Justine Hornedo, Motivational Speaker:

Justine Hornedo is a modern day renaissance woman, from an exciting career at MTV Networks to cultivating the young minds of our future as a teacher to currently managing two busy health care practices at one of NY’s top health care facilities, she has literally done it all.

Things haven’t always come easy for her though. Growing up on the mean streets of Spanish Harlem, NYC, Justine’s parents were victims of the 1980’s drug epidemic. Her father left at the age of 3 and her mother was murdered when she was 7. Having to endure living with drug-addicted parents, neglect, bouts of homelessness and heartless adults, Justine took what life threw at her and molded each circumstance into positive building blocks. Justine’s motto is “It’s not your circumstances that will make or break you, it’s your decisions.” Justine understands the importance of education and is enrolling herself back into college this spring to complete her bachelor’s degree in business administration.

Justine considers her achievements to be the result of determination, hard work, and a perpetual belief in herself. She strives to instill these same values into her son and all the individuals she comes in contact with.

Her vision is to inspire everyone who has had the odds against them. To assist them in proving to society, and more importantly, themselves, that no matter your circumstances or upbringing, anyone can be successful and fulfilled.

Wendy Angulo, CEO & Founder Wendy Angulo Productions:

Wendy Angulo is a New York City born Latina, raised in Caracas, Venezuela. Armed with a zeal for reading and writing since the age of seven, Wendy re-discovered her love for writing in the summerof 2011 when she attended a spoken word event in Queens, New York. After reading her poetry at various venues throughout New York City Wendy felt the need to bring the arts back to her beloved borough of Queens.

She created Canvas of Words, an art and poetry showcase that debuted in October 2013 to a sold out audience. The success of Canvas of Words motivated her to begin Wendy Angulo Productions, an organization whose goal is to support, encourage, and promote poetry and visual arts in the borough of Queens through collaborative events among established artists and emerging artists.

Through Wendy Angulo Productions she also manages established performance poets and writers such as Erik “Advocate of Wordz Maldonado”, Jamaal St. John, Ngoma Hill, Nancy Arroyo Ruffin, Meriam Rodriguez, Thomas Fucaloro and emerging writer Vanessa Pardo. Wendy continues to scout for new talent and build new connections to perpetuate the arts and strengthen the literary community.

 

Nancy Arroyo Ruffin, Author & Motivational Speaker:

Nancy Arroyo Ruffin is a New York City born and bred Puertoriqueña.  She is a mother, wife, author and motivational speaker. In early 2014, Nancy launched her “Are you a F.I.E.R.C.E Woman campaign (Females Inspiring, Empowering, Recognizing, & Cultivating Evolution) an initiative designed to promote female unity and empowerment. With her voice and determination, Nancy is breaking down barriers  and creating a platform to inspire, educate, support, and empower all women.  Her pride in her Puerto Rican culture, her love and veneration for her ancestors, and her ardent desire to instill  the same pride in the next generation are what this Latina cites as her biggest motivators. Nancy believes, “That pride is instilled. It’s what we carry with us every day of our lives.”

A graduate of Bernard Baruch College, Nancy believes that education is the key that opens the door to the future. She has a B.A. degree in Accounting and an MBA in Healthcare Management. Nancy is the acclaimed author of two books, Welcome to Heartbreak: A collection of poems, short stories and affirmations about love, life, and heartbreak (2011) and  Letters to My Daughter (2014) both published by CreativeINK Press. She is also a member, workshop facilitator, and serves on the Board of Directors for the New York City Latina’s Writers Group, an organization committed to providing a safe space for women to share their voices and their stories. 

As a writer, Nancy’s work has been published in the on-line magazines  La Respuesta, Sofrito for Your Soul, and The Daily Voice. Her work also appears in the anthology “Joy Interrupted: An Anthology about Motherhood and Loss” published by Fat Daddy Farm Press 2012. 

Nancy currently serves as the Assistant Director of New System Design and Implementation at the New York City Health & Hospitals Corporation Central Office Finance Division. She resides in Bergenfield, New Jersey with her husband and their daughter.