Hispanic Breast Cancer Survivor Motivational Speaker
Mayte is a television and radio host, author, motivational speaker, breast cancer survivor, and one of the most prominent Hispanic advocates for women and health issues in the country today. The same qualities that had helped her climb to success in the Hispanic media have also granted her the opportunity to be a source of inspiration for thousands of people around the world.
Mayte is a true personification of some important key words: hope, positivism, joy, and enthusiasm. She has a captivating energy, love and a deep desire to live every moment of her life to the fullest. Having faced difficult obstacles in her life, Mayte has learned firsthand the fragility and vulnerability of life. She shares the most intimate details of her painful experiences by transmitting the intensity of her every day living.
Mayte confirms that her most important role in life is to be a mother. To her, her children Tommy and Isabella have been her source of strength. The privilege of being a mother has been her biggest satisfaction.
Her most difficult challenges have been her battles with cancer (breast, lung and uterine) and most recently, the battle of her daughter Isabella against thyroid cancer. She combines her media visibility and her love for life with her work with different health programs and organizations that develop awareness and better health qualities for women and Hispanics in the US.
Mayte’s life is a motivational example. She is considered a true WARRIOR. She knows firsthand the fragility and vulnerability of life. She describes some of her life changing patterns in her book Keeping the Faith, how to transform your life and start again (Con Fe, como transformar la vida y empezar de Nuevo). Mayte feels fortunate and blessed and has learned to transform her adversities into opportunities of spiritual growth.
Mayte Prida was born in Mexico City and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Our Lady of the Lake in San Antonio, TX. She has two adult children and is currently living in Los Angeles, CA.
Professional Background:
Mayte’s professional journey started almost 25 years ago. Mayte began her career as a local reporter for KWEX channel 41 in San Antonio, TX. Soon after, she began anchoring the evening news and was responsible for the national news breaks on the SIN (now Univision) Network.
In 1987 Mayte was recruited by KMEX channel 34 in Los Angeles and at the age of 24 she became the youngest news anchor in the largest Hispanic market in the country. Continuing her ascending career, she began co-producing and co-hosting the national show America (Univision).
Once she had reached one of the top Hispanic positions in the news media, she looked for new challenges and she decided to re-invent herself in a more creative way. Mayte landed a record deal and became the first Hispanic female rapper in the country. The curiosity among her audience played a big role. Her adoring fans couldn’t wait to see firsthand the transformation from a serious newscaster to a rapper.
After a couple of years, and having started her own family, Mayte decided to re-invent herself again by creating, producing and hosting children’s television.
“El Mundo de Mayte / The World of Mayte” allowed her to do a crossover to general market. The show had a very successful run in the top US markets with FOX television network through SilverKing communications. Her success helped her to produce and host shows such as “A Mayte Xmas” for PBS.
Soon after that, The International Football Channel approached Mayte to host and produce the series Fútbol con Mayte which aired in the US and all over Latin America. This show gave Mayte and her team the opportunity to travel all over Latin America interviewing and playing with the top soccer players in the world.
In 2001 adversity struck Mayte after being diagnosed with breast cancer in an advanced stage at the age of 38. She wrote her ordeal in her first book and documentary A Difficult Journey, My Battle with Cancer and documented her first year fighting the disease with the hopes of helping other women affected by cancer.
Since then she began a new career of her own. She got herself involved in different women oriented organizations as well as health issues for minorities. In 2004 Ford Motor Co. named her Hispanic spokesperson for their national Breast Health Awareness campaign and she began travelling all over the country as a motivational speaker. In 2006, The Pharmaceutical Research Manufactures of America (PhRMA) named Mayte their first Hispanic spokesperson. She began a national tour as part of their minorities outreach efforts with their patient assistance program PPA.
Mayte has been invited to Capitol Hill to speak on behalf of the Health Disparities Bill and is currently involved in the creation of several initiatives that will improve the medical and health issues of Hispanics in this country.
In 2010 The National Honey Board hired Mayte as their National Hispanic Spokesperson in an effort to educate consumers about the importance of adding 100% pure honey to their diet. The campaign was a success.
Currently Mayte participates as a motivational speaker for several TV and Radio outlets in the country; she co-hosts the National TV show Viva su Segunda Juventu, does TV specials such as Faces of the Crisis, Hosts her own Radio Show “Arriba con Mayte” and is busy heading the Foundation that bears her name.
