(Latin) girl power

Having a mother whom she calls the Erin Brockovich of Argentina spurred local journalist Gaby Natale to create a TV show dubbed “SuperLatina.”

And with her talk show, taped at 3 p.m. Saturdays in front of a live audience at Music City Mall, the hostess wants to send a compelling message: Women can have it all.

“If we’re beautiful, it doesn’t mean that we’re dumb … if we’re professionals, that doesn’t make us bad mothers,” Natale said, then asked: “Why do we always have to choose between one thing or the other?”

She’s been living her life by that example ever since she saw her mother defending the rights of retired people being treated unfairly in Argentina, as well as her four aunts taking on professional jobs.

“I grew up in a family made up of very strong women,” she said. “I always had those images of strong, successful women.”

Since arriving in West Texas three years ago, she’s seen several matters that affect Hispanic women, she said. Now, through her TV show, she has the opportunity to showcase those observations.

“The Latin community has very high levels of domestic violence, even greater than other races,” she said. “We need to create awareness about healthy relationships — that’s why I like to work with issues that have to do with self-esteem.”

At a recent taping, Natale and her team surprised a Crockett Junior High student who suffers from cerebral palsy with a makeover of her room.

In another show and in an exclusive interview, Andrews resident Liliana Pérez Márquez shared her experiences with controversial Mexican pop singer Gloria Trevi, with whom she shared a cell in a Chihuahua, Mexico, prison.

Trevi was accused of kidnapping and corruption of minors and later acquitted.

Aside from sharing what life was like with the “Mexican Madonna,” Pérez Márquez was there to announce she was raising money to buy toys for children whose mothers are in jail. To do that she’s holding a drawing for a pair of shoes Trevi wore in prison.

Minutes before the interview, half a dozen young women paraded on stage wearing shiny and sexy outfits for a fashion segment titled “How to party like a rock star.”

With the advancement of Hispanics — both men and women — as one of “SuperLatina’s” goals, during a recent taping, two students were presented with scholarships to the University of Texas of the Permian Basin.

“I would like to see young girls get more support from their parents when it comes to higher education,” Natale, who’s a communications professor at UTPB, Odessa College and Midland College, said. “Sometimes parents want them to stay with the family, but they need to get rid of the idea that college is not for women.”

Aside from the improvement of women’s lives, Natale added that “SuperLatina’s” live studio audience added a new dimension to the program.

“It’s a great experience for people because they can see how the show is produced — get a peek behind the scenes,” she said.

Cynthia Rodriguez, 37, of Midland, sat in the audience during the taping in which the drawing for Trevi’s shoes was announced.

“I think it’s great they’re doing something for children,” adding that she enjoyed the show, especially because her daughter was featured as a makeup model.

This week on ‘SuperLatina’:

>> Catwalk featuring the latest styles to party like a rock star.

>> Exclusive interview with Liliana Pérez Márquez, Mexican pop star Gloria Trevi’s former cellmate.

>> Predictions for 2008 based on the zodiac.

>> ‘SuperLatina’ airs at 6:30 p.m. Saturdays on MyTV16, with reruns at 6:30 a.m. and 11 p.m. Sundays.

>> To pitch an idea, call 614-4149 or e-mail superlatina@gabynatale.com.

>> For information about Gloria Trevi’s shoes fund-raiser, call 894-8128.

>> “SuperLatina” also has a daily spot at 3:30 p.m. on radio station La Caliente 101.3 FM