CELEBRATING LATINX LIFE IN TEXAS
NOBLEZA SPRING/ 2019
VIVA LA MUJER
THE NEXT WAVE
HERSTORY MADE U.S. CONGRESS
SPOTLIGHT + MEGAN MARTINEZ QUEEN OF COSMETICS, WITH A HEART OF MULTICHROME GOLD MUSIC + NEXT WAVE OF LATINX IN RAP, ROCK, CUMBIA AND COUNTRY PROVECHO + 3 LATINA CHEFS - SEMI-FINALIST FOR THE JAMES BEARD AWARD
NOBLEZA MAGAZINE
CONTENTS MAKEUP MOGUL + EMMY WINNER + OLYMPIAN
POLITICS HERSTORY MADE! FIRST LATINAS FROM TEXAS IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS. MEET THE LATINAS BLAZING TRAILS ON THE NATIONAL AND STATE LEVEL
STEM IDENTICAL TWIN SISTERS AND NASA ENGINEERS
THE ARTS MUSICIANS AND ARTIST, THE BEST OF THE BEST
EXCLUSIVE!
MEGAN MARTINEZ: COVER: MEGAN MARTINEZ PHOTOGRAPHY: DUSTIN ASHCRAFT
QUEEN OF COSMETICS
MEDIA FROM POETS TO SUNDANCE FILM MAKERS AND A DAYTIME EMMY WINNER, TEXAS HAS IT ALL!
SPORTS TWO OLYMPIANS AND THE FIRST LATINA PRINCIPAL DANCER OF THE HOUSTON BALLET
PROVECHO MEET THE LATINAS LEADING THE VEGAN MOVEMENT IN TEXAS
GABY NATALE: DAYTIME EMMY WINNER
MARLEN ESPARZA: OLYMPIAN & FIRST FEMALE OF GOLDEN BOY
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 3 JAMES BEARD SEMI-FINALIST
from the Editor “No estudio por saber más, sino por ignorar menos” – Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz I HAVE BEEN DREAMING OF THIS MOMENT FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS. IN 2015 I WAS IN L.A. ON A WORK TRIP, WHEN A GREAT FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE SPOKE THESE MAGIC WORDS TO ME, "YOU SHOULD START YOUR OWN (MAGAZINE)." I HAD BEEN SO BUSY WORKING TOWARDS MY EMPLOYER'S GOALS AND DREAMS, THAT IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME TO DREAM FOR MYSELF. FROM THAT ONE CONVERSATION, A SEED OF HOPE WAS PLANTED, AND I BEGAN TO WONDER WHAT MY MAGAZINE WOULD LOOK LIKE. LIFE TOOK A CRAZY TURN THE FOLLOWING YEAR AS I WITNESSED MY COMMUNITY - THE LATINO COMMUNITY - BEING ATTACKED BY A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE. I WAS SO OUTRAGED THAT I MADE THE CHOICE TO PUT MY DREAMS ON HOLD AND STAND UP AND FIGHT BACK, EVENTUALLY FINDING MY WAY TO WASHINGTON D.C. FOR THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CYCLE. FAST FORWARD TO FEBRUARY 2017, I, LIKE HALF THE NATION, WAS HORRIFIED AND SADDENED LOOKING AHEAD AT THE NEXT FOUR YEARS OF THIS NEW PRESIDENCY. I WAS FILLED WITH ANGER EVERY TIME MY COMMUNITY (AND OTHER COMMUNITIES) WERE SLANDERED AND CRIMINALIZED BY THE NEW ADMINISTRATION. I COULD NO LONGER TAKE IT AND I CHANNELED MY ANGER. I BEGAN TO WRITE AGAIN, AS A LINE OF SELF-DEFENSE. FOR EVERY INSULT, I WOULD PRODUCE A STORY ABOUT A LATINX CHAMPION. IT WAS THEN THAT THE CLOUDS PARTED, AND I SAW THINGS CLEARLY; I NEEDED TO RETURN TO MY FIRST LOVE, STORYTELLING.
Yol-Itzma
YOL-ITZMA AGUIRRE Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
WRITING ABOUT LATINX ACHIEVEMENT WAS WHAT I HAD ALWAYS KNOWN, IT WAS A PART OF ME. I FELT IT IN MY SPIRIT, IT WAS NOW TIME TO TAKE MY DREAMS OFF HOLD. I KNEW I WANTED TO CREATE A FRESH VIBE, A NEW SPACE WHERE LATINX STORIES LIVED, WHERE WE COULD FEEL PRIDE AND CELEBRATE EACH OTHER AND OUR COMMUNITY, AND I KNEW I WANTED TO BUILD THIS IN MY HOME STATE, TEXAS. BEING A WOKE, EDUCATED LATINA, I ALSO WANTED THE NAME TO RECOGNIZE OUR PLACE IN HISTORY; NOBLEZA WAS BORN. 'NOBLEZA' MEANS NOBILITY AND WHAT WAS ONCE A TITLE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN DENIED TO OUR ANCESTORS, I RECLAIM - RIGHTFULLY - AS OURS. THIS FIRST EDITION, SPRING 2019, IS DEDICATED TO ALL LATINAS THAT HAVE HAD TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO WALK A PATH, IN ANY CAPACITY. I REVISITED EACH SECTION AND LOOKED FOR THE ONE, THAT IS LEADING THAT NEXT WAVE, BLAZING THAT NEW TRAIL. I CAN'T TELL YOU THE AMOUNT OF ORGULLO I FEEL WHEN I LOOK AT THESE PAGES. TO QUOTE ONE OF MY IDOLS, "ME SIENTO MUY, EXCITED!" I HAVE POURED MY LITTLE CORAZONCITO INTO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE PAGES AND MY HOPE IS THAT YOU LOVE THIS EDITION AS MUCH AS I DO; THAT YOU WILL LOOK THROUGH THESE PAGES AND SEE A PIECE OF YOURSELF, YOUR FRIENDS AND/OR YOUR COLLEAGUES, ETC., BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THAT WE WILL FINALLY SEE EACH OTHER, REFLECTED. IT HAS BEEN SUCH AN HONOR TO TELL YOUR STORIES AND I LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING THIS JOURNEY TOGETHER. WELCOME TO THE PAGES OF NOBLEZA...
@Yolitzmagik @Yolitzma_
send story ideas to: noblezamagazine@gmail.com
In honor of the women's edition, the 3 Latinas from Texas I admire most. Top: Selena Quintanilla Perez i have written so many blogs on what she has meant to my life (and the lives of many) she was the voice of my generation. through her I finally saw myself reflected in mainstream and for the first time i too felt beautiful in my brown skin and full lips. Middle: Jovita Idar, the woman who paved my personal path. She was an activist, organizer, educator and the first Mexicana Texan to start a newspaper. Every time I have doubts about launching my own publication, I remembered Jovita Idar. Bottom: This phenomenal woman, mi querida madre, her strength flows through me. She is my rock and foundation, the woman who built a new life in a new country and gave me all the opportunities she never had. Every day I strive to make her proud and to be worthy of her many sacrifices. Te quiero.
www.noblezamagazine.com
PHOTO: DUSTIN ASHCRAFT PHOTOGRAPHY
MEGAN MARTINEZ FOUNDER OF
CHAOS MAKEUP
Queen of Cosmetics @ChaosMakeup
STORY: YOL-ITZMA AGUIRRE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
MEGAN MARTINEZ: QUEEN OF COSMETICS
LEADING THE NEXT WAVE IN COSMETICS IS TEXAN MEGAN MARTINEZ, FROM CORPUS CHRISTI. TO SAY SHE IS JUST AN 'MUA' WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT. MARTINEZ, FOUNDER OF 'CHAOS MAKEUP' IS COMPLETELY SELF-TAUGHT; A MASTER IN THE ART OF MAKEUP AND THE SCIENCE OF COLOR CHEMISTRY, MAKE HER CREATIONS TRULY MAGIC. MEGAN'S SUCCESS STORY IS A SURVIVAL STORY. AS A TEENAGER, WHEN MOST KIDS ARE WORRYING ABOUT PROM AND WHAT TO WEAR, MARTINEZ WAS WORRYING ABOUT HER NEXT MEAL AND WHERE SHE AND HER FAMILY WOULD LIVE. WHILE STRUGGLING WITH TWO JOBS AND GOING TO SCHOOL, SHE MADE THE CHOICE TO SURVIVE AND SO RIGHT AFTER SHE TURNED 18, SHE DROPPED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. TO BE SO YOUNG AND NOW BE FACING THE WORLD ON YOUR OWN, COULD HAVE BEEN THE END OF HER STORY, BUT IT WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING. MAKEUP BECAME A CREATIVE OUTLET AND AS SHE DID MAKEUP FOR HER FRIENDS, THERE BEGAN TO BE A BUZZ. WITH THE POWER OF MYSPACE HER POPULARITY BEGAN TO GROW AND SO DID HER BOOKINGS. MAKEUP SAVED HER LIFE.
PHOTOS FROM CHAOS MAKEUP INSTAGRAM PAGE | PHOTOGRAPHER: KHALED YASEN
CARDI B WEARING 'AQUA SKY' IMAGE: TWITTER
MEGAN MARTINEZ: QUEEN OF COSMETICS
A NATURAL INNOVATOR, MARTINEZ SHE HAS BEEN CREATING NEW LOOKS LONG BEFORE THEY WERE TRENDING. WHEN COLORS THAT SHE WANTED WEREN'T FOUND ON THE SHELVES, SHE LITERALLY TAUGHT HERSELF CHEMISTRY AND MADE THEM. THIS WOULD BE THE START OF CHAOS MAKEUP. OVER THE YEARS SHE HAS BEEN PERFECTING THE SCIENCE OF COLORS AND EFFECTS. KEEPING HER TALENT IN CORPUS CHRISTI AND NOT RELOCATING MEANS THAT SHE HAS HAD TO BUILD HER OWN LABS AND MAKE EACH PRODUCT HERSELF, BY HAND. NOW TEN YEARS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL AND WITH THE LOVE AND SUPPORT OF A COUPLE OF HER CLOSEST FRIENDS, MEGAN IS ON HER WAY TO BECOMING THE NEXT MAKEUP MOGUL. ALREADY HAVING BEEN AN ESTABLISHED MUA, NOW HER CUSTOM FORMULA AND LINE OF HIGHLIGHTERS AND MULTICHROME SHADES HAVE TAKEN THE WORLD BY STORM. SHE HAS BEEN INTERVIEWED BY ALL THE TOP MAGAZINES AND WITH CELEBS LIKE CARDI B SPORTING HER SHADES, THERE'S NO TELLING WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS. ONE THE THING IS CERTAIN, THE AQUA SKY'S THE LIMIT.
MARTINEZ HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, NUECES COUNTY, STATE OF TEXAS AND U.S. CONGRESS, FOR HER SERVICE TO HER COMMUNITY. NOT ONLY IS SHE A LEADING LATINA IN THE WORLD OF COSMETICS, BUT MEGAN IS AN AVID HUMANITARIAN WITH A FOCUS ON ANIMAL RESCUES AND AIDING THE HOMELESS. MARTINEZ'S PERSONAL JOURNEY IS AN INCREDIBLE STORY OF OVERCOMING ADVERSITY AND PERSEVERANCE, MEGAN'S RISE TO SUCCESS HAS TAUGHT US ALL TO NEVER GIVE UP OR GIVE IN, ALWAYS CONTINUE TO BELIEVE. MEGAN MARTINEZ, OUR TEXAS QUEEN OF COSMETICS WITH A HEART OF SPARKLING MULTICHROME, GOLD. PHOTO CREDIT: ADAM DELGADILLO PHOTOGRAPHY
NOBLEZA MAGAZINE NOBLEZAMAGAZINE.COM
@NOBLEZAMAGAZINE @NOBLEZAMAGAZINE