Advertise on podcast: Dropping Gems con Muchos Colores

What if choosing yourself was on the bravest decisions you could make? In this inspiring episode of Dropping Gems Con Muchos Colores, Arely sits down with Tanya Christina Flores, a strategic partnerships and business development leader with more than 15 years of experience creating opportunities through leadership, collaboration, and community impact. From financial services and education to nonprofit partnerships and attainable housing, Tanya has built a career centered on connecting people, empowering future leaders, and helping others create lives filled with purpose. But this conversation goes beyond professional success. Tanya opens up about breaking generational cycles of self-sacrifice, learning to set healthy boundaries, strengthening her resilience through faith and fitness, and embracing the belief that investing in yourself is one of the greatest gifts you can give your family and community. Together, we explore: Breaking free from the guilt of putting yourself first The power of faith, wellness, and personal growth Building confidence through life's transitions Creating healthy boundaries without losing your sense of service Why women deserve to pursue purpose, leadership, and financial empowerment Whether you're navigating motherhood, a career transition, leadership, or simply wondering what's next, this conversation will leave you feeling encouraged to prioritize your well-being while continuing to make an impact. 🎧 Tune in for an honest conversation with Tanya about resilience, purpose, and choosing the very thing that allows you to serve others more fully?  If this episode resonates with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs this reminder today. Your support helps us continue amplifying meaningful conversations that empower women and strengthen our communities.

New Episode Alert. New Season ✨ On this episode of Dropping Gems con Muchos Colores, we are honored to welcome Janina Castillo Latina entrepreneur, creative artist, autism advocate, and founder of Pretty Pearl Shop. Janina shares her journey of building a business rooted in creativity and self-expression while simultaneously navigating nearly a decade of motherhood, advocacy, and homeschooling as the mother of her son Elias. Together, we explore conversations around: 💎 Motherhood and identity 💎 Parenting and advocating for a neurodivergent child 💎 Mental health, resilience, and healing 💎 Entrepreneurship and creativity as a form of self-expression 💎 The power of community and knowing you are not alone Janina's story is a beautiful reminder that strength can coexist with vulnerability, that advocacy is an act of love, and that every motherhood journey deserves to be seen, heard, and valued. This conversation is for the mothers, caregivers, entrepreneurs, and advocates who continue showing up each day with courage, grace, and determination. 🤍 And if Janina's creativity inspires you, she is also hosting a Beginner Polymer Clay Jewelry Class on Saturday, July 18, from 2:00–5:00 PM in Berwyn, IL. The class is $75 per person, includes all supplies, and currently has 6 seats available. Whether you're looking to learn something new, connect with others, or simply create, this is a beautiful opportunity to do so. ✨ Interested in joining or learning more about her handmade jewelry? Reach out to Janina directly! 🎧 Listen now and share with a mom, caregiver, or entrepreneur who needs this reminder today

Anchoring ourselves through motherhood After a heartfelt break since March, Dropping Gems con Muchos Colores is back  and this comeback episode is a vulnerable and powerful one featuring Rocio Sisco, a Life Coach and Transformational Mentor at La Jefa Life. Together, we talk about: How fear and joy coexist in motherhood The courage it takes to ask for help Journaling, fitness, as anchors in transformation Finding safety in the body through breath, journaling, and movement Thriving beyond survival for ourselves and our families. Rocio, a soon-to-be mama of three, shares her story with authenticity and grace.  We explore motherhood, fear, identity, and breaking generational cycles, and how she's transforming motherhood through courage and wellness. As a mama and wife, Rocio draws from extensive experience and a deep understanding of human behavior to help women become La Jefa of their life and family.  She guides clients through transitions, overcoming obstacles, and achieving their goals with confidence. Through her holistic coaching practice, Rocio provides the tools and support needed to turn aspirations into reality. Outside of her practice, she hosts La Jefa Experience Podcast, creates empowering content, and advocates passionately for wellness and Latina motherhood. As a first-generation eldest daughter, Rocio understands the weight of generational stories and beliefs. She's made it her mission to help Latina mamas reconnect to themselves at every stage of motherhood and change the trajectory of their family lineage forever. This pause for the podcast was unplanned, but it was sacred. Life demanded stillness,  space to breathe, reflect, and come back stronger.  There's so much more to come this season and this conversation was the perfect way to return. Thank you for being part of the audio podcast community.

🎙️The podcast is back after a hiatus and we're kicking things off with someone incredibly special. 💫 My first official coach in 2021, powerhouse leader Luz, returns to the show! She's no stranger to our community and I was thrilled when Luz reached out to join me again. I had the incredible opportunity to be her student through the ARCH Leadership Program, which played a major role in shaping the initiatives I've taken on to this day. In fact, Luz was one of the individuals I turned to for feedback when launching the podcast—something I'm forever grateful for. Luz Canino-Baker is a seasoned business leader with a 28-year career in banking .  After 28 years climbing the corporate ladder in a male-dominated industry, Luz, used her experience to build Latinas on the Plaza, a nonprofit dedicated to mentoring women of color so they can rise faster and stronger in corporate spaces. Luz has a passion for seeing everyone perform at their potential. She is certified in Myers Briggs, Insights Discovery, and Emotional Intelligence self-assessment programs. She is a certified coach by the International Coaching Federation. Her first book Designing Your Life Plan was published in the winter of 2013. She is also an author in the Today's Inspired Latina book series. Her work is exceptional and need in our communities. Here is why: 💼 If you're a Latina, a woman, and a mom, the odds are often stacked against you. •    Only 1 in 4 C-suite leaders are women—and just 1 in 20 are women of color. •    Latinas earn only 54 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. •    Moms can lose up to 40% of their lifetime earnings due to the motherhood penalty. •    Women lose on average $16,000 per year after having a child—and this gap grows with each additional child. •    42% of working moms report that caregiving has negatively impacted their career growth. The barriers are real. But so are our power, resilience, and potential. 🌱 This episode is all about : resilience, leadership, and how we still rise—especially when we have mentors, coaches, and a community who see us. Tune in for wisdom, real talk, and a reminder that your story isn't over because the odds are against you—it's just beginning. Also listen to upcoming events in the Chicagoland area and also opportunities online. https://latinasontheplaza.org/events-new/ https://stan.store/LuzCaninoBaker/p/crush-your-goals-workshopoBaker | Stan #PodcastReturn #LatinasOnTheRise #WomenEmpowerment #MomsInLeadership #LatinasInCorporate #LatinasOnThePlaza #LeadershipForLatinas #CareerClarity #WorkingMoms #WageGap

Hola a todos, bienvenidos de nuevo a nuetro podcast. Después de unos meses de pausa, este episodio es muy especial por varias razones, Octobre es un mes significativo, ya que es el Mes de Concientización sobre el Cáncer de Mama. Este episodio también marca una ocasión especial, ya que acabamos de finalizar el Mes de la Herencia Hispana, y estamos emocionados de traerles nuestro primer episodio en español. Hoy contamos con una invitada increíble, Magaly Flores Lagunas, a quien he tenido el honor de conocer por más de 18 años. Ella es parte de mi famila, famila Lagunas,ya que es cunada de mi esposo. Magaly tiene 46 años, está casada y es madre de tres hijos de 12, 17 y 28 años. Magaly es una sobreviviente de cáncer de mama; fue diagnosticada en agosto de 2018, a los 39 años, con carcinoma ductal in-situ. Hoy, ella es voluntaria en la organización Alas Wings Asociación Latina de Asistencia y Prevención de Cáncer de Seno, donde brinda apoyo a otras mujeres latinas que están atravesando por este camino. Este tema es importance por que el cáncer de mama es el tipo de cáncer más comúnmente diagnosticado entre las mujeres hispanas y latinas en los Estados Unidos. La experiencia de Magaly es un recordatorio poderoso de la importancia de la detección temprana y de la fortaleza que nos brinda el apoyo familiar, comunitario y mental en momentos de gran desafío. A ustedes, nuestra audiencia, les invitamos a llevar este mensaje de concientización a sus seres queridos. Recuerden: la detección temprana salva vidas. Les dejamos informacion sobre la organización Alas Wings Asociación Latina de Asistencia y Prevención de Cáncer de Seno. Latina Association for Breast Cancer Sitio de web: https://alas-wings.org Correo electronico: [email protected]

Jessica Cuevas, is the Founder and Creator of Viva la Mami, LLC, is a podcaster, coach, and community builder. Once Jessica became a mom in 2021, she noticed that there was a lack of representation of Latinas in the motherhood space. She created this platform after seeing negative stereotypes of the Latina mom online and on social media. Coming from an educational background, Jessica felt the need for Latina moms to share their stories and for Latina professionals to share their expertise so that moms can be better informed about the nuances of Latina motherhood. Since 2022, Jessica has created a podcast and community of modern Latina moms who are reclaiming or following their culture all while mothering in a modern world. She's on a mission to help moms redefine the meaning of madrehood through education and storytelling from a culturally-relevant lens. Jessica helps modern moms find their own path of madrehood and is striving to change the narrative of what the internet and the media perceives Latina moms to be. Jessica resides in Chicago with her high school sweetheart and two boys who are currently 3 and under. Not only is she a mompreneur and stay-at-home mom, but she continues her passion in college access where she works part-time as a College Counselor at a non-for-profit organization in Chicago.

Meet Luz Canino-Baker is the founder and President of Latinas On The Plaza, a non-profit organization that helps girls and women of color, with a strong target for Latina women, find their power so that they can be strong and confident at work, at home, and in the communities they serve.  Luz is also a international certified coach and author. Her first book Designing Your Life Plan helps one to intentionally plan life with a five year forecast in mind. She is also an author in the volume series Today's Inspired Latina. Luz is a proven business leader with experiences in corporate and non-profit sectors.  After a successful 28-year career in banking, where she spent the greater part of her career at First National Bank of Chicago/Bank One; now JPMorgan Chase.  Luz took her innovative leadership skills to the non-profit sector in February 2007. As a result, she started her own business in 2007, LNC Coaching, LLC. The core services include Executive/Life/Group/Retreat Coaching.  Luz holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from DePaul University and an MBA from the University of Chicago.  Luz has received the Reflejos Reflecting Excellence award. She also was honored with the Suburban Life Magazine's Women of Distinction award, and the Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador of the Year award from UCAN. She is one of the Chicago United's Business Leaders of Color and one of Top 100 Under 50 leaders awarded by Diversity MBA Magazine. Luz's next mastermind is called " Let's Mastermind our way to Wealth" where you will learn to invest with other women. What you will learn in this course: Uncover your money problem Where are you: Rich Enough, Pretty Rich Enough Invest time in growing your wealth Know your Balance Sheet Automate your investments Safety For more information visit:   https://stan.store/LuzCaninoBaker

Meet Liz Khalifa, a 36-year-old Puerto Rican woman hailing from the bustling streets of Chicago. By day, Liz wears two hats: she's a makeup artist and a patient care coordinator at ReJenerate Aesthetic Studio in Bucktown. Liz's journey into makeup artistry began during her youth, sparked by a desire to explore her own sense of beauty. What started as a personal exploration evolved into a passion as she discovered the ability of makeup to enhance both outer appearance and inner confidence. With each stroke of her brush, Liz infuses her artistry with warmth and creativity, aiming to empower her clients and make them feel their best. Aside from her career, Liz finds deep fulfillment in her role as a mother to her two lovely daughters, Aubrey and Delilah. Motherhood has always been Liz's greatest aspiration, and she feels incredibly blessed to guide and support her girls. Through her actions, she strives to instill in them values of perseverance and self-belief, showing them that with determination, they can achieve anything. As Liz navigates her path, she does so with a sense of purpose, not only for herself but also for her daughters' futures. With each day, she hopes to embody the qualities she wishes to impart to her daughters – kindness, resilience, and unwavering determination. Join Liz on her journey as she continues to pursue her passions while nurturing her family and inspiring those around her. 💄✨ #MakeupArtistMom

Welcome, beautiful souls, to the first episode of 2024, new season, on Dropping Gems Con Muchos Colores Podcast, celebrating the resilience, strength, and wisdom of Latina mothers. Hosted by yours truly Arely Lagunas, join me on this episode as I discuss the importance of rest, especially when venturing into new spaces in 2024, my special trip to Guerrero, Mexico to honor and celebrate my dear abuelitas anniversary this month of January. My personal connections to my birthplace, and the significance of my grandparents. My personal reflection of personal growth and development over the past years, marked by challenges, resilience, and significant progress since 2015-2016. My gratitude for the collective journey of resilient Latina mothers in the past year of podcast guest episodes emphasizing the power of shared stories in fostering connection, understanding, and unity and community. The upcoming months in the Droppping Gems Podcast entail more enriching conversations that amplify the strength of Latina mothers, focusing on holistic wellness in our motherhood journey. Including the importance of rest , celebrating wins, addressing challenges, and tapping into the wisdom shared by guests. I am also happy to share our 1st quartely event of the year! In collaboration with De Mi Tierra products, for the month of February, in honor of self love and we are happy to host a facial workshop on February 10th in the Chicagoland area to encourage you momma to prioritize self-care and wellness. I look forward to continue to to spotlights Latina motherhood voices, breaking barriers, and living bold dreams. I invite you to share your feedback,  leave a review, and suggestions for topics to explore in 2024. I'd love to hear which episode was your favorite last year! Send me a DM. Cheers to a year of resilience, purpose, community, and holistic wellness. Until next time, take care, and keep dropping those gems!

Diana's life story is a testament to her unwavering resilience and determination. Born and raised in Chicago, she weathered a rocky childhood that included spells in foster care, living with family out of state, and even residing in homeless shelters with her mother and sisters. An astounding 11 different grammar schools marked her educational journey by the age of 10. Around the age of 11, her family secured subsidized housing, providing more stability, though the home environment remained challenging. Diana cherished the moments of play with her sisters and friends in the neighborhood. At a mere 17 years old, Diana became a single mother. Despite the odds stacked against her, she pursued her dreams and graduated from high school, becoming the first in her family to achieve this milestone. Upon turning 18, Diana ventured out on her own, shouldering the responsibilities of work, rent, and continued education. She also embarked on a modeling career, primarily engaged in promotional work for brands like Nerf, Jose Cuervo, and AT&T. Collaborations with photographers added depth to her modeling journey. As the years passed, she transitioned into nursing, embraced marriage, and celebrated the birth of her daughter. Yet, her personal struggles with depression and anxiety ignited a passion for mental health advocacy, which she channeled through her modeling platform. Diana's Instagram, known as "@the.model.nurse," transcended the realm of aesthetics, focusing on spreading joy and inspiration through her heartfelt captions. In late 2022, Diana undertook the challenging process of divorce, prioritizing her mental well-being. She made the courageous decision to start anew, relinquishing everything she had worked for. In her lowest moments, Diana confronted a pivotal choice: to be a victim of circumstances or a survivor. Resolutely, she chose the path of the survivor. This transformation led to the creation of "intend and inspire," her mental health platform, aimed at motivating others to heal from their traumas and lead intentional, peaceful lives. The platform is a valuable resource of mental health content with exciting developments in the works. Recently, Diana rekindled her modeling career, securing gigs with brands like 'Optimum Nutrition' and 'Think! Nutrition Bars.' She's also been sought after for photography events as a model. With a bright future ahead, Diana is eager to continue this journey. Diana's journey serves as a beacon of inspiration for all, a testament to the power of resilience and the pursuit of one's true self. The future holds much promise, and we eagerly anticipate what it has in store for her. Join us in this insightful conversation about mental health advocacy, resilience, and the journey towards creating awareness and support for mental wellness. Diana is an dvocate for mental health and breaking down the stigma surrounding mental illnesses. She combines her health background as a nurse practiotioner, model, and mental health advocacy to promote modeling mental health events. Chicago join her upcoming next event on 12/9/23 to discuss.  Follow Diana at : Diana (@the.model.nurse) Battling Imposter Syndrome Overcoming Creative Blocks Comparing your journey to others How to break free from self-limiting thoughts.

Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Dr. Leslie Sanchez, with roots in Puerto Rican and Mexican heritage, holds a Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate Degree in Nursing from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her original plan was a degree in Business and Ecommerce and found her calling as a Certified Nurse Midwife. Boasting over seventeen years of expertise in Obstetrical & Women's Health, she has served as a Certified Nurse Midwife, guiding countless patients through their health and childbirth journeys. Dr. Sanchez is certified in a spectrum of specialties, including Electronic Fetal Monitoring, Inpatient OB Nursing, Maternal Newborn Nursing, Obstetric & Neonatal Quality and Safety, CPR, ACLS, and more. Her nursing practitioner license includes Full Practice Authority in Illinois. With a decade-long track record in both large institutions and private practices, Dr. Sanchez is passionate about continuous learning, frequently attending professional conferences to stay updated on current literature and evidence-based practices. Beyond clinical work, she is dedicated to education, serving as Adjunct Faculty at three prominent nursing programs in the United States, where she imparts her knowledge to Masters and Doctoral Students. Dr. Sanchez's mission extends beyond individual achievements. She aspires to champion diversity and inclusion in higher education, particularly among underrepresented and underserved students. Beyond narrowing the gap between minority and majority students and enhancing student scholarly achievement and retention rates, her focus is on improving the retention and success of underrepresented faculty. Her overarching goal is to shatter the glass ceiling, firmly believing that Representation Matters in Education, with the future of our children depending on it. Research shows midwives help improve outcomes for both parent and child.  Dr Leslie recently was featured in Wbez Chicago Environment and Public Health article advocating for midwifery practices and programs in IL.

Thrilled to have Noeli Serna in our podcast! Noeli is a corporate attorney and the founder of Serna Legal Services. Her law firm provides long-term contract and corporate legal services to established Illinois businesses looking to scale further.  She helps her clients mitigate the legal risks that come with business growth, including larger and more specialized contracts and transactions. She also speaks Spanish, so she proudly represents the Latine business community in their native Spanish language.   I had the pleasure to meet Noeli in person and she truly is a wonderful genuine individual with a warm heart to help others and provide valuable resources! In this episode we talk about her upbringings and the planted seed that inspired her to become a corporate attorney due to her exposure at her parents restaurant business. We also talk about becoming a first time mom to a beautiful baby boy, mom guilt, her transition from maternity leave back to work. As well as the importance to ask for help and delegation during motherhood to feel more at peace and wellbeing. Noeli also shares wisdom and gems for aspiring latinas who want to pursue a legal career. Thank you Noeli for being a truly wonderful podcast guest. Your insights and engaging conversation are much appreciated.

Melissa Llarena is an author, imagination coach, consultant, speaker, contributor to ForbesWomen articles that have garnered 4 million+ views, and the host of Unimaginable Wellness, the podcast for entrepreneurs, founders, and creators who are moms. Featured guests include GaryVee and Beth Comstock. She holds a psychology degree from NYU, an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a Transformational Coaching Academy certificate and is training to become a meditation practitioner. In this episode we talk about her career journey working in a corporate setting as early as age 17 years old. Melissa had a curious mindset and decided to explore different options during her career. She decided to pursue unconventational paths that lead her to the creative field. Melissa became a mom and felt a calling to do something differently. She made a choice to carve her own path as a coach. Including living in Australia before the pandemic. During Covid, Melissa fully immersed herself into writing her book Fertile Imagination which is launching on October 31, 2023.  Dedicated to moms to go after what they really want. Melissa lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three sons. Visit www.fertileideas.com for a 5-day imagination to impact challenge, quiz, and for more goodies for moms.

We are at the midpoint of the year and also my birthday month! I took this opportunity to do a solo episode to share and spill the beans on personal goals and milestones I have reached. Symbolizing stretching my comfort zone, acquiring personal growth, relentless work, and placing my heart on my sleeve. Frankly, this episode took me a couple of weeks to finalize between recording, editing, and production and sailing parenthood and work life with my 3 summer breakers. But I believe in a mantra that has helped me navigate my personal aspirations and motherhood: Our life comes in segments, we can have it all if we're not trying to do it all at once. Taking action one day at a time. Consistency over perfection. The experience and exposure as a proud immigrant, first gen Latina, WOC, and working mom allowed me to recalibrate obstacles into opportunities and scale!  Last year, I had tremendous growth in my Career Coaching and HR Consulting journey but also on a personal level. I share in this episode my career journey of 16 years in Human Resources and 5 years in career coaching. Overcoming a lot of self-limiting beliefs and working relentlessly on mindset and systems to grow, scale and thrive. It was not an overnight achievement. What I value the most is the impact it has created. What started as a vision with a lot of unknowns and fears but a warrior spirit to create a more fulfilling life and time freedom that matched my family priorities. Helping individuals go from "untapped potential" to being the driver of their career journey. Using every talent, skill and unique gift to build the life we all deserve. This year in March, I launched Evolve HR Leadership & Consulting. I founded Evolve HR to cultivate a new landscape of workplace cultures that reflects the values and priorities of the new generation of leaders. Growing leadership capabilities transforming business into the employer of choice. The world is contantly changing women leaders are more prominent than ever in redefining the workforce of tomorrow. I know this because once I found my voice I was able to rise to leadership roles where I directly impacted the culture of the company. I did this by leading with empathy and showing up a as a thought leader. Developing policies and programs that were applicable to working moms. I used by voice to create family friendly policies and make changes in topics that matter the most to us working moms. I am driven by making an impact to make an equitable workplace for our future generations that includes my children and specifically daughters as data shows WOC, mothers have been severaly underrepresented and have faced systematic challenges to reach leadership roles and equitable pay.

Kia is a born-and-bred-Chicago-Puerto Rican who grew up in Humboldt Park/Logan Square neighborhoods. She is a single parent of two children (boys ages 8 and 10) and has worked in various pediatric settings across Chicagoland for the past 12 years. Currently, she is the mental and behavioral health specialist at Donohoe Pediatrics in Chicago's north center neighborhood. Kia is currently in the last stretch of her doctoral studies to obtain a Ph.D. in Child Development through Erikson Institute and Loyola University Chicago. Kia is also the daughter of two retired Chicago Public School teachers, a VERY proud boricua, with a passion for child life research on the impact of implicit bias and racism on child development outcomes. In this episode we discuss her journey growing up in a teaching enviroment, her career working with children during covid and racial injustice. As well as her motherhood journery and mom guilt. Kia also provides best practices to expose and normalize mental health symptoms and resources parents can look into.