Coca-Cola #DestapaSuFuturo campaign!

Not only did my heritage greatly influence my decision to attend post secondary school, but it also influenced my career choice, or what was supposed to be a career... I say "supposed to be a career" because I received my degree, had a great job offer, but decided to travel instead...and when I got back, I went into the complete opposite field.

But anyways, being a minority, at least here in Vancouver, I was often the victim or witness of racial discrimination. As I grew older I realized that my ethnic group wasn't the only one that faced discrimination; especially throughout the levels of the justice system. During my high school days, I thought I wanted to be an officer, so I could have that connection and compassion with the most vulnerable of minorities. Then in my first year of college I realized that if you want to be a cop, you have to be ok with potentially killing someone. And that's when I decided being a cop wasn't for me,lol. So I started volunteering with at risk youth, who were prominently ethnic minorities. I knew that education can steer someone's life in the right direction, so I often encouraged youth to attend school, help with their homework and talk to them about what I was getting my degree in. When some of the youth showed interest in attending post secondary in the future, they mentioned how it would be close to impossible for them to afford it.

I informed them that they weren't alone, that like myself, probably half of post secondary school students can't really "afford" school, but thanks to working one (or more) jobs, scholarships  and going at a steady pace, were able to attend university/college. 

Scholarships are life savers, they come in as little as a couple hundred dollars, to thousand(s) and even a full ride. And there are scholarships for everything; grades, sports, service to community, ethnic groups, clubs, etc. If you are wanting to attend or are attending a post secondary institute, I highly recommend you apply for every single scholarship out there, that's how I received mine, lol. I say the more you apply for, the higher probability you get one...

And speaking of scholarships, the #DestapaSuFuturo/ Uncap Their Future Scholarship deadline is on October 31, 2012; that's in 12 DAYS. If you are a student aged 16 and above, you must apply for this great scholarship, that awards over $300, 000 in scholarships during Hispanic Heritage Month. You can apply by clicking HERE. Also, if you know someone who is a student aged 16 and above, don't hesitate to send them the application link for this scholarship. Please don't wait until the last minute to answer how your heritage affects your career goals, the importance of education in your life, and your community service experiences. For more information on the #DestapaSuFuturo / Uncap Their Future Scholoarship, check out www.hsf.net/cocacola. 

Remember a scholarship can save a life.

This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Coca-Cola and Latina Bloggers Connect. However, all opinions are 100% my own.

The Dove Movement for Self-Esteem #Doveinspired

Although society has manipulated many into believing that beauty only comes in one form; looks, it is completely false. I find it ridiculous that the majority of girls, and women on television/ads are always skinny. 

Especially taunting was the Victoria Secret "I love my body campaign," instead of making women feel secure and safe in their own body, I bet this campaign did the exact opposite and made many of us feel insecure. I know I was caught up in it for a minute and thought out loud "I'd love to have their body," feeling insecure and anxiety about my own body. Quickly my husband replied "Well I love your body just the way it is, and I wouldn't change anything about it."  Pop! He brought me back to my reality, I do love my body, every bump, lump, bulge, whatever you wanna call it, I own it, and LOVE it. Beauty should be a source of confidence, not anxiety. 

Months later, I came across the Dove "Real Beauty Campaign," and girl, I felt like I fit right in with that crew. They were gorgeous, and to see the different sizes and how confident they looked, made me feel so secure and confident too! Dove really nailed it with their "Real Beauty Campaign." They stated the REALITY, beauty comes in many forms, shapes, and sizes. 

Did you know that anxiety about looks begins at an early age and holds girls back from reaching their full potential. According to Dove global research, 72 percent of girls (ages 10-17) feel tremendous pressure to be beautiful and  Only 11 percent of girls (ages 10-17) are comfortable using the word beautiful to describe themselves.

Everyone has the opportunity to make a difference is a girl's self-esttem. I often have conversations with my husband about beauty; how it's perceived in the media, what beauty is in reality, how to feel/accept and love our body, what is/isn't healthy and most importantly, how we will discuss/portray beauty with our children in the future. Did you know that more than half of girls globally say their mother is their number one female role model (66 percent U.S., 59 percent Canada).

I strongly encourage you to take action and start a conversation about beauty with the girls and women in your life, it can make a world of difference.  You can find out more about Dove's Beauty and Self-Esteem initiative by visiting Vive Mejor and Vive Mejor’s Hablemos (Let’s Talk) information page, where you will find tools that will help you motivate and inspire all the girls in your life.

Dove invites women across the U.S. to participate in the Dove Self-Esteem Weekend, taking place October 5-7 nationwide.

• Dove partner organizations will host events nationwide
• Walmart stores will have designated areas within the store where visitors can share a message of encouragement to girls
• he Kroeger Co. will host a self-esteem event in Cincinnati for local members of Boys & Girls Clubs

Let's talk about beauty and self-esteem!

Join program expert, People en Espanol columnist and parenting expert Jeannette Torres-Alvarez TODAY, Thursday October 4th, from 7-8 pm EST on Facebook chat, to talk about  beauty and self-esteem. To join the chat visit facebook.com/vivemejor. 

Disclosure: This post is compensated and in collaboration with DOVE and Latina Bloggers Connect. OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

Lifeables: Organizing pictures, videos, and so much more!

Since I have family and friends in many corners of the world, the internet has improved how we connect throughout the years. Honestly, if it wasn’t for Facebook, I wouldn’t know what so many of my families and friends little babies look like. Thanks to these different social networks on the internet, like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram we’re able to have that online connection with family and friends who are near and far.

I enjoy sharing pictures, videos and posts on my various social networks, especially to Facebook, since the majority of my “friends” are family who reside in a different country. I love that I’m able to see photos of of loved ones during special moments in their lives, that I wasn’t able to attend, like a wedding, or a birthday. I love sharing photos of recent milestones with loved ones because that allows them to share the moment with me. I hope that when they are browsing through the photos, they feel as though they were there with me. For example, our wedding in Guadalajara, many of my family members from Honduras and USA were not able to attend, so we posted several of the photos onto Facebook so that they would be able to see our special night. During my wedding, I took various photos via my Instagram account to keep a record of what I looked like throughout the fun of getting hair and makeup done. I also tweeted a  few photos of my bridesmaids getting ready!

I have so many photos on different social networks, that sometime I get overwhelmed trying to organize (or download/screenshots) them manually, that I more than often give up.  But, recently I was introduced to Lifeables, which is kind of like a virtual scrapbook that organizes all of your photos, videos, posts and even events! It's super fast and easy to do. You sign up, connect your various social networks and let Lifeables do the organizing for you.

"Lifeables is the first service that automates the entire process of capturing, sorting through, organizing and displaying your family stories. In just seconds, Lifeables will filter through all of your content, bringing together the pictures, posts, videos and comments most important to you – formatting everything automatically." And to top things off, this product is completely secure and free! 

Now, all of my pre-wedding photos, tweets are organized! Hehehe, I think this product is especially awesome for organizing all of those milestones in your life; wedding, babies, graduation, trips, etc. What are you waiting for? Give it a try, it's FREE.

Disclosure: This post is compensated and in collaboration with Lifeables and Latina Bloggers Connect. OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

Why Avocados Are a Staple Food in My Family´s Kitchen

I  believe my obsession started years ago when I would visit family in Honduras because they ate aguacates at any time of the day; for breakfast, lunch, dinner..and snacks! I guess because they are grown local, so they aren't very pricey and very nutritious. 

I remember my cousin's would make us breakfast, and there were always avocados involved. Whether it was fresh handmade tortillas with avocado puree inside and a few sprinkles of salt, or the traditional Honduran breakfast (see last sentence in first paragraph). 

Things haven't change much these days, I'm still an avid avocado lover and have made my husband into one. Hahaha. I guess you can say that my husband and have a slight obsession with aguacates. If they weren't so expensive I think we'd eat them everyday, LOL. The great thing about avocados is that they go with anything. For example, we make tons of spicy guacamole during the summer months to accompany la carne asada. Yumm! We also make a mean avocado salsa for our killer quesadillas and burritas. And any Hondurans reading this now, know that avocados are a staple, especially for breakfast. Mmmm, got me drooling over here just thinking of some avocados con frijolitos fritos, eggs, mantequilla and platanos fritos (or tortillas). Oh, can't forget some quajada if you're lucky or stinky cheese ahahaha. Yup, avocados are a staple food in my family's kitchen!

One of our favorite breakfast meals is the SHRIMP'n'AVOCADO benny, hashbrowns and fresh fruit, con un buen cafecito y jugo de naranja on the side. I swear, if you don't like avocados, you will after I share this great SHRIMP'n'AVOCADO recipe! Hehehe, and if you are already an avocado lover, well, this is going to blow your mind.

When we first started making eggs benedict we had no idea how to make holladaise sauce, so we Googled it and tried a four different recipes over a couple months. The best recipe for Hollandaise sauce that we have found so far, is from the Food Network. We knew how to poach eggs, so we were ready to start cookin ;)

SHRIMP'n'AVOCADO Eggs Bennedict for Two.

Ingredients:

• 2 Avocado
• Mini Shrimp- I usually grab two large handful
• 4 Poached Eggs
• Hollandaise Sauce (Click here for recipe)
• 2 English Muffins

Steps:

1. Cut, peel and mash avocados in bowl
2. Make hollandaise sauce
3. Poach eggs 
4. Boil water in pot and when it comes to a boil, turn off and throw frozen shrimp in for 5 mins
5. Toast English muffins while shrimp cooking

Assemble:

1. Spread avocado mash onto both sides of sliced English muffin (repeat 3x)
2. Place a small handful of shrimp on top of each avocado (repeat 3x)
3. Apply poached eggs on top of shrimp (repeat 3x)
4. Generously drizzle hollandaise sauce over the eggs (repeat 3x)

If you like, you can slice up some fresh fruit and pop some hashbrowns in the oven, and you'll have a great 'ol breakfast!! Enjoy and let me know if you try it out!

If you are looking for some delicious avocado recipes, check out the Avocados from Mexico website, or their Facebook fanpage, where readers are sharing their favorite avocado recipes.

Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaign with Avocados from Mexico and Latina Bloggers Connect. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

Festival People en Español Presented by Target

If you live in San Antonio, Texas or you reside somewhere close to San Antonio, I insist that you check out People en Español Festival presented by Target THIS WEEKEND, September 1-2. This festival offers free events during the day (9am-5pm), and performances by Latino superestrellas like Luis Miguel at night, starting at $43.

People en Español Festival is bringing out the biggest names in the Latino music industry! I love that there is a good variety of music genres being represented; Tropical (Olga Tañon), Bachata (Prince Royce), Rock (Chris Perez), Tribal (3BallMTY), Balada (Luis Miguel), y por su puesto Banda (Banda Los Recoditos). 

I'd like to see 3BallMTY (Tribal Monterrey) perform, DJ'ing is still performing right? LOL. Anyways, there hit song, Intentalo always gets me moving! Actually, Gabriel and I have a dance that we do when we hear this song, we call it "The T-Rex." Hahaha, seriously! Picture a T-Rex running, now add a little bounce to each step ;) Hahaha, try it out!!

Bueno, back to Intentalo, it's a perfect tune to get you hyped up for a work out, or a night out ;) Oh, if you haven't hear of Tribal, I'd say it's like a mix of Electronic and Traditional Mexican beats, interesting right?  The guys (3BallMTY) don't do the singing on their songs, they feature upcoming artists. They (3BallMTY) do the playing; DJ and electrical instruments.

Take a listen to their catchy,upbeat, mix of rhythms...

Without a doubt, this festival is going to be amazing. Besides watching some music performances and dancing to some great music, there will be meet and greets with TeleNovela actors Maite Perroni and David Zepeda, Q&A sessions with celebrities and panels where you can hear the latest tips on subjects like lifestyle (ex: how to balance a career and motherhood), fashion to wellness.

People en Español Festival is about celebrating the beautiful and vibrant Hispanic culture, entertainment and community.

Mamiverse, an online magazine for Latina Moms is hosting three amazing twitter parties this week. You DO NOT want to miss the Twitter parties; Mamiverse is giving away fabulous prizes including 16 concert tickets and $900 in Target gift cards!! Below is the information for the parties:

• Glamazon’ Twitter Party on Thursday 8/30 at 9-10pm EST on what it means to be beautiful (both inside and out) as women, Latinas, and moms CLICK TO RSVP
• Virtual Make-Over ‘Salon’ on Saturday 9/1 at 3-4pm EST will mirror a ‘Beauty Day’ with your bestie, on-site make-up tips, techniques, etc. CLICK TO RSVP
• El Mundo Baila Twitter Party on Sunday 9/1 at 3-4pm EST will focus on the Latin music featured at Festival, including favorite songs, pictures of key moments in artists lives, etc. CLICK TO RSVP

For more Twitter Party information on Facebook. Looking forward to seeing you at one of the parties, remember to use the #targetatfestival when participating in the twitter festivities! 

This post is compensated and in collaboration with Latina Bloggers Connect .

Heart of Haiti, Myrta Balan

Gifts that give back are undoubtedly the best. Now I am sure that everyone remembers the natural disaster that shook Haiti in 2010. The earthquake left the citizens of Haiti distraught; without resources, jobs, food, etc.

Heart of Haiti is a collection of serve-wear, home decor, and jewelry. Each piece is hand-crafted by Haitian artisans, like  Myrta Balan, who made the bracelet I received. 

By purchasing products from the Heart of Haiti collection, found at Macy's, you will be helping a Haitian artisan provide food, clothing and other daily necessities for their families. They will be able to pay for their children's school fees, and make repairs to their homes. But most importantly, they will have a steady income. Price ranges are from $10-$60, and they are actually on sale right now! Click here to view the collection.

A bonus, is that the materials used to create these beautiful Haitian crafts are made from either recycled, or raw materials!

Myrta Balan is the first woman metal artisan in Croix de Bouquets. Her inspiration comes from the Tree of Life, which symbolizes the goodness and bounty of the universe. Sharing this joy with you is what inspires her to continue to create and teach others this unique craft.

Get to know the amazingly talented artisans that bring life into Heart of Haiti. Click here to read their moving stories.

Disclosure: This is not a paid post, it is part of the Heart of Haiti campaign with Latina Bloggers Connect. I did receive the bracelet, pictured in the post as a gift.