Hi everyone! I’m Jacqueline but my friends call me Jackie, my family calls me Jax, and my kids call me mommy. I’m so excited to begin my journey with Miami Mom Collective.
MIAMI
I was born and raised in Miami, FL to Cuban parents. I grew up without my dad in my early years, so I relied on the wisdom of my mother and two older sisters. You could say I learned what to do, what not to do, and what I could get away with. Coming from a single-parent household, my mother fended for herself and did her best to raise three rambunctious, curious girls ready to take on the world.
As I got older and my sisters navigated their own lives, I spent many afternoons in the kitchen with my abuela. I learned to cook carne con papa, white rice, black beans, and empanadas, but only after perfecting the Cuban colada with espumita. Those afternoons always brought me back to my toddler years, when my mom had briefly remarried and stayed home, where we would spend weekends in the kitchen baking cupcakes and planning party meals together.
That’s the thing I love most about Miami, the history around every corner and the stories we share with one another; usually in the kitchen or around the dinner table.
MOM
Growing up, I was always the girl who brought cookies or brownies in Tupperware to class, to share with friends. I looked out for others and often found myself bringing stray animals home to care for. I admired the women who were role models in my life for seemingly doing it all. Only now, as a mother myself, do I realize that motherhood often means barely holding it together without letting anyone see you sweat.
In college, I knew that I wanted to start a family–and so I did. I had Rosez three days after turning 22, Vicky almost 2 years later, Casper as our Covid baby at 31, and Athena at 33; each with their own unique birth stories (we’ll save those for another day). My husband Adonys and I have been together through it all: four kids, several moves, a few pets, and most recently, my Stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis in 2024.
COLLECTIVE
As women, many of us struggle with identity over the years: first as we grow up, then as we become mothers, and in some cases in our careers. Who am I? What is my purpose? Am I a good person? We become different versions of ourselves depending on any given situation, and in the thick of it, we forget how courageous and inspiring we can be.
Finding your community can be daunting. How do you casually walk into a space with dozens of other women, approach them, and begin a friendship that adds value to your life? I’ve been that mom, more often than I care to admit.
The answer to that question is: attend any Miami Mom Collective event. This community thrives on the female voices around us willing to share their favorite recipe, their favorite go-to spot, how to get a stain out of a uniform, but most importantly, how to be your unapologetic self.
So, to you, I say welcome; and I can’t wait to get to know you! Get to know me on IG @jackiegc1014!
