YOVANKA SANCHEZ
A true storyteller and citizen of the world shares her life in two parts.
Few experience the whirlwind existence of military brats or the children of diplomats—in the case of Yovanka Sanchez the latter was the case—the world was her oyster and she took full advantage of the opportunities presented.
Yovanka was born in Guatemala. Her father and mother worked in the Mexican Embassy (Fernando the Cultural attaché, Angela an administrative assistant).
“My father was eighteen years older than my mother, but he was smitten by her youthful beauty and charm. To put the extent of his passion in context, you must understand, he planned on never getting married, although he was a complete romantic. Papa was so immersed in his intellectual world, that no woman could compete with the “letters” of his poems and books but he ultimately fell head-over-heels for my mother, impossible not to…”
The pair went to Mexico to get married before returning to their posts in Guatemala where Yovanka was born shortly thereafter (her sister, Monika, was also born in Guatemala a year later). Since they had spent their honeymoon in Yugoslavia and at the time President Tito’s wife was named Yovanka, they wanted to name their first daughter after her since it is here where she was procreated.
“Despite being born in Guatemala I was a citizen of Mexico, that’s the way it works with the children of diplomats, but I have really always consider myself a citizen of the world.”
Once Yovanka was born, Angela took a leave of absence and became a fulltime wife and mother.
“When I was two-years old my father was transferred to Rome. We lived there for the following seven-years. Italian was my first language! Although my parents made sure we spoke Spanish at home”.
Yovanka was enrolled in a Catholic school run by nuns. Her existence was one of warmth, culture and steeped with the romantic vibes of “The City of Love.”
“My father was really quite the Renaissance Man. He was an artist and a scholar. He enriched us with not only with the European culture and history, but he paraded us all over the continent—my father was our greatest teacher and guide!”
Despite the European eland tendered the youth, Yovanka was actually something of a tomboy. She was rough and ready, fearless and free.
“I felt empowered; I had the spirit and confidence of an explorer.”
Seven years later another transfer (which came with a promotion), found the family moving to Tijuana, Mexico
Mexico provided a wonderful homecoming and reconnection with Yovanka’s true roots. My father came from a big family and his father was the ultimate Macho Patriarch. He’d fought honorably in the Mexican Revolution and ran his family with an iron, but loving-fist.
“That said, for a child such as my father—one enamored with arts and literature and poetry, the Mexican machismo expected had to be carefully developed and refined.”
{Writer’s Note: Fernando is currently recognized throughout the world as one of Mexico’s most celebrated writers and poets.}
“I believe I had an advantage over the other children, including my young family members. You see, the European experience had developed in me an independent spirit that is not found or encouraged in Mexican kids. At the time they were taught to be more subservient to their elders, especially the girls, who it is demanded of to be refrained in their actions and opinions—that was most certainly not me!”
“When we moved I recall my mother telling me I had to leave my toys and obviously, my friends as well. But that mini-trauma was nothing compared to the excitement of a new world and the abundance of family!”
“Mexico also allowed me the opportunity to become fluent, in what in fact, was my native tongue. Spanish”.
When they first arrived, the family moved in to Yovanka’s grandfather’s palatial hacienda. Her cousin Marco Regil was also living in the home with his mother and two brothers. Marco quickly became the “brother” Yovanka never had!
{Writer’s Note: According to Wikipedia, today Marco is a television personality, public speaker and activist. As the host of the Spanish versions of Family Feud, The Price is Right, and Mexico’s hit show, Generation Gap (Recuerda y Gana), Regil is a constant fixture in Latin households.}
“I was such a playful girl—I was always goofing around and playing silly tricks on my grandfather. Eventually we moved into a home of our own—still in Tijuana.
“I believe I had an advantage over the other children, including my young family members. You see, the European experience had developed in me an independent spirit that is not found or encouraged in Mexican kids. At the time they were taught to be more subservient to their elders, especially the girls, who it is demanded of to be refrained in their actions and opinions—that was most certainly not me!”
As a result, Yovanka became something of a leader, her story telling sessions became highly applauded by her cousins who wer
e Yovanka’s biggest audience.
“I got into it. I didn’t just tell a story, I incorporated sound effects and plenty of actions with my hands, recreating amazing an imaginary universes —they were full performances really.”
The stay in Mexico was short lived. It wasn’t long (no more than a-year), that Fernando relocated his family to Barcelona, Spain. Upgraded to General Counsel of Mexico—Yovanka, once again, thrived at the change of town.
“Barcelona was glorious; the European vibe I’d grown up with was suddenly part of my existence again. Oh, I was still a tomboy. Quite the soccer player, a skateboard aficionado, and I was forever climbing trees. The other girls, my peers, were like—what?”
Puberty staged its take-over of innocence while Yovanka was in Spain. Suddenly, disco parties and social mingling became de rigueur. However, channeling her story telling skills also morphed into her ability to put that expression into writing.
Needless to say, the free-thinking, free-wheeling Yovanka adapted her own style—very much the bohemian—a blend of femme and funky cool.
After four-years in Spain, the family moved to Miami (another transfer and promotion), Fernando was named Consul of Mexico.
“This time the move presented challenges. I hardly spoke English and I was a tomboy. I found South Florida to be a bit shallow, very chi-chi. Faux femininity was all the rage and I wasn’t about to adapt.”
So Yovanka sat alone at lunch. And to make matters worse, she brought her own lunch, a very Mediterranean collection of salads and fruit—she was indeed the outsider.
But Yovanka refused to dummy-down. Her tough spirited constitution came with a rebellious attitude at home as well.
“I simply couldn’t figure out how to fit in and frankly wasn’t about to accommodate the situation. So I threw myself into my comfort zone (excelling in sports—tennis and soccer). But I also drifted towards a rebellious crowd—I went from pink hair to purple hair and embraced the Punk world scene. And while self-expression was always encouraged in our home, I began to falter, my grades dropped, and I was cutting classes and hanging out with the wrong girls”.
Angela took swift action. She promptly pulled Yovanka from the school and enrolled her in the private Immaculata-LaSalle High School in Miami.
“I was enrolled at LaSalle as a sophomore and I cleaned up my act and myself, furthered my ambitions of athletics and suddenly found myself getting quite a lot of attention.”
So much attention, that Yovanka caught the eye of a senor, hot-man-on-campus type—pretty good catch for a newbie sophomore. All of a sudden Yovanka was part of the “in-crowd.”
“Despite my new found ‘glory’ I soon soured. I didn’t’ like the sports offerings, or the curriculum—I wanted change and my family agreed, enrolling me at Coral Gables High School. I thrived in the much more Americanized environment and excelled in sports, drama and writing.
“I was a straight-A student and graduated on time with my friends. And yes, as the tough-cookie I was, I hoped for a reward!”
Unfortunately, her boyfriend also expected something from Yovanka.
“He wanted to get married. But I was not biting. In my mind, this was the beginning of self-exploration and freedom. I was finally in control of my own destiny.”
And so Yovanka went to Fernando and Angela and asked that they send her to a year of travel in Europe, specifically Paris—she wanted to learn French, art and live feely.
Needless to say, her folks, well aware of the pitfalls of puppy love, embraced the concept with checkbook open enthusiasm…
END OF PART 1
THE STORYTELLER PART II
{Writer’s Note: When we last left Yovanka Sanchez, she had convinced her parents to send her to Paris as a reward for garnering straight A’s in her senior year of high-school. Her folks obliged, perhaps more motivated by the pressure her boyfriend was putting on her to get married—Bon Voyage, Yovanka…}
The wanderlust wonder was drawn to the “City of Lights” like a moth to a lamp.
“Paris represented everything—freedom, self-expression, amore—it was my coming of age!”
Yovanka had traveled with two of her high-school friends and moved into a manse owned by a “grand madam” with the best view in town, right in front of the Arc de Triomphe (15 other girls, from around the world, also occupied the premises). “You can just imagine all of us organizing dinner parties for French men, bonsoir monsieur as in hello sir”.
Yovanka soon found another interest, a French lad, which allowed her a deeper and intimate understanding of the culture. She learned the language and mœurs, studied at the famed Sorbonne University and traveled by train throughout the continent.
“I immersed myself in the experience—hopping from art galleries, to cafes to night clubs. Mikhail Baryshinkov asked me to dance at one of Paris’ most chic nightspots! This definitely was what I call a “Kodak moment” for me.
Our Gigi blossomed…
Upon her return to the States, Yovanka enrolled at Miami Dade, soon switching to the University of Miami, where she majored in Communications and Film.
“While I was at Miami Dade, my parents moved back to Mexico—for business reasons. And more profoundly, my father wanted to reconnect with his literature circle and cultural roots.”
After graduating from UM, Yovanka sought her next step. Her father suggested that she apply for work at the Mexican Consulate in Miami, reckoning her daughter’s mastery of language and culture might tip the scales.
She applied and was hired.
” I am a big believer that we should never stop learning and polishing ourselves.”
“I worked in the Consulate for about three-years, all-the-while continuing my education through workshops, seminars etc. I am a big believer that we should never stop learning and polishing ourselves”.
Feeling the need to return to Mexico for a reconnect and aware of the booming Televisa communications conglomerate, Yovanka moved to Mexico City where she hunkered down with her family.
“In short order I was hired by a cable channel which belonged to Televisa. I found myself in front of the cameras, hosting an MTV type of show.”
One gig lead to another and before long Yovanka was the on-air face of a host of beauty pageants (aired in both Spanish and English), which allowed her the opportunity to travel throughout Mexico.
“From the big cities to the small towns—I savored the regional nuances and the traditions, foods, colors, smells and the amazing people of my magical country.”
As fate would have it Univision (a subsidiary of Televisa) was just starting upon the scene. Yovanka was offered a gig, which allowed her the opportunity to become a producer, writer, director as well as on-air talent (while continuing her beauty pageant shtick).
“I was among only a handful of folks within Univision which were handed so much responsibility. I quickly realized this was what I wanted—the myriad tasks involved in television production. I utilized the many heavyweight connections I’d developed (such as La India Maria, Vicente Fernandez, Julio Iglesias and so many others).
“By utilizing these contacts, I garnered more and more responsibility with Univision. I began writing entertainment type documentary stories…”
After couple of years working from Mexico, Yovanka decided to move back to Miami (where Univision was based).
“I felt right at home and quickly ascended the creative ladder.”
Yovanka soon found herself producing, writing, directing, reporting and hosting Primer Impacto.
The go-getter began to diversify, utilizing all her media skills. Her off-the-cuff abilities (editing on a bus, on a plane—in a restaurant booth) gained her enormous respect and a leg up.
“By this time, I was getting lots of exclusive interviews, sort of a South of the Border Barbara Walters (Richard Gere, George Clooney, Joaquin Cortes, P Diddy and the list goes on). It wasn’t long until I was doing prime time specials.”
Never satisfied, Yovanka sought more challenge and continued growth. She began producing projects she knew the network wouldn’t buy but remained undaunted in her artistic integrity.
“I produced a pilot, Entre Mujeres (Between Women), something of a before its time, The View.”
And then Yovanka had a “Jesus” moment, as in “Jesus Enrique”.
Their relationship consumed like wildfire. But a situation soon arose. Jesus had a business opportunity in New York. He suggested marriage. Yovanka suggested they purchase plane tickets (a year’s worth so they could continue a long-distance relationship). The lovebirds scripted out their calendar for the entire year, planning their get-together sessions in advance.
“Our hot romance blossomed between the high-rise buildings of New York, to dinners under palm trees in the beaches of Miami”.
9/11 changed the landscape significantly. Many of Jesus’ friends perished in the catastrophe and he decided to return to Miami.
{Writer’s Note: The couple married shortly after his return—they remain happily wed to this day and are the proud parents to both a daughter and a son.}
“I left Univision shortly after our marriage and jumped to Telemundo, which offered me even more creative freedom—I loved the energy and synergy of the team and people.”
Utilizing her tome sized book of contacts and good will, Yovanka began creating her show—Las Comadres was born.
“I’d done all the perquisite work— with a group of amazing people from the network who until today are still goods friends. We sold the show at the Up-Front New York (where Telemundo was based at the time). We had a pilot in the can and we were ready for production.”
Ah, but the best laid plans of mice and muchachas. It was at the time of the show’s roll-out that Telemundo went through a major restructuring. The new powers-that-be no longer had interest in Yovanka’s project (or many others for that matter). And while the show had been sold it was scrubbed by the new regime.
“I stuck with it until I became pregnant with our son. Baby on the way was a complete surprise. My priorities changed overnight. Motherhood trumped my professional passions. I dedicated myself to motherhood, but never abandoned my creative spark, working instead from my home.”
The following year brought Yovanka and Jesus’ daughter onto the scene.
Eventually the hunger to get back in the game percolated, bubbles brewing mightily for creativity beyond the maternal orbit.
“I was well aware of my skill-set and the ability on how to get back into the traditional media flow. However, I desired to balance my passions.”
As a result, Yovanka began working on independent projects, free-agent stuff (she began taking meetings).
“The digital world was taking off and taking over—the platform for story-telling was breaking—the medium consuming consumers and media outlets alike.” And this was the opportunity Yovanka had always wanted to pursuit her true “dream” getting behind the camera and telling stories.
Yovanka created La Mariposa Films (www.lamariposafilms.com).
“My initial focus was on stories and storytelling. It was time to toss aside the old school way of creating content, commercials and advertising in general. It was an uphill climb. People were not apt to embracing new changes and producing content that will connect emotionally instead of the traditional ways.
“I didn’t care. I was confident, convinced breaking tradition and being a storyteller trumped all—the organic growth of the butterfly (from caterpillar, to cocoon to chrysalis to fluttering beautiful flying butterfly).
“Despite the hurdles, I have fared on. I embraced being a woman and refused to sacrifice this hegemony to the powers in place—my mission is to bring the stories of my sisters to the forefront. And that’s what La Mariposa Films is all about.
Latinarrific salutes Yovanka Sanchez…
