reynoso

Presented with the support from:

Maestro San Francisco 70 • October / November 2013

On the eve of September 5th, Latino Leaders Magazine gathered over 250 of the who’s who of Latino influencers and leaders at the Parc 55 Hotel in downtown San Francisco, to celebrate this year’s Maestro recipients at the 5th annual Maestro Awards Gala. A patch work of different backgrounds, but with one common denominator, Leadership.

Entrepreneurial Visionary Recipient Award Alonso Vargas Presented by Northwestern Mutual

The awardees: Jerry Porras, Lorena Hernandez, Ortensia Lopez and Cruz Reynoso.

Jorge Ferraez gives introductions.

Jerry Porras Innovation Award Jerry Porras There are many attributes that could describe the personality of an innovator, and there are particular characteristics that these individuals share in common.

Latino Leaders Magazine recognizes those individuals that put their amazing intelligence into creation and perfection. Regardless of the area: economics, technology, business,or engineering, innovators are the catalyzers who put all knowledge into making our world better.

An intelligent innovator, is Jerry Porras.

Jerry Porras is the Lane Professor of Organizational Behavior and Change Emeritus at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. He joined Stanford in 1972 and taught courses in leadership, interpersonal dynamics, and organizational development and change in the MBA and executive programs.

Porras directed the School’s Executive Program on Leading and Managing Change for 16 years. A student of organizational change, Porras has helped numerous clients around the world improve their organizational performance. As a lecturer on visionary companies, he has delivered presentations to over 300 senior management audiences worldwide.

Winner of numerous awards, Porras’ honors include the Brillante Award presented by the National Society of Hispanic MBAs and the Silver Apple Award presented by the Stanford Business School Alumni Association He recently co-founded the Latino Business Action Network (LBAN), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping Latino entrepreneurs build high-growth potential companies.

Lopez speaks.

events

Hernandez speaks.

Lorena Hernandez

Professional Achievement Award Lorena Hernandez Latino Leaders Magazine is a witness of many success stories and an admirer of individuals whose great efforts and dedication are worthy of recognition.

The Professional Achievement Award honors these men and women who encourage and inspire our generations to come.

These individuals have made a significant contribution to the building of our community, our country and the world while pursuing their personal dreams.

Lorena Hernandez surpasses these qualities. Ms. Hernandez has more than 18 years of experience in media relations, public relations, government affairs and community development.

She has worked with journalists and contributed to articles and stories that have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Oprah Show, CNN, Univision and all the major network news programs along with the ethnic media.

Lorena was appointed and served as Vice Chair of the California Student Aid Commission from 2007—2011, the principal state agency responsible for administering $9 billion dollars in financial aid programs for California students.

Lorena Hernandez is now the California Director of Community Investment and Communications for Comcast.

Lopez speaks 72 • June 2013 72 • October / November 2013

Community Service Award Ortensia Lopez The Community Service Award honors men and women who have so selflessly dedicated their time, ideas and energy to give back and help shape their community and to transform the lives of others.

Ortensia Lopez is originally from Los Angeles, California. She is the second of 11 children born to parents from Mexico and the first to graduate from college.

She received her Bachelor’s in Psychology & Chicano Studies from Los Angeles State University and her Master’s Degree in Urban/Social Planning from the University of Southern California. She has one son and two granddaughters.

Throughout 35 years in her career with non-profits, Ortensia has been dedicated to advocating for the poor and disadvantaged while providing leadership to a number of nonprofit organizations.

Ms. Lopez was co-founder and CEO of the Bay Area Latino Non-Profit Association, as well as the CEO of North Peninsula Neighborhood Services Center where she continues to serve on the Board of Directors.

Ortensia is the Executive Director of El Concilio of San Mateo County.

She is a dedicated and passionate advocate for social, political and economic justice and she will continue to be an advocate for those communities whose voices are unheard, invisible or disenfranchised by indifference and intolerance.

Ortensia Lopez

Taste. Experience.

Elias Fernandez. Born the son of seasonal farm workers in 1961.

Making world-class Napa Valley wines at Shafer Vineyards since 1984.

Get Elias’s whole story and discover wines of uncompromising quality at

ShaferVineyards.com

events

Porras speaks.

Cruz Reynoso

Leadership Award Cruz Reynoso Man of incredible personality, Cruz Reynoso has been an inspiration for others to focus and become leaders as well. His perseverance and courage has taken him to accomplish amazing tasks and reach the highest standards in excellence.

Cruz Reynoso was born in Brea, California.

He grew up as one of 11 children of migrant farm workers.

At the time, many children of migrant families attended segregated schools and would quit at the age of 16 to work in the fields. But Reynoso chose a different path; education.

Reynoso earned a law degree from UC Berkeley in 1958.

He began his career in private law practice in El Centro, California.

He then served as Deputy Director of California Rural Legal Assistance in 1968. Shortly thereafter, internal problems at CRLA lead to his assuming the directorship; he was the first Latino to hold the position. His work with CRLA gained him national recognition.

Reynoso began teaching law at the University of New Mexico. He became one of the nation’s first Latino law professors, and devoted tremendous energy to bringing more Hispanic students and staff into that institution.

President Bill Clinton appointed Reynoso to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, then awarded him the Presidential Medal of Honor in the year 2000.

He received the Hispanic Heritage Award during a nationally televised presentation at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

He remains involved in government and law in California.

Reynoso speaks.

74 • June 2013 74 • October / November 2013

Guest, John de Luna and Dorene Dominquez.

Comerica’s John Fitzgerald.

Porras and guests.

Lopez speaks with Ferraez.

Lopez and guests.

Target Productions’ Carlos Nunez.

events

Wealth Creation Series:

New York

create wealth Presented with the support from:

one leader at a time

September 26, 2013 Victor’s Café

list of Attendees:

Monika

Mantilla

President & CEO

Altura Capital

Luis

Restrepo

Chief Executive Officer and Chief Compliance Officer--US Operations

Religare Capital Markets, Inc.

Daniel

Guadalupe

Partner

Norris McLaughlin & Marcus

Robert

Medina

President

Medina Consulting

Laura

Giadorou-Koch President

Dolium Wines

Fernando

Gonzalez

Co-Founder

First in Service Travel

Claudia

Lopez

Representive

MetLife

Cenia

Paredes

Founder

Cenia New York

Francisco J. Paret

Consultant

Egon Zehnder Intl

Eduardo

Rallo

Partner

Pacific Ventures

Pedro

Tronillo

CEO

Tronillo Properties

Andy

Unanue

Managing Partner

AU & Associates, LLC

Juan

Matiz

Owner and Architect

Matiz Architecture and Design

Miriam

Rebling

Political and Economic Consulado General de Affairs Mexico en Nueva York

Maria Antonia

Rossello

Owner

Salazar Rossello Architecture

William

J. Garces, Esq

Founder/Managing Partner

Garces & Grabler

Jose

Torres

Representive

MetLife

On September 26, 2013, Latino Leaders magazine convened 15 top business leaders to take part in the last luncheon of this year’s Wealth Creation series, which aims to generate a common vision for economic growth where influential entrepreneurs can collaborate to empower their communities.

For more of the discussion, visit: 76 • October / November 2013

www.latinoleaders.com

At Victor’s Café in midtown Manhattan publisher Jorge Ferraez initiated a passionate discussion with the question: “What can we do to create substantial wealth for the Latino community?” MetLife’s Jose Torres, the evening’s co-host’s answer was simple -- Spread the Gospel.

“We need to make platforms more accessible,” Torres said. “People don’t know where to go, whether it is for access to capital, or financial education, or to find a mentor. We have to be more accessible to each other.”

For Robert Medina access to capital is the most crucial.

“When I started my company the banks did not understand my engineering business so I had to struggle to secure the loans I needed– and many businesses never have access to them – so there is a need for that support system among Latinos. If you look at Latino wealth it is the second generation that has the possibility of taking off to the next level – but they must connect and work together.”

Francisco Paret agreed excitedly.

“Ecosystems feed on each other – people with similar interests fund, sponsor and support each other,” Paret said. “And the communities that understand this and that propagate that knowledge adapt and thrive – it is how ecology functions – so the question is: how do we create an ecosystem that fosters growth?”

Juan Matiz continued stating it is also a cultural and social issue.

“Yes, we have to work together,” Matiz said. “But we also need to consider how we approach being immigrants, and how we assimilate or not assimilate to the wealthy communities we aspire to. Because unless you participate in aspects of that social status – there are almost no Latinos involved in the Metropolitan Opera Gala for example – you are just going to be the owner of a business, but not part of that network.

So if you want access to wealth, you also need to learn to connect into that society where wealth circulates.”

Pedro Tronilo talked about the Latino community needing to be united.

“For me, the Jewish community is the best example of how to work together

Story by: Mariana

Gutierrez Briones | Photos by: Kevin Kane

– they give access to capital to kids who are 25 years old, and take a chance on them, simply because they are part of that community,” Tronilo said. “But another mistake we are making is we are not being visionary when it comes to opportunities. As an architect I see the interest there is in new technologies to save energy and conserve our environment – but there are not many Hispanic entrepreneurs involved. Educating our kids about environmental issues would translate into a boom in Latino green

to change that when it is also a such low percentage of capital we are investing in creating that shift?”

“It is true that for Latinos it is hard to understand philanthropy”, Myriam Rebling said. “We need to learn to give more – But our contributions have to be well directed, we need to set a structure to help with education and the lack of role models – because our kids already feel like they are less and that they do not have the power to step forward.”

“Wealth is created from an idea - why couldn’t the next Facebook come from a Latino kid who is now in college?” Luis Restrepo asked. “We should create programs that instill an entrepreneurial spirit in our children, because the place to start if you want to create wealth is education.”

Claudia Lopez said education in the best asset that the Latino Community has.

“If we share resources to push our kids we will all do better,” Lopez said. “My daughter is 17 years old and she is in a school that instills leadership and entrepreneurship, so I see everyday how this environment allows for kids who come from single parent low income households to transcend their circumstances.”

Cenia Paredes said everything is possible if they have vision.

“I am a first generation immigrant,” Paredes said. “And I came from humble beginnings, but my mother always made me feel that there were no limits to what I could achieve and that is what we need to do for our kids. I started my business while I was working full time, and I now own a multi million dollar company. So I must find ways to bring this message across, that everything is possible if you have a vision.”

Fernando Gonzalez continued Paredes’s thought.

“For me entrepreneurship is the belief and the trust that you will make it,” he said. “As a struggling startup entrepreneur you will face challenges, but if you believe you keep moving forward – it starts with a desire and a need. And skilled successful leaders sharing their knowledge and their experience makes

businesses –businesses built because of that awareness and thinking outside the box, but we are missing out. Part of creating wealth is being aware of your environment.”

Eduardo Rallo continued the thought with using an example of a network of support in the Asian community.

“They understand about saving, and about the importance of working together,” Rallo said. “And our community is lagging in that, especially when it comes to education. The low percentages of Latinos graduating from college is alarming… but where do we access the resources

create wealth

one leader at a time

a huge difference, it gives you hope. And there are so many talented people that could flourish if they only had the right mentors. If we had more leaders showing the way and setting an example we would have more success stories” Torres agreed Education and mentorship were keys to success.

“So if you are not mentoring you should, you have to throw the rope back. Someone has helped you to get to where you are. So as a point of action let’s start by mentoring”.

“You have to believe in yourself and mentors are wonderful guides”, said William Garces. “We have to believe that as Latinos no one can stop us – but we should start by addressing immigration because it will be hard for people believe in themselves when immigration can knock on their door to deport them at any time, when they don’t have the most basic rights – so we also have to address those realities.”

“I think we are naïve about the political process,” Dan Guadalupe said. “Because we don’t hold our representatives accountable. Once they are elected they start responding to other interests – so we have to ask ourselves how can we leverage our influence?”

Robert Medina stated The Dream Act is something Latinos should focus on.

“The problem is also that we create our own ceiling and our own barriers,” said Matiz. “Even though we have achieved much, we need to challenge ourselves to achieve even more. We are happy with being just a little successful, and this is a cultural issue, and we need to change. We need to aspire for more” Guadalupe said there is a huge issue when it come to the transmission of wealth.

“Many of us come from families that achieved wealth, but it was spent within one generation,” Guadalupe said. “And that is a huge problem because we are supposed to give a head start to our children. Our community is not educated when it comes to financial planning – I agree that it is key to get as many kids into college as possible – because their success will be tied to your success, it is all connected. But in my experience in counseling wealthy people, when we

78 / November 78 • • October July / August 2013 2013

become successful we forget about others and we don’t open doors.”

Guadalupe stressed that the community will have to change that mentality and plan for a common future.

“In our industry, we also deal with a lot of successful businesses,” Torres said “But when you lift the veil there is a mess underneath, there is no structure in place to secure the business’s future, the entrepreneur’s family or ways to support the community. So this goes back to a lack of financial education. One of our strategies is to have our clients invest in liquid assets so that they can get at those assets easily.

Because in most cases business owners don’t realize that when you inherit your properties are taxed – so the wealth you pass on diminishes - families having to sell their estates below value can be prevented with the adequate preparation – so it is our aim to switch that mentality – yes you might feel more secure investing in tangible assets, but there are other ways of investing that should also be explored.”

For Andy Unanue it is not about where to invest, but about how to manage the assets.

“If you have someone who is good at buying buildings but they are not good at monetizing them, you will still have a risk and potentially see the assets diminished- so for me it is not about liquidating assets, it is about learning how to profit from them, whatever they are.”

Monika Mantilla concluded the evening with her remarks.

“Today there is more recognition of the political power of the Hispanic community than ever before, which is tied to economics – We have managed to access corporate America, financial institutions, I believe we have the capital and the talent – but it is our connectivity and learning how we can build together that will determine our future – we have to seize that opportunity today”

Miriam Rebling

Jose Torres, Robert Medina and Dan Guadalupe.

Jorge Ferraez posing a question.

Xxxxx

Luis Restrepo

Maria Antonia Rossello speaks.

Francisco J. Paret, Dan Guadalupe and Robert Medina

Eduardo Rallo

Cenia Paredes and Juan Matiz Claudia Lopez

What Jorge Ferraez is Drinking

I

was recently invited by Chilean winery Carmen’s winemaker Sebastian Labbe to a tasting of his portfolio of good Chilean wines. The occasion was very nice and a small but nurtured group of journalists were there to witness the progression of this iconic Chilean winery.

One of the best surprises of the occasion was the Carmenere Gran Reserva 2011 (review below), which happens to be a native varietal of Chile, a grape that once was thought to be extinct, but was rediscovered in Chile where it had been confused with Merlot.

In another good experience, I had the privilege to be invited to a round of cheese and wine with Australian Chief Winemaker Tony Inlge, head of the Angove winery in South Australia. The man had flown straight from Sidney and from the airport started his tour to show his easy and lovely wines to the U.S. market. On a nice end of summer afternoon, he impressed me and my wife –who couldn’t resist to come with me to the tasting- with a rosy, fruity and yet impressive Dr Angove “The Recipe” 2010 ($12) a delicious blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Petit Verdot. Pleasant and distinctive with loads of jammy red and purple fruit. A wine you can sip the entire evening.

Continuing with my affair with Spanish wines, I just recently tasted a wine that completely knocked my socks off! Wow, wow, wow is the least I can say when I tried a Miguel Torres Reserva Real 2004 from Penedes DOC, Catalunya, Spain. Probably the best Spanish wine I’ve ever tasted with an elegant, silky and harmonious body, deep and complex, never-ending evolution of dark fruit, toasted notes, forest spice and red fruit compote. Violet and toffee and licorice in a fabulous round structure.

I need to confess that I almost finished the whole bottle over that long Sunday backyard lunch with the family.

And from Burgundy a nice and rich white came to our table in a restaurant: Santenay Comme-Dessus 2009 from Earl Roger BELLAND. Long and fruity notes with a buttery and herbal finish. It really made our dinner lovable.

tastings Viña Carmen, Carmenere Gran Reserva 2011 (In a tasting organized by the winery) Region: Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile Varietal: Carmenere Price: $ 28 Aromas: Animal notes, cherries, blueberries Flavors: Toasted Coffee, vanilla, red fruit jam 80 • October / November 2013

Impression: Long and mouth-filling Structure: Sweet tannins, firm Drink with: Steak, braised beef and brazilian style Why I loved this wine? Ruby red, delicious and long finish!

My Rating: 89 pts.

Alpha-Omega 2009 (Acquired in a store in Chicago, IL) Region: Napa Valley, CA Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon Price: $ 65 Aromas: Lactic, brie, black cherry Flavors: Chocolate and cassis Impression: Muscular, powerful Structure: Concentrated Drink with: Big Steak like Rib Eye or New York Strip Why I loved this wine? Delicious and enjoyable for sipping My Rating: 91 pts.

Vincent Girardin Roully Vielles Vignes 2009 (Acquired in Whole Foods Market) Region: Cote de Beaune, Burgundy France Varietal: Chardonnay Price: $ 18 Aromas: Citrus, hay Flavors: Lemon zest, white flowers Impression: Fresh, fruity, flowery Structure: Balanced, rich Drink with: Salmon, Pork loin in sweet sauces Why I loved this wine? Affordable good quality white Burgundy My Rating: 90 pts.

Enzo Boglietti “Fossati Barolo” 2007 (Acquired in Total Wine & More) Region: Piedmont, Italy Varietal: Nebbiolo Price: $ 33 Aromas: Plum and red currant Flavors: leather, red fruit, earthy notes Impression: Firm with nice sweet tannins Structure: Big and bold Drink with: Rich Pasta dishes, game, lamb and veal Why I loved this wine? Barolo is fantastic!

My Rating: 93 pts.

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