It happened in Miami, in Coral Gables, a great big ol' Cuban wedding. It was pretty intense.

I was a teacher for a long time. I taught at a community college: voice, theory, humanities. And nowadays, music education is a dying thing. Funding is being cut more and more and more.

I might be a Cuban American, but I'm also an Afro-Cuban American.

I'm a big believer in education, period.

A real active music set, based and really concentrated on what the music's all about. That's what I'm all about - singing and a really good strong music set.

If there was any other place I would live, other than Miami, it would be California. It's beautiful. The weather is just gorgeous, I love being here, too.

I have a bachelor's and a master's in jazz.

I write in English first, and then I translate to Spanish. I've always felt more comfortable with the English side of things first.

So, when I got the contract for my album, even though it was an English record, my manager insisted on making sure we would record in Spanish as well, and it worked out really well for me.

Even before I became a recording artist, I did other things in music. I was a teacher, I did studio work, and I was an arranger and a producer.

This record has a lot of influences that I'd love to cover, like Marvin Gaye and Earth, Wind and Fire. Maybe I'll do some covers of my major influences during my live show.

Life is a lifetime opportunity to make the right choice to be great.

if you are not a fan of great consumer service, then you are not a fan of business ultimately not making you a fan of money.

I've always been about the power of a woman - accentuating the positive, deleting the negative, whether you're talking her body, her voice or her leadership.

There is no index of character so sure as the voice.

When a man is not amused, he feels an involuntary contempt for those who are.

Put all your rage and madness into your work and live as orderly a life as possible.

Women in politics are more honest and forthright. We are not in it for the ego gratification.

I face my future peacefully and calmly because I know I am enough

The outgoing and spontaneous person that the world knew while I was boxing was a persona that I created to sell tickets and promote my career. In my private life, I am quiet and reflective by nature.

And children, if your parents haven't been teaching you what it means to be an American, let 'em know and nail 'em on it. That would be a very American thing to do.