Author Interview: Dinorah Nieves, Ph.D. for Hispanic Heritage Month
Favorite failures, confessions, curiosities, and advice
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I’m excited to feature Dinorah Nieves, Ph.D., a proud New York Latina. “Dr. D,” as she’s affectionately known, blends academic training, experience, and intuition with an urban, witty, and relatable style. This has made her a sought-after expert, appearing on ABC’s “The Chew,” WE TV’s “Braxton Family Values,” OWN TV’s “Iyanla Fix My Life,” and A&E’s “Hoarders.”
Nieves is a behavioral scientist with an MA in Communications, an MS in Psychology, and a PhD in Sociology and holds a doctoral specialization in race and ethnic studies, reflecting her commitment to addressing issues of diversity and inclusion.
Currently, Dr. Nieves serves as an Assistant Professor of Liberal Arts specializing in Social/Behavioral Science and Communications at Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design. In addition to her academic role, Dinorah shares her expertise through capacity-building workshops, television consultancy, and digital media.
She’s the author of a series of self-help works, including Love YOU: 12 Ways to Be Who You Love & Love Who You Are, Love YOU: The Latina Edition, Love YOU: The Workbook, and Love YOU: The Journal. Find her at www.DinorahNieves.com.
Catch her TONIGHT as the featured expert in Hoarders on A&E at 8 pm EST! Tune in if you can.
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
My parents are both of Puerto Rican descent and that has had a huge impact on my life. I grew up visiting the island often and have a strong connection to its people, music, food and culture. Having African, European and Indigenous ancestry means that in addition to Caribbean culture, my perspective is fed by a diverse tapestry of heritages, struggles, strengths and influences. I love having the opportunity to celebrate the rich cultural landscape that informs my identity and the contributions that others like me have made to society.
Can you tell us when and where your author journey began?
I must’ve been about eight or nine years old when I began writing poems and putting them together into a book that I titled “Tears From Heaven.” I think it was then that I first thought, “I wonder if other people might also enjoy reading these”…? The journey was rather winding from then. I remember stapling pieces of paper together and creating small books way into adolescence… then there was my dissertation at 31 and then a series of self-help books that I put out afterward. But it was definitely in childhood that I first had the inspiration to share with others what I had written down.
Is there any one thing that stands out as the most pivotal moment in your journey as an author?
Believe it or not, there is no one thing. Part of my emotional work in life has been to learn and accept that there may never actually be “one thing“ that matters more than anything else. My journey is truly a series of small and big things that intertwine and disguise themselves - one as the other. But in everything, big or small, there is a story. And that is the greatest gift for me… because I am a writer.
What is a favorite failure or most surprising success? It could be a failure that taught you the most, ultimately leading to later success.
Again, I cannot say that one thing stands out. But there certainly is one time period. In my early 20s, I went through a very sad phase of life - nothing seemed to go my way, my romantic relationships were toxic, and my career seemed stuck. I played with the idea of doing television back then, but doors were slammed shut. I think about it now when I do television, and I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to speak to broader audiences now that I have something helpful to say. And I learned over the decades that sometimes we have a vision of ourselves that we may need more time to step into. There’s wisdom in patience. I wanted to be heard before I had anything helpful to say. Now, 20 years later, I’m grateful that I had the space to grow into my gifts and that my contributions and my opportunities are able to align.
What's your biggest confession? Readers are sometimes shocked to learn something about an author. For example, some authors hate writing, others still hand-write their manuscripts, and others speak their entire book into an audio recorder and have it transcribed. What is it for you?
I don’t love to read. It’s taken me a long time to get to an age and a place in my career where I can admit that without shame. I felt for so long that a writer should love to read, and that a learned person should appreciate books. But I’m actually a slow reader that often has trouble focusing on the written word, and so it has never been my favorite activity. I love books because I love learning, but I’ve never quite made peace with the actual reading part of reading.
What are you currently curious about and spending time learning?
I am fascinated by human behavior, in all it’s beautiful and strange forms. A few times a week, I go down a research rabbit hole regarding some term that I heard or saw that I couldn’t resist investigating more deeply. This morning it was nonverbal affect attunement which is all about the ability to pick up on and respond to others’ nonverbal communication.
BONUS: What is one book you recommend the most to people?
Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch. I recommend it often even to people who are non-religious or skeptics regarding the book’s premise. I find it to be calibrating in ways that extend beyond spiritual belief.
