The Latina, the geek, and the mother in me was excited as I spoke to Adriana Ocampo, a Space Geologist at NASA. What Ocampo does and how she got to where is provides an inspirational story for Latinas--and our children.

Ocampo, born in Baranquilla, Colombia and raised in Argentina, before moving to the U.S. at 14, leads programs for space exploration missions to Jupiter, Pluto, and other faraway places in our universe. Mind-boggling, I know! When she lived in Argentina, she was denied entrance to a school because it was only for boys. Shortly after, her family arrived in Pasadena, CA, not too far from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Like any newcomer, she struggled to learn English. Still, Ocampo was determined to succeed and work for NASA.

Jessica Alba, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Perhaps, I'm the last to jump on the Jessica Alba is awesome bandwagon, but better late than never. The more I learn about this beautiful actor, mom, author, entrepreneur, and eco-friendly business pioneer, the more I come to admire her.

The latest thing Alba did to make me fall in love with her is bravely declaring that mothers should stop judging each other. OMG, thank you, Jessica! Enough is enough, so just knock it off you mother judgers!

The most popular conversations among the members of the mamaslatinas.com community are "I want to lose weight" and "I feel depressed, sad or lonely." This is especially true among Spanish speaking Latinas. The issue of losing weight is something that has dominated my life since I had my children over 17 years ago. My weight goes up and down like a yoyo. In the last six months, prompted by other mamás Latinas and an acid reflux diagnosis, I have lost over 12 pounds!

It's Martin Luther King Day, a time to pay tribute to the iconic leader that spurred the civil rights movement and created lasting change in society.

His legacy has long since been an inspiration to many, including leaders of the Latino community who have followed in his footsteps to make a difference of their world. Hispanic activities like Dolores Huertas and Cesar Chavez shared Martin Luther King Jr.'s commitment to improving the lives of others and giving a voice to many who had no way of speaking out.

So, in honor of the holiday, here are four Latino icons who were inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. and his work:

It's almost 2013! And as we approach the end of this year and the beginning of a new one, it's the perfect time to look back and reflect on all of the great moments we have experienced as a community in the past few months. Latina moms have done bigger and better things more this year than ever before. From having being one of the most influential voices in the election to watching our favorite celebs mark some major milestones to celebrating our first ever MamásLatinas Awards here, we are proud to say that our Latina mommies have had some pretty major moments--and there's more to come!

Below, check out 10 of our favorite Latina mom moments of 2012 and get inspired for next year!

The Sandy Hook elementary shooting was one of the most tragic and horrific incidents the nation has ever seen. Innocent lives were lost--and even more tragically most of the victims were little children. One of the kids who was killed in the massacre was 6-year-old Ana Grace Marquez-Greene. The niece of a Puerto Rican mayor, she's being remembered as a lively and generous spirit who was always ready to be selfless and giving. Now her family is asking for the public to live life the way their daughter did: Her loving nature has inspired her parents to encourage the public to commit selfless acts of kindness in memory of Ana.

The world is still reeling from Friday's horrific massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. But as authorities slowly release more information as to what exactly happened on that terrible day, we are also learning of the incredible teachers that sacrificed their lives for the sake of their students.

The story of 27-year-old Latina Victoria Soto, a first-grader teacher at Sandy Hook, is one of the most heroic and heartwrenching to emerge from the tragedy. Soto reportedly hid  her students in a closet and acted as a shield between her kids and the shooter. She died following her instincts to bravely protect the students she so adored.

Her story has resonated with millions of people who have taken to social media to urge others to tell others of her incredibly selfless final act. Today, we're also paying tribute to her by adding her name to a list of amazing Latino heroes who have also touched our heart with their tales of courage:

Image via Handout