JANUARY 2018 -- CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Happy New Year, Comadres!   Felicidades! 

Here is our calendar of events for January 2018:

Jan 4 (thurs)— An Evening with Author Erika Sanchez, 6:00pm, Solas Bar, 232 East 9th Street.  Free admission. Cash Bar. Bring friend and munchies to share.

Jan 5 (fri)— Three Kings Day Parade. Meet at 10:30am at El Museo del Barrio (1230 5th Ave at 105 St). We’ll end with lunch at La Fonda.  If you are interested, please email us at lascomadresNY@gmail.com so we have accurate number for restaurant. 

Jan 9 (tues)— Comadrazo Birthday Celebration

6:00pm Institutional Investor (1120 6th Ave at 43rd St).  

We are celebrating the New Year and everybody’s birthday!  

We’ll provide the cake! You bring ID, munchies to share AND a small birthday gift for a fellow Comadre.  Watch for the Eventbrite invitation coming soon. 

Jan 16 (tues)— Comadres Book Club Meeting, 6:00pm, Atrium Lobby, Philip Morris Bldg, 120 Park Ave at 42nd Street (across from Grand Central Station). Look for Comadres table. Our first book of the year is IT'S NEWS TO ME by Olga Campos Benz.

Jan 27 (sat)— Mosaic Workshop with El Barrio artist Manny Vega. Cost= $25. Workshop is limited to 15 people. If you are interested, please email us at lascomadresny@gmail.com. 

Las Comadres NYC Network Facilitators

Gladys, Maria, Miriam & Nydia

Book Club Discussion Leaders

Maria, Dora, Nikki & Tess

COMADRES BOOK CLUB -- JANUARY 16 (TUES)

The Comadres & Friends Book Club is back.  Join us!

Date:   Tuesday, January 16

Time:    6:00pm

Location:   Atrium Lobby, Phillip Morris Bldg, 120 Park Avenue at 42nd Street (across from Grand Central Station)

Book:  IT'S NEWS TO ME by Olga Campos Benz 

BOOK SUMMARY:  Marissa Cavelo awakens under an alcohol-induced fog and has just minutes to get to a meeting at the television station where she works. She’s sure her career is doomed. Three days earlier, her chaotic adventure begins as a reporter and anchor at KATX-TV in Austin, Texas. While trying to prove to her station manager and back-stabbing co-workers that she is more than a pretty Latina who’s only good for fluff pieces, Marissa stumbles upon a huge exclusive, and suddenly finds herself up against ruthless criminals who’ll do anything—including taking down a news crew if necessary—to keep illegal activities from being uncovered.

 

Besides professional obstacles, she also faces a widening disconnect from her identical twin sister, Carissa. CC as she's called, resents her sister’s growing popularity as a celebrity and is desperate to get out from behind Marissa’s shadow, but what CC is willing to do to forge her own identity is unthinkable.  Through all this, Marissa finds herself sexually drawn to her handsome photographer, Ken. Armed with a bottle of tequila, they come up with a kick-ass exposé in hopes of uncovering Austin’s scandal of the decade.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Olga Campos Benz is one of the most honored anchor/reporters ever to grace the Texas airwaves. A University of Texas graduate, Olga spent more than 30 years covering the biggest news stories in Houston, Corpus Christi and Austin, Texas. She serves on several non-profit boards including the Writers’ League of Texas and as an Advisory Council member of the University of Texas’ Division of Diversity and Community Engagement. In 2013, the Austin Business Journal named her among the “Profiles in Power: Women of Influence.” She is a 2014 inductee into the City of Austin Commission for Women Hall of Fame and the 2015 Distinguished Alum of the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Hispanic Austin Leadership Program. 

 

*** TELECONFERENCE ***  The January Teleconference with Olga will be on Monday, January 22.  Register at www.latinolit.com and you may win a free book.

Las Comadres & Friends Book Club Discussion Leaders

Maria, Dora Maria, Nikki & Tess

www.latinolit.com

#ReadLatinoLit

SEPTEMBER CALENDAR OF EVENTS

  
COMADRES & FRIENDS WELCOMED!

Join us for All or any of these events.

Remember to wear your flowers!

RSVP at lascomadresNY@gmail.com

SEPTEMBER 19 (TUESDAY)  -- COMADRES & FRIENDS BOOK CLUB

Meet at 6:00pm at the "Reading Room" at Bryan Park on 42nd Street & 6th Avenue.  IF it rains, meet at the Bank of America Atrium across the street on 6th Avenue.  All readers welcomed.

Book of the Month:  
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL:  
My Life with Prince by Mayte Garcia

Music icon Prince is revered not only for his remarkable music, but also for his enigmatic and mysterious public image.  Few knew him as intimately as his first wife, Mayte Garcia, his longtime muse and mother of his only child. Mayte shares an intimate, candid and deeply loving look inside the personal and professional life of one of the world's most beloved artist-- Prince.

SEPTEMBER 21 (THURSDAY) -- COMADRAZO

Meet at 6:00pm at Credit Suisse at 11 Madison Avenue at 23rd Street.  
We thank Comadre Dora Maria Abreu for hosting us.

Please RSVP by September 18 so we have an accurate count for the Security Desk.  
Bring you ID, a friend or two, and food / drink to share.

We will have a special presentation from Comadre Karen Valentin, author of THE MOTHER GOD MADE ME TO BE.  Free books courtesy of her publisher Hachette Book Group.

SEPTEMBER 23 (SATURDAY) -- FREE OUTING TO THE MUSEUM OF NEW YORK

We are meeting at 12 noon outside the Museum of New York at 1220 Fifth Avenue (at 103 Street).  September 23 is Free Museum Day.  Get your ticket (good for 2!)  in advance at:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/venues/museum-day-live-2017/?state=NY

We will be viewing the "Rhythm & Power: Salsa in New York" exhibit.  

#ComadresFun

MEET A COMADRE! DORA MARIA ABREU

Dora Maria Abreu is the Social Media Coordinator for the Las Comadres & Friends National Latino Book Club and a NYC Book Club Discussion Leader since 2007. Dora Maria is also an avid technology and education professional with progressive work experience in IT support and as a software engineer / developer but also in career and professional and personal skills. She has helped youth of all ages and community at large through mentoring, coaching and providing a variety of programs and workshops on internship preparation, leadership / professional development as well technical classes for those within and outside the STEM field.  By being part of the John C. Maxwell Team she has been able to build on these skills and reach a wider audience. Dora Maria enjoys music, dance, sports, photography, poetry and reading. ###

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 Julia Abrantes!

Julia Abrantes is a legal secretary by day and a Super Comadre at night!  She joined Las Comadres in the Fall of 2009 through the book club. Shortly thereafter she attended her first Comadres gathering and it was love at first Comadrazo!  She quickly became a very active member of the group. Julia was a Facilitator and Book Club Discussion Leader; she helped organize events and volunteers for La Casa Latina Home Expo; Brooklyn Book Festival; Comadre and Compadre Writer's Conferences; International Latino Book Awards; a fabulous White Party (with free salsa dance lesson) hosted at the High Line; and the ongoing annual Dia de los Reyes gathering.  Julia is also part of the Leadership Team for Las Comadres & Friends National Latino Book Club, along with Maria Ferrer and Dora Maria Abreu.

Julia also designed and produced our latest Las Comadres scarf – creating a version that was affordable to everyone.  Born and raised in NYC, she is of Puerto Rican heritage.  She currently resides in NJ.  She will be relocating to Atlanta, GA with her boyfriend Edgar in June.  Once they settle into their new home, she hopes to start a local chapter of the book club, assist the local chapter of Las Comadres to grow, and get the new title of Super Abuela Julia.♥ 

Meet Comadre Maria Ferrer!

Maria Ferrer has been a Comadre for over 10 years. She joined for the book club, but stayed for the friendships. She is proud to be a Facilitator and the Media Relations Coordinator for the Las Comadres & Friends National Latino Book Club and a Discussion Leader for the local Comadres book club. She is a member of the Latinx in Publishing, who are working to get more Latinos into Publishing.