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
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
102
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
103
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
104
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
105
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
106
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
107
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
108
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
109
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
110
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
111
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
112
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
113
¿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
114
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
115
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
116
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
117
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
118
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
119
A Path of Least Resistance
Reyna Noriega is a Miami-based Black and Afro-Latina visual artist, author, and educator. In 2019, she published a collection of poems entitled In Bloom where she offers us a window into her life. Her work is devoted to uplifting women so they can he...
52 min
120
Con Sangre Emprendedora
In this episode, Roxanna Sarmiento reminds us that both entrepreneurship and creativity are deeply engrained Latinidad and immigrant culture. And tapping into that power is a gamechanger. Our conversation was so insightful and beautiful. Roxanna talk...
62 min
121
Twists, Turns y Pura Risa
In this episode, I chat with Joshua Encarnacion, a 1.5 generation Dominican-American currently serving as the CEO of Outco and helping people grow into their full potential. Born in Manhatten, NY and raised in Lawrence & Springfield, MA, Joshua had t...
63 min
122
Depression and Machismo Culture
Alcohol abuse, machismo culture, lack of mental health awareness—just a couple of things our community battles every day. In this episode, Alex Magaña vulnerably opens up about his experience with depression in a culture where men don't typically ex...
67 min
123
Guyana Meets Honduras
In this episode, I chat with Gabriela Gonzalez, a multi-racial Latina American who opens up about her Honduran and Guyanese roots. She also schools us on all things Guyana—it's history and Caribbean culture. Together, we unpack her experience navigat...
60 min
124
Vida Undocumented
In this episode, I chat with the one and only, Ariadna Manzo. She opens up about her life as an undocumented Chicana and all the barriers she had to overcome to get to where she is now. This jefa tells her story in the most beautiful, vulnerable and ...
74 min
125
La Latinista
In this episode, I have a cafecito date with La OG Latinista, Yai Vargas. This Dominican woman es increíble. She is a career and diversity strategist and the founder of The Latinista, a national network for Latinas and women of color invested in prof...
56 min