Shortly after launching my bilingual, bicultural PR agency, well-known journalist Alisa Valdes wrote her first ground-breaking novel: The Dirty Girls Social Club.
I don't remember who told me about the book, but I do remember making the trek to my local Borders and snatching a copy...and I didn't put it down until I finished reading it.
I was in awe of a book that spoke to me, because it was about me and my friends -educated professional women- that happened to be Latinas:
- Lauren, the "caliente" columnist for the local Boston paper whose love live has recently led her to her boyfriend's closet...to catch him in the act with someone else
- Sara, the perfect wife and mother who's got it all but who is paying a high price
- Amber, raised a Valley girl without a word of Spanish but who is becoming a huge rock en espanol star
- Elizabeth, the stunning black Latina whose TV anchor job conflicts with her intensely private personal life
- Rebecca, hyper-in-command in the world of her glossy magazine, Ella, but totally at sea when it comes to men
- Usnavys, fabulous and larger than life, whose agenda to land the kind of man who can keep her in Manolos almost prevents her finding true love
That was ten years ago...
Then three years ago I had the crazy idea to invite Alisa Valdes to keynote the inaugural Lifestyle Bloggers Conference in Las Vegas.
She said yes.
Alisa not only believed in the crazy concept of reaching Lifestyle Bloggers (that happened to be Latinas), she also supported us with her constant social media outreach and display of support.
I fell in love with Alisa and her dreams of making her book into the movie all of her fans are dying to see.
Fast forward to 2013. While in the midst of planning our Third Annual Lifestyle Bloggers Conference Alisa made it known that she was going to product this film on her own.
Kudos and champagne kisses to this ballsy woman!
Of course, it goes without saying that I would support her...but then it happened again.
She showed her love and affection towards our boutique conference by publicly announcing during our conference kick-off reception that Lauren, one of the characters in the book, would be a blogger instead of a journalist.
But it gets better!
Not only will Lauren be a blogger, she will be a member of the Latina Lifestyle Bloggers Collective!
To say that I was brought to tears doesn't begin to describe my utmost gratitude for a woman that I have admired tremendously for so many years.
But this dream, the dream of many women that want to see characters like themselves on the big screen, can not happen without your help.
Your contribution to help support the production of the Dirty Girls Social Club will not only help make this film a reality, it will also show Hollywood that films like this need to be made.
Go here to make a contribution and please, please (on my knees!), share the link with everyone you know!
Any little bit helps - but most importantly, will bring to life a book that women, young and old, need to see.