In this episode of Hella Latin@, host Odalys Jasmine sits down live in-studio with author and actor Christopher Rivas, lawyer and content creator Farah Fezz, and DJ and dancer Love Baila for a dynamic conversation on identity, solidarity, and liberation. Together, they unpack what it means to live in the in-between — as first-generation individuals and bodies of culture navigating layered identities and cultural narratives within a western system. How do we reclaim stories through art and community, and build bridges toward collective freedom? We dive into it all. Episode Highlights The beauty and complexity of living “in the in-between” as first-gen individuals How community and solidarity strengthen identity and purpose The importance of art and storytelling in reclaiming narratives Lessons on unlearning misconceptions and embracing collective liberation What it means to build bridges and create space for others Reflections on legacy, presence, and messages to their younger selves This dialogue is a reminder that liberation is not a solo journey but a collective one. It’s about building bridges across cultures, honoring our legacies, and staying present in the moments that define us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Odalys Jasmine sits with Julian Maldonado, a Puerto Rican comedian, actor, and writer from Port Orange, Florida. In 2017, he was announced as a series lead in the upcoming episodic series Deathless. Since then, he has acted in several films funded by the College of Motion Picture Arts at Florida State University. In addition to his acting career, Julian is also a stand-up comedian performing all around the state of Florida and in New York City since 2017. In this week’s episode, Julian joins Hella Latin@ podcast to talk about why he taught himself Spanish as an adult. Spanish is a huge part of our culture, but because of biases and assimilation, not everyone was taught Spanish. But as much as Julian knew he was 100% part of the Latino community, he couldn’t communicate well with his loved ones. So he taught himself, and now it influences his growing career as a stand up comedian. Listen to this week’s episode to hear more about his experience and how you can learn Spanish later in life, too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eileen Ivette is a cultural storyteller and adventure seeker who once spent her days saving travel posts and dreaming of “someday” adventures while working a 9-5 that felt increasingly disconnected from her purpose. Everything shifted in 2019, when she took her first solo trip to Puerto Rico and discovered not just new destinations but also deeper pieces of her identity through the lens of the African diaspora. As the Founder of Black Latin History and an Afro-Latina traveler, Eileen combines her passion for history, culture, and travel to create resources that highlight Black history, events, and businesses across Latin America and the Caribbean—building a community of more than 90,000 travelers and history enthusiasts worldwide. In this week’s episode, Eileen and I talk about her experience as a first-gen, Afro-Colombian living in the US., and we discuss the catalyst behind creating Black Latin History. Keep up with Eileen on her Instagram @eileen_ivette and her website www.eileenivette.com.  For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Award-winning director, actress, comedian, and writer Dani Adaliz is proof that art can be resistance. From SXSW premieres to viral collaborations with Buzzfeed and Broadway Video, Dani uses humor and honesty to explore identity, liberation, and the human condition. Her directorial debut, Chuchi and Adaliz, premiered at SXSW 2023, won Best Web Series at the International Puerto Rican Heritage Film Festival, and screened at both LALIFF and Stareable Fest NY. As a NALIP Incubator alum, a member of The Alliance of Women Directors, and Film Fatales, Dani continues to push boundaries—now gearing up for her next project, Grocery Grab, set to film in fall 2025. In this episode, Dani and I get real about staying creative in chaotic times, why Palestinian liberation is tied to all of ours, and how art can be both resistance and healing. We talk about making the world better—one story, one laugh, one act of courage at a time. The world may be on fire, but Dani shows us how to keep creating, keep connecting, and keep telling the truth. Keep up with Dani on her website and Instagram @danicoqui.  For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com. To learn more about your ad choices visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST, an Afro-Latina-owned boutique podcast production and copywriting studio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jackie Jaquez is back for a part 2! We expand on all things women's bodies, the impact of birth control and menstrual products on our hormones, and a deep dive on each of the phases we cycle through in about 28 days. Jackie is a first-gen Mexicana from LA, a certified menstrual nutritional fitness coach, massage therapist, healthy relationships facilitator at CSU Long Beach, and helps women improve their overall health.  Tiffany Leonardo’s 14 years of extensive time in the operating room has fueled her passion for teaching and deepened her understanding of stress and its detrimental impact on the body. In this week’s episode, Tiffany, Jackie and myself have an in-depth conversation on health, wellness, spirituality and more. Listen to this episode for an incredible conversation and take notes because you’re gonna need them!  Keep up with Jackie on her TikTok @thewh0remonalclub and Instagram @jackieejaquez.  Keep up with Tiffany on her website and Instagram.  For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com. To learn more about your ad choices visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST, an Afro-Latina-owned boutique podcast production and copywriting studio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Darlene Lopez helps artists sell out without selling out. As a first-generation Peruvian-American, Darlene’s career goal has been to thrive at the intersection of culture and technology. So what does that look like in this digital age? Latin music. With close to 10 years working in entertainment, Darlene has championed the latest wave of Latin music at tech titans Apple and TikTok. She led the Latin music business for TikTok, successfully advocating for the globalization of Mexican Music with artists like Fuerza Regida, Eslabon Armado, and Peso Pluma. Prior to TikTok, Darlene spent five years at Apple Music overseeing Latin music business partnerships and building out the global strategy for the genre. There, she helped launch Apple’s first artist-led playlist, ¡Dale Play! with Bad Bunny and Drake, as well as project managing Bad Bunny’s Artist of the Year campaign in 2022, among other global campaigns with artists like KAROL G and Rauw Alejandro. Now, Darlene has followed in her parents’ footsteps and started her own small business: a digital marketing agency named Evoke Creative. Here’s where the work really begins: how do we harness the power of live stream shopping for Latin artists to promote their music and sell out their catalog? In this week’s episode, Darlene shares her experience working in the industry and how she eventually was inspired to start her own company. Darlene was sometimes one of the only Latinas in the room advocating for Latin music, but that didn’t stop her from making sure that black and brown artists were represented fairly and accurately. Tune in to hear why representation is so important to her, her family’s immigration story, and why she decided to leave the corporate world to start her own company.  Keep up with Darlene on her Instagram @instadar  and her website www.evokeculture.com.  For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com. To learn more about your ad choices visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I don't always sit in the hot seat, I prefer being the one asking questions, but Hady Méndez (host of Latinas: Front & Center) invited me to kick off their Lean in Latinas First Gen Summit. In this interview, I talk about navigating the in between. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jackie Jaquez is a first-gen Mexican Latina from Los Angeles, a certified menstrual nutritional fitness coach, massage therapist, healthy relationships facilitator at CSU Long Beach, and a Reiki master. In this week’s episode, Jackie joins us to share her knowledge on women's health and tell her story in exploring culturally taboo topics. It’s not easy to explore women’s health as a Latina, let alone make it your entire career. Tune into this week’s episode to hear how we can embrace body literacy and take control of our health with Jackie Jaquez.  Connect with Jackie on her TikTok @thewh0remonalclub and Instagram @jackieejaquez. For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com. To learn more about your ad choices visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesPodcast production for this episode was provided by CCST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Melany del Carpio is a first-generation, first-born Peruvian-American who is deeply committed to empowering women of color to thrive and be unapologetically themselves in the face of societal and capitalist pressures. With eight years of experience in higher education, she made a pivotal career transition into the tech industry in 2022. Throughout her career journey, Melany has faced significant challenges, including reaching a breaking point that required her to take medical leave and reclaim her power from a toxic work environment. This transformative experience has become the foundation of her passion: supporting others in achieving success while maintaining their well-being, free from the weight of overwork and unrealistic expectations. Melany is dedicated to helping others set boundaries, reclaim their rest, and define success on their own terms, empowering them to become who they are meant to be without compromise. In this week’s episode, Melany shares exactly why rest is resistance. We all have these overwhelming expectations put on us, and it feels like the end of the world if we don’t meet them. Our families immigrated here for a better life, and we don’t want to even think of the possibility of letting them down. But Melany’s story reminds us that while their journey was a brave one, it is brave for us to live our own lives on our own terms, too. And if that means letting go of their dreams for us and getting the rest our body needs, so be it.  Keep up with Melany on her website and LinkedIn @melanydelcarpio  For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com. To learn more about your ad choices visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesPodcast production for this episode was provided by CCST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cynthia Diaz is a Salvadoran-Honduran American artist, beauty visionary, and content creator from Los Angeles. As a proud first-generation Latina, she is on a powerful journey of breaking generational cycles and redefining what the American dream looks like through faith, creativity, and fearless self-expression. Cynthia first found success in the beauty industry, working with top brands and artists, using glam as her way to tell stories and uplift her community. Now, she’s introduced music into her world amplifying her voice through Latin pop and reggaetón while continuing to lead with purpose and pride in her roots. Every project she touches whether it’s a makeup look, a video, or a song—delivers a message. For Cynthia, art is not just a form of expression, but a calling. Through her work, she reminds other Latinas that they are worthy, powerful, and never too late to build the life they dream of. In this week’s episode, Cynthia shares her mother's incredible story of crossing the border and how that resilience was passed down to her - eventually being the strength she needed to take the ultimate leap of faith and choose a creative career path. Nothing in her life has been easy, but she’s been taking on every challenge with a smile on her face. Keep up with Cynthia on their LinkTree and Instagram @thecynthiadiaz.  For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com. To learn more about your ad choices visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jasmine Romero is a first generation Salvadorian 🇸🇻 and a writer, producer, and actor. She is best known for her work on Sesame Street, where she plays Sofia Sanchez and is the face of their social impact work. She was also the lead producer and editor for the award-winning podcast and Alexa skill, Chompers. She created, directed, and co-wrote the award-winning podcast Princess of South Beach (Now in development at Netflix)- starring Rachel Zegler, Raul Esparza, Gina Torres, and Danny Pino. She is the host/writer/reporter of Sacred Scandal: Nation of Saints, which investigates the religious murders during the Salvadoran Civil War.  In this week’s episode, Jasmine is taking us behind the curtains and letting us know exactly what it’s like being a Latina writer/actor in Hollywood. There is so much work to do when it comes to making sure that Latinas are properly represented in our stories. And it looks like we’re going to have to do it ourselves. We can’t wait around for industry executives to do the right thing. If we want to stop seeing harmful stereotypes and start seeing creative, well-rounded characters, we need to do it together, as a community. Jasmine has been in the game for years, and now that she knows how the industry works, she has a plan. Tune in to hear her plans and more on this week’s episode.  Keep up with Jasmine on their website and Instagram @lachilatera.  For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com. To learn more about your ad choices visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesPodcast production for this episode was provided by CCST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tiffany Leonardo 🇩🇴 went from the Bronx to The Bay to LA, from health care to self care, and studio instructor to studio OWNER 🗣️. This mujerón is a testament to following your inner compass, pivoting even when it feels impossible, and doing what you love with passion and intention. In this episode, we talk about how she does it.  In this part 2, Tiffany and I are in person live from her LA-based studio called Sueños! Tiffany tells all about the process of opening up a studio, why wellness and self-awareness is salient to our overall health, and she even does a quick little astrology reading on me. AH!  There’s all this and more, including more on the Latinas in wellness conversation, in this week’s episode. Keep up with Tiffany on their website and Instagram.  For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com. To learn more about your ad choices visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Maisa Morrar is a Palestinian woman and dedicated advocate with over 18 years of active involvement in Palestinian organizing spaces. As the daughter of Palestinian immigrants—her mother hailing from Venezuela and her father from Palestine—Maisa embodies a unique blend of cultural identity. A founding member of both the Healthcare Workers for Palestine Bay Area and the Palestinian Feminist Collective, Maisa is driven by a profound sense of justice and solidarity. Her work amplifies the voices and struggles of Palestinians, particularly through the intersection of healthcare, gender, and activism. In this episode, Maisa shares multiple anecdotes about Palestine and how it changed over the years through her eyes. She opens up about the complexities of identity and cultural preservation, the interconnected histories of Palestine and Latin America, and discusses what liberation can look like for all of us. Keep up with Maisa through Palestinian Feminist Collective and Healthcare Workers for Palestine Bay Area. For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com. To learn more about your ad choices visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jessica Berrocal (Chau) Ricardo is a proud Latina Muslim, first generation Colombian and Peruvian-Chinese, immigration paralegal, philanthropist and a community advocate making a lasting impact across New Jersey. In this episode, Jessica shares her journey of navigating embracing Islam through a Latino lens. 24 years ago Jessica discovered Islam after listening to the Quran in the wake of 9/11 and now you can find her breaking her fast con arepas. Being the first in her family to pave a new religious path came with cultural pushback and familial challenges, but if anything, Jessica found empowerment in her new faith. She's here to tell that story, highlight the growing presence of Latino Muslims in the U.S. and share the significance of preserving language and traditions amidst changing cultural landscapes. Keep up with Jessica on her Instagram. For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com. To learn more about your ad choices visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s episode,  I'm talking to mi hermana Dominicana, Tiffany Leonardo, a healthcare educator who pivoted from teaching healthcare to teaching self-care. Tiffany tells us all about her career in healthcare, what it was like growing up as a first-gen daughter who was a little different than everyone else, and how she found that her family was living a life of dis-ease after three family members were diagnosed with cancer. Tune into this episode as we laugh, vibe, and unpack everything from sound healing, medical astrology, and of course, being a first-gen Latina navigating it all on her own.  Tiffany's extensive time in the operating room has fueled her passion for teaching and deepened her understanding of stress and its detrimental impact on the body. Believing that blossoming as a teacher requires being a devoted student of life, Tiffany has completed various training modalities. Her studies include Katonah Yoga with Mary Dana Abbott, Art of Assisting from Baron Baptiste Yoga, and Anatomy & Asana immersion with Emilie Perz. She has also undergone Breathwork training with Marlize Joubert, intensive Yin Yoga training with Yoga Loft, Qigong with Mark Tanaka, Sound Healing with Susy Markoe Schieffelin, and an apprenticeship in Acupressure and Yoga integration with Hydra Yoga. In essence, Tiffany’s dream is to inspire individuals to explore and discover their fullest selves through a deeper connection with their mind and body, no matter the environment. Keep up with Tiffany on their website and Instagram.  For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com. To learn more about your ad choices visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 Lariza Quintero is a first gen Colombian queen from Queens, New York. Lariza is an experienced Website and Digital Marketing professional with a strong background in SEO, media, and e-commerce. She is currently the Global B2B Website Lead at TikTok. In addition to her leadership roles in the tech space, Lariza is the founder of FOR WMN, an online brand and social platform dedicated to uplifting and empowering women through bold fashion and storytelling. Her commitment to inclusivity and representation drives her to create digital spaces that inspire confidence, creativity, and community.  In this episode, we are live and in person in New York City! Lariza and I talk about all things first gen, how she went from anthropology to tech, and why she decided to build her brand from the ground up. Keep up with Lariza on her Instagram and her LinkedIn.  Keep up with FOR WMN on their Instagram and shop from their website.  For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com. To learn more about your ad choices visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Professor Laura Chávez-Moreno to chat about her latest book - How Schools Make Race, Teaching Latinx Racialization in America. Laura’s work covers how race influences institutions, like schools, and pushes white supremacist ideology. As Latinos, we’ve all seen who is accepted into honors classes and who is in remedial classes, or which schools get the best books and which ones get the torn-up ones. In this very special interview, Laura shares how the concept of race works to divide us within these institutions in real-time and how we can combat it.  Laura C. Chávez-Moreno is an award-winning researcher, qualitative social scientist, and assistant professor in the Department of Chicana/o & Central American Studies and Department of Education at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Her work is at the intersection of education, pedagogy, language, literacy, and ethnic studies. Her research has been published in top-tier journals such as Review of Educational Research, Educational Researcher, American Educational Research Journal, Research in the Teaching of English, and Journal of Teacher Education. Y'all ready to be radicalized? Tune in! For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com. To learn more about your ad choices visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tania Mercado 🇲🇽 is a Principal Communications Manager and Community Impact Lead at Intuit. Her expertise has made her the go-to source for reporters seeking information on topics related to tax, small business, regulation, litigation, and financial empowerment.    Tania is also the Deputy Lead for the Intuit IDEAS program and is a key member of the Intuit External Multicultural Engagement team, which works to cultivate relationships with multicultural organizations and leaders. From public policy to tech — Tania is all about the people. In this week’s episode, Tania and I talk about how she was able to build her career, her immigrant story growing up in Mexico and in LA, and why we need to talk more about how powerful our Latino purchasing power is. We are so much more than our stereotypes, we are hustlers and dreamers and we succeed at everything we set our mind to. And Tania’s life story is living proof of that. Listen to Tania’s episode to hear more about how she advocates for herself and everyone around her wherever she goes.  Keep up with Tania Mercado on her LinkedIn.  For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com. To learn more about your ad choices visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meet la mujeron herself! Dr. Kay De Simone 🇩🇴 is about to drop some wisdom on y'all. Dr. De Simone is a complex trauma psychotherapist, university professor, and researcher, she specializes in identity-based trauma, immigration-based trauma, and imposter syndrome. She provides clients with the tools to overcome challenges, prioritize their well-being, and take ownership of their success. Her warm and humorous approach offers a results-driven perspective that fosters emotional development, strategy, and personal growth. In this week’s episode, I sit down with Dr. Kay de Simone who shares her insights on working with high-achievers in the mental health space. As a high achiever herself, she also shares how she builds herself up and makes herself comfortable in every room she’s in. Whether that be in the audience of a TED Talk or on stage. Tune in for an incredibly insightful interview you won’t want to miss! Keep up with Dr. Kay de Simone on her website and LinkedIn.  For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com. To learn more about your ad choices visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nancy Douyon is a proud Haitian 🇭🇹 Latina trailblazing within tech. She is a tech executive, global design ethicist, and the visionary founder of Incluversal, a groundbreaking platform designed to accelerate career growth through the power of AI and inclusive design. With over two decades of experience shaping user experiences at tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Uber, Nancy brings a unique blend of AI expertise and human-centered design to career development. Her work has been featured in case studies at Carnegie Mellon and Stanford, cementing her status as a thought leader in the intersection of technology and career advancement. In this week’s episode, Nancy shares how she uses her superpowered brain to break barriers in the tech industry and break limiting cycles in her communities. As a Haitian American and the eldest daughter, Nancy was often told that she had to limit herself to take care of her siblings, her parents, and her future kids. But as she said, "you can write a different story" this episode is filled with gems on how Nancy turned her "limitations" into strengths, refined her agency, and wrote a different story while preserving her wholesomeness. She also educates us on Haiti, la isla española, and their Taíno beauty. Nancy has a brilliant mind that she has used to help her travel worldwide speaking all different languages, becoming the first Black UX hire at Google, and designing the best user experience platforms for tech giants like Facebook and Uber. Nancy still experienced racism and sexism along the way, but her self-confidence helped her navigate some of the most difficult conversations with humor and class. Listen to Nancy’s episode to hear more about her incredible journey, how you can embrace your strengths, and how you can use them to be your superpowers.  Keep up with Nancy on her website and LinkedIn.  For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com. To learn more about your ad choices visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices