Entrepreneur Barbara Rivas’s message to Latinas: your wellbeing is of the utmost importance. Here’s how to take care of it every day.

At just seven years old, Barbara Rivas and her mother moved from Venezuela to the United States. The pair settled in Miami without extended family to fall back on or a community to help them acclimate. She grew up in an environment where she had to advocate for herself in order to feel seen and understood.

“Coming to a country where everyone in school speaks a different language than me, where even my teachers couldn’t understand me, was something that truly impacted me as a child,” Rivas tells Latina. “Seeing my mom work several jobs at a time to make ends meet and not be able to be there for me at school functions taught me to understand the sacrifices she faced. It wasn’t glamorous, but it taught me how to take initiative and keep moving forward, even when things felt uncertain.”

Her love of music led her to pursue a career in entertainment journalism. But after nine years in broadcasting, Rivas felt burnt out by the instability she faced (both financially and emotionally) in the field. “Sometimes life’s hardest moments—the ones that feel scary and uncertain—are actually divine redirections,” Rivas says. “What felt like a loss at the time turned out to be a blessing. Every challenge was a lesson that shaped the path I’m on now. There are no failures, only lessons.”

“[My mom] taught me to take initiative and keep moving forward, even when things felt uncertain.”

The experiences of her youth gave Rivas the grit to face career crossroads with confidence. She pivoted career paths, landing a project manager position at Mr. 305 Records, the record label owned by Cuban-American Grammy-winning rapper and entrepreneur Pitbull. For nearly the past five years, Rivas directly supported musicians at different stages of their careers, guiding them through everything from marketing to mental health advice. 

Working closely with the label’s artists and others in the industry shed light on the toll being in a demanding space can take on people, herself included. “I’ve worked with artists and colleagues that burn themselves out constantly,” says Rivas. “I try to teach them about the importance of taking care of themselves. We’re not machines meant to be working all the time.” In response to these experiences, Rivas decided to start The Blissful Project as a way to gather people from the local Miami community employed in high-pressure industries, particularly music and corporate spaces, who want to prioritize their mental, physical, and spiritual health but may feel like they don’t have the time to take care of themselves.

“Sometimes life’s hardest moments—the ones that feel scary and uncertain—are actually divine redirections.”

In two years leading the Blissful Project, Rivas has curated events where people can engage in self-care and develop resilience. Activities are designed to help guests find empowerment through shared experiences like guided meditation, sound healing, yoga, and journaling.

“Everybody’s working at 1000% capacity trying to catch up to the next person or their next goal, but we’re not really connecting or building a better future for ourselves, this generation, or the world,” Rivas says. “The Blissful Project has helped me build a community of people who want to heal, learn and grow together.”

No matter where you’re based or how much spare time you have (let’s be honest, it’s never enough), here are Rivas’s six favorite tips with Latina to support a positive journey with mental health and wellness in mind.

1. Repeat positive affirmations and gratitude aloud.

Rivas says one of the most powerful ways to start your day out is by writing down five to 10 things she’s grateful for, along with affirmations and intentions she wants to manifest. A few examples: “I am grateful for a new day to be alive,” “I am grateful for my healthy mind and body,” and “I am capable of achieving anything I set my mind to.”

“The words ‘I AM’ carry an incredible energy, and we use them daily to define who we are, how we feel, and what we believe is possible for us—so why not use them with intention?” says Rivas. “Don’t overthink it. Speak from the heart and let your intuition guide your affirmations each day.”

2. Set boundaries—and honor them.

Rivas is adamant that boundaries are a key component to protecting your peace. On a daily basis, try setting clear “off hours” where you don’t respond to work messages unless it’s an emergency. Keep your mornings clear by not jumping straight into emails or Slack DMs the moment you wake up and instead take 10 to 15 minutes to ground yourself in your own needs. And, while she encourages networking and building community, Rivas emphasizes the importance of honoring your energy and time: “You don’t have to go to every party or event or say ‘yes’ to every drink invitation.” If possible, try stepping away all together for an extended weekend or longer: “Take that vacation, you deserve it.”

Set guardrails around your personal time to keep work and social life from becoming overbearing. Reserve at least one day—weekly, if possible, or monthly—for yourself where there’s no work and no phone and you’re just “flowing through the day with whatever your soul needs.”

3. Start and end the day with a short journaling session.

The simple act of journaling can become a powerful habit to support your mental health. “Sometimes, we can say things, but our mind has a lot of different thoughts racing at once,” Rivas explains. “[Journaling] is such a powerful tool for you to intentionally see and feel what you’re writing with your own hand.”

Maybe you’re recording the thoughts in your head, maybe you just want to remember the goings-on of your day-to-day life a year from now—no matter what it is, try writing it down. For instance, your morning journaling can include your gratitude and affirmations; in the evening, try including reflections on what happened that day, one thing you feel proud of (or something you wish you’d handled differently), and your goals for the next day.

“[I believe that] putting pen to paper has powerful manifestation energy,” Rivas says. “You’re thinking it, speaking it, and seeing it as you write it.”

4. Curate your community selectively.

As she’s grown up, Rivas says she has learned the importance of surrounding herself with people who support her growth and reflect the energy she wants to embody. Building her community has given her motivation.

“At the beginning of my career and wellness journey, I didn’t have many people who were on a similar path, but by setting intentions and being open to new environments, I found my soul tribe,” Rivas shares. “We’re not meant to walk this path alone, especially when creating something with real purpose. When you’re around the right people, you grow together.”

“Get involved, show up, and—most importantly—don’t be afraid to make the first move.”

If you’re looking to build your circle but aren’t sure where to start, Rivas recommends checking out platforms like Eventbrite, SweatPals, or local Facebook groups: “Get involved, show up, and most importantly, don’t be afraid to make the first move.”

5. Get moving, even if it’s just for a few minutes at a time.

Something as simple as a morning walk with your dog or a quick stretch in the morning can help you ground yourself and ease into the day. (Rivas goes to the gym four to five times a week and includes a yoga or Pilates class at least once a week.) “This balance keeps my mind clear and my energy flowing throughout the week,” she says. “It doesn’t have to be complicated. Moving your body, even for a few minutes, shifts your energy.”

6. Ground yourself in the present.

Whether you prefer elaborate sound healing therapy, breath work exercises, lighting palo santo, or using essential oils for aromatherapy, Rivas recommends taking even 15 minutes to ground yourself in the space you’re in.

“When I’m stressed out or have a lot happening at work, these practices help me feel zen and relaxed,” Rivas says. 

This list of crowd-pleasers ranges from helpful kitchen essentials to hair care and accessories to apparel. While you’re at it, check out our holiday guides for the best cookbooks by Latin chefs and the best wellness gifts to give in 2024.

The 2024 holiday season is in full swing, filling our streets and homes with twinkling lights, festive decorations, and warm traditions. For many, though, the holidays can be a time of stress when shopping. If you’re looking for Latin-made gifts to shop for all your favorite family members, allow the Latina.com gift guide to help you by taking the guesswork out of giving amazing presents. This list of crowd-pleasing products from Latin-owned brands spans accessories, apparel, hair care, beauty, and kitchen essentials, offering excellent choices for all your favorite people.

Whether you’re celebrating in your sala or traveling to spend time with family and friends, you’ll find high-quality gifts for everyone on your list. We’ve included a fun Spanglish card game that’s an instant hit at parties, a platano-shaped handbag, a stocking stuffer-sized hot sauce we love, a gorgeous line of necklaces featuring positive affirmations, an Indigenous Xicana–owned makeup collection that every beauty lover will fall for, and so much more. Check out the whole list below, starting at just $15.

Idioma Studio The Platano Bag and Madurito Pouch (Platano Bag, $395.00; Madurito Pouch, $130)

Founded by Joel and Nabila De La Rosa (a highly creative Dominican husband and wife duo), Idioma Studio is the designer behind this elevated bag—an ode to the plantain, a beloved staple in many Latin American dishes. The green Platano Bag is made from dark green calf leather, adorned with gold hardware, and can be worn as a shoulder or crossbody bag, while the yellow Madurito Pouch is made from recycled leather and makes a beautiful wristlet to go with all your party outfits.

Chillhouse Chill Head To Toe Bundle ($92, Shop on Chillhouse or Shop on Amazon)

The spa has never been closer to home than with this skin-care and press-on nail bundle from Chillhouse, the trendy salon-cum-retail company founded by Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton. It includes an in-shower body conditioner, a face and body mist, and two sets of chic Chill Tips—perfect for popping in the stocking of your best friend, sibling, or anyone else who loves a simple at-home manicure.

Cultura Confetti Feliz Año Nuevo Headband ($15, Shop on Cultura Confetti)

Share the gift of celebrating the holidays in style with Cultura Confetti’s Spanish party decor. Twin sisters Marlene and Maira Delgadillo create affordable headbands, balloon arches, and sashes for holidays and milestone moments—a unique way to add even more sparkle to your New Year’s Eve look.

Cassava & Cane Bendecida Affirmation Necklace ($40, Shop on Cassava & Cane)

Gift the power of a wearable affirmation with Cassava & Cane’s 18k gold-plated stainless steel necklaces. With phrases like bendecida, poderosa, and querida, Afro-Latina founder Gloria Malone wants the wearers of her jewelry to feel empowered and ready to take on the world.

Barrio Drive Me Llueven Las Bendiciones Tote Bag ($35, Shop on Barrio Drive)

Made by LGBTQ+, immigrant-owned shop Barrio Drive, this roomy, well-constructed tote dons a positive message: me llueven las bendiciones (“blessings rain down on me”)—a lovely affirmation that inspires positivity and hope. This makes an excellent everyday tote bag with adjustable straps, an inside zipper pocket, and a reinforced bottom. 

Yo Sabo Card Game ($20, Shop on Yo Sabo The Game; $25, Shop on Amazon)

Add a fresh game to your family night with Yo Sabo, a fun vocabulary-based card game that’s easy to play across generations and in big groups. Players gain points by correctly translating English words to Spanish, so the game doubles to fine-tune your language skills. Yo Sabo has quickly become a household favorite for my family, especially during holiday gatherings.

Yola Mezcal 1971 ($60, Shop on Yola Mezcal)

Not sure what hostess gift to bring to the next party you’re invited to? For the person who enjoys a versatile handcrafted and organic drink, check out the female-founded, female-led Yola Mezcal. Started by Yola Jimenez, the agave-based distilled spirit brand was launched with a recipe she inherited from her grandfather.

Hello Updo Gorro Silk Bonnet ($64, Shop on Hello Updo)

Winner of Oprah’s Best Bonnet for Beauty Sleep in 2024, the Hello Updo Silk Bonnet protects hair from damage and losing shape overnight. It comes in two colors and two convenient sizes, one for shorter or thinner hair and one large one for fuller, thicker hair.

Kids of Immigrants Holiday Capsule Hoodie ($110, Shop on Kids of Immigrants)

Look fresh while paying it forward with a piece from Kids of Immigrants’ 2024 Holiday Capsule, like this “Support Small Businesses” hoodie. Brand founder Daniel Buezo partnered with Buchanan’s Whisky to match the first $20,000 in sales from the limited collection to the Reimagine LA Foundation, which supports community organizations and local small businesses in Los Angeles.

Prados Beauty x RAH Azul La Indígena Guerrera 2024 VIP Box ($175, Shop on Prados Beauty or Shop on Amazon)

The Indígena Guerrera 2024 VIP Box is a stunning makeup collection by Indigenous- and Xicana-owned makeup brand Prados Beauty. Not only is it completely packed with amazing products (an 18-shade eyeshadow palette, blush palette, bronzer palette, three lip products, and a tote), the collection also features vibrant Indigenous-inspired artwork from Los Angeles-based artist RAH Azul.

Loisa La Familia Tool Set ($105, Shop on Loisa)

From chefs to casual foodies, the Loisa four-piece Familia Tool Set includes some of the most prized cooking tools for Latin cuisine. The tostonera is perfect for pressing plantains into tostones, the masher is essential for plates like mangú, the skimmer scoops without scratching your pans or pots, and the mortar and pestle will help with mixing spices, salsas, mojos, and more.

Rizos Curls The Complete Lengthening & Thickening Collection ($80, Shop on Rizos Curls or Shop on Amazon)

The dry, cold winter months can take a serious toll on one’s hair, so share the gift of a new hair-care routine with your friends and family by getting them Rizos Curls’ comprehensive collection formulated to improve hair health and add thickness for longer, stronger strands. On top of reducing breaking and supporting your long-hair-don’t-care goals, it features a light, refreshing scent and elevated packaging.

VolverDe La Dama Gift Basket ($95, Shop on VolverDe)

This luxurious, low-waste bath and body set from Latina-owned sustainable marketplace VolverDe is a great route to boosting your self-care and beauty routines without compromising your environmental values. This set features a natural bath soap, a cactus soap bar, and an agave body sponge packaged in a beautiful artisanal, handwoven palm basket. 

Diosa Fit Essential Set ($45, Shop on Diosa Fit)

Help grow your gym-loving friends’ cute athletic wardrobe with the Diosa Fit Essential Set, which comes with a matching sports bra and buttery-soft tennis skirt, with the latter featuring built-in pockets that make it as cute as it is functional.

Vive Cosmetics Dulce Holiday Kit ($35, Shop on Vive Cosmetics)

The Dulce Holiday Kits bundle together some of Vive Cosmetics’ most popular products, including a long-wearing Que Matte Liquid Lipstick in the color of your choice, a precision brow pencil, and the delicious, Dulce de Guava Lip Scrub. Your mami, tias, or primas will undoubtedly each want a set of their own. 

Piken x FAIYA Mama Juana Sauce ($15, Shop on Faiya)

Inspired by the Dominican rum-based drink mamajuana, this tropical sauce is a complex blend of spiced spirits, hot peppers, tamarind, mango, and spices. It’s as delicious as it sounds. We’ve gone through several bottles of this hot sauce in our home, so I’ll definitely be crossing my fingers to get this magical, spicy concoction as a stocking stuffer.

Bonita Fierce Best-Sellers Candle Gift Set ($92, Shop on Bonita Fierce)

It’s no wonder these nostalgic candles are Bonita Fierce’s best sellers. With scents like coquito, cafecito con leche, and lavender fabulosa, these coconut soy wax candles are sure to evoke the soft scents of home. The wooden wicks also crackle while they burn, adding a cozy ambiance wherever you set them.

Lybre Lashes Essentials Collection ($75, Shop on Lybre Lashes)

Makeup artist and influencer Karen Sarahi Gonzalez, better known as @iluvsarahii on Instagram, created these soft and natural-looking faux mink lashes for people who might usually feel intimidated by false lashes. They come in a range of cute styles befitting any occasion and can be worn up to 20 times.

Vida Bars Discovery Sets ($35, Shop Sets for Fine Hair or Coarse Hair)

Ana Perla Núñez has changed the game for the plastic-free and clean hair care space with her brand Vida Bars, including this set of nourishing, color-safe shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in products, all in bar form. These discovery sets are made for fine-to-medium hair and medium-to-coarse hair and are all curly-hair friendly. The sustainability-minded and travel-obsessed folks in your life will love you for these easy-to-carry bars.

Bawi Agua Fresca Variety Pack ($40, Shop on Drink Bawi)

Quench everyone’s thirst with Bawi’s sparkling agua fresca, which comes in fruity and delightful flavors like passionfruit, pineapple, lime, and guava—perfect for mixing up in cocktails or mocktails during your next celebration.

Zameena Mejia is a Dominican-American freelance writer born & raised in New York City. She is passionate about storytelling and uplifting diverse voices in beauty, wellness & Latinx lifestyle. Her work has appeared in Forbes, CNBC, Latina, Popsugar, Remezcla, Refinery29 and other outlets. Zameena holds a BA in journalism and Latin American studies from the State University of New York at New Paltz and an MA in business reporting from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism. You can follow her work on Instagram, Threads, and zameena.com.

D’ana Nuñez, known as COVL, has just made history as the first Latina artist to co-create a makeup collection for Ulta’s private label artist series. The limited-edition lineup comprises 10 products, including colorful eyeshadows, lip glosses, funky hair clips, a spa headband set, a candle, and more, all priced under $20.

Although Nuñez has collaborated with major brands like Nike and Instagram, this marks her debut in co-developing a makeup collection. As a multidisciplinary artist, her signature colorful, nostalgic, and vibrant designs span various mediums. You can find her art not only on painted canvases but also in digital designs featured throughout Netflix’s hit show “Never Have I Ever” and on basketball courts in Orchard Beach, The Bronx. Now, her artwork extends to color cosmetics and beauty products available at all of Ulta Beauty’s 1350+ stores nationwide and online.

Hailing from Miami and now based in Brooklyn, Nuñez’s work is deeply influenced by her vibrant Latin culture and upbringing. Throughout the collection, she pays homage to her Puerto Rican heritage, evident in the product names and the blue hues inspired by the Puerto Rican flag’s light blue, representing independence.

“I added that color because I wanted some semblance to the light blue that represents independence on the Puerto Rico flag,” Nuñez tells LATINA. “With art, it’s important to share my history, to champion a liberated future through different bodies of work, and to represent those before me.”

The cream eyeshadow set in the collection nods to Nuñez’s background, resembling partially squeezed paint tubes and featuring three mattes and one pearlescent cream eyeshadow formula. Her favorite items to create were the luxury-inspired “homeboy” candle and the puffy makeup bag. However, designing the eyeshadow palette proved challenging, as she had the freedom to create an 18-shadow palette like never before. The entire process, from Ulta Beauty’s initial email inviting Nuñez to join the artist series to the collection’s launch, took about a year.

“When the email [from Ulta] came in one day in May of 2023, my manager and I thought it was spam,” Nuñez recalls. “[I was in] total disbelief, but I was so ready.”

Now, makeup enthusiasts and art aficionados alike can own a piece of the “COVL universe,” as Nuñez describes her body of work.

“The process was so inspiring and full of exploration because as someone who has to have her hands in every part of the process, it’s important to partner up with brands who encourage you to dream big and allow you to run free with ideas,” she says. “Makeup is an avenue of self-expression through which I can tell my story while helping others unfold theirs.”

The Ulta Beauty Collection x COVL Artist Series is available now at ULTA.

Before Johnny Valencia became one of Hollywood’s most sought-after vintage designer plugs – securing shoes, dresses, and other garments for clients including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Anitta, Ice Spice, Pedro Pascal, and the Kardashian-Jenner family — Valencia had several career paths he wanted to pursue.

He began college with aspirations to become a veterinarian, so he signed up for science courses and even lived on a farm. While there was still time to change his major, he switched over to international relations and economics. After all, his grandmother hoped to see him become the future president of El Salvador one day. This lead him to study abroad at Sciences Po, one of France’s top political science universities. The three-month intensive program turned into a year-long stay: he had fallen in love with Paris. And as Valencia perused the Parisian thrift stores, another passion began brewing.

In one shop, he came across a Vivienne Westwood MAN jacket that he says was the most luxurious thing he had ever tried on. However at $1,400 dollars — three months of his rent — he couldn’t afford it. So began his second-hand fashion obsession. Today, Valencia is the proud founder of Pechuga Vintage, a Los Angeles-based online store that sources and sells vintage and contemporary designer clothing, shoes, and accessories.

“Getting my start in this field began with me just fulfilling my dream of expressing myself in the [clothing] I enjoyed, but then I had a lightbulb moment when I realized there were no Latinos in fashion that I could relate to. I used to think that my story had to be unique to have an impact, but then I learned what we need is representation. I want to be visible so that other Latinos can relate to this industry,” Valencia tells LATINA.

While still working at the Salvadoran consulate in his mid 20s, Valencia took on an unpaid internship at Vivienne Westwood’s wholesale department. His days of wearing boring outfits to his consulate job hung heavy on Valencia, who would watch John Galliano’s Dior fashion shows for inspiration while he and his friends got ready for their nights out. As soon as the opportunity arose, he traded in his plan to become a diplomat for a full-time position at Vivienne Westwood’s Los Angeles corporate office and showroom.

“Working for Vivienne Westwood was very formative to my understanding of how business works,” Valencia explains.

After the designer passed away in December 2022 , Valencia published “Everything is connected: a love letter to Vivienne Westwood” in Dazed, noting that the lessons he learned while working for her encouraged him to take the leap and pursue his passion for collecting. He launched Pechuga Vintage in 2018.

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At Pechuga, Valencia now employs two assistants and has several investors and business partners who counsel him on the business and invest in pieces sold at the shop. Valencia is the man to call if anyone in Hollywood needs a niche item of clothing that only he can source like Chanel cuffs for Kim Kardashian, a Versace bomber jacket for Daddy Yankee, or eight-inch Vivienne Westwood heels for Ice Spice’s Billboard award win as 2023’s R&B/hip-hop Rookie of the Year.

As one of just a few Latino vintage designer archivists who is reselling and trading fashion online at his scale, Valencia wants to see other Latino-owned vintage clothing businesses join the space and thrive as well. A few Latino small businesses Valencia recommends to support include Mom N Dad, Crazi Selection, Fffran Shop, and Girl Rarities. He also encourages anyone pursuing a passion project to dream big.

“Never diminish your work. Words have power. Pechuga Vintage is not just ‘a little business’ or a ‘small project.’ This is big because it matters to me. We deserve more and if we can dream it, we can achieve it.”

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Zameena Mejia is a New York City-based writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, CNBC, Remezcla, Refinery29 Somos and more.

The holiday season is a time for gathering with our family, friends, and communities. As we get together with new and familiar faces, LATINA spoke with the creators of six card games built to create new relationships, deepen existing bonds, connect to our Latino cultures, and have fun. Over the past five years, these seven entrepreneurs have led the growth of the Latino card game category, selling hundreds of thousands of games and helping people feel closer to their roots. We spoke with the founders of Yo Sabo, Millennial Loteria, Tragos, Get Loud, Preguntas and Amigas Circle Conversation Cards to learn more about how they created their games and the impact they have seen as a result.

Jessica Rosales and Carlos Torres: Yo Sabo

When Jessica Rosales and Carlos Torres met 13 years ago at the University of California, Riverside, the main thing they had in common was their overlapping scheduling of STEM-related classes. They soon discovered more mutual experiences: they were both children of families who immigrated from Mexico, they were both the oldest among their siblings, and they had a shared interest in becoming more in tune with their Mexican roots.

In growing closer to Rosales’ grandmother and parents, who speak predominantly Spanish, the couple felt a need to broaden their Spanish vocabulary. They wanted a way to learn more Spanish that would be more entertaining than simple flashcards. Thus, Yo Sabo was born.

“On social media, we see ‘no sabo’ used so negatively and for teasing. [Speaking] Spanish has always been tied to whether or not someone is considered a ‘real’ Latino. Yo Sabo is a word play on ‘no sabo.’ ‘Yo se’ is the correct way to say it, but we wanted that playful twist to reclaim ‘no sabo’ into something more positive,” Rosales said.

“We want this game to be a safe space to practice your Spanish with your family and friends,’ Rosales added, describing the bilingual nature of the cards. “It’s time we remove that negative connotation that ‘no sabo’ has behind it.”

Yo Sabo can be purchased at yosabothegame.com.

Mike Alfaro: Millennial Lotería

In 2006, an 18-year-old Mike Alfaro moved to California by himself on a student visa to attend college. On a visit home to Guatemala, the writer and creative director came across his copy of Lotería. It’s a game similar to bingo in that the first player to match a consecutive row of figures on their game board wins, except Lotería uses a specially designed deck of cards instead of numbers.

With his Lotería cards nearby, Alfaro opened up Photoshop and redesigned what his Lotería deck would look like if it had been created with a millennial twist.

In 2017, Alfaro’s designs went viral on Instagram and garnered messages from people asking where they could buy the Lotería cards. With nearly $20,000 in savings, Alfaro invested in creating the first 1,000 copies of Millennial Lotería. They sold out in less than a week. To scale the business, he joined forces with the publisher Blue Star Press. To date, Alfaro has collaborated with many brands and organizations such as Disney, McDonalds, and the National Partnership for New Americans.

“Millennial Lotería reflects all parts of being a millennial Latino. There are cards about student debt, love, the border wall, immigration, feminism, and pride. These are issues that are deeper than just a game. It’s not just the fun stuff, but it’s also the struggles of being a Latino, being a millennial, being a business owner, and a father,” Alfaro shared.

Millennial Lotería and its expansion packs can be found at Target, Walmart and Amazon.

Patty Delgado: Preguntas

Patty Delgado is a self-proclaimed “no sabo kid.” She was born and raised in Los Angeles, and to help keep their cultural traditions alive, her parents would take her to their hometown in Jalisco, Mexico every summer to spend time with family. Despite their best efforts, Delgado and her brothers mostly spoke English.

Now in her 30s, Delgado still cares about improving her Spanish, bridging language barriers, and building connections with her Spanish-speaking family. To help her and others reach these goals, she created Preguntas, a bilingual card game aimed at deepening bonds by asking questions about values, emotions, family and self-reflection.

“I can hold my own when speaking Spanish, but as far as communicating deep emotions and opinions, that’s definitely a challenge for me,” Delgado said. “I wanted to make sure Preguntas was family and generationally friendly, but also that anyone could play this game to connect better with their friends and loved ones, regardless if they are Latino or come from Spanish-speaking backgrounds.”

Preguntas is available at hijadetumadre.com.

Carolina Acosta: Tragos and Get Loud

Carolina Acosta was born and raised in Jackson Heights, Queens to Colombian and Dominican parents. She grew up surrounded by a diverse Latin American community, but having mostly spoken English at home and not forming strong ties to her parents’ cultures, she felt American more than anything else. When she went to South America for the first time, Acosta developed a newfound connection to her family’s roots and identities. Upon returning to the U.S. without a job, Acosta took on freelance design work and began her own side project: a Latino drinking card game based on fun cultural trivia.

“I wanted to make a game that was in English and Spanglish for people who wanted to connect to their culture without having to feel like they were the picture-perfect representation of who a Latino or Latina is,” Acosta said.

In 2019, Acosta created the game with $500 from her savings, designed the visuals, and developed the game prompts with input from Latinos from numerous Latin American countries. Upon launch, the game went viral on social media and generated over a million dollars in revenue in just two years.

Acosta earned a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2021, and that same year launched Get Loud, a competitive family-friendly bilingual guessing game aimed at practicing English and Spanish vocabulary. This year, Acosta reached a new milestone when both Tragos and Get Loud launched in Target stores nationwide as the first fully bilingual party games on Target’s shelves.

Tragos and Get Loud are available at Target, Amazon, and Walmart.

Ana Flores and Vanessa Santos: Amigas Circle Conversation Card Game

#WeAllGrow Latina Co-CEOs Ana Flores and Vanessa Santos are known for their online and in-person community building events for Latinas and femme Latines. Boasting over 350,000 supporters across social media and their online Amigahood network, Flores and Santos sought a new way to continue building safe spaces for open and honest conversations in person. They just launched their first-ever card game: the Amigas Circle Conversation Cards. The game comprises 99 bilingual English-Spanish prompt cards split into three themes: Heal, Commune, and Grow. For Flores and Santos, their goal is for game players to learn about one another’s stories, build sisterhood, and bear witness to each other’s tears, laughter, and dreams.

“As soul-driven entrepreneurs, we navigate our journey led by intuition, understanding that in today’s fast-paced and digitally driven world, there’s an earnest need for genuine human connections. The birth of the Amigas Circle Conversation Cards was inspired by this very notion, with our Latinx and femme Latine community in our hearts,” Vanessa Santos tells LATINA. “At #WeAllGrow our mission has always been to help our community heal, commune, and grow, and we wanted to offer something to the market that made healing accessible to the masses. We all yearn for honest and human connection, and we know that you’ll be able to connect more deeply with your cherished ones and even yourself too.”

The Amigas Circle Conversation Card Game is available on shop.weallgrowlatina.com

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Zameena Mejia is a New York City-based writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, CNBC, Remezcla, Refinery29 Somos and more.

Nyakio Grieco is no stranger to starting over. In the past twenty-three years, she has launched three successful beauty brands: Nyakio Beauty, Thirteen Lune, and Relevant Skin, all of which are thriving to this day. Grieco has raised over twelve million dollars for her inclusive beauty retailer Thirteen Lune, and she’s among the first hundred Black women to ever raise more than one million. Today, Thirteen Lune claims to carry more Latino and Hispanic brands than any other beauty retailer globally, stocking products from Joanna Vargas, Bomba Curls, Rizos Curls, Prados Beauty, and more.

“For us, beauty is about discovering community and seeing yourself better reflected on the shelves,” Grieco tells LATINA. “We seek the opportunity to tell cultural stories and create a space for everyone to discover them.”

Grieco was twenty-seven when she decided to set out on her entrepreneurial journey. At the time, she was working in the entertainment industry, reading movie scripts and finding jobs for actors. Inspired by indie brands such as Stila Cosmetics and Hard Candy – which were brought to the mass market through acquisitions by beauty conglomerates such as LVMH and Estée Lauder Companies – Greico discovered a love for the beauty industry. She quit her job to launch Nyakio Beauty, and formulated her first product, an African coffee body scrub, in homage to her grandmother who was a coffee farmer in Kenya.

“At that time there weren’t many other brands using African ingredients and honoring Africa for its natural resources,” Grieco says. “I had family recipes that I wanted to bring to the market to help people understand that Africa is a beautiful, sophisticated, and resourceful place. [And to show] that our ingredients are timeless, and have been helping people to look and feel their best for centuries.”

When planning to start her brand, Grieco says she had naivete on her side, initially her only concern was access to capital. She turned to her family and friends after several unanswered cold pitches to potential investors.

“The first bit of capital I ever raised was from people who had known me my whole life and that really gave me the confidence to step out on my own,” Grieco says.

Nyakio Beauty had many stops and starts due to a lack of access to capital, Grieco says, until it was acquired by Unilever in 2017, and later launched at Target. In 2020, Grieco’s business hit an unprecedented level of success. Amid a global pandemic and racial reckoning, Nyakio Beauty made it into almost every major listicle centered around Black-owned beauty brands to support in 2020.

“It was an interesting time to be receiving such attention for my brand, at a time when we all had much larger concerns, including COVID, and all of the heartbreaking tragedies happening during the racial reckoning. I found it so odd that this was when the brand was getting more attention than it had ever received in my twenty year journey,” Grieco says. “But what I found even more fascinating is that when I would look at these lists of beautiful, incredible brands, I couldn’t believe – as a Black female founder who has created products for everyone for the entirety of my career – that there were so many other brands that I’ve never heard of before.”

By December 2020, Grieco and her business partner, Patrick Herning, teamed up to launch Thirteen Lune, a one-of-a-kind beauty retailer dedicated to a 90/10 rule: ninety percent of its stock consists of brands created by Black and brown business owners, and the remaining ten percent went to ally brands. Only sixty days after launching their online platform, JCPenny tapped Thirteen Lune as part of the retailer’s new JCPenny Beauty rollout.

“It was a gift that came so early on, and that has really helped me learn to scale and bring so many deserving founders into national retail,” Grieco says.

Thirteen Lune has gone from distributing just thirteen brands to nearly two hundred brands across its online shop, six hundred JCPenny stores’ beauty sections, and its new brick-and-mortar store in Los Angeles. Grieco has raised funds from Fearless Fund, Capstar Ventures, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hannah Bronfman, and other notable investors. As Thirteen Lune continues to grow, Grieco’s goal is to also ensure that Black and brown beauty brand founders can realize their own paths to generational wealth.

“Black and brown women spend so much in the multi-billion dollar global beauty industry, and we buy products by people who don’t look like us,” Grieco says. “We deserve to also earn the dollars that the beauty industry rakes in.”

This, she says, is one way to tackle systemic racism. “Many of the products that we buy – Black or brown founded or otherwise – use ingredients from Africa, South America, East Asia, and South Asia because these are timeless ingredients that work on all skin tones and on all hair types,” Grieco says. “Representing our cultures in a way that can serve all consumers is the way that we are going to make the beauty industry more inclusive.”

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Zameena Mejia is a New York City-based writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, CNBC, Remezcla, Refinery29 Somos and more.

In celebration of Latino Heritage Month, Nike just dropped its 2023 “Familia” collection. The collection features footwear and apparel brought to life by a Latino-led team, celebrating young Latinas shaping our culture. Nike’s classic sneakers, including Air Max 1 and Pegasus 40, now feature vibrant colors and textures inspired by Carnival celebrations across Latin America.

The “Familia” collection is a collaboration between Latino designers across the Nike brand including Nico Rodríguez Bagué, Rachel Denti, Angela Sevilla Lugo, Daniela Triana-Mayorga, and Juan Carlos Huerta. In the past, Nike has released subsequent sneaker drops during Hispanic Heritage Month, so we might see the “Familia” sneaker collection grow later this month.

Maria Solis Belizaire, founder of the global running communities Latinos Run and Latinas Run, is among the first to hit the pavement for a run with the new Nike Pegasus 40 running shoe.

“I started Latinas Run because when I first started running, I didn’t find anybody who looked like me. I initially started Latinos Run, which is our mixed group, and from there, I found a lot of Latinas who wanted their own safe space for women to connect,” Solis Belizaire shared in a SNKRS app news update.

Other notable past Latino collaborators with Nike include J Balvin – who in 2020 became the first Latino artist to have an official collaboration with the Jordan Brand – as well as Fat Joe and Daniel Buezo’s Kids of Immigrants.

Designers Triana-Mayorga, Sevilla Lugo, and Denti discussed the similarities between their Brazilian, Mexican, and Colombian cultures to identify how they could bring the theme of “honoring your rhythm” to life.

“We had this really great moment where we were seeing a bird’s eye view of one of the carnivals and [were] like, ‘Oh, what if we could represent that in a shoe in an abstract way?’” said Triana-Mayorga on the SNKRS app, explaining the process behind designing the new collection.

The collection’s two silhouettes sneakers prominently feature a vibrant shade of pink that emulates Bougainvillea flowers native to Central and South America. On the Air Max 1, the Nike Swoosh resembles a feathery texture similar to feathers used in traditional Carnival costumes.

“I’m very proud to be sitting here in Portland, Oregon with two other badass girls from Latin America who moved here, immigrated here, and are able to share this [design] with the world,” Denti added.

The 2023 “Familia” Air Max 1, Pegasus 40, and apparel collection was released on September 27, 2023.

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Zameena Mejia is a New York City-based writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, CNBC, Remezcla, Refinery29 Somos and more.

As hundreds of thousands of people flock to Manhattan for New York Fashion Week for a chance to see the latest runway looks, creative director Mellány Sánchez’s new installation “Objects of Permanence” pays homage to the thousands of Puerto Rican and other immigrant and migrant workers who powered the Lower East Side’s garment industry and helped cement New York City as one of the world’s fashion capitals.

Sánchez celebrates garment industry trailblazers across nationalities and backgrounds, past and present, by mixing both historical and fictional elements of art in “Objects of Permanence,” presented in partnership between Abrons Art Center and the Tenement Museum through September 14, 2023.

Upon entering the exhibit space, visitors are met with a display of three shirtwaists honoring three of the 146 employees, mostly young immigrant women, whose lives were lost during the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. At the time, the International Ladies Garment Workers’ Union (ILGWU) had been fighting for over a decade to protect the rights of these workers and continued to mobilize after the tragedy.

“This point in history was important to the legacy of what labor laws and union activism looked like. The Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition inspires me to honor the legacy of people whose skill and labor should be acknowledged,” Sánchez tells LATINA.

The installation welcomes visitors to imagine they are walking through the home of a Lower East Side garment worker in the mid-twentieth century. It features authentic objects from the time period, such as shears, dresses, sewing machines, photographs, and union cards, alongside the creations of contemporary artists and designers who contributed garments and artifacts that honor garment workers’ lives.

One of these modern perspectives includes a retro-style dress from Christopher John Rogers Pre-Fall 2023 collection that pays tribute to the shirtwaist style. Another displays photos curated by Nuevayorkinos’ Djali Brown-Cepeda and Ricardo Castañeda which feature Latinos whose lives and histories are closely intertwined with their labor in the garment industry.

Another contemporary designer featured in the exhibit is Chilean luxury designer and Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) board member Maria Cornejo, who displays fabrics from her clothing line which is manufactured right in New York City’s Garment District. “At Zero + Maria Cornejo, 85 percent of the collection is made in New York City. It’s imperative that we support and shine a light on our garment workers in the city,” Cornejo says. Other exhibit contributors include Emily Adams Bode Aujla from BODE, Tremaine Emory from Denim Tears, Elena Velez, Kim Shui, Rio Uribe from Gypsy Sport, Procell, Bárbara Sánchez-Kane from Sánchez-Kane and Willy Chavarria.

For Sánchez, a Nuyorican with over two decades of experience in the fashion space, curating this exhibit was personal. Her grandmother worked in a large undergarment factory in the Lower East Side making underpinnings, a trade that was then passed onto Sánchez’s mother, who went to school for fashion and raised Sánchez with not only an appreciation for clothing and style, but also with tactical skills like hand embroidery.

Sánchez says her grandmother was one of the Puerto Rican garment workers in ILGWU Local 23-25, also known as the Blouse, Skirt, and Sportswear Workers’ Union. By 1937, the ILGWU had over 2000 Puerto Rican members. Less than 30 years later, Puerto Rican members made up over 25 percent of sewing machine operators in New York City, according to Hunter College’s Center for Puerto Rican Studies Library & Archives.

Malitza Aguila is one of the exhibition’s community contributors who shared the story of her mother Ederlinda’s experience working in the Lower East Side’s garment industry in the 20th century.

“While growing up on a farm in Puerto Rico, my mother Ederlinda learned many skills from her mother, aunts and cousins,” Aguila notes in Nuevayorkinos’ photo archive. “When she moved to New York, she honed in on her craft as a seamstress working in various factories in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens which became her only source of income for the next 40 years.”

Struck by Aguila’s story and her mother’s decades-long connection to the garment industry, Sánchez asked Aguila if she still had any of her mother’s original pieces. In addition to sharing two photos of her mother, the exhibit features one of Aguila’s mother’s original creations: a black handmade purse – modeled after the iconic Chanel 2.55 handbag – made from leftover fabric, cardboard, and black beads.

Aguila says that despite the Garment District’s distinguished position as a birthplace for fashion and design, one must remember how migrant garment workers’ lives were — and often still are — harsh and isolated as a result of their immigration status and work permits.

“While they are often unable to complain about their conditions for fear of being reported to immigration authorities, they are striving to better their lives for their families. They are critical to the workforce and New York City has always been the gateway to opportunity,” Aguila says. “They have helped build the city and its infrastructure and filled many of the jobs that kept it running. We need to champion their story.”

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Zameena Mejia is a New York City-based writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, CNBC, Remezcla, Refinery29 Somos and more.

A few weeks ago, Tefi Pessoa was invited to Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence to celebrate Earth day. The pop culture commentator is no stranger to meeting notable personalities. Whether it’s interviewing record-breaking artist Anitta on the red carpet or celebrating the latest Rare Beauty launch with Selena Gomez, Pessoa lets her more than 1.9 million followers across TikTok, Instagram and Youtube in on her high profile interactions. But this visit marked a new milestone.

“I am the first person in my family to ever meet an elected official, let alone the second highest elected officer of the executive branch of the United States government. I was beaming! It was a confirmation that I am on the right path, but also hopefully it’s just the beginning,” Pessoa told LATINA.

Estefanía Vanegas Pessoa, better known as “Tefi” and @hellotefi on social media, is known for her deep dives on celebrity gossip as well as her prowess hosting across red carpets, TV shows, podcasts, events and more. After taking a nearly three-year-long hiatus from her studio produced Youtube show due to the pandemic, Pessoa is back with a new project of her own titled “This is My Superbowl.” In the weekly show, she invites her content creator friends to pick questions out of a literal shrimp bowl and no topics are off limits. It’s the first project she has created and funded entirely on her own, but Pessoa is not stopping there. She’s also working on a book of essays about her life and has dreams of getting into acting.

The 32-year-old says her knack for pop culture analysis traces back to her family’s own love of music and movies. Her Colombian mother and Brazilian father arrived in the U.S. in the 1980s, but consumed American TV shows, radio and Hollywood films more than anything else. Pessoa also credits her commentary skills to her mother’s strong advocacy for therapy during her early adolescence.

“Growing up, my mother gave me the tools to talk about my feelings – I [learned to] put language to them. That changed my life. If it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t be doing this,” Pessoa says.

Although she didn’t understand the widespread stigma toward mental health within Latino communities until she was older, Pessoa recognized how differently the older generations in her family dealt with their emotions compared to her own generation.

“Your parents don’t apologize. My grandparents didn’t say sorry to their kids,” she says. “I think our parents came to this country, [faced stressful moments, and thought] ‘it’s okay, I can take it,’ but we don’t have to do that anymore.”

This tough love approach might have been her family’s love language, Pessoa says, but she and her mom both agreed that Pessoa needed to be more proactive about her wellbeing.

“I was a really sensitive kid and felt things deeply,” Pessoa says. “We do a lot of things to take care of our health like go to the gym, see a dentist, get haircuts, get your vision tested. Well, my mom emphasized going to therapy, so it was normal to me.”

Navigating being a full-time content creator and social media personality can sometimes take a toll on her mental health, the Miami-native turned Brooklynite says. She admits she could be more disciplined when it comes to grounding herself amid the always evolving trends and pop culture news.

“There’s too much to do and too much to accomplish to have the time to sit and work through all the little mental knots I’ve tied together. I carry a journal around with me everywhere, though. I try to scribble all my grievances for at least 10 minutes a day,” Pessoa says. “I wish I knew how to do things for myself, make myself proud first. I don’t know how to do that. I want to make sure everyone around me is good before I check on myself. I’m working on it.”

In honor of Mental Health Awareness month, LATINA spoke with Pessoa about wellness, her advocacy work on issues such as voting and the environment, and how she stays grounded while navigating a career in the digital age.

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This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Your TikToks feel like you’re Facetiming with a best friend. How did you create this relationship between yourself and the internet?

Is it the camera angle? [laughs] If I have something to say, or if I come up with an idea, I’m going to say it right now. I don’t care if I have pimple cream on, I don’t care about the time and place, I just feel like I have to tell my friends something. Maybe [my audience] feels this way because I [am] someone who has messed up a lot and has made mistakes in my life, and yet I’m okay. Maybe people look at me as someone familiar to them.

You’re really open about your own body positivity journey online, what did it take for you to build up that self-esteem and inner-confidence? Why is it important to continue tackling unrealistic beauty standards through transparency?

In my 20s, I liked how I looked, but my self-esteem would get so bad. Once I started posting to social media about these feelings, I learned that a lot of people felt the same way about themselves. The validation that I felt from people encouraged me to have conversations about body image and mental health more openly.

[For a long time] I let the people around me convince me that I was a great supporting act. I realized that for a long time I was a martyr. Seeing people not choose you or not value you, your friendship, your time, your love or your affection starts to mess with you.

When it comes to mental health and Latinos, we have a lot of work to do. There’s a lot of pressure on first generation Latinas in the U.S. We’re expected to be beautiful and smart and make the sacrifices worth it and make people proud. It’s a lot. The sooner you start [to work on your mental health], the sooner we can get shit done.

Speaking authentically and candidly about your life and about pop culture news is not for the faint of heart. How have you balanced your mental health while being so open about your opinions?

I prioritize my mental health by being selective about what I comment on. But when I don’t know enough about a situation unfolding in the media and I don’t comment, people read into what I didn’t say and jump to conclusions. Sometimes people just want you to have an opinion to see if they agree with you. My new rule is that if I don’t find it interesting, I’m not going to talk out of my ass for views – that’s cheap. I want to stick by everything that I say and I want people to feel like they know me. If I’m not doing this to be known for who I am or to represent the way my family raised me or who my friends are, well then what am I doing it for?

For example, there’s Bad Bunny and Kendall Jenner. I haven’t commented on it because I want people to be happy. I want everybody to find love. Do I understand that choice? No. Is Kendall Jenner hot? Yes, she’s hot. If Bad Bunny marries this girl, he’s not less Latino to me. Maybe she would find a more sensitive approach to advertising her tequila. That would be really cool to see. I want people to come together and I want people to love one another, I want people to hold each other accountable, and I want us to inform and educate the people around us.

What has been one of the major challenges you’ve faced as a Latina in the content-creating and entertainment industry? What do you think can be done to create more opportunities for Latinos in these industries?

A major challenge I face is trying to be good enough to represent Latinos in some way. It’s definitely a pressure I put on myself. When I get hired to host something I always think, ‘I want to be good enough for the job and be Latina, not ok at the job and get picked for being Latina.’ I want to be myself, represent, do a good job, and advocate in a way that’s meaningful but also doesn’t overpower other Latino voices around me.

Who are your role models, mentors or peers who helped you get to where you are today?

Irma Martinez (a Colombian designer who has styled the likes of Juanes, Thalía, Lele Pons, Sofia Reyes and more) was my first real boss and she is the embodiment of wisdom and creativity. She was an incredible example of leading with passion and uplifting the people around her. She believes in everyone. When I tell people I started in fashion, they expect some toxic story but that could not be further from [my experience].

Offline, you’ve gone door-to-door to engage more Latinos to vote. What motivated you to engage with Latino voters?

Voting is confusing, and sometimes I think it was designed that way. I still get nervous when I go to vote and wonder, ‘Am I doing this right? What if I’m at the wrong location? What if I fill it in wrong?’ That’s stressful, so I can only imagine [how it is] for immigrants. If I can encourage [someone] that their vote matters, that they matter, that they are welcome here, and if I can help [someone] in my community advocate for themselves, I will jump at the chance. I would also like to say: Latinos love this country. We want to be part of this country. This country has given so many of us another chance at success and family and safety.

You’ve visited several states including California, Arizona, Colorado and Nevada to speak with voters about how climate change disproportionately impacts Latino communities. Along with your visit to the Vice President’s residence for Earth Day, how did this reinforce your desire to advocate for climate issues?

I went to [those states], and I went door to door asking Latinos to please come vote because Latino communities are among the hardest hit by climate change. There’s a lot that we have to do. I want to [continue] educating myself to be a voice for Latino communities and the Latino organizations (like Vote Like a Madre) that are encouraging other Latinos to vote.

I got a lot of criticism about [the Earth Day] visit and I just want to say: I hear you but you have to let me try. Let me try to get in that room and work hard enough to make sure what I have to say matters. I am not doing this for the photo-op. I would like to be a positive influence and an uplifting voice, you just have to give me a chance and the benefit of the doubt. I understand there’s a lot of mistrust with the internet, but all I want to do is ensure our families inherit the same planet I did. I want to ensure we thrive.

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Zameena Mejia is a New York City-based writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, CNBC, Remezcla, Refinery29 Somos and more.

Images by Flordalis Espinal