Nellie Cruz has been singing songs since the age 13 when she stood on her cousin’s desk and found out that she could actually sing. Oddly enough Nellie was never chosen for any choir or group until after she entered her Church youth group and people began to ask her to sing for different events. At one point anytime her community needed anyone to sing the National Anthem Nellie would be the first one called. By age 26 Nellie had already begun to sing with the ever youthful and renowned "Who Do You Say I AM?" having been one of its founding memebers. After touring for four years with the group Nellie began to feel called into ministry that would be geared toward women and their unique place in the Church and the world. That calling led to writing a proposal for Oregon Catholic Press in the hopes of beginning a ministry that would rely on music and testimony to reach young women. The result of this endeavor was "Daughters of God" of SpiritandSong.com. The all Catholic women singing group took World Youth Day in Toronto by storm in 2002 and began to reach the hearts of not only women but men as well. At the present Nellie still sings with her sisters (The Daughters) but has begun her first solo ministry. Her new CD released on September 8, 2007 is called "Welcome to Daughterhood" and is a true reflection of her journey as a daughter of Eve and a Daughter of Mary. Nellie says that "being a Daughter of God means doing what Pope Benedict XVI mentioned in his All Saints Day homily in 2005 ’to completely fulfill who we already are...’ and to to embrace it."Besides traveling nationally at conferences, retreats, parish missions, and rallies relaying the message that every human person has dignity because of their origin and being created in the image and likeness of God, Nellie is also a Masters level Social Worker licensed to do Trauma Focused Therapy with women and chidlren. Nellie considers this an important part of her over all ministry. Nellie provides counseling services to families (mostly women and children) who have been impacted by traumatic life events. Nellie works with the "poorest of the poor" those who live in the most economically depressed areas of the East and West sides of Cleveland. Nellie says that "doing this work requires deep and continual prayer for yourself and those you serve" and that "trauma affects your ability to completely trust in God due to the woundedness that it causes." Nellie’s ministry through spoken word, therapy, and song incorporates a healing demension since emotional wounds run deeper than physical ones.Nellie was just recently married to a wonderful man (you’re the best Neukle!) and hopes to bring children into the world some day.
