Thank You Margot Condon: One of the NICU Nurses Who Saved The Lives of 20 Infants During #HurricaneSandy #InspireCare

While at the LATISM 2012 conference I had the privilege of being sponsored by  Johnson & Johnson.

While in the J&J suite bloggers had the opportunity to learn about  the inspiring J&J initiatives. What I liked most about the J&J suite was that they encouraged bloggers to really think about the people in their everyday lives.

#JnJ Suite ~ LATISM12

Johnson & Johnson is a company who is committed to:

• Saving and Improving Lives 
• Healthy Babies Are Worth The Wait: "The Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, L.L.C. partners with the March of Dimes and the Kentucky Department for Public Health on Healthy Babies Are Worth the Wait^SM, a three-year prematurity prevention initiative to demonstrate a reduction in preventable preterm births in targeted geographies in Kentucky."

• Building Health Care Capacity
• A Legacy of Supporting Nurses: Johnson & Johnson's "support programs promoting the nursing profession and provide leadership and development opportunities to further the field. In Africa, we teach student nurses basic skills in surgery, trauma and midwifery. In the U.S., we manage a campaign to educate the public about careers in nursing. Nurses from around the world learn about essential business management techniques through programs we support."
• Preventing Diseases
• Healthy Land, Healthy People: Johnson & Johnson's "“Healthy Communities, Healthy Ecosystems” partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) links healthy environment and the health of local people. “Supporting the health of local communities enables these communities to sustainably manage the natural resources base on which they depend,” said Katarina Trojnar, corporate relations officer at WWF."
  

(For more J&J inspiring initiatives click HERE)

For me the most thought provoking activities in the J&J suite were: What Inspires You? and Write a letter to a Health Care Provider That Made a Difference in Your Life.

I really didn't need to think too hard about who/what inspires me.

And as far as health care providers that made a difference in our life - that came easily too. Immediately I thought about The Boy's Early Intervention years and the two women who worked with The Boy.    

But days later, I found myself inspired by a woman I never met, whose name I didn't know - a health care provider who didn't make a difference in my life.

It was early Tuesday morning, a few hours after Hurricane Sandy ravaged the East Coast, and I was watching CNN. Since I was stranded in Texas due to the storm, I was up most of the night, glued to the news. And that's when the image of a woman came on the screen. She was being wheeled out of NYU Hospital, an bundled infant cradled in her arms.

The hospital had lost its power, in the middle of a hurricane and the patients had to be evacuated. The woman holding the baby was a nurse in the NICU and the baby - only 8 hours old - needed air pumped into his tiny lungs. Margot Condon not only walked down dark flights of stairs with a newborn in her arms, but she manually pumped air into his lungs so that he stay alive.  

There are people in this world, who wake up every morning and simply go to  work. They perform a job. And then there are people who wake up every morning and make a difference. It's more than just a job. They care. They provide a service. They save lives.

Margot Condon is a woman who makes a difference. THANK YOU! You are an inspiration.

While she didn't make a direct impact in my life, Margot Condon, changed my mindset regarding all health care providers. And I will never take them for granted again. Because I will never know when/if they may be solely responsible for a life that I love.

I'm at Speaking at #LATISM12 Today - Blogging 101

Want to start a blog but don't know how? 

Are you new to the world of social media and trying to navigate?  

Today at Latism please join us at the Blogging 101 Q&A session. 

I'll be on the panel with Ruby Wright of Growing Up Blaxican, Monique Frausto of Blogs By Latinas and Curves and Chaos, and Uchi Davidson of Latin Foodie. 

And look! I even made a powerpoint presentation...

#LATISM12 - I'm Going. I'm Speaking. I'm Nominated! And I'm Rubbing Elbows with the Authors

(top to bottom/left to right) Mariela Dabbah, Deborah Deras, Ana Flores, Sujeiry Gonzalez, Jeannette Kaplun, Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, Alberto Sardinas, Sabrina Vourvoulias

By this time tomorrow, I'll be on my way to Houston, TX for the LATISM'12 conference.

I am bursting with excitement! 

I am excited to see my friends. 

I'm excited about working with Johnson & Johnson and sharing their 'global motherhood' initiatives! You can read about that HERE.


I'm excited to be speaking on Blogging 101 panel/workshop on Friday at 2pm. The agenda is HERE.

I am SUPER EXCITED to be nominated for a LATISM Award! I am nominated for the Best Latin@ Health Blogger Award. You can vote for me by just clicking HERE. 

And I'm excited to be rubbing elbows with published authors. As a grad student who is THIS CLOSE to an almost to graduating. I'm thinking thesis. I'm thinking I want to be published. And I am eager to learn from those who are willing to share their knowledge. They will be selling and signing their books during the Friday and Saturday lunchtime - about 12:30.

So who are the published authors of LATISM?  
 
MARIELA DABBAH
Author, speaker, and founder of The Red Shoe Movement, an initiative to invite women to wear red shoes to work on Tuesdays to show their support for women career advancement, Mariela has authored several award winning, best-selling books to help Latinos navigate the American system, including Poder de Mujer. As an international speaker, Mariela has presented at General Electric, Citigroup, AIG, Exxon/Mobil, HBO, Goldman Sachs, Verizon, JPMorganChase, McDonald’s,Harvard, Yale and Columbia, Multicultural Women Conference, among others. As the National Spokesperson for McDonald’s Latino Education program for several years, Mariela presented workshops for parents and students across the country. Also, in 2009, Mariela created Latinos in College, the first all encompassing platform to help Latino student succeed in college (www.latinosincollege.com).

DEBORAH DERAS
Deborah Deras is the Principal of Synergy Unlimited LLC, a professional training and development company providing motivationals speakers, trainers and life coaches to organizations and Universities. She is committed to empowering Latinos to develop leadership skills to thrive in their careers, live on purpose and be powerful contributors in their communities. A sought after international speaker, author and leadership trainer, her book, Confessions of an Adrenaline Addict, has transformed lives worldwide to empower, Type A personality types to achieve success with ease and grace. Deras has also served as an expert/guest writer for Latina, Catalina and Immigrant
magazines. She is currently the West Coast technology expert for Verizon Wireless touring the nation empowering Latinos to transform their business, career and life through technology.

ANA FLORES
Founder of Latina Bloggers Connect, a boutique social media agency where she creates strategic digital campaigns connecting brands and bloggers, Ana L. Flores has over 15 years of experience as a content creator and television producer, with a specialty in the U.S. Hispanic industry. After becoming a mom, she co-founded SpanglishBaby, the go-to online community for parents raising bilingual and bicultural kids, which was chosen as a Must Read Mom’s Blog by Parenting Magazine, as well as Babble’s Top 100 Mom Blogs of 2011 and Babble’s list of Top 50 Twitter Moms of 2011. Her most recent honors include being named one of “6 Bloggers to Watch” by USA Today’s Hispanic Living and Best Latin@ Social Network Leader at LATISM 11 Awards. SpanglishBaby’s success led Ana to co-author her first book, “Bilingual is Better.” Ana is now also a regular blogger on Babble Voices.

SUJEIRY GONZALEZ
Sujeiry Gonzalez, often referred to as “The Latina Carrie Bradshaw,” is a funny and vibrant relationship expert and writer that tells it like it is – with just a little more sass and ton of laughs. Rocking the relationship market since 2006, she’s been featured on Galtime, Cupid’s Pulse, YourTango, VOXXI, Divine Caroline, Yahoo Shine, Latina Magazine, Mamiverse, and JDate, among others. Her comedic personality, unique voice and irrefutable talent have also granted her the opportunity to share her relationship highs and lows with a number of media channels, including:  PIX Morning News, The Kari Adams Show, and Mega 97.9FM. Sujeiry’s newest coup is SY PLay Things – an online lingerie store that values women and the power of self-first. There’s also the launch of Love Trips: A Collection of Relationship Stumbles - a poignant and witty collection of personal essays, in which she chronicles her relationship stumbles, serving as the ultimate what-not-to-do relationship book for women. 

JEANNETTE KAPLUN
An award-winning journalist, internationally recognized parenting writer, and leading Latina blogger, Jeannette Kaplun has over 17 years of experience on TV, radio, online media and as a published author. She also provides insights into the Hispanic market and helps leading brands reach Latinas in the US. Born in El Paso, Texas, and raised in Chile, Jeannette is truly bilingual and bicultural. Currently she is busy launching her newest project for Hispanic women, HispanaGlobal.  In 1999, she cofounded Todobebé, and co-hosted the Emmy-nominated network TV show ¡Viva la Familia! de Todobebé for four seasons on Univision. Before that, she hosted the Todobebé show on Telemundo. She is also the author of Todobebé: Todo lo que necesitas saber para el primer año de tu bebé (Rayo, 2006) and blogs for Babble Voices. Most recently, she was named a Social Media Fellow by the UN Foundation. 

YVETTE MARQUEZ-SHARPNACK
Mother, wife, cookbook author, graphic designer, blogger, and food enthusiast from Denver, Colorado, Yvette was raised in El Paso, Texas and has developed a deep passion for promoting her grandmothers old-world northern Mexican recipes and mothers comforting south of the border home-style dishes. Her blog and published cookbook, Muy Bueno, blossomed into much more than a place to file her family recipes. She now works as a recipe developer with IMUSA and Avocados from Mexico.
Besides her blog, Yvette has also been featured in Latina Magazine, and the websites of Paula Deen, The Pioneer Woman, SAVEUR, and Gourmet.

ALBERTO SARDINAS

“So what’s your story and what did you learn from it?” is Alberto Sardiñas’ most important question to people everywhere he goes. Each night, this Univisión Radio host takes calls from listeners who look to him as a friend with whom to share their life experiences of uncertainty, sorrow, hope, or happiness on his nighttime show, “Íntimo.” Thousands of people listen to him nightly and watch him as a contributor on network television shows (Despierta America, Tu Desayuno Alegre and others), and his articles are frequently published in leading magazines and blogs. As the author of the book “The Power of Your Story,” Alberto shares 40 of the most powerful, real-life, short stories told to him by his listeners, in addition to personal experiences he had never shared before. Each anecdote is followed by a conclusion that emphasizes the lesson learned. Alberto has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Miami and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Communications from the Catholic University Andrés Bello in Caracas.

SABRINA VOURVOULIAS
Born in Bangkok, Thailand and the daughter of a Mexican-Guatemalan artist and an American businessman, Sabrina grew up in Guatemala and moved to the United States when she was fifteen. She is the managing editor of Al Día News, Philadelphia’s leading Spanish-language newspaper and writes for www.pontealdia.com in Spanish and English. Along with her blog, Following the Lede (www.followingthelede.blogspot.com), which was was nominated for a Latinos in Social Media award in 2011, Sabrina writes speculative poetry and short and long-form fiction. Her writing has appeared in Dappled Things, Graham House Review, Scheherezade's Bequest at Cabinet des Fées, La Bloga's Floricanto, Poets Respond to SB 1070, Crossed Genres Issue 24, among others. Her novel, Ink, was published by Crossed Genres Publications Oct. 15, 2012.
 

My Mom. My Inspiration. #InspireCare

Growing up, my mom and I didn't always agree. I didn't understand her. She didn't understand me. She was old school. I was not. There were times I cringed when we were compared. And I spent most of my teenage years trying not to be like my mother.  

Then I grew up. Got a job. Moved out on my own. I got married...had a baby. I don't think I truly understood my mother, until I became a mother. Becoming a mother,  made me look back on my childhood in a completely different way. 

I looked at my mother in a completely different way.  

I realized that if I wanted to be a good mother to The Boy, I needed to be more like my mother.

My mother went without so that I could have. Growing up, I may not have had everything I wanted but I had everything I needed: a clean home, clean clothes, a hot meal. 

My mother was always more than willing to do everything for me, so long as I went to school and got good grades. She spoiled me in ways I could not understand, she did so much for me and expected nothing in return. Not even a thank you.

Over the last decade, I have watched my mother become the primary caregiver to my grandparents. And whenever anyone in our family needs help, she's always the first to offer. She gives so selflessly and she leaves me often in awe.  

During my pregnancy, I read countless of parenting books. Books on feeding, sleeping and parenting. But my first lesson on being a good mother, a good all around person came from my mother. 

I am not one of those people who longs to relive their younger years. But I wish I could go back in time and appreciate my mother a little more and to say thank you more often.

My mother and I still don't always agree. She is old school and I am not. We do not have the same taste in clothes, furniture or politics. She will still criticize the way I cook and clean. I'm okay with our differences. And I thank her every chance I get.  

But when it comes to being a mom, her advice is the one I'll always seek out first. For me, she is the measure of motherhood I want to live up to. She inspires me to the best mom I can be.  

  

***

For more than 125 years, Johnson & Johnson has been committed to serving the health care needs of others - especially mothers and children. Their history as a brand is pretty fascinating. Many of the products we take for granted, the products that are simply part of our every day lives - are because of Johnson & Johnson.   

It is estimated that Johnson & Johnson and its partners touch more than one billion people’s lives each day through health care products, services and various programs. 

This year at the LATISM 2012 conference, Johnson & Johnson will be showcasing some of these initiatives under the theme “global motherhood.” And I am so honored to be chosen to help raise awareness about important issues and some solutions that make a difference.

Johnson & Johnson has been a part of my life since I was a little girl. My mom always purchased Johnson & Johnson products. Now that I'm a mom, it's the brand I trust for my own family. And as a company, Johnson & Johnson's share many of the values my mother tried to instill in me. They are the same values I want to pass along to my son.

Johnson & Johnson is a company who is committed to:

• Saving and Improving Lives
• Building Health Care Capacity
• Preventing Diseases

If you are attending LATISM, I would love for you to stop by the Arboretum II Suite to talk with Johnson & Johnson and their partners about the work they do. I'll be there too! 

Together we can help them spread the word through social media about the challenges that mothers face around the world. 

You can inspire mothers like you to join them in helping other mothers by raising awareness about important issues and some of the solutions that make a difference.

BUT - You don't have to attend LATISM to learn more about Johnson & Johnson's endeavors to make the world a better place for mothers and children around the globe.

If you're on Twitter follow them @JNJStories and their #InspireCare hashtag.
I'll be tweeting throughout the conference.

Visit them on Facebook - Johnson's Baby. Or go directly to the website by clicking HERE

Note: These photos represent a few of the many programs supported by Johnson & Johnson and its partner organizations to serve the health and well-being needs of communities and people around the world. To read more about these programs and others that help us care for those in need, please visit our website: http://www.jnj.com/connect/caring/. 

*This is a sponsored post. All opinions shared are my own.

What The Heck Do I Pack for LATISM? ¡Ayúdame!

By this time next week I'll be en route to Houston, Texas for the LATISM 2012 Conference. I am beyond excited.

And I am extremely honored to be fully sponsored by Johnson & Johnson. 

Johnson & Johnson has been a part of my life since I was a little girl. My mom always purchased J&J products. And now that I'm a mom, it's the brand I trust for my own family. But it's only since I've started blogging that I've learned that Johnson & Johnson really is a company who cares. They care about their employees, their costumers and the global community. I'm looking forward to learning more about their give back initiatives and sharing with you.

But before I can do that...I need to pack. And while I'm excited to be going, I'm not so excited about trying to figure out what to wear. It's Houston, so it's warm. And it's only for a few days...

But there's the LATISM Gala Awards and the Pijama Party. And that's where I'm stumped.

I mean...have you been to a Latino party? We are a people - especially the ladies - who like to Dress to the Nines.*

I'm not really a fancy girl (though, I can fake it pretty well).

The last thing I want to be is underdressed is for the Awards. But I also need to be practical. It can't be anything that needs ironing (I don't do ironing). And it needs to be something pretty that I will feel comfortable in (i.e. something that hides the bulge around my belly). I've pretty much described absolutely nothing in my closet right about now. I refuse to spend money on something that I will most likely not wear again. I'm also determined to lose weight and refuse to go up another size (which is why I am squeezing into my clothes and spending most of my day sucking in my gut).

As for the Pijama Party...WTH? I don't think I own a pair of pj's that I would or could wear out in public. I may need to buy pj's. But at least I'll know I'll wear the pj's again.

Then of course J&J offered me a polo shirt to wear for one of the days. Which is fine but this probably means, I'll need to wear jeans. And did I mention I put on weight and that I'm having trouble fitting into my pants? So whenever I wear pants I usually wear a shirt that hides the muffin top. I'm crossing my fingers that the polo is super stretchy. 

Sure there's other stuff that goes into prepping for a blog conference other than what to wear. But I'll let my amiga Ruby of Growing Up Blaxican tell you how best to prep - click HERE. 

 
* just a little trivia: the term "dress to the nines" comes from England when sailing ships were used. As the ship would come into the harbor all sails would be flying, all nine of them. And all the sailors would be dressed in dress uniforms lined up on either side of the ship. The modern connotation is to have put on your finest clothing and jewelry, almost as if you were being visited by royalty.          

I'm Going To #LATISM12 and 5 Reasons Why You Should Too

Ever since I met the lovely ladies of LATISM back in May for the Top Bloguera Retreat and briefly reunited with them at BlogHer I have been trying to figure out a way to make it to the LATISM conference in Houston, Texas. 

Unlike BlogHer, the conference where it's easy to get lost in a crowd of 5000+ people, I knew LATISM would be the conference for me: intimate, familiar, inspiring. 

I may have also wanted to go because a conference means I get to sleep in a hotel room without a six year old foot in my face but I digress...

And now I am so excited to say that I'M GOING! Thanks to LATISM and the wonderful folks at Johnson & Johnson, I get to go to LATISM12. I am so grateful and honored for this opportunity to be a representative for Johnson & Johnson's philanthropic mother-orientated initiatives. And I cannot wait to share more in the weeks to come.
     

Here are 5 reasons why attending LATISM12 is important to me. And they may be important to you too.   

5. To Learn. This may seem obvious but whether you're an experienced blogger or a novice  there is always something to learn. Maybe you haven't quite embraced Pinterest or Google+ plus freaks you out. Maybe you haven't discovered that 'oh yeah, there's an app for that.' Maybe you want to hone your photography skills or improve your writing or grow your audience. Or maybe you're thinking about turning your blog into a book.  

Check out the agenda.  LATISM focuses on Education, Health, Technology and Business. And there are some pretty amazing sessions going on with something for everyone regardless of your niche. 

4. Connect with Brands. It's only in this last year, that I've connected with brands. It can be intimidating to approach a brand blindly but LATISM attracts major brands. And they're there for one reason - to connect with bloggers and social media influencers. 

3. To Meet Your Blog Buddies IRL. One of the best parts about attending conferences is that you get to meet your favorite bloggers and tweeps in real life. Over the last year, I've got to meet some pretty fabulous and inspiring men and women of social media. So for me, LATISM is more like a family reunion - with hashtags and instagram filters.  

2. To Network.  The sessions are great, the parties are fabulous but it's those one on one moments that will make the difference. LATISM is the place to talk about new ideas, to brainstorm, to meet, greet and smile, to make new connections. A social media conference like LATISM are where projects are born and inspiration can be found. 

I will be taking serious notes during the Pitch 101 session. I'm friendly and nice but pitching  and networking is a challenge for me. I'm shy, I get nervous - I need to work on that. I know LATISM will make a difference. And what I learn about networking at LATISM, I can take with me where ever I go.      

1. To Be Inspired. The opportunity to attend LATISM is inspiring. I mean do you know who will be speaking at LATISM? It's pretty impressive.

One of the key note speakers is Sandra Cisneros. SANDRA CISNEROS! Do you know what that means? For me? 

I grew up in a home filled with books (my father worked in a book factory) but not a single one was written by or about a Latino. 

I've worked in Corporate America for almost 20 years, I am always the minority. 

I have spent the last few years in graduate school, hearing how difficult it will be for me to become published because I'm Latina. 

The opportunity to meet an award winning, internationally known Latina author at a Latinos In Social Media conference is something I could have never even dreamed about as a little girl. And while I may not be a little girl, it's never too late to stop dreaming.  

So I hope that you can make it to LATISM this year, because if we haven't met - I would love to. And if we've already met, I would love to see you again.  But even if you can't make it this year...follow us on twitter #LATISM12. Hopefully it will inspire you to join us next year. 

To learn more about the LATISM conference click HERE

The Most Random Blog Post Ever

Well...maybe not ever.  
But my mind is all over the place and I don't have the energy to put together a post that makes sense.

It's been a rough week. The kind of week that just kicks you in the gut and you're gasping for air. I have so many questions but no kind of answers. I've cried a lot this week. I'm in a weird kind of place with one of my very best friends. I'm hoping we can move forward...when all the hurt wears away.

The Boy started his after school program this week. With typical kids. The Boy is the only kid with autism. That makes me nervous. The only thing that makes me feel better is that he will be with his BCBA therapists. That's right. I'm paying for an after school program and for private therapists to work with him during the after school program. I'll be eating tuna and ramen noodles for quite some time.

I'm so behind in school this semester. And I need to start thinking about my thesis. I graduate in the spring. I went to this workshop thing at school and a 20 something year old girl (who just graduated) said she "couldn't possibly imagine having to work while writing her thesis." So yeah, thinking I may be sort of screwed...

Yesterday was really the bright spot of my craptastic week. Two cool things happened yesterday.

What has 2 thumbs, 4 eyes and is going to Texas for the LATISM 2012 Conference?
This girl... And best part - I got a full sponsorship! But I'll tell you more about that tomorrow.

And then I had a 7 minute online chat with one of my favorite blogueras.  Check it out - we had a blast! 

Did you know I'm nominated as a Yahoo Women Who Shine? 

Read why I'm nominated & vote HERE.