latin connection magazine

www.latinconnectionmag.comErica Cuascut

conexion latina y masJanuary 2012

Ms. Latina internationaLunited states 2011 ® DigiFotos Photography

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Ask JefeHappy 2012!By Wayne “Jefe” M. Zamora

I am ready for 2012 but there a few things from 2011 that I need to close in order to move forward. As for one of my New Year’s resolutions, I will try to make anything negative into a positive. Must try to keep that positive energy flowing. And of course try to stay on a healthy diet. We post many healthy recipes from Ms. Sharon Fox and Healthy tips from Dr. Judy Staveley. We’re glad to have Nadia Sahari on board with us. Last year she attended the Emmys and wrote about her experience at the Emmys. Now there’s an event that most average folk never get the chance to experience. Rubbing elbows with stars! Of course, if you did get that lucky, then you would need someone like KN Cosmetics to help you with that celebrity look! Great glamour tips from Katherine. It’s great to see and read about the beautiful areas and events of South Florida with Destination South Florida with Gretta Vitta! Looking forward to Gretta’s show this coming year, Spanglish con Gretta. We are now getting some activity from the New York area. Sounds like a road trip to me. Speaking of road trips, Latin Connection Magazine may be doing a road trip to Nashville in the spring. Looking for Latinos in Country.

Latina QueensI have never seen so many beautiful Latina Queens. Every time I search for Latina Queens I find more. There seems to be several Latina pageants throughout the country. This year we are happy to have Miss Cinco de Mayo, Miss California Latina and Miss Teen California Latina pageant winners. Go west coast! I would love to attend one of these pageants and take photos from the beginning to the end. Hey, another road trip!

AdditionsWe’ve already started on a positive note with our fan pages. We are going to run monthly contests using our fan pages with great prizes to win. Congrats to Tisa Marie Price, our first winner! Please make sure to follow us on twitter and LIKE our fan page on facebook. You have to visit our fan

pages to know what contest is running at the moment. See our links below.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/LatinConnection

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/

LatinConnectionMagazine

Well Kept SecretsBe on the lookout for this rising star! Raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina the beautiful Ms. Suzanne Revell. Thank you Suzanne for being a part of Latin Connection Magazine. It is an honor and pleasure. Please read about her in our Latinos in Hollywood section. n

Participating in the magazine: We encourage our readers to participate. Please email us with your family photos, work photos, birthday photos, etc. If you would like for us to add you to our email list let us know or if you want to come off the email list we like to know that also but don’t really want that. My email is [email protected] we hope you enjoy this issue of Latin Connection Magazine.To be removed from the mailing list, just reply with REMOVE in the subject line.


InspirationsBiography

Born on August 4th, in the city of Brooklyn, New York and raised between the United States and Puerto Rico. Her parents are both from Puerto Rico. During her childhood, she spent her holidays and summers in Puerto Rico with her family where she learned about her Hispanic roots and culture.

After graduating from high school, she moved to Puerto Rico with her mom. Erica began to study Computer Programming at Universal Technology College of Puerto Rico in Aguadilla, PR for two years where she graduated and received an Associate degree. She then relocated to Florida where she is currently majoring in Broadcast Journalism and Motion Picture/TV Production at Palm Beach State College.

The former Latina Beauty Queen started in the arts and entertainment industry at an early age. Multitalented, charismatic, hardworking, outgoing and beautiful inside out are just some of the characteristics that define Erica. With a charming personality, loving, honest, determined, and persistent, a dreamer who loves life and is determined and passionate to do the best she can with her talents. Spontaneous and disciplined because it keeps her balanced but always does the things she enjoys because she understands that life is a journey and not just a destination. She believes that life is about finding your true potential and not settling for anything less.

As a child, Erica developed many talents just to name a few: Dance

(Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Gymnastics, Lyrical, and Hip Hop). She started Ice Skating at the age of 5 and acting at age 7. She became passionate in the world of dance where she had 16 years of dance training and considered dancing professionally and auditioning for Broadway dance Musicals in New York City. She filmed her first TV cereal commercial at the age of 7 at Barbizon Modeling Agency in New York. She has modeled for many fashion shows such as Fashion Designers Expo and modeled gowns for Zola Keller. Erica was recently a featured extra on “Step Up 4” and has been an extra on “Havana Nights” and “Wuthering Heights.” She has been a model in music videos and television series extra roles such as “Burn Notice.” She started modeling at the age of 14 when her mom signed her up for a local pageant at the mall and won her first local pageant. Dance and acting still play a huge interest and impact in her life.

Erica is thankful and blessed her parents raised her to be the role model she is today. Her parents never doubted for a second that she would walk home with all the trophies since she happened to be a camera lover way before she could even talk and walk and that her smile attracted people since they could remember.

Her passion for learning and volunteering with a diversity of charitable organizations keeps her busy. This year, she has had the pleasure of traveling Florida, New York and Puerto Rico. Involved in many charitable events. Some of the many charities Erica has been involved in includes: Make a Wish Foundation, American Heart

Association, Big sisters of Palm Beach County, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and the American Cancer Society. In 2012, Erica will be doing charitable work for Horses Healing Hearts an organization that helps children who have been hurt by a family with addiction to heal emotionally, build self-esteem, and learn life-coping skills by working with horses. During her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, running, dance, horseback riding, Ice Skating, and writing.

Within the world of beauty pageants, she has obtained the following titles: Reina Juvenile Fiestas Patronales Rincon, Puerto Rico, Miss Mundo de Rincon, Puerto Rico, Miss Florida Belleza Latina 2008, Ms. Latina International Puerto Rico 2010, and is currently the reigning Ms. Latina International United States 2011. In, 2003, Erica wanted to take her modeling career to the next level and competed in Miss World Puerto Rico. She did not make it as a runner up but explains that she considered herself a winner through the experience and many opportunities that she gained when she competed. She had the opportunity of hosting on “El Show de las 12” on Telemundo which she became passionate about and was featured on a commercial countdown for Miss World Puerto

erica cuascut

® DigiFotos Photography


Rico. She met and networked with many people in the entertainment industry. Erica never gave up hope on winning an international title. She came out of the experience craving for more and when she moved to Florida, she competed in Miss Belleza Latina International as Miss Florida Belleza Latina and one year later, entered the Ms. Latina International Organization and won the title as Ms. Latina International Puerto Rico 2010. She then competed for the title of Ms. Latina International United States and won the title. During her reign as Ms. Latina International United States, she attended the following events: Winterfest Black Tie Gala and Boat Parade, Telemundos Latin Billboard Awards, Miss Miami USA Pageant, Miss Palm Beach County USA Pageant, Interview with Miami TV among many other events. In June 2011, she had the pleasure of being featured in the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City where she was interviewed by the media and was featured in the following newspapers and magazines: El Especialito Newspaper in New York City, Palm Beach Illustrated. Erica also currently has a section on Bella Mundos online magazine:http://www.bellamondos.com

She taught modeling at Jorge Seda Crespo, a public school in Rincon, Puerto Rico where she developed an amazing experience with 80 students to become models and prepare them for fashion shows that she coordinated. To Erica, that was an experience she will never forget and she never looses hope of owning her own modeling agency in Puerto Rico someday.

Future plans for Ms. Latina International United States 2011: Beginning 2012, Erica will be hosting her own Internet radio show on blogtalkradio.com and completing her degree in broadcast journalism. She would like to continue her MA

in broadcast journalism/Acting for Film and TV and Dance at the New York Film Academy. With hopes of becoming the next successful Mun TV and MTV host, hosting her own music and entertainment show in the Latino market, owning her modeling and talent agency in Puerto Rico and acting in a telenovela. Erica is currently in the process of beginning a modeling program in Puerto Rico for girls from the ages of 5-28. The program will consist of coordinating fashion shows, runway modeling, etiquette, makeup tips, projection in front of the camera, and photo shoots.

The Ms. Latina International Organization is more than just a pageant. It is a “Way of Life” for young Latina woman. The Organization provides young Latina women with the necessary tools to facilitate their goals in life through education, and empowers them to pursue a successful career and promoting Latina Woman Empowerment. Erica has truly been blessed and inspired by the organization and the many doors and amazing opportunities it has opened for her. As Ms. Latina International 2011, Erica has had the opportunity to participate in a series of events and represent the Latino community. Her goal is to become a role model for the young generation and inspire other girls and young women in the world. n

To see more of Erica Cuascut, Ms. Latina International United States 2011 and follow her on her journey:

http://www.facebook.com/MsLatinaIntlUnitedStates2011

http://www.twitter.com/latinaprdiva



DUTCHMASTERZ PHOTOGRAPHY


Latina Beauty Queensana VaLenciaMiss California Latina 2011

Ana Valencia was born in the picturesque state of Michoacan, Mexico. Having moved to sunny California at the age of five, she strongly values her heritage and holds her culture with pride. Ana has been deeply involved with her community and has volunteered and worked for various non-profits in the San Francisco area. As a teen, she promoted healthy lifestyles and educated young Latino families on the importance of physical activity, nutrition as well as other health related issues. As she approached her high school years, Ana developed an interest in dance. Without losing her focus in her studies, Ana graduated high school and became the first person in her family to attend college. With many choices of colleges to attend, Ana decided to stay close to home and attend Santa Clara University’s Communication program. There she obtained her bachelors in Communication with an emphasis in Journalism and took advance placement Spanish courses. Currently, Ana works for the Palo Alto Family YMCA as a Teen and Outreach Director and is able to inspire and educate young generations to move confidently in the direction of their dreams. When she’s not at her teen center, Ana can be found at her local dance studio rehearsing salsa routines with her dance team MamboNova. 2011 has been an eventful year as Ana was selected to be a participant on Univision’s hit show, Nuestra Belleza Latina, where she gained strength and energy to keep striving for her goals. Ana is excited to

accept the 2011 Miss California Latina title and is looking forward to helping and growing with the organization and bringing home the Miss Latina U.S. crown! n

CliCk of life PhotograPhy ®


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Latina Beauty QueensJasMine HuertaMiss Teen California Latina 2011

Jasmine Huerta was born in Torrance, California and at the age of five moved to South San Francisco. The 18 year-old of Mexican decent is currently a senior at Mercy High School where she is on track to graduate with highest honors. Jasmine enjoys being active in her community, and some of her passions include singing and acting. Some of her most notable achievements include a lead role in Archbishop Riordan’s production of You Can’t Take it With You and being a team captain on the basketball and volleyball team at Mercy. Jasmine was part of her school’s student council and currently a member of the Girls Athletics Association, where she frequently sings the National Anthem for Mercy home games. Jasmine has recently shifted her attention to coaching volleyball and basketball at her middle school alma mater. While she enjoys this experience, she hopes to instill values that will make young students strong individuals by teaching the values which come from playing sports. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, which includes younger brother, Estevan, and her parents, Jaime and Marisela. As a family, they religiously watch professional sports games together and cheer each other on at games, whether either of us is coaching or playing the sport. This ongoing love for sports and her curiosity has enticed her to one day become a sports reporter. Jasmine hopes to create a scholarship fund in honor of Latinas seeking to further their education in efforts to

give hope to become successful and proud Latinas. She is optimistic that her reign as Miss Teen California Latina will be full of life-changing experiences that will benefit the entire Latino community. n


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arnold turner ® CliCk of life PhotograPhy ®

arnold turner ®


Latina Beauty QueensestHer doLLarMs. Latina International United States 2010

Ms. Latina International, Esther Dollar is of Venezuelan and Cuban Heritage, and was also the former Ms. Latina International United States.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: Esther graduated from the University of Miami. She has a degree in Political Science and Cultural Anthropology. She currently holds two Masters Degrees: One in Ancient Judaic History and the other in Classical Antiquities. She is currently pursuing a third Master’s Degree. Esther is fluent in several languages, and also had a Junior Internship for the United Nations. She also held an executive position for a company that worked with the U.S. Government.

CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS AND SPOKES MODEL OPPORTUNITIES: Esther donates much of her time as a spokes model to the Ayuda Organization (www.ayudamiami.org). Ayuda is a 5013C charitable organization that improves the lives of children and families who are under served and/or at risk in the Miami Dade County. Esther also donates her time with the Make a Wish Foundation of Miami and Orlando. Esther has also been a spokes model for Emission Critical. Emission Critical is leading the evolution in “Green Technology” (www.emissioncritical.com).

MAGAZINE AFFILIATIONS AND EVENTS: Esther has been featured on the

cover of In Focus magazine as a Model for the annual “Auto Focus Review.” Esther has also been featured in a full editorial in “Mode Lifestyle” magazine and on the cover of “Nubia Rose” Brazilian magazine. Esther has attended such prestigious events as: Winterfest Black Tie Gala and Boat Parade, Telemundo’s Latin Billboard Awards, Univision’s Premio Lo Nuestro, Oscar Night Miami, and the Press Conference for Green Fashion Miami, which featured top pageant title holds such as Miss Universe and Miss World. n


Latina Beauty QueensstepHanie LosadaMs. Latina International United States 2012


Latina Beauty QueensGiGi urenaQueen of the Expo


Latina Beauty QueensraqueL pereZMs. Latina International Queen of the Expo 2011

Raquel Perez was born in Havana, Cuba. She came to the United States with her family when she was nine years old looking for a better future. She is very organized , honest, family oriented, self-driven, determined, persistent and a passionate girl with lots of dreams to fight for.

When she was four years old, she did rhythmic gymnastics and her passion for modeling also started at that time. Her goal was to become a beauty queen someday and so she did. Raquel was in her first pageant at the age of 12. It was called Ms. Primavera. She had gone to fashion shows for different clothing stores in West Palm Beach, FL including Maribel Bridals and Fashion. In 2009, she decided to enter Nuestra Belleza Hispana Palm Beach and she made it to the top five as the third runner up . In addition, she decided to enter again in 2010 because it was an unforgettable experience.

Finally, she won a title as Ms. Latina International Queen of the Expo this year 2011. After her crowning, she has devoted herself to a lot of events like Trio on the Bay Grand Opening, Miami TV Event, Latin Billboard Music Awards 2011 and Sabado Gigante. She has met a lot of different people, thanks to her director Angela Posillico, an amazing person that she loves.

Thanks to the staff members of Nuestra Belleza Hispana Palm Beach Raquel has the knowledge of how a model carries herself. She will

always be thankful to her modeling teachers: Mercy Morro, Linet Bruzon, and her choreographer Jose Torres. After being part of this amazing pageant the director Lisset Diaz ask her to be a part of the Staff. It was a really good opportunity for her because she loves showing other girls what she has learned. Actually she is an Assistant Modeling and Runway Coach in Nuestra Belleza Hispana. This contest turn out to be her second family.

To sum it up, Raquel has inspired many young girls in the modeling industry to fulfill their passion as a future model. n


Latina Beauty QueensJennifer rosarioThe First Ms. Latina International

She was the first Ms. Latina International, and really put MLI on the map, and set the tone for all other young Latina women to follow, on our facebook page, we have been honoring all of our past Queens.

Jennifer is a professional model, has her own salon in Orlando, and mother to her outstanding son, Marcos.

During her reign, Jennifer donated much of her time to our charity of choice, Ayuda, and was highly visible with the Broward Chamber of Commerce, promoting Women’s Issues.

Jennifer was Ms. Latina International 2003-04. One of the pictures attached, was an ad for Level’s night club in South Beach. Jennifer hosted the first ever model and calendar search for MLI. n


Latina Beauty QueensLorena arBaLaeZMs. Latina International Colombia

Lorena Arbalaez, (Our former Ms. Latina International Colombia) is our top model, and currently has her own line of Swimwear, “Lorena Swimear”. She also has a company called Silky Extensions. n


Latina Beauty QueensstepHanie Joanne raMireZMiss Cinco de Mayo 2011

My name is Stephanie Joanne Ramirez. I was born and raised in sunny San Diego, California. I’m 18 years old and currently attend San Diego Mesa College and plan to acquire an associates degree and transfer to San José State to further my studies in business. One of my long-term goals is to own my own café.

I started dancing as a young girl; it has been my passion ever since. I first entered the modeling industry at the age of 16 in the hopes of becoming a high fashion supermodel.

Puente Productions asked to be part of the Miss Cinco de Mayo Organization. It was truly a blessing. It never occurred to me that I would become a beauty queen. Accepting the crown has put me in a position of a responsible individual, whose desire is to be a role model to the greater good through education, volunteering and personal contribution.

I welcome young ladies to participate in the Miss Cinco de Mayo 2012 Pageant. As we search for the best representative of our fine city, our goal is to give a voice to the many Latinas in the Southern California region and create a legacy for the Miss Cinco de Mayo Pageant.

The purpose in creating this cultural pageant is to select a young lady that empowers young women to achieve their personal and professional goals, to making a difference in the lives of others. n


Latina Beauty QueensJennifer andrea rosado Nuestra Belleza Hispana 2012Written By Gretta Vitta

Nuestra Belleza Hispana it has become a cultural habitual traditions for the Hispanic community in Palm Beach County a very well organized pageant of 32 Hispanic Beauties as I like to call them all queens. This prestigious pageant has run for over 9 years flawless and extremely successful by its President and Coordinator Lisette Diaz she deserves a huge thank you for bringing us each and every year a fabulous event to be admired by bringing and highlights our Hispanic Culture well she does not take all the credit the said she could not have done this with out her incredible team formed by, the admirable and well known Jose Torres, Mercy Moro, Marian Jurado, Raquel Pérez, Ariana Celis, Astrid Cáceres, Benito Moro, Amelia Santos, Isel López, Yammary Pérez, y Migdalia Jurado, the families, friends and our community.

Our 2012 Nuestra Belleza Hispana Reina Jennifer Andrea Rosado, a graduate of the prestigious SunCoast Community High School (ranked #3 in the nation) is continuing her studies and working towards her degree in International Business and Marketing at Palm Beach State

College, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida with an expected graduation date of June 2014.

On November 19, 2011, her Noche de Corranaccion, Jen experienced “something out of a movie.” And was crowned Nuestra Belleza Hispana Palm Beach 2012, representing Ecuador although she is of both Ecuadorian and Colombian parents. “It was something I had put my mind to and wanted very much so but never thought I could make it all the way to the top seeing as this was my first time ever doing any type of pageant!” A native of Queens, New York, currently residing in Palm Beach County, Florida. Jennifer has many varied interest. A lover of the water, Jen spends her little free time on the beaches of south Florida surfing, playing volleyball and just enjoying the ocean. She is focusing much of her time and

energy on school and being an active community participant.

Jennifer has worked extensively with many area soup kitchens, organized and participated in food drives and has worked toward securing a happy holiday season for under privileged children in

her community by organizing, collecting and distributing toys to children who otherwise would not have had a gift under the tree. Jen will also be visiting the children at St. Judes Hospital in Memphis Tennessee the weekend of January 20 this year.

She has spent three summers working with Everglades Youth Conservation Camp. She played a leadership role as a counselor and teacher to over 100 children during this time, expanding their horizons and awareness of the world around them.

In addition she has a deep profound respect for mother earth and the animals we share our planet with. She was worked with local animal shelters as both a volunteer doing whatever was asked of her as well as assisting in Pet adoption days. n


Latina Beauty QueenstHe GaLa coMpanyMiss California Latina and Miss Teen California Latina Pageants

The Miss California Latina and Teen California Latina pageants are produced by The Gala Company, a Los Angeles based company founded by Jennifer Rodriguez, former events planner for the National Football League.

MISS CALIFORNIA LATINA and MISS TEEN CALIFORNIA LATINA Pageant is a celebration of beauty, style and cultural appreciation, emphasizing on the opportunity for personal development while serving the community.

The Miss California Latina Pageant is the state preliminary for the Miss Latina U.S. pageant, the most prestigious and longest-running pageant system in the world for U.S. Latinas. It is currently the only national Latina pageant in the U.S. that follows traditional pageant guidelines for participants. n


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Latina Beauty QueensMs. Latina Ms. Latina International Pageant, LLC

Ms. Latina International is a Latina and Hispanic woman’s empowerment program for scholarship and service powered by CEO Angela Posillico with over 30 years of industry experience. The 2011/2012 Ms. Latina International program offers an innovative multi city casting tour with a 5-track competitive program of beauty and skills development for every contestant who enters. Once the semi finalist are chosen to represent the official Ms. Latina International Pageant itself, a new Ms. Latina International will be crowned. The new MLI Queen and titleholder will receive a major entertainment contract and prizes. n

For more information on theMs. Latina International

Organization mission, upcoming tour schedule and registration, visit:

www.mslatinainternational.com

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Los Tunes.comJeyroBy Amaury Alonzo

The popular music, what we call urban bachata, receives a new exponent emerges from its beginnings around the big international stars such as Juan Luis Guerra, Luis Miguel, Don Omar and Prince Royce. Have an inexhaustible talent, charisma, sense and sweetness. His greatness lies in humility, preparation and experience as a musician, from very young, writing songs and participating in groups to achieve his artistic polish. It is Jeyro, a restless young man who was born in Los Mina, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 14 May. His real name is Omar Camacho, but his classmates and friends from the block of University Avenue in the Bronx, where he has lived since age 11, prefer to call him Jeyro. He immigrated to the United States in 1999, at the age of 11. His perseverance and passion led him to graduate from the piano at the age of 16, and immediately began working as a musician, composer and arranger in the recording studios of New York City, putting his talents as an arranger and pianist in the service of numerous groups of local music. Years later form his own band and manage to be present in many stages of New York and other cities in the northeastern of the United States. From an early age, Jeyro felt a great passion for music, and at seven he began taking piano lessons to become a virtuoso musician, inheriting his love for music from his father, who was an instrumentalist and singer of several groups that become popular in the 80s, in the Dominican Republic.

After being part of several musical groups and forming his own orchestra, Jeyro just formalized a new contract with LaVid record label, headed by young entrepreneurs

Dominicans born in the United States, Amaury Alonzo and Stalin Almonte. With this new company Jeyro prepares his first production in the genre of urban bachata, and their international radio debut has selected the theme “Me Vuelvo Loco,” an extraordinary Bachata, very modern and well-made, modern sound that has the Prince Royce style, with the colors of Juan Luis Guerra, Luis Miguel and Don Omar. “I am very happy to launch my own musical project in the genre of Bachata,” says Jeyro. “Thank God there has been a record label like LaVid and has seen my talent, and now I can show the world my own music, written, sung and arranged by me,” says the young singer resident of The Bronx, New York. “Me Vuelvo Loco” is a contagious bachata Jeyro wrote by himself and begins to conquer radio stations operating in the tropical format / bachata. n


Los Tunes.comMaLLorie

Mallorie is a 23 year old American recording artist, entertainer, and songwriter born on January 6, 1988, She recently began to call San Antonio her home away from home. She was born in Killeen, Texas, but was raised in Hebbronville, Texas and therefore has tejano roots. Her grandfather Roberto Gonzalez was a songwriter and she has an uncle, Ramiro Gonzalez that is the lead vocals for a Tejano Conjunto out of Corpus Christi. Mallorie sings a variety of genre and styles. She received professional training in Mariachi music and has also received training to sing Opera under the instruction of a former professional opera member of an Opera Company.

This year she has released her first Spanish CD, titled Mi Anillo. All the songs featured in this CD were written by Mallorie herself. She arranged the music and produced the entire CD. Songs include a ballad titled Sonrisa. Mallorie’s CD is more of a Latin Pop style with dance songs like Creer and Opportunida. In addition to Mi Anillo she has also produced and written seven additional albums including; This Is Just the Beginning (2003), The Next Level (2004), So Gone (2005), This Game (2006), This Christmas (2006), Step Into the Light ( 2007), and Just Me (2009). In 2009 she released her single “One Love,” which became a web sensation. On September 18th 2010, she released her current English CD “Dreams.” It features “My Ring, Down, Blind, and Love ( If You Believe).”

Mallorie began performing at local fairs and festivals at the age of 13. This last year she has expanded her borders. She began in April traveling in the direction of South Padre Island. Followed by performances in El Paso, Houston, Corpus Christi, and as far north as Fort Worth. She had indeed gone from one tip of Texas to another. In 2012 she expects to go beyond the borders of Texas and

perform in other parts of the United States.

This was a year of many firsts for Mallorie. Not only did she release her first Spanish CD, but she also had her first television appearance. She was featured on the Domingo Live Show in October; followed by the Johnny Canales Show in December.

Mallorie prides herself as an advocate for childhood cancer along with other related childhood illnesses, and as a result she performed for the children at Driscoll Hospital during the Christmas Holidays. She has not turned down a chance to perform in a fund-raiser, she has done several cancer fund-raisers, has helped the Aids Foundation, Relay for Life and the Diabetes Association.

Mallorie is not your typical female tejano artist; she brings a new refreshing look and sound with her unique style and vocals. She has an enormous amount of talent, which as mentioned includes song writing, arranging her music and producing her CDs, but she also dances, produces music videos, has an excellent ear for music, she has on occasion done her own backup vocals, using as many as five harmonizing backup vocals, and has the ability to reach several octaves. She is also a musician, she plays keyboard, guitar, and can play the bass. Mallorie never stops moving, when she is not working on her music or performing, she posts YouTube cover videos for her fans all around the world.

When asked what her hopes are for the future, Mallorie will humbly respond, she would like to know that through her music, she will be able to reach people’s hearts; making their lives richer through her lyrics. It’s not about the money according to Mallorie, it’s about making people feel good through her music. She has vowed that as long as there is one person enjoying her music she will continue writing and singing her songs. n


Latinos en HollywoodBiography

You may know Suzanne Revell as the Virgin Mobile girl, from Funny Or Die, or her award winning role in The Brief History of Women, but what you may not know is that she has the background of a real life James Bond girl. Daughter of a Russian mathematician and Australian nurse (who grew up herself in Buenos Aires, Argentina), Revell is fluent in French, Russian and un poquito Spanish, has a Master’s degree from Stanford (she dropped out of the PhD program) and strutted her incredible curves down the runway for LA Fashion Week.

Suzanne’s path to Hollywood was far from a traditional one. Although she had performed in theater productions and modeled prior to moving to Los Angeles she had not committed herself to her career in the arts whole heartedly. Then she thought to herself: I can prepare endlessly to take the leap or I can just leap. And so she leapt. And it paid off -- within six months of moving to LA she was cast in a national ad by cell phone giant Virgin Mobile and music video for pop sensation Miley Cyrus, and this was just the start. Suzanne’s favorite saying? “I adore the impossible.” Ask her why and she will tell you: “Because impossible is just a word people use for things they don’t know. Nothing is impossible until the moment you say it is. You are always and forever the captain of your own soul.”

Currently, Suzanne hosts the music

series “About The Music” and is at work co-writing and starring in an upcoming feature length dramedy about the life of a disenchanted graduate student scheduled to commence production mid 2012. n

suZanne reVeLL


BreakaWay: How i survived abuseAvailable on amazon.com or pinkbutterflypress.com

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a neW year of cHoices and cHances for aLL of us

Here we are in 2012. We want to put 2011 behind us, but still have some stuff dragging into the New Year. It’s like dragging a five-hundred-pound weight behind us. We just drag and drag. How can we put things behind us and start all over? As for me, I still have my mother in ICU now going on three months and that will not change anytime soon. I had major surgery that took six months recovery time. The good news is that I used that time to write and get published just this week my new children’s book “The Bully Cat.” Everything happens for a good reason. I love my new book!

I finished recovery, writing my book and then my mother became ill. I have been on an emotional roller coaster and exhausted since. I have traveled by air several times and for several weeks; it takes a toll on your body. It has mine. After all I am not twenty-one.

Twenty-one or fifty-one, as you get older you think about life. How fast it comes and goes. Your thoughts are about your parents who are older and soon won’t be around to see or talk to. You think about losing them.

Those of you who have read my memoir “Breakaway: How I Survived Abuse,” know about the many abuses I lived through the hands of my parents. Many have expressed that I should not care about my mother after what I suffered through. That’s where forgiveness comes in. Thank God I forgave her and my father years ago. I would not be who I am today had I not forgiven

them. Not only would I not be me, I would not be who I am today had I not forgiven them. Not only would I not be me, I would never have known what it was like to love others, to love animals, flowers, the universe, all of creation, listening to the birds sing. WOW! Just step outside in your backyard, watch all the insects flying around, the birds playing in the air, cats and dogs lying around enjoying the sunshine, etc. This is what I never saw or had in my life until I forgave all my abusers. I gave myself another chance to live. I made the choice to let go and change things for the better The choices never end.

Everyday is our choice. It is our God-given right of free will. No one can tell us how to live our lives or control us in any form. If you are in a controlling relationship, you have a choice to stay in it or change your life for the better. Just know that if you don’t make a choice to change your circumstances, you will never experience the true life and happiness you deserve. This is an interesting word, “deserve.” Do I deserve a better life? Am I worthy? Ask yourself these two questions. If you answered yes, that is the beginning to making better choices to change your circumstance. YES! I am worthy! YES! I deserve a better life and happiness. It is something you have to be aware of every day–every decision you make is choice. Life is choice. WE CHOOSE WHAT WE ALLOW.

Allow great things to happen in your life. Think about things thoroughly before acting out. Be sure to make

good choices, and have no regrets. Look ahead not back. Don’t be a running target or you will miss your life. This is another subject for later. Boy! I did the running target for years and did not know it. No one was chasing me–it was all in my head. I lost a lot of life during that time. Well, another time or another book.

So this is the New Year, new choices, new chances, new discoveries and a whole new life. YOU CAN DO IT! IF I CAN YOU CAN! I made the choice this year to live my life as though my mother was healthy and not in the hospital. For the last three months I stopped living, my life and dreams all put on hold. I got depressed and ill. I realized what I was doing to myself and stopped it. I went to my stylist, treat myself to a spa day and felt like a new person. I was not helping my mother by letting go of my life. She


was on life support but I was not. I see things clearly now and feel so much better, and my mother is waking up too! She is eighty-six years old and has had three surgeries, transfusion, and pneumonia. She’s still fighting to live. Her choice. She is amazing!

Can you make the choice to be happy, fulfilled to love and be loved? Can you make the choice this New Year to put all things bad behind you and start all over? This is your choice and your chance. Do it for yourself and your loved ones. Don’t delay. Be happy. Forgive all who have hurt you. Go on with your life. Most importantly, put God in your life first. Everything else will fall in its place day by day. It’s your life, your happiness, YOUR choice. God bless you and have a wonderful 2012.

If you would like to send me your comments on this article or if you have a question, send them to me at [email protected] and let me know if this article helped you, inspired you. I love to hear good things. n

Join me on Facebook, twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, etc.

www.latinconnectionmag.comwww.latinconnectionmag.com


Hospitality CornersHaron foxsouthern Hospitality

ceLeBration cHaMpaGne dessertFor the raspberry sauce:• 10 oz frozen raspberries - thawed• 1 tsp lemon juice• 3 TBSP Chambord or Cassis liqueur For the fizz:• 1 quart vanilla ice cream• 3 pts fresh raspberries, as garnish• 1 bottle Champagne or sparkling wine

Step 1:To make the sauce: Place the raspberries, lemon juice, sugar and liqueur in the bowl of a food processor and process at high speed until very smooth. Pass through a fine sieve and pour into a large squeeze bottle. Refrigerate until ready to use. The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Step 2:To serve: Squeeze a little raspberry sauce in a martini glass. Top with one or two scoops of vanilla ice cream, depending on the size or your glasses. Garnish with the raspberries. Top each glass with sparkling wine or Champagne at the table. Pouring it at the table makes it more fun for your guests!

Serves 12 n

HAVE A HAPPY, HEALTHY NEW YEAR!!

Be sure to stop by Barnes and Noble and pick up a copy of COMFORT FOOD for the Mind, Body, and Soul by Sharon Fox or you may email the author at:

[email protected]


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KN CosmeticsBoHeMian LoVeBy Katherine NuñezOwner of KN Cosmetics

Valentine’s Day! It’s all about reds, pinks and more reds. Black dresses, lingerie, sexy nights and champagne. I always wondered how the bohemians or hippies celebrated Valentine’s Day? They promoted peace and love in the late 1960s and 1970s. They protested and screamed out Free Love. After researching the next months of trends within our seasons of 2012; the Bohemian Look will be back and with a bang. It is sexy and why not change the sultry looks for a nice low cut dress with lots of jewelry flowing in between your breast? Interesting isn’t it? It leaves a lot to the imagination and you can create this look whenever you want to feel as a Bohemian Vixen even if you are still on the conservative side. In the 1960s to late 1970s, the hippie trend was in. Suede halters, platform boots or shoes, big straight hair, bright eyes, and pale lips was a trend that for two decades has followed many young women to create a statement of peace, love and unity. In 2012, the Bohemian look will come back but in a more futuristic form. A twisted look that screams the past but goes beyond the present. Brown earth tones and golden browns will be in this spring as we reach to a new Era. The Makeup: Go even with your foundation and face powder. Contour your cheekbones with a light blush. Focus on cheekbones than your cheeks. This makes your cheeks for refined. For your lips use a burgundy color. If you can’t find the perfect burgundy, you can mix a light bright red with a dark red

and you will create a light burgundy color. Or you can mix a dark brown lipstick with a red/dark color to create a deep dark burgundy. Since your lips are catching all the attention for this look, do not forget your clear lip gloss to create a wet kissable look. Focus lightly on the eyes using gold, brown earth tones. Use a gold color to color half the lid from the inner corners of your eyes. To intensify the look use a black eye shadow on the outer corner of the eyes coloring just half of the eyelid going over the crease with a slanted brush. Get a white eye shadow and color underneath the brow and use white loose pigment for the inner corner of eyes to make eyes pop. Black liquid eyeliner for the top eyelash crease is a must for this look. You can create a cat eye with the black liner and put big false eyelashes on the top eyelash line. Lower eyelash line can be colored with gold and brown eye shadow and you are done with this look. It is extremely important to always highlight and blend. Especially when you add a touch of black in any look. Black intensifies any look. By blending colors, you can either make it soft where it doesn’t look so heavy or you can darken it to create a more dramatic look. So enjoy your Bohemian side. Looking messy with a dash of sex appeal. n

Model: adrienne sanchez; photographer: eugene BreauxMua & Hairstylist: katherine nunez

Wardrobe stylist: sofia amadiassistant Wardrobe stylist: sole amadi

fashion designer: diana GarberJewelry designer: roxy collante Jimenez Jewelry

studio: Light study pro


Health Newspro-BioticsJudy Staveley, Ph.D.Health and Fitness Editor

What do you eat to save your brain and body?

I would like to congratulate our winner Tisa Marie Price of the January contest that was held on Facebook these last two weeks. The winner received Autographed Blue Ray DVD from the Producer of Hood To Coast, a Case of ViVo Plus - - - Hydration Beverage and a Cycling Jersey worth over $75 in prizes and is featured in our magazine this month.

Happy New Year and welcome to another health edition of Latin Magazine.

I engaged with my readers on Facebook this past month and asked how they were staying healthy during the new year. We got so many fantastic responses about working-out, dancing, dieting and exercising.

As I was communicating with one of the readers about diet and yogurt, and she asked me what were the benefits of yogurt? This sparked a very interesting topic on Probiotics. So I decided to address the healthy benefits of Probiotics in this months issue.

Probiotics is live microorganisms that can be found in yogurt and other dietary foods. These little beneficial live bacteria are similar to those found in your stomach. We know them as normal bacteria or normal flora. We have over a trillion of little bacteria living in our bodies

that help our immune system fight off bad bacteria. As a Professor and athlete I am exposed to potentially harmful bacteria every day at work, such as you are at your job. Enhancing your diet with probiotics can boost and protect your immune system and gut. With life stressors or illnesses, our bodies tend to lose normal bacteria and the unbalance of these bacteria don’t tend do grow normally. By maintaining probiotics in your diet may help recolonize your intestines and help absorb nutrients!

Probiotics should not be confused with prebiotics. Probiotics can be found in items such as yogurt, yogurt drinks, powder form and other type of supplement forms. Probiotics is friendly bacteria that can be consumed in these types of foods. Prebiotics is considered a non-digestible food product, which have metabolic and health benefits.

Incorporating Probiotics into your diet will help maintain a healthy gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In addition, it will help with nutrient absorption and work as a barrier to harmful bacteria. Other research studies have shown evidence that probiotics help with lactose intolerance and improvement in digestive problems.

Promising research for the use of probiotics for other infections such as respiratory, allergic diseases, tooth decay, nasal pathogen, and gastroenteritis is being researched by the National Institute of Health.

Antibiotics are usually taken for a bacterial infection. Unfortunately, the antibiotic can kill the normal flora / normal bacteria in our gut leading to diarrhea. Viral infections and other bacterial infections can result in symptoms of diarrhea. Probiotics or good live bacterium cultures found in yogurt or supplements restore the bacteria balance in the intestines. Most doctors would agree, that there is no good reason not to take probiotics when taking prescribed antibiotics.

The draw back of probiotics is that the FDA does not regulate them. They are considered dietary supplements. In general, scientist found that probiotic doses of more than 5 billion colony forming units per day for children and more than 10 billion colony forming units per day for adults are the considered with the best outcomes. With this advice, don’t forget to do your research and read labels as you purchase probiotics. Some products that contain probiotics may not be rich in live bacteria or may not have enough bacteria within their product to support some illnesses. So read the label to ensure you are getting


the right dose of probiotics for your daily needs. The National Institute of Health recommends that you take probiotics 2 hours before or after your antibiotic to avoid any drug interaction (talk to your doctor).

Here is a list of recommend probiotics:

Green Vibrance – Whole Foods or online n


Congratulations ToJanuary contest WinnerTisa Marie Price

As a Thank You for your continued support of reading our magazine and supporting the contest the filmmakers of Hood To Coast offer our readers a 20% OFF COUPON ON ALL HOOD TO COAST MOVIE ITEMS. DVD, Blu-Ray, Apparel, Poster or Soundtrack, everything. And the DVD and Blu-Ray even ship for free. Just enter coupon code HTC-20 at checkout at https://www.hoodtocoastmovie.com/shop.php.


Con Grettadestination soutH fLoridaBy Gretta Vitta

Palm Beach County and The Treasure Coast expanding Hispanic populations are gaining influence on culture, language and the economy.

Hispanics sway culture as largest minority

I just recently relocated to Port Saint Lucie in Treasure Coast for a more peaceful community than Palm Beach. Among the 46,721 Hispanics

— from those who left other countries to those who are U.S.-born children of Hispanic heritage — who, according to the 2010 U.S. Census, relocated to the Treasure Coast between 2000 and 2010.

In Martin County, the Latino population increased 88.1 percent.

Within that group, people from Mexico or with Mexican heritage

now account for 4 percent of the county’s population, followed by 1.7 percent who are from, or had family come from Puerto Rico. Cubans account for 0.8 percent.

“It’s such a safe environment to raise kids, you don’t see much of the violence you see in bigger cities,” said David Rodriguez, who after three years running the kitchen at Costa’ d’Este in Vero Beach has opened his own restaurant, Tapas Latin Fusion in Stuart.

“There are a lot of new people moving in, but they’re more trying to get familiar with the community,” Angel Pickett said. A local resident for over 20 years born in Puerto Rico raised in New York. They’re not mingling with other Hispanics — there are not too many activities going on.” Unlike the Italian-American and Irish-American clubs that are a staple of many urban areas in the northeast, few Hispanic

organizations have made the leap from South Florida to the Treasure Coast.

Overall, Hispanics now account for 14.1 percent of the Treasure Coast’s 562,135 residents, up from 7.5 percent a decade earlier, surpassing blacks as the three-county region’s largest minority.

With this said I’m very excited of being part of my new hometown and getting involved with the community. Recently reconnected with a colleague Mitch Kloorfain Chief Photographer for a local newspaper THE HOMETOWN NEWS. Mitch, knowing my passion for fund-raisers and always wanting to help and be part of our community he introduced me to The VanDuzer Foundation where I met two wonderful individual needless to say just as passionate as me for charitable events for our community. I met Founder/President – Scott Van Duzer owner of a very well know and respected, and loved individual who owns a pizza shop in Ft. Pierce, what I personally like to call a place where miracles are born every day “Big Apple Pizza” The Treasure Coast’s own humanitarian treasure, Scott Van Duzer, founder


of The VanDuzer Foundation, was approached by PEOPLE magazine and featured as one of PEOPLE Magazine’s “Heroes Among Us”, Scott Van Duzer and the VanDuzer Foundation, among many other remarkable recognitions for his foundation humanitarian work.

I also met The VanDuzer Foundation Secretary – Wendy Dwyer – Partner in the creative team at Gorilla Magic Marketing and Public Relations, Dwyer and business partner Mitch Kloorfain handle all the marketing and publicity which have helped make the Foundation successful and have garnered international support and press.

I’m very excited in my future involvement and support with The VanDuzer Foundation. The VanDuzer Foundation, with the mission to assist families and individuals in St. Lucie County who are experiencing financial and personal hardship brought about by unforeseen crisis or tragedy. Visit them on the web to learn more and or to make a donation:www.TheVanDuzerFoundation.org

I’m very excited to announce that with the help of Mr. Roberto Roldan,

President at PR Association for Hispanic Affairs and Vice-President of The International Treasure Coast Film Festival, a very well respected old friend and colleague invited me to attend the Treasure Coast International Film board meeting where I met some incredible people with that said I was just named

the “Spokesperson and Public Relation” person for the upcoming 2012 Treasure Coast International Film Festival, and I’m very honored and proud to be part of this incredible event that is scheduled for April 19-23.

The Treasure Coast International Film Festival showcases independent films in a variety of venues on the Treasure Coast, while exposing their neighbors and the world to culturally diverse films.

Treasure Coast Int’l Film Festival

provides plenty of networking opportunities during all our special events, seminars, parties and filmmaker’s mixers. The films showcased during the festival also compete based on various categories and often go on to compete in other Film Festivals around the Country. A special student film category showcases the best of our future independent filmmakers.

The Treasure Coast International Film Festival aims to honor our filmmakers of today while also assisting in the education of future filmmakers through educational programs, scholarships, and other forms of support.

http://www.tcifilmfest.com/

With all this said I begin my new journey and my main goal and the involvement in both Organizations is to reach out to our Hispanic community and get them to connect and to participate in the various events, charities, festivals and more. n

Gretta Vittawww.GrettaVitta.com


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