By Mariana Llamas-Cendon
Amigos805.com

It has been almost a year since a group of professional Latinas from different parts of Ventura County gathered to talk about how they could spread the word about Latino culture in the region. The group was brought together by Anna Rios Bermúdez, a curator of the Museum of Ventura County.

That informal July meeting has since led to the creation of the museum's advisory group known as Las Contemporáneas (Contemporary Women).

Las Contemporáneas

Las Contemporáneas name, according to member Kathleen Contreras, professor of Bilingual Education and Chicano Studies of California State University Channel Islands, describes a group of Latino women.

Currently, the group has 15 bilingual and bicultural members, either involved in education or business, who are very active in the communities they belong to.

"Many of us were already members of the museum. We felt that we could assist the museum by attracting more Latinos, in fundraising for outreach, developing the collections to include Latino history and historical artifacts like a quinceañera or baptism dress from years ago, musical instruments," Contreras said.

Since the museum will be expanded and remodeled in the next few months, Las Contemporáneas thought it was the perfect time for outreach.

"Even though (the museum) is in Ventura (city), many of the members come from Oxnard, Fillmore, Piru, so we are trying to make the museum more accessible to those communities as well," Contreras said.

To accomplish that objective, the members of Las Contemporáneas also went to Sunday masses and schools.

Continue reading ""Contemporary Women" join forces to promote Latino culture" »

Filed 25 de Junio, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

For Carey and Joe Davila, all it took was a simple wish from their daughter that served as the impetus to create a business making mermaids out of little girls.

There isn’t a little girl who doesn’t dream, at one time or another, of being a mermaid princess complete with a flowing, sparkling tail that allows her to swim the seas of her own special undersea kingdom. And there isn’t a parent who doesn’t try to make their little girls’ dreams come true.

Carey and Joe Davila, with the inspirations of Mermagica, their daughters (L-R) Vanessa, 7-years-old and Shauna, 12-years-old.

That was the intention of Carey and Joe Davila of North Texas. Spending many hot Texas afternoons splashing in cool pool waters with their two daughters, the couple’s youngest daughter had a special request of her parents one day.

“My youngest daughter kept asking us to make her something that would make her look like a mermaid,” Joe said. “My wife and I finally decided to try to make her a tail.”

Though it took about 40 different tries to achieve the perfect tail, mom Carey knew she could make her daughter’s dream come true. Taught to sew by her own mother when she was 10-years-old, Carey grew up making her own Halloween costumes, play clothes and clothes for her Barbie dolls and stuffed animals.

She never lost her love of sewing and while she held down a day job as a payroll account services consultant, Carey kept her sewing skills polished by making a few dresses for her girls in her spare time.

So, when it came time to design the perfect mermaid tail, Carey knew she would have to draw upon the sewing skills she grew up with. Using a pattern for the tail itself, Carey designed the body of the tail taking into account her daughter’s measurements.

But the pattern was only the beginning. Carey knew what would transform her daughter into a real mermaid was the fabric used for the tail.

“The fabric was actually the most difficult part of the assembly,” Joe said. “Many of the ones we tried just weren’t rugged enough to withstand even a little wear and tear. We eventually found the right fabric.”

However, a mermaid tail isn’t any good unless it’s in the water. With the perfect mermaid tail in tow, the young family trekked to the neighborhood pool to make their daughter’s wish come true. They quickly discovered that there were a lot more little girls who had the same dream.

Continue reading "A child’s wish and a little magic create a successful tale" »

Filed 28 de Marzo, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Out of frustration from not finding traveling packs of high-quality toilet seat covers, Dora Cardenas-Ruckstuhl creates a product that puts a profitable spin to an unsexy item.

By her own admission, Dora Cardenas-Ruckstuhl has always been a dreamer. Ever since emigrating from her native sultry Colombia for the teeth-chattering temperatures of Canada at age 9 with her family, Dora dreamt of a future where she was the master of her destiny.

“I was always a dreamer,” Dora said. “I remember at least once a month informing my dad that I changed my mind about my “destined” career. This lasted way into my twenties and each time I told him of my newfound path, he acted with enthusiasm and never once asked why I changed my mind. My dad made me feel as though I could do and be anything in this world.”

Dora Cardenas-Ruckstuhl, co-founder of Toletta, showcases the handy travel-size product that makes using public restrooms safer and cleaner.

Yet, never in her wildest dreams did she ever foresee herself where she is today — as vice-president of communications and co-founder, with her husband Caine, of Toletta, a line of disposable toilet seat covers.

The idea for Toletta was born literally out of frustration.

Dora and her husband were trying to find some travel-size packs of disposable paper toilet seat covers to take with them on a trip. They didn’t realize how hard a task that would be.

“Not only was I shocked to learn that travel packs are hard to find,” Dora said. “But the products we did find didn’t have any ounce of style or quality tissues. All the products we found looked and felt like something you would find in camping supply stores — not exactly something retail stores and supermarkets would be proud to carry on their shelves.”

So the young couple got to work to create the kind of toilet seat covers they wouldn’t mind using themselves. They found the softest tissues on the market, 20 percent larger and 42 percent thicker than other brands. But that was only half of the equation. They realized that just as important as the product was a strong brand.

“We were looking for a name that not only made people think about toilets but also made people feel that the brand was high-end,” Dora revealed.

Finding the right brand name and available URL to create the kind of website they envisioned to market their product took over six weeks to accomplish. Dora credits her husband with thinking of the brand name.

However, the two would soon learn that was the easy part of the business success they both dreamed for themselves.

Continue reading "Flushing with success, one entrepreneur cashes in a disposable idea" »

Filed 26 de Marzo, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

A childhood interest in cars lead Grace Lieblein into a lifelong automotive career developing the cars of tomorrow and trailblazing a corporate path for Latinas and all women.

Cars have always held a fascination for 48-year-old Grace Lieblein, president of Mexico City’s General Motors division. Growing up in the greater Los Angeles area, this daughter of a Nicaraguan mother and Cuban father wasn’t just interested in how cool a car looked, how fast it could go or how loud the speakers could blare. Grace was more interested in what purred under the hood — the engine.

Grace Lieblein, president of GMM

Maybe it was because her own father worked at a General Motors plant that Grace knew that a car is nothing more than a shell without the powerful engine that makes it go. So, it wasn’t that surprising to Grace’s family when in high school she joined General Motors as a co-op student in the GM Assembly Division.

Grace’s time on the assembly line whet her appetite for learning more about the mechanics of how an engine was put together and so, with encouragement from her brother-in-law who was an engineer, she pursued a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and a master’s in management.

It was a combination of her educational background and her willingness to accept new challenges that accelerated Grace’s successful career at GM over the years, her one and only employer. In fact, it was while Grace was Global Vehicle Chief Engineer, where she oversaw the development of new products, that she was tapped to fill a role that no woman had ever filled.

Continue reading "The road to corporate success proves to be a straight but challenging path" »

Filed 16 de Febrero, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Restaurant entrepreneur Amelia Contreras sees adversity as opportunity and proves it with three successful eateries.

Most people would think twice about starting a new business during hard economic times, but restaurant entrepreneur Amelia Contreras knows firsthand how adversity can prove to be a recipe for success.

Restaurant entrepreneur Amelia Contreras

Standing just shy of five feet, Amelia, a mother of three, is a petite powerhouse of energy who readily admits that the right combination of fearlessness, ignorance and passion have been her secret ingredients in creating two popular Mexican food restaurants, along with, a successful tortilla factory in North Texas.

Yet with all her success in the food industry, Amelia never planned to open a restaurant. It was nine years ago when she just knew she wanted to be in business for herself.

“When I told my husband I was going to do my own business, he said OK,” Amelia remembered. “Then when he said OK, I asked him, ‘How do I start it?’”

Though neither she nor her husband had a clue in how to create a business, she always knew what she wanted to do — operate a tortilla factory. Her idea was to make tortillas during the day for carry-out sales to the public and restaurants and still have enough time to pick up her children from school and stay home with them.

However, Amelia soon learned that being a business owner was a full-time job. Buying an old tortilla machine and filing the proper paperwork to open a business, she was on her way. All she lacked was a space to set up shop.

Continue reading "Cooking up success comes easy with passion, persistence and faith" »

Filed 12 de Diciembre, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1)

Kimberly Martinez knew her sister-in-law’s beaded ID necklaces were a great idea. Combining her “corporate” experience with her relative’s creativity, the two women transformed a home-based hobby into a full-fledged award-winning business.

Kimberly Martinez, co-founder of Bonitas International LLC

Working in corporate America, Kimberly Martinez used to joke that she was an “Entrepreneurial Rapunzel.” The 45-year-old Florida resident dreamt of one day going into business for herself, but the safe feeling of receiving a steady paycheck did more to trap her in her chrome and glass office tower than encourage her to take the needed plunge.

It wasn’t until that fateful day of September 11, that Kimberly realized life was too short to play it safe. She decided it was time for her to be her own boss and she knew exactly what she wanted to do.

Continue reading "Collaring a business idea and turning it into glittering success" »

Filed 16 de Noviembre, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

One woman’s love for the nostalgic Mexican product logos of her childhood leads to the creation of a new brand of clothes that are making vintage new again.

California entrepreneur Molly "Molona" Robbins has fond memories of her childhood growing up in her native Mexico City. A big part of Molona’s memories like anyone’s, are the smells and tastes that defined her childhood.

Whether it was chewing a stick of Canels gum or swigging a cold bottle of Lulu, a fresh fruit soft drink, eating a piece of De la Rosa candy or watching Topo Gigio, a little Italian mouse puppet dance and sing on his own television show, Molona’s memories are intertwined with the products and their logos that made her childhood memorable.

Palomita clothing founder, Molona Robbins

These days, she’s banking that others like her, and new converts, will be drawn to the same distinctive logos so much that they won’t mind wearing them around town.

Molona is the president of LicenZing LLC, the five-year-old parent company of two clothing brands, Palomita™ and Chucho™, that are propelling this 15-year apparel industry veteran into the vintage tee limelight.

By securing exclusive rights to use trademarks and vintage art from a wide variety of Latino companies, Molona created a lifestyle brand that is resonating especially with Latino consumers.

Continue reading "Nostalgic product logos create a new trend in t-shirts" »

Filed 10 de Septiembre, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the competitive field of modeling where beauty and shape garner the spotlight, one Latina model carves her own curvaceous path to the top as a plus size model.

Olga Gonzalez-Ramos is a beauty. With her brown eyes, olive skin and 5’8” frame, this New York City-based Latina makes a living from her looks with the one occupation known to capitalize on a woman’s good looks and figure — modeling.

Yet, in the fashion capital of the United States where competition among models is fierce and merciless, this 36-year-old has learned to tap into that elusive inner peace by dedicating her professional life to a simple mantra: “Don’t hate me because I am fat and beautiful!”

Olga is what is known in the fashion industry as a “plus size model.” At a size 24, she has been a print and runway model for about six years. The funny thing is she never really had sueños (dreams) of seeing herself strut down a catwalk or “Vogue pose” for the camera.

Olga Gonzalez-Ramos

“I always heard from family and friends that I should model,” Olga said. “But it was always at the same time others would suggest that if I lost weight I should become a model. It just didn’t appeal to me.”

However, her husband found the possibility of being married to a model irresistible. Finding out about a plus size modeling contest, he teased his wife he was going to enter her. Unbeknownst to Olga, he actually submitted a picture of her to contest officials.

Being a good sport, she went to the contest judging. It was while she was there that she met a retired plus size model who had opened up her own business. She complimented Olga on having a very unique look and recommended that she pursue modeling as a career. It was all the encouragement Olga needed to follow her new path.

Continue reading "Defining a beautiful new shape for modeling success" »

Filed 3 de Septiembre, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Texas lawyer and president of the National Women’s Political Caucus, Lulu Flores, devotes her life to helping more women achieve their dreams of getting elected to public office.

When Democratic hopeful Senator Hillary Clinton withdrew her nomination from the 2008 race for the U.S. presidency, there was probably no one more disappointed than Maria Luisa “Lulu” Flores.

Lulu Flores, president of the National Women's Political Caucus

Flores, a 52-year-old lawyer with an Austin, Texas firm that represents clients who suffer from cancer caused by asbestos exposure, spends her spare time as president of the National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC).

Since the mission of the NWPC is to “recruit, train, elect or appoint pro-choice progressive women to office,” Flores represented the NWPC on the Clinton campaign and worked in three states on the Senator’s behalf.

“The National Women’s Political Caucus was founded on the premise that ALL women should be represented and should be participants and leaders in the political arena,” Flores said.

In fact, equality for females has always been something that Flores has striven for since she was a child growing up along the U.S.-Mexico border in Laredo, Texas.

A self-confessed tomboy, Flores, the youngest of nine children, played and competed with the neighborhood boys. In her senior year of high school, she lobbied for a girls’ basketball team and not only won her case but became the team’s co-captain.

“I instinctively knew that girls and women should have equal rights to do what they wanted to do and become what they wanted to be,” Flores said. This is what I do today — fighting for gender equality in society and in politics.”

Continue reading "Creating a legacy one ballot at a time" »

Filed 27 de Agosto, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

One stay-at-home mom turns cultural pride and frustration into a winning combination by creating the Latin Baby online boutique featuring products reflecting Hispanic pride.

Latin Baby founder and president Monica Olivera.

It didn’t take long after the birth of her first child for Monica Olivera to figure out that what was missing from all the cute new baby clothes in her child’s growing wardrobe was something that reflected the family's Hispanic heritage.

The longer Monica dwelled on it, the more she became convinced she had a business idea worth pursuing.

“It was a gradual thought that started growing quietly in the back of my mind,” Monica said. “Until one day I blurted out to my mom that if someone would start a line of baby clothes that targeted Hispanic families, they’d be sitting on a gold mine.”

Continue reading "Helping new mothers reconnect with their Latina roots" »

Filed 20 de Agosto, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)