Sandy M. Fernández has been a writer and editor at Ms., Latina, Time and Teen People, among other publications. In 2003, The Washington Post hired her to create and launch the “Sunday Source,” a weekly lifestyle section aimed at readers in their 20s and 30s. Two years later, it was the paper’s fastest-growing Sunday section. Her freelance work has appeared in Elle, Salon, Outside and The New York Times, and her piece about witness memory and the justice system, “Misremembrance of Things Past,” won a media award from the National Council on Crime and Delinquency.

LIST OF ARTICLES...


Waste Not!

When I started keeping track of the uneaten veggies, fruits and leftovers we threw away each week, I was horrified. (Try it: You won't believe how much you waste.) Here's how my family learned to shop smarter, save money-- and become friends with our fridge again.
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The Conversation Every Couple Needs to Have

When Chanel Reynolds's husband died suddenly and too young, she knew nothing about his side of their financial life-- he'd never even told her his passwords. She's not going to let that happen to you.
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Join the Accountability Club

Four women let us in on the real secret to their success: each other! Their accountability club—think Weight Watchers for work goals—will inspire you to round up your own dream team.
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Girl Power

Step Up Women's Network gives young women the confidence and skills to pursue their career goals. Modern Family's Julie Bowen lends a hand.
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Sleeping With the Enemy

How Joy Lynn Bruce learned the shocking truth about her husband--and her marriage.
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Fresh Starts

When Parks and Recreation star Rashida Jones heard about the far-reaching work of the International Rescue Committee, she couldn't wait to pitch in.
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Who Is the Ether Man?

For two decades, he targeted young women, drugging and sexually assaulting them during the night. Thanks to DNA evidence, a suspect has finally been caught.
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“I Was Naked, Out in the World”

Teen sexting is happening everywhere. This is how one family survived total exposure.
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How to Make $1000 in One Weekend

Experts say every smart woman needs a side hustle right now. Try these to bring in the cash fast.
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Financial Spring Cleaning

After years of procrastination, I finally tackled all the items on my money to-do list. And the payoff was surprisingly big.
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Shades of Meaning

For one dark-haired Latina, having a blond, blue-eyed baby led to a full-blown racial identity crisis
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Held Hostage by History

Her parents rarely talked about the war that forced her family to leave Nicaragua. She had to track down an old news photo to understand why.
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Jenny's Image on the Block

Latinos Say Lopez Is Selling a Shift in Culture.
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Getting to Know You

Tell-All Sites Put Online Dater Profiles to Truth Test.
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My Nicaragua

As the world begins to discover her home country, she returns to discover a few things, too.
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Misremembrance of Things Past

Crime victims—like everyone else—often turn out to be highly unreliable in what they recall. So why are so many criminal cases built on little more, and how does the brain play such dangerous tricks?
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Bodies a la Carte

Passionate for pulchritude, Latin American women are reshaping their form through plastic surgery.
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Drawn to Trouble

When she listened to the victims of traumatic crimes, Jeanne Boylan "saw" something other sketch artists didn't—and that something often helped to catch the criminal. But what was it about these terrifying cases that made her need to get involved?
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Jailhouse Rock

Fugitive pop star Gloria Trevi and her manager, Sergio Andrade, are finally busted in Brazil.
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Toronto's Bargains

The city is surprisingly stylish and, given the exchange rate, remarkably inexpensive. Here, the best places for tabletop buys.
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Getting Wasted: The Highs & The Lows

For some of us, taking that first drink is just another rite of passage, like surviving the SATs or passing driver's ed. For others, however, it's a dangerous step in the wrong direction. Here, five kids talk about the price they paid when alcohol led them down a path of self-destruction, and what happened when they finally decided to come clean.
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Carlito's way

Carlos Leon does not want to go on a date with me. He and Latina have been hashing it out for days, and he won't say no, but he won't say yes, either, What he does is set conditions, He won't do a photo shoot, he says. He won't talk about Her. And, above all, he will not do the story that Latina wants: "A Date with Carlos Leon."
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Time 100 Innovators: The Leading Edge of Law

From artistry to insect biology and DNA testing, five exceptional professionals are among those pushing the boundaries of law enforcement in heartening ways.
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Latin America Gets Wired

In just two years, the region has become the Internet world’s Next Big Thing. It promises a gold rush and sweeping social and economic changes.
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