Meet Sylvia
Journalist Sylvia Mendoza is the author of The Book of Latina Women: 150 Vidas (Lives) of Passion, Strength and Success, an important historic perspective on Latino women who have made significant contributions in the arts, politics, science, entertainment, sports, education, and history. The book was selected for the 2007 California Collection for High Schools by the California Readers Association.
Recognized as a 2006 “Woman of Distinction” at California State University, San Marcos for her contributions in promoting awareness of gender issues, she is a featured speaker for the National Women’s History Project. She has appeared on C-Span’s Book-TV, the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, Book Expo America, The Essence of Latinas Tour.
An advocate for promoting the power of the written word and diversity, literacy, and women’s empowerment through education, Sylvia earned certification in Women’s Studies at San Diego State University and in Copyediting from University of California, San Diego. Her workshops and lectures target women’s/girls associations, multicultural studies programs, writers, students, & business professionals. She has presented at The Young Writers’ Conference, Southern CA Writers’ Conference, the La Jolla Writers’ Conference, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and various women’s conferences. She works as a writing consultant at Palomar Community College and as an editing consultant at writers’ retreats.
She helped launch a full-service, all-woman-run bilingual public relations agency in Puerto Rico. In 2011, she launched Mendoza Communications; her editing services help clients develop non-fiction works, manuscripts, web site content, articles, newsletters, press releases, dissertations, corporate publications and other projects.
Sylvia served as parenting columnist for Siempre Mujer magazine. Articles have appeared in Hispanic Outlook, Uptown, OurCity San Diego, Los Angeles Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, Writers’ Journal, San Diego Writers’ Monthly, Decor & Style, Living Better, Kids’ Wall Street News, and Hispanic. Awards for Journalistic Excellence include First Place for Non-Daily Reporting & Writing/Multicultural Stories from the Society of Professional Journalists and First Place, Non-fiction from National Federation of Press Women for The Book of Latina Women. Her novel, Serenade, won a prestigious Latino Literary Hall of Fame Award. A fiction project earned Editor’s Choice Award at the San Diego State Writers’ Conference.
Serving as the current president of Southern California Media Professionals, Sylvia is also a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego Press Club and National Women’s History Project—always promoting the power of the written word.
The E! True Story about Sylvia Mendoza
