Latinopodcast

Dominican actor Manny Perez, perhaps best known for his films 'Washington Heights,' 'El Cantante,' 'Bella' and the hit action film ‘La Soga,’ is now doing his directorial debut with the sequel - 'La Soga Salvation'. We discuss what it takes to write, direct and produce his own movie, what the future of Dominican cinema looks like, and his opinion o…

In our first episode, we welcome actress Justina Machado. You know her from the Emmy Award-winning comedy reboot of “One Day at a Time” from legendary producer Norman Lear and several other tv shows and films. Our conversation covered several interesting subjects such as Latino representation in the animation industry, why Hispanic animated films s…

Darius is a founder at Tesoro AI and a podcast host at the Darius Gant Show. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and a MBA in Finance. Darius inspires people through his journey from a pro athlete to Columbia MBA to private equity investor to tech leader and founder. In this episode we talked more about Darius' journey leaving a top venture cap…

Gloria Calderon Kellett's 'With Love' is the best Latinx television I have seen. It combines all the American TV characteristics we grew up with, but with a US Latino family at the center. Think of ‘When Harry Met Sally,’ ‘Love Actually,’ 'The Holiday,' but with Latinos. It's all the shows that make us cozy up to a warm fire, a snug blanket, and ho…

We talked with Pamela Burga, a Senior D&I, Diversity & Inclusion, Partner at Tesla and leads D&I talent development strategy. Fun fact: Pamela is also a classical trained lyrical soprano. In this episode we talked more about transitioning careers and industries since Pamela has driven individual and organizational performance in a variety of indust…

This week I welcome Colombian photographer Josefina Santos who as of late has been photographing some of the biggest names in music, tv, and film, such as Olivia Rodrigo, MJ Rodriguez from ‘Pose’ and indie director Jim Jarmusch to name a few, plus has photographed covers for The New Yorker, The New York Times, Teen Vogue and more. Josefina and I di…

On a new episode of Highly Relevant, I talk to director/producer Lissette Feliciano about her new indie film 'Women Is Losers'. The film which premiered at 2021's SXSW Festival, has gotten good reviews for it's female empowerment story and her use of multicultural characters. She tells me how lies about Latinos in the media has become the driving f…

In this rebroadcast of our interview with director Robert Rodriguez from February 27, 2019, we discuss his new film at that time 'Alita: Battle Angel,' how one of the main goals of his TV network 'El Rey' was to find and hire more Latino filmmakers, and if it is the responsibility of a Latino directors to create Latino stars. Highly Relevant Playli…

Adriana Barraza is one of five Latinas to have ever been nominated for an Academy Award in acting. She is now starring in the new Blumhouse horror film 'Bingo Hell' on Amazon Prime Video, perfectly timed for Halloween. In this new interview, Adriana and I discuss being the first Latina actress in her 60s to lead a film. It was also directed and co-…

We talked with Angel Aviles (sher/her) who boldly decided to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. A Bronx native, moved from New York City to Hollywood and landed roles in projects with up-and-coming directors like Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, and many others. Following her acting career, Angel became an entrepreneur. Today, she's a tra…

Actress/producer Aubrey Plaza has become a cult indie film queen since her big break as April Ludgate on NBC’s “Parks And Recreation”. Since then she’s done popular films such as Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, and the Child’s Play reboot. She’s now coming off of a dramedy with Michael Caine called Best Sellers, is cu…

Known for being one of the biggest comedians in Mexico, Eugenio Derbez made a splash in the indie film scene with his bilingual movie ‘Instructions Not Included,’ which became the highest-grossing Spanish-language film and the fourth highest-grossing foreign film of all time in the United States. He followed that up with ‘How to Be a Latin Lover,’ …

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! I am kicking off a retrospective series for Hispanic Heritage Month where I revisit with you my favorite interviews of the last five years. We start it off with the star of In The Heights and Transformers 7, actor/singer Anthony Ramos. In this interview I did with him on October 5th, 2018, Ramos is coming off of a co-…

My guest this week is Camila Legaspi, the Chief Content Officer of Latina Media Ventures, the company which owns Latina Magazine. She joins me this week for an in-depth discussion on the relaunch of Latina.com. We discuss why the brand took a hiatus, why it decided to return, and what role will it play for this new generation of Latinas. Can the br…

Carolina Acosta is a Latina entrepreneur from Queens NY with a background in graphic design. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Parsons School of Design. Carolina launched a game dedicated to Latinos and she’s making history in the process since the gaming industry is white, cisgender, male-dominated, and often overlooks people of color and women…

In this episode, director Rodrigo Reyes discusses his new film '499,' a documentary about how Spanish colonialism has traumatized the people of Mexico today. He and I will talk about how he got his movie funded and what inspired him to make this film. And I also talk to Stanford Professor Tomás Jiménez about the latest Census numbers and what they …

Dominican-born Emilio Sosa, the new Chair of the American Theatre Wing, is the first Latino to chair the prestigious organization. He is a Tony-nominated costume designer whose Broadway career includes, ON YOUR FEET!, MOTOWN: The Musical, and his Tony nomination for Gershwin’s PORGY AND BESS. We discuss his humble beginnings as a young Dominican li…

I talk to Uruguayan filmmaker Maximiliano Contenti whose new horror film THE LAST MATINEE is in theaters right now. We discuss the 90’s inspiration behind the film as well as tackle colorism in Uruguayan and Argentine cinema. How does it relate to American cinema today? Plus, how do his generations’ filmmakers feel about the Hollywood industry toda…

It's no secret Asian talent and creators are in high demand in Hollywood right now. Teresa Hsiao, creator and showrunner of 'Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens,' realizes how much interest there is for her and her friends right now. Latinos are starting to see glimmers, but for us, it's not the same. We're struggling in Hollywood, the numbers back it up…

We talked with Majo Molfino (she/her), a Latinx author, designer, and women’s leadership expert. She is the author of Break the Good Girl Myth and host of the HEROINE podcast featuring top female leaders, creatives, and visionaries. She has a master’s in learning, design, and technology from Stanford University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology…

In this week's episode, I invite a few friends to recommend what they've enjoyed reading, watching, or listening to as of late. Maybe it'll help you choose your next mental escape. Gonzalo Peña - InnoLatino Podcast Agustina Gamero Roman Rojas - Tremenda Vaina Podcast Juan Doe - http://www.juandoe.com Highly Relevant Playlist Conexión Total - Bomba …

In this episode, we discuss Camilo's new 'Kesi Remix' with Canadian pop star Shawn Mendes who sings in Spanish for the very first time. Entertainment reporter Lucas Villa from wearemitu.com joins me to find out how Latino Mr. Mendes wants to be since he's also dating Cuban megastar, Camila Cabello. I also recommend 3 quality films you might have kn…

We talked with Leandro Senna (he/his), a former Designer Lead at Apple where he worked for 7 years, Senna also has a huge experience in graphic design working for agencies. In the beginning of his career, Senna worked at Volkswagen assembling cars when he was based in São Bernardo, Brazil. In this episode, we’re talking about sabbatical. This is a …

Joining me today are the podcast hosts of Pero Let Me Tell Yo, DJ and Ish, two Cuban-Americans based in Miami who give me their perspective of the protests in Cuba and what it all means for the future of Cuba and Cuban-Americans in Miami. Highly Relevant Playlist Cabala - Xiomara Fortuna Cortar - Raquel Sofía (feat. Los Macorinos) Tú - Okills, Meli…

Newsletters have become a very popular way of consuming news. The first newsletter I ever read was Brian Stelter's from CNN. The first Latinx newsletter I remember subscribing to was Elisabeth Rosario's 'The Latinx Collective' which I interviewed her about it almost 3 years ago. Back in March, the news website Axios partnered with Telemundo to crea…

We talked with Adi Mendiola Barreto (they/them), a second generation Mexican and Puerto Rican, non-binary and trans. Adi is also a speaker, consultant, and activist. They received their BA in Public Relations with a minor in LGBTQ studies. In this episode we’ll be talking more about Adi’s journey, and the core of their work which is helping people …

Christian Herrera and producer 2Deep, co-founders of LA's Gasolina Records, join me today to discuss American Reggaeton, a new musical movement by US-born Latino reggaeton artists who want to break into the Latin-American market. How did they build their record label, why are American Latino reggaetoneros being iced out by the fans and industry? Ho…

In this week’s episode, Cuban-American writer-director Carlos V. Gutierrez discusses his first feature-length film - LOCKED IN. We discuss what it took him to get his first Hollywood movie made, if directors and writers are responsible for improving the image of Latino-created characters on film, and what we have to do to convince studio executives…

We talked with Juliana Lisboa (she, her), the Global Strategy and Operations of a Google project called #IamRemarkable, that empowers underrepresented groups to celebrate their achievements in the workplace and beyond. Juliana is a curious Brazilian woman that took an unusual path by working in technology across multiple countries and cultures in t…

Conversation about belonging in tech and finding your voice as a Latinx. This chat is part of She’s Tech conference. She’s Tech is a movement that aims to strengthen the female presence in the technology sector through 3 pillars: inspire, engage, enable women to seek knowledge and undertake careers and technology-based businesses. Gretchen Rodrigue…

How can we create more inclusive environments? Why do we have only 3% of Latinxs working in tech in the United States? How do we know some solutions might be experienced differently by marginalized groups or groups outside your own? Diversity has the goal to bring more people to the table, and decolonizing is more about proposing an exercise to inf…

My guest today is actor Juan Pablo Raba who co-stars in Liam Neeson’s border thriller The Marksman out on streaming now. He plays Mauricio, a Mexican cartel soldier out to retrieve his missing prize. We tackle Hollywood’s fixation with border stories and why Juan Pablo believes border stories need to continue to be told. We also debate The Marksman…

Luis Curiel currently sits on the People Team managing strategy and operations at Twitter, and also serves as the global co-chair for Twitter Alas, our Latinx business resource group. Luis, a first-generation American, traces his Latinx roots to Honduras. Born and raised in California, he studied biopsychology and worked in agricultural research be…

We talked with Cynthia Orduña, a career coach and talent development advisor with a background in recruiting, career development, diversity, equity, and inclusion. She has helped over 50 startup companies in LA, SF, NY, and Chicago recruit and retain talent and has coached over 300 people in all stages of their career from entry to senior levels. S…

Los Rivera Destino are a young Puerto Rican band who are driving a new wave of modern boleros in Latin music. They’ve already collaborated with the likes of Bad Bunny and Pedro Capó. We discuss why they believe boleros are having a renaissance, the story behind how they collaborated with Bad Bunny, and whether they are pro or nay for Statehood in P…

We talked with Lita & Destiny about how they run a business with a mission to empower women and children around the world through the power of intentional play, and more details about their entrepreneurship journey creating ethical and fair trade products. Lita Barreda has spent her entire career in the garment industry, pulling inspiration from th…

We had an inspiring conversation with an incoming freshman at Pitzer College in California. Diana Vicezar plans to double major in Computer Science and Economics. Elected one of 33 young adults more influential in the world by Global Teen Leader 2019, she advocates for international students and has the goal of sharing opportunities with other mino…

Conversation with Carlos Gonzalez de Villaumbrosia, the Founder and CEO of Product School. We invited Carlos to our podcast because he has an interesting journey building global companies and digital products and this is a subject we’d like to bring to our podcast. Technically he’s not a Latino, but a Hispanic since Carlos is from Spain, and we thi…

My guest this week is actor/singer Christian Chavez, former member of the musical phenomenon RBD. Christian has a new Telemundo super-series out now called “LA SUERTE DE LOLI” where he plays Matías, a clever and openly gay assistant who is having problems in his marriage. We discuss identity, language, fame, depression and if there is a RBD super-s…

This week my guests are Cuban Poet Richard Blanco and Puerto Rican band Buscabulla. Richard Blanco was the first Latino, immigrant and openly gay poet to be chosen to read at a Presidential inauguration. He recited 'One Today' at Barack Obama's 2013 Inauguration. We spoke on the role poetry should play in our country right now. Puerto Rican duo 'Bu…

We talked with Nathalie Marchino, as our first guest of 2021, a former professional rugby player born in Colombia who lived in Switzerland and has turned into a great tech business leader. With a BS Finance in International Business, Nathalie is helping to make design accessible as an EMEA Head of Sales at Figma. She has also worked at Google, Link…

Colombian actress Vanessa Rubio, who stars as Carmen Díaz in the hit Netflix show ‘Cobra Kai,' joins the show to discuss what it’s like to be on a hit mainstream show, what her first reaction to hearing she was officially cast in ‘Cobra Kai’ was like, what she thinks of more interracial relationships like she has with Johnny Lawrence, and why she b…

Camilo Lara is the brainchild of ‘Mexican Institute of Sound,’ one of the most innovative musical bands in Latin music. Why he doesn't play the Grammy's is beyond us. We discuss the meaning behind his new single - 'My America Is Not Your America' - why racism exists in Mexico, how he collaborated with Pixar’s Oscar winning-film ‘Coco’ and how pop c…

Conversation with Linda Ruiz David, an Industrial Engineer from Mexico City. Linda is currently working as a Principal Recruiter at Growth by Design. She founded and led Pinterest's first Latinx and Hispanic community, Todos Pincluidos. Linda works on creating inclusive, empathetic and fun work cultures. She was also on the Board for Latinas in Tec…

Senior Director, IT Program Management at Electronic Arts. Cristina Rufeisen is an accomplished IT leader with experience in the high-tech, digital media, and life sciences industries leading global teams to develop, deploy and support business solutions. In this episode we talked about leading IT teams in the game industry, finding your voice and …

Happy Thanksgiving! Our guest today is actress and producer Aubrey Plaza who has a new psychological thriller called BLACK BEAR out December 4th. We did a deep dive on her Puerto-Rican heritage, if she identifies as a Latina, does she speak Spanish and if she wants to make latinx films. Also she explains why breaking Latina stereotypes is a priorit…

Chicago-based Afro-Latina author, playwright, poet, and producer who has performed as an actress and has written, published, and produced short stories, children’s books, indie films, and full-length plays. Diana is a former English teacher, IT sales executive, and fashion entrepreneur. We had an inspiring conversation about her childhood, using th…

Conversation with Rosa Parra, a Chicana born and raised in East LA. Rosa became interested in films at a young age and just recently decided to become a film critic. She’s currently working towards her Bachelors's in Film and Media studies. Rosa's primary job aids in the medical field as she's a certified electron microscopist, that means a special…

Thelma Neves is a Latinx in Power because she's a Brazilian who decided to follow her dreams, moving to the UK and working as a Designer Manager for a long time. Thelma Neves has experience managing design teams from the agency-side and also the client-side, and she’s a Product Designer Manager at BT. Thelma has a bachelor's degree in Graphic Desig…

With the 2020 election right around the corner, political reporter Rafael Bernal from TheHill.com, helps me breakdown if the Latino vote is a myth or if it will elect the next President of the United States. We also tackle the question that has been on minds of many as of late… should Alexandra-Ocasio Cortés run for President in 2024? The Highly Re…