Women are truly fabulous, and as Latinas we value the bonds with the women in our lives especially our mothers and grandmothers. Not only have they helped paved the way for us, but they continue to drive us to be better and reach for the stars.

On March 25, P&G Orgullosa's forum "Nueva Latinas Living Fabulosa," held at The TimesCenter in New York, not only celebrated the beautiful modern, bicultural Latina experience, but it was a tribute to our roots and the women who are the gateway to our cultures.

The inspiring event, which took place during Women's History Month, was hosted by Golden Globe winner Gina Rodriguez, Radio Personality Angie Martinez, Style Expert/TV personality Lilliana Vazquez and Entertainment Weekly Correspondent Nina Terrero.

Special guests and onstage panelists included "Orange Is the New Black" actresses Diane Guerrero and Selenis Leyva, Founder of Vixen Workout Janet Jones, musician Raquel Sofía, and entrepreneurs and mother-and-daughters powerhouse team, founders of My Wellness Solutions Indhira Santana, Violet Santana and Hilda Pichardo.

The Latina female power was at an all-time high and the energy was contagious. The panel discussed perseverance, obstacles in the industry, what it means to be a part of the long-awaited, increasing Latina visibility on TV, radio and film and that impact on future generations.

The empowering and insightful discussions all circled back to one common denominator, however -- the women who made them who they are today.

This writer, who recently lost her precious grandmother, found solace in learning more about the women who helped drive these modern and successful Latinas. Guerrero and Martinez shared their treasured memories -- Terrero of her Great Aunt and Martinez of her Abuelita (Grandmother) and reflected on their love, strength and sacrifice coming to the U.S. to make their families' dreams come true -- all traits that made them become driven Latina trailblazers.

Let's just say it was a good thing that there were tissues on the table.

"She (my Great Aunt) helped raise me. She came from nothing; she defied every single expectation; she created her own future," said Guerrero whose "Tata" passed away on Tuesday.

"All of my family, all New Yorkers they were born in Puerto Rico and came here and they worked in the Garment District. All of the clothes that you saw in the stores, they hand-stitched every stitch and although she didn't have an education and no one expected much of her, she instilled in me and my cousin here, our family and all the women of our family that we could do whatever we wanted. That the only limits that exist are the ones that we set ourselves. I truly believe that."

As a multimedia journalist, Guerrero knows how harsh people can be online and on TV, but when she was face-to-face with it, she had to channel her inner strength.

"I can't tell you the number of auditions that I have been on and I've been told 'you're not sexy enough, your Latina, where's the spice?' What do you bring to the table?' I bring my smarts, I bring my dignity, I bring honesty, truth, humility -- those are what I bring to the table. I don't have to bring the sexy."

When referring to the portrayal of girls and women on social media, posting sexy selfies, etc., Guerrero, who has a big following on social media, explained that's not what she's about.

"Would she (my Great Aunt) want that? Would she proud to see that? Did she give up so much and give me so much that I would do that?" Guerrero added. "I think that everything that I do is in honor of my mom and my grandmother (and Great Aunt). They're the ones who made me who I am and that's why I am here tonight."

Martinez, who's popular radio presence has made her "The Voice of New York," also reflected on her late grandmother who greatly impacted her life. (She passed away when she was 10 years old.)

"This is going to sound a little weird but ...you know when you're 10 how you see somebody is not how you see them when you grow up. I only had what I saw as a kid. To me, my grandmother was Celia Cruz," she told Latin Post as the crowd roared with laughter. "I don't think I have ever told anybody that before. She would listen to Celia Cruz all the time. She had Celia Cruz nails, Celia Cruz's hair sometimes."

Joking aside, Martinez, who is of Puerto Rican, Cuban and Dominican descent, became emotional and said, "She had a really hard life with a lot of kids and unfortunately she passed away pretty young..."

Life wasn't always easy for Martinez's family who endured many obstacles including alcoholism, she pointed out. As a third generation child who grew up in Brooklyn, she admitted her Spanish is "not that good," and she somewhat felt like outsider from her own culture, "coming from the hip-hop culture that isn't always accepted by the mainstream Latino community."

Yet, her grandmother, who was a vision of the beloved Cruz, commanded every stage and room she walked into, and Martinez keeps that memory alive. It also helps her thrive from within.

"The point is that it is her memory," she said. "It is her presence that always connected me to who I am. Even though I thought she was Celia Cruz," she laughed. "I see her in that woman -- and no one can take ever take that away from me."

Related