Get to Know Me

What can I say about myself? I'm defined by lot's of things -- family, passion, work.

I was raised in Miami by an incredible family of Cuban and Basque blood. My grandfather owned a restaurant named Centro Vasco in 1940's Havana. My father moved the restaurant to Miami in the 60's after the Revolution. Sitting on the corner barstool, I was raised hearing all the stories from a heartbroken exile. Writer Susan Orlean wrote a lovely feature in The New Yorker detailing both buildings.

And then New York took me away. I have 17 years of experience in the Media business. I began with Senior positions at print publications -- Jane Magazine, Details Magazine, and Paper Magazine, serving in different capacities from Entertainment Editor to Promotions Director (I thrive wearing different caps). That means both Jane Pratt and Kim Hastreiter were my mentors coming up the pipe, as well as creative mothers. I've also been Dj'ing since 1995 and feel a strong affection for all the vinyl we spun in the yesteryears, although my back doesn't miss carrying them. Serrato is now my companion.

After 10 years in Print Media, I decided to take a pilgrimage back to Cuba to discover my roots and ended up creating East of Havana. I have been invited to American Universities to lecture on Cuban Youth Movements-- from Yale to University of Miami -- and encourage the conversation of improving relations between the United States and Cuba. See Arpad Busson's Cuba in Revolution panel discussion at the New York Times building moderated by Christiane Amanpour alongside other Cuba experts Jon Lee Anderson and Saul Landau. I also serve as an Ambassador for Sisters on the Planet, a movement of powerful women and men who are teaming up with Oxfam to help women around the world fight hunger, poverty, and climate change -- such as Cambodia's SRI efforts to increase crop yield. To follow my passions regarding Cuba, tune in to The Sugar Barons show every Wednesday, from 2-4pm EST on www.radiolily.com -- recorded out of Miss Lily's, New York. Expect some latin funk, cuban jazz, guajiro classics, and coffee talk on Cuba topics today.

Today, I am all about the internet. In the Fall of 2010, I helped develop and launch the Standard Culture site as well as serve as Editor and Senior Writer. The site is owned by Hotelier Andre Balazs (of Chateau Marmont & Mercer Hotel). Currently, I serve as Director of Development and Production for a new Google/YouTube channel by Pharrell Williams entitled "i am OTHER" to be launched in April 2012.

In terms of writing, I contribute to other sites such as The Fader or Nowness. I still contribute to independent print magazines such as Frank and The Last Magazine. To see more work, go to this page.

For Directing work, see "Jauretsi & Crystal" at This is Frank. Representation info: robin@thisisfrank.com or call 646.602.9688.

Jauretsi
pronounced /ha-ret-see/

Web Properties:
Sugar Barons (All Things Digital, Film, Arts & Culture)
Jauretsi is a Badass (Visual Inspiration Board)
The New Cuba