Daily Quote: April 8, 2014
Daily Quote April 3, 2014
Our fear of failure often paralyzes us into not trying. If you knew that you would not fail, what would you do? Give yourself permission to fail. Failure doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve lost. It just shows you what doesn’t work. Keep trying until you make it work!
F.I.E.R.C.E Woman of the Week: Maria Rodriguez (4/2/2014-4/8/2014)
One of the reasons I created the F.I.E.R.C.E Woman website was to highlight and feature women who have decided to take their lives into their own hands and create the life they’ve always dreamed of. We are all just one choice away from changing the direction of our lives.
The F.I.E.R.C.E Woman of the week is following her dreams, supporting other women in achieving theirs, and inspiring us all to discover the power within ourselves and live the lives we were meant to live. This week’s F.I.E.R.C.E Woman is Maria Rodriguez, a Puerto Rican Writer and Performance Artist born and raised in East New York Brooklyn.
Mother of four, she discovered her penchant for self-expression during her adolescent years, while writing songs to a freestyle beat. Maria has been published in the New York Daily News, Sofrito for Your Soul and “Me No Habla with Acento” an Anthology of Contemporary Latino Poetry. She is an original cast member, Co-Writer and Co-Producer of “Soledad Speaks”. An intergenerational tale performed through monologue and spoken word and produced by Odd Girl in Entertainment that has enjoyed sold out shows to almost every performance. The most recent sold out show took place last Friday, March 28th when the cast performed at the BAAD! ASS Women Festival at the Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance.
In additon to being a writer, Maria is a curator who has curated shows for El Museo del Barrio and the legendary Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe. She is a workshop facilitator and has facilitated workshops for both women and youth. Most recently Maria published her first book and collection of poetry, Brooklyn’s Daughter.
Brooklyn’s Daughter is all grit and grace. In her first collection of poems, Maria captures the essence of her beloved borough, city, and people through vivid imagery and poignant delivery. Infusing raw humor, wit, and splanglish idioms, she waxes poetic about assimilation, gentrification, culture, pride, lessons and life. The ride is gripping. This book is a definite must have and I encourage you all to purchase it if you haven’t already.
Next up for Maria is is a featured reading at Word @4F on May 1st and a book signing/reading at NYC’s trendiest nail bar, Nail Lounge, on May 4th. She will also be giving a private performance for Wyckoff Hospital’s AIDS benefit on April 16th, but that event is closed to the public. To find out more about this modern day renaissance woman visit her site at http://www.mescribidora.wordpress.com. While you’re there don’t forget to buy her book.
Check out the trailer for Brooklyn’s Daughter:
I am F.I.E.R.C.E because I use my art to raise awareness, inspire, and empower my community. I am a modern day renaissance woman. – Maria Rodriguez
Daily Quote for April 2, 2014
Daily Quote for April 1, 2014
The Power of the F.I.E.R.C.E Brunch Speaker Bios
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.
The F.I.E.R.C.E Woman 