Dear Donald: I AM A MEXICAN IMMIGRANT BUT I AM NOT A RAPIST, A DRUG TRAFFICKER, OR A CRIMINAL. I AM A GAME CHANGER

Dear Donald,
I am a Mexican immigrant in America, and contrary to your belief, am not a rapist, drug trafficker, or criminal. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, however there is no excuse for ignorance. As of lately I have been wondering if your toupee is more ridiculous than the words coming out of your mouth. For someone who is a presidential candidate such ignorant words prove that money cannot buy common sense. Over the past year we have seen many racial injustices throughout America, the root of them all being ignorance, someone has to put an end to this. From personal experience coming to America at the age of seven, I experienced racism, profiling, and other social injustices. My family and I were often treated as though we were rapists, drug traffickers and criminals, simply for being Latino in America. None of this was the the case, we were simply a family in search of the American dream, a dream that becomes a nightmare when there are bigots like you. The Road to success for many Mexican immigrants becomes infinitely harder when the bigotry you exemplify is implanted in the minds of other Americans. I won't deny that there are within the Mexican race rapists, drug traffickers, and criminals, but isn't that the case for every race including white Americans?  On the flip side there are also hard working, intelligent, innovative, game changing Mexicans that come into this country in hope of fulfilling their potential, only to be met with discrimination and injustice.  I see my people working hard everyday, I hear the stories of those around me who work endless hours in the kitchens of restaurants, cleaning hotel rooms, serving as nannies to the kids of the wealthy, being denied the opportunity of furthering their education because of their legal status and being forced to live below their potential.  This saddens me because I know how hard I have had to work to have a fair shot at fulfilling my own potential.  I have seen dreams trumped because friends of mine didn't have the resources to get a college education or the legal status to apply for scholarships, grants, or financial aid.  Still, after many are forced to live in the shadows and work labor jobs that sustain the American economy we have to deal with insults from people such as yourself.  My parents are those type of people, I am that type of person.  Many of my friends are those type of people. I could be angry, I could be cursing you out even though you won't ever read this, or I could be making memes of your silly toupee on social media, but none of that would bring a solution to the bigger issue in America that you prove by your words spoken while running for president.  That issue is ignorance.  Instead, I pity you.  I will not choose to be angry, I choose to continue to learn and evolve, even without a college education.  I choose to keep surrounding myself with those who help me grow and are nurturing my talents.  I choose to continue striving to expand my mind to new levels everyday so that I may influence my generation to shun ignorance and open up our hearts to all.  I choose to be an example to my people, to all the people who deal with injustice.  I choose to become my best self so I may lead the way and prove that nothing is impossible. I choose to be a game-changer. God bless you.

          Sincerely,

         A Mexican Immigrant & A Game Changer

I AM mexiCAN! HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMAN'S DAY!

"The women who break down barriers are those who ignore limits."

I am a woman, I am proud, I am MexiCAN!! 

Since the beginning of time I have at times felt that the odds were against me.  Being a Mexican immigrant woman in America has not always been  a cake walk, but it has been a bittersweet journey that keeps me on my toes, a journey that keeps me feeling fucking alive.  The language barrier from a young age was the first challenge I overcame that excited me and lit the spark within me to conquer more and more.  Breaking out of tradition was another,  and certainly I dance freely now outside the box of my cultural tradition.  I am becoming the woman of my dreams.  Each and everyday I choose to find my own strengths, I choose to fight for my dreams, I choose to be my authentic self despite of opinion, I choose to feed my mind, I choose to be strong enough to fight against the odds and continue in pursuit of the vision and dream that was set within me by my creator.  I could be the girl I have been advised from a young age who should focus on looking "pretty" and looking for a rich husband to take care of me, but instead I choose to be the bad muthafucka' I know I am who will create change, break down barriers and live the life I dream of while inspiring others along the way!! I celebrate International Woman's day by being who I am, a MexiCAN woman in pursuit of greatness!

"Las mujeres que rompen barreras son las que ignoran los limites."

Soy mujer, con orgullo, soy Mexicana!

Desde el principio hay veces que en mi vida me eh sentido que enfrento como mujer latina doble obstáculos.  Ser una mujer inmigrante en America no siempre ah sido un camino dulce, pero es una jornada agridulce, una jornada que me hace sentir intensamente viva!  Para empezar el primer obstáculo mayor que enfrente fue el obstáculo de lenguaje que enfrente como nina al llegar a America.  Sentir que conquiste ese obstáculo  fue el fuego que encendió algo dentro de mi que me decía, "Hay mucho mas para conquistar, tu puedes!" Escapar de la limitación de tradición fue otro, ahora siento que bailo libremente fuera de la caja de las expectativas de pensamientos tradicionales.  Poco a poco me voy transformando en la mujer de mis sueños.  Cada día yo escojo buscar dentro de mi mi propia fuerza, escojo pelear por mis sueños, escojo ser auténticamente yo misma le guste a quien le guste, me vale!  Escojo edificar mi mente, escojo pelear contra las limitaciones que el mundo trata de poner frente de mi, escojo seguir en el camino de mi vision y sueños puestos dentro de mi por mi creador.  Podria haber escogido ser la mujer que desde joven me aconsejaban ser, "arreglate bonita  para que encuentres marido rico para que te cuide."  Pero prefiero ser la mujer feroz que yo se que soy, creando cambios, rompiendo barreras y viviendo la vida de mis sueños mientras inspirando a otros a mi alrededor! Celebro hoy El Dia Internacional De La Mujer siendo quien soy, soy una mujer MEXICANA en busca de mi éxito!!

live create inspire

Photos shot by: Stormy Alexander

Rocking my new cool bob haircut by my friends at Studio Oliver

NEW YORK NEW YEAR!!

It is no secret that New York is my favorite place.  In 2014 I spent plenty of weekends going back and forth as often as I could just to gather some new inspiration and visit the many amazing friends I have here.  The past handsome year of 2014 has been one hell of a roller coaster ride.  2014 was a year of dancing out of my comfort zone, facing my fears, shedding of old ideas, projects, jobs and people.  I can't say that it was easy but growth isn't a pretty process.  Growth is stretching and stretching does't always feel that amazing right?  As the year was coming to a close I felt extremely drained physically and mentally as well as uninspired.  I could blame it on the bad eating habits I had been practicing due to my busy mind and activities as I prepare to push new projects this new year or I could blame it on my lack of organization and my ability to get all anxious and panicky when things don't move fast enough, but I'm just gonna take full accountability and work on bettering myself so I don't fall back in that place of fatigue and creative block again (I'm a little crazy I know).  However, I certainly wanted to end 2014 strong and kick off 2015 with a bang! What better place to ring in 2015 than the city that has been a huge source of inspiration since the first time I visited? I packed up and flew off to New York City baby!

This time around I've spent a week here rather than just a weekend.  I had no specific plan, I just kind of came to clear my mind and find some new energy.  That I found! I spent New Year's eve day exploring throughout the city from Brooklyn to Manhattan to Central Park just taking photos of people and things that inspired me (you can peep those in my Photo Journal).  After my exploring was over, I ended up going to a couple New Year's Eve parties with a good friend of mine, we rode the train to the parties with his friends who were super cool! Right at the stroke midnight I found myself hugging new cool strangers and feeling great! We bounced over to a loft party where I met some pretty rad people, danced and laughed the night away feeling a sense of new energy entering my life.  It was pretty great! I have spent the rest of my New Year days creating with some of my favorite creatives here in NY, preparing some new work and ventures I'll be heading into this year and getting my energy and mind right.   I feel so refreshed, I feel so alive, I feel so light after shedding so much this past year, I feel ready to enter a new dimension.  I don't much believe in resolutions but I do have one motto for 2015 which I plan on continuing this new chapter in my journey. 2015 is the year of  #FUCKFEAR! Yep, that's what I'll live by this year.  If I want something I'm just going to do it. Do what it takes without letting anything hold me back.  Not even myself! This is the year to run after my destiny!! You should too!! Happy New Year my awesome friends.  Make it count!!

Check out my New Year's Eve Photos HERE!

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'SOUL REBELS' SMASHCORE GOES TO SERENBE

From the city to the country.  

There's something going on in Atlanta. It's called Smashcore.  As of lately I've been working on a few new things with a few amazing people.  As anxious as I am to share all of the details of what's going on, I have to be patient and just show you all!! January 5th, 2015 will be the launch of Smashcore!! Until then, I want to share a cool experience we had a couple weeks ago.  The Smashcore team and a few other creative pals of mine including Willie Hyn, Vintage Nation, and Buckheadthread and of course my little mini me CJ  took a field trip to the beautiful escape of Serenbe to work on a project. 

I had never been to such a place as peaceful and beautiful as Serenbe. I wasn't even aware that it existed just 45 minutes south of the city. Serenbe is a community focused on the elements of a well-lived life: arts for inspiration, agriculture for nourishment, health for wellbeing and education for awareness.  Serenbe has a 25 acre organic farm, an outdoor theatre, tree houses, farm animals, and really friendly people who reside in the community.  Being exposed to such a beautiful place gave me a new perspective.  It brought a feeling of peace and new found inspiration to continue creating. 

We were at Serenbe to capture visuals for a project.  While we were there we took the time to jam out for a bit.  We explored the "paradise" as Cj described it and gather inspiration and motivation to continue on each of our distinct journeys.  Cj and I had a blast jumping on a trampoline we came upon and petting the animals at the petting zoo.  We all played like big kids in the tree houses and open fields.  

These are some of the images Smashcore gathered from our little escape.  Nature is such a soothing and necessary thing for the soul.  If you're in the city and need a little getaway for your soul, take a little trip down to Serenbe! Stay tuned for more updates on Smashcore!

LIVE.CREATE.INSPIRE

IT'S OK TO HIT THE PAUSE BUTTON! GRAB A MIMOSA! RELAX PLEASE

So you want to take over the world? You feel invincible, you are ambitious, driven, hungry, a worrier warrior, a dreamer doer , on your best day you'll give Batman or Wonder Woman a run for their money, you are a tenacious creature ready to conquer, but what happens when life kicks your ass and reminds you that you my friend, are also HUMAN!? The correct answer would be, "FIGHT BACK!" But I have come to tell you that fighting back is not always the way! I know that you are a hardcore, mega strong person that refuses to give in, trust me, I am too, however in these past weeks I had a moment of enlightenment and I want to share it with you!

OFFTHARECORD CHATS- WHAT THE F**K IS LOVE?

"The handling of the heart's a very delicate art cause it's paper thin." -Jay Electronica (Eternal Sunshine)

Love, loove, looove! It seems that everywhere I turn and out of 80% of the convos my girlfriends want to have, the topic is always 'love'.  Whether it's an urgency to find the love of their life, dealing with 'bae' (I hate that word) drama, or crying their eyes out after dealing with heartbreak 'love' takes priority! Love seems to have a hold on us.  Now I'm quite aware that love strikes all of us at one point or another, trust me I've been there before!  However, as the years have passed my perspective has changed.  It has shifted to the point to where my friends don't dare ask for my advice because they know my response will most likely be, "Fuck it, life goes on" "Shit happens" "Love your damn self," or "Don't hide how you feel, tell him/her they fucking hurt your feelings and you're gonna kick him/her in the gut or balls!"  I am however an advocate of freedom of choice.  Choose how you want to feel, choose to be in love, choose to believe in love in the form that you choose to.  We all have different perspectives of life and that's what makes this world beautiful, what a boring world it would be if we were all the same!

FINDING PEACE IN THE CITY!! HOW YOGA IS CHANGING MY LIFE

                                                       Photos Shot by: BlvckLvb Media

"HOW YOGA IS CHANGING MY LIFE"

I found it fitting to shoot and show off my yoga wheel poses on a rooftop with the city view symbolizing my new found peace in the midst of my busy life in the city.... Of course I had to do it in style! :)
For the past 4 months I have slowly began to submerge myself in the practice of Hatha Yoga. Although years ago I tried it out for a bit, I had never fully committed to the practice and I believe it to be because I simply did not understand it or crave for it as I do now. The past 3 years of my life have been some of the most transformative. I have moved around quite a bit to different states, dove into the process of self discovery, and set out on the journey to not only build a career but find my true purpose and fulfill my deepest dreams. Such a process has been quite amazing and magical but at the same time very chaotic and challenging.

NEW YEAR NEW HAIR: '1 HAIRCUT 4 LOOKS!'

Photo Credit: Brent Gates|BlvckLvb Media 

"The Rat Tailed Pixie"

After an exciting 2 year relationship with my Mohawk, I arrived at the conclusion that the time to part had come. 2014 came around in the blink of an eye and what better way to bring in the new than by getting a new hair do'.

BRING IT ON 2014!! HASTA LA VISTA 2013....

 

 2013 OFFTHARECORD RECAP

There is no magic in the number of a new year.  The magic lies within the mind of those who are ready to create new opportunities, think new ideas, explore new places, face new challenges, conquer new fears, and climb to new heights. 

2013 has come and gone in the blink of an eye but not without leaving us with memories, some sweet and some not so sweet.  For many of us it's a time of reflection and introspection.  As I scanned the walls of my mind early this morning as well as the photo archives in my phone, I arrived at my conclusion of 2013. 

SATURDAY'S SONG FOR THE LOVERS OF THE LIGHT

"Stretch out my life and pick the seams out Take what you like but close my ears and eyes Or Watch me stumble over and over I have done wrong, you build your tower But call me home and I will build a throne And wash my eyes out never again But love the one you hold And I will be your gold To have and to hold A lover of the light." Saturday's song of the day is Mumford & Son's "Lover Of The Light".
This song is dedicated to all of us mere mortals who feel blind from time to time while reaching for our purpose and stumble over and over. Feel it, breathe in and breathe out. Stumble and rise. Keep reaching and glide your way home. Stay inspired my loves.