Hella Latin@
Hella Latin@ is a platform for Latinos to tell their story and share their experiences of navigating identity and culture as a first gen and/or immigrant.
The three pillars that make up Hella Latin@ are representation, vulnerability and celebration. Representation: there's a mosaic of accents, backgrounds and cultures that make up Latinidad, and it's time to represent that mosaic — one story at a time. Vulnerability: each guest keeps it real on how they break cycles, blaze new trails, and embrace identity as a superpower through it all. Celebration: there are many stories about our people y cultura but rarely are we the authors of it. In this podcast, we put a spotlight on who we are, where we come from, and where we're going.
So, go grab your cafecito and get ready to laugh, learn, and be inspired by nuestra gente.
101
Part One: What's Your Story? Guided Experience ...
Welcome to the first of four RisOn guided experiences! This month, you'll have an opportunity to explore and communicate your own story in depth. This week we'll focus on awareness. What's your story? Who are you and what brought you to this moment t...
11 min
102
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
103
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
104
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
105
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
106
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
107
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
108
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
109
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
110
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
111
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
112
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
113
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
114
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
115
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
116
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
117
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
118
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
119
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
120
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
121
¿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
122
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
123
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
124
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
125
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