America the Beautiful.

My Joan Jett loving, feminist stepsister gave me a copy of Bust magazine today and I am in love. Officially. The tagline of every issue reads “For women with something to get off their chest” basically summing up the entirety of this awesome girl power magazine. My new favorite magazine is filled with successful ladies who have stayed true to themselves and made it big because so and in my opinion, those are the type of women that every teenage girl should look up to.

This month’s cover girl is America Ferrera and although I do not know much about her, I do know that she is one talented lady! I will even admit to seeing all of the Traveling Pants movies as well as tuning into Ugly Betty regularly for it’s first couple of seasons! Up until this article though, I never knew how amazing she really was!

Despite her success, America admits to having days where she wakes up and says, “I’m going places! I’m doing big things!...” and then days when she feels not so comfortable with the present or the future, saying, “Can I just go live in a hole in Manhattan, watch movies, and eat my way through life?” I read those lines and I thought, “Damn. If America Ferrera can have good days and bad, then why must I be so ashamed when I do too?!” It was a comfort knowing that I am not the only one who feels on top of the world some moments then flat on my ass the next. :)

Being curvaceous and Latina has brought obstacles to her career path, but like a bulldozer, she has pushed them out of her way! After describing an incident where she was never given a real chance to be handed a role because of her skin color and not her acting abilities, she spoke of how image is a big part of the business that she is in. “It’s very hard to change their minds,” she states, “But it’s not impossible.” Just because America is a size 8 in a size -2 industry doesn’t make her any less of a star. In fact I think that because she has worked so hard and has prevailed through the unfair standards of Hollywood beauty, people can both connect and respect her that much more. I know I sure do.

America’s article proved to me that no matter what people say, you can not let their opinions bring you down. You have to fight for what you want and remember who you are to achieve your dreams. :)