Remembrances of Being Very Very Tired

For 14 months of my life, I was the most tired I've ever been. This is what I remember about quitting my job to try my hand at being a stay at home mom.

• A tiny human kept screaming at me and we hadn't even been formally introduced.

• For the first time in my life, I suffered from anxiety. Some might say it was postpartum depression but I'll never admit that so let's stick with anxiety.

• I called my mom a lot. (Thanks mom.)

• Jay Leno reruns became my saving grace at 3 a.m. That guy is a genius!

• I learned how to clean a room without making a single noise. I'm like a ninja in that way, okay, maybe sloth is a better comparison.

• My entire body was in pain but for once in my life I put someone else's needs before mine. (I'm an only child.)

• My AHA! moment came at 2 a.m. when I was scrubbing the kitchen floor of dried baby food. I realized all those years my aunt cleaned her house at 3 a.m. wasn't because she was enjoying herself. It was the only time she could do it with a career and two kids.

The first three months of a baby's life is boot camp for the parents. You learn to spring into action after five minutes of sleep or three hours. You perfect your duties in the dark, in the cold and in pain. Bringing a child into this world is a traumatic yet inspiring feat. Whether a mother decides to stay home or work, we should respect her decision because either way she's got her work cut out for her.

Discipline with a Spanish flare

As a small girl, I refused to speak Spanish with my mother. She was born in Sonora Mexico and grew up speaking nothing but Spanish at home so this must have frustrated her. Now I think, wouldn’t it have been easier to just learn the language while I was small?

Thankfully, I finally realized the value of being bilingual in my teen years and made a commitment to become fluent in Spanish during high school. I watched only Spanish TV and every summer my mom would drop me off in Hermosillo to be immersed in the culture and spend time with my cousins. It was a lot of fun, and it worked.

Now that I am a mom, I think I might have figured out why I refused my mother’s native language for so long. Just the other day, my daughter acted out in public over the absence of her sippy cup and the first words that came flowing out of my mouth were, “Mi hijita, no me grites. Espérate por favor.” The situation caught my attention when everyone around us stopped what they were doing and looked at us confused. That’s when I realized, I raise my daughter in English but I discipline her in Spanish.

Where did I get this tactic you ask? I probably picked it up from my mother. When in doubt, I tend to blame everything on my mother.

English is clearly my go to language. I dream in English. I write in English. I find it easier to express myself in English. But when it comes to dishing out discipline, the fastest language that erupts from my lips is Español.

As a young girl I associated Spanish with being angry and upset which shielded me from seeing the value in learning to speak it. My fear is that this may happen to my daughter. One saving grace is that my husband speaks a different language as well, Greek. Ideally she will develop a love of languages from being exposed to so many at an early age rather than repeat my mistake.

As a Yuppie Chicana, I noticed I do certain activities in English and others in Spanish. The Colombian singer Juanes was even quoted as saying, “I sing in Spanish but I play my guitar in English.”

Personally I cook in English. I conduct my work life in English. I exercise in Spanish, and I dance in Spanish.

Let me give you an example. I cook in English because I don’t have sazón. I read every single direction twice sometimes three times while the stove catches on fire. I take my time and strive for exact measurements but I can never remember how to duplicate or mejorar una receta.

I conduct my work life in English. Since hitting thirty, I’ve toned down my jewelry, I wear less makeup and even my clothes is less Sofia Vergara and more Pam Beesly from The Office. In my experience some people are intimidated by a tall busty Latina with legs that go on for miles.

I exercise in Spanish because as one neighbor put it, I look angry when I run. That’s right. I look like Phoebe from Friends. I run fast, slow, talk to myself, play with my hair, sprint, and do a little cumbia all because for me running is my very own dialect of Spanish.

The same goes for dancing. Every bone and joint in my body takes control when I hear music. My ponytail comes out, my hips apply for their own passport and the passion escapes from my body like Andres Cantor calling a play by play in a soccer game.

But why do I discipline in Spanish?

Even our puppy knew when he was in trouble by the way I pronounced his name. If I found the toilet paper roll chewed up, instead of pronouncing his name Oscar, it came out, OOOOSCAARRRRR!!!!

Spanish is definitely a passionate language so perhaps when I feel passionate about instilling manners and respect in my daughter, somehow it feels best to use my mother's native tongue to convey the message.

So the next time you find yourself in a Desni Arnaz moment at a PTA meeting, instead of flashing a sheepish smile at your admirers, throw your hands up and yell GOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL until someone cracks a smile. Your kids will never forgive you but it'll make for a great YouTube video.

Leaving a legacy

When Irena Sendler's daughter asked her, “What sins have you got on your conscience mama?" all she knew was that her mother was carrying a burden. She didn't know it was the burden of leaving a legacy. A legacy can be many things, property, money, anything handed down from the past.

Irena Sendler was born in Poland and lived during the Nazi occupation of her country during World War II. She defied the Germans and under penalty of execution rescued Jewish children and secretly preserved the names of their parents on napkins kept at her bedside.

In 1948, a pregnant Irena gave birth prematurely after the stress of undergoing interrogations by the secret police took its toll on her body and the life of what would have been her second child. Before her death in 2008 she confessed she felt guilty and had been a bad daughter, wife and mother. Her selflessness and heroism came at a cost. Though a tree was planted in her honor in 1983 at Yad Vashem, her family suffered. Or had they?

As a parent our children need our time. As a spouse our better halves need our undying loyalty in the face of mounting debt, declining markets, sickness and midlife crisis. As a member of society, future generations need a legacy.

Though Irena Sendler probably missed out on some birthdays, she smuggled as many Jewish children as she could out of a Treblinka Nazi death camp. In doing so, her legacy to all mothers, wives and daughters is an example that there can be a silver lining in the face of destruction by standing up for human rights not just political ideals or religious creed.

Likely most of us will live our entire lives without having to make choices like who's life to save or how to ration food among family members. But that doesn't mean we can't leave a legacy worth being proud of.

My mother's legacy doesn't consist of brick and mortar. It's not a nine digit account number accruing interest somewhere. Though it may never release an IPO, the ingredients of her legacy are listed below.

Lessons my mother taught me

1. The importance of humility

“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” -Norman Vincent Peale

What I wish she would have also taught me: How to have a better poker face especially when I read the price tag on some items.

2. The importance of a strong work ethic

“What you do is what matters, not what you think or say or plan.”
― Jason Fried

What I wish she would have also taught me: How to get others to do it for me.

3. Celebrating my Mexican heritage doesn't make me less of an America

“We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.” - Jimmy Carter

What I wish she would have also taught me: How to make her delicious mole.

4. How to gain perspective in tough times

“Let yourself wallow in self-pity for three days. On the third day, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get on with a life worth living.” – My mom


I dedicate this post to my little cousin Alicia. Thanks for giving me the idea. :)

Confessions of a Yuppie Chicana

I recently read the hilariously snarky book, "Confessions of a Scary Mommy," by Jill Smokler and it gave me the most wonderful idea. Reading all those confessions from real moms has inspired me to do the same on my own blog but with a Yuppie Chicana twist. So here goes.

I only get "Latina" when I'm drunk or angry and it's not pretty.

My drink of choice is tequila, not the Skinny Girl stuff but real Patron silver.

Sometimes I google anger management groups in my area but then I get so pissed off with our slow Internet connection that I forget all about my anger.

When I catch a cold I literally sweat it out by dancing to Ricky Martin in my living room.

I don't know if I want anymore kids. I can't afford to go up another bra size.

I've been forgetting some of my Spanish so I started watching novelas again.

I can't understand people who don't like flan.

I wish my husband liked Frida Kahlo so I could put her paintings in every room of our house. I'd put the one where she's giving birth to herself over our bed.

Sometimes I talk with my hands so much I think it distracts people.

If I could wear all my jewelry at once I would.

Sometimes I refrain from curling my hair just so I don't make others jealous.

Some days I worry if my daughter will be able to stand up for herself later on in life and then I remember, she's Latina.

I'd love to get a PhD if my thesis could be on the life and career of Shakira.

I don't always make Mexican food but when I do it gives the term Moctezuma's Revenge a whole new meaning.


photo by Cool Chicana Art by Sabrina...
From the textmex obsessed imagination of William A. Nericcio
http://textmex.blogspot.com

Greek family versus Latino family

What do you get when you combine a Yuppie Chicana with a Cypriot Greek?  Whatever it is, it's always late and very hairy.  

As I sit here in the Mediterranean with a chain smoker on my right and a guy ordering his twentieth frappe´on my left, I know it comes as no surprise to my readers that I wish to uncover the nuances of being in a Greek family versus a Latino family. 

My experience with Greek family is limited to Cypriot Greeks, the craziest kind.  And my experience with Latin family is primarily based upon Mexican Americans.  There is never a dull moment in our household.

If you are a male born into a Greek family, you can take a deep breath.  You've hit the jackpot.  Males are the dominant gender to the point that if you are not careful, you may never learn how to do anything for yourself.  

If you are a female born into a Mexican American family, the good news is you are the smartest person on earth, you can do everything on your own and you are always right.  You are just a joy to be around. 

If your mom is Greek, she probably asks you what you want for dinner.  If she's Mexican American, you eat what is on the table.  You want to place an order?  Go to Filibertos!

If you're Greek, your giagia lives with you and seems to have more in common with the lady that cleans your house then with your mom.  

If your grandmother is Mexican American she has a hundred things she'd rather be doing than take care of you.  Her parents didn't immigrate to the United States so she could change diapers for the rest of her life.  

If your grandfather is Greek he might as well be Latino. He's probably a W.C.B.C., (womanizing, cigarette smoking, booze loving comedian).  Gotta love them! 

If you're Greek, the sound of someone spitting on you means they wish you the best.  If you're Mexican American and someone spits on you, it's on like donkey kong!

If you have both Greeks and Latinos in your family, you are probably taking a high blood pressure medication, have a left leg that twitches and you can successfully listen to five conversations while updating your Facebook status.  

Family is sacred.  But if you are Greek or Latino, it's just plain scary!!!!!

With love from Cyprus!

Fifty Shades of Amazing

Adriana Zavala Badal first entered the United States from Mexico at the age of one. As the years passed she never imagined she would be in the race of her life in her 50's but that is exactly what she has signed up for. Adriana grew up in Bisbee, a small mining town in southeast Arizona - population less than 6,000. Today she is running for mayor of the town and if she wins, she will be the first Latina mayor ever elected in Cochise County.

I sat down with Adriana, well I emailed her. She's a bit busy these days campaigning but was kind enough to let me interview her over email. It is important that my readers know I may be a bit biased considering I'm interviewing my mother, the woman I admire most in this world.

Y.C.: What excites you about running for Mayor of Bisbee AZ?

Adriana: The challenge of leading a diverse group of people. The residents of Bisbee include people who were born here, residents who came 40 years ago after the mines closed, and many part-time residents. Many times they are on opposite sides of the issues. As the lead person on the city council, I'm looking forward to applying a no-nonsense leadership style of consensus building to address our main concerns.

Y.C.: If you are to get elected, what do you hope to accomplish for your community? 

Adriana: I must find ways to fix crumbling retaining walls, potholes and crumbling streets, and deteriorating drainage and flood control canals. In addition, Bisbee's share of federal and state revenues is down, and the City's contribution to police and fire personnel pensions continues to grow. It will be necessary to cut spending and consolidate departments where possible, increase revenue, and spur growth.

Y.C.: What do you like about the town and the people of Bisbee AZ?

Adriana: About Bisbee I like its geography, its weather, its size, and its history. About the people, I like their sense of adventure, their work ethic and desire to make Bisbee a great place to live, their international experiences, and how they come together when the going gets tough. 

Y.C.: What experience do you have that would qualify you to become Mayor?

Adriana: 20 years working in government affairs and public policy in Arizona and New Mexico. 

Y.C.: How do you deal with criticism and naysayers in life and throughout your campaign?

Adriana:  I try to understand their reasons for saying no or for criticizing me or an issue. When I do that I sometimes change my mind or realize that I need to explain something better. If neither of us has a change of heart or mind-set, then at least we've had a discussion and hopefully we've established a rapport so that we can continue to talk. 

Y.C.: What advice would you give future political hopefuls when it comes to
campaigning?

Adriana: Talk less, listen more.

Y.C.: How does being bilingual benefit you as a mayoral candidate? 

Adriana: There are many Spanish speakers in Bisbee. It is one more way I can identify with them. Also, I am able to explain issues and listen to their concerns in their native language. Knowing Spanish is not just about speaking the language, it is also about understanding the culture; this type of understanding can be useful when a mayor seeks constituent input and support. 

Y.C.: What do you want your constituents to know about you?

Adriana: I am grateful for their confidence in me as a public servant. Regardless of who they vote for, if I am elected, I will represent everyone with respect and dignity. I will have regular office hours at City Hall. I will use the skills I've acquired over the last 20 years to improve all aspects of city government. I will continue to learn about city issues and constituent needs. I plan on us having fun.

Y.C.: Do you think you are a positive role model for other Latinas?

Adriana:  I don’t think of myself as a role model. I don't do anything with that intent. I do things because they need to be done, and when I commit to doing them, I seek perfection. I often miss the mark.

Y.C.: Who's been your role model?

Adriana: My sister who never gives up.

Y.C.: What is your stance on immigration?

Adriana:  I like it. 

Y.C.: Do you think of yourself as American or Mexican?  

Adriana: Mexican American. For me, it is impossible to separate the two. I and my parents were born in Mexico. As a child and youth, I spent many summers and holidays in Mexico. As an adult, I have travelled there extensively. My parents were proud of being Mexican and never shied away from who they were. That gave me self-esteem and confidence.

Y.C.: What is it like to live in a border community during an election year where immigration is a hot topic? 

Adriana: Bisbee does not have border immigration problems. Individuals and families from Mexico have been coming to Bisbee since the late 1800s to work, to shop, to live - and vice versa. The border region in this part of the country is populated by people who understand and respect each other. We are fortunate to live here.

Y.C.: What is the best piece of advice you've ever received? 

Adriana: Don't be afraid to ask a question. If you ask it, you might feel dumb for a few minutes. If you don't ask it, you might be dumb for a very long time.

Y.C.: If you are elected will you run for re-election and do you have aspirations for any other elected position?

Adriana: Right now I am focused on winning the mayoral race. The primary is August 28 and the general election is November 6.  

If you know Bisbee, then you know just about anything can happen there including electing the right woman for the job.

P Syndrome

Pobrecito syndrome is a condition running rampant in many neighborhoods and communities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging all individuals with affected family members to remain patient and calm while a cure is found. The largest group affected by this debilitating disease seems to be Hispanic fathers however the CDC is warning citizens that no one is immune once exposed to the condition.
As infectious disease specialists work around the clock to learn more about P Syndrome, below is a list of symptoms that should not go untreated. Due to the difficulty of diagnosing one’s self with P Syndrome, we recommend you sit down with a strong female family member such as your wife or daughter while she provides answers to this checklist.

Symptoms of P Syndrome

• If you call this person on the phone and the first thing they say is, “Que milagro! You never call me,” even though you just talked for two hours yesterday.

• No matter how many trips you make to visit this person, they swear it's been forever since they last saw you.

• You send this person a card and follow up with a phone call a few days later and their response for not calling to thank you for the card is, “I didn’t want to bother you.”

• When you seem frustrated or upset by something personal in your life, they ask you, “Why are you mad at me?”

P Syndrome should not be taken lightly. It is recommended that individuals demonstrating any of the above symptoms be treated with extra doses of love and patience. Scientists are studying potential causes of this new disease and believe it can be brought on by factors such as drinking too much tequila, listening to corridos and or watching too many John Wayne movies.
Rest assured. There is hope. I will be collecting money from now until the end of time to fund future blog posts on the condition so inbox me if you wish to contribute.

Join the fight, one pariente at a time.

It's okay to be Chingon!

Once upon a time in a not so far away land called the Southwest, a man married a woman. The man was from Mexico and the woman, well her story has been taken off shelves. She could have been Native American, Anglo, or maybe even a beautiful African goddess. She bore this man many children and raised them to be muy chingon.

Today, the children of those children thirst for knowledge of her life, her history, her being. Some of these children live in Tucson Arizona and in true Chicano fashion; they are raising hell to be heard and to be counted. They are muy chingon.

You may have heard of the ban on ethnic studies by the Tucson Unified School District. With budget cuts affecting school districts all over the country, one might say the ban on Mexican American studies is not personal. If only it were that simple. Books have been banned and literally removed from library shelves in an effort to eradicate anything related to race, ethnicity or oppression, according to an article by the New York Daily News. TUSD’s decision to suppress books on oppression has not gone unnoticed. A group of individuals from Texas calling themselves the librotraficantes have made it their mission to smuggle contraband books back into Arizona making them available again.

Why would anyone want to study Mexican American studies in high school? There are many reasons but the most obvious is to feel empowered and important. According to the Pew Research Center, being Hispanic doesn’t come easy. A large percent of our young people drop out of high school more frequently than Blacks, Whites or Asians. An even larger amount of us live in poverty and even a greater percentage become mothers by age 19. It’s no wonder young Latinos seek an escape from the difficulties of life. For many that escape is learning and celebrating their history.

When I first heard about Chicano Studies in college, something clicked for me. After just a few courses, I felt whole. Now I could add the brave tales of Reyes Lopez Tijerina to my knowledge of American History. Some proponents of the ban feel that the Mexican American Studies curriculum breeds hatred for white people. The point of ethnic studies is to highlight multiculturalism and celebrate it. Many Chicanos, me included, have Anglo family members that we love dearly and they love us. Despite what the opposition says, most of us have no intent on taking over the country by force. We are a people, not a religion.

Maybe one day there will be a Mexican American President in the White House. Until then, we just want to celebrate our chingon-ness. Don’t worry. We’ll try to keep the music down.

Chingon is an urban term that means, “real bad-ass.”

Fake It Until You Make It

If you were hoping for a salacious tutorial on how to get a guy in 10 days, that’ll have to be another post. If you’ve started your own business recently or are thinking about becoming a business owner, you could consider this your mantra. Fake it until you make it. Forbes magazine has featured two articles in the last few weeks about more layoffs expected on Wall Street and another 2,000 jobs to be eliminated at Bank of America. CNNmoney.com reported in 2010 that 7.9 million jobs were lost during the great recession, some of which may never return.

Since the beginning of the recession we’ve all noticed an increase in self employment among our friends and family. And if you haven’t noticed it, I myself invested in a rather risky yet exciting endeavor just as more than ten banks were being shut down according to the FDIC’s failed bank list for February 2011. Corporations have let us down making the modern day employee an employer. Before I ever became a statistic of the recession by being laid off in 2008, fake it until you make it has been a survival technique in my family for generations. There’s something unique about growing up too Latino for Americans and too American for Latinos that has made these six simple words a way of life for a Yuppie Chicana.

When my grandmother was a young woman applying for a job as a telephone operator, one of the questions she was asked was if she had a command of the English language. She said yes and was hired. Truth be told, she was not fluent in English but she took a chance and it paid off. Risk taking doesn't have to come with sweaty palms if we remind ourselves that failure is the mother of all success.

If it’s an unfavorable hand you’ve been dealt these last few years, rest assured many people have decided to take matters into their own hands and have become successful entrepreneurs as demonstrated by the recent increase in online businesses. That doesn’t make it easy, but it is possible even if you don’t feel 100% prepared. It is easy to doubt ourselves on the merit that we may not have experience in other industries, or perhaps lack a college degree.

One of my favorite TV shows is Shark Tank on Friday nights. It embodies the American entrepreneurial spirit. Anytime I travel outside the country, inevitably there is always one person that says the United States has no culture. I just smile and ask if they are enjoying their Iphone. It may be made in China, but the technology is as American as apple pie, or should I say Taco Bell? Yikes!

The point is we are a resilient culture. When the pilgrims left England for The New World, someone must have put their hands up and said I hope this is a good idea. Turns out, it was a great idea. When we brought our baby home from the hospital my husband and I asked ourselves, who signed off on this? So next time you feel stuck on the sidelines of life, remember these six simple words and fake it until you make it.

Ballad of a Jaguar mom

The jaguar was revered as a symbol of power and strength in several pre-Columbian cultures including the great Maya and Aztec civilizations. It is a solitary opportunistic creature at the top of the food chain. In 2011, when the book, Battle Hymn of a Tiger Mother was published, I asked myself what animal could best describe Mexican mothers? The more research I did on the panthera onca, the more similarities I found between it and the women in my own family. As Mother’s Day fast approaches, not only do I find myself racking my brain for the perfect gift, I also find myself reflecting on what makes Latina moms so unique and so majestic like the mythical jaguar.
The jaguar’s present territory includes the Southern United States and Mexico all the way to Central America, Paraguay and parts of Argentina. Jaguar moms can be found all over the world and aren’t always Latina, but they almost always share one important characteristic, tough love. Unlike the Chinese Tiger mom, a Jaguar mom may not force her kids to play hours of chess, but she uses every opportunity to teach her children how to strategize in the game of life. In this era of instant gratification, it seems more and more difficult to raise niños agradecidos, appreciative children. Think you have what it takes to be a Jaguar mom? Take this short three question quiz and find out for yourself.

1. Your teenage daughter sneaks out when she is supposed to be grounded. You,
a. Call the cops
b. Sit at home feeling sorry for yourself and pop some Xanax
c. The only person who is about to have a panic attack is your daughter when she finds out how pissed off you are

2. Your daughter puts on a few pounds her first year of college. You,
a. Ignore it because it happens to everyone and you can afford to shed a few pounds yourself
b. Buy her Hydroxycut and hope she gets the point
c. Tell her point blank, your clothes don’t fit and you need to lose a few pounds followed by a hug and a kiss

3. Your son hands you his book report and anxiously awaits your approval but you spot a million grammatical errors. You,
a. Don’t have time right now and tell him to leave it on the counter.
b. Give him a hug and kiss but ignore the mistakes.
c. Grab a red pen, correct all the spelling and grammatical errors and hand it back with a smile.

If you answered mostly C then you might just be a Jaguar mom, relentless in your pursuit of perfection, but never wavering in your love and admiration for your child. This Mother’s Day whether you have a Jaguar mom, a Tiger mom or a mom whose species is yet to be identified, celebrate her because all God’s creatures are special, even the mythical ones.

Would you like that Hispanicized?

Mexican American birth rates are on the rise, thanks in part to the Skinnygirl margarita, while immigration from Mexico is down due to factors such as the recession, an increase in border patrol and the Chupacabra. What does this mean for our country? For one thing, it means there are more Yuppie Chicanas being born every minute than there are Mexicanas crossing the border. Simply put, it means Latinos have a growing impact on the nation in ways we have yet to experience.
I remember stories about my grandparent’s generation of Hispanics and how they were forbidden to speak Spanish in school for fear of punishment. To protect their children, my great grandparents encouraged their American born kids to blend in and assimilate with American culture which wasn’t a bad idea except that sadly, many families lost the ability to speak Spanish. On the other side of the spectrum companies and industries all across our great nation are now looking to Hispanicize.

For the third year in a row, Miami will host a conference this month called Hispanicize 2012 where individuals in PR, marketing, news and entertainment can get together and focus on creative ideas and best practices aimed at capitalizing on the multi-billion dollar buying power of the Hispanic market. So how do companies appeal to the growing number of Latinos? Do they add a Yuppie Chicana M&M and call her Ms. Brown? The voice may be Vanessa William’s but anyone who can keep up with Chayanne, is an honorary Latina in my book.
The best way to reach a Latino audience is to do it with humor. M&M, Volkswagen and JCPenney have done it successfully. There’s no time like the present to Hispanicize your business. Years from now we could look back and realize that it wasn’t just another trend, but a major factor in one of the greatest comebacks a nation has ever made.

What is a Yuppie Chicana?

At first glance, you might say it's an oxymoron like resident alien or accurate stereotype. Yuppie is a term that means "young upwardly mobile professional." It first became a pop culture term in the late 1980's, according to the most accurate source on earth, Wikipedia. A Chicano/a is a person of Mexican American descent. There are many nuances both regional and familial to identifying oneself as Chicano/a. In fact, it is an intensely personal decision to allow others to call you or to refer to yourself as Chicano/a. There is no right or wrong when it comes to personal identity even if it means blending contradictory terms.

Yuppie Chicana is a term I have created and coined to describe young female professionals living all over the world that are of Mexican American descent and find themselves successful in both the American and Latino cultures. As of April 1, 2010, there were 50.5 million Hispanics in the United States. The Pew Research Center reported that in 2010 there were 31.8 million Mexican Americans in the United States. All types of companies and industries are talking to us and by us I mean the beautiful, confident, powerful and successful Yuppie Chicana. They want our feedback, our money, our loyalties and attention. It's not a coincidence that I shed a tear or twenty, depending on the time of the month, every time Salma Hayek flashes back to her childhood as her mama calls her into the kitchen to drink her milk. I turn on Dancing with the Stars only to quickly add it to my DVR schedule so I don't miss out on William Levy's sexy moves. If you're still unclear as to what my term Yuppie Chicana represents, maybe this will help.

If you've ever made a wrong turn off the highway only to find yourself in the barrio and instead of getting nervous, you look for a carniceria to take home some carne asada to the hubby, you're a Yuppie Chicana. If you own a Louis Vuitton purse and secretly refer to it is as "Luis," yup, you're a Yuppie Chicana. If your neighbors knock on your door so you can translate for their gardener, you guessed it, you might be a Y.C. If you love going to that group salsa class at your local gym but wonder what the big deal is, you've been dancing to this stuff since you were little, you might qualify as a Yuppie Chicana. Whether or not you are a Y.C. like me, I invite you to subscribe to my blog as I share my opinions and experiences through the lentes of a Yuppie Chicana.