The Wise Latina Club

Immigration Bill Reality Show: The Collective One

Viviana — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:43:56 +0000

If you’re a news junkie/policy nerd like me, watching the live stream of the Senate Judiciary Committee mark up the bill to overhaul our immigration laws was our American Idol or The Voice. The star was not chairman Patrick Leahy. It wasn’t upstart Texas Senator or Tea Party darling Ted Cruz who set Twitter on fire

Education: Is a College Degree a Path to Success or Debt Trap?

Viviana — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:57:03 +0000

Chicas, let me give you some sound advice: if you don’t have to, don’t go to college. As the default rate on student loans increases at an alarming rate, students are reconsidering their choice to attend a four-year institution. So should Latinas. I can already hear the weeping and gnashing of teeth: ¿Qué dices? What do you mean?

Angelina Jolie Inspired Meatless Monday: 7 Cancer Fighting Foods

Natalie Fierro — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:55:18 +0000

Angelina Jolie‘s decision to undergo a double mastectomy to decrease her risk of breast cancer sends an important message to Latinas: we can make choices to reduce our own risk of cancer. I know this very well. Breast cancer runs and has affected to various degrees people in my familia. That’s why I am taking steps to minimize my risk by maintaining a

Fitness: Build Muscle Anywhere with a Resistance Band

Natalie Fierro — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:34:14 +0000

Can’t make it to the gym? Take it with you! Resistance bands are lightweight and fit easily in your purse for a total body workout anytime, anywhere. Elastic strips designed to help you strengthen muscles, bands are easy to use, no matter your fitness level. Begin with light resistance and simple moves. As you learn the

Salud: Angelina Jolie’s Medical Decision and a Latina Guide to Breast Health

Viviana — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:16:05 +0000

Latinas should learn from Angelina Jolie’s decision to undergo a double mastectomy because of a high chance of developing cancer due to her family history which she reveals in a recent op-ed piece in the New York Times. The American Cancer Society predicts more than 200,000 new cases in 2013 with this disease the most common among Hispanic women. Breast cancer develops earlier in Latinas than in any other ethnic group yet too often, is

Immigration Markup: TWLC’s Viviana Hurtado on MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts Show

Viviana — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:40 +0000

What happens when Senators tack on 300+ amendments to the immigration bill? You have a lengthy mark-up process that continues for weeks. This is a good thing. The so-called Gang of Eight legislation is nowhere near perfect and may never be. But this process is crucial. We must debate which requires becoming informed. We must

Career: Rock Your Resume & Cover Letter

Viviana — Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:13 +0000

Listen, chicas: everyone knows that getting a job isn’t easy these days. You’re graduating from college (or are newly unemployed) and there is no job in sight. You’ve got to update your resume and write a cover letter–¡yikes!–maybe for the first time. Calma: I’ll show you how to write an eye-grabbing resume, stick out in people’s

Education: Code Switching and Cultural Identity in the Classroom

Viviana — Tue, 14 May 2013 04:26:28 +0000

A former co-worker of mine used to tell a story about how his father forced him to wear a suit on move-in day of his freshman year of college. It was 2004. “You’re making a first impression,” his father counseled. He was from Ecuador and to him, there was no other way to arrive on