Remembering Oscar de la Renta

Last week, Oscar De la Renta passed away. I think it’s important that we honor and remember the Latino Legends that come before us. I had a personal relationship with Oscar De La Renta. When I was 17 years old, I interviewed him as a teen reporter for the PBS series Checking It Out, produced by a Latina TV Pioneer Aida Barrera (another incredible Latina we will be featuring in depth soon). When I met Mr. De La Renta, he exemplified everything I wanted to model myself after. He was fully Latino. He loved his Dominican roots, spoke Spanish with delight, and hired mostly Latinos. He was also fully American, dressing celebrities, appearing in Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar regularly, and had a career that he loved and that he made a lot of money in. All this, allowed him to give back generously to his community, funding an orphanage in the Dominican Republic , among many other charities. He was also into real estate. He developed Casa De Campo, a resort community in Santo Domingo, where he hired thousands of Latinos, and which made the Dominican Republic a major tourist destination. I don’t know anyone who better exemplifies Mission and Money.

Don't buy shoes, buy buildings

I just spent the day Monday with the women of NAHREP, the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. Since I spoke at their conference last year, many of the ladies from NAHREP had obtained their broker's licenses, some bought houses, and others started their own businesses. Women such as Angie Henry, Tina Marie Estrada, and Angie McDonald shared with me how they changed their lives after hearing my speech last year - They went home, took action and now they are on the road to success! I wanted to remind us all that we can all change our lives in one year. I have done it many, many times. All it takes is one step that leads to ANOTHER step every single day.

To be chosen, you have to first choose yourself

I think, "to be chosen, you have to choose yourself first". I am in NY where last night, I got together with Ramona Velazquez. She wrote me a letter after seeing me on "The Swan" and later on "Celebrity Apprentice". She wanted help figuring out how she could think like an entrepreneur while keeping the security of her job. She has written me consistently for years always advocating on behalf of herself and her fellow Latinas at Social Security where she has worked for the past 32 years. I responded and we have become friends. I also wrote a letter as a teenager to Steven Jobs, who responded, and who after a series of back and forth notes invited me to meet him in Palo Alto at his then company, Next. I will always regret that I did not go. 

If you do nothing, I guarantee you, nothing will happen. If you take an action, even the smallest action, something may happen, not always, but sometimes. When you choose yourself, by taking an action, it allows others to choose you too. I am happy Ramona took the action to write me a letter.

Not to be missed ! Webinar for aspiring entrepreneurs

You know I always say “Ladies , GO GET YOUR OWN CHIPS!!" I want you all to begin the entrepreneurial journey one way or another. I know that fear and the fear of failure shows up and it paralyzes us, but today, The Adelante Movement offers you a gift to help you overcome those fears. I am so excited by what I am about to share with you! You asked for it, and we responded. It is our gift to you!!! So many of you have voiced your fears about starting a business, and have asked us for guidance on how to get started. Well, we are answering all of your questions in a very special Adelante/ Walden University webinar, created just for you with all our love. I know how challenging it is to start your own business. With my first business, I didn’t make any money for four years. I want to make sure you have the knowledge, support, and resources available to make your business dreams a reality! Don’t miss our fun webinar—I will be on it live answering your questions! You will leave knowing what to do with your life and your business. I have the honor of presenting the webinar with Dr. Yvonne Doll, a core faculty member in Walden’s Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.) program and a former Army military police officer. We will share our inspirational stories and provide tips and best practices for starting a business in today’s marketplace. If you have ever thought about starting a business in any way, or you have a business, you are selling a product or a service, this is the event for you.