Viva la Feminista

Loreta Velazquez was no normal little girl. Even as the young daughter of Cuban aristocrats, she railed against the injustice of being a girl in a world that privileged boys. Her story is told in " Rebel," a new episode of "Voces" on PBS , premiering Friday, May 24th. Velazquez was sent to New Orleans as a child to live with an aunt, who was supposed to "finish" turning Velazquez into a proper young lady. Alas, love had a different plan. How this headstrong Cuban woman went from eloping with a Texan Army officer to becoming a Confederate soldier, then a spy for the Union is filled with tragedy and yearning. Velazquez fulfills her dream of following in the steps of her idol, Joan of Arc, but quickly realizes how unglamorous war actually is. What is known of Velazquez we know from her 1876 memoir A Woman in Battle . She published it a few years after the Civil War ends and it is scandalous! So scandalous that the book is quickly labeled a hoax. Som...

Mom & Me circa 1977 Undated photo of Mom

Happy Mother's Day to everyone who has mothered in any way. And to celebrate, thanks to My Yoga online , I'm giving away a year-long membership to their website. Feel like you don't have time to go to a yoga class? And DVDs are just not for you? Why not try this online yoga site? Videos are available not just on your computer, but also tablets, TVs and mobile devices. There's more than just yoga too! There are also pilates and wellness videos available. So here's the deal: To enter just leave a comment and leave your email address or tweet this giveaway (@veronicaeye so I know you did this!). It's that simple. One entry per person. Deadline is 5 pm Central Time May 17, 2013. Disclaimer: I am also getting a year-long membership in exchange for working with My Yoga online on this giveway.

If you live near Albuquerque, New Mexico, what are you doing on May 18th? May I suggest you head out to " Choice Rocks! 2013 " It's a benefit for Planned Parenthood of New Mexico and tickets start at $20 for general admission and $50 for VIP tickets. It looks like a great time and at an affordable price too. So what are you waiting for?

Did you know that there is an online museum of women? The International Museum of Women is totally online and showcases some great art. Their latest exhibition is  MUSLIMA: MUSLIM WOMEN'S ART & VOICES   and features the artwork, stories and ideas of Muslim women who are standing up for their rights, reforming Islam from within, and reclaiming their religion for themselves. The curator, Samina Ali, led the peaceful protest at a West Virginia mosque that prompted the American Muslim group CAIR to change its policy about admitting women through a mosque's main doors. The best part of IMOW is that they usually have an interactive aspect , so you too can lend your voice to the exhibit. Go check it out!

Part of my mission to get myself healthy involves doing yoga. When I was contacted about a new book about yoga at work, I was all, "Yay!" And due to my hectic life I skim a lot of my emails. So...yes, when I was contacted I thought, "Oh, a book to help me do yoga at work..." well, it is and it isn't that kind of book. I will admit that I have not read the whole book yet. I wanted this review up quickly as when, Yoga Wisdom at Work: Finding Sanity Off the Mat and On the Job , goes on sale May 6, 2013, authors Maren and Jamie Showkeir will donate a percentage of that day’s sales to Namaste Charter School in Chicago . Considering the controversy that happens at some schools for teaching yoga , I thought I would support this campaign. What this book focuses on is getting us to think in a yoga-like way at work. To use the breathing methods we would use in yoga class at work. Essentially to take that peaceful zone we are in at yoga class and be like that at wor...

Yup, it's time for Mother's Day! And yes, you have that awesome lady in your life who is your mom, mom to your kids or just acts like your mom. Most moms I know just want a relaxing day, a hug, a kiss and maybe a trip to the spa. Don't buy into the ads that say you must buy her something sparkly and fancy*. But if you do want to get her something, why not something that will do more than just burn a hole in your wallet? You can send all the fab mamas in your life an  e-card thanks to Strong Families .  Peace Since the origin of Mother's Day is as a day of peace, here are some great organizations working for peace. Donate to them and insert the Mother's Day Proclamation in the card to the mom in your life: Women's International League for Peace and Freedom Amnesty International   - they also have some nice gifts & on sale Support Mothers What better way to say, "Thanks" than to support other moms? Heartland Alliance has "gif...