July 2017 -- Las Comadres Newsletter

Greetings, Comadres!

Many thanks to Kimberly Hernandez and Univision for hosting us this month.

 We are excited about our return to Univision and the launch of the “Chatting with Las Comadres” information series for Comadres by Comadres. Our first chat is about Career Services; our speakers are JULIE ANNA ALVAREZ, Director of Alumni and International Career Services, Columbia Law School, and VANESSA PETERS, Human Resources Specialist with Michael Kors USA, Inc.

Julie Anna Alvarez is the new Director of Alumni and International Career Services at the Office of Career Services and Professional Development at Columbia Law School. She has been a law school career services professional for 11 years (having previously worked at Fordham and Cardozo) providing counseling and strategy to students and graduates at all stages in their careers. Her work in the academic setting has included helping her constituencies with resumes, cover letters, job search strategies, interviewing, networking and more. Throughout her career, she has also often been involved in the hiring process of her employers, screening resumes and interviewing candidates for open positions, so she has an insider perspective. Julie Anna was elected to the Board of Directors of NALP (National Association for Law Placement -- the industry organization for all major law schools and legal employers) for the 2016-2018 term. Julie Anna received her BA from Harvard University and her law degree from Harvard Law School. She began her legal career at the firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore as a corporate attorney, later transitioned to a boutique firm to practice Copyright/ Trademark/ Entertainment Law. Thereafter, she pursued various “alternative legal career” opportunities including six years as the Assistant Director of the Legal Referral Service at the NYC Bar Association. In 2000 she also became a certified Feng Shui consultant and ran a full-time consultant practice from 2001 to 2006, a business which she now maintains on a part-time basis. She has been a NYC Comadre for 7 years or more (but who’s counting?!).

Vanessa Peters is a Human Resources Specialist with Michael Kors USA Inc.  She has been an HR professional for the past 9 years.  She started her career in human resources by working her way up through the ranks at Crate & Barrel.  She has experience in resume review, interviewing and training.  She has a BA from the City College of New York in English and Art and a Certificate in Compensation and Benefits from Baruch College. Vanessa Is also a writer and freelance artist of Puerto Rican descent.  As a writer, she is currently working on her first multi-cultural romance novel.   She also works out of her home as a freelance artist, her work focuses on both abstract/ impressionist paintings and drawings of the human form and figure.  Vanessa has been a NYC Comadre for 7 years.

We thank Julie Anna and Vanessa for sharing their knowledge with us, and thank all of you for attending. (Their handout on Career Services is at the end of this newsletter.)

Please check the Calendar of Events and Announcements below.  Join us for all or any of the events, and Happy Summer!

Las Comadres Facilitators                                             

Maria, Raesha, Gladys & Miriam

Las Comadres Book Club Discussion Leaders           

Maria, Dora Maria, Nicole & Tess

CALENDAR & ANNOUNCEMENTS

July 18 (Tues) – Comadres & Friends Book Club, 6:00pm, The Strand, 12^th Street & Broadway, 2 floor.   Join us for the Book Club meeting even if you don’t finish the book. Our book of the month is ALL THAT GLITTERS by Liza Treviño (Koehler Books). It’s all about sex, drugs and Hollywood dreams of Latinas in the 1980s.  And check out the Comadres Summer Reading List below.    

July 19 (Wed) – Theatre Outing with Las Comadres, Acorn Theatre, 410 W. 42^nd Street

--6:00pm: Dinner at Gallo Nero Italiano. If you would like to join us just for dinner, email Maria at ferrerm@aol.com.

--8:00pm--Temple of the Souls is a musical about Puerto Rico; tickets available online at www.nymf.org

July 28 (Fri) – Outing at 6:30pm at High Line at Gansevoort Street, 820 Washington Street

The High Line is featuring Heidi Latsky: On Display, a live human sculpture garden. We can walk among the performers.  Get your free tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/heidi-latsky-on-display-tickets-35516781650

August 9 (Wed) – Comadrazo Meeting at AARP, 6:00pm.

SUMMER READING LIST! 

Our book club is 10- years- old this year. We are super excited, and will be giving away prizes (aka free books) at the monthly book club meetings so do attend and bring reader friends. To celebrate, we have released our 3^rd Annual Summer Reading List; see below. We want everyone reading Latino Lit this summer!  

1.      All That Glitters by Liza Treviňo (Koehler Books, women's fiction)

2.      All the Agents & Saints by Stephanie Elizondo Griest (University of North Carolina Press, memoir)

3.      Blood’s Echo by Isabella Maldonado (Midnight Ink, mystery)

4.      Bravo! Poems About Amazing Hispanics by Margarita Engle (Henry Holt & Co., children's book, poetry)

5.      Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Thomas Dunne Books, horror)

6.      Everything That Could Not Happen Will Happen Now by Alberto Ramirez (Floricanto Press, fiction)

7.      History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera (Penguin/Soho Teen, fiction, LGBT)

8.      Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova (Sourcebooks Fire, fiction, young adult)

9.      Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel (Doubleday, classic, magical realism)

10.  Self Made by Nely Galán (Spiegel & Grau, women and business, motivational)

11.  The Cruel Country by Judith Ortiz Cofer (University of Georgia Press, memoir)

12.  The Enchilada Queen Cookbook by Sylvia Casares (St. Martin’s Griffin, cookbook)

13.  With the River on Our Face by Emmy Pérez (University of Arizona Press, poetry)

COMADRES FUN FRIDAYS ON FACEBOOK! Like our Facebook Page—@LasComadresNYCNetwork.

Comadre Miriam Molina is posting our upcoming events and monthly notices on our Facebook page. AND, every Friday we want YOU to share your photos with us of Comadres having fun. Use our hashtag #ComadresFun. Our link is https://www.facebook.com/groups/1649438118686362/?ref=bookmarks

ARE YOU ON THE LIST SERV?  If you are not receiving Las Comadres’ event emails, join the group at:  http://lascomadres.com/lco/join-las-comadres/.    

JOB OPPORTUNITIES!  Please remember to let us know of any job opportunities, volunteer positions or upcoming events you come across that would be of benefit to a fellow Comadre. We will gladly share through the list serv.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

DEFINE GOAL

TAKE ACTION

STAY FOCUSED

EXPECT SUCCESS

NOTHING LESS

         ---Michele Ruiz

Meet Comadre Julie Anna Alvarez!

Julie Anna Alvarez is the new Director of Alumni and International Career Services at the Office of Career Services and Professional Development at Columbia Law School. She has been a law school career services professional for 11 years (having previously worked at Fordham and Cardozo) providing counseling and strategy to students and graduates at all stages in their careers. Her work in the academic setting has included helping her constituencies with resumes, cover letters, job search strategies, interviewing, networking and more. Throughout her career, she has also often been involved in the hiring process of her employers, screening resumes and interviewing candidates for open positions, so she has an insider perspective. Julie Anna was elected to the Board of Directors of NALP (National Association for Law Placement -- the industry organization for all major law schools and legal employers) for the 2016-2018 term. Julie Anna received her BA from Harvard University and her law degree from Harvard Law School. She began her legal career at the firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore as a corporate attorney, later transitioned to a boutique firm to practice Copyright/ Trademark/ Entertainment Law. Thereafter, she pursued various “alternative legal career” opportunities including six years as the Assistant Director of the Legal Referral Service at the NYC Bar Association. In 2000 she also became a certified Feng Shui consultant and ran a full-time consultant practice from 2001 to 2006, a business which she now maintains on a part-time basis. She has been a NYC Comadre for 7 years or more (but who’s counting?!).

Meet Comadre Vanessa Peters!

  

Vanessa Peters is a Human Resources Specialist with Michael Kors USA Inc.  She has been an HR professional for the past 9 years.  She started her career in human resources by working her way up through the ranks at Crate & Barrel.  She has experience in resume review, interviewing and training.  She has a BA from the City College of New York in English and Art and a Certificate in Compensation and Benefits from Baruch College. Vanessa Is also a writer and freelance artist of Puerto Rican descent.  As a writer, she is currently working on her first multi-cultural romance novel.   She also works out of her home as a freelance artist, her work focuses on both abstract/ impressionist paintings and drawings of the human form and figure.  Vanessa has been a NYC Comadre for 7 years.

Chatting with Las Comadres: Careers & Job Search

July 11, 2017

SPEAKERS:
Julie Anna Alvarez, Director of Alumni and International Career Services at Columbia Law School 

Vanessa Peters, Human Resources Specialist at Michael Kors, USA, Inc.

*** This handout can be shared with proper permission and credit for Julie Anne Alvarez & Vanessa Peters.  ***

Building A Base

Your Resume/Cover Letter:

1.      Always tailor your resume/cover letter to the position for which you are applying.

2.      Your resume is allowed one page per every 10 years of relevant experience – but should be no longer than 2 pages.

3.      Every bullet point or sentence in your resume should include a success verb.

4.      First paragraph of cover letter is key place to connect with the specific employer – don’t be generic.

Sample List of Success Verbs:

·         Achieved

·         Added

·         Awarded

·         Changed

·         Contributed

·         Decreased

·         Delivered

·         Eliminated

·         Exceeded

·         Expanded

·         Gained

·         Generated

·         Grew

·         Improved

·         Increased

·         Introduced

·         Maximized

·         Optimized

·         Produced

·         Reduced

·         Saved

·         Sold

LinkedIn:

1.      Always have a photo.  The photo should reflect an appropriate professional image.

2.      Resume should be complete and updated.

3.      LinkedIn is not Facebook.  It is for your professional networking.

Job Search Keys

Strategies To Find A Job:

There are three ways people find jobs:

1.      Job Postings (Indeed.com or industry specific sites)

2.      Unsolicited direct outreach to specific targets with phone follow-up

3.      Networking

If you use networking to support the other two methods, your chances of success increase dramatically.  About upwards of 70% of jobs are obtained because there was a networking connection involved.

Networking:

1.      Networking is not just schmoozing at cocktail parties and it is definitely not asking people you barely know if there is a job opening they can recommend.   Networking is not about instant results, but rather delayed gratification.

2.      Network with a plan and be prepared.

3.      Use the “Professional Coffee Chat” method to grow your network.

4.      Cultivate relationships -- it is when people know you, like you and trust you that they will introduce you to others in their network and let you know about job opportunities when they arise. 

5.      Stay on people’s radar in appropriate ways.

6.      Help others and be a giver – networking is a two-way street.  Connect others in ways that help them whenever you can and you will ultimately reap the reward.

Presenting Your Best Professional Self

Your Materials:

1.      No typos or errors. 

2.      Neat presentation whether via email or hard copy.

3.      Avoid “To whom it may concern” – research who the best person to address it to is.

4.      Professional emails are not like emails you send to a friend – they are still professional correspondence.

Yourself:

1.      Dress appropriately for the type of job and industry standard whether interviewing or attending events where you may encounter other professionals in the field.

2.      Plan to arrive a bit early to interviews – never be late.  Remember that Security Desks/Checkpoints are a reality in our world and leave time for them.  Plan for the “unexpected” travel delay.

3.      Be conscious of first impressions and treat everyone you encounter with respect.

Good Luck!

2017 Summer Reading List

The Las Comadres & Friends National Latino Book Club is 10- years- old this year. We are super excited, and will be giving away prizes (aka free books) at the monthly book club meetings so do attend and bring reader friends. To celebrate, we have released our 3^rd Annual Summer Reading List; see below. We want everyone Reading Latino Lit this summer!  

1.      All That Glitters by Liza Treviňo (Koehler Books, women's fiction)

2.      All the Agents & Saints by Stephanie Elizondo Griest (University of North Carolina Press, memoir)

3.      Blood’s Echo by Isabella Maldonado (Midnight Ink, mystery)

4.      Bravo! Poems About Amazing Hispanics by Margarita Engle (Henry Holt & Co., children's book, poetry)

5.      Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Thomas Dunne Books, horror)

6.      Everything That Could Not Happen Will Happen Now by Alberto Ramirez (Floricanto Press, fiction)

7.      History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera (Penguin/Soho Teen, fiction, LGBT)

8.      Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova (Sourcebooks Fire, fiction, young adult)

9.      Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel (Doubleday, classic, magical realism)

10.  Self Made by Nely Galán (Spiegel & Grau, women and business, motivational)

11.  The Cruel Country by Judith Ortiz Cofer (University of Georgia Press, memoir)

12.  The Enchilada Queen Cookbook by Sylvia Casares (St. Martin’s Griffin, cookbook)

13.  With the River on Our Face by Emmy Pérez (University of Arizona Press, poetry)

Learn more about the Summer Reading List and the Book Club by visiting www.latinolit.com.

Meet Comadre Nydia Marsella!

 I began my professional career as an architect in Caracas, Venezuela. Not long after arriving in New York City, I decided to pursue a career in television, and spent eight years working for the nation's first public Hispanic television network as a producer, writer, editor, and on-camera talent. I've produced hundreds of hours of programming aimed at creating value for the Hispanic community, and have been nominated for three Emmy awards.

I currently produce and host my own cooking show called MI COCINA VIRTUAL, the main goal of which is to inform the Hispanic community about how it can help prevent and reverse various health conditions by recognizing the body's signals that there's something wrong, and by eating the right foods in response. 

June 2017 -- Las Comadres Newsletter

** Email us at lascomadresNY@gmail.com **

Greetings, Comadres!

A big Thank You to Melanie Iglesias Perez and Simon & Schuster for hosting us this month.

NEW LAUNCH!  Mark your calendars for our July 11 Comadrazo where we will be launching our new “Chatting with Las Comadres,” an information series for Comadres by Comadres. These chats will have speakers and plenty of time to ask questions and network. First Chat Topic – Careers. Our speakers are Julie Ana Alvarez and Vanessa Peters, both of whom work in career services.  Bring questions.

SPOTLIGHT!  We have added a “Spotlight” to our monthly newsletters – a brief bio of a Comadre to give us all a chance to get to know each other better. This month’s Spotlight shines on Comadre Nydia Marsella.

FACEBOOK UPDATE!   Thank you for friending our new Facebook Page—@LasComadresNYCNetwork.  Comadre Miriam Molina is keeping it updated with upcoming events and monthly notices. We welcome friends & notices.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1649438118686362/?ref=bookmarks

BOOK CLUB!  Please help us support our Latino authors by joining the Comadres Book Club on Tues, June 20th, at 6:00 pm at the Strand Bookstore, Broadway & 12th Street, 2nd floor.  Our book of the month is THE CRUEL COUNTRY by Judith Ortiz Cofer. This richly textured, deeply moving, lyrical memoir centers on Cofer’s return to her native Puerto Rico after her mother has been diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer.  Copies can be purchased at The Strand. Join us even if you don’t finish the book; the discussions are great.  You can also help support a Latino author by buying their books; registering for the Teleconference and Twitter Chat; writing a short review on Amazon or Goodreads; or just mentioning them on your social media pages. All publicity is good.

ARE YOU ON THE LIST SERV?  If you are not receiving Las Comadres’ event emails, join the group at:  http://lascomadres.com/lco/join-las-comadres/.   Please share with your friends.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES!  Please remember to let us know of any job opportunities, volunteer positions or upcoming events you come across that would be of benefit to a fellow Comadre. We will gladly share through the list serv.

Wishing everyone a great Summer!  

Las Comadres Facilitators                                             

Maria, Raesha, Gladys & Miriam

Las Comadres Book Club Discussion Leaders           

Maria, Dora Maria, Nicole & Tess

 ===============================================

SPOTLIGHT ON COMADRE NYDIA MARSELLA

(Every month, we will be featuring a brief bio of one of our Comadres. You could be next!)

I began my professional career as an architect in Caracas, Venezuela. Not long after arriving in New York City, I decided to pursue a career in television, and spent eight years working for the nation's first public Hispanic television network as a producer, writer, editor, and on-camera talent. I've produced hundreds of hours of programming aimed at creating value for the Hispanic community, and have been nominated for three Emmy awards.

I currently produce and host my own cooking show called Mi COCINA Virtual, the main goal of which is to inform the Hispanic community about how it can help prevent and reverse various health conditions by recognizing the body's signals that there's something wrong, and by eating the right foods in response. 

CALENDAR & ANNOUNCEMENTS

·         June 20, Tuesday, Comadres Book Club Meeting at 6:00 pm at the Strand Bookstore, Broadway & 12th Street, 2nd floor.  Everyone is welcomed even if they don't finish the book. Copies can be purchased at The Strand.

·         June 26, Monday, Teleconference, at 8:00pm EST.  Register at www.latinolit.com. Twitter Chat will run simultaneously. Our hashtag is #ReadLatinoLit.

·         July 11, Tuesday, Comadrazo Meeting at Univision – Chatting with Las Comadres!

·         August 9, Wednesday, Comadrazo Meeting at AARP.

GET YOUR COPY OF COUNT ON ME: TALES OF SISTERHOODS AND FIERCE FRIENDSHIPS. A wonderful collection of stories by 12 prominent Latino authors who reveal how friendships have helped them to overcome difficult moments in their lives. Authors include Reyna Grande, Esmeralda Santiago, Daisy Martínez, Sofia Quintero, Stephanie Elizondo Griest, and Michelle Herrera Mulligan.  

FLY AMERICAN AIRLINES AND BENEFIT LAS COMADRES! American Airlines is now the official airline for Las Comadres. You can help Las Comadres grow every time you fly American Airlines.  Here's how:  Las Comadres has a Business ExtrAA® Account  Number 790376.  When you book your reservations on American Airlines®, American Eagle® or AmericanConnection® whether it's via their website or through your preferred travel agent, in addition to earning AAdvantage miles for your travel, you can also help expand Las Comadres!

QUOTE OF THE MONTH:

Beauty

Begins The

Moment You

Decide To Be

Yourself.

--Coco Chanel

Meet Comadre Karen Valentin!

Karen Valentin is a proud Puerto Rican-American writer who is the award winning author of several books. Her latest memoir, The Mother God Made Me to Be (Hachette Book Group 2016) is the winner of The International Latino Book Award for Best Family Book.

Karen is a single mom of two young boys, but when she can, enjoys sneaking time away to enjoy an evening with her comadres. She began attending meetings after her first book The Flavor of Our Faith (Doubleday) was published in 2005.  Introduced to the group by a friend, she originally joined to promote her book, but soon discovered it was more of a sisterhood. When she’s not writing, Karen enjoys freelancing as an artist of murals and paintings, a singer-songwriter, and creating life experiences with her two boys. Her other works include adult novel The Summer She Changed Her Name under the trilogy title Hallway Diaries (Harlequin 2007), and children’s books What Did Abuela Say? And Block Party (JustUs Books 2009). She has also been a contributing writer for Guideposts Books since 2005.  She graduated from Fordham University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature, and taught English as a second language in France for a year. Karen is passionate about travel and speaks three languages--English, Spanish and French. We look forward to more books and adventures from this fellow Comadre in the coming years!

May 2017 -- Las Comadres Newsletter

Greetings, Comadres!

A big Thank You to Yvette Martinez and AARP for hosting us this month.

Also if you have not already heard we are now on Facebook – Las Comadres NYC Network!  Please be sure to join our Facebook page to hear the latest news with Las Comadres NYC!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1649438118686362/?ref=bookmarks

And if you are not receiving Las Comadres’ event emails, join the group at:  http://lascomadres.com/lco/join-las-comadres/

Please help us support our Latino authors by joining the Comadres Book Club on Tues, May 16^th, at 6:00 pm at the Strand Bookstore, Broadway & 12th Street, 2nd floor.  Our book of the month is Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno. Copies can be purchased at The Strand. Join us even if you don’t finish the book; the discussions are great.  You can also help support a Latino author by buying their books, writing a short review on Amazon or Goodreads, or just mentioning them on your social media pages. All publicity is good.

NEW! We are adding a “Spotlight” to our monthly newsletters – a brief bio of a Comadre to give us all a chance to get to know each other better. We’re starting our Spotlight feature with Comadre Karen Valentin.

We also want to remind everyone to let us know of any job opportunities, volunteer positions or upcoming events you come across that would be of benefit to a fellow Comadre. We will gladly share through the list serv. Email us at lascomadresNY@gmail.com.

Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day and a great Summer!  

Las Comadres Facilitators                                             

Maria, Raesha, Gladys & Miriam

Las Comadres Book Club Discussion Leaders           

Maria, Dora Maria, Nicole & Tess

                           

                                                                    April 2017 Comadrazo

==================================================================== 

SPOTLIGHT ON COMADRE KAREN VALENTINE  

(Every month, we will be featuring a brief bio of one of our Comadres. You could be next!)

                    

Karen Valentin is a proud Puerto Rican-American writer who is the award winning author of several books. Her latest memoir, The Mother God Made Me to Be (Hachette Book Group 2016) is the winner of The International Latino Book Award for Best Family Book.

Karen is a single mom of two young boys, but when she can, enjoys sneaking time away to enjoy an evening with her comadres. She began attending meetings after her first book The Flavor of Our Faith (Doubleday) was published in 2005.  Introduced to the group by a friend, she originally joined to promote her book, but soon discovered it was more of a sisterhood. When she’s not writing, Karen enjoys freelancing as an artist of murals and paintings, a singer-songwriter, and creating life experiences with her two boys. Her other works include adult novel The Summer She Changed Her Name under the trilogy title Hallway Diaries (Harlequin 2007), and children’s books What Did Abuela Say? And Block Party (JustUs Books 2009). She has also been a contributing writer for Guideposts Books since 2005.  She graduated from Fordham University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature, and taught English as a second language in France for a year. Karen is passionate about travel and speaks three languages--English, Spanish and French. We look forward to more books and adventures from this fellow Comadre in the coming years!

CALENDAR & ANNOUNCEMENTS

May 16, Tuesday, Comadres Book Club Meeting at 6:00 pm at the Strand Bookstore, Broadway & 12th Street, 2nd floor.  Everyone is welcomed even if they don't finish the book. Copies can be purchased at The Strand.

May 22nd, Monday, Teleconference, at 8:00pm EST.  Register at www.latinolit.com. Twitter Chat will run simultaneously. Our hashtag is #ReadLatinoLit.

June Comadrazo Meeting TBD stay tuned!  

GET YOUR COPY OF COUNT ON ME: TALES OF SISTERHOODS AND FIERCE FRIENDSHIPS. A wonderful collection of stories by 12 prominent Latino authors who reveal how friendships have helped them to overcome difficult moments in their lives. Authors include Reyna Grande, Esmeralda Santiago, Daisy Martínez, Sofia Quintero, Stephanie Elizondo Griest, and Michelle Herrera Mulligan.  

FLY AMERICAN AIRLINES AND BENEFIT LAS COMADRES! American Airlines is now the official airline for Las Comadres. You can help Las Comadres grow every time you fly American Airlines.  Here's how:  Las Comadres has a Business ExtrAA® Account  Number 790376.  When you book your reservations on American Airlines®, American Eagle® or AmericanConnection® whether it's via their website or through your preferred travel agent, in addition to earning AAdvantage miles for your travel, you can also help expand Las Comadres!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!