Stella Paolini and Mujeres Únicas: Fifth Anniversary Showcases Show’s Popularity

By Ruben Hernandez

The Mujeres Únicas radio show on 1190 AM celebrates five years of serving the Latino community this month; years filled with exciting guests, sometimes controversial but always interesting topics, community events and fundraising for charities, all delivered with charm, grace and laughter from a team of mujeres simpaticas led by Latina extraordinaire Stella Paolini.

You can hear it from Monday to Friday from 8 to 9 a.m. on station 1190 AM in the state of Arizona, and around the world through www.onda1190am.com.

Stella reveals that before Mujeres Únicas debuted, there was a lack of radio programs in Spanish, especially for Latinas. In that sense, she considers herself and her team pioneers in local radio.

“There wasn’t any show that was oriented to the Latina women or for the family in Spanish,” she ways.  “But the concept of Mujeres Únicas includes the children of Latinas and men too.”

The line-up of Mujeres Únicas has changed over the years since the show first went live on-air. Today the host line-up includes Stella, Johanna Cuevas, Rosa Macias and Martha Navarro.

Stella says the mix of topics keeps the loyal audience tuning in. “Sex education always gets the most attention, but we do everything: Education, health, immigration, beauty, entertainment, politics and more. The most controversial show we had was three years ago, when the topic was (Maricopa County) Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The interaction was very lively but very interesting.”

The Mujeres Únicas radio show has evolved over the past five years, Stella explains. “We are not just a radio show. We produce family and health fairs in the community, we produce annual awards dinner honoring community heroes. This includes a Man of the Year and Woman of the Year award. These have been well received.”

There are other goals that the Únicas team has in store for the Valley community. On May 18 they produced a presentation of Despidida de Soltera, starring local actresses, including some members of the Mujeres Únicas team.

“In Buenos Aires (Argentina) where I grew up, I remember the youth loved the arts and the culture,” Stella says. “The youth were immersed in culture such as the theater. But there is no Spanish theater in Phoenix like in Latin America. That is something we bring to our community with much love.”

However, the next phase of the Mujeres Únicas story may be the most exciting one. Stella proudly told ArizonaLatinos that the team is planning on incorporating into a Mujeres Únicas nonprofit foundation. “We want to create a foundation that would help women and men too,” Stella says.

Stella Paolini’s journey has led her down many career paths, and she has excelled in all of them.

Her biography informs that she was born and educated in Buenos Aires, She holds a Masters degree in Journalism and Human Relations. She came to the United States in 1970 and hit the Los Angeles Latino media like a spicy hot tango.

After a successful media career, journalism, marriage, motherhood and tireless work to furthering opportunities for women, Latinas in particular, Paolini started broadcasting programs on several Spanish language radio stations; she also hosted and produced the programs “Feminismo” and “Mesa Redonda” for Telemundo, and a Mexico travel segment for Univision’s “Teledia”.  As a journalist she was the founder and chief editor  of the bilingual magazine “Hola Latinoamérica” .

Paolini also wrote and produce a children’s musical play in Spanish, “Nuestro Pequeño Mundo,” which  was presented  at the Herberger Theater. Critics raved over the musical play and soon Paolini translated the production into English and staged “Our Small World” at the Orpheum and Tucson Center for the Arts theaters. Paolini also created the Tango Play “Encuentro Estelar”. For three years Paolini was the public relations Director of Prensa Hispana, Arizona’s largest distributed Spanish-language newspaper.

Having accomplished so much in her life, it’s no wonder that Stella is currently writing a book she has titled, The Art of Living.

“The success of Mujeres Únicas has been phenomenal,” Stella says, adding that she looks forward with anticipation to the future of both her personal journey and the growth of Mujeres Únicas.