Cuentos de mi familia

Follow Cuentos de mi familia
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

My name is Xavier Montecel, and this is an oral history project about the stories and the people that make us who we are. In each episode, I sit down with my mom, Cuca Robledo Montecel, to talk about her family and others who have shaped her journey. We discuss where she comes from, the people who formed her, and what the future may hold. We were inspired to get this project going because of my mom's diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer. This podcast is a record of my mom's life, and it is also a record of others who have loved her. We share it with everyone.

Xavier Montecel


    • Oct 19, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 2m AVG DURATION
    • 17 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from Cuentos de mi familia with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Cuentos de mi familia

    113 - The Art of Not Knowing

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2024 77:24


    My mom and I sit down to discuss her experience as a practitioner of Zen. She describes her journey as a spiritual seeker, how Zen has impacted her life, and the community of people, her sangha, which has shaped her. She reflects on the words of her teacher, Robert Kennedy Roshi, who also installed her as a teacher of Zen. We think together about the hard work of "not knowing," which is the heart of Zen.

    112 - En las buenas y en las malas

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2024 72:14


    My mom and I are joined by her lifelong friend, Mari, to discuss the meaning of friendship. I learn about some of my mom's earliest friends, the formative years making friends during her early career, and about some memorable parties! Mari shares some deep connections between her own life and my mom's.

    111 - Food in Your Pocket

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2024 86:04


    My mom and I sit down with my dad, Lucas, to discuss food and what it means to us. My dad shares his background, growing up in Guayaquil, and stories about the food his mother made. My mom describes food of the border in South Texas. We talk about the meaning of food, its connection to relationships, and the things that were passed down.

    110 - I'll Love You Forever

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2024 63:48


    My brother Ismael joins my mom and me to discuss motherhood. We talk about what it was like for her to become a mom, how she remembers our childhood, and the experience of getting to know her children as adults.

    109 - Ancestors at My Back

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2024 80:53


    My mom and I talk at length about her grandparents, my great-grandparents, both on her father Ismael's side and on her mother Paula's side. I learn a lot about her aunts and uncles, her cousins, and our family's history of faith, fidelity, and hard work. We discuss naming, language, and ancestry.

    108 - All Children are Valuable; None is Expendable

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2024 67:21


    My mom discusses her professional life and the course of her career. She remembers what it was like to transition from her childhood in Laredo to young adulthood as a college student in San Antonio. We talk about the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA), which fights for fairness and justice for all children in public schools.

    107 - Unconditional Love

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2024 64:28


    I talk with my mom and two cousins, Juan and Rosa Guadalupe. As the children of my mom's sister Lupe, they tell us about her adult life, what she was like as a parent, and about her unconditional love. This episode is dedicated to my mom for Mother's Day in 2024.

    107 - Unconditional Love

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2024 64:28


    I talk with my mom and two cousins, Juan and Rosa Guadalupe. As the children of my mom's sister Lupe, they tell us about her adult life, what she was like as a parent, and about her unconditional love. This episode is dedicated to my mom for Mother's Day in 2024. * This episode was enhanced for audio and re-released.*

    109 - Ancestors at My Back

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2024 80:53


    My mom and I talk at length about her grandparents, my great-grandparents, both on her father Ismael's side and on her mother Paula's side. I learn a lot about her aunts and uncles, her cousins, and our family's history of faith, fidelity, and hard work. We discuss naming, language, and ancestry.

    108 - All Children are Valuable; None is Expendable

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2024 67:21


    My mom discusses her professional life and the course of her career. She remembers what it was like to transition from her childhood in Laredo to young adulthood as a college student in San Antonio. We talk about the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA), which fights for fairness and justice for all children in public schools.

    107 - Unconditional Love

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2024 64:28


    I talk with my mom and two cousins, Juan and Rosa Guadalupe. As the children of my mom's sister Lupe, they tell us about her adult life, what she was like as a parent, and about her unconditional love. This episode is dedicated to my mom for Mother's Day in 2024.

    106 - Shattering Images of God

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2024 65:47


    My mom describes her spiritual journey, starting from her upbringing in a Catholic family in Laredo. We talk together about what it means to imagine God and also to shatter our images of God as we walk path of life.

    105 - They Do Not Leave Us

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2024 54:53


    My cousin, Rosa Robledo, joins us to talk about her father Anselmo. My mom remembers her brother for his kindness, and we learn some things we did not know!

    104 - Mini Episode: Soul, Heart and Voice

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2024 11:37


    We present an English translation of "Alma, Corazon y Voz." Full text is available here: https://shorturl.at/bhmyF

    103 - Alma, Corazon y Voz

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2024 48:14


    My mom shares a poem that she wrote for her sister Lupe before her death, "Alma, Corazon y Voz." We discuss its meaning for her, and what it means to accompany one another in life. See the next mini episode for an English translation of the poem. Full text of the poem in Spanish: https://shorturl.at/abs08

    102 - Love is Letting Be

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2024 49:55


    We focus in this episode on my grandfather, Ismael. My mom remembers her dad for his kindness, fairness, and empathy. A serious coffee drinker, he worked hard for the family his entire life. He loved others by withholding judgment and letting them be.

    101 - In the Ashes or in the Stars

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2024 42:40


    Our project begins. I sit down with my mom to hear her story from the beginning. We talk about her sister Lupe, who helped her to grow as a young woman, and we discuss what life was like for her parents, Paula and Ismael.

    Claim Cuentos de mi familia

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel