Healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is one which helps to keep and improve people's health and well-being.Many governments and non-governmental organizations have made big efforts in healthy lifestyle and health promotion.
Mental Health
Mental health can be considered a very important factor of physical health for the effects it produces on bodily functions. This type of health concerns emotional and cognitive well-being or an absence of mental disorder.
Public health
Public health can be defined in a variety of ways. It can be presented as "the study of the physical, psychosocial and socio-cultural determinants of population health and actions to improve the health of the population.
Reproductive Health
For the UN, reproductive health is a right, like other human rights. This recent concept evokes the good transmission of the genetic heritage from one generation to the next.
Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
samedi 15 septembre 2018
OMG! There's a New Delicious Way to Get Your Pumpkin Spice Fix at Disneyland
When it comes to Fall treats, Disneyland is not holding back this year, and if you're a pumpkin spice fan, run, don't walk to the Anaheim theme park. In addition to the pumpkin spice funnel cake fries, pumpkin spice Mickey beignets, and pumpkin spice churros, there is now a pumpkin spice milkshake - I repeat, a pumpkin spice milkshake - and we're here to give you the delicious details.
The shake is drizzled inside-out with caramel sauce and topped with a heaping pile of whipped cream, graham crackers, and pumpkin spice sugar. Because I'm not a huge fan of pumpkin spice, I had my friend Heather, a pumpkin spice aficionado, taste it as well and share her review. (Spoiler: she loved it.)
"It tasted like a pumpkin s'more," was her assessment. "There definitely wasn't any 'spice' to it. No cinnamon or nutmeg. More pumpkin, toasted marshmallow, and caramel flavors." She added that she thinks the graham crackers were what gave her a "cozy Fall campfire treat vibe." Her pro tip? Have napkins ready, because this seasonal treat gets messy!
You can pick up the pumpkin spice shake at Flo's V8 Café in Disney California Adventure for $6. The reusable light-up tire jack-o'-lantern straw (made from actual rubber tire tread!) is an additional $6 and can also be purchased at the Cozy Cone Motel. Drool over more photos of this ooey, gooey delight ahead!
13 Instant Pot Steak Recipes For Hungry Carnivores
I don't eat a lot of meat, but every so often, I just get in one of those moods where all I want to eat is some steak or ribs or a slab of beef. Generally speaking, I also don't want to wait around forever dealing with cooking it, which is where the Instant Pot comes in. You can make a variety of steak, beef, and rib recipes right in this fancy gadget, and it's simple and pretty quick.
If you're hungry for tacos or maybe a meaty pasta dish or just some straight-up ribs, we have some delicious options for you to choose from for your next dinner. Scroll through for 13 meaty ideas, but check out our vegetarian options if meat isn't your thing.
12 Good Travel Habits You Should Develop ASAP
You live and you learn - and same goes for travel. The more you do it, the more you realize mistakes you've been making and ways to make travel much easier the next time you do it. In order to save yourself money, stress, and more, develop these 12 travel habits to use for your future trips. You'll wonder how you ever traveled without practicing these routines before and during your adventures.
Has the "Vampire Facial" Officially Gone Too Far?
"There will be blood" sounds more like something Count Dracula would promise his guests at dinner than the basis of a popular facial treatment, but alas, it's 2018, and the world of skincare has taken a grisly turn.
But is the buzzy, nonsurgical procedure known as the "vampire facial" - which requires drawing the customer's blood, extracting the platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and then injecting it back into the face via microneedling - potentially dangerous? The short answer: maybe.
As CBS News reports, the New Mexico Department of Health has recommended that anyone who has gotten the facial at VIP Spa in Albuquerque, NM, get tested for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C immediately. This comes after an inspections report on Sept. 7, in which officials revealed that the service could have put people at risk of these infections, especially if they got the treatment in May or June. (The VIP Spa has since closed. We were unable to get in touch with the owner for comment.)
"We undertook the inspection because a client of the VIP Spa developed an infection that may have resulted from a procedure performed at the spa," New Mexico epidemiologist Dr. Michael Landen told CBS affiliate KRQE.
While there is promising research behind PRP, with evidence showing that it can speed up skin healing and boost collagen production, this news sheds light on an important, often overlooked problem: it's finding a licensed professional to inject the stuff that is key.
Ideally, you want to find a physician who has a board certification to perform the types of procedures that involve needles or blood (or scalpels or syringes). Medispas might sound like they're all cucumber water and candles, but great skin will never be worth contracting a blood-borne infection.
Charlotte Tilbury Is Now Sold at Sephora - Shop These 10 Legendary Products
True makeup lovers appreciate that Charlotte Tilbury is known for creating luxe, glamorous products that make everyone feel like a star. From creamy lipsticks to shimmery eye shadow palettes, the brand provides everything you need for a red-carpet worthy look. Good news - Charlotte Tilbury is now sold at Sephora. If you want to rack up those Beauty Insider points, shop these 10 popular essentials.
These Are the Best Natural Beauty Products You Can Find on Amazon
Natural beauty is now more accessible than ever. There are so many products available on Amazon, which means you can discover and try out the latest goodies ASAP, thanks to speedy Prime shipping. If you tend to prefer healthy, chemical-free ingredients in your cosmetics, the picks ahead actually work wonders. Just keep reading to shop our favorites.
12 Curly Hair Hacks That Will Completely Change Your Life
Having curly hair brings me such joy. The springy ringlets are indicative of my large personality, but I didn't always know how to care for my coils. About eight years ago, I was clueless about all the unwritten rules (like no more shampoo, brushes, or towels.) And the commandments vary by hair type, too. A woman with waves can't live by the same hacks that I rely on day to day for my Afro-texture hair.
That's why we've called in the curly hair experts from Devachan Salon in NYC to create a beginner's bible to curls. Stylist Eladia Lebron gave three curly editors a makeover, while divulging her best tips for every hair type. This comprehensive guide explains everything from applying conditioner to pineappling (which is an overnight curly girl trick). Get ready to achieve the best hair of your life - no hot tools required.
Blake Lively Knows How to Wear a Braid - Here's Proof
Blake Lively's hair is always something people look at when she steps onto the red carpet, eagerly anticipating what look she'll try next. While she's consistently experimenting with her color, there's one hairstyle she always seems to go back to: braids. Lively has attended many movie premieres, MET galas, and award shows with the plaited style, and it always looks breathtaking.
Ahead you'll find the best fishtails, French, and messy-braided ponytails that Lively has worn throughout her career. Get ready to bookmark them all.
10 Hair Products From Urban Outfitters That Will Give You Cool-Girl Hair
As you're shopping at Urban Outfitters for your flare jeans and band tees, don't forget to swing by the beauty section for a selection of incredible accessories and hairstyling products to complete your cool-girl look.
The retailer carries a ton of blogger-favorite brands like Ouai and R+Co, as well as harder to find brands like Good Dye Young, which will make your hair Instagram-ready.
Whether you're trying to master the elusive, effortless beach waves or wanting to step up your ponytail game, Urban Outfitters has an impressive selection of products that will elevate your hair to meet your street style needs. Ahead, you'll find the best of the store's hair products to add to your cart as you shop.
How to Look Good Naked - Without Lifting So Much as a Finger
I neglect the gym so often that New York Health and Racquet Club once called to ask if I was still alive. No one will ever call me the healthiest kid on the block; my preferred arm workout is opening bottles of wine, and my diet is probably 75 percent gouda cheese. That said, I do have an arsenal of beauty tips to keep myself looking good naked (because priorities). Keep reading to see the eight things you can do to look steamy - without breaking a sweat.
7 Editor-Approved Eye Shadow Palettes You'll Use Every Day of Fall
We are fully ready to embrace the chocolate browns, coppery golds, deep burgundies, and rich plums of Fall. It's time to make our makeup match the season. There are plenty of gorgeous palettes out there that will give you a look perfect for the months ahead. Whether you like cool or warm tones, there's a shade that will make your cosmetic-loving heart race. These are the newest releases at Sephora you should know about - get them while you can.
50 States of Quirky Town Names
The United States is an interesting place, to say the least. With such a huge variety of people and culture and history, it's no wonder there's also a huge variety of interesting city names as well. Sure, you have the run-of-the-mill names like New York, but did you know there's a town in Utah called Virgin? Or a place in Georgia called Butts County? Those do indeed exist. For even more quirky city names, keep reading.
Break the Internet With These 50+ Clever Costumes
If it were up to us, no one would need an excuse to dress up in their favorite geeky garb. But the way we see it, Halloween is the perfect chance to go all out and blow everyone else's regular ol' costumes out of the water. Maybe you're looking to dress as a Star Wars character or your favorite comic personality or a hilarious Internet cat - or maybe you're still undecided. Either way, you'll find all the inspiration you need right here.
- Additional reporting by Ann-Marie Alcántara
How Camilla Luddington's Role on Grey's Anatomy Inspired Her Tomb Raider Character
Image Source: Getty / Desiree Navarro
Shadow of the Tomb Raider marks Camilla Luddington's third time voicing the iconic character, and this time, we might just be getting the most realistic iteration yet. The game, which hits stores on Sept. 14, takes place a couple of months after the events of Rise of the Tomb Raider and has Lara Croft fighting her way through Mesoamerica and South America. But the remarkable thing about this installment is not that the fate of the world is at stake. This time, we're diving deeper into the psyche of Lara herself - we're seeing her grief, second thoughts, and doubts manifest on screen.
Ahead of the newest game's release, I sat down with Camilla to discuss her work as Lara. It turns out, the Grey's Anatomy actress has taken quite a bit of inspiration from the character. Lara Croft's specific brand of badassery has all kinds of real-life applications, from gym motivation to making big life decisions. Check out what Camilla had to say - there's even a connection to her Grey's character, Jo Wilson!
Image Source: Square Enix
POPSUGAR: What has it been like slipping into such an iconic character?
Camilla Luddington: So, back in 2010 - it was a long time ago - I got the call for the first game. And I remember it because I had gone in for an audition, and they didn't tell me that it was Tomb Raider or Lara Croft. The game had a code name, "Cryptids," and the character was Sarah. So when I got the call that I had gotten Tomb Raider, I literally screamed. I was so excited, because growing up, she was really the only iconic female lead in a video game that I knew of. So, I just remember thinking it was such an honor that I got to jump in the boots of Lara Croft and put my own spin on it and be part of the reboot.
PS: And going into it, what was that spin you wanted to put on her?
CL: Well, I think what was so exciting is that the initial conversation, which I believe that you can kind of see came to fruition with all three games, is that they wanted to make her much more realistic. And they wanted her to experience self-doubt, and loss, and all those things. And so she was a much more complicated character, I felt. And that, as an actress, I think is really revealing.
PS: I mean, I was even just seeing in the trailer for this one, there's a lot of tenderness and uncertainty in her character. Has this experience been different from the previous two?
CL: I think the stakes are higher, because the entire world is at risk. I think because of that, emotionally and physically, she's kind of pushed to her limit. And also, in this game, something I really enjoyed was her relationship with Joanna really grows. She sort of ends up being her Jiminy Cricket and telling her that she needs to look in the mirror and sort of see the damage she's causing and those moments are very intimate. And they're probably some of the most intimate moments we have in the game.
Image Source: Square Enix
PS: Do you think your work as Lara has influenced your other work, or even your real-life attitude in any sort of way?
CL: Yeah. I mean, I think that she's such a badass that - this probably sounds ridiculous, but when I'm working out, I literally think, "You're Tomb Raider. [laughs] You're Lara Croft." You know? "You can do another sit-up." . . . I'm like, "Come on. You're Lara Croft." So, yeah, there are moments where it kind of spills into my life.
PS: Are there ways Lara has crept into your other roles? Like even on Grey's Anatomy?
CL: That's so interesting. Yeah, on my days off on Grey's, I go in and shoot Tomb Raider, so there is literally a back-and-forth that does happen. It was interesting to me that there's a lot of Jo - Jo didn't grow up with her parents, so there's a lot of question about a lot of pain in her past, and not having that stability of what it is to have parents around her. And, of course, Lara deals with the pain, and mourning, and loss of her own parents. And so there is a similarity of them both being survivors in their own world, even if they're completely different worlds. And they both have a lot of drive. And so, yeah, there are some similarities in the characters.
PS: And what about when you're done? Do you have moments while acting that inspire you in real life?
CL: It's so funny because, at the end of the game, Lara makes a decision. And for me, personally, in my own life, it was a decision I had to ask myself: "If I was in this position, what would I do?" And I think that's what made this scene extremely challenging for me, too. Because I have sort of a similar past to Lara in that I lost a parent when I was younger. And it was an "aha" moment in a way for me, because I'd never thought if I was really in this position, what would I do? And it was interesting to question myself.
How to Create a Wedding Hashtag No One Else Will Have
There are some brides who ask guests to unplug at their wedding and some who ask guests to go all out with the photo snapping and sharing. If you're the second type of bride, you're probably already brainstorming your wedding hashtag - you know, the one phrase that guests will use on Instagram and Twitter to round up pictures of your big day.
"Hashtags are such a fun way to see all the photos from your big day that your guests took!" says Kari Dirksen, founder and lead planner of Feathered Arrow Events. "You can't be everywhere at once, so it's a great way to see everything that happened throughout the evening and reminisce on the day. I always tell clients to think of something fun and unique that combines your names in some way."
Instead of the more standard conventions you've probably seen all over the place, we bring you unique, creative ideas you haven't thought of. Of course, replace them with your own names, initials, wedding locations, and such to make them special to your big day. We're also sharing examples of how to incorporate the hashtags in your decor and signage so that your guests are all using the same one and using it for all their social snaps.
What's the best one you've seen? Let us know!
This Glitter-Filled Wedding Had Such a Sweet Surprise For the Color-Blind Groom
Mark and Darin's intimate wedding was filled with love and glitter. Their closest friends and family got to witness their union and an incredibly heartwarming moment before exchanging rings. Since Mark is color blind, Darin gave him a special pair of glasses in the middle of their ceremony that allowed him to see color for the very first time. It made their nuptials even more memorable as all the guests got to share that sweet reveal with them. And on top of that, the pair performed an amazing dance routine that blew everyone away.
See their photos!
Each Table at This Harry Potter Wedding Reception Is Based on a Hogwarts House!
A little Disney can take any wedding to the next level, but a Harry Potter wedding? Now that's magical. This DIY reception somehow incorporated J.K. Rowling's series without being corny in the least bit. The bride even got a lightning bolt tattoo on the back of her neck at her bachelorette party! See the gorgeous photos ahead.
7 Totally Valid Reasons to Consider Not Having Bridesmaids on Your Big Day
When my now-husband and I were just a recently engaged couple, we started our planning process by hashing out how we'd each describe our ideal wedding day. Words like "laid-back" and "modern" came up a lot (can you tell we're millennials?), and we agreed that we both wanted the experience to be as stress-free as possible. For us, it was clear that the tradition of including bridesmaids and groomsmen wouldn't fit into the picture we envisioned.
Some friends and family were initially surprised by our decision to skip out on having a wedding party, but we look back at it as one of the best choices we made about our day. Not having to pick out bridesmaids and groomsmen saved us major stress, spared our friends of any potential hurt feelings, and ultimately helped us to create a wedding that felt decidedly low-key. If you and your partner are also on the fence about having a wedding party, read on for some damn good reasons (if I do say so myself!) to consider going without one.
12 Good Travel Habits You Should Develop ASAP
You live and you learn - and same goes for travel. The more you do it, the more you realize mistakes you've been making and ways to make travel much easier the next time you do it. In order to save yourself money, stress, and more, develop these 12 travel habits to use for your future trips. You'll wonder how you ever traveled without practicing these routines before and during your adventures.
The Seating Chart in This Modern Beauty and the Beast Wedding Shoot Is Made of Books!
A tale as old as time can get an updated makeover, too. With the release of the live-action Beauty and the Beast film last year, photographer Raelyn Elizabeth, Sylver Weddings and Events, and Baldwin Bridal and Events teamed up with a group of vendors to style a wedding shoot inspired by the Disney classic. We love how they kept familiar details like red florals, candlestick holders, and books but added modern elements as well.
"We updated our Belle's look by dip-dying a dress in golden yellow and orange dye for a supercurrent ombré look," Raelyn said.
On top of the gown, they also added slider charm jewelry, sparkly shoes, blue florals, and other trendy details. One of our favorite additions in this styled shoot was definitely the book seating chart.
See the photos!
Related: Real-Life Disneyland Belle Marries Her Prince in This Beauty and the Beast Shoot
vendredi 14 septembre 2018
The Surprising Inspiration Behind Henry Golding's Character in A Simple Favor
Image Source: Lionsgate
The past few years have been a whirlwind for Henry Golding, and luckily for all of us, he doesn't plan on slowing down anytime soon.
The 31-year-old British–Malaysian actor first got his start on screen as a travel host on BBC's The Travel Show in 2014, and has quickly transformed himself into one of Hollywood's hottest up-and-coming actors. After stealing our hearts with his role as Nick Young in Jon M. Chu's blockbuster rom-com Crazy Rich Asians this Summer, Golding is stepping into a much darker role in the upcoming thriller A Simple Favor, alongside Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick.
"It's such a different take of characters that I've played," Golding told POPSUGAR about his role in the film. "Sean is this much darker, mysterious, unsuspecting character. You don't know where he sits." Even though Sean is a far cry from the romantic Nick Young, Golding still finds a way to make the character charming with his natural charisma. In fact, director Paul Feig actually advised Golding to model his character after Cary Grant's character in Suspicion, Johnnie Aysgarth. "That's the frame of mind going into this character that I needed to have," Golding explained. "And I think it definitely works. It takes you on this unsuspecting sort of journey with Sean, and the audience really don't know who he is."
Image Source: Lionsgate
While Sean is dark and mysterious in his own right, Lively and Kendrick's characters are just as twisted. "It was amazing," Golding said about working with the pair. "If you could dream up two female leads in this universe, they're very close to the top of the list." Though the three characters have a complicated relationship in the film, Golding admitted it was a thrill filming those intense scenes. "Especially scenes where the proximity is so close - there's no one else in the room, apart from us three. There are no extras. It's in a home, in a room with myself, Anna, and Blake for the entire day. It's just a joy. And it's such a different way of acting; it's laser-focused."
In his short career, Golding has already starred alongside some talented actors, but he really looks up to the directors he's worked with. "[Some of my biggest inspirations are] directors that really pushed the boundaries of film," Golding said. "People that go out on a limb to stand out and try to bring something new to the table. Same goes with Paul Feig in [A Simple Favor], giving his spin on a genre that he's not known for. For Jon [M. Chu], putting out the weight of Asians around the world on his shoulders and killing it. Those are the types of directors I want to work with, people who stand within the arena; in the blood and in the sand, fighting their hardest to do good."
Image Source: Courtesy of Lionsgate
While Golding has been thrust into the spotlight over the past few months, he's trying to stay grounded despite his newfound stardom. "I think I'm level-headed enough to understand that it's hard work that really pays off, and I think the understanding of these opportunities come far and few between, so take advantage of them; work your hardest," he said. "That's what we've been doing for the past sort of year-and-a-half. But for me, it's really the joy in creating what I have loved my entire life, and that's great movies. I love cinema altogether. So for me, it's the greatest dream."
"It's so inspiring getting these stories from everybody of how it affects them, and how they intend to help share the love."
Of course, one of the most rewarding parts about his success, specifically with Crazy Rich Asians, has been seeing the fan response. "It's been a very vocal crowd," he explained. "They're like, 'This is the first time that I've cried in the cinema, not because of the story, but because of what I see on screen and what it means to that person.' It's so inspiring getting these stories from everybody of how it affects them, and how they intend to help share the love."
So, what does Golding have in store next? While he admitted that sci-fi is his "dream genre," what it truly comes down to is finding scripts that speak to him. "It doesn't matter which genre it falls in. If it's a movie that I would want to watch, that's something that I want to be a part of," he said. "Just doing justice to great material is what I'm meant for."
Emma Stone and Jonah Hill's Netflix Series, Maniac, Looks Like a Real Mindf*ck
A surreal new trailer for Jonah Hill and Emma Stone's Netflix series, Maniac, has arrived. Based on a Norwegian series of the same name, the limited series directed by Cary Fukunaga follows two strangers with varying mental health issues as they participate in an experimental pharmaceutical trial. During the trial, however, the two have a series of very vivid and fantastical hallucinations that seem to bond them forever.
Maniac will mark the first onscreen reunion for Hill and Stone since previously starring together in 2007's Superbad. Premiering on Sept. 21, the star-studded limited series will also feature Sally Field, Justin Theroux, Jemima Kirke, Julia Garner, and Sonoya Mizuno.
Teaser 2:
Teaser 1:
The Seating Chart in This Modern Beauty and the Beast Wedding Shoot Is Made of Books!
A tale as old as time can get an updated makeover, too. With the release of the live-action Beauty and the Beast film coming up, photographer Raelyn Elizabeth, Sylver Weddings and Events, and Baldwin Bridal and Events teamed up with a group of vendors to style a wedding shoot inspired by the Disney classic. We love how they kept familiar details like red florals, candlestick holders, and books but added modern elements as well.
"We updated our Belle's look by dip-dying a dress in golden yellow and orange dye for a supercurrent ombré look," Raelyn said.
On top of the gown, they also added slider charm jewelry, sparkly shoes, blue florals, and other trendy details. One of our favorite additions in this styled shoot was definitely the book seating chart.
See the photos!
10 Things to Snag From the POPSUGAR at Kohl's Collection - Straight From Our EIC
When we set out to design our own POPSUGAR at Kohl's Collection, clothes we could actually live in were always top of mind. We dreamed up a line of wardrobe essentials that are both playful and entirely functional, and true to our word, it's the stuff our staff, our editors, and our editor in chief are stocking their own closets with.
Now that it's finally here, Lisa Sugar is sharing exactly what's on her shopping list - or in some cases, already in her outfit rotation. From the cardigan she's been wearing on repeat at the office to the heart-print dress that walks the line between daywear and date night, consider this an inside look at the collection from the woman who knows it best.
Why I Finally Stopped Trying to Look "Latinx Enough" - and Will Never Go Back
Image Source: Shaliqua Alleyne
Five minutes. That's about as long as I could sit cross-legged next to my abuela on the tan suede couch in her living room, where she would binge-watch telenovela after telenovela when I was growing up. It was a weekly ritual, my family's visits to her and my abuelo's 600-square-foot Las Vegas apartment, but the rapid-fire Spanish scripts were hard to translate, no matter how many times my Cuban-born father tried to teach me. So instead I watched in bursts, and once that time was up, I was gone - darting out the door at the first sound of an ice cream truck.
The impression those shows had on me wasn't quite as fleeting. A few cinco-minuto stretches later and my sense of self was all but vindicated for the next two decades: I am Latinx and damn proud of it, just like the women I'd seen on TV.
The only problem, of course, was that I didn't look like them - and thus began part one of my identity crisis.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Kelsey Castañon
Navigating the Latinx Stereotype
A few cinco-minuto stretches later and my sense of self was all but vindicated for the next two decades: I am Latinx and damn proud of it, just like the women I'd seen on TV.
It isn't politically correct - or hell, even factually correct - to assume all Latinx women share a singular aesthetic. There is not one skin tone, hair color, or otherwise physical trait that makes you more part of the culture than another, and yet I didn't know this when I was younger. All I knew was that my dad was born in Cuba and my mom was adopted and therefore didn't know her background, so I intended to cling to my Cuban heritage like it was a wooden door from a scene in Titanic.
Still, having moved to a predominantly white neighborhood in Kansas at age 12, the only representation I saw come from the media was in stereotypical, fetishized fashion: every woman had va-va-voom curves and hair out to there, with dark features as striking as the red lipstick they wore. My body, on the other hand, is shaped more like a hairspray bottle: straight up and down, the only "curve" being at the head. My hair is fine and lifeless, and I couldn't have navigated a tube of lipstick even if YouTube videos had existed back then (they didn't). My skin is light, like my mom and dad, but my dad and I also share olive skin tones, meaning we can get tan, quick.
And I did.
In fact, I did often. In high school, I spent more time at the tanning salon than I did in the library, willing my fair skin into darker submission almost as if it were an obligation to offset my blatant whiteness - and maybe the Hollister jean skirt I was always wearing. I couldn't change my body, but changing my skin color was my first attempt at trying to figure out who I was (or, rather, who I wanted to be). Every Summer, I dyed my hair jet-black. By Winter, I'd look so starkly different from my sister and brother, people joked there was no way we were related.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Kelsey Castañon
Shedding the Latinx Stereotype
Eventually, I landed a job in beauty and learned that the worst possible thing you can do to your skin is subject it to damaging UV rays. So at 22, I swore off tanning for good. And yet, that didn't stop my insatiable need to live up to those fabled beauty standards of being a Hispanic woman.
My therapist has told me this is normal. Growing up in the States, in a multicultural household with no direct connection to the Cuban culture I so strongly identified with, made me feel like an impostor. Deep down, I knew there was no qualifier to looking Latinx, but self-doubt can be a powerful, if not crippling, thing. It's why I tanned back in high school. It's why, even with a job that grants me unlimited access to the best hairstylists in the industry, I only ever dyed mine black.
By Winter, I'd look so starkly different from my sister and brother, people joked there was no way we were related.
But it wasn't until late December of last year, when a 23andMe DNA Kit uncovered a shocking family secret - that my father is not, in fact, my biological father - that I truly discovered the depths of my self-doubt. Within minutes, I was stripped of the Cuban badge I'd worn so proudly all my life, leaving one big question in bright neon lighting in my head: am I even Hispanic? Without taking a test of my own, I couldn't know for sure.
Struggling for solace, knowing I was nowhere near solace's zip code, I wrote through my fears and insecurities. I decided, with a chest full of anxiety and my family's blessing, to publish my story. As soon as my truth was out there, I could finally exhale - and I was surprised to find the one thing that finally brought me back to myself: community.
Hundreds of messages poured in, with one common thread between them all: who you are is not defined by the insignificant things - your culture is about your upbringing, your familia. After months of soul-searching, it took gentle reminders from strangers on the internet for me to finally accept that it's not what I look like or the results of a genetics test that make me unequivocally . . . me. I am Latinx enough as I am.
Of course, there is a world of learning still ahead of me. I will never have curves or big, beautiful hair, and that's OK. The road to self-acceptance isn't going to be quick, but I've since realized that the best lessons come only when you give yourself a little longer than five minutes to sit back and take it all in.
This Is the Fastest Way to Nix Bloating, According to a Dietitian
It can be hard to pinpoint exactly what's causing your bloating. It could be a food intolerance (like dairy) or too many cans of LaCroix, or maybe it's just that time of the month. One thing is for sure: whatever the cause, it can be really uncomfortable.
The good news is bloating is temporary - and it's about to be even more so. We asked Amanda Nighbert, RD, a registered dietitian who specializes in weight loss, for five shortcuts that'll put you on the fast track to getting back into your skinny jeans. Follow her advice every day, and you may just stop bloating before it starts.
Going Against My Cuban-American Family Has Allowed Me to Live Life on My Own Terms
Image Source: David Handschuh
What's it like growing up as a first-generation Cuban-American in Miami? Well, it's being born an American but feeling more Cuban than anything else. It's not leaving the hospital the day you are born without your ears being pierced. It's getting drenched in Violetas every time you get out of the shower. It's big, poofy dresses, azabaches for good luck, zapatos de charol, and going to misa on Sundays. It's cafecito windows and visits to the Cuban bakery on Saturday morning with Abuelo. It's a tacky quinceañera fiesta with 200 of your closest friends and family and a few other people you've probably never met, pero Abuelo said, "Hay que invitar a la señora de la joyeria." It's being part of a massive family that is engulfed in history, stories of Cuba, and nostalgia for the love of the country they left behind.
Every time I am asked about my culture, I proudly say Cuban, but the question that always follows it leaves me feeling empty: "Have you ever been there?" The answer is no. The reason has always been a complicated one.
As a proud Cuban-American, I am obsessed with my culture. I defend it, promote it, and am constantly engulfed in the nostalgia of Cuba. But I can't lie when I say sometimes I feel like a complete fraud. Every time I am asked about my culture, I proudly say Cuban, but the question that always follows it leaves me feeling empty: "Have you ever been there?" The answer is no. The reason has always been a complicated one.
Growing up a child of Cuban parents who fled the island as children themselves, I was bound to be conflicted with emotions toward the country. In my case, I wasn't "allowed" to want to go to Cuba because I wasn't "allowed" to want to give money to a country that literally took away everything my family had. How dare I be curious about my culture, heritage, and a tiny island that holds so many mixed emotions for my family? It's a painful reminder to the people who fought so hard to get to the US to, in turn, give me opportunities they did not have, simply because I'm curious.
Image Source: Cessie Cerrato
It might sound unfair, but I owed it to my family to try to understand. Imagine fleeing a country not because you disliked it, not because you were unhappy, not because you needed a change, but simply because it lacked basic human rights and the regime in place prevented you from advancing. The things we take for granted - like walking into a supermarket and buying five steaks, or having eight different brands of toilet paper to choose from, or the ability to have an opinion about your government without going to jail for it - were not available when my parents and their families chose to leave Cuba. My parents and grandparents are still hurt about the life they were forced to leave behind.
Still, I feel compelled to go, and I will, because as my parents will tell you, I'll always go against everything they say. But mainly, I'll go because I want to see it for myself. I want to visit the block where my mom was born. Stop by the house my grandparents lived in. Swim in the waters of Varadero Beach - because I've seen so many pictures and heard so many stories. A place I've never been to holds such a special place in my heart, and being a first-generation Cuban-American is, for many, never knowing what being to Cuba is like but feeling every inch of Cuba in your veins, from the food to the culture to the music to the art to the hustle.
My parents were taught to be thankful for what you had, work hard, but sometimes stay comfortable, even if it meant not taking risks. The comfort of knowing was always better than not knowing how it would all pan out.
Being raised a first-generation Cuban-American didn't come without challenges. When it came time for me to expand my horizons and do things my parents never did, it was always an argument. My parents were taught to be thankful for what you had, work hard, but sometimes stay comfortable, even if it meant not taking risks. The comfort of knowing was always better than not knowing how it would all pan out. This only made me want to prove myself, take more risks, and step out of the idea that as Latinx we needed to stay under the radar.
Image Source: Cessie Cerrato
Leaving home to go away for college made no sense to them - you could live at home for free, and the local university was just as good as anywhere else you wanted to go. I left anyway. I was the first to attend and graduate college in my family at the University of Florida. It was one of the best decisions I made.
Going against the grain led me to be comfortable with living life on my terms, taking control of my future, and allowing myself to have the experiences my soul craved without the opinion of my traditional family swaying me one way.
When I announced I was moving to New York City, my Cuban grandpa was skeptical. "¿A Nueva York? ¿Pero qué se te perdió alla? Toda esa gente, la peste, es carísimo. ¿Qué tu quieres hacer en NY?"
After a lengthy conversation on his backyard swing, he finally understood that living in NYC was a dream I'd had for as long as I could remember, and if I didn't do it, I'd regret it forever. He reminded me why he left Cuba: in search of better opportunities. He agreed he could not hold me back from doing the same.
Image Source: Cessie Cerrato
I am almost four years into my journey of living in what I believe to be the best city in the world. I didn't want to settle for an ordinary life. Being Cuban-American and understanding my family's hardships have inspired me to do more, to give more, to learn more, and to fight for a life that is continuously evolving. I am on a lifelong journey to become a better version of myself every day. It's not always easy, but it's absolutely worth it.
We have to keep in mind that, most likely, our parents did the best they could with what they knew when raising us. Their advice does not stem from a place of negativity. It's not that they don't want us to have fun or do the things that make us happy; it's just that as a parent, their goal is to keep us safe, prevent us from getting hurt, and hope that we avoid disappointment. In doing so, they sometimes forget those things are all what force us to grow and make us better human beings. Sometimes you have to take that risk, make that move, have that experience - even if it means going against what people who love you want for you.
Being a first-generation Cuban-American, I have a great responsibility to keep my Cuban culture and heritage alive.
Being a first-generation Cuban-American, I have a great responsibility to keep my Cuban culture and heritage alive. It's the best job I'll ever have because it represents my truest identity. It encompasses a melting pot of family, loyalty, traditions, culture, and flavors. I take on the responsibility of educating the future on what it means to make your gente proud, one cafecito at a time.
Disneyland Has a Frozen Mexican Hot Chocolate, and It's OK to Freak Out Now
One of Disneyland's new seasonal treats during the park's Halloween and Día de los Muertos celebrations is a frozen Mexican hot chocolate, and it's seriously, dangerously delicious. Available at Rancho del Zocalo in the main Disneyland park, the $6 Frozen Abuelita and Horchata is offered alongside a Blended Horchata and is a festive twist on the traditional Spanish and Latin American spiced rice milk drink. This new frozen drink incorporates Abuelita, a Mexican-style cinnamon hot chocolate named after the Spanish word for "grandma," and is topped with the frozen horchata and a spiced whipped cream. It's a refreshing blend of sweet and spicy, and while it's pretty sweet, it's not cloying. In fact, of all the treats available during Halloween Time at Disneyland, this one was my favorite, especially on a warm Fall day in Anaheim!
Why Mentoring Other Latinxs Is So Important to Me - It Honors My Family's Legacy
I grew up surrounded by a family of men who were led and united by the two key women I looked up to growing up: my mom and my grandmother. Where my grandmother, Blanca, was the voice of reason and the matriarch of the family as a whole, my mother, Delia, was the glue that brought family moments together. I learned from both of them that paying it forward isn't a choice - it's a responsibility - and as individuals, they showed me how to put that choice into action.
In July, I made a trip down to DC from my home in New York City and I had the good fortune to sit on top of a desk in front of 28 Latinx college students and tell them my story. I spoke to them about my choice to be self-employed and how being the founder of a website that speaks to young adult grief is what sparked my journey as an entrepreneur. I outlined my internship history, the realities of growing up first-generation in a Latinx family, and how even four years after starting my career, I still get a tug of guilt when I'm made to feel like I put my own needs above my family's.
As I've grown up, while staring out at the range of Latinx stories before me, I started redefining paying it forward and making it less synonymous with self-sacrifice and more in line with building on the good heart and good values my mom and abuela instilled in me.
I get the opportunity to speak in front of crowds often, but something about this trip to DC was particularly special for me. Maybe it was because I had my best friend in the back row listening to me speak or maybe it was because I was in a room full of Latinxs who were set to become the people in the rooms other generations of Latinxs will be able to look up to.
I didn't have someone to look up to in my space who I felt I identified with, and not everyone will identify with me now, but if I can move the needle for even one Latinx, then I'll be doing my mom and my grandma proud.
I admired my grandma for her dedication to her family and my mom for how she balanced being a single parent of two while working six days a week, but I didn't have the chance to see in them a vision of who I wanted to be in my career. Up until I started my own podcast, I was having a hard time finding any Latinas who fit the mold - and not because they didn't exist, but because they were rarely asked to share their stories.
I wanted to know how these women navigated their careers, felt about money, or held onto their Latinx identity even in the hardest of rooms. I wanted their stories for the same reasons that the class of students in DC wanted mine - we wanted to see what we could become and how to navigate certain spaces once we got there.
Our families do so much in teaching us how to be the people we want to be in the world. My character, compassion, and good heart may be innate in me, but they are what they are now because my family encouraged their presence in my life. As I continue to grow in my own career I choose to do the same for the generations that are right behind me.
I didn't have someone to look up to in my space who I felt I identified with, and not everyone will identify with me now, but if I can move the needle for even one Latinx in the creative space, then I'll be doing my mom, Delia, and my grandma, Blanca, pretty proud.
My Abuela Has Voted in Every Election Since Leaving Cuba, and I Need to Follow Her Lead
It's August in Miami - a humid one, as ever - and I'm sitting in my abuela's living room on a couch that used to be in the fancy living room where no one sits, but it has since been moved. The local news is on and a reporter is talking about a botched gas station robbery. To interrupt the mundane quality of the news report, my abuela notes that early voting had begun in Miami-Dade County for the midterm elections. That's when she tells me that she's never missed an election in her six decades living in the United States. "Never," she emphasizes to my boyfriend in labored English.
It's true: Hilda Garcia - or Aba Hilda as she's referred to by her grandchildren - left Artemisa, Cuba just before the rise of the Castro regime, and has since made it a point to vote in every US election since becoming a citizen. She's now 92 years old. This is no small feat for a woman who was never able to drive and has always had some difficulty walking after contracting polio as a child. So, she instead had family members drive her to the polls all those years and, more recently, she's been voting by mail to avoid bothering said family members.
You know that trope of grandparents saying they had to trek miles through the snow, and then up a hill to get to school? That's essentially my abuela with getting to the polls . . . or at least her rendition of the story.
You know that trope of grandparents saying they had to trek miles through the snow, and then up a hill to get to school? That's essentially my abuela with getting to the polls.
We don't always align politically, either. I remember my sister crying in my abuela's kitchen after George W. Bush was reelected in 2004. She had volunteered for John Kerry and turned 18 mere weeks after the election, so she was unable to vote. Hilda, meanwhile, had voted for Bush. When she saw how upset my sister was she said she hadn't realized how important the election was to her, and she might've voted differently had she known. We don't really get into the specifics anymore.
I can't really fault her though. When she finally left Cuba - after my abuelo had already made it to Miami to begin working and set up their soon-to-be life there - my abuela says she took in the archipelago from the plane and knew it would be her last time looking at it. It's hard for us to see eye-to-eye politically when she's a traumatized political exile and I've grown up under the same (moderately) stable, democratic government my entire life. Of course, we don't share the same worldview - dictatorships will do that to you.
With midterm elections approaching, I've realized I need to wake up and follow in her footsteps. Though I typically make it a point to vote in major elections, in the past I'll admit I've skipped some local elections under the assumption that I tend to share the same ideals as your average New Yorker, especially your average Latinx New Yorker. The problem though, is that it perpetuates the bystander effect, like when no one ends up standing up for someone in need for a seat on the subway because everyone assumes someone else will volunteer. I can't allow for that to happen because, as my abuela relishes in reminding me, she didn't leave Cuba for this sh*t.
My abuela and I on her 90th birthday in 2016.
I Fit This Latinx Stereotype, and Honestly, I Don't Give a F*ck
Image Source: Ruby Medina
"¿Q-vo? Hey, diario. What's up? I'm just here kicking it." That's an excerpt from my journal. I was 14 years old and very much into the homegirl culture. You can say that by looking at me now, you would know that I'm Mexican-American, and unless you were raised in the part of Los Angeles where I'm from, once you hear me speak, you would assume I was a "chola" growing up.
The way I speak is an attribute from being raised in East Los Angeles (made up of 90 percent Mexican-American families), and what you are hearing when I speak is my Chicana English. This area of the city has gained recognition through films like Born in East LA and Stand and Deliver and shows like East Los High and Vida. The exaggerated accent that you hear on those shows is a real thing. Some of us do sound like that.
I grew up with cholos in my neighborhood, and by that, I mean kids who were part of a street gang. We went to school together, and they were my friends. While we were not all in gangs with them, most of us talked like them, using our own slang. We call it the Chicano accent, and we embrace it. As I've grown and matured, I have toned it down, but my true voice still remains.
I never thought anything about the way I spoke until I went off to college in San Diego and experienced my first culture shock. Not only was I around people of various cultures and backgrounds, but the Mexican peers who I did meet did not sound like me.
Asking me to repeat words for fun was becoming a thing among my classmates, and I became self-conscious about the way I spoke.
I was constantly asked where I was from, and when I responded that I was from LA, I received giggles and laughs. Puzzled, I started asking why that was the reaction. "You say LA funny; say it again!" said one of my sorority sisters. Asking me to repeat words for fun was becoming a thing among my classmates, and I became self-conscious about the way I spoke. I changed my major from PR to media studies because the first required lots of presentations, and although I was not shy about speaking in public, I did not want to be ridiculed.
The only thing about East LA that my peers knew was what they had seen on TV and movies. Mexican-Americans are usually portrayed as gangsters, uneducated, and intimidating. I am none of those things, so I started making an effort to neutralize my accent so that my peers could get to know me for me. I practiced my pronunciation and intonation until it was exhausting. After a few months, as people started to get to know me, my accent was no longer a curiosity, and I was glad because it took hard work to sound like everyone else, and at the end of the day, I didn't want to change who I was.
Image Source: Ruby Medina
I moved back to East LA after graduation, and now I spend most of my time at meetings and networking events and giving presentations all over the city. My mission is to empower women, especially those with a similar upbringing, and I have been able to do that by sharing my stories. I am not afraid to share that I was once shy and intimidated and that I had social anxiety because I was worried about my accent. We all have insecurities, but we have to face them. I encourage women to say yes to opportunities and to step out of their comfort zones. It takes practice, but the more you are surrounded by other women who willingly share their struggles, the less you feel like an outsider.
She had preconceived opinions about me because of where I was from and because of the way I talked.
I still encounter ignorant comments here and there. Recently, when visiting friends in San Diego, I casually corrected someone (who is not Mexican) on the pronunciation of my oldest daughter's name. Her response to me was, "Dispensa, homie!" while she put her hands to her chest. This phrase is common Chicano slang for "my bad," and I know she meant it as a joke to indicate that she did not want to be in trouble with me, the "chola" from East Los Angeles. She had preconceived opinions about me because of where I was from and because of the way I talked. As the day progressed and she heard about the work I do, I could see her mannerisms changing as if she were ashamed of the way she had treated me. I believe she realized I wasn't a joke like some of the stereotypical Chicano characters she had seen on the big screen.
I am now extremely proud to have been born in East Los Angeles and of the way I speak. It has shaped me into the empowered woman I am today, and it's a huge part of my identity, so why would I want to change it? I am loyal, proud, and stubborn, but I am also educated, friendly, and generous. Wanna be my homegirl?
I Say I'm Dominican, but My Latinx Family Thinks Otherwise
Ever since I could remember, whenever anyone asked me where I was from I would say "I'm Dominican." It's where my parents are from and the nationality that I grew up knowing my entire life, but all of that was put into question during the Summer of 2011.
I felt so confused. I had identified my entire life as being Dominican and to hear my own family say I wasn't threw me for a loop.
I was in Dominican Republic visiting my mom's family when we started having a conversation about what we identify as. Everyone said they identified as Dominican and when I said I did too, the crowd went silent for a moment and then started laughing. "What's so funny?" I said, and they told me it was the fact that I said I was Dominican when I'm not. "What do you mean?" I asked. Their answer: I was born in the United States, so that makes me American, not Dominican. I was confused, but no more than when I told my parents what happened, and they agreed with my aunts and cousins. They also thought I should tell people I'm American, not Dominican if questioned about my identity. I felt so confused. I had identified my entire life as being Dominican, and to hear my own family say I wasn't threw me for a loop.
In my experience, in the US, when you look a certain way and people ask where you're from, they're not looking for you to simply say "I'm American." It always felt weird answering that way, because that would without a doubt bring up the follow-up question, "But, where is your family from?" If I'm going to have to explain that my family is Dominican and I was born and raised in New York City, why go through so much trouble to end back at the same thing. "I'm Dominican" - it's just simpler.
Related: Why There's No Such Thing as Latina Skin and Latina Hair Color
Yes, I am an American because I am a citizen of the United States, but my heart is where my parents and extended family are from. My heart is Dominican. My family's background played a role in the way I was raised and the person I am today.
It's already hard enough when we have society and its president labeling people based on what they look like. Why should I have to label myself too because of where I was born? Why can't it be OK to just be me and continue to identify however I want to, the way I feel most comfortable identifying myself? I don't care what anyone thinks: I feel a connection with my heritage that goes beyond my place of birth. I'm Dominican through and through.
I Wasn't Always Very Religious, but Now I Look Forward to Family Bendiciones
Image Source: Lory Martinez
"¡Qué Dios te bendiga! [The prayer hands emoji.] Bendiciones, mija." This is how my family blesses one another. With thousands of miles between us, a family scattered across continents can still find solace through a bendición.
I grew up in Queens, NY, the daughter of Colombian parents who had immigrated to the US seeking adventure. Back in Colombia, they were raised in the Catholic faith and were taught that no matter what happens, praying helps. In practice, that means my parents end conversations with blessings and pray 10 times as much in times of hardship. As immigrants in the US, they had to start from zero - learn a new language, blend into a new culture, and start new lives. So, naturally, Jesús and the Virgin Mary were there every step of the way.
We didn't exactly go to mass every Sunday. Instead, we practiced our religion through prayers said under one's breath in a traffic jam or when money was scarce.
My brother and I were raised Catholic. I was baptized, prayed every night before going to sleep, and attended a Catholic elementary school where the principal was a nun. Though my mother made sure we crossed off all the big events of Catholic tradition, from communion to confirmation, we didn't exactly go to mass every Sunday. Instead, we practiced our religion through prayers said under one's breath in a traffic jam or when money was scarce.
Image Source: Lory Martinez
My experience with faith, in that sense, was very much an individual one. Once we left the church community associated with my schooling, it was up to us to keep the traditions going. My parents continued to pray in their own way, and so did my brother. As for me, once it was no longer mandatory, I stopped. It didn't feel genuine to pray if I didn't feel connected to the act.
I continued to hear the blessings from my mother and our family in Colombia over the phone and via emoji and religious e-cards sent via text. For years, regardless of whether or not I did it myself, I took those bendiciones, those prayers, as a given, as every day as remembering your keys in the morning. It had inadvertently become part of my routine, whether I liked it or not: Keys. Phone. Wallet. Sign of the cross.
When I felt like an outsider, a phone call from my mother, saying, "Que Dios me la bendiga, may God bless you," got me through the day.
When I graduated high school, I studied abroad, and as an adult, I eventually settled in a country far from home. I was alone, trying to get used to a new place where the language wasn't my own. In times of hardship, my faith returned. Just like when my parents first moved to the US, I turned to religion to keep me going. I started expecting those blessings, even if they were just via text. I needed them. When I felt like an outsider, a phone call from my mother, saying, "Que Dios me la bendiga, may God bless you," got me through the day.
I even began to find solace in going to church. In my travels, I have wandered into houses of worship where the prayers were said in Latin, French, Italian, and German. Even when I didn't grasp the words being said by the priest, they felt familiar. Today, entering a church reminds me of bendiciones and Christmases spent praying La Novena, of my mother praying to Santa Barbara during a thunderstorm, and of my brother and I praying for my grandfather's health when he fell ill.
It took me years, but I finally understood why they did it, why my mother and her friends stuck to their faith in their adopted country, why the prayer emoji means so much to them, and why posting a picture of the Virgin Mary with glittering words saying "God Bless You" on Facebook is their TGIF post.
These are signs of love embedded in tradition, and though they might have evolved over time, they still carry a little piece of kindness for the soul that feels like home, no matter where you are in the world.
How Moving to NYC Made Me Rethink My Family’s Immigrant Experience
It wasn't until my move from California to New York that I found myself thinking more and more about my Mexican-American heritage. Not only did I move to NY the year my grandfather passed away, but it was also the year Donald Trump got elected as president, which brought on its own set of panic and "should I even be moving?" anxiety.
A year and a half after my move, as I see the injustice of migrant parents being separated from their children, I'm taking a moment to reflect on my grandparents and their immigrant experience.
When my grandparents married in 1957, my grandfather immediately wanted to leave the poverty of Mexico for the US, the land of opportunity, where he could build his life with his new wife - but my grandmother couldn't bear to leave her mother and sisters in Mexico. So for about 15 years, my grandfather went back and forth between Mexico and the US, working in the fields and railroads of California, thanks to the Bracero Program (a set of diplomatic agreements between the US and Mexico that brought millions of Mexican guest workers into America between 1942 and 1964), and sending money back to his wife and kids in Mexico. He finally came to America in the 1950s thanks to the same program.
Their daughter's life was on the line if they didn't find better medical care.
When my mother was born in the 1960s (the fourth child, the first daughter), my grandmother decided to join my grandfather permanently in the US. As a child, my mother was severely sick, and the doctors in Guadalajara weren't able to diagnose her condition. It was then that my grandfather got through to my grandmother - their daughter's life was on the line if they didn't find better medical care.
My grandmother left her mother and sisters in Mexico, not knowing a word of English, and joined my grandfather in Los Angeles in 1970. My mom was only 8 years old. While my grandfather worked in fields, factories, and houses, my grandmother took care of their six children (two of which were born in the US), while taking their one very sick daughter to neverending doctor's appointments. They worked hard to make ends meet, with the family of eight living in a small two-bedroom apartment in Rosemead, CA.
After all those doctor visits, my mom was diagnosed with a life-threatening condition, which required extensive surgeries at The Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Had my grandparents not immigrated to the US, my mom wouldn't have even made it to her quinceañera, nor would I be here writing this today.
My family had a lot of opinions about my move to NY. My mom calls me loca for moving 3,000 miles away, my cousins tell me I'm brave for moving on my own, and my aunt tells me how proud and excited she is for what I'll do next. But the reality is, sometimes, as I wait to board a 20-minute delayed sardine-packed subway in 100 degree weather with 100 percent humidity, I find myself asking, "What am I doing here?"
It's hard and lonely being so far away from my family, but I can't help but think of the strength my grandparents had to move to a completely different country so their children could have the opportunity to live the American dream.
It's in those moments that I think of my grandparents. It's hard and lonely being so far away from my family, but I can't help but think of the strength my grandparents had to move to a completely different country - not speaking the language, leaving everything they knew behind including their parents and siblings - all so their children could not only have the opportunity to live the American dream, but just to live.
My grandfather's birthday is Sept. 17, one day after Mexican Independence Day and right at the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month. I'll be thinking of him and my mema, sending my thanks to them up in heaven - thanking them for the sacrifices they made for their children and their children's children for a better future.
I hope to honor them by building upon their foundation. That's why I'm here, to challenge myself to grow, to seize the opportunities they and their parents were never afforded, and hopefully create something meaningful, because without their strength and courage, I would not be here today.
This month, and every day, I ask you to think of all the parents separated from their children and all their sacrifices. Consider donating to RAICES or another non-profit helping immigrant families. These grandparents and parents are just looking for a better life and opportunity for their family - like mine were back in the 1960s - and isn't that what this country was founded upon?
Will Smith, King of Trolling His Family, Poked Fun at Jada's Outfit in the Funniest Way
Will Smith loves putting his family members on blast, and to be honest, it's downright hilarious. A few months ago, the 49-year-old dad trolled his younger son, Jaden, by releasing a parody of his mini me's "Icon" music video, and now he's going after the matriarch of his clan. In a hysterical Instagram video, the actor poked fun at Jada for wearing a particularly frumpy outfit, comparing her to a Lord of the Rings character. Will zoomed in to various components of her cozy getup, starting with her UGG-like boots and leggings, all the way up to her oversize knit sweater and pink beanie.
He paired the funny clip with an equally LOL-worthy caption that referenced Lord of the Rings, writing, "She looks like she's texting Bilbo Baggins about the party in Mordor. She like... 'BOY, where is my RING?!?!'" Well, I guess this is what I can look forward to if I ever reach the 20-year mark of a relationship.
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