Episode 294: Breathing Anxiety Away, a Conversation with Breath Work Coach, Ana Lilia

Breathing is something we do naturally, without giving it a thought, but what happens when you breath on purpose, when you do it properly? According to Ana Lilia a certified breath work coach, teacher and healer, it can literally change your life.  Ana Lilia specializes in managing anxiety, unique stress, fears and overwhelm amidst world affairs and in this episode she shares with us all the benefits and techniques that  she uses with her clients through guided breathwork, meditation and visualization exercises that can help us deal with all of these feelings regularly.  Make sure you take note and remember to be kind to yourself and  just breath Super Mama! 

More about Ana Lilia: Ana Lilia is a certified breathwork teacher and healer leading thousands of people to intimately connect with their breath as a pathway for transformation. Ana channels her intuition and seamlessly blends active breathwork, intuitive guidance, and curated music to create personalized and healing journeys. Ana specializes in managing anxiety with her exclusive 7 day Breathwork for Anxiety program where she offers a combination of guided breathwork meditations, visualization exercises, and intentional journaling. She also leads a weekly “Community Gathering” to help individuals manage the unique stress, fears, and overwhelm amidst the global pandemic. 

Ana regularly facilitates breathwork experiences within corporations and on behalf of leading brands, including Hyundai, Columbia Records, USC, Recording Academy and American Heart Association. She has led sessions at WeAllGrow Latina, the country’s largest conference for Latina creators and entrepreneurs, and at wellness retreats in Los Angeles and Peru. Her work has been featured on NBC Nightly News with Lestor Holt, BravoTV, Los Angeles Times, Harper's Bazaar and more.

Episode 293: Venting with the Super Mamas- My kid got into a fight at school, Am I a bad mom?

This week we have a venting Session with the Super Mamás, Paulina got a phone call from school saying one of her daughters got into a fight at school and immediately the Mom Guilt kicked in, Is it my fault? Am I doing something wrong? Am I a bad mom? When our kids do something considered bad, we immediately start blaming ourselves as parents, but is it really our fault? How can we divide our time and attention to all of our kids needs when haven multiple kids, and trying to balance work and life at the same time? Is there really a right answer to this? What do you think?

Episode 292: Bringing Good to The Hood through Holistic Wellness with Dani Solorio from Compton Health Bar

This week is all about feeling good inside and out! We got to chat with the amazing Dani Solorio, a renowned herbalist, Certified Nutrition Health Coach and founder of Compton Health Bar, a Holistic wellness space in Compton California. Dani's mission to bring Good to the Hood has become a movement that gives people in the community more access to Holistic practices to improve physical and emotional health. We talk about the ways that herbalism can help us deal with stress related issues as well as many other health issues affecting womxn today. Dani is a reminder to all of us that nature is there to nurture us inside and out.

More about Dani Solorio: Continuing the family traditions of generations of healers, Dani Solorio is a renowned herbalist and the founder of Compton Heath Bar, an holistic wellness space in Compton, California. She is also the residential herbalist for Telemundo’s Acceso Total.
Driven by her mission to bring health to the hood, Dani helps people reconnect to ancestral healing practices through her all-natural herbal remedies. She is at the forefront of the wellness movement in Compton, California, as well as for LGBTQIA+ and the Latinx community across the country.
Dani was born in Zacápu, Michoacán, Mexico and arrived in the United States at age six. As an undocumented student, Dani’s entreprenural journey began early when she realized that college was not an option. After working in warehouses and restaurants for years, she saved up enough money to open her first business, a small video store. As her business grew, so did her drive to open up one of the only natural medicine stores in Compton, California. Since 2012, Compton Health Bar has been nourishing the BIPOC community and celebrating traditional herbalism and healing practices.
Dani and her movement to make holistic health more accessible have been featured in a mini-documentary by BESE, along with dozens of features in CBS, PBS, Found/LA, Los Angeles Business Journal, Voyage LA, LatinX, and numerous podcasts.

Episode 291: Changing the Conversation in Fashion with Diversity and Representation with Karla Martinez de Salas, Editor in Chief of Vogue MX & Vogue Latin America

Karla Martínez de Salas is a twin mama and Editor in Chief of Vogue MX & Vogue Latin America. We talk about her journey in fashion, traveling the world and working at different magazines before landing in Mexico City, where she now works at Vogue. Karla is changing the industry by featuring people of different skin tones, backgrounds, body shapes and more in the magazine. She does this not only for her young daughters, but for all people who deserve & are grateful for representation.

More about Karla Martinez de Salas: Karla is editor-in-chief of Vogue Mexico and Vogue Latin America. She began her career as an assistant at American Vogue and became an associate fashion editor in 2002, collaborating with renowned Vogue staffers including Grace Coddington, Tonne Goodman, Camilla Nickerson, and Phyllis Posnick. From 2005 to 2010, Martínez de Salas was the fashion director for T The New York Times Style Magazine, where she covered fashion, interior design, art, and travel. At Interview magazine, she took on fashion direction, specializing in photography and design, and then became the fashion and accessories director of W magazine. In 2016, she became the editor-in-chief of Vogue Mexico and Latin America and, since then, she has spearheaded new alliances in the market. She has been interviewed by major publications such as El Heraldo Mexico and The Business of Fashion New York and Spain, where she has explored her expertise as an opinion leader in the direction of the fashion and luxury industry. She has also appeared on television and radio, where she has shared her achievements and projects.

Martínez de Salas' work for Vogue Mexico and Latin America was honored by Mexico's Fashion Digital Awards for best editorial content, and she was recently included in the BoF U.S. list of the top 500 international fashion leaders. Rather than feature the same light-skinned models and global celebrities as her sister titles, de Salas broke new ground in 2018, when she put the indigenous actress Yalitza Aparicio on the cover, not to mention the striking Mendoza sisters (three generations of Oaxacan tortilla makers), and has continued to celebrate the diversity and depth of the country that she proudly calls home. She continues to reflect her extensive knowledge in the publication of each issue of Vogue Mexico and Latin America and enriches the presence of the "Fashion Bible" in this growing region. Martínez de Salas is also part of Project Paz, a nonprofit organization headquartered in New York, whose goal is to create extracurricular activities for low-income children in Ciudad Juarez to promote peace.

She is a mom to twin girls.

Episode 290: Keeping It Real with the Super Mamas: Mastering New Skills & Back to In-Person School

How is summer break almost over?! This week we are catching up with each other since our kids have been so busy at summer camp, which they’ve loved. We talk about the relationships they made during camp and new skills - like singing, piano lessons and skateboarding - they’re picking up & thriving in. By the way, did you know it takes 10k hours to master a skill? Lastly we’re dropping some special gems during this week’s pick of the week, so turn your speakers up!

Pick or Tip of the Week

Bricia’s pick this week is a podcast that’s she’s been obsessing over called My First Million. One episode in particular, with Codie Sanchez, has been the reason for the shift in her mindset to create more opportunities for herself. She’s thinking big instead of staying inside the box. Check out the episode linked here and let us know what you think about it!

Of course Paulina’s pick has to be about going back to school! Every school year, the teachers at Paulina’s daughters’ school create school supplies lists. This school year we’ve partnered with Amazon and joined their #ClearTheList movement. Amazon will help the #ClearTheLists for these education heroes across the country by purchasing products from their Amazon Wish Lists that they most need and want ahead of this school year. And you can help too! Whether you’re fulfilling a list for one of your loved ones or just doing a good deed to help a stranger out, you know we’ll always encourage our Super Mamas community to help a sister. This is such a feel good campaign, and we love to see students & teachers benefit from it!

For more info on this campaign and how you can create your own Amazon Wish List, check out our latest Instagram post - and yes, there is a giveaway!

Links

Eduardo, the Beyblade Collector, has the coolest setup like these tops and stadium.

Watch Volume 2 of Song Exploders on Netflix to check out Dua Lipa’s voice. It’s the vibe we get when we listen to Sabina sing.

We also talk about how long it takes to master a skill, which is apparently 10,000 hours. I guess we’ll work on our skills one hour a day for the next 30 years. 😂

Episode 289: Eating Good Food & Feeling Even Better: the Mind-Gut Connection with Dr. Emeran Mayer

We all know that when we eat good food we feel good, but what does that have to do with our mind? 🤔🧠Gastroenterologist & author Dr. Emeran Mayer has had a career long interest in the brain-gut connection, and in this episode he tells us about the complex signals that go from your brain to your gut when you eat. We also talk about fasting, the connection between food & stress, how we can change our eating habits for a healthy mind & gut and SO much more. This episode will make you think twice about the food you’re putting in your body… and maybe make you a little hungry too. 

More about Dr. Emeran Mayer: Dr. Mayer is a Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Executive Director of the G Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress & Resilience and Founding Director of the UCLA Brain Gut Microbiome Center. 

He has been one of the pioneers in the science and practice of brain gut microbiome interactions with applications in a wide range of diseases in gastrointestinal, psychiatric and neurological disorders. He has published more than 388 scientific papers and co-edited 3 scientific books. He is the recipient of the 2016 David McLean award from the American Psychosomatic Society and the 2017 Ismar Boas Medal from the German Society of Gastroenterology and Metabolic Disease.  His current research interest is focused on the role of brain gut microbiome interactions in human diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, autism spectrum disorders, obesity and inflammatory bowel disease.

In addition to his academic interests, Mayer has a longstanding interest in ancient healing traditions and affords them a level of respect rarely found in Western Medicine.  He has been involved in documentary film productions about the Yanomami people in the Orinoco region of Venezuela, and the Asmat people in Irian Jaya.  He has recently co produced the award winning documentary “In Search of Balance” and is working on a new documentary “Interconnected Planet”. He is a strong believer in Buddhist philosophy, was a member of the UCLA Zen Center for several years, and got married in a Tibetan monastery by Choekyi Nyima Rinpoche in Kathmandu.  He regularly pursues meditative practices.

He has spoken at UCLA TEDx on the Mysterious Origins of Gut Feelings in 2015 and have been interviewed on National Public Radio, PBS and by many national and international media outlets including the Los Angeles and New YorkTimes, Atlantic magazine and Stern and Spiegel Online. He is the author of the 2016 bestselling book The Mind Gut Connection published by Harper&Collins and translated in 16 languages

In his upcoming book, The Gut Immune Connection, Mayer proposes a radical, unifying concept about the chronic disease epidemic we are finding ourselves in.  He discusses how changes in our diet, lifestyle and the way we interact with the world during the last 75 years have led to a profound dysregulation of the community of trillions of microbes living in our gut, resulting in a progressive chronic activation of our immune system.  This aberrant immune system activation is emerging as the root cause of our current epidemic of interrelated chronic diseases affecting every part of our body. In addition, it makes us more vulnerable to viral pandemics. He uses the One Health concept to explain the intricate interconnectedness between the microbes living in our gut, in the soil, the health of our plants and our own health. He proposes a solution to the chronic disease epidemic, which emphasizes the implementation of major lifestyle changes, and focuses on a radically different approach not only to our diet but to the world.

Dr. Emeran’s Top Tips for a Healthy Mind & Gut

• Time restricted eating is the best lifestyle change you can make. It will clear the acid and bacteria from your gut overnight. This can also be achieved with fasting.

• In terms of food - a largely plant based diet that is minimally processed and includes fresh fruits and vegetables make a big difference.

  • Beans are one of the healthiest foods. They are high in fiber and protein content.

  • Reduce your intake of red meat and fat, and increase the amount of fruits and veggies. This plus the time restricted eating will help you feel a difference in your mind and gut.

• Avoid situations where you don’t realize what you’re eating. For example: eating while commuting, road trip junk food, etc.

• Quantities of food make a big difference. Be mindful of portion sizes.

Links

Learn more about Dr. Emeran Mayer on his website - EmeranMayer.com.

Follow him on social media: @emeranmayer on Instagram, @emeranamayer on Facebook and Twitter and YouTube.com/EmeranMayerMD.

You can purchase both of his books, The Mind-Gut Connection and The Gut-Immune Connection on his website or anywhere books are sold.

Episode 288: Going Viral & Giving Back with Kristine Rodriguez, founder & CEO of GRL Collective

It’s been a minute since we had a super mamacita on the show! This week we interview Kristine Rodriguez, founder & CEO of GRL Collective, a lifestyle brand for grls that give a f*ck. This badass chick, with her activist mind and empathetic heart, created GRL Collective to continuously give back, represent our communities of color, and do whatever it takes to protect our planet for the future generations. She talks about going viral on social media (even we reposted her image!), growing her brand and why she will always be excited to donate to bigger causes. 

More about Kristine: Kristine Rodriguez is the Founder and CEO of GRL Collective a lifestyle brand for grls that give a f*ck.  This Latina trailblazer has curated an inspiring brand that began as a vision after going on volunteer trip to India Kristine’s activist mind and empathetic heart created GRL Collective to continuously give back, represent our communities of color, and do whatever it takes to protect our planet for the future generations. Since 2017, GRL Collective has been able to donate thousands to The Sambhali Trust, Black Lives Matter, and RAICES Texas for immigration rights. The fashion meet activism brand has also garnered the attention of notable fans such as AOC, Pitbull, Becky G, America Ferrera, Jessica Alba and more. Kristine and GRL Collective have been featured in People Espanol, POPSUGAR, LA Times, CNN, and others more.  Today, Kristine has her sights to expanding her women empowerment brand to be able offer job opportunities to women of color, support more emerging WOC brands and mentor aspiring entrepreneurs. Kristine’s goals for 2021 are to keep her brand sustainable, eco-friendly, and fair-trade, to make enough funds to support ten girls and their education, and to inspire others to turn their darkness into light. 

LINKS

Follow @GRLCollective on Instagram and follow Kristine too! @heykristine16

Shop all the swag for girls who give a f*ck only at grlcollective.com

Episode 287: Taking Care of the Family Business with McDonald’s Franchisees Lisa De Bono & Jenny Briones

Talk about a parallel universe! This has never happened to us, but for this week’s episode we interview two mamas who are not just sisters but also business partners & restaurant owners! Lisa De Bono and Jenny Briones are owners & operators of local Los Angeles and Orange counties McDonald’s restaurants. In this interview, we bond over the ins & outs of running a family business as well as the blessings & boundaries that come with working with family. These sisters have so much love for the community and they truly love what they do. It’s like they say: “We have ketchup running through their veins!”

More about Jenny & Lisa: Lisa De Bono & Jenny Briones are moms, sisters and 3rd generation McDonald’s Franchisees. They operate eight McDonald’s restaurants in LA and Orange Counties with their mother, Isabelle Villasenor and Jenny’s husband, Aaron Briones. 

They grew up in the McDonald’s family as their grandparents got into the business in 1968 and their mother becoming an owner/operator in 1981. Throughout their high school days at Mater Dei High School, they worked together in the restaurants during holidays and summers. Lisa says, “No matter who you are or where you came from, McDonald’s is the perfect first job.  You learn the basics of any business, from customer service to ‘the bottom line’ and simple practices like teamwork and responsibility.”

Their mother, Isabelle, always insisted on education first. In 1992, Lisa graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and an emphasis in Business Administration.  She continued to be involved in the McDonald’s business while working for UCLA Campus Events and holding an internship at a literary agency.  Upon graduation, Lisa accepted a position as the literary agent’s assistant. 

In 1994, Jenny graduated from the USC with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and pursued her dreams of a career in McDonald’s.  “As long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a McDonald’s Owner/Operator.  It was evident early on that I had ‘ketchup in my veins.’”

Jenny trained as a manager in the Cypress restaurant and graduated from Hamburger University in 1995.  Jenny received the McDonald’s Outstanding Store Manager Award in 1996.  In 1997, she was promoted to General Manager and shortly thereafter she became Supervisor.  That same year, Jenny completed the McDonald’s Next Generation Program and was officially recognized as a McDonald’s Owner Operator.  

In 1993, after a conversation with her mother about the McDonald’s business and realizing she was more stimulated by “McDonald’s talk” than her current business, Lisa changed focus and began the McDonald’s Management Development Program.  Lisa trained as a manager in the Artesia restaurant and graduated from Hamburger University in 1995.  That same year Lisa received the McDonald’s Outstanding Store Manager Award for her accomplishments at the John Wayne Airport McDonald’s restaurants.  In 1996, she was promoted to General Manager and in 1997 she became Supervisor.  Also in April 1997, Lisa completed the McDonald’s Next Generation Program and was officially recognized as a McDonald’s Owner Operator.  

Although Covid has changed the way they engage with the community, the sisters continue to be a support to the nearby communities and constantly promote and connect with local schools, churches and sports organizations.  They look forward to the day when they can to advocate for children through programs such as McTeacher’s Nights, Feeding Healthy Families nutritional workshops, Open Doors, Family Day and Coffee with a Cop. 

Today, Lisa and Jenny run the restaurants with their mother and Jenny’s husband. They relish in the challenges & rewards, as well as appreciate and enjoy carrying on the tradition of a family business. Jenny is married to her Mater Dei High School sweetheart, Aaron, and is the proud mom of Jake (21) Michael (19) and Sara Isabelle (15). Lisa and her husband, Paul, are blessed with their children Anthony (22) and Joshua (20).

A Special Donation from McDonald’s, Lisa & Jenny on behalf of the Super Mamas

As moms, organizations that prioritize mothers and families are very near and dear to us. When McDonald’s offered to make a donation on our behalf to an organization of our choice, the first program we thought of was My Safe Harbor. My Safe Harbor’s mission is to strengthen families by empowering and equipping mothers. They accomplish this by creating programs like the Mother’s Club, where moms can enjoy friendship, skill-building, and learning together. They also offer enrichments electives, which offer an opportunity for mothers to dive deeper into relevant topics and skills. Elective classes are held once a week for 2-4 weeks and cover a range of topics from sewing and cooking to building self-esteem and parenting.

This organization is incredible in the work that it performs and the resources they provide for the community. The Super Mamas, Lisa and Jenny are honored to make this donation to My Safe Harbor!

You can learn more about the community and how you can help at MySafeHarbor.org.

Episode 286: Putting in Work & Learning to Stand After Life Has Knocked You Down with Rosie Rivera

Another super mama alumnus is back on the show this week - Rosie Rivera! This mama is an entrepreneur, podcast host and recently released another book, “God Is Your Defender” that we’re adding to our collection ASAP. We talk to Rosie about learning to let go of feelings of resentment & revenge for our own internal healing and putting all our faith & trust in God. She also tells us about recognizing when it’s time work on ourselves on our own, when to work with someone you trust or even reach out to a professional. Rosie’s strength and light really radiates when she speaks, and we hope you can feel it transcend through your speakers! 

More about Rosie: A businesswoman, television personality, and social media influencer, Rosie Rivera is one of the most influential and inspirational Latinas in the world. She co-hosts The Power of Us, a marriage podcast, with her husband, Abel Flores; is the mother of three children; has authored five books; has appeared on reality shows such as I Love Jenni, The Riveras, Mira Quien Baila, and Rica, Famosa, Latina; is involved in her family’s Christian outreach ministry; and carries out her sister’s mission of helping single mothers find affordable housing, shelter and treatment for abuse through the Jenni Rivera Love Foundation. Rosie has also worked closely with Telemundo to develop a series based on her sister’s life story, Jenni Rivera: Mariposa de Barrio (a chart-topper on Netflix) and is the founder of Sister Samalia, an organization that helps to restore and uplift women who have been victims of sexual abuse, human trafficking, drugs and domestic violence in Latin America so that they can experience God’s healing, as she has.

About the book: Businesswoman, television personality, and survivor Rosie Rivera shares how to lean on God as defender in the midst of life’s hurts and wounds while also grappling with the strong desire for justice and retaliation.

Revenge is one of our deepest instincts. When we have been hurt or when something has been stolen from us, whether that be our innocence or our good name or a loved one, the desire to retaliate is irresistible. But is it the right response of a follower of Jesus?

As a survivor herself, Rosie Rivera has walked in this tension, a sojourner in the search for healing and wholeness in the light of horrific wrongs. She has wrestled the desire to defend herself, her reputation, and her family while also wanting to let God be her Defender.

God Is Your Defender is about understanding the motives behind your thoughts and behaviors toward those who have wronged you. It is about the conditions you might have put on forgiveness. It is about fighting the urge to take over instead of trusting God. It is about learning how to truly rest in the Lord as the One who defends you and actively abiding in his peace.

Backed by biblical examples and personal stories, Rosie guides you to a place of healing as you:

• Learn the difference between a vengeful spirit and a heart of advocacy

• Stop the self-destructive cycle of the desire for revenge

• Discern effectively when to take a righteous stand and when to stand back and let God defend you

• Experience how to move from an “eye for an eye” mentality to an “I for an I” by exchanging “I am hurt” for “I am healing”

• Let go of the pain of the past without ignoring what happened

God Is Your Defender equips you to respond to hurtful situations, from the most minor to some of the most difficult, from a place of empowerment and peace.

Gems from this week’s episode

“God will speak to you and be like, ‘CHILL.’” - Rosie

“Whenever we get hurt, it’s really hard to let go.” - Paulina

“It’s hard to let God be our defender because we want it our way.” - Rosie

“I love when God speaks to me through my kids.” - Rosie

“I went from victim to victorious.” - Rosie 

Rosie’s Tips for Putting in the Work

• Go to a professional. Rosie goes to counseling at least once a year. Know in your process of the work when is the moment to do it by yourself, when to do it with someone else, when to do it with a professional.

• Be vulnerable. You’re going to be embarrassed but the love, caring and patience your trusted loved one will give you is a tremendous tool in healing.

• Know where you are. Is it time to talk to a professional, your husband, your mom? You have to know where you are in the process and know when the time is right.

REMEMBER : Work can look different and it will change. Different mechanisms can work at different times.

Links

Rosie’s new book is out now on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, available at Christian book stores and even by audiobook in Spanish and English! 

Join millions of others following her journey on social media: Facebook @RosieRiveraOfficial, Instagram @RosieRivera, Twitter @SoyRosieRivera and YouTube. Also follow her on Tiktok @SoyRosieRivera.

Listen to Rosie & Abel’s podcast - The Power of Us, a marriage podcast

Bonus Episode: A Boss Baby Movie Interview with Boss Lady, Eva Longoria

Surprise! It’s a bonus episode!

We have an incredible interview with boss lady & super mama, Eva Longoria! She stars in the new movie, “Boss Baby: Family Business” and she talks about her mom life, letting kids be creative and how she used her super mama experience to help her get into character for her role. She’s basically dropping all the gems & life lessons that we normally have in an hour long podcast in our mini bonus episode.

Plus we recap our own experience back at the movies with our own private showing of the #BossBaby movie! Have you gone back to the movies yet? What has your experience been like?

You can watch

The Boss Baby: Family Business

this Friday, only in theaters and streaming on Peacock Premium.

EPISODE 285: Keeping it Real with the Super Mamas: I Think I fell In Love with Camping

This summer is already shaping up to be a busy one! Paulina is back from her camping trip and she’s sharing all the tips she picked up, the items that made the difference in her trip and what she should have left behind. Also huge thank you to everyone who messaged us their camping gear recommendations! Between days at the restaurant, shuttling kids to summer camp and going on trips, we are super focused on creating lasting memories with our families after last year indoors. Who’s joining us?! 

Episode 284: Introducing Your Baby to Real World Concepts with Jessica Rolph, Co-founder of Lovevery

Summer is here and we’re ready to play! This week we interview Jessica Rolph, cofounder and CEO of Lovevery, a stage-based play product company. We have been big fans of the brand for a while now with Bricia loving the sustainable, organic toys for Augustina and Paulina using the older stage toys for Zixta. In this episode, we learn that Jessica began her entrepreneurial journey with her first company, Happy Family, before moving over to the play space & Lovevery, where she has continued to expand her love of child development. We also talk about the power of observing your baby trying to understand the world & why it’s so important that they fail, even at a young age. Finally, Jessica shares a few of her favorite lessons for future entrepreneurs. 

More about Jessica: Jessica Rolph is Cofounder and CEO of Lovevery. Prior to Lovevery, Jessica was the Cofounder and COO of Happy Family, helping to launch, build and lead Happy Family to its position as a top organic baby and toddler brand in the US. Happy Family was acquired by Group Danone in 2013. 

Jessica also co-founded the Climate Collaborative , a non-profit organization helping companies in the natural products industry take meaningful steps to reverse climate change. She is an Aspen Institute Henry Crown Fellow and was awarded the Park Leadership Fellowship, graduating from Cornell’s Johnson School in 2004. Jessica also holds a BA from Cornell University, where she graduated cum laude.

Jessica and her husband, Decker, live in Boise, Idaho and are parents to Beatrice, Thacher and Leland.

A few lessons for Future Entreprenuers from Jessica Rolph

• When you have an idea, it becomes your baby. Some people will understand your concept and others won’t, and that’s okay.

• Separate your emotions from doing the work.

• You can’t learn unless you put one foot in front of the other.

Quotes by Jessica

“A child’s learning environment is you.”

“By doing, ideas will become.”

“I can’t be it all. So I tell myself the mess and clutter is okay. I’m grateful for my friend that are still there.”

Links

Shop Lovevery’s play kits at lovevery.com and learn more about their new Spanish book sets here. You can also sign up for their email newsletter (available to anyone, not just subscribers!) for a weekly email series of FREE resources!

Bricia also mentions the RIE parenting method. Check out our older episodes about the RIE philosophy here and here.

Episode 283: How to Help Close the Financial Gap For Latinos with Beatriz Acevedo, CEO & Co-Founder of SUMA Wealth

Is it more money, more problems or less money, more problems? This week we interview another podcast alumni, Beatriz Acevedo. Her latest startup SUMA Wealth was founded with the vision of closing the Latinx wealth gap by providing financial education via in-culture content, fintech tools, and digital experiences, all in a highly engaging wealth-building digital platform. We discuss the top tips for saving right now, financial resources provided by the startup and so much more. 

BTW … You can check out our previous episode with Beatriz by clicking here. We cover how she got her start in media, her multicultural family and our favorite topic: #MOMGUILT.

More about Beatriz: Beatriz Acevedo is one of the leading inspirational voices and Latina entrepreneurs in the United States. She has dedicated her career to empowering and opening doors for the next generation of Latino leaders.

Beatriz started her career in media at a young age, first on radio and later on television. Her work earned her three Emmys, one MTV Music Award, and a Media Correspondent Award, among others. She later became a tech media entrepreneur as the Co-Founder and President of mitú, the leading digital media brand for young Latinos in the U.S. Under her leadership, she went on to raise $50M in funding, led by some of the most successful venture capital groups in California. The mentorship initiatives that she created through her Accelerator Program, have also provided invaluable access to the next generation of multicultural storytellers, with an emphasis on female leadership. Beatriz's expertise has been to create content at the intersection of media, technology, and social impact.

Beatriz is a passionate and sought after speaker who enjoys discussions around diversity as good business, female leadership, and the economic impact of Latinos in America. Additionally, she sits on numerous boards and advisory committees.

Beatriz recently co-founded and co-chairs LA Collab, a Hollywood initiative aimed at doubling Latino representation in Hollywood, both in front and behind the camera by 2030. Her latest startup SUMA Wealth was founded with the vision of closing the Latinx wealth gap by providing financial education via in-culture content, fintech tools, and digital experiences, all in a highly engaging wealth-building digital platform.

Beatriz resides in Santa Monica, CA with her husband, an entertainment veteran and mitú co-founder Doug Greiff. Both are proud parents to bicultural and bilingual teenage twins, Isabela and Diego.

Top Financial Tips from Beatriz

1. You have to have an emergency savings / fund - whatever works for you and whatever you feel comfortable with.

2. Budget - watch your money come in & out. You really need to know what you have and what you can spend. There’s a budgeting app coming to the SUMA Wealth toolkit, but in the mean time Beatriz recommends checking out free apps like Mint which also work really well! You can also check out these budgeting articles on SUMA Wealth’s website:

   • Basic Tracking Budget

   • Things They Didn’t Teach You on Plaza Sesamo: How to Budget

3. Use community resources, like SUMA’s Dinero Toolkit with tools to help you decide if you should buy or rent a home, grow your savings and improve your credit.

LINKS

Follow Beatriz on Instagram: @beatrizacevedogreiff

Follow @wearesuma and @somossuma on Instagram and check out all the financial resources they offer on SumaWealth.com.

Episode 282: Reminiscing about the 4th Trimester aka New Mom Life with Grace Bastidas, Editor in Chief of Parents Latina

Another super mamas alumni is back for interview! This week we interview Grace Bastidas, Editor in chief of Parents Latina and Ser Padres. She tells us about her latest project as host of the podcast That New Mom Life, where she speaks with postpartum experts and real parents about the ups & downs of parenting (which we know all about 😉). Life as a new parent or with a newborn can be hard and isolating, and she reminds us as parents, we need to give ourselves grace and be nice to ourselves because we’re all just doing the best we can. 

More about Grace: Grace Bastidas (@brooklynwriter) is the founding editor in chief of Parents Latina, a bilingual magazine launched in 2015 that serves up culturally relevant content for today’s modern Latina mom. In January 2016, she was tapped to also oversee @serpadres, a cross-platform Spanish-language brand that has empowered and inspired parents for the past 26 years. A well-versed speaker and writer, Grace has contributed to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Travel + Leisure, among other media outlets. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and two young daughters, and serves on the Friends Board of the Good+ Foundation, which provides low-income parents with the necessary tools to maintain the health and safety of their children.

That New Mom Life Podcast

That New Mom Life, a new podcast from Parents Magazine, is here to hold your hand through those first bleary-eyed, isolating months of parenthood, when you’re not even sure what day it is. Each week, co-hosts Grace Bastidas, Editor-in-Chief of Parents Latina, and Desiree Fortin, mom of triplets and a newborn, share the mic with leading experts and fellow parents as they talk sleep deprivation, body changes, making mom friends, and more. No topic is off-limits! For more information visit parents.com/newmompodcast.

Topics featured on the podcast:

The first 24 hours of parenthood

Lactation and formula feeding

The emotional ups and downs

Sleep deprivation

Mom friends

How to stay in the moment

Body changes

How to share the parenting load

Establishing routines

Preparing for what’s next

Listen to That New Mom Life podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and everywhere podcasts are available.

Pick or Tip of the Week

Paulina recently traveled to Hawaii with her family and knew she needed some new, little games to keep her kids entertained. She found these magnetic games from the Purple Cow store that are perfect for the car, in her purse or on the plane because everything stays together in the case.

Bricia has been loving two shows: 1. Halston, a limited series on Netflix about fashion designer, Roy Halston (this show is for grown-ups ONLY 😬) and 2. Mythic Quest on Apple TV+. Does anyone else watch this, or is it just Bricia? LOL

LINKS

Follow Grace on Instagram - @brooklynwriter

Follow @parentslatina on Instagram and check out their website for tips on helping you raise healthy, happy multicultural kids who are rooted in your family's heritage even as they shape America's future.

Follow @serpadres on Instagram and check out their site for tips for Hispanic parents raising happy, healthy children in the U.S..

Episode 281: Keeping It Real with the Super Mamas: Living in a Post-Pandemic World with Pandemic Struggles

We’ve on a bit of a hiatus this month and in today’s episode, we explain why. Our family’s restaurant, Guelaguetza, has been extremely busy (in a good way!) as covid restrictions begin to lift. We’re getting back to our roots and putting in work at the restaurant as servers, bussers, bar backs - wherever we need an extra hand. We’re hustling to get things done in the restaurant everyday, but we also realized we need to practice what we preach and take some time for self care when we need it most. So we took some time off for ourselves to celebrate our little sister, Elizabeth, and enjoy her bachelorette party! This is still a crazy pandemic time we’re living in, but we’re taking every opportunity to be thankful and use the wellness tools we have picked up along the way to help ourselves get through the tough times. We’re excited to move forward in 2021, more normalcy and more business!

P.S. BE NICE TO PEOPLE! Especially service industry workers. When you listen to the episode, you’ll know why. 😉

Pick or Tip of the Week

Paulina’s tip - On the days you feel like you want to quit, don’t. Slow down, start small and don’t stop.

Bricia’s pick this week is an electric lighter (you might have caught her Instagram story earlier this week). All you do is charge it with a USB! It’s one of the best new inventions of the 21st century. 😂

Episode 280: Ask Me Anything: A Super Mamas Q&A

Paulina might be out of town this week, but we’re still bringing you a new episode! We love when you submit your questions and ask us for advice, so this entire episode is dedicated to just that. We talk about a lot - relationships with our in laws, choosing schools for our kids, sleep routines and even new rules according to millennials. If you’ve ever wanted advice from us or wanted to ask something about us, this is the time to do it! Send us an email to hello@supermamas.com, a DM on Instagram or give us call on our hotline at 424-326-3707 and we could pick your question next! 

Our Conversation

The New Rules According to Millennials

Are your kids in public or private school? Pros vs. Cons?

I’m 30 weeks pregnant and debating whether I should get my covid vaccine. Thoughts? (Disclaimer: We are NOT medical professionals and therefore cannot give professional advice. Always discuss your best options with your doctor.)

How do you get along with your in-laws?

Tips on how to deal with postpartum depression, virtual learning and covid

Sleep routines for older kids. How do you put down the girls?

Story time - Bricia’s infamous JLo story and Paulina’s high school ditching days

When did you start going out with all your kids? (Like restaurants, etc.) 

How do you keep your weight down? Any specific diet?

Links

We never post… but maybe we should! Follow us on TikTok - @bricialopez and @iampaulinalopez

Episode 279: The Power of Inclusion and Making It Happen with Eliana Tardio

This week we interview an incredible super mama, Eliana Tardio. As an international advocate for children with Down syndrome and a mom of two, Eliana has taken social media by storm, showing her followers that people with down syndrome are normal like the rest of us. She talks to us about her personal journey on understanding her children’s needs and how she created a career by advocating for them and what we can do to share their story to help others understand the power of their voices and the endless opportunities we all have when we work hard to make our dreams come true.

More about Eliana: “My name is Eliana Tardio and through my blog, I share advice and inspiration with over 100,000 unique visitors a month. I have been blogging since 2007 after my second child was born and I have grown on social media along with my children through the technological and social media revolution. We are digital natives and as a family, we are recognized in the community as tough leaders and strong activists transforming the world through the power of social media.

My two children, Emir and Ayelen, are the inspiration and the reason behind this site and everything I do. They were born with Down syndrome, and in my attempt to learn and give them the best possible life, I started this journey of love and growth that has inspired hundreds of thousands who follow us here and on our social media platforms with a combined following of 1M people from all over the world.

I have a bachelor’s in Communications with a major in Legal Studies and a Master’s in Marketing and Science of Legal Studies. My passion is communications for sure, and my mission is to use my voice to build a more inclusive world for all along with my children. I work as the Director of Communications for the Parent Training and Information Centers in Florida and as team member of the National Center for the Systemic Improvement of the Education in the US.

As an international speaker, I have visited more than 12 countries to share my knowledge and passion for education to thousands of people. I provide as well training on advocacy and leadership to several organizations nationwide, and I share my story to help immigrants like me understand the power of their voices and the endless opportunities we have when we work hard to make our dreams come true.”

Gems 💎 Dropped During Our Interview with Eliana

As parents, we don’t see anything else besides our children - Paulina 

No one understands the love of a parent. - Paulina 

Erasing the labels is never the answer. They are persons with disabilities and they are apart of many peoples lives that we know. We don’t need to change the words, we need to change the perception. - Eliana

In order to give to my children, I need to give to myself - Eliana

We should encourage everyone to be uncomfortable because thats how we grow. - Bricia 

Where can we get resources and support if we know our child needs help? Advice from Eliana

• Search online for a disabilities support group in your community.

• Look for a group that will activate your desire to become an advocate for your child. When you’re ready, look for those who will make you feel comfortable and share info, questions, etc.

• Take advantage of government resources, training and the information center in your community. Learn more about the Individuals with Disabilities Act here.

• Follow influential people in your community who are working towards the same goal as you - like Eliana!

Links

Learn more about Eliana, her work and how you can become an advocate for disability rights on her website.

Follow Eliana and her children, Emir and Ayelen, on Instagram @elianatardio.

Episode 278: Continuing Tradition & Culture through Storytelling with children’s author, Meg Medina

“Storytelling is important because that’s the way we continue tradition.” - Paulina

Being a story teller is a true talent and children’s author, Meg Medina, shares her gift with us in this week’s episode. We talk about how many of Meg’s stories are inspired by the memories & traditions she created & learned in her own family, how we can tap into our inner child to unleash our creativity and why we need Latinx voices in the book world. Plus she shares about her new book, “Merci Suarez Can’t Dance” and a few of her other titles that are favorite bedtimes stories in our homes too! 

More about Meg: Meg Medina is an award-winning Cuban-American author who writes picture books and middle-grade and young adult fiction. Her middle-grade novel Merci Suárez Changes Gears received a Newbery Medal and was a New York Times Notable Children’s Book of the Year, an International Latino Book Award nominee, and a Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature finalist, among many other distinctions. About this sequel, Meg Medina says, “I’m so excited to bring my readers into the world of the Suárez family and Seaward Pines once again. . . . New friends, new teachers, and new self-doubts. It’s been a thrill to write about all the zany things that the seventh grade can throw at a person.”

Her most recent picture book, Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away, published in September 2020 to several starred reviews. Her young adult novel Burn Baby Burn earned numerous distinctions, including being long-listed for the 2016 National Book Award and short-listed for the Kirkus Prize. She is the 2014 recipient of the Pura Belpré Author Award and a 2013 Cybils Award winner for her young adult novel Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass. She also received the 2012 Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award for her picture book Tía Isa Wants a Car.

Meg Medina’s work examines how cultures intersect through the eyes of young people, and she brings audiences stories that speak to both what is unique in Latino culture and qualities that are universal. Her favorite protagonists are strong girls. In March 2014, she was recognized as one of the CNN 10 Visionary Women in America. In November 2014, she was named one of Latino Stories’ Top Ten Latino Authors to Watch.

When she is not writing, Meg Medina works on community projects that support girls, Latino youth, and literacy. She lives with her family in Richmond, Virginia.

Our Favorite Titles from Meg Medina

Her newest book - Merci Suarez Can’t Dance

Mango, Abuela and Me

Tía Isa Wants a Car

April is Independent Book Store Month! Learn more about how you can support at indiebound.org and to find an independent bookstore near you.

LINKS

Follow Meg on Instagram @megmedinabooks and on Twitter @Meg_Medina - she’s most active there!

Visit MegMedina.com to order her books directly and for more news, events and resources on all things children’s literature.

Episode 277: How to Encourage Creativity and Dream Big with Puppeteer and star of Waffles + Mochi, Michelle Zamora

Photos by Adam Rose

We’ve been talking nonstop about Netflix’s new show, Waffles + Mochi, but maybe we’re a little biased 😏 since our family is featured on episode two on their series. Have you seen it yet? We can almost guarantee your kids (and even you) will be obsessed!

This week we interview one of the stars of the show, Waffles aka Michelle Zamora. Her captivating energy will jump through your speakers as she drops serious innovative gems 💎 about how her parents encouraged her creativity from a young age. She also talks about her company Viva La Puppet and shares details on what it was like to work with ultimate Super Mama, Michelle Obama.

More about Michelle: Michelle Zamora is the CEO + Creative Director of Viva La Puppet, LLC. In 2000 she began this puppet journey while getting her BA in Theater at Cal State- L.A. In 2014 she formed the LLC with her husband Matias, who shares her vision for a community of dedicated artists working to bring creative projects to life through Puppetry. Originally from Brownsville, Texas she discovered her love of puppets at an early age creating humanettes out of her dolls, stop-motion VHS videos with her sister, and miniature people out of clay. What started as a childhood passion turned into a company that works to elevate the art form of puppetry into a fresh new innovative direction.

Most recently she worked on set for Zedd + Katy Perry’s 365 video, lead the TRUTH puppet campaign with 72 and Sunny (2019 Super Bowl commercial), puppeteered with Terry Crews for Old Spice, and managed/performed the Funner than Water ad for Vitamin Water. She co-directed Har Mar Superstar’s Restless Leg puppet video with Warren Fu on the streets of New York. Other fun projects include Rick & Morty’s Butthole Ice Cream stop-motion [adult swim] ad, giant puppets for Bob’s Burgers Live at The Orpheum, underwater puppet collab with Andrew Thomas Huang, Snoop Dogg puppet for California Roll music video w/ Pharrell + Stevie Wonder, and shadow puppets for The Pee Wee Herman Show-Live on Stage! Viva La Puppet celebrates life through inanimate objects and brings together great people to create magical moments one puppet at a time. Long Live the Puppet®

The Colorful Quotes of Michelle Zamora

“[My mom] understood passion and life and encouraged that.”

“If you’re going to dream, dream BIG but dream specific.”

“We’re at this place in our life now that we are able to understand and accept what’s happening in our lives and own it. Yes, we have done a lot to get to where we’re at.”

“This is the universe saying, you go, Mama. You go have fun.”

“The energy you put into something really does translate to the person at the other end.”

“It’s been a long puppet journey for me.”

“As long as I’m making puppets and bringing them to life, I’m making myself happy.”

“Be your beautiful selves and go follow your joy.”

LINKS

Follow Michelle on Instagram - her personal account @michellezamoraofficial and her business account @vivalapuppet.

Learn more about her business and past projects at VivaLaPuppet.com

Follow @WafflesandMochiOfficial on Instagram, learn more about their food adventure on WafflesandMochi.org and watch the show, now streaming on Netflix.

Episode 276: Recovering from Covid and Dealing with Survivor’s Guilt with therapist, Dr. Joanne Koegl

We have survived a year of coronavirus and the pandemic, but how do we really feel about what has happened? This week we bring back therapist and grief specialist Dr. Joanne Koegl. We had her on the show last year just after the pandemic began, to discuss grief & collective loss of normal life. During this week’s episode we cover everything from Joanne’s personal experience of loss due to covid to identifying survivor’s guilt and Paulina’s guilt & depression from her experience of surviving the disease last year. This was not an easy year for anyone but we’re here to listen, talk about our feelings and as always, we recommend reaching out to a professional if you feel deeper feelings that just aren’t getting resolved.

It’s okay to not be okay. If you are struggling, know that asking for help is a sign of strength. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders. Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for free, confidential assistance.

More about Joanne: Dr. Joanne Diaz-Koegl is a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist from Pasadena, California. Prior to her Master’s Degree, she worked for over 18 years as a television producer working on numerous TV Shows. After experiencing the sudden loss of her young husband in a car accident, she realized her life lacked a deeper meaning and purpose. She decided to return to college and received her Master of Arts in Marriage, Family, Therapy in 2005 and also wrote a 291 page thesis titled “The Impact on the Surviving Spouse with Respect to Anticipated Versus Unanticipated Death”. Joanne is very passionate in helping her clients thrive and grow from their experiences in therapy. She now specializes in couples counseling, premarital counseling, loss and grief, individual and personal growth therapy/coaching, and has worked with thousands of individuals and couples to create better, more fulfilled, happy lives.

Mindfulness Practices Recommended by Dr. Joanne to Help Process Traumatic Events

• Talk about it. Find a mental health professional in your area. You can book a session with Joanne or find more resources here.

• Journal. This is a great article for how to start journaling, another resource for journal prompts and we are very excited for Dulce Candy’s upcoming launch of self-love journals and more.

LINKS

Learn more about the services Joanne offers and book a Zoom session with her via her website.

The Rebellious Widow: A Practical Guide to Love and Life After Loss by Jill Johnson-Young helped Joanne deal with her grief last year.