Op-eds, columns and personal essays.

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How I Celebrate My Mom on Mother’s Day

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One of the things I am most thankful for about becoming a mother is that it has helped me appreciate my own mother all over again. You see, growing up, we always butted heads. There was the typical stuff—her being super strict and me thinking…
The Story Behind Cinco de Mayo-MainPhoto

The Story Behind Cinco de Mayo

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It’s Cinco de Mayo. ¡Olé! Break out your ridiculous, oversized straw sombrero, the bright poncho you bought in the airport at Cancun, and head to your nearest Chili’s. It's time to celebrate that very special Mexican day! But...what…
Awake Zion: A Latina Jewish Girl’s Rasta-Reggae Odyssey

Awake Zion: A Latina Jewish Girl’s Rasta-Reggae Odyssey

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“More love!” says Ras Tewelde, an Italian Rastafarian at Rototom Sunsplash 2012, when we say goodbye after meeting for the first time under a scorching Valencia sun, where the scents of seafood paella, hemp and human musk mingle in the…
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On Arbor Day Plant the Right Tree

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Arbor means tree in Latin, and Arbor Day is a holiday where we take time to plant trees. The first Arbor Day was held on April 19, 1872. Today, over 30 countries observe a form of Arbor Day. If you're interested in celebrating this holiday,…
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To Grieving Parents: I Won’t Say I Understand

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They—whoever “they” are—always say that there’s nothing more devastating for a parent than to lose a child. And while I’ve always understood this intellectually, it wasn’t until I had a child of my own that I really got it. I…
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For Boston: Running in Honor of Those Who Can’t

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When I go for a run, I often pass by the memorial you can see in the picture here. It’s for a girl who was hit by a car in 1996. She was 12 when she died. About a year ago, I Googled the girl’s name. Alycia was hit by a driver who ran…
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Is Gun Safety Really Better in the U.S. Compared to South America?

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A mom wonders where the U.S. stands when it comes to gun safety. A good friend came to visit from Ecuador this week. We were on the subway in Manhattan and I asked her how things were in Ecuador. I told her that I wished there was less violence…
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A Woman’s Guide to Hispanicize Social Media Conference

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Hispanicize 2012—the annual Latino trends and newsmakers event for Hispanic marketers, media, bloggers, filmmakers and music artists—was like networking on steroids. During the social media conference, I cemented in real life plenty of…
11 Reasons Why Pope Francis is the Coolest-MainPhoto

Of Course Pope Francis is Latino!

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Almost three weeks after Pope Francis’ election, there is still talk in the social media world about whether Pope Francis is “Latino” enough, or if he even is Latino since his parents were born in Italy, and not in Argentina or any other…