Rita Moreno knows how to make a ballroom full of Latinos laugh and cry in less than an hour.
The Puerto Rican artist gave the keynote speech at the 25th annual Latina Brunch during the 2013 National Council of La Raza (NCLR) conference in New Orleans on Sunday. The renowned actress and EGOT winner -- the only Hispanic one -- spoke for an hour, engaging the audience with the tale of her arrival as a young girl to a "grey" New York, her romance-turned-obsession with Marlon Brando, and how the birth of her daughter turned her into a lioness.
The entertainer did just that -- entertain. She wove her life story into an inspiring narrative that left everyone on their feet clamoring for more. Here are a few Rita Moreno quotes that stood out:
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Some good advice:
After performing for the first time when she was 6-years-old:
About being 81 and still going strong:
About the role in "West Side Story" that changed her life:
Before You Go
1
Salma Hayek On Women's Sovereignty
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"You can be a thousand different women. It's your choice which one you want to be. It's about freedom and sovereignty. You celebrate who you are. You say, 'This is my kingdom.'" --Salma Hayek, Actress and Activist
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J. Lo On Self-Love
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"If you don't love yourself, you can't love anybody else. And I think as women we really forget that."--Jennifer Lopez, Singer and ActressPHOTO: Actress Jennifer Lopez arrives at the premiere of FilmDistrict's 'Parker' at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on January 24, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
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Sonia Sotomayor On Wise Latinas
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“I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.” --Justice Sonia Sotomayor, First Hispanic Justice on the U.S. Supreme CourtPHOTO: US Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor speaks during a Commonwealth Club event at Herbst Theatre on January 28, 2013 in San Francisco, California. Sotomayor spoke in conversation with Stanford law school dean Mary Elizabeth Magill at the Commonwealth Club as she promotes her new book 'My Beloved World' (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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Evita Perón On Women's Rights And Strength
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“I demanded more rights for women because I know what women had to put up with.” “I know that, like every woman of the people, I have more strength than I appear to have.” --Eva Perón, First Lady of Argentina (1946 - 1952)http://bellavidabyletty.blogspot.com/2012/02/feminist-quotes-from-strong-latinas.html
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Julia Alvarez On Women And Change
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"Men often say that women change their minds too much. I say they sometimes don't change them enough. I mean changing their state of mind, their attitudes, their outlook, their expectations, their consciousness - most of all, about themselves and what is possible in their lives." --Julia Alvarez, Dominican poet and novelist
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Gloria Estefan On Women Who Can Do It All
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"My mom was a source of strength. She showed me by example that women, regardless of how difficult life may get, can do it all."--Gloria Estefan, SingerPHOTO: Recording artist Gloria Estefan performs during CW's 'The Next' Taping at The Orpheum Theatre on October 4, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
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7
NASA Astronaut Ellen Ochoa On Milestones
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“This was the last astronaut job that was not (yet) done by a woman. Now with this milestone we can focus on the fact that what is important to succeed in life, it does not matter whether you are a man or a woman.”--Ellen Ochoa, First Hispanic female astronautPHOTO: 155640 10: NASA astronaut Ellen Ochoa during training at Vance Air Force base in Houston, TX., 1993. (Photo by NASA/Liaison)
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Chilean Writer Isabel Allende On Women
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“A man does what he can; a woman does what a man cannot.” ― Isabel Allende, from Inés of My Soul “
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Dolores Huerta On Survival
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“Among poor people, there's not any question about women being strong -- even stronger than men -- they work in the fields right along with the men. When your survival is at stake, you don't have these questions about yourself like middle-class women do.” --Dolores Huerta, Co-founder of the United Farm Workers unionPHOTO: Civil rights and women's advocate Dolores Huerta is presented with a Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. President Barack Obama during an East Room event May 29, 2012 at the White House in Washington, DC. The Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, is presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
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10
Shakira On Women's Rights
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“I always believed that women have rights and that there are some women that are intelligent enough to claim those rights. There are some others that are stupid enough not to.”--Shakira, Singer and ActivistPHOTO: Colombian singer Shakira (C) greets children upon arrival for the launching of the 'Primero es lo primero' programme, in Cartagena on April 12, 2012. Shakira will take part in the VI Summit of the Americas to take place on April14 and 15. (Photo credit should read MANUEL PEDRAZA/AFP/Getty Images)
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Sofia Vergara On Women And Respect
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"I guess at the end of the day, all women like to be appreciated and treated with respect and kindness." --Sofia Vergara, ActressPHOTO: Nick Loeb, left, and Sofia Vergara pose in the audience at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)
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Brazilian Presiden Dilma Rousseff On "Women Can"
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"I hope the fathers and mothers of little girls will look at them and say 'yes, women can.'"--Dilma Rousseff, First woman to be elected President of Brazil.PHOTO: Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff takes part in the meeting of the Economic and Social Development Council, at Planalto Palace, in Brasilia, on February 27, 2013. AFP PHOTO/Pedro LADEIRA (Photo credit should read PEDRO LADEIRA/AFP/Getty Images)
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13
Michelle Bachelet On Sinning
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“I am a woman, a socialist, separated and agnostic - all the sins together.”--Michelle Bachelet, Former President of Chile and current Executive Director of UN Women. PHOTO: The Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women Michelle Bachelet delivers a speech during the Women Leaders Summit, within the framework of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 21, 2012. World leaders attending the UN summit in Rio weighed steps to root out poverty and protect the environment as thousands of activists held several protests to denounce Amazon rainforest deforestation, the plight of indigenous peoples and the 'green economy' being advocated at the UN gathering. AFP PHOTO / EVARISTO SA (Photo credit should read EVARISTO SA/AFP/GettyImages)
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CFK On Women In Society
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"Our society needs women to be more numerous in decision-making positions and in entrepreneurial areas. We always have to pass a twofold test: first to prove that, though women, we are no idiots, and second, the test anybody has to pass.” --Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Current President of Argentina.PHOTO: Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner waves upon her arrival for the Summit of Heads of State of Mercosur and Associated States, at Itamaraty Palace, Brasília on December 7, 2012. (Photo credit should read PEDRO LADEIRA/AFP/Getty Images)
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Penélope Cruz On Being "The Pretty Woman"
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"The most difficult thing in the world is to start a career known only for your looks, and then to try to become a serious actress. No one will take you seriously once you are known as the pretty woman."--Penélope Cruz, Actress PHOTO: Spanish actress Penelope Cruz poses during the photocall of 'Venuto al Mondo' on November 5, 2012 at a hotel in Rome. 'Venuto al Mondo' is directed by Italian actor and film director Sergio Castellitto. (Photo credit should read TIZIANA FABI/AFP/Getty Images)
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16
America Ferrera On Curves
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"I think Hispanic women are beautiful with their curves. I'm not sure who feels that way in Hollywood. I was never told to lose 50 pounds. If they think that they just don't bother with you. You just don't get the role and you never know why. That's still better than physically harming yourself and becoming unhealthy just to star in a movie." --America Ferrera, Actress
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Journalist María Elena Salinas On What Women Want
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"What do women want? Time." --María Elena Salinas, journalist, authors, Univision Network AnchorPHOTO: Co-host Maria Elena Salinas sits with US President Barack Obama during a break in a taping of Univision News's 'Meet the Candidates' at the University of Miami September 20, 2012 in Coral Gables, Florida. Obama is traveling to Florida for the day to participate in a taping for Univision in Miami before attending a campaign event in Tampa. (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/GettyImages)
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Jenni Rivera On The "Ugly Things"
AP
"I am a woman like any other and ugly things happen to me like any other women." --Jenni Rivera, Singer and Actress.
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19
Christina Aguilera On Being Assertive And Sensual
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"I think women are sensual, beautiful beings, and I feel empowered when I express myself sexually." --Christina Aguilera, Singer "If you are a woman and you're assertive and you want to get the job done, you're a bitch. If you're a guy, you're just assertive." --Christina Aguilera, singer.
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Zoe Saldaña On Latina Pride
AP
“People think of Latina women as being fiery and fierce, which is usually true. But I think the quality that so many Latinas possess is strength. I’m very proud to have Latin blood.” --Zoe Saldaña, Actress.
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Jessica Alba On Women Paving Their Own Path
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"Young women should pave their own path. I find it quite confining to live up to anybody else's expectations of who you should be."--Jessica Alba, ActressPHOTO: Jessica Alba attends the Stella McCartney Fall/Winter 2013 Ready-to-Wear show as part of Paris Fashion Week on March 4, 2013 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
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