Wow!What?: Empowering Latina Voices Through Food and Conversation

Wow!What? is the innovation of two entrepreneurial young women, Damely Abreu, and Joan Angelique Diaz.  They are contributing their distinct skills to create a platform for Latinas and people of color to gather over good food and meaningful conversation.

Damely Abreu hails from a close-knit Dominican community in the Bronx, New York, where she was raised and attended school. Joan Angelique Diaz, of Puerto Rican heritage, was born in Texas, raised in Florida, and now also lives in the Bronx.

Damely is the primary driver behind this project. She recently graduated from New York University with a minor in Global Public Health and currently training to become a doula. She will soon begin a nursing program, and as a Tory Burch Scholarship recipient, she has received funding to further develop Wow!What?

Joan brings her background in audio/visual production to the project. Their worlds intersect through Damely’s interest in maternal health and Joan’s passion for producing meaningful video content. Together, they hope to celebrate Latina culture through a video series called Wow!What?

A Shared Mission of Empowerment

Wow!What? will feature interviews with women of various ages and life stages, sharing their experiences over meals. Topics will include reproductive health, pregnancy, childbirth, parenting, nutrition, and general well-being.

These conversations will be available on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, reaching a wide audience. The shared pride in their Latina heritage is central to the project, and they aim to build a platform where important conversations flow as naturally as their food.

Damely’s Path to Birthwork

Damely became interested in a career as a doula after hearing about it from a fellow NYU student. Intrigued by the role doulas play in supporting women before, during, and after birth, she pursued an internship with a doula collective. Doulas, while not medically trained, offer invaluable support through emotional care, education, assistance with breastfeeding, and newborn care.

Through her studies, Damely declared a major in Maternal Healthcare and Birthwork in Immigrant Communities, where she began observing how racial disparities within the healthcare system negatively affect the quality of care for people of color. These injustices contribute to alarmingly high rates of maternal mortality among Black women and other people of color. Damely’s Dominican roots have also provided her with a cultural knowledge of herbs and home remedies used to ease pregnancy and childbirth.

Wow!What? aims to bring Latinas, Black, and Brown people together to normalize these conversations, creating a supportive space where questions can be asked and stories can be shared.

Joan’s Expertise in Production and Hospitality

Joan, in addition to her background in video production, works in the hospitality industry. A natural people person, Joan is highly organized and detail-oriented. She manages social gatherings with a focus on interactive and communal goals. Her love for interviewing and storytelling, combined with her production skills, enables her to craft content that is both entertaining and educational.

Additionally, Joan owns a small business making traditional Latin custard desserts, specifically flan. Her business, “Flan de Mama,” encapsulates her childhood memories of family and friends gathered around the dinner table, much like Damely’s upbringing. As a videographer, Joan’s goal with Wow!What? is to capture the intimate conversations exchanged during the Corito and share them with viewers, preserving the warmth and authenticity of these interactions.

The First Corito: A Gathering of Culture and Conversation

While still in its early stages, Wow!What? has already hosted its first Corito, and I was fortunate enough to participate. The traditional dishes we shared deserve special mention: from the Dominican Republic, we enjoyed empanadas de pollo y queso (chicken and cheese pastries), morro de guandules (rice with pigeon peas and coconut), pastelón de plátano maduro (plantain, beef, and cheese lasagna), and vegetales en crema (creamed vegetables).

From Brazil, there were coxinha (chicken croquettes) and roast beef with chimichurri (a sauce made from parsley, oregano, garlic, oil, vinegar, and chili pepper). We also savored arepas with hogao (fried corn patties with spicy tomato and onion sauce) from Colombia, Jamaican oxtails, lumbi (conch stew) from Haiti, ensalada de papa (potato salad) from Puerto Rico, and, of course, Flan de Mama.

I describe this list in detail to emphasize that the food played as significant a role in the gathering as the conversation and the diverse group of women themselves. The pride with which each dish was chosen, prepared, and presented was truly remarkable. And the conversation, much like the food, flowed effortlessly.

A Discussion on Women’s Reproductive Health

As a public health educator (and friend), I was invited to speak about women’s reproductive health at the Corito. The group, ranging in age from 20 to 32, was eager to learn, and the questions they asked reflected a deep curiosity about their bodies, menstrual cycles, and sexuality. The relaxed, supportive environment fostered open dialogue, starting with anonymous questions, which allowed everyone to engage without fear of judgment.

One of the key topics we explored was ovulation, beginning with an overview of the menstrual cycle and the signs of ovulation. As a health educator, I find it incredibly rewarding when young women have those “ah-ha!” moments—when information clicks and suddenly makes sense.

During the discussion, a 22-year-old woman courageously shared her experience with endometriosis, a condition she had been quietly struggling with for some time. We talked about the risks, symptoms, and management options, but what stood out most was the group’s response—kindness and empathy. For a young woman who typically kept her story private, sharing her journey in this setting was a testament to the safe, welcoming environment Wow!What? is creating.

Conclusion

I’m proud to support Wow!What? and its mission is to create forums where people of childbearing age can access culturally relevant information about health, nutrition, childbirth, and motherhood.

While there’s still work to be done before this project evolves into a full online series, Wow!What? is off to an incredible start. With more gatherings, expert speakers, and opportunities to celebrate cultural pride through food, Wow!What? is on the path to becoming something truly special.

Stay tuned for more exciting developments—and maybe join the next Corito!