Latinx On The Rise

In today's episode we have former professor and author J.L. Torres. We speak quiet a bit about the Puerto Rican experience in regards to many things but especially to mirgration. We also speak about his book with the same title and how migrating has been rooted in our civilization and culture. However, we also speak about the imperial legacy of the United States and the affect it has had on Latin American. To learn more about J.L Torres please visit his website at https://jltorreswriter.com/

Tragos is a card game inspired by cultura! Carolina Acosta is the brains behind the operation and she shared with us how she became an accidental entrepreneur. How many times have you played "American" card games and don't know a what a word means or who the card is referencing. Even with Heads Up I've felt lost as to who or what I was describing. Tragos acknowledges we are fully bi-cultural and as Latinos we need something a little spunkier.

Why is it that knowledge about healthcare is radical? There are huge inequities in healthcare, something that was exhasterbated and fully exposed during COVID. However, Ivelyse Andino saw this writing on the wall far before COVID. She created Radical Health, the first Latina-owned-and-operated Benefit Corp in NYC. Radical Health gives an underserved community the tools to navigate the often confusing world of healthcare.

In today's episode I spoke to Jeanette Escudero an employment lawyer in Florida and author of The Apology Project. "Doing it all," is a societal pressure inflicted on women. Some how, we just follow along, putting the pressure of the world on our shoulders. We speak about her book, The Apology Project, it's a novel about Amelia Montgomery a Chicago litigator who is all work. However, she is conflicted when one of her cases means compromising her principles. From this point comes an internal change that takes Amelia on a journey.

Last week I took a last minute trip to Chicago to help my dad move out of our childhood home. It was an emotionally difficult trip because my dad and uncles built the house. So many little things around the house were handcrafted by my dad. My mom decorated every corner of the house, so to take down curtains and move furniture out was sad. In other news, political analysts are trying to figure out why Trump did 10 points better with Latinos in 2020 than in 2016. This sort of bewildered reaction annoys me sometimes because we are not a monolith! My theory is that Democrats are alot of talk and not alot of action. I, myself am a Democrat but I am also extremely judgmental. Families still remain separated at the border and this new administration just plays the blame game. I'm not entirely interested in who is blame. I know that already. But what I am interested in is families being reunited. The remaining separated parents total 368! This is outrageous! Not to mention that, 275 of those parents are believed to

In today's episode I talk a briefly about a group reading I did with AJ Barrera. It was my first time connecting with the other side and it was so excited to be able to hear from her. I also cover the recent vendor attacks that have been happening across the US. I've been seeing a lot of street vendors attacked lately. It's disgusting behavior that has made me wonder who could possibly harm these vendors. On Sunday June 27th, at 1pm there is the 1st annual vendor market going on at Mariachi plaza.A San Diego High School basketball coach has been fired after orchestrating a racist prank after a game against a predominately Latino team. Racism has advanced and become more difficult to uncover. I also urge everyone to listen to my Sylvia Rivera episode with Sammy Nemir. I feel like we need to learn more BIPOC and LGBTQIA histories. Britney Spears has been in a long standing conservatorship that she pushed back on this past Wednesday. I talk a bit about how sexism has played a role in the control she has faced.

The movie, In The Heights came out and people have called out Lin Manuel Miranda for the lack of Afro-Latinos in leading roles. He has since apologized but is it enough? In my opinion, yes. I hate musicals as a whole so I have been waiting until I'm in a tolerant mood to watch it. What I have watched is 20/20's update on the Vanessa Guillen case. I was sucked into this story last year as it was happening. Vanessa Guillen reminded me of my sisters, her parents reminded me of mind and I felt connected to her. After looking into her case and into Fort Hood, I found a mountain of suspicious cases. Missing people, sex-rings, drug trafficking, gangs, the list goes on and on.

Kamala Harris has made big news with her trip to Mexico and Central America. However, the trip made bigger news because she did not visit the border. Even going so far as to say that "they" have visited the border many times. The reality is, the Biden Administration wants to do what many past presidents have done with migration. Throw money at it! Clearly, this doesn't work! The US handle migration in three different ways, throw money at the perceived problem, force coups in Latin America and criminalize migration. Enough is enough! The US plays a huge role in forcing migration. If Harris would have gone to the border it would have acknowledged the lives there. The US screwed up big time when it started separating families. But these cages have existed since the Obama Administration. Detention facilities have forced sterilizations, done unauthorized medical procedures, molested children in their facilities and so much more. Harris talks about the root cause of migration but the reality is, we do not have a sa

As American Latinos/as/x we grew up with a little hint of magic. Growing up I was told brujería was bad but my mother and grandmother both did limpas on me. They believed and warned against, 'El Mal De Ojo.' When my little sister had a full conversation with my deceased grandfather, my mother totally believed her. It wasn't until I was older that I realized, I too was raised by brujas. Today, I interview J.Allen Cross, the author of American Brujería. A book that is dedicated to all of us in between, two countries, two cultures and spiritual practices.

Today's episode is a little different because I am the one being interviewed. I talk about the beginnings of Latinx On The Rise, opening my own podcast production company and my future goals.

May is Mental Health awareness month and I wanted to bring attention to it because getting the help you need is so important! This week 60 Minutes came out about UFO's, but why now? Plenty of other countries have confirmed UFO's a while ago. Why is the US sharing this info now?Speaking of The US' why, the House saw a vote for a commission to investigate the January 6th insurrection. 175 Republicans voted against the commission, but why? Is it because they know that their hands are dirty? Colombia is in it's third week of protests, 42 people have died. President Ivan Duque announced 65 investigations have been opened into police abuse. Kendall Jenner is on operation appropriation! I grew up Tapatía, my dad is from Jalisco and I grew up drinking tequila. I grew up looking over the agave fields sprouting out of their red soil.  Seeing Kendall Jenner mock and appropriate Mexican culture crosses the line.

So many of us have either lost our mother or are separated by land and water from them this mother's day. It's not always easy for me to talk about my mom but I thought in honor of mother's day I wanted to share some awesome stories about her. There are so many like me who will have a very solemn day. So to all those who are also missing their mama, I love you and am sending you a huge hug.

Let's be honest, being a woman is hard! In the Latino culture being a woman comes along with a lot of exceptions. We've all heard it, cuando te casas? When will you get married? Y cuando los niños? When will you have kids?The level of expectations can drive anyone crazy! One of the things that my guest Kendra Araujo, addresses is having women decide what their own path is. She helps her readers remove societies expectations and discover what they want for themselves. Her book, Mom Is NOT Always Right,  she talks about things we learn either through our mothers or society that shape women.

My main story tonight is about Colombia, I give a very brief overview of what has happening this year during Covid. I also had the opportunity to speak to Laura Franco, a Colombian resident who gave me some information about what is happening in Colombia. I also spoke to Betsabé Valencia a TikToker who has been covering what is happening in Colombia on her channel. Valencia acted as a mediator between myself and protesters in Colombia. I also cover the story out of Clewiston, Fl, where principle Melissa Carter took it upon herself to spank a 6 year-old little girl for damaging a computer. The damage equated to $50! The mother, who is undocumented said she was afraid to speak up and said that she "sacrificed" her daughter so other children did not have to suffer. Additionally, I talk about the impeachment investigation against President Bolsonaro of Brazil. They're investigating him for the way the Coronavirus was handled.

In this episode, I speak with Daniel Michel a community worker in Chicago's Little Village. When the pandemic first hit my first thoughts were of this community. A community that I worked in when I left college. All I could think about was the numerous people who would be laid off and even more those who would be considered essential workers. The Latinx community has been hit hard by covid and it really is up to us to educate ourselves on what has gone on in these communities. As well as, ask ourselves what can we do to help these communities thrive.

In today's episode I speak to my dear cousin Maribel Torres about being an employee and mother during the pandemic. So many mother's specifically lost their jobs during 2020 because they were balancing work, home upkeep and caring for their children. How far are we really from the 1950s as women? I also speak about Adam Toledo and his tragic passing. I myself taught ESL in Little Village and mentored teens going into the work force. When I saw the video of Adam Toledo I saw the faces of all the kids I saw on in my work building around the neighborhood and mentored. This particular shooting hit very close to home for me and I share what that was like.

Who is ready for post pandemic travel? I sure as hell am! For me traveling has always been something I consider daunting. Researching information about the place I want to visit isn't the issue for me, it's the money. Vanessa Fondeur-Adams is the founder of Latino World Travelers, a group that helps make traveling more accessible for the Latinx community. Check out our awesome conversation!

I feel like I talk about representation all the time and it's still not enough. The CW's Batwoman is a new take on an old comic. Batwoman is a black woman who is hiding her superhero alter ego from her ex-girlfriend, Angelique.

This has been a challenging year for everyone, it's true but being a Latina business owner is challenging enough without the added stress of a pandemic.

My last episode was in October of 2020, I had received overwhelming positive feedback for my Covid Series which still continues.  However, I decided to take a break until today because 2020 caught up with me. I was wrapped up with the election and the fear of what was to comeI went to Chicago to see family, I got the opportunity to grow my business and work with amazing new clients. I also got wrapped up in the circus that was trumps last stand of lawsuits. The crazy insurrection and finally the calm that has come with Biden's inauguration.  Please follow me on instagram:@latinxontherise@_ontherisemedia