Jennifer Lopez: Lessons Latinas can learn from People’s Most Beautiful Woman



People Magazine

 Actress and singer, Jennifer Lopez is People Magazines World's Most Beautiful Woman. Thanks to People Magazine for recognizing this Latina for her beauty. She tells People “I don’t want anybody thinking it’s easy.”

Let me just say there is a lot to be learned from Jennifer Lopez. She’s come a long way since her dancing days on the Fox show “In Living Color” where she was known as one of the Fly Girls.

Since then she has become an actress, singer, business woman, clothing designer, wife and mother of twins, and of course her latest gig, a judge on American Idol.

Now 41-years-old, Lopez has proven that if you want something badly enough---you work hard to get it, and never take “no” for an answer.

Journalist Kathleen Tracy authored the book, Jennifer Lopez: A Biography. In a synopsis she writes:

“One of Hollywood's first openly Latin stars, Jennifer Lopez has held fast to her New York Bronx roots, while rising above them to become the highest paid Latina actress in history. Her expansive body of work-ranging from film, music, and dance to television production and fashion-has broken down long-standing racial barriers and earned her a place in Forbes' 2007 list of the "Top 20 Richest Women in Entertainment.”

It can’t be easy being a Latina trying to break down barriers in Hollywood. Remember as Latinas we not only have the glass ceiling, but the thick brown brick wall we have to break through. Somehow Lopez has done that and also managed to survive the negative press over her broken marriages and highly publicized relationships that didn’t work out.

Sure we can say now-a-days Lopez has the money to do anything she wants and the nannies to help her care for her kids, but this is a Latina who creates her own opportunities. She probably struggled early in her career to get acting or dancing jobs, because doors don’t swing open so easily for Latinas. Check out People Magazines career timeline on Lopez.

I also get the sense she recalls when she was rejected--- every time she has to critique one of those contestants on American Idol. She tears up; she struggles with being too critical, and even gives the contestants a “pep talk” after they've been voted off the show.

She can relate to those on American Idol.  Here she is on Rachel Ray's show talking about being the judge and being judged.




Congrats to Jennifer Lopez for the People Magazine recognition, and for showing us Latinas whether we have one job or many---we can be successful in everything we do.