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PR Company Honors Latina Mom and Grandmother

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Midy Aponte

MAMIVERSE Article:  Midy Aponte is a bicultural and bilingual communication strategist, and an expert in conceptualizing and executing multi-faceted digital media strategies. In 2009, she founded The Sánchez Ricardo Agency, a nonpartisan communications firm in Washington, D.C., that provides expert counsel in the areas of digital media and multicultural public relations. Some of her clients are AOL Latino, New Latina and Tu Voz en Tu Vida.

She is also a Fellow in the National Hispana Leadership Institute’s 2011 Executive Leadership Program and a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

A first generation Cuban American, Midy named her communications firm after her mami andabuelita.

Her grandmother, Manuela ¨Nenita¨ Sánchez was born in Havana Cuba. Midy says that her abuelita´s political and cultural views helped her establish her own values in life. Her mother, Miriam Ricardo, was also born in Cuba. On her website, Midy says of her mother: “She is the definition of fight, grit, work and perseverance.”

Midy explains her mother and grandmother are very different from each other and yet are joined at the hip, which has always made for interesting exchanges between them.

Click here for full article.

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New Latina™ Bring Together Leading Online Latino Influencers AS PARTNERS IN “Walk-N-Roll FOR Spina Bifida Blog Carnival Fundraiser”

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Midy Aponte

The Collaborative Partnership of Eleven (11) National Organizations Marks the First of its Kind as it Seeks to Support the Founder of “Holdin’ Out For A Hero” During Spina Bifida Awareness Month

WASHINGTON, DC (Oct. 24, 2011) – Under the leadership of New Latina, a bicultural lifestyle and online destination centered on personal growth for today’s Latina, members of social media’s most prominent Latino online influencers – bloggers, business owners and networks – have partnered to educate audiences on Spina Bifida and raise funds for continued research.

The group is backing the “Walk-N-Roll Spina Bifida Blog Carnival Fundraiser,” in support of one of social media’s leading Latina activists, Laura Tellado, Founder of HoldinOutForAHero.org.  Ms. Tellado was also born with Spina Bifida, a birth defect in which the backbone and spinal canal do not close before birth.

“According to the Spina Bifida Association of America, Spina Bifida has been found to occur more frequently in Hispanic populations. Therefore, the Latino blogger network provides an excellent forum to increase awareness on important issues like this one affecting our community,” says Publisher and CEO of New Latina, Angélica Pérez-Litwin, PhD. “Our hope is to use this effort as a model for working together, across network interests, and to promote and advocate on issues affecting the Latino community.”

“I am incredibly grateful to the all the partners involved in making this dream a reality,” says Ms. Tellado, who has dedicated her life to raising awareness on the issue. “I’m encouraged by the partnership and believe it reinforces my motto that it really does ‘take a village.’  I hope next week’s Blog Carnival will educate families about Spina Bifida and gain support for Spina Bifida Association (SBA) chapter in central Florida.”

The Walk-N-Roll Spina Bifida Blog Carnival encourages bloggers and online media to publish a “call to action” using existing content created by Ms. Tellado on Wednesday, October 25, 2011. Concurrently, participants are encouraged to spread the word on Facebook and Twitter asking others to donate to the cause via Ms. Tellado’s Chipin Page.  Further instructions, as well as blog carnival badge and grab codes, can be found on New Latina and other partnering sites.

The following partners, listed in alphabetical order, represent the eleven (11) national online entities supporting the Blog Carnival:

  • Being Latino: A communication platform designed to educate, entertain and connect all peoples across the global Latino spectrum.
  • Blogs by Latinas: Online destination of more than 1,800 Latina bloggers.
  • Hispanicize: A leading Latino social media news content and digital services platform delivering the latest trends, thoughts, programs, features, issues and questions surrounding social media and technological initiatives impacting online Latinos.
  • Holdin’ Out for a Hero: A site designed to generate public awareness of Spina Bifida, and its secondary conditions, while providing moral support and a forum for all who are affected.
  • Latina Bloggers Connect: A place for the community of Latina Bloggers to keep learning and growing as professionals and reap the rewards.
  • Latina Mom Bloggers:  A sister company of Hispanicize and go-to place for Hispanic online moms to learn and discover new ways to leverage their voice and social media presence.
  • Latinos in Social Media: The largest organization of Hispanic Social Media users composed of bloggers, microbloggers, social network group leaders, e-commerce owners, marketers and more.
  • Multicultural Familia: An online magazine that is dedicated to addressing issues that affect modern families.
  • New Latina: A personal growth and empowerment online destination for Latina women, by Latina women.
  • The Sánchez Ricardo Agency: A digital media and Hispanic communications firm representing business groups, nonprofits and corporations seeking strategic counsel in reaching diverse populations online and off.
  • SoLatina: An online community for single Latina mothers…where all Latinas Are Welcome.

For more information on Spina Bifida and Ms. Tellado’s story, please visit HoldinOutForAHero.org.  For additional information related to this effort, please contact its public relations partner Midy Aponte of The Sánchez Ricardo Agency at 202.244.4415 or via email at Midy@SanchezRicardo.com.

About Holdin’ Out for a Hero

Laura Tellado Calderón, 24, is the publisher and blogger behind Holdin’ Out for a Hero — a site designed to generate public awareness of Spina Bifida, and its secondary conditions, while providing moral support and a forum for all who are affected. The blog also chronicles Ms. Tellado’s own experiences and challenges as an individual with Spina Bifida. Ms. Tellado never lets her condition get in the way of her dreams. In fact, she harnesses her reality and uses it to do great and wonderful things! In addition to publishing her blog,  She is currently raising awareness (and funds) for a team she is convening at the Spina Bifida Association of Central Florida’s Inaugural Walk-N-Roll, scheduled for October 29 in Orlando, Fl.

About New Latina™

New Latina is a personal growth and empowerment online destination for Latina women, by Latina women.  Our mission is to celebrate Latina women, redefine what it means to be Latina, and promote personal and professional success. We are a growing community of ambitious Latinas supporting each other to live happy and successful lives. Visit us at NewLatina.net.

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Hispanic PR Professionals, Do Not Lose Sight of the Human Connection

Posted on September 2, 2011 by Midy Aponte

“I notice increasing reluctance on the part of marketing executives to use judgment; they are coming to rely too much on research, and they use it as a drunkard uses a lamp post for support, rather than for illumination.”

– David Ogilvy

Recently, the multicultural practice of a very large public relations agency, posted this tweet:  “As a marketer the worst way to think about your customers is as your neighbors, friends and family. The market is MUCH more complex.”

In public relations, advertising and marketing we refer to groups of people in masses — “target demographics,” “regional markets,” “Spanish-language dominant Hispanics,” “biculturals,” etc. Of course, it’s absolutely necessary to identify the values, lifestyles, cultural and psychographic preferences that collective groups of individuals share. This is what makes our particular marketplace so uniquely layered. And undeniably, understanding this allows marketers to delve deeply into the complexities of different groups. A necessary component of any successful marketing and public relations effort.

However, one critical component is too often overlooked. The human connection.

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Renowned Team of Business Continuity Experts Launch International Organization Focused on Saving Businesses

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Midy Aponte

TALLAHASSEE – In time for National Preparedness Month, former U.S. Marine and Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Mr. Shane Molinari, today announced the launch of Business Continuity Management Professionals (BCMPros®), a full-service Business Continuity solution provider that will partner with businesses to ensure continuity and recovery of critical business functions in the event of an accident, disaster, emergency and/or threat.

Specifically, BCMPros® will focus on a wide-range of Portfolio Management support, including third-party assessments, planning and project management, as well as training and testing related to:

  • Disaster Preparedness & Recovery: Equipping organizations to continue to manage business operations under adverse conditions, by introducing appropriate resilience strategies, recovery objectives, business continuity, operational risk management considerations, and crisis management plans.
  • Security: Readying organizations to detect, counter, and neutralize potential physical and Cyber security threats. BCMPros® has proven worldwide experience in cyber crime, anti-terrorism and nuclear energy.
  • Cloud Computing: Supporting large enterprises’ strategic and phased approach toward migrating to the Cloud by implementing BCMPros® defined “Readiness Assessment” process to assure the transition is one of low risk with maximum value.

“Business Continuity is straightforward. We work with businesses in the private and public sector and assist them in identifying potential risks to their operations in the case of a physical, technological, economic or catastrophic event,” says Molinari. “We help businesses identify those risks before they become a realization, and then equip them with what needs to be done to reduce the time of impact of an emergency and minimize the possibility of a business shutting down and going away.”

BCMPros® REPRESENTATION

Headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida with representation in Miami, Orlando, Houston, Puerto Rico and Antigua, BCMPros® also has established reach throughout Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Its team members consist of some of the nation’s most qualified and well-respected authorities in the business continuity space, including:

  • Shane Molinari, MSc, CISSP, PMP, SSMBB, Founder and Principal: A CISSP-certified and Six Sigma Master Black Belt professional with in-depth expertise in integrated enterprise processes, disaster preparedness and recovery solutions, IT governance and dynamic strategic planning.
  • Eduardo Gonzalez Loumiet, MBA, PMP, Principal: An award-winning information technology expert with more than 10 years of experience managing multi-million dollar enterprise technology projects in the private and public sector.
  • Linda Nelson, MEd, BA Ed, DVIX (UNIX): A nationally recognized authority in program management, policy and infrastructure development, information technology and statewide and national safety.
  • Jason Knowles, BSc: A former U.S. Marine Corps Primary Marksmanship Instructor and security expert specializing in special operations, team tactics, firearms tactical training, dignitary protection, maritime security solutions and self defense.
  • Miguel Pacheco, MSc: A banking industry leader with more than 20 years of experience administering business continuity plans throughout the Western Hemisphere and designing compliance infrastructures within Federal/local banking laws and regulations.
  • Andrea Marie Agha, MBA: A private and public sector leader in policy, procedure and budget development to support strategic and continuity planning including NIMS/ICS assessment, implementation, design and training.

“I am proud of the team we have brought together,” says Molinari. “Each one brings with them subject matter expertise that reaches far beyond what can be realistically documented on paper. Their specialized knowledge and experience in our three key practice areas provide an unequivocal level of service to our clients that cannot be matched.”

“It is no coincidence we are launching our company in tandem with National Preparedness Month and on the anniversary of Hurricane Andrew in Miami,” says Gonzalez Loumiet, Principal. “We believe it is critical that businesses invest in assessing their continuity plans in the event of a crisis and take proactive measures to ensure all facets of their business is ready to withstand and recover from a significant event.”

ABOUT BCMPros®

Business Continuity Management Professionals, LLC, (d.b.a. BCM Professionals®) is a verified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) composed of an elite group of Business Continuity Management experts ready to be deployed to assist private and public sector entities in creating and maintaining cutting edge Business Continuity Plans. BCMPros® provides a wide-range of Portfolio Management support, including third-party assessments, planning and project management, as well as training and testing related to Disaster Preparedness and Recovery, Security and Cloud Computing. For more information, please visit: www.BCMProfessionals.com.

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AOL LATINO’S TU VOZ EN TU VIDA WEB CHANNEL TO SHOWCASE TOP LATINA BLOGGERS ON THE WEB

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Midy Aponte

AOL Latino today announced the launch of the Bloguera Spotlight initiative in partnership with Ford Motor Company. It will be featured on Tu Voz en Tu Vida (www.tuvozentuvida.com), an online lifestyle destination created by Latinas for Latinas. Enlisting members of its community in the search, AOL Latino will identify top Latina bloggers who are active social media influencers and provide them a broader reach. Tu Voz en Tu Vida will widen the platform for Latinas who shape opinion on topics including finance, career, education, health and autos.

“We want to expose the great work of Latina bloggers to as wide an audience as possible while shedding a powerful spotlight light on issues of concern to them,” said Miguel Ferrer, Managing Editor at AOL Latino. “The Bloguera Spotlight initiative is focused on amplifying the voices of socially active bloggers in order to start conversations that are important to the community – one we are not only seeking to engage but empower.”

AOL Latino users will be invited to nominate their favorite blogueras on Tu Voz en Tu Vida and other web channels. Selected bloggers will be highlighted with a specially designed badge and will also get exposure on other AOL Latino Web channels.

The initiative was inspired in part by studies that showed that while Latinas were especially active on social networks, they are frustrated by the lack of content on social networks that speaks to their interests. An Adweek study in 2010 found that Latinas as a whole (US and Latin America) represent 85 percent of social network users.  A 2010 study by research firm Sophia Mind reported that 38 percent of US Hispanic women feel social networks lack original content addressing their unique interests.

About AOL Latino

AOL Latino captures the authentic voices and views of the contemporary US Hispanic community. A leading online destination for U.S. Hispanics, the site provides comprehensive bilingual content including U.S. and Latin American news, the latest in music, entertainment, personal finance, sports, fashion and beauty, as well as access to all the existing content available across the AOL network of sites.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 164,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.

 

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