Señorita Representación

The big buzz on the lips of women activists and on the painted fingertips of empowered business women is the new documentary called Miss Representation directed by Jennifer Siebal Newsom. Check out Miss Representation here. And that's has me thinking about what role is being played in the lives Latinas? Who is aspiring them to achieve more? Do more with their lives? Not anyone I see on day-to-day magazines! It is important to have these figures in our lives because they plant the seeds of inspiration.

I think the biggest challenging facing any girl today is the lack of power and knowledge combined in smart and intellectual women. Not that they don't exist, they do, but the fact that they are not celebrated or acknowledged. For Latinas, it is the lack of good YOUNG Latina role models that encourage them to believe in their dreams and, most importantly, believe in themselves.

Latinitas Magazine is the magazine to represent these young girls because unfortunately the big-named magazines like Seventeen Magazine doesn't do that. Neither does LATINA Magazine. Yes, I said it and there is a reason for it! Latinitas is a magazine that actually represents young Latina girls, allowing them to explore the world around them through media and technology. As a Latina, myself, I feel disappointed reading a magazine like LATINA. Why? Because they are a well-established magazine that has the power to give vital information to members of Latina society and make them aspire to be more. And what do they do what that power?? They glorify celebrities who are not important figures in life. Yes, they have money, and we live in a world where power is money, but I don't think some random Latina celebrity needs to be on the cover and littered through every page of that magazine.

Recently, LATINA, featured a list of the top 15 Latina women. Among the list were Gloria Estefan (given), Shakira, Selena Gomez, and some no-named La La Anthony. For the basketball fans, she is the WIFE of Carmelo Anthony. Why is she featured on that list?? Did they run out of Latina celebrities and picked her? A basketball wife, really? Some accomplishment. Who wants to aspire to be that? Why not put Sonia Sotomayor on that list or Consuelo Kickbush? Oh, right, they don't matter to LATINA Magazine. It's about celebrities, not real life people who work hard for what they've done. Imagine what that instills in young girls reading that magazine.

I also found it quite humorous that in their latest issue they list the 70 reasons to love being a Latino.5 of 70 reasons actually pertain to real Latinos changing the lives of people. FIVE, not to mention they were pushed into the corners of the page layout that no one reads or will likely skim over. FIVE! Because the reason to love being Latino is that "Our Divorcees Are Hot!". Which is so much more important. Yeah right! That's not something to be proud of.

The most compelling issue for any girl is the issue of low self-esteem. I know it sounds shallow at first, but when you really think about low self-esteem and the possibility of have a great future together with low self-esteem, it does not work. Self-esteem is the start to any dream, career, or goal in someone's life. I believe that if I continue working with a magazine like Latinitas, whose mission is to inspire young girls through media and technology, we can encourage good self-esteem which will transfer to young girls making better choices for themselves. I currently, live in San Antonio, Texas, the top rated city for teen pregnancy and obesity. Not really good trademarks but low-esteem is the bottom trigger to these "side effects." Without good self-esteem, it's easy to see no future for the youth. But inspiring them to be more, dream more, that would be solution to the issue at hand. Good self-esteem equals good future.

Latinitas Magazine has and will always be my passion. I am extremely blessed to discover this passion a lot sooner than my peers. I have always been fired up about organizations, people, or even movies that promote good self-esteem and the achievement of future generations. Maybe, because it helps the little girl inside of me grow and allow me to be comfortable with myself. Latinitas has struck this chord and if I could strike more chords with other girls? Then that is the career worth living for. I am graduating with a Masters in Media Studies and plan to use my journalism and PR skills to relay this message till the moon falls out of the sky.