HISPANIC LIVING

C HISPANI LIVING LATINA ACTIVISTS – CHANGE AGENTS

FALL 2018

lela loren THE POWER OF ART & GRACE

HEROES’ HELPING HANDS HONORING OUR HERITAGE DEBUNKING STEREOTYPES COLLEGE PROGRAMS BRIDGE GAPS

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CRUISE TO CUBA

Discover Havana’s charm, nostalgia and culture

Features 26

GETTY IMAGES

GLOBAL BEAT Latin sounds are reshaping the music industry

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STAR POWER

Actress Lela Loren draws strength from her upbringing

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HURRICANE HEROES

After disaster strikes Puerto Rico, help, hope and healing emerge

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POWER AND PURPOSE

Three activists break down stereotypes for future generations

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VIVIENDO BIEN

Understanding your heritage can improve your health

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C HISPANI LIVING

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Departments ENTERTAINMENT

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Find a Latin film festival near you

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Overboard star Eugenio Derbez gets real

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Meet Coco actor Anthony Gonzalez

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Today’s Latin TV stars are breaking new ground

TRAVEL

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Restaurants across the country serve up authentic Mexican fare

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Puerto Rico’s capital city offers coastal charm

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Commune with aquatic animals on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula

TRENDS

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Latinos are investing in real estate, lifting the economy

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First-gen college students are blazing new trails

EDUCATION Facts and fiction of the immigration debate

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Code2040 promotes diversity in the tech sector

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Writing program teaches the power of prose

INFLUENCERS

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These Latina influencers are changing the game

BEAUTY

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Enhance your natural beauty with these products

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Styling tools to keep your locks in check

CELEBRATIONS

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On the cover: Actress Lela Loren Photographer: Mark Veltman Fashion stylist: Anthony Pedraza Hair: Seiji Yamada for Redken, The Wall Group Makeup: Andrea Tiller, The Wall Group Top: Cinq à Sept

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Holidays and festivals combine color, costumes and cuisine

TRADITIONS

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Brides make meaningful cultural customs their own

All product prices and availability are subject to change.

LAST WORD

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shakes up New York’s political landscape

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Up Front

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Featured Contributors PREMIUM PUBLICATION EDITORIAL

DIRECTOR Jeanette Barrett-Stokes jbstokes@usatoday.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jerald Council jcouncil@usatoday.com

MARISSA RODRIGUEZ has written about issues that matter most to U.S. Latinas for print and online outlets including Vista Magazine, Hispanic Magazine and Qué Rica Vida.

Now a freelance journalist and blogger, she was inspired by the Latina content creators she interviewed (page 10).

“By sharing their passions and experiences, Latina influencers are engaging audiences and creating their own spaces in the digital and social media landscape,” she says.

ROXANA A. SOTO is an Emmy Award-winning bilingual journalist and author of Bilingual is Better. Her work has appeared in Latina magazine, The Miami Herald and The Denver Post, and has been featured in segments on CBS and Univision. “I’m impressed by these young women’s determination and their relentless drive to make lasting changes in such varied aspects of society,” she says of the Latina activists she profiled (page 52).

MANAGING EDITOR Michelle Washington mjwashington@usatoday.com GUEST EDITOR Vanessa Salvo ISSUE EDITOR Debbie Williams EDITORS Amy Sinatra Ayres Tracy Scott Forson Sara Schwartz ISSUE DESIGNER Gina Toole Saunders DESIGNERS Amira Martin Miranda Pellicano Lisa M. Zilka INTERN Jordan Pecar CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Matt Alderton, Paula Andalo, Brian Barth, Ana Pelayo Connery, Ashley Day, Pam George, Gina Harkins, Herb Jackson, Patrica Kime, Tina Lassen, Andrea Mandell, Sylvia A. Martinez, Gina Roberts-Grey, Marissa Rodriguez, Roxana A. Soto, Adam Stone, Brian Truitt, Denise S. Valenti, Kristi Valentini

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SYLVIA A. MARTINEZ, a freelance writer and former editor in chief of Latina magazine, remembers friends on the East Coast turning to social media for word about family members in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017. She especially recalls the outpouring of humanity in the aftershock of the deadly storm, and writes about some of the more prominent figures who came forward to help Puerto Rico rebuild (page 38).

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ANA PELAYO CONNERY is an accomplished storyteller whose writing has appeared in a variety of magazines and websites, including Latina magazine, Travel + Leisure, HGTV and Parade. Like Power star Lela Loren, whom she interviewed for the cover story (page 32), Connery is also the proud daughter of an immigrant mother. She connected with Loren over their shared appreciation for the fortitude of immigrants.

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FINANCE

BILLING COORDINATOR Julie Marco This is a product of

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Weathering the Storm NESTLED ON THE NORTHWEST coast of Puerto Rico is Isabela, a gorgeous coastal town at the center of some of my favorite childhood memories. Thinking about the days spent in the sun splashing around in the warm water and having sandwiches on pan sobao (Puerto Rican-style bread) always makes me want to go back.

El Pozo de Jacinto (Jacinto’s Well), a beautiful cave rock formation on Isabela’s Jobos Beach, has a special place in my heart.

Legend says Jacinto was walking his cow, which was tied to him with a rope, when suddenly the cow fell into the sea, dragging Jacinto with him. My grandmother would tell me to look

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down at the cave and say, “Dile, Jacinto dame la vaca,” (tell Jacinto to give me the cow), essentially calling to Jacinto’s spirit, as the water furiously crashed against the walls of the hole.

Looking back at photos taken of me in front of El Pozo de Jacinto is like looking at a time-lapse of my life. Each year I grew not only in height, but also in courage to get closer to the edge of the hole. I never did work up the nerve to call to Jacinto for his lost cow, afraid that furious water would get me, too.

Like the sea crashing into El Pozo de Jacinto, when Hurricane María hit Puerto Rico, she had no mercy. She left destruction and suffering in her path, yet,

— Vanessa Salvo, Guest editor

JACK GRUBER; GETTY IMAGES

El Pozo de Jacinto

her fury was no match for the compassion of the Latino communities around the globe who came together to help.

In this year’s Hispanic Living, we are excited to share stories highlighting Puerto Rico’s resiliency in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, including how celebrities such as Lin-Manuel Miranda helped raise funds to provide critical supplies, and José Andrés and his team at World Central Kitchen served millions of meals.

We also explore ways that Latin Americans are shaping and strengthening the economy through homeownership, brand influencers and emerging opportunities in the job market.

And the effect of the growing Latin community isn’t limited to economics, but is also playing out in the political arena. A shining example is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who won her district in the New York congressional primary by unseating a 10-term incumbent.

The characterization of Latinos in film and on TV is also changing. Actors such as Lela Loren, featured in our cover story, can be seen in lead roles on hit TV shows. Loren credits the rich experiences during trips to her mother’s native Mexico with giving her the perseverance to pursue her career.

I hope you will be inspired and encouraged by these and other stories that exemplify the strength, love and optimism of the Latino community. Just as El Pozo de Jacinto is standing firm against the sea, we are prepared to stand strong and make a difference.

TAKE HOME

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UP FRONT INFLUENCERS 10 | BEAUTY 14 | CELEBRATIONS 18 | TRADITIONS 22

FESTIVAL OF HOLIDAYS

DISNEYLAND RESORT

Disney’s California Adventure Park will kick off the holidays Nov. 9 with a ¡Viva Navidad! street party that includes folklórico dancers and mojiganga puppets. For other celebrations around the world, see page 18.

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UP FRONT | INFLUENCERS

The Influencers These women are creating their own digital empires and inspiring others to feel beautiful

BY MARISSA RODRIGUEZ

IRISHCEL BEILIN YouTube: youtube.com/Irishcel507 Instagram: @irisbeilin When viewers watch videos on Irishcel Beilin’s YouTube channel, Irishcel507, one of the first things they’ll hear is a warm welcome to her “crazy family.”

Since becoming a full-time video creator three years ago, Beilin’s “family” is now more than 1 million subscribers strong and counting. Through her videos and social media posts, the Panama-born, California-based influencer, who is managed by the sociaLebs agency, blends humor and candor as skillfully as she does foundation shades to create a voice and aesthetic that’s uniquely hers.

Whether she’s testing out new products, trying beauty trends or sharing her beauty routines, Beilin keeps it real, pulling no punches in reviews and opening up about her beauty struggles.

In fact, it’s that authenticity and self-acceptance that makes her feel beautiful and has been key to her social media staying power as viewers continue to relate to her story and aspire to her success. “Beautiful: It comes from the inside, not the outside,” she says. “I want to inspire people, and for them to be who they are and for them to find their identity and for them to be comfortable in your own skin. I learned that. And, now that I’ve learned, I want everybody to feel like this.”

IRISHCEL'S FAVS

Supergoop!

Unseen Sunscreen with broad spectrum SPF 40, $32, supergoop. com

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration, $30 for 6 ounces, firstaidbeauty.com

PROVIDED BY IRISHCEL BEILIN; PROVIDED BY THE COMAPNIES; GETTY IMAGES

ON YOUTUBE AND throughout the blogosphere, content creators are inviting users into their worlds. With their mix of makeup how-tos, entertainment and lifestyle inspiration, these Latina social media superstars are sharing their stories, gaining fans — among Latinas and non-Latinas alike — and building the next generation of media brands. Here are their stories and some of their favorite products:

MELISSA FLORES

PROVIDED BY MELISSA FLORES; PROVIDED BY CARMEN ORDOÑEZ; GETTY IMAGES; PROVIDED BY THE COMPANIES

Website: itsmelissaflores.com YouTube: youtube.com/c/itsmelissaflores Instagram & Twitter: @melissaflores Through her beauty, style and day-in-the-life videos on her YouTube channel, Melissa Flores inspires viewers to add a bit of glamour to their everyday lives. The New Jersey-based influencer of Dominican descent first took to videoblogging to share with her friends what products and styles worked for her and what didn’t. While she continues to give her honest takes, she now also looks to her followers for their recommendations.

Some send her requests to try out new products because they share similar skin tone, features or preferences.

“When I was growing up, I didn’t feel I had representation of other Latinas that I could look up to,” she says. “So I do keep that in mind. I know a lot of my followers follow me and look for my reviews specifically because they feel like they can relate.” She has built a devoted following — and nearly 90,000 subscribers — who appreciate that connection, her self-taught makeup mastery as well as her confidence-boosting encouragement. “What makes me feel beautiful ultimately has nothing to do with the beauty products that I try,” she says. “I really love the person that I am and how positive I am. That makes me feel good about myself and so beautiful.”

MELISSA'S FAVS

Kat Von D Beauty Everlasting lip liner, $18, katvondbeauty. com

Fresh Rose Deep Hydration face cream, $40, fresh.com

Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra-Longwear concealer, $28, lauramercier. com

BLOG TO BUSINESS

AndyO Organics deodorant, $13.99, andyoorganics. com

Carmen Ordoñez founded her Viva Fashion blog (vivafashionblog. com) in 2008, at first to showcase her style savvy. Since its launch, Ordoñez has grown the platform to cover beauty, lifestyle and travel, formed partnerships and ambassadorships with major brands and used it as a springboard to become a spokesperson and on-air personality.

“The blog has been a stepping stone for me to be able to do all of these amazing things,” says the Miami-based influencer of Colombian heritage.

Among them is the launch of AndyO Organics, an organic, aluminumfree deodorant she formulated with natural ingredients. It’s named for her son, Andy, but inspired by her late husband, who was diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer in 2014. After the diagnosis, she dedicated herself to leading a more natural lifestyle and being aware of what she put in and on her body. “After my husband passed away, my time became very precious,” Ordoñez says. “If I am going to do something with my time, especially starting a business, I want it to be for a good cause.” Ordoñez donates 5 percent of sales proceeds to cancer research organizations.

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UP FRONT | INFLUENCERS

DULCE CANDY Website: dulcecandy.com YouTube: youtube.com/dulcecandy Instagram & Twitter: @DulceCandy A YouTube content creator since 2008, Dulce Candy Ruiz is one of the first online beauty influencers. “For me, making videos started out as a hobby and something I genuinely enjoyed doing, not with an end goal in mind,” says Ruiz, a native of Michoacán, Mexico, who now lives in Los Angeles.

In 2015, Ruiz published The Sweet Life: Find Passion, Embrace Fear, and Create Success on Your Own Terms, a memoir in which she shares the lessons gleaned throughout her journeys: crossing the border into the United States; life after enlisting in the U.S. Army, including a 15-month deployment to Iraq; and her successes and missteps. The tome helped secure Ruiz as a beauty guru, role model and positive voice for Latinas and women around the world.

Today, Dulce Candy has amassed more than 5 million social fans who look to her for a mix of product reviews and recommendations, style tips and skilled makeup tutorials. Also of interest are her takes on life, love, motherhood and her experiences as a Latina and veteran that, while candid, seem to always have a silver lining. That approach has caught the attention of media and household brand names eager to tap into her expertise and influence. A line of custom toiletry and cosmetics bags designed with Tartan + Twine available at ULTA Beauty and an eyeshadow palette and lip color pallete co-branded with Pixi Beauty available at Target stores are just two of her recent launches.

“If I can reach one person each day with my stories, then that’s enough for me to continue to create content that has a positive impact,” she says.

DULCE'S FAVS

Reina Rebelde Bold Lip Color Sticks, $14, reinarebelde. com

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HISPANIC LIVING | FALL 2018

Pixi Hydrating Milky Mist, $15, pixibeauty.com

Kat Von D Beauty Lock-It setting powder, $30, katvond beauty.com

As more Latinas find their voices and secure their spaces in the digital world, many find the guidance and fortitude to do just that in Ana Flores.

Flores, a Texas native raised in El Salvador, is the force behind #WeAllGrow Latina Network, a community of more than 6,300 Latina digital influencers.

Through webinars, events and a namesake summit, members learn more about their craft and find opportunities for business growth and brand partnership.

Her work has positioned her as a leading voice among influencers. She has spoken at two White House events, including the 2016 United State of Women Summit, on gender diversity and women empowerment issues.

Instagram @weallgrowlatina #WeAllGrow

PROVIDED BY DULCE CANDY; ROBSON MUZEL; GETTY IMAGES; PROVIDED BY THE COMPANIES

THE INFLUENCERS’ INFLUENCER

There’s an ALL-NEW way to color your hair at home from Sally Beauty.

Loved by professionals, open to everyone.

UP FRONT | BEAUTY

Time to Shine Enhance your natural beauty

BY PAM GEORGE

TODAY, THERE ARE a variety of makeup and skin care products on the market, some from companies started by enterprising Latinas.

FOR BODY The Black Travel Box is a natural hair and body care company designed to make sure you look your best. The body balm contains coconut oil infused with mango and shea butter. $8 for 2-ounce travel size; $14 for 4 ounces, theblacktravelbox.com

FOR FACE

FOR EYES FOR EYES Founded by Nonie Creme, previously of Butter London and Color Prevails, BeautyGARDE products are gentle on both natural lashes and extensions. The oil-free liquid liner has an extra-long silicone nib for the perfect cat eye. $22, beautygarde.com

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Makeup artists Lora Arellano and Dana Bromar started Melt Cosmetics in their homes. It became so popular that it caught the eye of Rihanna. Use “Assimilate,� a deep taupe eyeshadow, alone or as a transition shade for more glittery hues. $17, meltcosmetics.com

PROVIDED BY THE COMPANIES

Covergirl TruBlend Matte Made foundation goes on silky smooth and comes in 40 shades for just the right finish. $8.49 to $11.49 at major retail and drug stores

FOR EYES

FOR LIPS

Author Dulce Candy has teamed up with Pixi for a beauty line inspired by Candy’s popular YouTube series.

Café con Dulce is a palette for eyes, cheeks and wherever you need a natural glow. $24, pixibeauty.com

Gabriela Hernandez, who immigrated to the United States from Buenos Aires, founded the vintage-inspired Bésame. The Red Velvet lipstick is a core product. $22, besamecosmetics. com

FOR GLOW Now you can glow like JLo with an Inglot line inspired by the singer/ actress’ signature look. Livin’ the Highlight is a loosepowder illuminator that adds radiance wherever you apply it. $23, inglotusa. com

FOR EYES The Salvaje 4 Play Wet Dry Eye Color by Reina Rebelde includes four saturated colors that can be applied in a variety of ways. $18, target.com

FOR FACE

FOR FACE Rebekah Jasso Jensen named her company Sanara for the Spanish word sanar, “to heal.” The La Cara ritual includes the Acai Age Defense moisturizer and acai berry with rosehip seed oil face polish. $84, sanaraskincare.com

Mirta de Perales Collagen Elastin cream is an antiaging cream for the face, neck and chest. $55.91, walmart.com

FOR NAILS Reina Rebelde, a Mexican-American, last year debuted Nail Milagros, a 75-piece set of nail decals. $10, reinarebelde.com

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UP FRONT | BEAUTY

Mane Attractions Styling tools help keep your locks in check

BY PAM GEORGE

Dark & Lovely’s Damage Slayer Steam-Conditioning Mask fights moisture loss and breakage from heat, coloring and the environment. $5.99, target.com

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HISPANIC LIVING | FALL 2018

Freshen hair between washes with Dove Refresh + Care Dry Shampoo, scented with coconut and lime. $3.89, target.com

Creme of Nature’s Smooth & Shine Blowout Creme protects hair from heat — up to 450 degrees. $6.99, sallybeauty.com

GETTY IMAGES; PROVIDED BY THE COMPANIES

LATINA HAIR IS diverse. Some women like to curl their straight hair, and others want to straighten their waves. Humidity and excessive heat, however, are common enemies. Here are some products to help you tackle your tresses:

Spray on Kavella’s Thermal Primer before you curl or straighten to increase shine and guard against excessive heat. $25, kavella.com

SignaturePro’s CombInfused Talking Flat Iron offers safety cues while dual-action plates straighten in one pass. It heats up in 30 seconds. $99.95, themanechoice.com

It’s a 10’s Miracle Blowdry volumizer lifts, creates weightless moisture and adds volume without stickiness. The spray can also decrease blowdrying time. $19.55, itsa10haircare.com

Mirta de Perales’ shampoo with keratin helps prolong the results of keratin treatments, color treatments and other chemical processing. $9.25, mirtadeperales.us

BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Prima3000 is an all-in-one tool that smooths, straightens and curls. It comes in 1-inch and 1.25-inch plate sizes. $179.95, amazon.com

Rich in antioxidants and protein from argan oil, the Moroccan Gold Series’ Leave-in Mask nourishes your roots to revive hair. $39 for 4.2 ounces, moroccangoldseries.com

A staple in many households, Toque Magico’s hair products include Emergencia Avocado and Olive Volume Control treatment, which softens and tames wild locks. $8.95, houseof beautyworld.com

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UP FRONT | CELEBRATIONS

Find Your Fiesta Holidays, festivals and observances combine color, costumes and cuisine

FOR JEANNETTE TORRES, growing up in a community of Colombian immigrants, Semana Santa was a time of spiritual searching, family gatherings and great big pastel dresses.

“All through Holy Week, our parents would talk to us about the meaning of the celebration.

We’d go to church, get the ash on our foreheads,” says Torres, 24, a university fundraiser in Orlando, Fla. “Then on Easter, they put us in the dresses — big and poofy and itchy, with the matching hat and purse and shoes.”

The weeklong runup to Easter Sunday is a high point on the Latino holiday calendar, an annual cycle of religious festivals and family-centered, communitywide celebrations.

Many of these holidays don’t appear on the conventional American calendar, but in the Latin community, they occupy a prominent place in the hearts of young and old alike. Here are some celebrations that hold special significance for Latinos around the world:

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DÍA DE MUERTOS Costumed revelers in Moscow prepare for a Day of the Dead parade.

MAXIM ZMEYEV/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

BY ADAM STONE

Día de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day) Jan. 6 Throughout the Latin world, gifts are exchanged in remembrance of the Magi who visited the infant Jesus.

Mexicans enjoy an oval-shaped “king’s cake” with a small doll baked inside to represent the Holy Child. In some South American countries, kids leave out shoes filled with grass and water as sustenance for the kings’ camels.

El Día de la Constitución, Mexico (Constitution Day) First Monday in February The Mexican constitution was signed on Feb. 5, 1917, and today most businesses, schools and Mexican government offices close in celebration of that landmark moment.

Parades mark the day, with marching bands in festive colors and buildings adorned in banners of green, white and red. Many families make a long weekend of it, celebrating with traditional food, music and dancing.

Las Fallas de Valencia, Spain (The Festival of Fire, Valencia) March 15-19 If noise and smoke are what you seek, you’ll get your fill when the Spanish celebrate Las Fallas de Valencia.

Originally a tribute to St. Joseph, patron saint of carpenters, “the fires” now encompass five days of pyrotechnic giddiness, as community groups parade monumental figures through the city of Valencia, eventually setting them ablaze in a dazzling spectacle.

La Semana Santa (Holy Week) Week before Easter The Holy Week that precedes Easter is a time for somber religious observance and joyous family gatherings worldwide. In Spain, clergy march wearing tall, pointed silk hats in processions that include adorned floats depicting scenes from the life of Christ. In the United States, the week combines religious observances with traditional food and music.

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UP FRONT | CELEBRATIONS

Cinco de Mayo, Mexico May 5 On May 5, 1862, Mexico’s Army overran the French at the Battle of Puebla. While the holiday gets little attention in Mexico, Latino activists in the U.S. raised awareness in the 1960s and it has since become an annual focal point among Hispanics seeking to celebrate their history as well as Americans from all backgrounds aiming to drink too much tequila. The historic significance of the day may be watered down, but the margaritas typically flow full strength.

Día de Muertos Nov. 1 The Day of the Dead is all about bringing families together — those who still reside in this earthly plane, as well as those on the other side. Families build private altars with offerings to honor the dead. They visit cemeteries bearing favorite foods and beverages of the departed and decorate the graves with lavish displays of orange Mexican marigolds. Whimsical depictions of skulls and skeletons abound in costumes and handicrafts.

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Romería de El Rocío, Spain (Procession of El Rocio) The second day of Pentecost This annual pilgrimage, which dates back to 1653, honors the Virgin of Las Rocinas. Nearly a million pilgrims travel annually to the Hermitage of El Rocío in the countryside of Almonte in Andalusia, Spain. Many dress in traditional Andalusian costumes, such as colorful Flamenco dresses for women and short jackets, tight horseriding breeches and broad-brimmed hats for the men. Some wear heavy medals depicting an image of the Virgin, and many pilgrims still make the journey in the traditional way, on horseback, or in flower-covered wagons pulled by oxen.

GETTY IMAGES; EDRO PARDO/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Fiestas Patronales de San Salvador, El Salvador (Patron Saint Day) Aug. 4 El Salvador toasts its patron saints with religious feasts in this weeklong festival. At the opening ceremony, celebrants gather to watch the election of the Reina de las Fiestas, or Queen of the Celebrations.

The fun includes a colorful procession with revelers dressed up as characters from Salvadoran folk tales, along with a rodeo with bull riders and live entertainment.

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Tying the Knot Brides make meaningful cultural customs their own

BY AMY SINATRA AYRES

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Bianca WHEN BIANCA GALINDO married Robert Gilliam in Gilliam’s May in Fort Worth, Texas, her two Mexican-American wedding grandmothers stood on the altar beside the couple included and draped a delicate beaded lasso made by a family elements friend over their shoulders, symbolically uniting honoring her them. heritage.

“My paternal grandmother told me, probably about a year ago, that she wanted to get a lasso for our ceremony, and I had no clue what it was,” says the newlywed, who’s now Bianca Gilliam. “Being able to incorporate my grandmothers into the wedding ceremony was really special.”

The lasso is just one of several time-honored customs — such as arras (gold coins), capias (wedding favors) and a money dance — that Latina brides often include in their weddings, whether they’re longstanding family traditions or bits of their heritage they only recently learned about.

“The tradition was new to me, and when I began researching it, I discovered that I wish I had known about it before because this is a part of my culture,” Gilliam says. “I grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood and most of my friends were white … my parents never really let me forget who I was, where I came from, but there are just little aspects that I didn’t grasp onto until I was much older, the lasso being one of them.” She also served Tex-Mex food and hired a mariachi band to play during her reception.

PHOTO CREDIT

UP FRONT | TRADITIONS

GETTY IMAGES; PROVIDED BY BIANCA GILLIAM; SAMANTHA RAMON

Born near the Mexico border in West Loco, Texas, Felicia Medina Parker grew up attending weddings that included meaningful rituals such as the lasso, and she was excited to incorporate them into her own 2015 wedding.

Parker and her husband, TJ, who converted to Catholicism before they married, now live in New York but held their nuptial Mass at Mission Espada in San Antonio.

She describes having padrinos, or godparents, participate in specific sacraments including her baptism, first communion and confirmation, as well as her quinceañera. Padrinos were also an important part of her wedding ceremony, with godparents bearing gifts of bread and wine, placing the lasso over the bride and groom and presenting the arras. These padrinos were then known as compadres and are viewed as marriage guides or mentors.

Parker’s baptismal godparents were also her godparents for the lasso, and they ordered a beautiful lasso for her wedding.

“It’s like a symbol of us being tied together from this moment on as we declare our vows before Christ,” she says.

Her godparents of the arras “made it really special by sourcing these 18th-century Mexican gold coins,” she says. They were presented during the ceremony.

The priest told her husband to place the coins in her hands and then she placed them in his, signifying that they trust each other to provide for their family. In addition, she presented roses to the Virgin Mary during the ceremony while a friend sang Ave Maria.

At the reception, Parker incorporated more Latino touches such as mariachis, pan de polvo (special cookies surrounding the cake) and the money dance, where “the community comes together and dances with the new bride and groom and sends them off with a little honeymoon money,” she explains. “It gives them the chance to have a dance with the bride or groom and just share a few words, and it’s also a chance to just see everyone eye-to-eye ... whoever wants to get in line and you leave a dollar, $20, $100 or whatever.”

Parker describes her husband as “totally white from Ohio,” but when it came to bringing her culture into their ceremony, “he just embraced it and went along with it all and loved it,” she says.

There are more wedding traditions that Parker grew up with, such as using a special Bible for the Mass or lighting a candle together, but she used the ones that resonated the most with her. “You can choose as a bride or a groom how deep you want to go into the traditions,” she says.

It’s embedded in our hearts, these traditions, and it’s what makes the service even more romantic and kind of special.”

— FELICIA MEDINA PARKER

Felicia and TJ Parker pass arras back and forth during their wedding ceremony, which represents that they trust each other with finances.

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Frances Evans, who’s from Puerto Rico, knew there was one thing she wanted when she planned her small-town South Carolina wedding 10 years ago: capias, the small souvenir pins decorated with ribbons that include the newlyweds’ names and wedding date. Evans’ capias were decorated with small dolls.

“Both the dolls’ dress(es) (a small replica of my own wedding dress) and the capias were truly special and a labor of love,” she says. “They were a gift from my mother because she made the capias and sewed both wedding dresses (the dolls’ and mine). A few days before our wedding she flew in (from Puerto Rico) with the capias and the wedding dress.”

“I wanted to bring traditions from my culture to our bicultural wedding,” she says.

“On each table I had a little note explaining to our nonPuerto Rican guests what they represented.”

Valerie Russo Evans was born in New York City and “raised as a Latina” by her Puerto Rican mother and Sicilian father. She married a Jewish man and, like Frances Evans, wanted to incorporate both their cultures into their 2014 wedding. While including Jewish traditions like the chuppah and breaking the glass, she walked down the aisle to Ave Maria, and her bridal party entered the reception to Puerto Rican danzas.

Her dress also held meaning, with a layer of lace and intricate beading and a mantilla-type veil in a nod to Puerto Rico’s

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Valerie Russo Evans lacemaking history. “We made our also incorporated wedding ceremony our own and true to Jewish traditions our cultures,” Russo Evans says. “During in her ceremony, the reception, we danced the hora, salsa including the and more and ate all the foods we love breaking of the glass. from paella to prime rib and sushi. It was an amazing day, and I am glad we got to do it our way. There was meaning and symbolism in almost every aspect of the wedding.”

These special wedding customs are a way to make the union significant for the couple, their families and guests. “It’s embedded in our hearts, these traditions, and it’s what makes the service even more romantic and kind of special,” Parker says. Gilliam agrees. “I can’t wait to share my heritage when I do start having a family,” she says. l

GETTY IMAGES; PROVIDED BY VALERIE RUSSO EVANS

UP FRONT | TRADITIONS

FIND C U LT U R E TO U N LO C K YO U R C O LO R F U L SIDE Live Cuban music, cafecito, and hand-rolled cigars. Authentic staples of Miami life, all in lively Little Havana.

What else will you find? Start your discovery at MiamiandBeaches.com

Little Havana is the colorful center of Hispanic culture in Miami. Here you’ll find locals grabbing an afternoon cortadito or a fresh fruit batido, talking politics over a game of dominoes, or eating authentic dishes from all over Latin America against a backdrop of ever-present Cuban beats. // On the last Friday of each month, Little Havana hosts Viernes Culturales, or Cultural Fridays, a monthly gallery night showcasing the cultural arts scene of the neighborhood. Little Havana offers a taste of multicultural Miami at its best. What else will you find? Start your discovery at MiamiandBeaches.com © Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau — The Official Destination Sales & Marketing Organization for Greater Miami and the Beaches.

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CHRISTOPHER POLK/GETTY IMAGES; KEVIN WINTER/GETTY IMAGES

L A B O L G BEAT

Latin Hits are Reshaping the Music Industry

BY GINA ROBER TS-GREY

hen she was a child, Maria Ruiz-Tocco says most of her favorite music acts hailed from her birthplace of Mexico. “It seemed like Mexico was the No. 1 exporter of Latin music to the U.S.,” says the 47-yearold teacher from the Chicago area. But over the decades, she says, the beat has changed a bit. “Lately, so many of the hits played in the U.S. are from Colombian and/or Puerto Rican artists.”

That global reach has infused stations and channels in the U.S. with vibrant diversity. Jennifer Lopez, for instance, remains a perennial chart topper, and these days, she’s joined by artists like J Balvin, Nicky Jam, Wolfine, Ozuna and

JENNIFER LOPEZ

Maluma. Along with enjoying solo success, many of these artists also are teaming up to double or triple the star power per play.

Not only are they enjoying airtime, the proof of their reach also is in social media numbers. J Balvin (@jbalvin) has more than 23 million followers on Instagram; Nicky Jam (@NickyJamPR) has more than 2 million Twitter followers.

“Music now goes hand in hand with social presence and how much they invite us into their lives. We see that their lives are similar to ours so we can relate,” says Ruiz-Tocco.

Here’s a look at some of the hottest Latin musicians today:

No compilation of successful, popular and relevant artists would be complete without Jenny from the Block. Her latest hit, Dinero (featuring DJ Khaled and Cardi B), was nominated for Choice Latin Song at the 2018 Teen Choice Awards, within days of its release. And while her fame (and bank account) have swelled since she first crooned that Love Don’t Cost a Thing in the early 2000s, her evolution to rapper in Dinero proves Lopez (who also dances, acts and is an active philanthropist) is the real deal and destined to be a hit for the long haul.

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GLOBAL BEAT

Known for his eclectic fashion sense, Colombian reggaeton singer J Balvin (born José Álvaro Osorio Balvin in Medellín, Colombia) moved to Oklahoma and then to New York City, where he was influenced by the music he heard while studying English. Returning to his native Colombia with his new language skills, he developed a following while performing in clubs. His big break came in 2014 with his single 6 AM that featured Puerto Rican singer Farruko.

The song peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart, and spurred sales of his album La Familia.

Balvin likes to experiment with different music genres, and collaborated this year with Jeon and Anitta on his hit single Machika.

J BALVIN

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Singer, songwriter, Nicky Jam (born Nick Rivera Caminero) rose to fame with hits Travesuras, Te Busco (with Cosculluela), and from his singles El Perdón and El Amante. Performing reggaeton since he was a child, he worked at a grocery store to help support his family and would rap freestyle while bagging groceries. A music executive spotted his talent and signed him at age 14. His album Distinto A Los Demás helped gain the attention of Daddy Yankee, and the two released successes including Sabanas Blancas. He launched a solo career in 2004, but again partnered with Daddy Yankee in 2012 for El Party Me Llama. In 2015, he won a Latin Grammy Award for Best Urban Performance for El Perdon, which featured Enrique Iglesias.

NICKY JAM

CINDY ORD/GETTY IMAGES; KEVIN WINTER/GETTY IMAGES; CHRISTOPHER POLK/GETTY IMAGES; JASON KOERNER/GETTY IMAGES

The Bronx-born former gang member and supermarket worker began CARDI B her ascent to musical royalty in 2013 when she started churning out videos on Vine and Instagram about her life experiences and career as a stripper. After she appeared as a cast member on the VH1 reality television series Love & Hip Hop: New York from 2015 to 2017, she enjoyed two No. 1 singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with Bodak Yellow (also making her the second solo female rapper to top the chart), and I Like It, which made her the first female rapper to attain multiple No. 1 songs on the chart. Just five years after bursting on the scene, the relative newcomer, who was born and raised in the Bronx, is featured alongside Lopez in her video for Dinero. And her debut solo album Invasion of Privacy (2018), which included both her hit songs, reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, scoring the rapper a spot on Time’s 2018 100 Most Influential People list.

With nine songs on Billboard’s Hot 100 since 2004, including the No. 1 Despacito, which topped the charts in May 2017, Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, known as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican artist who wears numerous hats. The singer, songwriter, rapper, actor and record producer is credited with coining the term “reggaeton” to describe the new music genre influenced by hip-hop, Latin American and Caribbean music emerging from Puerto Rico. The artist credits his music career to being shot by a stray bullet when he was 17 years old — an event that derailed his professional baseball dreams. He has sold around 20 million records and made history with the album Barrio Fino that earned the distinction of the top-selling Latin music album of the decade from 2000 to 2009.

He’s also keen on collaborating, having worked with Luis Fonsi on Despacito, the first Spanish-language song to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 since 1996.

DADDY YANKEE

The singer and songwriter, born in Havana, Cuba, spent most of her early years between her homeland and Mexico City, where her father was born.

After relocating to Miami at age 5 (she became a U.S. citizen in 2008), Cabello left school in the ninth grade to pursue a singing career and compete on the second season of the American The X Factor. As a member of the girl group Fifth Harmony, Cabello stood out as a solo artist, releasing collaborations with various artists, including I Know What You Did Last Summer with Shawn Mendes and Bad Things with Machine Gun Kelly, which soared to No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. After striking out on her own in 2016, Cabello returned to recording mostly Latin-influenced music. Her 2018 studio album Camila debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, and its single Havana topped the charts in the United Kingdom and the U.S.

CAMILA CABELLO

Anthony Santos, known professionally as Romeo Santos, is a singer, songwriter, actor and record producer whose career began when he and three cousins founded the American bachata group Los Tinellers in the early 1990s. The band later changed its name to Aventura, and the group’s 2002 song Obsesión topped Italian charts for 16 consecutive weeks. He and his bandmates appeared in the 2007 Dominican film Sanky Panky, performing live at Altos de Chavón in the Dominican Republic. But despite their popularity, in 2011, Aventura’s members went their separate ways. Ready to strike out on his own, Santos began a solo career that earned him seven No. 1 songs on the Hot Latin Songs chart and 11 No. 1s on the Tropical Songs chart. He made his U.S. film debut in Furious 7 and voiced the cartoon character Early Bird in the 2016 The Angry Birds Movie.

CINDY ORD/GETTY IMAGES; ASTRID STAWIARZ/GETTY IMAGES; ETHAN MILLER/GETTY IMAGES; GETTY IMAGES

ROMEO SANTOS

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GLOBAL BEAT The Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and actor has been appearing on music charts since 1998, when he broke in with his debut album, Comenzaré. Despite teaming with superstar artists like Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears, his most notable accomplishment didn’t happen until nearly 20 years into his career, in 2017, with the worldwide hit song Despacito. The song, which features Daddy Yankee, earned the artists four Latin Grammy Awards and was later remixed by Justin Bieber, who invited Fonsi onstage in Puerto Rico to perform the song with him. Despacito stayed atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 16 consecutive weeks, tying the duet One Sweet Day, by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men, as the longest-reigning top song in the chart’s history. His follow-up hit Échame la Culpa was another collaboration, with Demi Lovato.

It debuted at No. 3 on the Hot Latin chart. The music video for Fonsi’s most current single Calypso, a collaboration with Stefflon Don, has more than 115 million global views on YouTube.

Geoffrey Royce Rojas began experimenting with music and writing poetry as a teenager. By age 19, Prince Royce was signed to a record label after screening just three of his demos. His debut album, released in March 2010, brought him two successful singles, Stand by Me and Corazón Sin Cara. Both reached No. 1 on the Billboard Tropical Songs chart; the latter also topped the Hot Latin Songs chart. In 2011, Royce’s work was further recognized with three Billboard Latin Music Awards, including Tropical Album of the Year.

Proving he’s no one-hit wonder, Royce’s second album, Phase II, also soared to No. 1 on both the Latin Albums and Tropical Albums charts in 2012. Royce has gone on to enjoy nominations for a Latin Grammy for Best Contemporary Tropical Album and collaborated with Snoop Dogg, Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull on songs on his fourth album, Double Vision.

PRINCE ROYCE

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HISPANIC LIVING | FALL 2018

Inspired by Carlos Santana, Maná has been on a mission to fuse rock and Latin music for more than four decades.

“From the beginning, we wanted to create a concept of fusion different from what he did but at the same time very unique,” says lead singer Fher Olvera. This has given the group a strong identity worldwide. “While many people don’t understand what we say in our lyrics, our music has crossed frontiers and has been enjoyed by many in Europe, Israel, Australia, Asia and the United States,” he adds. With no plans of slowing down, Olvera and the band strive to translate feelings of hope, dreams and hard work into lyrics that represent how they “live our Latin America.” “It’s important to remember Latin music is an ocean of possibilities,” he says.

FHER OLVERA

DAVID LIVINGSTON/GETTY IMAGES ; DIA DIPASUPIL/ GETTY IMAGES; LISA O’CONNOR/AFP/GETTY IMAGES; COURTESY OF MANÁ (2)

LUIS FONSI

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Mujer NEXT DOOR Lela Loren draws Power from her heritage

BY ANA PELAYO CONNERY

S PROVIDED BY LELA LOREN

ome little girls grow up dreaming of stardom, of hitting it big, Hollywood style. Not Lela Loren, the star of TV’s Power, the hit Starz drama produced by rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. From the age of 4, Loren spent her childhood in Sacramento, Calif., plotting a career as a biologist.

“I wanted to be the next Jane Goodall,” says Loren, 38.

“I had, like, four cats, dogs, a scrub jay I rescued, a snake, frogs, mice — inevitably something would get loose.”

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MUJER NEXT DOOR

PROVIDED BY LELA LOREN

Loren has always loved animals and once dreamed of being a biologist. She enjoys spending time with her parents and traveling.

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Her love of biology never wavered until she stumbled upon acting in college. “I signed up for a fine arts class to get it out of the way,” Loren recalls. Two weeks later, she learned the class was full and she’d been automatically placed into a beginner’s acting class. “I begrudgingly fell in love with it. Instead of feeling great about it, I had this awful, sinking feeling I was going to mess up my whole life! Everyone knows that actors end up waiting tables.”

Her parents were also confused. “My dad’s family is academic and science-oriented, but this was where my mother’s fortitude came in,” says Loren.

“I decided I would rather be a waitress my whole life and go after what I’ve really fell in love with than pretend I don’t love this and take the safe bet.”

It took three years for Loren to land her first audition, and she paid her dues with small roles on shows such as The Shield, CSI and Gang Related. “You work once, maybe twice or three times a year, you eke it out and hope it’s building to something more.”

The actress credits her mother for her perseverance and tenacity. Born into poverty in Mexico’s Tierra Caliente, a region known as a hub for drug trafficking, her mother’s future looked bleak from an early age. “Because of extreme poverty, she was given away to servitude at age 6, but the upside is that she got to go to school,” Loren says.

Her mother eventually immigrated to the United States in the 1970s, married Loren’s father, an economist from upstate New

York, and raised two children. “Her dream was to learn English so she could go back and give tours at the anthropology museum in Mexico, but she played the long game,” Loren says, with obvious pride.

After graduating valedictorian from an adult high school, Loren’s mother went on to earn her college degree in her 40s, and became a teacher. Over the years, she made a point to keep up with relatives back in Mexico. “It was important for her to reconnect with her family, so we would go back to her village every year for three months during the summer, and I still go almost every year.”

Those hot Mexico summers were a stark contrast to Loren’s life in suburban Sacramento, where at the time there wasn’t much of a Latino community.

“For nine months of the year I lived a very American upbringing, then for three months I had no running water or electricity, and we slept in adobe huts with dirt floors — but I loved it. I feel like I got a huge gift with the worlds of my parents.

I got to experience both cultures.”

Loren credits those trips to Mexico for a slew of life lessons that buoyed her once she pursued acting. “I learned not to be afraid of poverty and not to romanticize it,” she says. “My family deals with problems on a daily basis that wipe out any problems I could have as an actress.”

It took 10 years for Power and the role of Angela Valdes to come along and during much of that time Loren did, in fact, work as a waitress to make ends — LELA LOREN meet. “I know how to live small, off rice and beans. I never approached it thinking I would have arrived at where I am.”

Today, she’s enjoying the success of spending five seasons as whip-smart Valdes, a federal prosecutor hopelessly in love with the drug lord she’s supposed to be investigating. The onscreen chemistry with her co-star Omari Hardwick is palpable, leaving fans buzzing on social media. “I think what makes Angela an exciting character is how different she is from me. She’s a Nuyorican city girl, and I’m a country girl from granola-crunching California. On Power, she has to navigate very different worlds, and I grew up like that, too, but Angela’s winning by any means necessary would not fly in my house.”

Once again, she points to her mother for instilling good values: “My mother raised me not to care how rich someone is, how many houses they own. It’s all about how decent you are as a person and how generous your heart is. Your character is your character regardless of your circumstance.”

I FEEL LIKE I GOT A HUGE GIFT WITH THE WORLDS OF MY PARENTS. I GOT TO EXPERIENCE BOTH CULTURES.”

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MUJER NEXT DOOR

Who is ANGELA VALDES?

— Ana Pelayo Connery

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HISPANIC LIVING | FALL 2018

Lela IN THE KITCHEN Lela Loren's older brother, Daniel (above), is a professional chef, but that doesn’t make him the only family member with culinary prowess. ”I love cooking dinner and having friends and family over,” says Loren. Often on the menu are two of her favorite childhood indulgences — avocado tacos and cucumber-lime slushies, perfect for backyard parties.

AVOCADO TACOS

CUCUMBER-LIME SLUSHY

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

Corn tortillas (preferably non-GMO/organic)

2 cucumbers (peeled and diced)

Avocado (peeled and sliced)

Juice of 4 to 6 limes

Salt

Sugar Sprig of mint

INSTRUCTIONS

“The key is properly cooking a corn tortilla. They like dry heat," says Loren.

"I have a comal that I cook them on, but you can use a cast-iron skillet heated to medium-high or put the tortilla directly over a medium-low flame." Char lightly on each side, add avocado along the center of the tortilla. Sprinkle with salt.

Fold. Eat. Repeat.

Ice INSTRUCTIONS

In a blender, mix the cucumber with the lime juice, then add a sprig of mint and sugar to taste. Blend until smooth, then add ice and blend again.

Serve and enjoy.

— Ana Pelayo Connery

COURTESY OF STARZ ENTERTAINMENT LLC; PROVIDED BY LELA LOREN

In the hit Starz drama Power, Lela Loren plays Angela “Angie” Valdes, a federal prosecutor who falls for James St. Patrick (played by Omari Hardwick), the high school boyfriend she bumps into while investigating a drug ring in New York City.

Little does she know that her beloved “Jamie” is actually the kingpin she’s investigating — and he’s married.

Nonetheless, the two rekindle their old flame, setting off fireworks in the bedroom and in the lives of their characters.

Things heat up further when Angie discovers that Jamie is Ghost in season two. Devastated by the revelation, she finds herself caught between her feelings for Jamie and her job.

Five seasons later, Angie is still caught in the middle, and the drama that ensues has made Power the network’s highest-rated show — and Loren a bona fide star.

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HURRICANE

HEROES Help, hope and healing emerge after the disaster

E

ven as Puerto Ricans continue to rebuild after Hurricane Maria — the deadliest, most destructive, costliest storm ever to hit La Isla del Encanto — they steady themselves for Atlantic hurricane season 2018, predicted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to be near- or abovenormal this year. It’s been a year since Maria made landfall Sept. 20, 2017, leaving devastation in its wake, and the number of hurricane-related deaths is still unknown, but is predicted to be between the government’s official count of 46 people and thousands. More than 200 residents were still without

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power as of early August, according to Dánica Coto of The Associated Press.

In the aftermath of the natural disaster, many heroes rushed to save lives, restore power, and provide food, water and shelter on the island. Celebrities were among the first to pledge and encourage others to provide financial support, with Puerto Ricans Jennifer Lopez, Daddy Yankee, Marc Anthony and Fat Joe leading the charge. But many other humanitarians came forward in the days and weeks after Maria devastated the island.

We asked several of these altruists to reflect on the storm, their part in the response and recovery and the future of Puerto Rico. These are their stories:

GETTY IMAGES

BY SYLVIA A. MARTINEZ

THE CELEBRITY CHEF When chef José Andrés heard Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, he instinctively understood two things: “I knew that most relief organizations don’t think about feeding people.” He arrived four days after Maria ripped through the island, and along with dozens of fellow chefs and cooks, quickly set a plan into motion setting up food kitchens and feeding people hot meals and familiar comfort food.

The second thing he knew was not to overstay his welcome. “We worked to reduce our operations quickly in order to let the local economy get back to full capacity. Now that things have mostly stabilized, we are working with farmers to help them rebuild and to get their products into markets and kitchens.”

José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen organization has served more than

3.6

MILLION

MEALS

COURTESY OF WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN

in Puerto Rico.

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The #ChefsForPuertoRico campaign continues to feed people living in remote sections of the island.

Chef José Andrés’ new book chronicles his experience in Puerto Rico.

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Puerto Rico imports 85 percent of its food, and Andrés notes this needs to change. It’s time for the island to return to its agricultural roots, he says, and he and others are working to make that a reality.

“We are establishing a farm cooperative and training center to support farmers so that the island can source more food locally,” Andrés says. “Now more than ever, the island and many other places need to be prepared for

HISPANIC LIVING | FALL 2018

future disaster — practical, local, sustainable solutions are key. To me, the most important thing is building up resiliency and strength so that the island is able to come through another disaster in a better place.”

To date, World Central Kitchen (WCK), a nonprofit global network of chefs founded by Andrés after the deadly 2010 earthquake in Haiti, has served more than 3.6 million meals on the island through its #ChefsForPuertoRico

campaign, which continues to feed people in remote areas of the island.

“We are still finding need in some small pockets on the island,” Andrés says.

“We have three kitchens in operation serving thousands of meals a day to communities still in need.” At the height of operations, WCK and thousands of volunteers fed 100,000 people a day from two dozen kitchens across the island. This enormous feat resulted in a new book, We Fed an Island: The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time, out this month. Portions of the proceeds are donated to the Chef Relief Network of WCK for Puerto Rico and beyond.

In addition to planning and preparation for future disasters, WCK’s focus has shifted to helping chefs and cooks on the island, awarding grants to rebuild kitchens and buy new equipment.

Andrés has long been inspired to give back by his parents, both of whom were “nurses who dedicated their lives to the service and the health of others,” and by Robert Egger, founder of L.A. Kitchen. “He taught me so much about giving, about being a good member of a community, a city, the world,” Andrés says.

“Robert gave me one very important piece of advice: ‘Too often, charity is about the redemption of the giver, not the liberation of the receiver.’ I’ve kept this with me, and have worked to be a better listener, to give people the respect that they deserve, not to impose charity on them.”

COURTESY OF WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN; ECCO/HARPERCOLLINS

HURRICANE HEROES

COSECHAS TIERRA VIVA

THE SMART FARMERS Two Puerto Ricans who could not agree more with Andrés that the territory must propagate its agricultural roots are Franco Marcano and Eduardo Burgos, owners of Cosechas Tierra Viva, the first “smart farm” on the island. Cosechas Tierra Viva roughly translates to “harvests from living soil.”

The storm, they say, highlighted Puerto Rico’s food insecurity. “As we import more than 85 percent of our food, we believe that agriculture should be a matter of national security,” says Marcano.

The self-described agro-entrepreneurs, both 28, are on a mission to increase the number of people farming by growing more crops, using technology, fewer resources and limited land. It’s known as smart farming. By operating a small weather station on-site, the duo analyzes their farm’s microclimate and tailors planting and production to weather patterns. Their goal is to get other farmers to implement these methods, which

will help improve crop management.

“We definitely want to encourage people to grow their own food and, most important, motivate young people to view agriculture as a viable alternative to the (island’s) economic crisis,” Burgos says.

Burgos, a sociologist, and Marcano, a mechanical engineer, are full-time farmers and employ two part-time employees on their small farm in Las Piedras. In addition to being agricultural advocates and growing their own food on 1 1/2 acres, they sell their greens, vegetables and fruits at local farmers markets, direct to consumers as well as to area restaurants.

Heading into their fourth growing season, the pair was preparing for the remnants of this year’s first threat, Tropical Storm Beryl, which spared the island but resulted in rain and flooding in some areas.

Hurricane Maria decimated the crops and fruit trees at Cosechas Tierra Viva. The farm’s building, which houses their home and business, suffered damage, and for 286 days, they were without power, which severely limited their production because they didn’t have necessary refrigeration to properly store their vegetables.

“Our biggest loss was the fruit trees, as it will take years for new ones to produce,” notes Burgos.

The storm, however, accelerated their efforts to become self-sustaining and advocate for ecological farming.

In the months since, they’ve made repairs and

structural improvements to the building, as well as overall enhancements on the farm.

One such improvement involved doubling the size of their rainwater harvesting system. They currently use solar panels to power computers, lights and irrigation pumps.

A crowd-funding campaign also is underway to improve the farm’s renewable energy system.

“In some ways, we have developed a self-sustainable life and this has helped us overcome the challenges of Maria,” Marcano says.

“We want to educate our

Franco Marcano and Eduardo Burgos are teaching high-tech farming methods.

fellow Puerto Ricans and tropical neighbors to join the farming movement and introduce them to a smarter farming model,” Burgos explains in the duo’s video submission for a scholarship to The Market Gardener’s Masterclass, an online course with Jean-Martin Fortier, farmer, educator and author.

“We are small farmers with big dreams,” says Burgos. “And we want to be a part of the change,” Marcano adds.

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HURRICANE HEROES

THE PROTEAN CREATOR Playwright, rapper, composer and actor LinManuel Miranda describes his visit to Puerto Rico with his family after Hurricane Maria as “surreal.”

“The destruction was far beyond comprehension,” Miranda says, “and never in my lifetime did I think I would bear witness to the aftermath of a catastrophe of this magnitude so up close.”

The Hamilton and In the

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HISPANIC LIVING | FALL 2018

Heights creator, who was born in New York City to Puerto Rican parents Luis A. Miranda Jr. and Luz Towns-Miranda was among the first to lend support to the island. To date, the Mirandas, who have made the island’s rebuilding and relief efforts a priority, have raised more than $35 million for the Unidos Disaster Relief and Recovery Program in partnership with the Hispanic Federation, a Latino nonprofit organization based in New York.

A portion of that funding came from the sales of Almost Like Praying, the lyrical love letter that Miranda wrote and recruited 22

artists — including Jennifer Lopez, Rita Moreno, Luis Fonsi, John Leguizamo and Anthony Ramis — to record in a span of two weeks.

The funds, Miranda says, “are being used toward creating long-term, sustainable, community-driven initiatives in multiple areas including agriculture, health, social services, energy, education, entrepreneurship and technologies.”

To say he was and continues to be moved by the strength and spirit of Puerto Ricans is an understatement. “What I remember the most, which still uplifts me, is the resilience and strength of the

WILLIAM SEPULVEDA

Actor Lin-Manuel Miranda and his family have volunteered with Puerto Rico relief organizations and raised millions in aid.

Puerto Rican people, who always remained optimistic and joined hands to help each other when government failed to respond fairly and proportionately,” Miranda says.

Through social media and interviews, Miranda has made clear his dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump and the federal government’s response to Puerto Rico’s crisis.

“Too little, too late. Then and now,” Miranda says.

“While I am grateful for what the federal government has done, it took weeks for them to respond to the catastrophe and the response has never, to this

date, matched the urgency nor the scope of what is needed for a crisis of this magnitude. Thousands of Puerto Ricans — U.S. citizens — died; thousands others have had to leave their island for places foreign to them across the U.S. mainland, and thousands more face an uncertain future on the island.”

Miranda, who says he sees his role as a megaphone for people in Puerto Rico, is not one to let up. One year after the hurricane, he says it’s important “to remind officials in Washington, D.C., that there is still so much more work to be done, and that rebuilding Puerto Rico and delivery of all aid will take years.”

Miranda is also using his voice to promote tourism to Puerto Rico by launching the “And Peggy” tour of his Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Hamilton in San Juan in January, where he will reprise his role for three weeks. The performance will undoubtedly be emotional for Miranda, who has long dreamed of taking the show to Puerto Rico. “I have never played a performance of Hamilton in which Puerto Rico hasn’t come to my mind. There are so many themes in the show that remind me of the island. Actually, there would not be a Hamilton musical if it wasn’t for Puerto Rico.

It is the birthplace of my ancestors, and since I first read Chernow’s biography, I have equated Alexander Hamilton’s journey with the story of my own father, who left Puerto Rico at a young age in pursuit of the American dream.”

HOW YOU CAN HELP The following organizations have contributed millions of dollars to Puerto Rico and are still accepting funds to help with the humanitarian crisis left in the wake of Hurricane Maria: Delivering Good — Be Strong Disaster Relief, led by Real Housewives of New York star and businesswoman Bethenny Frankel; the organization also has a back-to-school campaign for children in Puerto Rico; delivering good.org/bstrong/

+ Hispanic Federation Unidos, with the help of Hamilton star Lin-Manuel Miranda; hispanicfederation.org/ unidos/

+ Oxfam America, offering sustainable food solutions; oxfamamerica.org

+ First Book, providing reading and educational resources; firstbook.org

+ Friends of Puerto Rico, assisting with general disaster relief; friendsofpuertorico.org

+ ICNA Relief, Muslim organization assisting with general disaster relief; icnarelief.org

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HURRICANE HEROES

Ricanstruction: Comic Book Heroes Help Rebuild Puerto Rico

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KYUNG JEON-MIRANDA; SOMOS ARTE /EDGARDO MIRANDA-RODRIGUEZ

S

ix months after Hurricane Maria 150th anniversary of El Grito de Lares, the ravaged Puerto Rico, Edgardo Mirandahistoric revolt against the Spanish empire.

Rodriguez, creator of the first Puerto Miranda-Rodriguez adds that winners will be Rican superhero, La Borinqueña, announced he announced at an awards ceremony hosted by would publish a 200-page anthology featurSan Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz, a fan of ing 150 contributors and iconic characters La Borinqueña. from the DC Universe (Wonder Woman, Miranda-Rodriguez’s goal with both Superman and Batman) teaming up with his projects, La Borinqueña and Ricanstruction, “is groundbreaking character. A year after the to continue the conversation around Puerto storm, he and his wife, Kyung Jeon-Miranda, Rico,” he says. “These superheroes have are set to award grants to nonprofit organizabeen around for close to 80 years, yet have tions that work with youth, never once had stories of their women’s health, environmental adventures occur in Puerto Rico. issues, education and other Via La Borinqueña, these charac“institutions that are envisioning ters not only came to Puerto Rico a new Puerto Rico, working but they introduced fans and towards the sustainable island,” new readers to many tales about Miranda says. The grants are our island. Having a cover image being funded from the sales of of La Borinqueña and Wonder the anthology, Ricanstruction: Woman dancing the bomba as Reminiscing & Rebuilding Puerto they fly over El Yunque National Rico, an Amazon best-seller.

Forest waving the original Puerto “Our idea is to raise awareRican flag is truly empowering ness to the proactive work that for the 3 million Puerto Ricans continues to be done on the on the island.” island with limited support,” Although he was born in New Miranda-Rodriguez says. “Our Jersey, Miranda-Rodriguez is of Ricanstruction: Reminiscing & hope is that our awards will Puerto Rican descent and was Rebuilding Puerto Rico bring more attention to their raised on the island and also in can be purchased at work and encourage others to New York; he has fond memories la-borinquena.com. donate and support their efforts and a love for the territory. A trip as well.” in May for Puerto Rico Comic The response in Puerto Rico when he deCon was particularly difficult because his buted the book, which features contributions closest family members have been displaced from comic book talents Gail Simone, Greg due either to the failing economy or the Pax and Gabby Rivera, as well as celebrities storm, he notes.“I was very sad to not have such as Rosario Dawson and Ruben Blades, family to visit, but the reception that the was overwhelming, he says. “People thanked fans offered me at the PR Comic Con was me for poniendo el nombre de Puerto Rico en amazing,” he says. “So many hugs, tears and alto (raising the name or profile of Puerto thanks for creating this icon. I’m humbled Rico).” and recognize that I have a responsibility to The grant awards will coincide with the do my best to represent my people well via one-year anniversary of the storm and the this character and her stories.”

Hero to her today.

Medical hero to millions tomorrow.

To all clinical research volunteers, thank you.

A sincere thank you to all of the men and women who take part in clinical research studies each year. By volunteering today, you become a medical hero forever.

For more information about clinical research, please visit CISCRP.org.

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FROZEN in time Discover Havana’s charm, nostalgia and culture

BY KRISTI VALENTINI

Salsa music permeates the café patio at the Hotel Inglaterra in Havana, where my husband, Bryan, and I are sipping mojitos and watching crayon-colored, classic American cars drive by.

We’re able to spend time in Cuba because after more than a 50-year tumultuous relationship with the country, the U.S. now allows Americans to once again visit the nearby island nation.

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GETTING THERE Closest airport: Fly into Florida's Tampa International Airport (TPA) and reserve a shuttle through the cruise line, or use a taxi, to get to the Port of Tampa.

Cruise cost: Carnival cruise prices start at $299 per person, which covers all meals while onboard.

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HISPANIC LIVING | FALL 2018

Getting around: It’s best to bring a street map of Havana. The ship doesn’t provide them, and there are no visitor centers in the city. The ship docks in Old Havana, and the area is easily walkable. To go farther out, you can hail a taxi, but agree to a rate before getting in.

ANDY CRUISE LINE (2); GETTY IMAGES PHOTONEWMAN/CARNIVAL CREDIT

The catch? Most have to visit with a tour group or on a cruise. And once you dock, you’re required to participate in activities that help you interact with the locals, such as humanitarian projects, and learn about Cuban culture — lolling around on the beach isn’t an option. But a trip to Havana, which was considered the Las Vegas of the Caribbean during the 1950s, isn’t a hard sell for those who are eager to experience this communist city just 105 miles from Key West, Fla. Multiple major cruise lines now sail into Havana, including Carnival, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean and Holland America. We chose the five-day Carnival cruise on its Paradise ship, departing from Tampa with stops in Key West and Havana. It’s an amazing value and docks overnight in Havana (experiencing Cuban nightlife is essential).

“I’m excited to see Havana while it still feels raw and authentic and isn’t overrun by tourism,” says Amber Garcia, a first-time cruiser from Key West. “I came to Key West seven years ago, and even in that time it’s changed a lot and gotten more commercial and touristy. I can’t imagine what Cuba will be like a decade from now.”

During the day, we boarded a bus for a four-hour Local Flavors & Traditions excursion booked through Carnival that turned into a six-hour jaunt around town with local Milton Sotomayor, our beaming tour guide. First, we visited the Plaza de la Revolución (Revolution Square). Here, crowds

Currency: You’ll need to use the Cuban convertible peso (CUCs) because American credit and debit cards are not commonly accepted in the country. The most convenient place to exchange currency is at the Havana port after you pass through immigration. Note: The port’s currency exchange is only open until a certain time (ask for hours upon arrival). After that time, you won’t be able to exchange your CUCs for dollars. No exchanges are possible in the U.S.

Interior Ministerio del

once gathered to hear Cuba’s former leader, Fidel Castro, speak. The massive square is home to many government buildings and features one of the most iconic images in Cuba — a giant mural of revolutionary Che Guevara — on the Ministerio del Interior building.

As a part of our tour, we have a three-course lunch at the Élite Restaurante, a former residenceturned-restaurant in the Miramar neighborhood of Havana. And in between our tour stops, Sotomayor talks to us about Cuban life. He tells us about the country’s frequent food shortages, free education and health care, and how things are starting to change. “We used to only have two television channels. Now we have five,” Sotomayor boasts. “How many do you have in the United States?”

Embarrassed, we all hang our heads down a bit until someone says, “hundreds.” While Netflix and HGTV won’t be in Cuba anytime soon, what the country does have en masse are cigars, rum and talented musicians.

Sotomayor takes us to a sun-dappled courtyard to learn the proper way to smoke cigars — waiting until the tips turn ashy to smoke them — and sip rum. After a puff, the rum tastes sweeter and smoother.

Then we head to the Muraleando, a community arts project started by two artists more than a decade ago.

The open-air art school turned a blighted neighborhood into a hub for paintings and sculptures and became a gathering place for kids wanting to learn art, dance and music.

Sotomayor happily takes us off itinerary in search of more rum and cigars, books and baseball caps. (Cubans picked up the American version of baseball in the 1800s.)

When Sotomayor realizes we’ve been touring longer than intended, he urges us all back into the bus with a big smile.

“My boss is going to be mad!”

Later, Bryan and I are smiling, too, when we ride a classic-car taxi to the historic Hotel Nacional de Cuba.

While it’s a special treat to us, driving a car that predates the 1960s is common in Cuba — during the 1959 revolution, Castro banned foreign vehicle imports for most Cubans.

(Today, citizens can buy and sell cars under reform passed by former President Raul Castro.)

When we arrive at the hotel, we’re escorted to our seats at the Parisien Cabaret to enjoy this glitzy, choreographed dance show that is the runner-up to the more-famous Tropicana Cabaret. The lights dim, the curtains roll back and we’re treated to something seemingly out of the 1950s: a crooning singer and dancing showgirls with enormous headdresses and elaborate costumes.

Back at home this might feel like forced nostalgia. But in a country that seems untouched by time, the retro show feels perfectly appropriate.

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GET CRUISIN’ Go to Cuba for the classic cars, the crumbling Colonial architecture and the bragging rights.

If you take the Carnival Paradise cruise route, consider this your must-do guide:

Set Sail: Get to know the 12-deck cruise ship. Near the 1 bar and hamburger grill, the main pool with a waterslide and hot tub is social central (with fun contests and live bands), while the pool area on deck 11, one deck up, is a better place to relax with a good book.

DAY

At Sea: Sleep in and take advantage of free room 2 service or brunch served until 1 p.m. at Seaday Brunch. Can’t decide between the huevos rancheros and the loaded mac and cheese? You don’t have to — order as many items as you want, no charge.

DAY

Key West: Sign up for the morning nature kayak excursion 3 and paddle your way through warm, clear water and backcountry mangroves to spy small sharks, stingrays and iguanas. To refuel, order the avocado salad with the wild-caught Key West pink shrimp at El Meson de Pepe. Then visit the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum to hear stories about the famous author.

Before you leave, shop for souvenirs.

Buy a bottle of Key lime juice to make pies at home (it’s so easy) from Kermit’s Key West Key Lime Shoppe. At Kino Sandals, a local shoemaker, leather sandals are made on-site.

DAY

DAY

At Sea: If you have spending money left over, unwind with a 5 massage at Spa Carnival or hit up the blackjack tables in the casino. In the afternoon, catch the hilarious Love & Marriage game show where couples are pulled from the audience to participate. Later, the Epic Rock production in the Normandie Lounge features big 1980s hair, dancing rockers and music

by Queen and Eric Clapton.

DAY

Back Home: Grab breakfast onboard before exiting the ship in Tampa to catch your flight home.

DAY

6

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4

Havana: Take the Local Flavors & Traditions excursion, or another morning tour, to fulfill

the requirements of your visit, which include mandating that you engage in educational activities, humanitarian outreach or assisting and/or engaging with the people.

In the afternoon, walk down Obispo Calle (Obispo Street) and past El Floridita, a tiny bar that claims to have made the first daiquiri. Don’t stop until you arrive in Parque Central (Central Park). The plaza has a white Carrara marble statue of Jose Marti, a national hero who inspired the people to become independent of Spain, and is surrounded by historic hotels and the National Museum of Fine Arts.

In the evening, see a cabaret. The most popular is the Tropicana Cabaret, an elaborate, outdoor show that dates to 1939 and costs about $160 per person, booked through the cruise ship.

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HISPANIC LIVING | FALL 2018

Give them tomorrow Premature birth is the #1 killer of babies. Every baby deserves a ďŹ ghting chance.

DO SOMETHING TODAY

marchofdimes.org/tomorrow Š 2016 March of Dimes Foundation

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51

PASSION& PURPOSE Three Latina activists break down stereotypes for future generations

BY ROXANA A. SOTO

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T

HESE WOMEN ARE ON A MISSION TO EDUCATE, INSPIRE AND IGNITE OTHERS TO FOLLOW:

For Dior Vargas, it all started with a picture of herself holding a sign that read: “My name is Dior Vargas and I have major depressive disorder.”

Little by little, the 31-year-old New Yorker, a suicide-attempt survivor, started receiving photos from other people of color who were also tired of feeling invisible.

The Latina mental health activist came up with the People of Color and Mental Illness Photo Project to dispel the idea that “I just want to stop that cycle. I just whites suffer from mental want to create a new culture of health issues. understanding and just being MENTAL HEALTH “I just thought it was very open to conversations. There’s ADVOCATE ostracizing to communities of nothing wrong with living with a color,” Vargas says, referring to mental illness.” the way she says mental illness is Vargas uses her platform as a represented in the media. “I wanted public speaker to share her story, to create a space where there were imher struggles and the lessons learned ages of people who looked like us sharing their in hopes of normalizing mental health in her experience and kind of humanizing and putting a community. face to the topic.”

“She’s such a revolutionary,” says Rebecca Vargas’ website (diorvargas.com) depicts Cokley, director of the Disability Justice Initiative people of different ages and ethnicities revealing at the Center for American Progress. their conditions, which range from anxiety to When they met about five years ago, Cokley borderline personality disorder. But many of the was working as President Barack Obama’s signs include much more than that. Some have diversity officer. She says Vargas quickly became inspiring messages such as: “My mental health a go-to expert because of how well-versed she does not define me” and hashtags that include was on the topic of combating the mental health “#noshame” and “#nostigma.” One woman wrote: stigma in communities of color at a time when “I’m a proud Mexican-American who wants to see nobody was talking about it. more Latinos fighting stigma.”

“Dior to me is one of those leaders I love Vargas is on the same mission. Like many watching because I cannot wait to see what she Latinos, she grew up in a community that didn’t continues to do in the future,” Cokley adds. discuss mental illness and considered it a sign of For now, Vargas plans to graduate from New weakness. She’s intimately aware of the effects a York University next year with a master’s degree person’s cultural background and traditions can in public health with a concentration in policy have on their emotional well-being. and management. Her photo project was recently “There are so many people in our community published in book form. that are not getting mental health support and “I cannot wait to sit and watch the world they’re living their entire lives in pain,” she says. change because of her,” says Cokley.

GETTY IMAGES; PROVIDED BY DIOR VARGAS

DIOR VARGAS

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PASSION& PURPOSE

“Normalizing this idea of curly hair ... has been a very rewarding experience.”

right reasons for me. I was tied to this idea that straight hair made me more beautiful.”

It wasn’t until she graduated college and moved to the Dominican Republic to “rediscover her roots,” as she described her temporary move in 2009, that she realized the time had come to restore her natural, curly hair.

The transition was not easy, but the response from other women interested in following her steps was overwhelming. She started blogging about it (missrizos.com) to share A few years ago, Carolina her experience, tips and the Contreras wrote a letter to her products she was using. What sisters apologizing for the pain started as a personal quest of she had inflicted upon them in self-love ended up becoming a NATURAL BEAUTY the name of beauty. movement.

PROPONENT Like many girls in her comIn 2014, Contreras opened munity, Contreras was taught up Miss Rizos, a salon in Santo from a young age that straight hair Domingo that caters specifically to was what made girls beautiful. And women who want to make the transiso, relaxing her curly hair was “almost like tion back to curly hair. brushing (her) teeth,” according to the 31-year-old “To have an establishment say ‘you are fine, Afro-Dominican who grew up in Boston. more than fine, just the way you are’ is transforWhen Contreras was old enough, her mother mational. It empowers an entire community of taught her how to apply chemical relaxer to her people who for so long have believed that outside, sisters’ hair, and her memories of the process Eurocentric beauty standards superseded their are anything but pleasant. “I used to burn them, own,” says author Elizabeth Acevedo, who met because the more time the relaxer was in the Contreras at an event in 2014 and was moved by hair, the straighter it looked,” Contreras says. “I the care and openness with which she discussed remember them crying, so I wrote them a letter the natural hair movement. apologizing, because that was a violent act.”

Contreras’ services have become so popular But writing that letter was only one step in that some of her clients even travel from the her self-acceptance journey. The larger and more United States for appointments. profound piece was accepting that society’s — “So many women have been inspired to love and her own family’s — definition of beauty was themselves more, to teach their daughters to love distorted. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong themselves more. Other people who don’t have with someone wearing their hair straight if their curly hair now see (it) as more professional,” she hair is not naturally straight,” Contreras explains. says excitedly. “Normalizing this idea of curly hair “But I think that that needs to happen for the in a country where most people have curly hair right reasons, and it was not happening for the has been a very rewarding experience.”

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YAEL DUVAL

CAROLINA CONTRERAS

“I felt like my immigration status wasn’t something that I needed to keep secret.”

For years, Angy Rivera was told to keep a secret — one that could potentially change the course of her life if she ever told. But as she grew older, it became more difficult for her to keep mum.

So when she was 19, Rivera broke her silence and revealed that she is an undocumented immigrant. “I felt like my immigration status wasn’t something that I needed to keep secret or keep lying to my friends about, I felt like it was time,” Rivera says, recalling her participation in a Coming Out of the Shadows event that took place in front of a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services building in New York City eight years ago.

Rivera was 3 years old when she came to the United States from Colombia with her mother.

While she always knew they were undocumented immigrants, it wasn’t until she was a senior in high school that she realized what that really meant. “Everyone in my life just told me I had to work hard, get good grades and that’s what I did, but none of that actually matters because everything is about your Social (Security number),” explains the 27-year-old.

Frustrated about not being able to apply for college financial aid or scholarships, she decided to do something about it by joining the New York State Youth Leadership Council (NYSYLC).

It was through this undocumented youth-led organization or online to not feel so alone.” that she learned about comIn 2015, her story was turned munity organizing, political into the documentary Don’t Tell education and activism. It was Anyone, which is the phrase her UNDOCUMENTED also there that she came up mother used to remind her not IMMIGRANTS ACTIVIST with the idea for her “Ask Angy” to reveal their family’s immigraadvice blog, which she no longer tion status. The movie, which updates but is still available online. earned a Peabody award, ends with It quickly became a popular forum for Rivera being granted a visa for victims others in her position. of violent crimes (she was abused by her She received questions on topics from dating mother’s boyfriend). While she’s in the process dilemmas to finding employment without of obtaining a green card, which is the first step documentation. She also offered support for to obtaining U.S. citizenship, she continues her undocumented immigrants who struggle with activism as co-director of the NYSYLC. depression and sadness in the face of so much “When I start feeling like I’m losing hope, I uncertainty. always go back to the people in my community,” “I tried my best not to tell people what to do or she says. “Even if we don’t have the answers, even what to feel,” Rivera says. “Sometimes I would just if everything feels overwhelming, that sense of agree with them, tell that this sucked and to find community and hoping and believing that change spaces in their school, community, neighborhood is possible is one of my motivators.”

DON'T TELL ANYONE/NO LE DIGAS A NADIE (PORTRET FILMS, POV)

ANGY RIVERA

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Viviendo Bien Understanding your heritage can improve your health

A

mature death, the CDC says. proponent Dr. Michael Greger They develop heart disease at calls the incongruity between rates 35 percent lower than the relatively disadvantaged whites and have 49 percent population and their exlower cancer rates. tended life spans the They are also less “Hispanic paradox.” likely to smoke or “Is it genetic? No, Hispanicdrink excessively. because as AmeriAmericans However, it’s can-born Hispanics live longer not all good news. acculturate, their than U.S. The CDC reports mortality rates go Caucasians Latino-Americans up,” he says. or blacks are 50 percent more At approximately — for likely to die from 58 million, Latinos women, as diabetes or liver comprise nearly 18 much as disease. Nearly a percent of the U.S. three to quarter have poorly population, the largsix years managed high est ethnic minority longer. blood pressure or in the country. It is are obese. They are projected that there SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and at greater risk than will be 119 million Prevention whites of developHispanics in the U.S. ing depression and by 2060, or about also have higher 28 percent of the rates of diseases related to population. aging, including glaucoma and The diversity of this expanddementia, mainly because they ing group presents researchers live longer. with the opportunity to study And experts fear that as health disparities in Latinos more Latinos are born in the from all backgrounds, with United States, they will lose many of the healthy habits developed and embraced by their ancestors.

Author and plant-based diet

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t 87, Maria Davidson, a resident of Norfolk, Va., shows little sign of slowing down, according to her daughter, Terry Byrne.

The Puerto Rico native splits her days between gardening and cooking, growing vegetables and herbs in the yard of her brick ranch-style home and creating healthy meals for her family, including 94-yearold husband Lindell.

“My mom is always on her feet. She dances while she cooks; she gardens. I don’t even think of her as sitting down. She is always in motion,” says Byrne, who spent several years of her childhood living in Puerto Rico with her parents.

Longevity runs in Davidson’s family — although her mother died in her 60s from a congenital heart disorder, her father lived until his 90s — and aspects of her Latino culture may play a significant role in her lengthy life: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Hispanic-Americans live longer than U.S. Caucasians or blacks, and for women, the life span is as much as three to six years longer.

Latino-Americans also have a 24 percent lower risk of pre-

BY PATRICIA KIME

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57

Viviendo Bien Viviendo Bien

PIONEERING INITIATIVES

One of the few studies focused 100 percent on the Latino community is the The Hispanic Community Health Study of Latinos, led by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. This study has been analyzing more than 16,000 Hispanics of different backgrounds in five cities since 2006, helping researchers learn more about the incidence of conditions such as diabetes, cholesterol, smoking and depression within the community.

In addition, a National Institutes of Health-led initiative of the 21st Century Cures Act is compiling a database of about 1 million potential volunteers for medical studies, with a goal of including thousands of Latinos.

— Paula Andalo writes for Kaiser Health News, a USA TODAY content partner.

“We should use this (research) as a tool to understand biology as well as population and social sciences. Just as we found that men and women are different, and maybe we should include women in studies a lot more, there are going to be differences based on demographic factors … it’s a great time to look at this,” says the Cuba-born Pérez-Stable.

Pérez-Stable recently completed a study of depression among Latinos and African-

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HISPANIC LIVING | FALL 2018

Americans which found both groups are significantly more likely to experience serious depression than whites, and he is working on a longitudinal health study to determine how this will affect the health of certain Hispanic-American populations over time.

But science isn’t needed to know which of the immigrant population’s good habits should be sustained to preserve optimal health.

According to the experts, such positive practices include:

Not smoking

“The low smoking rates in Latinos are great,” Pérez-Stable says.

Physical activity

Rarely do people do enough, adds Pérez-Stable. He recommends setting goals and measuring steps. Even Latinos with physically demanding jobs should use a fitness tracker to make sure they are active enough. “It’s so good for your physical health and mental health.”

Healthy eating

When one thinks of Hispanic food in the U.S., dishes like a Chipotle chicken burrito may come to mind, packing a whopping 1,300 calories into a neatly folded flour tortilla. But as delicious as these giant burritos are, they aren’t authentic.

Hispanic heritage cooking incorporates vegetables, beans, sweet potatoes, corn and avocado, a powerful punch of nutrients and healthy fats and proteins. Additions like sour cream, cheddar cheese and white flour tortillas may be tasty but pack on the fat,

calories and in some cases, sugar.

“Beans, beans and more beans. The things we can learn from traditional diets: corn, squash and beans,” Greger says. “You start eating the American diet, you can die of American diseases.”

Managing weight

“Being over-obsessed with weight is not my philosophy,” Pérez-Stable says. “I think what’s called overweight in the U.S. is not necessarily bad for Latinos and blacks. But you just don’t want to be obese.”

Proper sleep

“We are learning so much about how important sleep is,” he says.

Probably the largest health threat to American Hispanics is diabetes. Latino adults are 1.7 times more likely than non-Hispanic whites to be diagnosed with diabetes.

When Davidson learned she had an elevated marker for prediabetes, she systematically tackled the problem, cutting sweets from her diet and using a food journal to record everything she eats. She lost 30 pounds, and 11 years later her blood sugar remains normal.

Armed with the knowledge of her mother’s health concerns, her daughter, Byrne, who is Puerto Rican and ScotsIrish, has had a few health issues, but like her mother, tackles anything that comes up head-on.

“I try to mimic how (my mom) eats and be healthy, but it’s more about what you do with your time,” says Byrne.

“My mom has this attitude of ‘live every day to the fullest.’

That’s the magic right there.”

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the goal of understanding why their life expectancies are longer and develop approaches to preserve this trend, says Dr. Eliseo Pérez-Stable, director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities at the National Institutes of Health.

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RISK FACTORS3 for diabetes include: â&#x20AC;˘ Being 45 years or older â&#x20AC;˘ Current weight and eating habits â&#x20AC;˘ Having a family history of type 2 diabetes â&#x20AC;˘ Having high blood pressure â&#x20AC;˘ Being physically active fewer than three times a week (less than 150 min/week) â&#x20AC;˘ Had diabetes during pregnancy or given birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds â&#x20AC;˘ Are African American, Hispanic/Latino American, American Indian, or Alaska Native

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COMMON DIABETES

MYTHS

â&#x20AC;˘ Weight loss is not synonymous with being sick or unwell. If a family member is losing weight, he or she may be trying to incorporate a healthier meal plan â&#x20AC;˘ While nurturing with food can be a sign of love, it can also contribute to unhealthy eating patterns. A well-balanced meal plan is essential to proper diabetes management (or prevention). â&#x20AC;˘ Medications (pills or injectables such as insulin) are a critical part of the diabetes care plan.

Natural remedies and vitamins certainly have their place in overall wellness, but the right medicine combination is key to a successful diabetes management strategy.

1 2 3

CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/features/hispanichealth/index.html American Diabetes Association: http://www.diabetes.org/newsroom/press-releases/2014/diabetes-among-hispanics-all-are-not-equal.html CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/risk-factors.html

Viviendo Viviendo Bien Bien

T

EAT SMART

Ronaldo Linares, executive chef at Martino’s Cuban Restaurant in Somerville, N.J., specializes in diabetesfriendly dishes that are traditionally Cuban with a twist. His bilingual cookbook, Chef Ronaldo’s Sabores de Cuba: Diabetes-Friendly Traditional and Nueva Cubano Cuisine, includes these recipes:

OPEN-FACED EGG AND AVOCADO TOAST

Ingredients 1 slice multigrain toast 1 organic egg ½ avocado (thinly sliced) 1 asparagus stalk (sliced at a bias) 1 tablespoon avocado oil Pinch of kosher salt Pinch of cracked black pepper Edible flowers (for garnish) Lightly toast the bread and remove the center of the slice, creating a circle. Preheat pan on medium heat and add avocado oil. Place slice of bread in the pan, pour egg in the

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hole, let the egg cook to about over easy.

Remove from pan. Add avocado slices and the asparagus to the toast. Add a pinch of black pepper and salt.

Garnish with edible flower.

GRAPEFRUIT LIMONADA

Ingredients 2 grapefruits, juiced ½ lime, juiced 1½ ounces mezcal 1 tablespoon Agave syrup 4 torn mint leaves 4 lime slices Ice Place all ingredients in a cocktail mixer, shake well and serve.

wo decades ago, Luis Antonio Cabrera received devastating news: He likely had just three months to live.

The Puerto Rican truck driver, then 50, had attributed his growing leg pain to spending so many hours on the road.

The real culprit was a malignant tumor in his left kidney that was pressing on nerves from his lower spine.

His initial treatment involved removing the organ, a complex surgery that, by itself, proved insufficient, as the cancerous cells had already spread to his lungs. Given the results, his primary care physician in Puerto Rico contacted doctors at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in Bethesda, Md., and enrolled Cabrera in a medical study to test an innovative therapy: transplanting blood stem cells to destroy the cancer cells.

Today, in his 70s, Cabrera, a father of five and grandparent who moved to West Virginia with his wife to be closer to NIH, feels strong and healthy. “I come to do tests every six months — I’m like a patient at large,” he says.

Cabrera is one of a relatively small number of Hispanics who participate in clinical trials. “Only less than 8

percent of enrollees are Hispanic, even though Hispanics comprise 17 percent of the population,” says Dr. Eliseo Pérez-Stable, director of NIH’s National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities.

That means not only do Latinos have less access to experimental cutting-edge treatments but researchers have less data on how a drug works in that population.

Studies have shown that certain ethnic groups might respond differently to treatments. The lack of patients from minority groups is an endemic problem in clinical trials; minorities typically are represented at a very low rate.

In March 2017, the Food and Drug Administration launched a campaign to educate Latinos about medical studies. As in Cabrera’s case, a primary physician typically helps a patient find a medical study, although the internet has meant a growing number of patients can discover trials themselves. To participate, the person must meet the researchers’ criteria for eligibility: age, gender or condition. Often, the center conducting the study covers related costs of drugs, treatments and tests.

— Paula Andalo

PROVIDED BY RONALDO LINARES

LATINOS LEFT OUT OF CLINICAL TRIALS …

AND POSSIBLE CURES

Florida National University Since 1982

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FNU.edu (305) 821-3333 Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, and master degrees.

ENTERTAINMENT

Stepping Stones to Stardom

GETTY IMAGES

Follow the Latino film festival trail

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BY BRIAN BARTH

rom Los Angeles to New York and many points in between, Latino film festivals have grown over the decades into a mainstay of indie cinema. They are a rite of passage for up-and-coming directors, and for film buffs, the festival circuit is a place to see movies that canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be found anywhere else.

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SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

CHICAGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

NEW YORK LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

sdlatinofilm.com

chicagolatinofilmfestival.org

nylatinofilmfestival.com

One of the largest and oldest Latino film festivals in the country, SDLFF celebrated its 25th anniversary in March with an 11-day odyssey that drew upwards of 20,000 people with 160 films, daily concerts and a simultaneous food, beer and wine fest. It’s come along way since 1993, when a few hundred people showed up to view a dozen films, says Paul Espinosa, a veteran San Diego filmmaker whose career has grown alongside the festival. “Latino voices are way underrepresented in the national media, so this is more important now than ever,” he says.

For young filmmakers trying to break onto the scene, festivals are a crucial stepping stone.

And there is no better venue for newbie Latino filmmakers than CLFF, says actress and director Alycya Magaña. “The Chicago festival has a super special place in my heart because it really supports brand-new filmmakers,” she says. After receiving praise for her short film Alma at the 2016 CLFF, Magaña was invited to the Mexico International Film Festival, where the movie won the Silver Palm Award. This year at CLFF, she screened Un Ratito Mas, a story that reflects on the complex emotions of immigrant families split by difficult-to-cross borders.

From Argentinians to Zapatistas, no other American city can boast the Latino diversity found in the Big Apple. This mix provides the organizing principle for NYLFF, says executive director Calixto Chinchilla, who is of Puerto Rican, Dominican, Honduran and Greek descent. “We’ve worked hard to be the most global of the Latino film festivals, so there is always something for everyone.”

The August festival opened with Ruben Blades is Not My Name, a Panama-Argentina-Colombia coproduction chronicling the final tour of the enigmatic salsero. It will be released nationwide this fall.

LALIFF (FORMERLY THE LOS ANGELES LATINO FILM FESTIVAL)

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latinofilm.org This is one Latino film festival where you’re almost sure to spot a few celebrities.

Indeed, Antonio Banderas, Eva Longoria and Gina Rodriguez are among those who have walked the red carpet at LALIFF. But this year’s opening night gala — which took place in June at the height of the family separation crisis on the U.S.-Mexico border — was less about high fashion than communal healing, says Rafael Agustin, executive director of LALIFF and a writer for the hit CW series Jane the Virgin. “It was a cathartic experience for the thousand people who showed up at the theater, all of us crying together. I remember this moment at the after-party, when we were all ... feeling so much strength as a community.”

4 SAN FRANCISCO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL sflatinofilmfestival.org SFLFF will take place over 17 days in September, but its director, Lucho Ramirez, says it’s really a year-round affair. Cine+Mas SF, the group that puts on the annual event, collaborates constantly with other Bay Area film festivals. “It helps us maintain an ongoing Latino film presence in the area,” says Ramirez. “Our goal is to build bridges, not walls.”

This summer, Cine+Mas collaborated with the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival to screen The Sentence, in which MexicanAmerican filmmaker Rudy Valdez documents his sister’s unjust imprisonment and its effect on her three young daughters. Soon to be released on HBO, it won the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award earlier this year.

SCREEN PLAY In 1944, a teenager by the name of Cesar Chavez took his girlfriend to see a movie in Delano, a small town in the agricultural region of California’s Central Valley. The date ended early, however, when Chavez was arrested for refusing to move from the whites-only section of the theater to the balcony designated for Mexicans, Filipinos and African-Americans. It was one of the legendary activist’s first acts of civil disobedience — the theater was soon desegregated as a result.

Delano, where 3 in 4 residents are Latino, is now a fast-growing city, but until recently the closest movie theater was 35 miles away. That changed this spring when Maya Cinemas opened a 12-screen multiplex. It is the fifth location for the chain founded by the famed Hollywood producer Moctesuma Esparza, whose film credits include The Milagro Beanfield War, Selena and Walkout, an HBO film about the 1968 student walkouts in Los Angeles, which he helped organize — and was jailed for — as a teenager. Esparza’s activism was directly inspired by Chavez, who he’d joined two years earlier on a march from Delano to Sacramento to support striking farmworkers.

“Growing up, I got to see Latin American cinema on a weekly basis because there were movie theaters in every single Latino community in the United States,” says Esparza. “It was my window into the world.” But in the '70s, he says, cinemas made an exodus to the suburbs. “And the Spanish-language film industry disappeared with them.”

Maya Cinemas theaters show first-run Hollywood features, but they are also a platform for up-and-coming artists, a cause close to Esparza’s heart. “Our indie film program is about filling the vacuum of Latino-American and Spanish-language films in these communities, as well as helping our talented young filmmakers build an audience. People will never know about their movies if they’re not reaching theaters.”

— Brian Barth

GETTY IMAGES; LAVA

SAN FRANCISCO

UPCOMING LATINO FILM FESTIVALS

Sept. 15-Oct. 1 filmfreeway.com/ sflatinoff

ATLANTA

Sept. 21-24 georgialatinofilm festival.org

BOSTON

Sept. 27-30 bliff.org

SEATTLE

COACHELLA, CALIF.

Oct. 11-14 officiallatino.com

Oct. 5-13 slatinoff.org

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ENTERTAINMENT

Eugenio Derbez plays a wealthy yacht owner opposite Anna Faris in this year’s remake of the 1987 comedy Overboard.

Eugenio Derbez Gets Real Overboard star talks conquering Hollywood and Latin stereotypes

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he beloved 1987 comedy Overboard veered in a new direction in an updated remake, with Eugenio Derbez and Anna Faris in the

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lead roles. In the new version, which has earned more than $90 million worldwide since its May release, Faris plays Kate Sullivan, an exhausted, debt-ridden mom of three, and spoiled playboy Leonardo Montenegro is brought

to life by Derbez.

USA TODAY chatted with the star about taking on the Goldie Hawn classic — and why he left Mexico City for Hollywood, where films like Overboard and How to Be a Latin Lover awaited.

MATT WINKELMEYER/GETTY IMAGES

BY ANDREA MANDELL

You produced and starred in this film. Why remake Overboard, of all ‘80s comedies?

Derbez: I’ve been working my entire life in Mexico City and working for the Hispanic market. But after I did a 2013 movie called Instructions Not Included, it became a hit in the U.S. and a lot of doors opened in Hollywood, so I started having meetings with the studios.

When I went to MGM, they wanted to do something with me, and they said, “Are you interested in doing remakes?”

I said, “I could be.” And they gave me the list of remakes (they owned), and when I saw Overboard, I was really excited, because I grew up watching the film. Goldie Hawn was my movie-star crush when I was young.

DAVID LIVINGSTON/GETTY IMAGES

Your Overboard steers clear of stereotyping its Latino characters. What’s your take on why modern comedies rely on such tired tropes?

When I started coming to the U.S., they were offering me only the typical stereotypical roles: the druggard, the criminal, the gang member, or in the best-case scenario, the gardener or the cook. I was fed up with all these roles that were always the same, and I promised I would try to change the image of Latinos in Hollywood.

Now that I was able to co-produce this movie, we felt that it was necessary to change the stereotypes.

The natural thing to do in Hollywood was to have me play the poor carpenter, but we wanted a fresh take and changed the genders. That way I can play the billionaire, and we can have Anna play the carpet-cleaning lady.

We’re breaking stereotypes, and we’re also avoiding direct

comparison to Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell.

We still see poor representation of Latino leads in Hollywood films, despite years of #OscarsSoWhite.

What needs to change?

When we had the years of #OscarsSoWhite, all the African-Americans were together, and they joined to protest. But right now, with this Trump administration, we feel a lot of fear to raise our voices. So we haven’t been able to really raise our hands, raise our voices to say we deserve more opportunities, but I think it’s important. In my case, it’s me producing my own stuff. Right now, I’m my own producer because that’s the only way I can have jobs.

everything back there and all (of) the sudden after Instructions Not Included came out, and it became what it became, I had to make a decision to come here to try to conquer a new market or to continue in my comfort zone.

I have way more freedom in Los Angeles and in the U.S. But it’s funny because when I have a meeting with producers or people from the industry, we go to a restaurant to meet someone and nobody knows me. But all of the sudden, the entire kitchen comes out, and they start taking pictures with me, or at

Was Overboard received differently in the #MeToo movement era?

We had lot of luck (in the timing of) when we decided to do this. But after the #MeToo movement, I cannot imagine what would have happened if we kept the same pattern.

Nowadays to have a guy kidnapping a woman to make her work at home? It would be really politically incorrect.

Has the #MeToo movement affected filmmaking in Mexico?

Honestly, not yet. Hopefully someday a lot of people are going to start speaking out and telling their stories.

What’s been the biggest transition with moving from Mexico City to Hollywood three years ago?

Everything. I mean, I had a career and a life in Mexico and I had really successful shows (Al Derecho y al Derbez and La familia P. Luche). I had

valet parking. It’s strange to be a very well-known face for some of them and completely unknown for another part of the industry.

Anna Faris and Eugenio Derbez visit SiriusXM Studios in Los Angeles.

Now given the film, I have to ask — are you a yacht guy?

I mean, who doesn’t want to have a yacht? But I would prefer to invest my money in something else. But I love them. I just wouldn’t buy one unless I had a lot, a lot of money.

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ENTERTAINMENT

He’s in the mariachi version of The Partridge Family.

Gonzalez has been singing and acting since he was 4, when he began doing street performances at LA’s La Placita Olvera with his siblings (two brothers and two sisters). “I would see them having so much fun onstage and dancing and laughing, and I felt like, ‘I want to do that, too!’”

Breakout star of Pixar’s animated Coco is a true Disney fan

BY BRIAN TRUITT

A

nthony Gonzalez spent about a quarter of his life involved with Pixar’s animated film Coco, and he couldn’t be more excited about it.

The 13-year-old Los Angeles native provided the voice of the 2017 film’s main character, Miguel, a young Mexican boy with musical dreams who has a wondrous adventure in the Land of the Dead, where he’s in search of an important relative.

“Me and Miguel are both persevering, and we never give up, and we want to do what we love,” says Gonzalez, who auditioned for Coco when he was 9 and won the part two years later.

While Gonzalez is relatively new in Hollywood, he’s already built an impressive resume. Here’s what else fans need to know about him:

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He spent his 13th birthday at Disneyland.

Coco earned a Golden Globe and two Oscars, which means Gonzalez’s voice will probably become a fixture at a Disney theme park, but he’s already part of the family: He took a trip to Disneyland for his birthday and saw the Coco-themed Plaza de la Familia show at California Adventure Park. “I’ve been to Disneyland before, but to go at this age is just so much fun,” Gonzalez says.

But his happiest place on Earth might be Pixar headquarters.

Gonzalez recorded his Coco lines at the animation studio located outside of San Francisco, but it wasn’t all work. He loves the giant Luxo Ball out front, the Pixar store, the soccer field and, maybe most of all, the cafeteria Café Luxo. “I get a fruit cup every time I go there and burritos or pizza,” he says.

He already has a Pixar crossover in mind.

When asked which other Disney character he’d like Miguel to hang with, Gonzalez didn’t have to think too hard. “I would like Miguel to meet Woody from Toy Story,” he says with a laugh.

“If Miguel was friends with him and all the toys, I think that’d be cool.”

ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ/GETTY IMAGES; DISNEY PIXAR

Meet Anthony Gonzalez

He’s already a screen veteran.

In his short career, the teenager has performed on Spanish-language variety show Sabado Gigante, auditioned for Telemundo’s La Voz Kids (The Voice for Kids) and is a regular on an annual Univision telethon to support LatinAmerican children. Plus, he’s had acting parts on Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders and FX’s The Bridge. “I feel like maybe I get more nervous when I’m singing,” Gonzalez says. “One, it’s live. Two, there’s a lot of people watching. And three, you have to make sure you get the right notes and everything. Acting is a bit easier because I know what the character is going through, and I can put myself in his shoes.”

¡Súbete a la aventura!

Con los Cub Scouts te vuelves par te de un grupo en el que vas a querer dejar te llevar por la corriente.

APÚNTATE HOY EN BEASCOUT.ORG

ENTERTAINMENT

Powerful Programming Latin actors and actresses are shining bright on popular shows

BY GINA ROBERTS-GREY

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JUSTIN LUBIN/NBC; JOHN PARRA/GETTY IMAGES

N

etwork, subscription and cable television stations are airing compelling, comedic and controversial storylines played out by talented Latino actors. And these shows are much more than binge-worthy. “When Hispanic shows and actors are seen on the screen, it resonates with the community because we hardly see representation on the screen. So when we do, we celebrate and embrace it,” says Jon Salas, 29, a Boston-based publicist. “So many of our families came to the U.S. with hopes and dreams, and seeing a Hispanic personality on the screen has us rooting for them because we acknowledge that they are realizing their dream as well as fueling our own.”

The trend of empowerment is also inspiring to viewers.

“So many of our leading shows have strong and female leads and role models,” notes Maria Rodriguez, a McKinney, Texas, fan of several shows that star Latinas. “Take Teresa of Queen of the South (played by Alice Braga), Dr. Ana Maria Polo of Caso Cerrado or Jennifer Lopez on World of Dance, who are all making their dreams a reality regardless of gender. We love these shows because we want to see our community succeed.”

Here are a few of the personalities bringing riveting storylines to life on the screen:

VICTORIA CABAN

World of Dance (NBC) At just 14, Victoria Caban, a Jersey City, N.J., flamenco dancer, feels connected to fellow Latina and World of Dance judge Jennifer Lopez, because of their mutual love of flamenco and Puerto Rican background. And it was Lopez who sparked Caban’s passion for dance. “As a little girl, I would sit in front of my television, put on Jennifer Lopez videos and try and imitate the way she was dancing.”

Caban adds that dancing in front of Lopez has been “a dream come true.”

Another dream is rebuilding her ancestral homeland. “I want to help rebuild the island because I am Puerto Rican and seeing my family members in Puerto Rico suffering and living that way breaks my heart.”

RAÚL DE MOLINA

El Gordo y La Flaca (Univision) Originally a radio program, the weekday entertainment news show El Gordo y La Flaca features Emmy Award-winner Raúl De Molina as El Gordo (the fat) and co-host Lili Estefan, La Flaca (the skinny), the niece of music mogul and producer Emilio Estefan.

De Molina, already a well-accomplished freelance photographer before switching careers, has been part of the show since its beginning in 1998. On air, De Molina, along with Estefan, showcases Latino celebrity news.

Their show has welcomed such VIPs as Hillary Clinton, Enrique Iglesias and Lili’s aunt, Gloria Estefan.

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ENTERTAINMENT

ALICE BRAGA

Queen of the South (USA)

ALLEN MALDONADO The Last O.G. (TBS)

Playing Cousin Bobby gives the versatile actor a platform to be funny, serious, loving and angry all in one show. “We’re not your typical comedy series,” Allen Maldonado says.

An entrepreneur with his own clothing line, he is just as diverse in real life. “I wear my last name very proudly. Every time I step on set, whether in front of or behind the camera, I represent both my black and Latino heritage.” And along with being a visual representation for all those watching who look like him, Maldonado created a platform (EverybodyDigital.com) to produce original content that allows him to tell pertinent stories.

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JON HUERTAS This Is Us (NBC)

Jon Huertas, who plays Miguel, sits down with the creator and showrunners at the beginning of each season to try to avoid stereotyping. “I reiterate the fact that traditionally Latino characters on television are normally cops, low-wage workers, criminals and over sexualized females,” he explains. “We’ve made Miguel a Puerto Rican who is married, in love and a business owner who has his own construction company and is very successful.”

His character’s storyline has been what Huertas describes as a “slow build.” As a result, we’ve yet to see how his ethnicity plays a part in the overall story. However, Huertas says he was firm that his character being Latino not be portrayed as a “problem” to overcome in any sort of dramatic storyline. “I like this because now what he says as a man, father, grandfather and husband matters with no distraction about his ethnicity.

Life can be normal.”

ERNESTO RUSCIO/USA NETWORK; DIANA RAGLAND; EMMA MCINTYRE/GETTY IMAGES

Starring on a female-powered drug cartel drama based on the global best-selling novel La Reina Del Sur, is exciting for Alice Braga. Through her character, Teresa Mendoza, she tells the powerful story of a woman forced to seek refuge in America after her drug-dealing boyfriend is unexpectedly murdered in Mexico. “The messaging is so powerful,” says Braga. “Teresa is a strong woman who had to struggle to survive her entire life. She never victimizes herself, is always fighting for her life and for what she believes.”

A Million Little Things (ABC) and Animal Kingdom (TNT)

Stuck In the Middle (Disney Channel)

JENNA ORTEGA

ANA MARIA POLO

As a child growing up in Spain, Christina Ochoa never dreamt of becoming an actress. “I spent most of my time in the water or tagging along while my parents traveled.” Despite having an artist father, Ochoa says her career dreams involved spending time in a lab. “I wanted to be a scientist, but after university I got on stage and fell in love with performing.”

Whether she’s playing the girlfriend of a drug dealer in Animal Kingdom or a strong, military woman on Valor, she is drawn to roles that offer a deep understanding of people. “Playing a dangerous femme fatale on Blood Drive was a one-of-a-kind experience.

My character was tough, cursed like a trucker, unapologetic about her flaws and about her virtues. As a woman, it was tremendously empowering to play such confidence and disregard for societal norms.”

With more than 3.9 million Instagram followers, a youth ambassadorship to the Latino Commission on AIDS and a volunteer for UNAIDS, it’s difficult to imagine that Jenna Ortega, 15, has time for a demanding acting career. But the young role model takes all her jobs very seriously. “I want to empower young Latinas and encourage them to be their best self, love themselves and to follow their dreams.” she explains. “The only way I can do that is by representing that, so I really try my best to reflect those traits in everything I do.”

Inspired by Jennifer Lopez, Gina Rodriguez and Rita Moreno, Ortega hopes to one day call the shots. “They are the epitome of a female boss.

They work hard, do a phenomenal (job) and speak up for what they believe in. They are living proof that hard work pays off."

Considered one of the most prominent and influential figures in Latino television, Ana Maria Polo’s series is the longest-running and most successful court show in Spanish-language television. It’s also the first Spanishlanguage program to be nominated for a Daytime Entertainment Emmy Award.

Part of the author and breast cancer survivor’s appeal is her advocacy for issues including civil rights for immigrants and women, the fight against cancer, domestic violence and discrimination against minorities.

“It is certainly humbling to be a role model for my community, and a source of pride and joy that brings with it a big responsibility. As a Latina, and a woman, I know how hard you must fight to overcome obstacles and achieve professional success in life,”she says.

DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS/GETTY IMAGES; COLIN STARK; PIPE JARAMILLO; STARZ ENTERTAINMENT LLC

CHRISTINA OCHOA

Caso Cerrado (Telemundo)

MELISSA BARRERA Vida (Starz)

Melissa Barrera, shown on the left with co-star Mishel Prada, says she’s been honored to portray every character she’s brought to life. But being part of the groundbreaking and powerful show, Vida, which addresses important storylines like homophobia, gentrification and coming to terms with a parent’s secret past is a great blessing.

“When you get to be a part of a show that is breaking stereotypes, dealing with taboo subjects that need to be talked about in mainstream media and that represents an underrepresented people like the Latinx people and the LGBTQ community in a truthful and loving way, it makes you feel like you are not only part of a show, but part of a movement.” Through her character’s journey, Barrera hopes to help someone watching find their own path and realize they not only belong, but will be OK. Reception of her character has surprised Barrera a bit, though. “I anticipated her being one of those love-to-hate-her characters because of the situations she gets herself in and her continuous bad decision-making. However, I didn’t expect the divide to be so pronounced. But I understand both sides.”

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TRAVEL

In San Diego, Puesto prides itself on “fundamental Mexican flavors” with handmade, stone-ground tortillas, sustainable seafood and meat, salsa from scratch and slow-cooked stews. Don’t miss Puesto’s tacos, with fillings from filet mignon and zucchini and cactus to market fish and mushroom.

Authentic Tastes Historic and festive Mexican restaurants serve up flavor

BY ASHLEY DAY

F

rom the first restaurant to open on San Antonio’s River Walk, Casa Rio, to the nearly 100-year-old El Cholo in Los Angeles, Mexican food has stood the test of time. On your next visit to one of these cities, plan a stop at these tasty eateries:

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In Santa Fe, N.M., chef Fernando Olea, from Mexico City, has served his interpretations of contemporary and traditional Mexican dishes for 25 years at Sazon. Sopa de Frijoles Negros (black bean soup) is made with bacon, sour cream, crispy corn strips and epazote.

In Panama City, Fla., La Michoacana Latin Market offers counter service for its authentic Mexican fare. Locals love La Michoacana’s straightforward Mexican tacos with meat, cilantro and onions in handmade tortillas.

Barrio Cafe is a Phoenix favorite for Mexican fare, pairing regional specialties with live music on weekends for 15 years. Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza serves Mexican chicken, pork and steak main dishes, a fish of the day, tacos, enchiladas and more.

The legendary El Cholo opened in Los Angeles in 1923 and still serves family recipes from then at its now six locations.

Mexico City chef Enrique Olvera opened his first restaurant stateside, Cosme, in New York City in 2015. Cosme is known for its shareable duck carnitas served with onions, radishes, cilantro and tortillas.

PROVIDED BY THE RESTAURANTS

In Houston, chef Hugo Ortega’s Xochi is inspired by Oaxaca, serving masas, moles, tlayudas, grasshoppers and more. Xochi’s signature Infladita de Conejo features a puffed black tortilla stuffed with rabbit, raisins, almonds, tomatoes and refritos.

San Antonio's Casa Rio serves authentic Mexican mixed with Tex-Mex. The best-selling deluxe dinner includes a tamale, cheese enchilada and crispy beef taco.

Born in the Mexican state of Sonora, Daniel Contreras opened El Guero Canelo in Tucson, Ariz., in 1993. The local landmark is known for authentic Sonoran-style hot dogs, which come with a bacon-wrapped frank, beans, grilled onions, tomatoes, mayonnaise, mustard and jalapeño sauce.

El Coyote Cafe is an LA institution known for year-round Christmas lights strung over the dining room and classic Mexican food. The familyrun restaurant serves tacos, enchiladas and margaritas, with fun presentations like these shrimp fajitas.

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Discover San Juan Take in the charm and history of this coastal capital

Castillo San Felipe del Morro

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PUERTO RICO TOURISM

P

uerto Rico’s capital city offers something for everyone, including historic architecture, beautiful beaches and a wide array of shopping, dining and lodging options. USA TODAY’s 10Best suggests adding these stops to your San Juan itinerary:

WHAT TO SEE

KRISTA VIA FLICKR; PROVIDED BY ESJ AZUL; PAUL SABLEMAN

Two forts stand at separate ends of the city’s shore, Castillo San Cristóbal and Castillo San Felipe del Morro. These sites were still being used by the military as recently as World War II. San Juan also boasts old cathedrals and churches, colorful architecture and wide beaches framed by the sparkling Caribbean Sea. Make sure to stop by San Juan’s city hall. The building was constructed in stages beginning in 1604 and finishing in 1789. A small information center is located near the entrance, and there is an art gallery on the first floor.

Trip Tip The Cathedral of San Juan Bautista showcases historic San Juan architecture.

WHERE TO EAT

WHERE TO STAY

WHERE TO SHOP

San Juan has everything from cafeteria-style cafés to five-star restaurants. Choices include local favorite La Casita Blanca, known for its generous portions of Puerto Rican fare, as well as La Casona Restaurant, which has been serving authentic Spanish cuisine since 1971.

For evening dining and dancing, El Patio de Sam serves up burgers and cold beer with live entertainment every night of the week except Sunday. The Parrot Club serves up Nuevo Latin cuisine. After dinner, stick around for some live Latin jazz or salsa music.

The old city area of San Juan is easily walkable and convenient for sightseeing.

Locations close to the city’s two forts offer spectacular views of history and sea, and the beach neighborhoods also offer boutique hotels.

Located in one of the most sought-after areas in San Juan, ESJ Azul resort, above, is just minutes away from the airport, Condado and Old San Juan with direct beach access. If you’re looking for a location near the pier, The offers modern conveniences, newly renovated rooms and a rooftop pool.

San Juan boasts the largest mall in the Caribbean.

Opened in 1968, Plaza Las Américas has more than 300 stores and the food court is a popular spot to meet and relax, offering more than 40 dining choices. For a true Puerto Rican shopping experience, visit the Plaza del Mercado. Roast pork sandwiches and tropical fruit shakes are available at some of the stalls and small local cantinas, and stay on into the evening for an offbeat Friday night happy hour that attracts both the buttonedup and laid-back bohemian crowd for a lively time.

Trip Tip

Trip Tip

Trip Tip

Restaurants near the harbor can be expensive. Head into the city for more affordable options.

If you need peace and quiet to sleep, choose lodging accommodations outside of the city.

Plaza Las Américas also features a movie theater for those who want a break from shopping and touring.

Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel

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Wildlife Wonders

Get up close with aquatic animals on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula

BY TINA LASSEN

A

dventurers including John Steinbeck and Jacques Cousteau have marveled at the teeming marine life along Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, the ragged landmass that stretches nearly 800 miles from California’s southern border.

Along the peninsula’s east coast, the Sea of Cortez harbors one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world, brimming with mammals, seabirds and hundreds of fish species — many of them found nowhere else in the world.

Plan to visit in early winter through spring, when you’ll find the most wildlife, the best weather and most frequent air service to Los Cabos, La Paz and Loreto — all good bases for a Baja wildlife adventure.

Here’s a guide to what to see and do:

SNORKELING THE EAST CAPE

GETTY IMAGES

Cousteau famously called the Sea of Cortez “the world’s aquarium,” and all it takes is a mask and snorkel to see for yourself. At the southeastern tip of the peninsula near Cabo San Lucas, underwater canyons and Baja’s only coral reef attract a wide array of marine life. Once threatened by overfishing, today the coral reef at Cabo Pulmo National Park pulses with life, a riot of waving sea fans, swirling clouds of tropical fish and the occasional sea turtle bobbing past. Cabo

Pulmo EcoAdventures (cabopulmoecoadven tures.com/en) offers guided excursions and bungalows just steps from the sea, run by local families who have been diving in the area for decades.

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LORETO PADDLING PARADISE North of La Paz, the tranquil fishing port of Loreto was once slated for Cancun-like tourism development. Instead, local citizens led a drive in 1996 to establish Bahía de Loreto National Park, protecting more than a half million acres of its wildlife-rich waters and five largely uninhabited islands scattered offshore. ROW Sea Kayak Adventures (seakayakad ventures.com) leads six- to eight-day paddling and camping trips among the islands, the best way to explore this magical mix of desert and sea where you are likely to be surrounded by animals. Dolphins cruise by in rowdy pods, nesting seabirds and basking sea lions crowd onto rocky outcrops, manta rays leap from the water and sail through the air.

Truly the gentle giants of the ocean, whale sharks rank as the largest fish in the world — a toothless, filter-feeding animal the size of a city bus. From October through March, they frequent the Bay of La Paz, cruising the plankton-rich waters around the sandy spit of El Mogote. You can join them, too, with Baja Expeditions (bajaex.com) and a handful of other outfitters who have permits to visit protected whale sharks areas. It’s surreal to slip into the water with these massive spotted beasts — nicknamed “dominos” by locals — as they glide gracefully past.

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GETTY IMAGES

WHALE SHARKS IN LA PAZ

WHERE TO STAY

CostaBaja Resort & Spa Enjoy views across La Paz Bay and the surrounding mountains at this resort north of downtown, with indoor and outdoor pools, al fresco dining, a fitness center and spa. The location offers easy access to the walkable shoreline and water activities at the marina next door. costabajaresort.com

GETTY IMAGES; COSTABAJA RESORT AND SPA ; HOTEL PASADA DE LAS FLORES LORETO

WHALE NURSERIES OF THE PACIFIC While you may spot whales anywhere in Baja waters, you can vastly improve your odds — and your experience — by traveling across the peninsula to the Pacific coast.

Each winter, thousands of gray whales travel south from Alaska to breed and give birth in Baja’s warm and protected saltwater lagoons such as Bahia Magdalena.

From Puerto San Carlos (about 120 miles southwest of Loreto), Magdalena Bay Whales (magdalenabaywhales.com) runs open-air skiffs out into the bay. In this whale nursery, mothers poke their heads out of the water (“spy hopping”) to give you a closer look and approach boats as though to introduce onlookers to their young calves. Locking eyes with one of these majestic creatures is sure to be a highlight of your wild Baja adventure.

Hotel Posada de las Flores Loreto On the corner of Loreto’s traditional town plaza, the Hotel Posada de las Flores welcomes guests into its charming interior courtyard with a splashing fountain. Spiral stairs lead to a glass-bottomed rooftop pool and guest rooms with handcrafted furniture. posadadelasflores.com

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Latinos are investing in real estate, lifting the economy

BY MATT ALDERTON

S

onoma County, Calif., is best known for wine.

But when Adriana Buenrostro moved there from Los Angeles six years ago, she wasn’t interested in growing grapes. Instead, what she most wanted to cultivate was a stable future for her family. “I wanted to start building wealth for my children,” says Buenrostro, 35, a single mother of two sons, ages 6 and 7. “And in my book, the best investment out there is real estate.”

Buenrostro found work as a property manager and eventually obtained her real estate license. In October 2016, she began selling real estate part time while she continued managing properties. For more than a year she lived off the salary from her first job and saved the commissions from her second. Then, in spring 2018, she had enough money for a down payment on her first home in Santa Rosa, Calif.

Although the house needed work, it’s more than twice

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for homes of their own. If they can sate their appetite, the entire country stands to gain.

PRIMED TO PURCHASE NAHREP co-founder and CEO Gary Acosta attributes the surge in Latino homeownership to a perfect storm of demographic, economic and cultural factors. According to NAHREP research data, demographically, he says, Latinos are a young population: Their median age is 28, which is 10 years younger than the general population. “Nearly 30 percent of Hispanics are millennials, who are just now moving into what I would consider prime homebuying years,” Acosta says.

Economically, Latinos have been buoyed by rising incomes and education. In 2016, for instance, median Hispanic household income increased 4.3 percent to

GETTY IMAGES

No Place Like Home

the size of her previous apartment — big enough to accommodate her mother, a first-generation Mexican immigrant who has moved in to help with child care.

Buenrostro is one of millions of Latinos whose American dream includes homeownership, according to the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP). In 2017, it reported that 7.5 million Hispanics owned homes in the United States, which equates to 46.2 percent of the Hispanic population. Although that’s down from 49.7 percent in 2007 — before the subprime mortgage crisis — it’s increased from a post-crisis low of 45.4 percent in 2014.

In fact, Hispanics are the only demographic whose rate of homeownership has increased each of the last three years, according to the study.

Clearly, Latinos hunger

$47,675, while the number in poverty declined to 19.4 percent or 11.1 million.

“The college graduation rate for Hispanics in this country is up almost 15 percent in the last 15 years, which is a big change,” says Ralph DiBugnara, vice president of retail sales at New Jersey-based mortgage lender Residential Home Funding. “Second- and third-generation homebuyers, especially, are more educated. With that, you’re seeing more established credit and improved income, which means more Hispanics in general are qualifying for loans.”

Additionally, there are cultural drivers. “Hispanics by nature have a very strong affinity towards homeownership,” Acosta says.

“Family is very essential to Hispanic culture, and the home provides the perfect setting for a thriving family environment.”

Jasmin Elizarraras is typical of many Latino homebuyers. The 28-yearold pediatric nurse recently purchased her first home.

“I grew up in California and lived in an apartment for basically all of my childhood,” says Elizarraras. Her parents immigrated from Mexico and had always dreamed of owning a home.

“Because the cost of living in California is so high, their dream was unattainable until we moved to Memphis.

That was in 2005, and my parents bought their first home in 2006. That influenced me. I decided not to rent and instead put money into something that’s mine.”

attractive to Latino buyers, business credit. That makes it doesn’t always come easy. it tough to qualify for a One challenge is financing, conventional loan.” according to NAHREP, which A related issue is educareports that 56 percent of tion. “The Hispanic comsurveyed Latinos believe it munity doesn’t understand would be difficult for them the system,” says real estate to qualify for a mortgage. In attorney Teresa Bernhardt, many cases they’re correct, board chair of Mi Techo, a according to Rick Sharga, Memphis-based nonprofit executive vice that provides president of bilingual Carrington education and Mortgage counseling.

Holdings, “Most of the lending us grew up subsidiary of with parents real estate who had a consortium mortgage and Hispanics owned homes Carrington talked to us in the United Holding about credit.

States in 2017 Company.

Hispanic SOURCE: National “The buyers didn’t, Association of Hispanic because in Hispanic Real Estate Professionals population Latin Ameriskews heavily can countries toward smallthe process is business not nearly as ownership,” he says. “A lot complicated as it is here.” of small-business people Another hurdle is the lack have problems with their of affordable housing. “The FICO scores because they biggest challenge right now mix personal credit with is the fact that there’s very

7.5 million

limited inventory in many of the key markets where Hispanics tend to live in large populations,” Acosta says.

Some lenders are committed to helping Hispanics overcome these obstacles.

For example, Carrington offers federally insured FHA loans that require lower down payments and have less rigorous lending standards, as well as proprietary loan products with underwriting guidelines that prioritize income and savings over credit. They’re also hiring more Latino staff.

“We are reaching out to the Latino community with loan products that are suited to their specific needs, and with loan officers, real estate agents and real estate brokers who are part of the culture itself,” Sharga says.

“It’s a lot easier for firsttime buyers when they’re dealing with somebody who understands where they come from and what they need.”

HOMEBUYING HURDLES Although real estate is

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Leading the Way

First-generation college students are blazing trails, with help along the path

S

tudents who are the first in their family to go to college or whose families have limited income are getting a helping hand from an increasing number of schools, says Archie Ervin, president of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education and Georgia Tech’s vice president for Institute Diversity. Facing lagging graduation rates for these traditionally underserved populations, many schools also have begun providing additional support to help these students succeed.

Many of these students receive financial assistance, but perhaps equally important, they’re getting academic, social and career support to help them keep up with their more advantaged peers. “Building confidence — that’s the real success of these programs,” Ervin says.

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Offerings vary by school and include specialized tutoring to build essential skills, mentorship, peer groups and bridge programs that begin in middle or high school to smooth the transition to college life.

Leanne Huebner, national board co-chair and co-founder of Minds Matter, a nonprofit that prepares low-income high school students for college, says that for many of these students, getting to college is “just like getting to the moon. You’re going somewhere no one in your family has ever gone.” Because of this challenge, the earlier first-generation students can begin accessing programs specific to their needs, the better, she says.

These three students are the first in their families to pursue a higher education, and they share how specialized programs are helping them fulfill their dreams:

GETTY IMAGES

BY DENISE S. VALENTI

EXPLORE. EXPERIENCE. EXCEL. Eastern New Mexico University.

ENMU Among the top 50 “Best for Hispanic Students” in Nation-2018.

-BestColleges.com ENMU was named one of the top 50 online Latina and HispanicServing Higher Learning Institutions in the nation.

-OnlineCollegePlan.com The 5th lowest in-state tuition in the southwest -Chronicle of Higher Education Top 25 lowest out-of-state tuition in the country.

-AffordableCollegesOnline.org

enmu.edu/Visit

TRENDS

Keep going. You’re just as intelligent.

It’s attainable. It might seem impossible, but it’s not.”

— JAILENE FALCON

Brandon Rodriguez hadn’t planned to attend college, but after joining College Tracks, a support program for low-income, firstgeneration-to-college students in his county, he couldn’t imagine not going. The scholarships and support he received through Goucher College’s Maryland Scholars and Phoenix Scholars programs made his decision a no-brainer.

The programs offered bridge services that allowed him to arrive on campus early and get acclimated to his new environment. Through the Phoenix Scholars, he receives academic advising, writing and research preparation, mentorship and access to organized social activities.

“The Phoenix Scholars program is making sure we graduate on time, making sure we have the

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resources to do well in our classes and building a community of our students,” he says.

His biggest challenge has been helping his mother, who is from El Salvador, understand his college life. “(Your parents) don’t understand your workload; they don’t understand what you do every single day,” he says. Rodriguez finally programmed his class schedule into his mother’s phone, so she would know when it was OK to call or text him, but he says he still wishes he had someone in his family who understood what it was like to write a 25-page paper at 2 a.m.

“I wish I had a family that could say, ‘Oh, I remember when that happened, but don’t worry because in 20 years you’ll have a steady job.’”

dropped out, but Falcon remained, primarily because of the services offered through the university and federal TRIO programs, which assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students and individuals with disabilities.

The school and these services gave her access to tutors, computers, free printing and an academic adviser, who encouraged her to complete a semester abroad in France.

Falcon also joined a multicultural sorority, Sigma Lambda Gamma, expanding her social circle.

“The sorority and social aspect of it and having that community really helped,” she says.

Jailene Falcon

University of Colorado, Boulder, Class of 2018

PROVIDED BY BRANDON RODRIGUEZ; PROVIDED BY JAILENE FALCON

Brandon Rodriguez

Goucher College, Baltimore, Class of 2021

The youngest of five siblings, Jailene Falcon is the daughter of a Puerto Rican father and Ecuadorian mother, neither of whom finished high school.

Growing up, Falcon says she felt a college degree was far from her reach.

She was accepted to UC Boulder after a high school French teacher encouraged her to apply and assisted her with the process. Once on campus, however, she immediately felt the culture shock, both academically and socially.

“Going to a predominantly white institution and coming from a community like Miami, it makes you question, ‘Do I fit in?’” she says.

Several of her friends

“My first language is Spanish, I’m a second generation American, and I’m the first person in my family to attend college. When I told my parents that I was applying to West Point, they were concerned because, in their eyes, yeah… I’m their baby girl. “ But I knew West Point was the right decision for me, because [here] I’m getting more than an education – I’m growing into the person I’ve always wanted to be.

“Also, I’m accomplishing so much more than I could have imagined. I’ve repelled out of a helicopter, hiked a twelve mile roadmarch in full gear, and made it through both Cadet Basic and Field Training – all of that while staying on top of my academic schedule and advancing in my leadership development training.

“Funny thing - the last time I visited home, I overheard my father bragging to our neighbor, ‘There isn’t anything my little Marina cannot accomplish.’ Thanks, dad.”

– CDT Marina Camacho

Every cadet receives a fully funded education including room, board, books, tuition, full medical and dental benefits, and an annual salary.

westpointadmissions.com

Every graduate is guaranteed employment as a leader, making a difference in a meaningful profession of their choosing, as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army.

TRENDS

Moving cross-country from a rural farming community to a sprawling city would be a big deal for anyone, but it was especially daunting for Candy Alfaro.

She remembers wheeling her two suitcases by herself when she arrived at the University of Pennsylvania campus while she watched other students moving in with help from their families.

Alfaro, whose parents are Mexican and speak only Spanish, had help preparing for college through Johns — CANDY ALFARO Hopkins Center for Talented Youth Scholars program, which paired her with an adviser, paid for her to visit college campuses while she was still in high school and offered counseling and information to her family in Spanish.

Don’t be scared to ask for help. It’s OK if you don’t get something on your first try.”

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2019

But even as a highachieving student, she found her freshman year at college academically challenging. “My high school wasn’t as rigorous as Penn was,” she says. “It was difficult managing my time.”

The university’s Penn First program, which launched the same year she arrived on campus, helps ensure the success of first-generation and low-income students.

Alfaro says it has been useful in helping her access resources and network with fellow students, administrators and even alumni.

She has taken her involvement in the program a step further by becoming an officer and helping to create new resources for future students in her position, including an early orientation program for many, who like her, arrive at campus alone.

“We wanted to start building that community from the very first day,” she says.

If you’re a first-generation student considering applying to college, there are plenty of resources to make the process easier and to put you on your path to success.

Here are some resources to get you started: uCoalition of Access and Affordability coalitionfor collegeaccess.org

uFederal TRIO Programs www2.ed.gov about/offices/list/ ope/trio

uMinds Matter mindsmatter.org

uNational College Access Network collegeaccess.org

uStrive for College ustrive.com

PROVIDED BY CANDY ALFARO; GETTY IMAGES

Candy Alfaro

University of Pennsylvania, Class of

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FACT Immigrants are changing U.S. demographics.

Fact and Myths

What people get right — and not-so right — when it comes to the immigration debate

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BY GINA HARKINS

onversations about immigration in the U.S. can get passionate quickly, which might leave you wondering whether the arguments you hear on both sides are accurate. Here’s a look at some of the facts and common misconceptions surrounding the hot-button issue:

HISPANIC LIVING | FALL 2018

This is true, said Muzaffar Chishti, director of the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute’s office at the New York University School of Law. The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which ended a quota system from the 1920s, “changed the look of our country forever,” Chishti says.

Immigrants are settling in more places in the U.S, too. Traditionally, they settled in six states: California, New York, Illinois, Texas, Florida and New Jersey. Now, states such as Iowa and South Carolina are seeing a boost in their foreign-born populations, Chishti says, and that’s a significant shift.

American citizens of Hispanic descent are one of the fastestgrowing groups in the U.S., says Raúl Hinojosa-Ojeda, a professor with UCLA’s Latin American Institute. “Even if they stopped immigration all together … it’s inevitable in the next 25 years, that the nonwhite population will become the majority,” he says.

MYTH Immigrants are not interested in assimilating.

GETTY IMAGES

It can take time for immigrants to build up their income and invest in education or homeownership, Chishti says. But after about a decade, he notes, that evens out.

Many immigrants also arrive in this country somewhat assimilated, Chishti adds, because American movies, TV shows and music are so popular abroad.

Once they’re here, immigrants sometimes feel pressured to assimilate just to feel a part of the conversation. “How are you going to follow a TV drama everyone’s talking about, for example, if you don’t learn English?” Chishti says.

MYTH Immigrants take from the system without contributing.

MYTH Increased immigration numbers result in higher crime rates.

Immigration almost always ends up being a strong net positive to the economy, HinojosaOjeda says. That’s because they tend to increase the output of goods and services, pay fees like sales taxes, and typically don’t qualify for social services such as welfare, he explains. Many illegal immigrants pay into programs like Social Security, Chishti notes, because they sometimes use other people’s documentation to get jobs.

Social Security numbers are also sometimes issued to immigrants cleared to work in the U.S. temporarily or to refugees or greencard holders allowed to remain in the country indefinitely.

According to both Chishti and Hinojosa-Ojeda, there’s no evidence to support this claim. “Just look at New York City,” Chishti says. "The growth there in the last 20 years has happened almost exclusively from immigration, yet crime rates have consistently gone down.” This was also true across more than 136 U.S. cities where studies found immigration increased between 1980 and 2016, according to a March report from The New York Times. In nearly 70 percent of cities that saw higher rates of immigration, crime stayed the same or even decreased.

MYTH Immigrants and refugees are dangerous.

This is perhaps the biggest myth, Chishti says.

Refugees are more carefully vetted than any other group that comes in the U.S. through rigorous security checks and interviews. Historically, refugees have made great contributions to American society, Hinojosa-Ojeda adds. When the U.S. accepted refugees after World War II and the Vietnam War, he says it not only displayed compassion but also allowed new populations to succeed. “Refugees show a great love for the country that brought them in under incredibly difficult circumstances,” he says.

MYTH Americans are more anti-immigrant today than they've been in the past.

Not necessarily, Chishti says. One of Benjamin Franklin’s most widely circulated papers included anti-German messaging, he says. Americans have long shown mixed signals on legal and illegal immigration, from the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which prohibited Chinese laborers from entering the country, and the move to limit the number of Eastern and Southern Europeans entering the United States in 1924. “These are deep roots in our history,” Chishti says.

IMMIGRANT OR REFUGEE? Not all immigrants are considered refugees. Refugee status is a special protection granted to those who fear persecution in their home countries based on race or nationality, religion, social group or political opinion, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

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EDUCATION

To learn more about Code2040’s programs, visit code2040.org.

Breaking the Code Program promotes diversity in the tech industry

I

nclusiveness and diversity are becoming increasingly valued as core company values and the technology industry is no exception. Code2040, a fellowship program headquartered in San Francisco, is equipping black and Latino college students with the experience and connections needed to enter this field with confidence.

Laura Weidman Powers and Tristan Walker started Code 2040 in 2012.

The two business school friends were catching up over coffee when Weidman Powers was working at a tech startup. She shared her observations with Walker that there seemed to be a staggering lack of representation of blacks and Latinos in Silicon Valley.

While statistics show black and Latino students earn nearly 20 percent of computer science bachelor’s degrees, they make up around 5 percent of the technical workforce at top tech companies, notes Allison Jones, Code2040’s senior director of marketing and communications. “Those jobs have the power to transform the trajectories of marginalized communities,” she says.

Jones further explains that by the year 2040, according to U.S. Census data,

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Tech Trek Code2040 offers qualified black and Latino computer science/ engineering majors the opportunity to attend Tech Trek sessions.

The allexpenses-paid, weeklong program connects 50 students from across the country with a peer network as well as tech business leaders, engineers and innovators during company tours and sessions.

people of color will be the majority in the United States, hence the name of the program.

The 10-week summer fellowships for college- and graduate-level computer science students serve as an “intensive career accelerator,” says Jones.

Participants have the opportunity to network with fellow students as well as dozens of tech industry personnel and participate in skill-building workshops to ensure they are workforce ready.

Code2040 has a list of top-tier industry partners, including Intel, Google, Intuit, Twitter, Bloomberg, Spotify, LinkedIn and Goldman Sachs.

Dayanna Espinoza, a 24-year-old Peru native, is one of Code2040’s many success stories. Through her fellowship, she was able to earn internships at Lyft and Apple. She says Code2040 volunteers facilitate the internship application process and help fellows with their professional communication skills.

Espinoza now works at Oracle as a software engineer. Prior to her fellowship, she “felt I didn’t fit in, but the program gave me confidence (and) role models in tech who looked like me.”

Code2040 made the difference between feeling she was “working in tech versus belonging in tech,” she says.

KENNETH EKE; GETTY IMAGES

BY JORDAN PECAR

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EDUCATION

Mighty Writers

Program inspires young students to tell their stories through prose

BY JORDAN PECAR

S

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What we’ve found is that once children learn to express themselves clearly, almost everything about them changes.”

— TIM WHITAKER

workshops that emphasize writing in Spanish. Mexican-American artist and Philadelphia community volunteer Nora Litz started an eight-week comic book workshop that encourages students to convey their immigration experiences in the form of comic book strips.

The popular classes have proved therapeutic for many of the children, and Whitaker has witnessed

The Philadelphia-based Mighty Writers program offers workshops, mentoring and afterschool tutoring for children ages 7 to 17.

profound transformations that take place when participants find their voice and start writing.

“What we’ve found is that once children learn to express themselves clearly, almost everything about them changes,” he says. “Their confidence and self-esteem grow; they handle setbacks. They do better at school; they have more friends and — maybe most importantly — they see a pathway to future success.” In fact, according to Whitaker, “More than 90 percent of the kids that go through our program go on to college.”

PROVIDED BY MIGHTY WRITERS

tarted in 2009 as a small writing workshop in the Philadelphia area, the Mighty Writers (mightywriters.org) program has grown to encompass daily afterschool sessions, writing classes, teen scholar programs, mentorships, college prep courses and college essay instruction for children ages 7 to 17.

The nonprofit group enlists more than 400 volunteers — writers, educators and journalists — to teach and mentor about 3,000 kids annually.

Mighty Writers founder and executive director Tim Whitaker, a former grade school teacher, hopes to continue expanding the program: “From the beginning, our goal has been to reach as many kids as we can with the power of writing. We now have six locations in Philadelphia — and one in Camden, N.J. — and we still think there’s a lot of room to grow in our general metropolitan area.”

According to Whitaker, the Mighty Writers curriculum tends to be more comprehensive than most public school writing exercises. “At most schools, the emphasis is on math, science and standardized testing. Writing is back of the bus, an all but forgotten skill,” he says.

The program also offers

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LAST WORD

Just the Beginning Latina shakes up representation in New York

BY HERB JACKSON

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in the Bronx to two workingnight of her win, according to class parents. Her father was a the Associated Press. “Workingsmall-business owner from the class Americans want a clear South Bronx. Her mother was champion, and there is nothing born in Puerto Rico — growing radical about moral clarity in up around a large family near 2018.”

Arecibo. Her mother cleaned Ezra Levin, co-executive homes and everyone pitched in director of the Indivisible on the family business.

Project, an advocacy group Ocasio-Cortez refers that supported Ocasioto herself as “an Cortez, compared educator, orgaher win to the 2014 nizer, Democratic primary in which Ocasio-Cortez socialist and bornHouse Majority is one of the and-raised New Leader Eric Cantor, youngest nominees Yorker running to R-Va., was beaten for Congress. champion working

by David Brat, a families in Congress.” challenger propelled She was the first by the tea party primary challenger Crowley movement. “A new political had faced in 14 years. “We meet era is dawning — and the a machine with a movement, rusting and reluctant political and that is what we have done establishment will wake up or today,” Ocasio-Cortez said the be woken,” Levin says.

New Era

SPENCER PLATT/GETTY IMAGES

O

n June 26, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 28-year-old who’s never held elected office, defeated New York City Congressman Joe Crowley in the state’s primary.

Ocasio-Cortez raised $300,000 to her opponent’s $3.3 million, but it was enough for her first run for office in a New York City district covering parts of Queens and the Bronx. Her defeat of the 10-term lawmaker sent shock waves through the House Democratic caucus.

Crowley had been considered a party favorite for House speaker if Democrats win the majority in November.

According to Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign website, she was born

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