Chicana Chisme

Natalie Garcia is a dynamic Chicana poetry artist, author, media personality, and actor. As LA’s leading Chicana correspondent and the host of Chicana in the City, she spearheads a multimedia digital platform dedicated to reshaping narratives, educating audiences, and amplifying social, political, and fashion awareness within the community through compelling interviews and editorials.

Natalie is unapologetically herself, embracing her culture on her own terms and carving out space for Chicanas in industries where representation is scarce. A celebrated author and spoken word artist, her work has resonated across multiple platforms, including literary publications and musical collaborations.

Charles Mario Henry Sr. is an Army Veteran, an owner of a consulting business and founder of the House of Henry Foundation. He uses his experiences to help his clients create the best custom plan for their businesses. With the foundation his vision is to change the lives of young minority future leaders by providing scholarships, entrepreneurship training and mentorships. 

Claudia Aceves has been a dynamic business owner for 14 years, establishing herself as a prominent figure in the beauty industry. She is the Owner and Senior Artist at Vanidosa Beauty Studio, recognized as San Antonio's number one beauty tattoo studio, and the proprietor of Vanidosa Hair Salons. In addition to her thriving businesses, Claudia Co-Hosts The Beautytainment Podcast with her husband, where they delve into the beauty business, and beautificantes sin filtro with fellow beautypreneurs offering unfiltered and hilarious insights into the industry.

Angelique Atwell is  a certified mindset & life coach for millennial women of color, mother, crossfitter, and lover of all things chocolate!

She graduated from University of the Incarnate Word in 2015 with my BA in business marketing. While in college, she started to truly understand my struggle with self love and my mindset…

She has battled with mindset, self empowerment, and self love journey for years until utilizing reflection, reading, and the realization that  life is too short to hate herself based upon unattainable societal standards.

She continued learning self advocacy, deep inner work, affirmations, mediation, and more, she was able to become the confident, empowered woman that she is today.

Desiree Klaus, the founder of www.letsvamonos.com, has a compelling and diverse background. Since the age of 9, she has been using her voice in public, initially through reading scripture and singing in church choirs, and later exploring genres like Tejano, pop, and mariachi. Born to a Mexican mother who is a writer and community leader, and a father who was her partner in community activism, Desiree's upbringing in Baytown, Houston, infused her with a strong spirit and community focus.
Her academic life was marked by excellence, but upon reaching college, Desiree faced uncertainty about her career path. This period of self-learning and exploration significantly shaped her character. Her professional journey includes a start in the coffee industry at Starbucks in 2004, a transition to home health services in 2012, and a stint in insurance with Farmers Insurance in 2016. However, her father's passing in 2017 led her to reevaluate her life's direction.
The birth of Let’s Vámonos! Live in 2020 was a pivotal moment for Desiree. It began with an impromptu interview with Latina wrestler Melissa Cervantes, also known as "Thunder Rosa." This experience, captured with just an iPhone and her husband as the cameraman, became a defining moment for Desiree, encapsulating her belief in the power of community, opportunity, and pursuing dreams without the confines of traditional education.

Elvira Zamora an LA native, fashion designer, and Founder of Chicano Elegance and I discuss about the real meaning of what it is to be Chicano. Many Latin American/Indigena people have experienced the same struggle, prejudice, and obstacles. When they discriminate against our community they do not bother to ask which country you are from, or if you were even born in the US, it does not make a difference.

Chicano Elegance unites these people from coast to coast, especially west coast neighborhoods/barrios that were created by immigrants who share not only struggle, but also food, music, culture, and slang.

 Through an immersive event, that celebrates a rich subculture, we continue to make noise, create space and be unapologetically proud of everything that makes us who we are. Not only do we celebrate our Latinidad & Indigenous roots, but we amplify nuances of our community of Chingones that share talent, goals, and beauty as Chicanos, "de aqui & de alla". 

Melissa Torres is a San Antonio Southside native/entrepreneur and holds the city's first plus-sized beauty queen title.  She is also a Texas-certified bilingual educator and an executive board member for Friends of Mission Library. We chat about all endeavors from being a beauty queen to her passion in educating young minds. 

Brianna Davis is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Esperanza de Tejas, Inc. A Coastal Bend native, Brianna obtained her GED at the age of 18 and went on to pursue her Bachelors degree in Social Science from the University of Houston-Downtown and a Master's degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California (USC). With over 10 years of experience in the social services field and a proud member of the Junior League of Corpus Christi, The Board Room Project- CC, LULAC Para Todos, TABPHE-Corpus Christi and currently serves as the National Vice President of Gamma Alpha Omega Sorority. Mrs. Davis has dedicated her career to creating positive community outcomes, health changes and educational opportunities to low-income and underrepresented communities throughout South Texas.

Mariel Amador is a first generation Latina on a mission to close the gender investing gap (even if just a tiny bit more) one IRA at a time. She does this by talking all things dinero, including scarcity mindset around money, living within your means, and of course, investing for retirement. Mariel is passionate about helping women retire on time and with more than enough. Be sure to keep an eye out for 'Investing for Beginners' workshops both virtual and in person.'

Research shows that literacy has a direct correlation to success in adulthood. Increasing reading skills in children positively affects their financial skills and health literacy. Unfortunately, as Corpus Christi grows, our community’s literacy rate continues to decline.

​The Traveling Library aims to combat these statistics. By providing access to age-appropriate books, we increase our local children's reading achievements. Each book added to a Coastal Bend families' library increases their child’s reading skills and love of reading. By supporting our communities' youth, The Traveling Library can foster an environment of success, one book at a time.

The founder, Abigail and I chat about how she started the organization, all she plans to do in this new year and a bit about her own personal ventures.