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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Patricia Velasquez Celebrates the Release of<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><i><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Straight Walk: A Supermodel’s Journey To Finding Her Truth</span></i></b><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">With Star-Studded Event at No. 8 in NYC<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Straight Walk</span></i></b><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> is Out Now
via Post Hill Press</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Kicks Off Paddle8 Auction Featuring Rare Photo by Sante D’Orazio
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">All Proceeds Benefitting Broadway Cares/Equity Fight AIDS<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><a href="http://paddle8.com/auction/broadwaycares">PRESS HERE</a> for More Information<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><img border="0" width="470" height="313" id="Picture_x0020_5" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D046C0.F0DF1000" alt="E72A1053"></span></b><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Iman, Patricia Velasquez, and Jay Manuel at No. 8 for the
<i>Straight Walk</i> Release Party <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">(Photo Credit: Debora Spencer)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><img border="0" width="468" height="312" id="Picture_x0020_4" src="cid:image004.jpg@01D046C0.F0DF1000" alt="E72A1157"></span></b><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Straight Walk</span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> Party at No. 8 in NYC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">(Photo Credit: Debora Spencer)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Latina supermodel, businesswoman, actress, and philanthropist
<b>Patricia Velasquez </b>celebrated the release of her first book <b><i>Straight Walk: A Supermodel’s Journey To Finding Her Truth
</i></b>(out now via <b>Post Hill Press</b>) with a fabulous party at NYC’s renowned
<b>No. 8</b>. Notable attendees included <b>Iman, Jay Manuel, GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis and more</b>.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">To mark the release of her personal memoir, Patricia Velasquez has launched an auction on
<b>Paddle8</b> featuring a rare photograph of her taken by <b>Sante D’Orazio</b>, featured on the book’s back cover (see image below), along with some other fantastic items with all proceeds benefitting
<b>Broadway Cares/Equity Fight AIDS</b>. <a href="http://paddle8.com/auction/broadwaycares">
PRESS HERE</a> for more information. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">In
<i>Straight Walk</i>, Velasquez recalls firsthand her remarkable career and compelling coming out story. While poignantly recounting how she worked to lift her family out of poverty, Patricia shares a message of compassion and acceptance, hoping to empower
others to realize their own potential. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Straight-Walk-Supermodels-Journey-Finding/dp/1618689355">
PRESS HERE</a> to purchase <i>Straight Walk</i> on <b>Amazon.</b> <span style="color:black">
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><img border="0" width="230" height="309" id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image006.jpg@01D046C0.F0DF1000" alt="Patricia Smaller Photo"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Photo by Sante D’Orazio<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">About Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS helps ensure that the most vulnerable among us receive life-saving medication and health care, nutritious meals, counseling and emergency financial assistance.
Broadway Cares awards annual grants to more than 450 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide and the HIV/AIDS Initiative, the Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative and the Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic of The Actors Fund. In 2014, BC/EFA awarded
more than $10.6 million in grants to AIDS and family service organizations in all 50 states throughout the country. broadwaycares.org<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">About Patricia Velasquez</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Patricia Velasquez was a runway model for Chanel, Gucci, and Carolina Herrera. She has appeared on countless magazine covers including
<i>Cosmopolitan </i>and <i>Latina, </i>and posed for <i>Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition
</i>and<i> Victoria’s Secret </i>several times. Her acting credits include box-office successes such as
<i>The Mummy </i>and <i>The Mummy Returns. S</i>he has starred in and produced many independent films including
<i>Liz in September. </i>Her numerous television credits include <i>Ugly Betty, CSI: Miami, Arrested Development, Rescue Me, Ed, and American Family
</i>among others. A career highlight for Velasquez was starring in the lead role of
<i>School of the Americas, </i>a play produced by Philip Seymour Hoffman for the Public Theater in New York.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Velasquez also built and runs
<i>The Wayuu Taya Foundation, </i>which is dedicated to improving the living conditions of Latin American indigenous groups while maintaining respect their culture. She is also a UNESCO Artist for Peace and has been frequently recognized for her charity work
by multiple organizations including the United Nations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">A savvy entrepreneur, at HSN, Velasquez launched a line of organic hair care products called Taya Beauty, using ingredients from the indigenous communities
of the Amazon through environmentally friendly and sustainable programs. She lives in Los Angeles and New York.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><img border="0" width="191" height="271" id="_x0000_i1026" src="cid:image008.jpg@01D046C0.F0DF1000"></span></b><i><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Straight Walk: A Supermodel’s Journey to Finding Her Truth</span></i><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Patricia Velasquez<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Published by Post Hill Press<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">February 10, 2015<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Hardcover/$27<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">ISBN: 9781618689351<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">For more information, please contact PRESS HERE:</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Joey Primero / Sarah Usher – 212.246.2640<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><a href="mailto:joey@pressherepublicity.com" target="_blank">joey@pressherepublicity.com</a> /
<a href="mailto:sarah@presshereproductions.com" target="_blank">sarah@presshereproductions.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:black">Joey Primero</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#C00000">PRESS HERE </span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:black">(New York)</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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