What an honor. Less than a month after my self-help book won two gold book awards, I was notified of yet another accolade. This one is from the largest competition in the United States celebrating achievements in Latino literature. On October 19, The International Latino Book Awards will present me with an Honorable Mention. From the Boxing Ring to the Ashram: Wisdom for Mind, Body and Spirit” will be among the honorees at a ceremony at Los Angeles Community College.
If you haven't read it already -- please buy it now. In my book, I highlight effective time-honored cultural and spiritual practices from Israel to Mesoamerica. Most are free or inexpensive and can be great antidotes to our stressed-out, unhealthy, and unhappy society. Through my travel and study, I uncover simple holistic tips from my diverse mentors. Among them, two are eminent researchers. Five are spiritual leaders, including a Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation Elder. Then, other featured experts range from the director of an Ayurvedic health clinic to a former President of a South American nation.
The International Latino Book Awards began decades ago by a former journalist. Kirk Whisler founded the nonprofit Empowering Latino Futures (ELF) in 1997. He says the growth of the book awards represents how the marketplace for books for, by, and about Latinos is evolving. “These honorees deserve to be recognized, remembered, and read,” he says.
“Over the last three decades, we’ve seen the field of Latino books grow from a few books in most key book categories to where today there’s a growing wide variety of books in most categories. With that growth has come awareness across the book industry that books by and about Latinos are a viable industry.”
Additionally, he shares that “consistent” Latino readers number 15.5 million across the United States. What does that mean? "Consistent" readers? The National Latino Reader Study’s nationwide survey of 10,640 found that these readers purchase an average of 25 books each year.
For those who don’t know, my grandparents fled Eastern Europe. However, other family members settled in Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina. Given my longstanding interest in Latin America, I studied in Mexico and Ecuador. Then, I returned to South America where I ran a business and my daughter was born. As a holistic health coach, I have worked in Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Italy, and India. Before I became a yoga instructor and therapist, I won many awards for Hispanic and Latin American marketing campaigns I directed.
While I may be used to honors, I was psyched with this honorable mention as I knew the competition was tough. For example, the organizers received a 38 percent increase in entries over the previous record high. The competition is open to published works in English, Spanish, or Portuguese from people anywhere in the world. As a result, 239 people judged the entries. Among them were past award winners, professors, librarians, educators, and journalists.