‘Real Housewives of Miami' Stars Honor Their Latin Roots for Hispanic Heritage Month

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, two South Florida women, best known for their roles on Bravo's "Real Housewives of Miami," are opening doors for others in the Latinx community by sharing their experiences.

Alexia Nepola and Marysol Patton are famous for their roles on Peacock’s reality TV show, but before they were in the national spotlight, they faced multiple challenges and made their imprint on South Florida as successful businesswomen.

Nepola was born and raised in Miami-Dade. Her parents came to the U.S. from Cuba to give their family a better life.

“I feel that I’m so resilient because of my parents,” Nepola said. “I had the example of two Cuban parents that never gave up, that had so much adversity and challenges in their lives, but they never took no for an answer."

But Nepola is not just a reality star. She is also a mother, a wife, and a successful business owner.

Her career started out as a special education teacher, but she took a leave from teaching to start a magazine entitled "Venue."

At the magazine, Nepola served as executive editor, combining her love of education with fashion, reading and writing.

“I try to always do the best that i can, I’ve never taken no for an answer, I’m very stubborn,” Nepola said.

Today, she owns her own beauty bar in Miami and said that is where her passion is now – opening a business together with her son Frankie who was involved in a traumatic car accident in 2011.

Nepola wants other Latinas just like her to fight for their goals, no matter what obstacles may come.

“Keep fighting for who you are, who you want to be," Nepola said. "Keep your head high."

Also staying true to her Latin roots on and off camera is Marysol Patton.

Patton was raised by her Cuban mother her father from Connecticut and said her upbringing in Miami showed her the best of both worlds.

“I’ve seen all the different people who have had to move here from their countries growing up," Patton said. “They had to leave and start over. That’s one of the things that helped shape me because I had to learn so many different things about so many different cultures and with so many different friends and so many different places. These are the people that have helped me in my business.”

Patton served as the director of special events for the Jackson Memorial Hospital Foundation before taking a leap of faith to open her own public relations firm called the Patton Group.

She told NBC 6 she always made it a point to give her employees opportunities and encourage them to do anything they put their mind to.

“Just keep pushing. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are from, or your education," Patton said. "I didn’t even study PR. It was just something I figured out how to do. I ended up being good at it and I ran with it."

Both ladies, who are best friends, said they love being able to showcase Miami’s Hispanic culture on a national platform.