Hella Latin@

Hella Latin@ is a platform for Latinos to tell their story and share their unique, emotional and empowering experiences that come with being both Latino/a/x and a first-generation American. My hope is to show the beauty in our many cultures and create a space for vulnerable conversations. So go grab your cafecito and get ready to laugh, learn, and be inspired by our community every week.

Society & Culture
76
Is My Story Valid Enough?
Erika Barraza is a first-generation Salvadorean Latina and Bay Area native working in LA as an actress, director, and using her platform and creative work to make a positive impact in the world. She just co-directed three 360/VR films for Lenovo. Her...
81 min
77
RisOn x Hella Latin@: Telling Your Story
In this episode, I sat down with mis amigos Chris Gueits and Jon Hermida, co-founders of RisOn, to tell you all about our new collaboration. AKA, our gift to you!  We took our partnership to the next level and created this interactive and powerful ...
7 min
78
A Three-Time Refugee
Jessica Artiles es una jefa completa, born in Cuba and raised in Hialeah, Miami. Jessica is the Founder and Chief Design Officer at Darte Design, where she translates her background in mechanical engineering, public policy, design, entrepreneurship, ...
62 min
79
Caribbean Meets South Asia
Maya Joshi is a first-generation American of Caribbean and South Asian heritage, originally from New Jersey but raised in San Diego at the age of 10. In this episode, she talks about navigating her Indian and Dominican cultures while also learning wh...
74 min
80
Del Pueblo al U.S. Embassy
Karen Vasquez O'Donnell was born and raised in El Salvador, and moved to the United States at 13 years old with her family. In this episode, she talks about her childhood living in a rural pueblito in El Salvador to her first U.S. embassy visit to na...
62 min
81
Latina Powerpuff and a PHD
Ximena Martinez aka LatinaPowerPuff is a first-generation Mexican-American from the Central Valley. In this episode, she talks about her first-gen experience in higher education and being one of the 2% of Latinas in STEM. You'll notice how passionate...
57 min
82
Apasionada, Sencilla y Clara
Rocio Rivera es una jefa completa, a proud Sinaloense raised in the Bay Area and one of the best Latina photographers out there. So much, she was recently recognized as the best photographer in the Solano county of 2020! Osea, hair flip. In this epis...
73 min
83
In Between Two Worlds
Jasmine Fuego is the daughter of a Nicaraguan immigrant and Black American, and was born in California and raised in the Deep South. She is an Afro-Latinx musician, event producer and cultural curator—working at the intersection of art, culture and e...
60 min
84
Con Esencia Latina
In this episode, Oscar and I talk about the evolution of the Latino identity, translating important documents as children (of course) and embracing the resiliency our parents passed down to us. Oscar Garcia is the Founder & Chief Empowerment Officer ...
45 min
85
Jenny From El Barrio
From growing up in Brooklyn in the 80s to becoming a Latina entrepreneur featured on Forbes—Jenny From El Barrio is a true badass. Jennifer Gomez is a Dominican-American tech entrepreneur, marketer and storyteller hailing from Williamsburg, Brooklyn....
73 min
86
Las Entrepreneurs
Hilda Perez and Sarah Perez Jarrett are sisters, proud Dominicanas, proud New Yorkers and proud business owners. In this episode, they talk about growing up Dominican in New York, their first-gen experiences and how they now lead their family busines...
62 min
87
Beyond My Comfort Zone
Claudia Rojas is a Latina who moved from Medellín, Colombia to New Jersey at the age of 11. In this episode, she talks about her immigration journey and experiences, her love for family and how her life theme is all about personal growth. Every step ...
54 min
88
Odisea de Una Boliviana
Alejandra Gonzales is a proud Latina who was born in Bolivia, and immigrated to the U.S. with her immediate family at the age of 10. In this episode, she talks about her immigrant experience, first-gen pressures and overcoming adversities in school, ...
77 min
89
Navigating Grief, Choosing Love
Mother, author, poet, speaker, teacher, DJ—this girl does it all. Marina is Mexican- and Native-American, born and raised in the 818 (shoutout to San Fernando Valley). In this episode, she talks about her third-gen Latina experience, becoming a mothe...
82 min
90
First Gens on Voting
In this special release, I sit down with my brother Patrick Córdova and my friend Sarah Moreno to have an open conversation about voting. Patrick has spent the past 6 years advocating for Black and brown communities at the local government level in S...
47 min
91
Healing, Growth and Inner Peace
Jon Hermida is a Miami-native Cuban-American who has spent the past 12 years studying, and learning from some of the world’s foremost teachers of personal and spiritual development. He’s an internationally recognized coach, facilitator, social impact...
68 min
92
That First-Gen Latina Hustle
In this episode, Cristina Costa talks about her Chapina (Guatemalteca), Brazilian and Puerto Rican cultures. And also tells us about her childhood in Boston, her first experiences in college and navigating Corporate America. The common theme in all h...
85 min
93
Orgullosamente Afro-Dominicana
Jessica Perez is an Afro-Dominicana born in Brooklyn, NY and raised in the Dominican Republic. In this episode, she talks about growing up in the DR, moving back to New York City, embracing her Blackness, and even gives a mini history lesson on shari...
64 min
94
Am I Latina Enough?
Nayeli Lopez is a first-generation Salvadoreña-Guatemalteca from the Central Valley. She’s passionate and orgullosa about her Central American roots but at times, she'd ask herself if she was “Latina enough”. In this conversation, we both unpack what...
61 min
95
¿Quién Tú Eres?
Pabel Martinez is a first-generation Dominican-American/Afro-Latino born and raised in New York City. In our conversation, Pabel talks about his Dominican culture (shoutout to abuelita) and his experience being one of the few Black/Latino employees i...
52 min
96
Cuba Through My Eyes
Chris Gueits is a first-generation Cuban-American who has dedicated his life to maximizing human potential, which he does today through his co-founded company, RisOn. Chris and I cover so much in this episode. We talk about everything from his parent...
62 min
97
Get Ish Done
Ish Verduzco is a Latino in tech, DJ, podcaster, social media marketer, and author. His life has been about the Latino hustle and getting Ish done. (Pun intended) In this episode, he talks about his childhood moving around LA and facing adversities t...
49 min
98
Realities of el Sueño Americano
This episode is special and full of healing. I sit down with my brothers Kevin, Enzo, and Patrick Cordova. We may have grown up under the same roof, but our experiences and childhoods were so different. Patrick and I hear from our brothers Kevin and ...
101 min
99
Reflexiones
I decided to switch things up this week! In honor of my first 10 guests, here's a short and sweet 10-minute episode. Tune in for some Hella Latin@ reflections and to hear more of my why. I also drop a little surprise at the end! For more updates on H...
10 min
100
Exalt Youth and Systemic Liberation
Gisele Castro is a Puerto Rican woman from NYC who has dedicated her life’s work to liberating court-involved youth and empowering them with everything the juvenile justice system shelters them from. In this episode, Gisele explains the contrast of g...
54 min