Author and entrepreneur Jackie Camacho-Ruiz never misses a chance to inspire those near and far from her. From creating her own marketing agency to becoming a certified Latina pilot (calls herself a pilotina), Camacho-Ruiz is not afraid to take action. Last weekend in Pfeiffer Hall, 10 Latina women were chosen from her book series, “Today’s Inspired Latina: Life Stories of Success in the Face of Adversity,” to film their own personal stories.
It all began in 2014 while Camacho-Ruiz traveled and attended signings for her previously published books. “I knew that authorship could change the life of anybody,” said Camacho-Ruiz. “People come up to you and say, “You’ve changed my life on page two.’”
After creative brainstorming sessions and countless interactions with Latina women, Camacho-Ruiz organized her book series for what it is known as today: honest, powerful and inspiring. The first book created a platform for 27 Latina women to share their own moving life experiences. The official book launch took place in Chicago where over 600 people gathered to celebrate the release.
Full of gratitude and disbelief, Camacho-Ruiz stated, “I remember sitting backstage looking around in awe and at my husband, who is my business partner, saying ‘wow, how did this actually happen?’”
As time passed, Camacho-Ruiz received more and more questions of whether volume two was on the table. Not knowing the magnitude of the movement, another book was never planned. She described her writing process as organic, taking action only when she felt something strong in her heart. As a service leader to her community, she allowed her passions and inspirations to guide her to take the next step.
Before she knew it, she was invited to major cities in states such as New York, California, Texas and more to launch her book. Everywhere Camacho-Ruiz went, she found more Latina women eager to participate.
“Sometimes you choose a dream and sometimes that dream you choose, chooses you for a bigger purpose,” Camacho-Ruiz said. “That’s kind of what is happening to me.”
Shortly after volume two, volume three was published. A nationwide movement, the series drew the attention of major media outlets like Ink Magazine, Forbes and the New York Times.
Today, author Camacho-Ruiz and her team are getting ready to launch volume four. The release date is set for May 2018 and will even feature North Central Spanish professor, Dr. Jelena Sánchez.
“I am passionate about helping young women find and use their voices in their academic, professional and personal lives,” Dr. Sánchez stated. “I believe it is crucial to provide our students with access to successful female role models who will guide them in becoming empowered women in society. The incredible stories and useful tips shared by women from diverse Hispanic backgrounds at the Latina Talks motivate our students to be proactive in realizing their dreams and creating their world.”
With a fusion of love and inspiration, a major goal for Camacho-Ruiz has always been to elevate each of the female authors featured in her books. What is the next step for Camacho-Ruiz? The author and entrepreneur recently received word from an organization in Europe to launch Today’s Inspired Latina volume five.
While Jackie does not have a master plan, she does have the passion and tenacity to achieve her dreams. “I had cancer when I was 21 that led to the reconstruction of my entire digestive system at 23,” said Camacho-Ruiz. “That shook my life and I then started living with a sense of urgency to serve the community.”
Instead of waiting, Camacho-Ruiz acts in the present moment to do precisely that-serve her community. To learn more about or participate in the movement, head to http://todayslatina.com.
