The core mission of a recent ‘Latina Beauty Bootcamp,’ sponsored by Ser Familia and Ricky’s Salon & Spa in Marietta was “to raise the self-esteem of young Hispanic women.”To be more precise, the 20 women who attended the workshop where they learned makeup and hairstyle tips, all with the purpose of bringing out their natural beauty and taking pride in their Latina physique.
Professional makeup artist Maritza Barraza shared her personal success story, while also teaching the young women tips and tricks for emphasizing their natural beauty.
“When you love yourself, everything else falls into place. We have to remember to give ourselves our time and that neither language nor legal status should define who we are. Don’t let that stop you,” said Barraza.
How to achieve a natural looking makeup look, get a wavy hairstyle without using heat and how to properly utilize makeup brushes were some of the highlights of the event.
Belisa Urbina, director of Ser Familia and one of the event’s coordinators, explained how the initiative came to be.
“The idea was born out of the low self-esteem we notice in our youth program. We were worried about that and about the mental health problems that trouble the Latino youth community, so we decided to launch the initiative together with Ricky Salon & Spa.” said Urbina. “We are hoping this will not be the last event we do with this kind of dynamic.”
The non-profit Ser Familia offers a variety of programs that help Latino families develop stronger bonds and nurture their potential. Organizers say the purpose of its programs is to have Latino children, youth and adults thrive and become constructive members of their communities.
Several of the attendees got to experience makeovers, as was the case for Bianca Suárez, whose hair was highlighted and cut into a long bob style.
“This means a lot to me. It’s like a birthday present,” said Suárez, a young mother to five children. “Sometimes it’s difficult for me to take care of myself.”
For his part, Ricky González, owner of the beauty salon, felt honored to host the event at his place of business.
“This is for my beautiful people, for my community,” he said, while taking the time to say goodbye to his guests as they left, with smiles and looks of gratitude on their faces.
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