Virtual Book Club Meeting: "Handbook for an Unpredictable Life" by Rosie Perez

Greetings Mocha Girls,

I hope this message finds you well.

I'm sure you are all well aware of the precautions being taken as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Many venues are canceling events to reduce the risk of spreading the disease. To this end, we had to cancel our face-to-face meeting.

In the meantime, we will still have a discussion with you about Rosie Perez's book. Please join us on Zoom where we will have our discussion virtually.

Stephanie is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Mocha Girls Read Virtual Book Club Meeting
Time: Apr 11, 2020 03:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

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Meeting ID: 857 459 020
Password: 825710

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Mocha Girl Stephanie
San Diego Chapter Organizer

Synopsis

Oscar-nominated actress Rosie Perez’s never-before-told story of surviving a harrowing childhood and of how she found success—both in and out of the Hollywood limelight.

Rosie Perez first caught our attention with her fierce dance in the title sequence of Do the Right Thing and has since defined herself as a funny and talented actress who broke boundaries for Latinas in the film industry. What most people would be surprised to learn is that the woman with the big, effervescent personality has a secret straight out of a Dickens novel. At the age of three, Rosie’s life was turned upside down when her mentally ill mother tore her away from the only family she knew and placed her in a Catholic children’s home in New York’s Westchester County. Thus began her crazily discombobulated childhood of being shuttled between “the Home,” where she and other kids suffered all manners of cruelty from nuns, and various relatives’ apartments in Brooklyn.
Many in her circumstances would have been defined by these harrowing experiences, but with the intense determination that became her trademark, Rosie overcame the odds and made an incredible life for herself. She brings her journey vividly to life on each page of this memoir—from the vibrant streets of Brooklyn to her turbulent years in the Catholic home, and finally to film and TV sets and the LA and New York City hip-hop scenes of the 1980s and ‘90s.

More than a page-turning read, Handbook for an Unpredictable Life is a story of survival. By turns heartbreaking and funny, it is ultimately the inspirational story of a woman who has found a hard-won place of strength and peace.

About the Author

Rosa María Perez (born September 6, 1964) is an American actress, singer, community activist, talk show host, author, dancer, and choreographer. Her film breakthrough performance was her portrayal of Tina in Spike Lee‘s Do the Right Thing (1989), which she followed with White Men Can’t Jump (1992). Among many honors, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Fearless (1993) as well as three Emmy Awards for her work as a choreographer on In Living Color (1990–1994). Perez has also performed in stage plays on Broadway, such as The Ritz, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, and Fish in the Dark. In addition, she was a co-host on the ABC talk show The View during the series’ 18th season.