Carmelita

A native Angeleno, of multicultural and artistic heritage, she was a child protégée beginning her artistic journey by age four as a visual artist, then becoming a self taught classical pianist by age nine, vocalist and Manipuri dancer. She was awarded the Ross Spayne Perry art scholarship at U.S.C. during the exhibition of her art work at Fisher Gallery. She graduated with a B.F.A. from U.S.C., and later received a Master of Science Degree from Pepperdine. She became a L.A.U.S.D. premier art instructor guiding numerous students to receive art scholarships and awards for many years.

Her plans include completing her mother's unfinished manuscripts of children's stories and poetry as well as her own works.

A member of Artists for a Better World, Sharing Friends of the Arts, the Hollywood Arts Council, she also was a founding member of the Pre-Grammy Gala, is founder of the Rose Breast Cancer Society, a 501.c3 non-profit organization in memory of her mother Juanita Zara Espinosa Uddin, who cultivated roses. Carmelita has vowed to fight breast cancer through the arts, and uses the rose and rising Phoenix bird as a symbol of hope that women and men may grow a full and fruitful life. Her work has been recognized by Mayor James Hahn with a commendation 2005 and Congresswoman Diane Watson of the House of Congress. The Celebrity Centre International will host the 9th Annual Rose Variety Arts Show benefit for the Rose Breast Cancer Society to be held the first Sunday May 7, 2006.