Memorable March

Celebrities from Massachusetts born in March

By: Daishaly Rodriguez

March is named after the Roman God, Mars. Similar to Roman Gods, celebrities are treated very highly, some would say, as royalty. Could you imagine someone in your town being the next big hit? It could happen to any of us! In this list, I will be telling you about some celebrities that come from Massachusetts.

Jasmine Guy is a director, actress, and dancer. She was born on March 10 and is from Boston, Massachusetts. Guy is most famous for her role in “A Different World” as Whitely Gilbert. She even won an NAACP image award for her role in the show. Guy was also in a show called “Harlem Nights” as Dominique La Rue where she acted alongside Eddie Murphy. Later on, she released an R&B album in 1990 called “Jasmine Guy”. This album ranked 38 on the R&B charts and still has many supporters. Jasmine's work continues to make waves in people's lives even years later. Reviewer Tom Kotz states, “Decades later this CD remains in constant rotation in my collection.”

Jasmine Guy’s acting talents are used in more ways than one. Guy has done work to help embrace and preserve Black history as an actress. She was a part of “Alex Haley's Queen,” a series about a woman named Queen who discovers she can pass as white and she begins to explore how she could use it as a way to escape racism. Guy was also involved with a film recording of 1930 ex-slave narratives. She used her acting experience to share the truth about the Black experience throughout the 1900s . Guy is not only an actress but is also a writer, she wrote an autobiography on Tupac Shakur's mother titled, “Afeni Shakur: The Evolution of Revolution.” Guy did things she cared about through all of her talents, similar to how Black entrepreneurs do today! Make sure to follow Jasmine Guy @IamJasmineGuy on Instagram for more about her!

Nicky Jam or Nick Rivera Camireo was born on March 17th and is from Lawrence, Massachusetts. Nicky Jam is a popular reggaeton and rap artist known worldwide. He is Puerto Rican and Dominican. Nicky Jam is best known for his songs “ El Amante”, “X” and “Travesuras.” He has collaborated with artists such as Daddy Yankee, J Balvin, and Anuel AA. You may be asking yourself, how did he get to such a high position of success? Nicky Jam began rapping in 1992 at the age of 14. When he began his first job as a cashier at a grocery store he would constantly practice at work and eventually got the attention of customers. Nicky Jam found his come up through constant practice and overall passion. You can follow Nicky Jam @NickyJam on Instagram.

Marcia Cross was born in Marlborough Massachusetts on March 25. She is an actress that has starred in soap operas such as, “The Edge of Night,” “Another World,” and “One Life to Live” and was also on “Desperate Housewives.” Marcia Cross has been nominated for three golden globe awards for best actress in a musical or comedy. She was also nominated for a primetime Emmy for Outstanding actress in a comedy series. Cross had an interest in dance and performing arts from a young age. In her adolescence, she took piano and dance lessons. After high school at Marlborough High, she was accepted into Julliard and attended and graduated with a B.F.A. in acting. She found her passion and worked to live her dream.

Marcia Cross was diagnosed with anal cancer in November 2017. This was the start of her involvement with activism. She publicly came out with her diagnosis,and knew she wanted to find a way to help those in a similar position as her. She had a deep involvement and sense of responsibility to represent people with anal cancer and illnesses similar to it. She worked to normalize and advocate for HPV. Cross has thankfully been in remission since 2018. She is still extremely passionate about advocating for HPV and continues to speak out and normalize it. Get more involved with Marcia Cross on her Instagram @reallymarcia

Tips for vendors

Ask the expert: gift baskets