Rubirosa

This week, the one and only Jessica Marie Garcia, known for her role as Jasmine in Netflix's "On My Block," plus many more - shares her journey, awakenings, big questions, and mission. We chat the wisdom of motherhood, parenting, the importance of authenticity in storytelling, and her experiences balancing personal identity with professional roles. Jessica Marie Garcia is a force and I can't wait for y'all to dive in. 

Curly Velasquez is that rare kind of soul who reminds us that showing up as your full self — curls, corazón, cultura and all — is not just powerful, it's necessary. He's joy wrapped in vulnerability, tradition blended with transformation, and he's been helping so many of us see ourselves with a little more love. Whether he's sharing stories about growing up, queerness, spirituality, or just everyday life with his signature humor and depth, Curly holds space for truth and I'm grateful to be in conversation with him!

Ariel Vera is a Peabody Winner and digital creator with a unique vision and style. Using his channel URBANIST he uncovers the secrets of our cities. He has 1.6M total followers interested in his uncoverings! In this episode we chat history and urbanism, and how their secrets, stories, and magnificent wonders all around us! 

Necar Zadegan is a force of love and joy. A polyglot, an artist, and an overall joy to be around. In this episode we chat being artist, how we got here, treating every moment like it's our last, and mainly we just laugh. Enjoy xo

Pamela Zapata is the founder and CEO of Society 18. She is a talent manager disrupting industries, and helping her clients achieve generational wealth. She is a consultant and Forbes Next 1000 Honoree. And every time we link up we get into the real real! This is a beautiful conversation but living life now, not later. 

Melissa Lozada-Oliva is a Guatelombian (Guatemalan-Colombian) American writer. Her book Candelaria was named one of the best books of 2023 by VOGUE and USA Today. Her work explores the intersections of Latina identity, feminism, hair removal & what it means to belong. In this incredible convo we chat turning off our phones, bringing back Selena through seance, and paving our own way.   

This week we are connecting with the one and only Anirudh Pisharody, an Indian American actor from Fox's 911 and Never Have I Ever. We chat all about craft, acting, being role models, taking risks, and being our biggest obstacles! It's a beautiful episode. Enjoy!

Mariah Caudillo is the brilliant sex educator behind SexEdFiles, whose motto is simple but revolutionary: “Shame-free, inclusive, and quality sex ed—let's learn together.” From unlearning the myths we grew up with to understanding why real sex education is about so much more than just sex, Mariah breaks down the barriers that keep us from having open, honest, and necessary conversations. No shame, no awkwardness—just real talk about bodies, pleasure, and everything in between. Tune in, take notes, and let's learn together!

In this episode of Brown Enough, comedian Pooja Tripathi joins usfor a deep (and hilarious) dive into creativity, art, humor, coffee culture, and all things New York. Her BK Coffee Shop videos have racked up millions of views and a feature in The New York Times. Pooja has mastered the fine line between satire and reality—especially with her viral collaborations that “don't exist but sort of do.” We unpack the magic of making something from nothing, the absurdity of the internet, and why everyone should probably go buy one of collabs. Tune in for laughs, insights, and a little creative mischief.

Are we shaped more by nature or nurture? It's a question science has wrestled with for years. In todays bonus episode, yours truly, Christopher Rivas is on the The Story Collider Podcast, he is diving into family histories to uncover how the past continues to shape the present. Don't miss this powerful exploration of identity, legacy, and self-discovery. Listen wherever you get your podcasts!

In this electrifying conversation, Dellara breaks down how technology is a tool for liberation, the power of abundance over scarcity, and why confidence is the foundation for creating a better world. She dives into her book The Dreamer's Playbook, discussing strategies for hacking the education system, cultivating confidence, and using technology to amplify marginalized voices. Together, Dellara and Christopher Rivas explore the intersection of manifestation, purpose, and the radical act of dreaming beyond limitations.

This is a bonus episode from our friends over at Las Paleteras. Las Paleteras is a fun, energetic, and mindful podcast hosted by Cesar Camacho, Ana Sheila, and Jose Richard Aviles (Nalgona), all three queer Latinx artists. Las Paleteras Podcast centers the lived experience while also engaging with supportive, guiding, and authentic conversations. This podcast celebrates the good, the bad, and the ugly, in the hopes that our conversations create a safe space for anyone seeking wanting to feel seen, liberated, and have fun. We're challenging systems, the status quo, and ourselves, pero siempre con cariño! Join us for a podcast thats like a paleta para tus oidos - joyful, vibrant, y bien sabrosa.

What does it take to create meaningful change in an industry that still resists it? How do we reclaim our narratives? In this episode of Brown Enough, we dive in with Alexis Garcia and Mariana Da Silva, two visionary storytellers reshaping Hollywood from the ground up. Alexis and Mariana are committed to amplifying underrepresented voices, creating films and plays that challenge stereotypes, and open doors for other Brown creators. They share the hustle, the heart, and the hard-earned lessons behind their work. We talk representation, authenticity, and why telling our own stories isn't just art—it's activism.

What does it mean to live in harmony with nature? In this episode of Brown Enough, we head to the snow-covered trails of Utah to go dog sledding with Dana and Fernando, the founders of Rancho Luna Lobos. More than just a sled dog sanctuary, Rancho Luna Lobos is a way of life—rooted in respect, balance, and deep connection to the land and the animals that call it home. We talk about their journey, the wisdom they've gained from their dogs, and the lessons we can all learn about trust, leadership, and finding our place in the natural world.

Jeanell English is the co-founder of Elizabeth and Minnie, a new publishing company that is lifting voices and lifting stories. A community first independent publisher giving power and IP  to underrepresented communities and creators. In this episode we chat books, art, risk taking and how book clubs are a great place to find someone if you are single. Enjoy!

Today we speak with two artists from City of Asylum - the world's largest sanctuary for artists in exile, facing political persecution. Exiled artists receive financial and medical support for their families and free housing. A safe space to keep being artists. Founded in 2004 by Henry Reese and Diane Samuels, it is The U.S. headquarters for the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN), which called the organization a “model for the world.” 

Wassup y'all - this is a little bonus in the feed today. I wanted to share that Brown Enough is officially out in paperback today! It now comes with and includes a study guide and the Enough Workbook  or as we call it - the field guide to enoughness. At a time when the stakes feel impossibly high, I'm reminded of the power of story to connect, heal, and inspire. My hope is that Brown Enough continues to be more than a book. I hope it becomes a tool, a mirror, a bridge—a way for us to see each other and ourselves more clearly. We need that clarity now more than ever.

Paola and I both got same lesson early on, "the jack of all trades is the master of none," and we both rejected this lesson early on by mastering story! Paola Mendoza is a mother, filmmaker, author and organizer. She has many beautiful books and films in the world. She is also a fierce activist, organizing movements for change wherever possible. This is a beautiful episode - enjoy! 

In this inspiring episode we sit down with three phenomenal entrepreneurs: Ariell Ilunga, Bety Le Shackelford, and Edith Gutierrez. Together, they share their journeys of following their hearts, overcoming challenges, and answering the call to create meaningful change in their communities. They explore resilience, purpose, and the power of staying true to yourself when the road gets tough. This episode is a celebration of determination, creativity, and the strength it takes to pursue your dreams. Don't miss these stories of courage and connection!

Kati Fernandez is a proud born and raised Dominicana and now a top executive at ESPN. On this episode we get into all things pitching, getting things made, being fearless, and how somehow she can read up to 70 books a year!

Indya Moore is an American actor and model. They are known for playing the role of Angel Evangelista in the FX television series Pose. Time named them one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2019. In this convo we chat Hollywood, being a revolutionary, mushrooms, joy, and more. 

Faatimah A is the founder and CEO of the WPBA, The Womens Professional Basketball Association. She plays for the Jamaican National Team, is an incredible mentor, and overall a huge inspiration on what it means to listen to the call and make dreams come true. 

Solidarity is stronger than gravity—and stronger than the corporate greed that's invaded every aspect of American life. But building it is hard. It requires empathy, commitment, courage, and clarity of vision. From years of experience, I can tell you that housing advocate Tara Raghuveer has done something remarkable. Starting with her neighbors in Kansas City, Mo., she created a tenants union that's become a leader in the fight for better regulations, protections, and rights for renters. This year she expanded her reach, launching the Tenant Union Federation to help others across the country build power, and forging a movement of working-class solidarity changing the way Americans think about rent, housing, and our basic rights. Her organizing could impact millions and shift our national conversation about housing. And just as important—Tara has helped thousands embrace the power that's available to all of us through solidarity. 

Christopher talks being Brown, Brown Enough, and Making it in America at City of Asylum in Pittsburg, PA. An organization dedicated to providing asylum to artists facing political prosecution... He is in conversation with Betty Cruz. Enjoy!

Brown Enough fam - it has been a LONG time … and after a much needed hiatus I am back with some exciting happenings and news! Yes, we are coming back with new episodes in the new year, with incredible guests and collaborations - but in the meantime - I'm on here to let you know that The RUBIROSA podcast is now on it's own feed!Rubirosa - all about Porfirio Rubirosa, the Dominican Diplomat James Bond was based on. If you listened and want o listen again, just loo up RUBIROSA wherever you listen to podcasts, and if you haven't heard it, now is a great time to deep dive - all 10 episodes are available right now. Share. Rate it. Like and subscribe - you know how it goes.Love and appreciate you and can't wait to be back in community with y'all.Ps. In the meantime, if there is anyone we should be talking to or any conversation/topic you want to be hearing - send us an email at BrownEnoughproductions@gmail.com - again - brownenoughproductions@gmail.co.Love, blessings, and gratitude - talk soon.

Here's another episode from you, our amazing listeners.

Chris has been practicing meditation for more than ten years now. It's his daily morning routine to sit and be present in the moment. The practice of meditation has been life changing for him. Today, Chris gets into the roots of yoga and meditation as he speaks with Rosie Acosta and Susanna Barkataki - both women of color in the world of wellness.

Saadia Khan knows first-hand what it is to be an immigrant in the United States. She's an activist, a social entrepreneur, a mother of two and a podcast host of two shows - Immigrantly and Invisible Hate. Today, Saadia chats with Chris about her dual identity as a Pakistani American, how she's amplifying stories and narratives of immigrant communities and how she feels about America.

Comedian Erik Rivera has been making audiences laugh for more than a decade. He sits down with Chris to talk about how identity and family life makes it into his jokes, and about creating a supportive and inclusive comedy ecosystem.

A star is on the rise and she's making her big splash in Andrew Lloyd Webber's new Broadway show, Bad Cinderella. Her name is Linedy Genao. The Brooklyn native plays the leading role of Cinderella putting her own twist to the character. And this is not the Disney version we all know of.

This episode is an invitation to pause, take stock and recharge as Chris takes a reset in Napa, California - where he talks to leaders, creatives and disruptors in all fields of work. 

Annie Gonzalez is setting fire -- but not literally. The actress is spicing things up in the new movie Flamin' Hot, playing Judy, the wife and partner of the man who invented one of America's favorite snacks, the Flamin' Hot Cheetos. Today, Chris chats with Annie about her acting career, what it was like playing the role of Judy and executive producing a new biopic of the Mexican American singer Jenni Rivera.

Bri Majsiak is a journalist, but her work extends beyond that. She's also a co-founder of a nonprofit called Breasties, an all inclusive organization that creates a community for survivors of breast and gynecologic cancer. But also for previvors, thrivers and caregivers. Today, she chats with Chris about how her mother's story inspired her to start Breasties, what her nonprofit is doing to support folks impacted by breast cancer and an important decision she made regarding her health.

Today's episode is extra special. We've been asking for your stories, thoughts, and reactions - and today you'll get to hear all the beautiful messages you've been sending over time.

Henry R. Muñoz III's career has spanned art, architecture and politics and entertainment. And as the the son of a farm labor leader who worked closely with the legendary Cesar Chavez, community-building is in Henry's blood. Today, Chris chats with Henry about lessons Henry took from his parents, how his interest for the arts and advocacy intersect and all the tremendous work he's done for the Brown community.

Today, we're bringing you a special episode from The Man Enough Podcast - where our host Chris Rivas shares his journey towards self confidence, education and peace as a brown man in America. Our hosts get intimate about their relationships to privilege, adolescent insecurities and actionable steps they are taking towards being a “good” person.  The video version of every episode will always be available on the @wearemanenough YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/WeAreManEnough

When Chef Miguel Trinidad was introduced to cannabis, it was all about getting high. But as he got older and learned about the medicinal benefits of marijuana, he began to think about it differently. Now, he is taking cannabis to the next level. He's infusing cannabis with food at private dinner parties. These dinners are invite only. Luckily, Chris got his invitation. Today, Chris chats with Chef Miguel about the art of cooking with cannabis, how Chef Miguel got started in the industry and how he is using these dinners to de-stigmatize the stereotype of cannabis.

If you open your Instagram account and search for the name Sarah Bahbah, you'll find yourself looking at beautiful images inspired by romance and films. These images -- of loving couples, luxurious bathtubs and platters of food -- are just a glimpse of the world the Palestinian/Jordanian artist Sarah Bahbah has created with her photographs. And today, Chris and her chat about her visual art and identity. You can purchase of book of her copy Dear Love here.

How does masculinity show up in relationships, everyday life and in culture? For this week's episode, Chris gets deep into the topic with Mark Pagan, creator of the Other Men Need Help podcast. And then he welcomes another special guest --  his pops William Rivas. Together they chat about the stereotypes of masculinity that exist in Latin American culture and how William has gone through his own evolution.

Classical music is pretty much a space where Black and Brown folks are missing. But there's someone close to the Brown Enough team who's shaking things up to make the world of classical music more diverse. She's Jazmín Morales, chief of staff at the prestigious Juilliard School and partner of executive producer Carlos E. Hernandez. Chris and Jazmín take us on a deep dive into the world of classical music, discuss what it was like playing mariachi growing up and how educational institutions should support the arts.

Chris has a little secret! He's an actor but he surprisingly doesn't watch much TV. He's a busy man. He's either auditioning for roles, writing and/or hosting this podcast. So for this week's episode, he chats with television aficionado Ashley Ray. Ashley is the host of TV I Say, an Earwolf podcast that celebrates all things television. Both Chris and Ashley discuss their favorite shows, how Black and Brown representation on TV has evolved, and the insidious role advertising plays in all of this. We need your help. We are looking for YOUR STORIES about meditation. Do you meditate ⁠— or feel that meditation is accessible to you? Have you ever been the only Brown person in a meditation class or space? Have you tried to introduce this practice to your community in an interesting way? Tell us everything. Send your stories in an email or as a voice memo to brownenough@stitcher.com. You could wind up on a future episode! 

There've been a slew of terms used to identify people of Latin American heritage over the years: Hispanic, Latino, Latina, and Latinx. That last one -- Latinx -- has sparked controversy, headlines and even political fights recently. So this week, Chris dives deeper into the conversation of assimilation, self identity, census checkboxes and who gets to police language. He's joined by fellow writer Julissa Arce, author of You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case For Rejecting Assimilation, who has her own thoughts on the term Latinx.

Kweli Caldereon has been a makeup artist for more than 20 years. She's often called when films, tv shows or music videos need someone to take care of hair and makeup for Black creatives. She even did host Chris' makeup once, on the set of Call Me Kat. Today, Chris chats with Kweli about how she got started working in Hollywood, what changes she's seen in the industry, why segregation in the beauty industry persists, and the changes she wants to see.

When Chris interviewed his dad for the Rubirosa podcast, he found out a secret about his dad's real name. That story inspired today's episode, which is all about names. And the special guest is YOU! Tune in for stories about beautiful, Brown names: what you were named after, whether people can pronounce your name and how some of y'all are reclaiming your names.

Chris speaks very little Spanish. A fact he's been ashamed of for quite some time since his parents and sister are fluent. But a little while back, he enrolled in a program called "Spanish Sin Pena" that aims to empower folks with Latin American heritage to speak Spanish confidently. Today, he chats with the founders of Spanish Sin Pena about how it started, the impact they are making and why so many people feel shame and embarrassment about not knowing their parents' first language.

Before moving to LA, Chris was born and raised in Queens, New York. He remembers visiting his abuela in Jackson Heights, where more than 150 languages are spoken. Today, he talks to the New York State Senator who reps Jackson Heights, Jessica Ramos, about her career serving one of the most diverse communities in the world.

Chris wrote an essay for Modern Love in 2019 about dating—and breaking up with—white women that went viral. Hear all about the essay, its aftermath and how friend-of-the-show Grasie Mercedes had a similar experience that led to her reaching out to Chris! This episode was originally aired as part of Chris' documentary podcast, Rubirosa. To hear more, scroll down to the bottom of this feed and click on "Rubirosa Episode 1: Haunted." To read Chris' Modern Love essay, click here.

Today, we're listening to actor Grasie Mercedes, who stars in NBC's Grand Crew. Though she identifies as Afro Latina, she's never been cast as such. We go deep into why that might be. Plus, casting director Victor Vazquez tells us about why it's important to see ourselves reflected on more creative projects. And how that representation can't be monolithic

What and who do you include in a national Latino museum?That's a question that many have been asking since late 2020, when Congress green-lit the creation of The National Museum of the American Latino. It's a new addition to the Smithsonian Institution's roster of national museums, many of which intend to preserve the history and culture of the United States.The fight to create The National Museum of the American Latino spans across decades. The idea was sparked by a damning 1994 report, commissioned by the Smithsonian itself, which concluded that the institution had a pattern of systematically excluding Latinos and Latinas from its programming and its staff. One of its top recommendations? To create a museum highlighting Latinos and Latinas in this country. Now, in 2022, the museum is making moves. Even though there's no building to house it yet, the National Museum of the American Latino has appointed a board, hired an inaugural director, and has even debuted its first show in the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. In the midst of all this, many are beginning to wonder what the vision of this museum will be, and how it plans to capture the wide diversity of Latino history and culture in the United States. Show page: https://www.latinousa.org/2022/09/02/latinomuseum/Apple Podcast Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shaping-a-national-latino-museum/id79681317?i=1000578129968

What started off as a hobby crafting beer at home turned into a real business for Juan Camilo, who's now the founder and owner of Dyckman Beer Company in New York. Juan was born in the Dominican Republic and at the age of five he came to the U.S., where he grew up between Washington Heights and the Bronx. Using his cultural influences, Juan infuses Dominican flavors to make unique craft beer. Listen to learn more about Juan and the secret recipes he's working on.

Did you know that wine actually has roots that date back to Asia? There's a lot we get wrong about wine, according to our guest Justine Belle Lambright, a co-founder of Kalchē Wine Cooperative and expert on all things food & beverage. Listen to learn about Justine's experience in the industry and how they're changing the game with their own business.