Podcasts about Cuban Americans

If some Latinos hear la doctora, it doesn't evoke the image of a medical doctor. Instead, it's that of a Cuban American attorney-turned-show host who sings her own theme song.In 2001, Doctora Polo had been practicing family law for over 20 years in Miami when she was hired to host a new court show on Telemundo that would later become Caso Cerrado. It often aired for multiple hours a day on Telemundo and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy.In this episode of Latino USA, Doctora Polo reflects on her role as a Latina entertainer and the phenomenon of Caso Cerrado in Latinx pop culture.Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S., centering Latino stories and hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. Follow the show to get every episode. Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@futuromediaFollow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LatinoUSASubscribe to our newsletter: https://www.futuromediagroup.org/subscribe/This episode originally aired in 2022. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peaks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus.

In this special episode recorded live at Cuba Nostalgia in Miami, the Stay Tranquilo crew sits down with Orlando Mendez and Vic Garcia to reflect on the powerful stories of their Cuban grandparents—escaping communism, rebuilding from nothing, and laying the foundation for the lives we live today.From life-risking journeys across the ocean to the vibrant family traditions that define Cuban-American culture, this episode honors the grit, soul, and legacy passed down through generations.We talk identity, heritage, music, food, and what it truly means to carry the spirit of Cuba—even if we've never stepped foot on the island.

Today we chat with the picture book queen, THE Jackie Morera! @jmorerabooksWe can't wait for you all to tune in, but first here's a bit more about Jackie:Jackie Morera is a Cuban American author of books for young-at-heart readers. Born and raised in Miami, Jackie now lives with her family in Central Florida. She's a wife of 10+ years, a mom to the most marvelous kid, and is never far from her animal familiar: currently, a floppy black lab named Tanner. Outside of writing, Jackie enjoys talking to the bees, caterpillars, and butterflies that visit her pollinator garden; savoring pastelitos; and cozying up for a good nap. Jackie is an active member of Las Musas, a volunteer for the Latinx Kidlit Book Festival, and a 2025 PB Rising Stars Mentor. Jackie is the author of TOGETHER WE REMEMBER, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación; ABUELO'S FLOWER SHOP, illustrated by Deise Lino; and more!Jackie's website: https://www.jmorerabooks.com/⁠#OfthePublishingPersuasion⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠#podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠#writing⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠#Publishing #picturebook #picturebooks  #kidsbooks #kidsbookstagram #podcastersofinstagram #authorscommunity #author #milestone #booksforkids #diversereads  #kidlit #latinxbooks 

The Narco-Satánicos were a notorious criminal cult based in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, that became infamous in the late 1980s for combining drug trafficking with ritualistic killings. The group was led by Adolfo de Jesús Constanzo, a Cuban-American who called himself a "palo mayombe" priest—a religion with African-Cuban roots that he distorted into violent, occult practices. Key Facts:1. LeadershipAdolfo Constanzo was the leader and spiritual figurehead.He gained followers among drug traffickers and law enforcement, who believed his rituals brought protection and power.Sara Aldrete, a college student, became his second-in-command and was dubbed the "High Priestess."2. Beliefs and PracticesThe group practiced a twisted version of Palo Mayombe, involving animal and human sacrifices.Constanzo believed blood rituals would protect their drug operations and make them invisible to police.Victims were sometimes tortured and mutilated as part of these rituals.3. Criminal ActivitiesThe cult was heavily involved in drug trafficking, especially smuggling marijuana across the U.S.–Mexico border.They operated on a ranch called "Rancho Santa Elena" near Matamoros, which became the site of gruesome discoveries.4. The Murder of Mark KilroyTheir activities came to light after the 1989 abduction and murder of Mark Kilroy, a University of Texas student on spring break.Kilroy was kidnapped, tortured, and killed as a human sacrifice.The high-profile case led U.S. and Mexican authorities to investigate the cult.5. Collapse and AftermathPolice raided Rancho Santa Elena and discovered numerous mutilated bodies buried on the property.Constanzo died in a shootout with police in Mexico City in May 1989—reportedly after ordering one of his followers to kill him rather than be captured.Several cult members, including Sara Aldrete, were captured and received lengthy prison sentences.Cultural ImpactThe case shocked both Mexico and the U.S., blending true crime with horror elements.It inspired books, documentaries, and films due to its disturbing mix of drug crime and ritualistic occultism.Note: I was very limited on what I was able to ask Sara, due to her being under contract for a documentary at the time.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support.

In this episode of the Stay Tranquilo Podcast, we sit down with Tony Cao, founder of CAO Bakery, to talk Cuban roots, family legacy, and building one of the fastest-growing Cuban-American bakery brands in the U.S.Tony shares how growing up inside the iconic Vicky Bakery led to launching his own concept — CAO (Cuban American Original) — blending tradition with that distinct Miami flavor. From pastelitos to partnerships with Marlins Stadium, hear how CAO is expanding beyond South Florida and into cities like Tampa, Orlando, and even North Carolina.

Send us a textRecoveco Miami isn't just a new restaurant—it's a story of focus, flavor, and corazón. Chefs Maria Teresa Gallina and Nico Martinez join us to dish on their exciting new opening, the serendipitous journey that led them there, and how they're carving a fresh space in Miami's ever-evolving culinary scene. From hidden inspirations to bold flavors, this episode is your all-access pass behind the kitchen doors of one of the city's most celebrated and anticipated new spots.The Recoveco team also just became a much-coveted addition to the 2025 Michelin Guide Florida. Cheers to them! Listen here:AppleSpotifyiHeartradioAmazon MusicAudibleVisit me on my social media platforms: InstagramTwitterYouTubeTikTokFacebookWho am I? I'm a Cuban-American writer and podcaster who's been telling Spanglish food, life, and travel stories since 2013—long enough to remember when “influencer” was just what your mom called you when you got your abuela hooked on PB&J.What started as a passion project has become a trusted, recognizable brand in South Florida's culinary scene. By keeping it authentic and always showing up with curiosity (and probably a cafecito in hand), I've built real relationships with chefs, restaurateurs, and a dedicated following of fellow flavor-hunters.My coverage ranges from white-tablecloth fine dining to the no-frills neighborhood spots. I was raised on pan con mantequilla, but my appetite spans the globe. Just don't ask me to choose between a Michelin tasting menu and medianoche. I'll take both, thanks.Like what you hear? Supporting my podcast is simple. Please share, review, and/or rate to help the episodes receive more exposure. It takes seconds, and it's incredibly helpful. Want to advertise your business or event in an episode or two?Message me at thewhetpalette@gmail.com. Thank you for listening. As always, from my “palette”  to yours, Cheers! BrendaSupport the show

The Cuban sandwich. If it's made with ingredients different from someone else's recipe, you might find yourself in an hours-long argument in the middle of Little Havana. In Miami and Tampa, Florida, restaurant owners, historians, and Cuban Americans recount their own memories of the Cuban sandwich, as well as the story of its origins. In this episode of Gravy, reporter Kayla Stewart explores the sandwich's long-standing origin story, new research about the Cuban sandwich, and how the South influenced the sandwich's popularity and the current identity of Floridian Cuban Americans. Gravy thanks La Segunda Bakery, Sanguich de Miami, and Ana Sofia Pelaez, author of The Cuban Table, for contributions to this episode. Kayla Stewart is a James Beard Award-winning food and travel journalist, cookbook author, and a Senior Editor at Eater. Her work has been featured in Eater, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, and others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lissette Calderon showed up to the studio with a bottle of Casa Dragones tequila and got right to business—just like she has her entire career. From her childhood growing up near the Miami River to becoming one of the most visionary developers in South Florida, Lissette's story is nothing short of inspiring.In an industry historically dominated by men, this proud Cuban-American carved her own path. After attending Coral Gables High, she headed to The Wharton School of Business at the  University of Pennsylvania and eventually returned to Miami to work at the Related Group. But it didn't take long for her entrepreneurial drive to kick in.Motivated by the lack of affordable housing and inspired by the city she calls home, Lissette took a bold leap. She put a development site under contract near the Miami River and launched Neo Lofts—her first project and a spark that would ignite a full-blown transformation of the area. With the success of Neo Lofts, Lissette followed up with Neo Vertika, Wind by Neo, and Pier 19 Residences & Marina, earning her the nickname “Queen of the Miami River.”But her impact didn't stop there. Lissette turned her sights on Allapattah, completing No. 17 Residences in 2021, and is now delivering two more communities—The Julia and Fourteen Allapattah Residences—in 2024. Her latest project, a massive 1,350-unit mixed-use community in the Palmer Lake District, sits across from the future site of Miami Freedom Park and is set to break ground later this year.From Penn to pioneering Miami's most overlooked neighborhoods, Lissette Calderon is proof of what vision, grit, and relentless determination can build—especially when the odds are stacked against you.Connect with usWant to dive deeper into Miami's commercial real estate scene? It's our favorite topic—and we're always up for a good conversation. Whether you're just exploring or already making big moves, feel free to reach out at felipe@builtworldadvisors.com or give us a call at 305.498.9410. Prefer to connect online? Find us on LinkedIn or Instagram—we're always open to expanding the conversation. Ben Hoffman: LinkedIn Felipe Azenha: LinkedIn We extend our sincere gratitude to Büro coworking space for generously granting us the opportunity to record all our podcasts at any of their 8 convenient locations across South Florida.

Send us a textIn this episode, on Poetry Day, we cross the Atlantic and. breakfast in Miami, where we talk to Cuban American poet Richard Blanco about his Homeland of my Body: New and Selected Poems, a rich, accomplished, intensely intimate collection with two full sections of new poems bookending Blanco's selections from his five previous volumes. We also feature this year's Strokestown International Poetry Festival, including the five poets shortlisted for the Strokestown Poetry Competition. If you're around for the festival Enda will be giving  a poetry workshop and Peter will be giving a talk on The Life of the Poet.Praise for Richard Blanco:“An engineer, poet, Cuban American… his poetry bridges cultures and languages – a mosaic of our past, our present, and our future – reflecting a nation that is hectic, colorful, and still becoming.”– President Joe Biden, conferring the National Humanities Medal on Richard BlancoSandra Cisneros describes Blanco's poems as “sad, tender, and filled with longing. Like an old photograph, a saint's statue worn away by the devout, a bolero on the radio on a night full of rain. Me emocionan. There is no other way to say it. They emotion me.”This episode is supported by a Project Award from the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon.Intro/outro music: Colm Mac Con Iomaire, ‘Thou Shalt Not Carry' from The Hare's Corner, 2008, with thanks to Colm for permission to use it. Logo designed by Freya Sirr.Support the show

Join Sergio on Gamechangers as he interviews Ana Veiga-Milton, a Cuban-American powerhouse who turned her immigrant roots into a Miami legacy. From a full scholarship at the University of Miami to leading the Jose Milton Foundation, Ana shares her inspiring journey in STEM, law, and philanthropy. Discover how she's transforming South Florida through education, healthcare, and first responder support—and get her actionable advice for the next generation

A young woman living in New Orleans, Rosa, has an easygoing life until her wanted murderer former Castro operative Uncle Julio comes to town. Uncle Julio has a master plan - to use Rosa as part of a plot to assassinate a US Senator. You can listen to all episodes now for Season 1. Find To Live And Die In New Orleans on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, Audible, or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1980s Miami, amid the glitz, gunfire, and power boats, two Cuban-American friends Sal Magluta and Willy Falcon, built one of the most powerful drug empires in U.S. history. Known as Los Muchachos, they moved mountains of cocaine through a city shaped by Cuban exiles, ambition, and an underworld that blurred the line between loyalty and lawlessness. From funding anti-Castro revolutionaries to working with both the Medellin and Cali Cartel, this is the story of how they rose, ruled, and ran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From capturing hearts on American Idol with her now ex-husband to stepping boldly into her own spotlight, Cuban-American artist Kat Luna is telling her story—this time, solo. Her debut EP That Girl is a fearless dive into young love, heartbreak, and self-discovery. With Spanglish flair and emotional depth, Kat explores the highs of first love, the weight of early commitment, and the freedom of finding your own voice. Signed to Sony and stronger than ever, she’s not just the girl from the duo—she’s that girl now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Adrian L. Mesa is the founder and CEO of AMP Mental Health. Active within the healthcare field since 2006, he earned his doctorate degree from the University of Miami, and has board certifications by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as both a Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Aside from AMP, Dr. Mesa is an Army veteran, a father, a fitness enthusiast, and a photographer. Adrian traces the roots of his interest in mental health long before the start of his career. Being a first generation Cuban-American, he saw in real time the repercussions of the stigmas held by the Latino community, and even in his own family, toward those with mental illness. Dr. Mesa saw firsthand how mental illness impacted his uncle, who remains a role model and life mentor to this day and cites him as a frequent source of inspiration.

Chuck Todd takes a deep dive into the JFK assassination conspiracy and the latest document release with Jeff Morley, founder of JFK Facts.He opens the episode by exploring how the government's lack of transparency and honesty has fueled public distrust—and why that environment often breeds conspiratorial thinking.Chuck and Jeff then examine the government's decades-long effort to keep a tight lid on records related to President John F. Kennedy's assassination, and how skepticism from high-ranking officials at the time continues to cast doubt on the CIA's official account.They break down the most recent document releases, discuss why both Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden delayed their full release, and analyze what the timing and redactions might suggest about what the government could still be hiding.The conversation takes a closer look at Lee Harvey Oswald, his potential ties to the CIA, and why the agency has remained evasive about those connections.Finally, they review the key findings from the newly released documents, assess whether any revelations have truly been groundbreaking, and preview what might come next in the ongoing evolution of this historic conspiracy theory.Like and subscribe to The Chuck ToddCast!Timeline:0:00 Introduction02:00 What led to massive distrust of the U.S. government04:00 Chuck's big questions about the JFK assassination8:40 How did Jeff Morley become JFKfacts?10:10 Oliver Stone's movie led to congress passing the JFK records act in 199211:40 Released CIA records were a reporting gold mine14:55 Until the internet, the government kept a closed fist on the records15:55 Oswald denied the killing, case was never adjudicated 19:10 Chuck welcoming his son to the conspiracy 21:50 The books that informed Jeff's thinking on the assassination24:45 Bobby Kennedy never believed the official story25:55 How did Oswald not end up in jail after going to Russia?28:45 Oswald was a known quantity to CIA officials before the assassination29:55 Robert Kennedy asked the CIA director directly about CIA involvement32:10 CIA's fear was their awful operations being brought to light33:40 Lyndon Johnson didn't believe the Warren commission34:50 Why did the CIA cover up its affiliation with Oswald?35:40 What did Trump hold off on releasing?37:30 Trump and Biden both punted on releasing files40:40 Trump got back on board after RFK Jr. joined the campaign43:10 The timeline for redactions shows what the government prioritized protecting45:10 Hoover sanctioned FBI agents for their handling of Oswald45:55 Why did the FBI + CIA remove Oswald from the watch list?47:40 Oswald clearly was a CIA asset48:40 Oswald did 5 things that should have landed him in trouble49:55 Oswald goes public with the Fair Play for Cuba Committee51:50 4 people confronting Oswald in the courtroom had CIA connections54:20 Bay of Pigs is the root of Cuban-American support for Republicans59:00 Did we learn anything from old Soviet files?1:01:00 Soviets surveilled Oswald while he was in Minsk 1:03:45 Tulsi Gabbard implied new files had been found1:05:30 CIA hasn't produced new records that aren't at the national archives1:06:00 What are we missing on Jack Ruby?1:08:10 CIA motivations for cover up?1:10:15 What if Oswald did it and was part of a conspiracy?1:10:40 There's no smoking gun proof Oswald did it?1:11:10 Compelling evidence that shots came from in front of Kennedy1:13:10 Investigators botched the chain of possession for evidence1:17:25 Jeff's experience testifying in front of congress1:18:55 Trump's motive for declassifying the records1:21:40 Where to find Jeff's work1:23:10 The CIA was a rogue agency in the 50s 1:24:55 Chuck's closing thoughts

Inspired by her father Rey's courageous journey from Cuba to America and her brother Rey's childhood musical rivalry, Angie chose her stage name as a tribute to the two men who shaped her dreams. Her musical journey began early, leading to a breakthrough appearance on Telemundo's "La Voz Kids," where she reached the Top 18. This first-generation Cuban-American found her unique voice in country music, influenced by time spent on her grandparents' farm where she discovered the shared values of family, God, and love between her Latin heritage and country music. Now based in Nashville for the past two years, Angie has carved out her own path, performing several nights weekly on Broadway and opening for country stars such as Wynonna Judd, Scotty McCreery and Tanya Tucker, while infusing Latin energy into her country originals.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-like-it-s-live--4113802/support.

What does it really take to rise from the streets to the C-suite? This is a story so gripping, bold, and empowering—it'll challenge what you think you know about success, struggle, and what's truly possible.This is the raw, unfiltered story of Mike Calvo—a blind Cuban-American who went from hustling drugs in 1980s Miami to becoming a pioneering tech CEO. His story forces us to confront uncomfortable truths about how society sees race, disability, and the very real limits of modern DEI.Ready for An Inspirational Ride to the Top?Tap play now to hear a story so gripping, bold, and empowering—it'll challenge what you think you know about success, struggle, and what's truly possible.Mike Calvo's Story is Like a MovieBorn blind and raised in Miami, Mike Calvo lived fast, hustled harder, and nearly lost it all. But what happens when grit, hustle, and purpose collide? In this episode, Mike opens up about his rise from street life to the boardroom, dismantling stereotypes and exposing the cracks in corporate DEI policies along the way. It's a wild, deeply human, and fiercely motivational ride that will leave you rethinking what's truly possible.3 Big Takeaways:Discover the real-world resilience and motivation it takes to escape the streets and build a legacy you can be proud of.Hear a brutally honest breakdown of what Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion often misses—and what needs to change. Learn how Mike turned adversity into inspiration, creating a path not just for himself, but for the next generation.LOOKING FOR MIKE CALVO'S LINKS?Visit MikeCalvo.comEmail Mike @ Mike@MikeCalvo.comVisit Pneumasolutions.comFollow Mike on FacebookConnect with Mike on LinkedInMeet Mike CalvoMike Calvo is an esteemed public speaker, Cuban American, and a passionate advocate for accessibility and empowerment. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised in Miami after attending the Michigan School for the Blind, Mike's journey is one of resilience and determination.As the founder of The Blind Visionary, LLC, Mike utilizes his personal and professional experiences to inspire audiences across various sectors. His speeches delve into overcoming life's challenges, harnessing technology for empowerment, and advocating for inclusivity.Living in Orlando with his combined family of seven children, Mike's narrative is enriched by his roles as a father, husband, and community leader. His Cuban heritage and life experiences bring a unique flavor to his talks, resonating with diverse audiences.English or Spanish, Mike's engagements are not just speaking events; they are transformative experiences designed to motivate and challenge perceptions about what is possible.Hey, it's Kevin!I hope you enjoyed today's episode! If there is ever anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to reach out. Below, you will find ALL the places and ALL the ways to connect!I would LOVE to hear from you! Send me a Voice MessageWant to be a guest on GRIT, GRACE, & INSPIRATION? Send Kevin Lowe a message on PodMatch!

Our guest this time, Kane Brolin, will quickly and gladly tell you that as a blind person born in Iowa in 1965 he was mightily blessed to be born in that state as it had the best programs for blind people in the nation. Kane was born prematurely and, because of being given too much oxygen he became blind due to a condition known as retinopathy O. Prematurity. In fact I am blind due to the same circumstance. As it turns out, Kane and I share a great many life experiences especially because of the attitudes of our parents who all thought we could do whatever we put our minds to doing. Kane attended public school and then went to Iowa State University. He wanted to be a DJ and had a bit of an opportunity to live his dream. However, jobs were scarce and eventually he decided to go back to school at Northwestern University in Illinois. He formed his own financial and investment company which has been in business since 2002. He is a certified financial planner and has earned the Chartered Special Needs Consultant® designation.   We talk quite a bit about financial matters and he gives some sage advice about what people may realize are good investment ideas. He talks about investing in the stock market and urges investing for the long term. I leave it to him to discuss this in more depth.   Kane is quite committed to “pay it forward” insofar as dealing with blind people is concerned. He is currently the president of the National Federation of the Blind of Indiana. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Penny Forward, Inc., a not-for-profit founded and run by blind people which strives to build a diverse and aspirationally-focused community of blind people who help one another achieve financial fitness, gainful employment, and overall fulfilment in life.   I find Kane quite inspirational and I hope you will do so as well. He has much to offer and he provided many good life lessons not only about financial matters, but also about blindness and blind people.       About the Guest:   Born in 1965, Kane Brolin spent his formative years in the state of Iowa and later went on to earn a Master's degree from the JL Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, which is near Chicago.  Since the year 2002, he has owned and operated a financial planning and investment management business based in Mishawaka, Indiana, located not far from The University of Notre Dame.  Over the years, he has become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional and has earned the Chartered Special Needs Consultant® designation.  When doing business with his clients, securities and Advisory Services are offered through Commonwealth Financial Network, a Registered Investment Advisor which is a Member of FINRA and SIPC,.   Having been totally blind for all his life, Kane feels indebted to many people who selflessly gave of their time, talent, and resources to help him acquire the education, skills, and confidence that enable him to lead a busy and productive life in service to others.  Many of those who made the biggest impact when Kane was growing up, also happened to be members of the National Federation of the Blind.  So after getting established on his current career path, he increasingly felt the impulse to give back to the organized blind movement which had served his needs from an early age.   Kane co-founded the Michiana Chapter in the National Federation of the Blind in 2012 and subsequently was elected to serve a two-year term as president of the Indiana State Affiliate of the NFB in October, 2022.  He is thankful for the early introduction of Braille, as well as for the consistent drumbeat from parents, peers, and professors which set and reinforced continuously high expectations.     In addition to his work with the NFB, Kane serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Penny Forward, Inc., a not-for-profit founded and run by blind people which strives to build a diverse and aspirationally-focused community of blind people who help one another achieve financial fitness, gainful employment, and overall fulfilment in life.   Kane lives in Mishawaka with Danika, his wife of 27 years, and their four children.  Kane and Danika were active foster parents for 11 years.  The Brolin family have been committed to numerous civic organizations; they and their family are active in their place of worship.  Giving back to the world is a continuously high priority.  They endeavor to teach their children by example, and they impart to them the wisdom of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “You can all be great, because you can all serve.”   Ways to connect with Rob:   BrolinWealth.com LinkedIn public profile nfb-in.org pennyforward.com   About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/   https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:20 Hi, everyone. I am your host, Michael Hingson, or you can call me Mike. It's okay. And this is unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity in the unexpected. Meet today. We're going to do a little bit of all. We're inclusive because my guest Kane Brolin, or if you're from Sweden, it's Brolin, and it's pronounced Brolin, not Brolin, but Kane bralin, or broline, is in Indiana, and Kane also happens to be blind, and has been blind his entire life. We'll get into that. He is very much involved in investing and dealing with money matters that I'm interested to get a chance to really chat about it's always fun to talk to people about how they're helping people with finances and money and getting insights. And I'm sure that he has some to to offer. So we'll get to that. Kane also happens to be the president of the National Federation of the Blind of Indiana, and so that keeps him busy, so he deals with money, and he's a politician to boot. So what else can you ask for? I pick on Kane by doing that, but nevertheless, Kane, welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here. Thank   Kane Brolin ** 02:34 you. And there are there are times when the politics and the money issues can be a dream. There are other times it can be an absolute nightmare, either one, either one or both and and the thing that ties those together in common ground is that I walk in in the morning, and sometimes they have no idea what I'm about to walk into. So it does make for an adventure. Well,   Michael Hingson ** 02:57 the Fed has lowered interest rates. What do you think about that?   Kane Brolin ** 03:01 Well, there is some ramification for what happens in the consumer marketplace. The main thing that I've been hearing today is that even with those lowering of short term interest rates, you're seeing some long term interest rates go down the mortgage rates, especially, and those two are not necessarily always related. You don't always see the long term interest rates that the market determines through supply and demand. They don't always go in sync with the short term baseline rate that the Federal Reserve banking system sets, but in this particular case, they are, and what I've been reading this morning is that that may be at least good news in the short run for consumers, because they'll be paying Lower interest for new mortgages and also perhaps lower credit card rates or credit card payments. Of course, the downside is that if one invests and is lending money instead of borrowing it, that means sometimes lower rates of income that you can get from things like a certificate of deposit or an annuity. So there's always two sides of the same coin, and then it depends on which side you happen to be looking at. At the moment, right now, the market seems to like this convergence of interest rate activities, and the stock market has generally been up today. So by the time people hear this, that won't matter because it's a whole different day, but, but right now, the early returns coming in are pretty good for the the common human being out there trying to just manage their money.   Michael Hingson ** 04:54 Well, that's not really surprising, in a sense, because rates have been high for a while. Yeah, and things have been tough. So it's not surprising that people have made, and I would put it this way, to a degree, the marketing decision to respond favorably to the rates going down, and I know there's been a lot of pressure for the thread to lower its rate, and so they did. And I think that a lot of different entities kind of had to respond in a reasonably positive way, because they kept saying that it's time that the rates go down. So they had to respond. So we'll see how it it all goes. I   Kane Brolin ** 05:33 think, you know, and there's an issue I think that's salient to people with disabilities, blind people, included, if it's less expensive for the consumer to borrow money, it should follow that in the coming weeks, it should be less expensive for businesses to borrow money if they need some, and they may be more inclined to open up more jobs to people or to not shrink the jobs or The hiring that they have done by laying people off so and that's what I was just about. No one is a recession, and so it may mean that there are openings, there's room in the job market for more of us, because the thing I'm most passionate about in this whole game of helping blind people is getting us access to money and getting us access to gainful permanent work.   Michael Hingson ** 06:24 And that's what I was actually going to going to talk about, or not talk about a long time, but, but mention was that the real test will be how it affects the job market and the unemployment rate and so on. And I hope that that that will go down. I know it's been sort of ticking up a little bit, although in reality, of course, for persons with disabilities, the unemployment rate is a whole lot higher than around 4% so it'll be interesting to see how all that goes all the way around. But even just the national unemployment rate, I would hope that if that has been an excuse because the rates have been high, that now we'll see that start to drop, and, you know, so we'll see. But I think it's a it's going to be one of those waiting games to see how the world responds. Of course, we have a whole political thing going on with the election and I'm sure that some people on the political side like the the drop better than people on the other side do, but again, we'll see how it all goes. So it's it makes life fun. Well, tell me a little bit about you, if you would, sort of maybe the early cane growing up and all that sort of stuff. You were born, according to your bio, back in 1965 so I was 15 at the time, so I remember the year. So you've, you've been around a little while, though, however, so tell us a little bit about the early cane.   Kane Brolin ** 07:54 Yeah, I don't remember too many years, or any years, really, prior to about maybe 1971 or 72 with any degree of real clarity. You know, I would say that my early years were a mixed bag, but in the main they were good, of course, being immediately confronted with rLf, or retinopathy of prematurity, as they call it these days, and being blind from the very beginning, most people would probably out there consider it a tragedy. But if I if I knew that it was my fate to be a blind person, which I suppose it is, then I won the lottery as being a blind person, I think. And that might be a controversial statement, but the truth is that there is no place in the United States, and probably no place in the world that would have been better for me to grow up in in the late 1960s and 1970s than in Iowa, because now there was, there was no other blindness in my family. It's not hereditary. My parents had no idea how to deal with it in the very beginning.   Michael Hingson ** 09:12 Were you born prematurely? I was, yeah, which is why I weigh you have that   Kane Brolin ** 09:16 something like two pounds, 10 ounces at birth. So there is a part of me that realizes that I am very fortunate to be alive, and I'm very fortunate that my brain has functioned pretty well for most of my life. You can't always count on that either, you know, and when you get when you get older, my my father was a very bright person, and yet he lived during the last 10 years of his life, he struggled with dementia and some other problems so but I can say that I've had a good run so far, and you know what they what they didn't know. At least my parents and others in my family knew what they didn't know. And I. But when you don't know what you don't know, you flounder and and settle for almost anything, including fear. But when you know what you don't know, then you understand you need to research things. And I happened to be in a state that had been graced by the presence of Dr Kenneth Jernigan, principally. And of course, other people that I had no idea who they were at that time. You know, folks like James gaschell and James on VIG right, and and others. I think Joanne Wilson came out of that mix. I didn't know her either, but I've read about all these people in the past, but, but first and foremost, my parents found out that Dr Jernigan was number one, very brilliant. Number two did not settle for low expectations. And number three had the advantage of being both the head of the Iowa Commission for the Blind, which was a state sanctioned Agency, and the National Federation of the Blind, which is, or, you know, has been for most of the last 84 years, the leading advocacy organization and civil rights organization of the Blind in in the United States. Now, I'm not here to make a political point about that, but in Iowa, they were definitely more well known than anyone was, and because he could pull strings which influence things like educational budgets, and he also had very much a civil rights mindset and an aggressive mindset of going forward and breaking down barriers, this is a rare combo platter of traits and possibilities that I very much benefited from. And when I say that, I mean that from the very beginning, at five or six years old, I had Braille. I didn't have Braille in the beginning, but, but my parents did and and my dad actually knew enough about it to construct a set of blocks with print lettering on one side, Braille on the other side. And so not only did I have a really good teacher in my first couple of years of public school education named Doris Willoughby, some may be familiar with her. I know Doris will rip she has passed on in the past couple years, but she made a great impact in in my life, and a very deep impact in others lives too. But because of her influence and like minded people, I had access to books. I had access to mostly mainstreamed integrated education, where I was in the classroom with other sighted students, except for certain parts of certain days, you know, I had access to a great big wall mounted tactile map that was like a puzzle. And I understand Dr Jernigan designed that one too, where I could actually feel and take apart the states of the Union. And so I could tell where Oklahoma was, where Massachusetts was, where Indiana is. I could tell the shapes of the various states. I thought it was kind of curious that California, where you are from, Michael, is shaped very much like a banana, or at least that's what occurred to me at that time. I had recorded books. I had talking books. And you know, while there are things I did not get out of a mainstream public education that I kind of wish I had gotten out of it, from a social standpoint, from an athletic standpoint, the academics were on point, and I had access to resources, and I kind of just was living in a in a dream world, in a way, because even through my college days, I thought, Well, gee, it's great that we have all this now. Why is there all this blind civil rights stuff going on now? Because this was solved from the beginning of my childhood. Little did I realize that that is not the case in most other parts of the country or the world, but I got what I needed to at least have a shot on goal at success, and I'm very grateful for that, and it's one of the reasons that I have chosen to dedicate a portion of my life, during my prime working years, even to the National Federation of the Blind, because I want to pay this forward and help out some people that may not have had all the advantages that I had, even, even in the bygone days that I was growing up,   Michael Hingson ** 14:23 sure? So tell me, because I went through some of the same experiences you did in terms of being born premature and becoming blind due to rLf, which stands for retro enteral fibroplasia. And if people want to know how to spell that, they can go by thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog, and the triumph of trust at ground zero. And you can learn how to spell it there, because I don't remember how to spell it. We put it in the book, but that's what I remember. But so when you be when it was discovered that you were blind, how did your parents handle that? What did they say? Right? What did the doctors say to them? Because my experience was and, you know, of course, I didn't know it at the time, but my parents told me later that the doctor said, send him off to a home because he could never amount to anything, because no blind child could ever contribute to society. What was, if, from your understanding from your parents, what was what happened to you? If any   Kane Brolin ** 15:21 doctor ever said that to them? They never told me about it. What I what I do know is that there is an eye doctor that was a part of their lives, who I saw a couple of times, probably in my childhood, who was a a female optometrist or maybe an ophthalmologist in the area, and they really had a lot of respect for her. I never felt marginalized or dismissed. Yeah, as a part of my childhood, part of it is that I don't think my parents would have tolerated that, and my   Michael Hingson ** 15:55 parents didn't, either my parents and my parents didn't either they said, No, you're wrong. He can grow up to do whatever he wants, and we're going we're going to give him that opportunity. And they brought me up that way, which is, of course, part of what led to my psyche being what it is. And I too, believe in paying it forward and doing work to try to educate people about blindness and so on, and supporting and and I've been involved with the National Federation of the Blind since 1972 so it's been a while. Yeah, I would say,   Kane Brolin ** 16:27 I know I remember. I have a very, very fuzzy memory of being four, maybe five years old, and I know that they considered putting me into the Iowa Braille and sight saving School, which was a school for the blind in Iowa no longer exists, by the way, but they did consider it and decided against it. I don't think they wanted me to just go off to boarding school I was five. I know that that does work for some people, and I know that in later years, I've read that in some cases, even Dr Jernigan believed that schools for the blind were better, especially in places where there wasn't a truly sincere effort by public school systems to integrate and set high expectations for blind students. Well,   Michael Hingson ** 17:13 of course, here in California, for example, in the 50s and so on, as the California School for the Blind we had and and earlier, Dr Newell Perry, among others, who was a blind mathematician. Of course, Dr tembrech was was out here, and there were values and reasons why the schools could make a difference. My parents were pushed really hard by my elementary school principal to send me off to that school, and I actually remember hearing shouting matches between them, because parents said ah and and I didn't go to the school. I don't know what it was like by the time we moved out here and we were putting me in kindergarten, first and second grade. So like in 5657 I'm not sure what the school was like, but my parents didn't want me to not have a real home environment. So, you know,   Kane Brolin ** 18:12 yeah, and so, you know, I remember my childhood is, well, it wasn't like everybody else's childhood. One of the the issues happened to be that my the neighborhood that my family lived in, did not have a lot of kids in it that were my age for most of the time I was there, the schools in the early to mid 70s at least that admitted blind students in the town that I grew up in, which was Cedar Rapids, Iowa, there was only one set of schools on the opposite side of town where they were sending blind kids for those resources. Now that later changed and the decision was made. I guess I made the decision to stay out there. So one of the differences was that I was bussed from the southeast side of town to the southwest side of town. So there were kids I got to know through school, but I didn't have any kind of social life with most of them, with a couple different exceptions, through my childhood. So it was a lot of academics, it wasn't a lot of play time, right? That certainly informed how I grew up, and it's made me a little bit struggle to understand and and be a really sensitive, playful, patient type parent, because my my kids and I'll, we'll go there when we get there, but my, my children, I have four, they're all still in home right now, are very normal kind of rambunctious kids that enjoy and struggle with the same things that any other kids do. They are all sighted, but, but my parents were. Was pretty strict. They set high expectations, but some of that was high expectations for behavior as well. So I really wasn't ramming around and causing trouble and getting into mischief and, you know, getting on my bike and riding for miles outside the way kids did in the 70s. So there there were limitations in my childhood, but, but, you know, my parents, too, expected me to utilize and to have the resources that would lead me to be anything I wanted to be. And I honestly think that if I had said, I want to be the President of the United States, they would not have ruled it out. Now, the only thing I've really been president of is several different civic organizations and the Indiana branch of the NFB. You know, that's something not everyone does. I've interviewed a governor before when I was a journalism student. That was fun, and I've met congress people, but they did not set the limitations. You know, sometimes maybe I did, but but they didn't. And so I'm really grateful for that, that as long as I knew what I wanted, they made sure that I had the tools and access to whatever training they knew about that could help me to   Michael Hingson ** 21:18 get there. So you you went through school. And I think our our younger lives were fairly similar, because I also, when I went into fourth grade, and we finally had a resource teacher in the area, I was bused to the other side of town for that. And all of that kind of came together when I started high school, because everyone in Palmdale went to the same high school, so anyone I knew prior to going across town, I got to know again, and still knew as as friends growing up, but we all went to high school together. But you know, I hear exactly what you're saying, and my parents did not impose limitations either, and I'm very blessed for that. But you went through school and then you went to college. Tell me about college.   Kane Brolin ** 22:19 It was a fun experience. Glad that I went through it. I attended Iowa State University for my bachelor's degree. I know that you've never, ever heard this before, but I really dreamed about being a radio personality. And I say that sarcastically. It's what I wanted to be, because I had a cousin that was in the business. But of course, since then, as I've gotten more into blind blindness culture and met many other people that I never knew growing up, I know that that the media and especially radio as a gift, is really fascinating to many of us, and a lot of us have had rotations in different parts of that, especially with the advent of the internet, but this was back during the 70s and 80s, and what I wanted to be at first was a DJ. Used to pretend to be one at home all the time and then, but I also knew where the library was, and I developed a great love of books and information and data. To some degree, I wasn't really a math guy, more of a word guy, but I then developed a deep interest in journalism and investigation and research, and so by the middle to late 80s, what I wanted to be was, let's just call it the next Peter Jennings, if one can remember who that is, right. And I'm sure that there are probably, you know, facsimiles of him today,   Michael Hingson ** 23:50 but it's hard to be a facsimile of Peter Jennings. But yeah, he really is,   Kane Brolin ** 23:55 and that he was great and but you know the disadvantage, the advantage and the disadvantage of going to Iowa State University. I Why did I go there? Because any of my few relatives that had gone to college, including my dad, had had gone there. My dad was very loyal to his alma mater, and he told both myself and my sister, who is a very different person and not blind at all. If it was good enough for me, it's good enough for you, and if you want me to pay for it, here's where you're going to go. Now, Iowa State is mostly an engineering and agricultural school. It's a land grant institution. And I know that land grant institutions are a little controversial in today's climate where there is more of an emphasis on diversity, equity, inclusion and making up for some past societal wrongs, but these are deeply respected institutions that mainly turned out people that ended up well, doing things like building. Bridges and being mechanical engineers and developing new seed corn hybrids and things of this nature. It did have a telecommunicative arts program, and I was in it, but there were very few of us in it, and I did get a chance to get my hands on the equipment. I was a broadcaster, first on a student radio station at Iowa State called K usr. Then I actually did work for pay, sort of for a number of years for w, O I am and FM, which were flagship stations of what we would now call the the NPR network. You know, these were around since the 20s, and I actually did work for them. I was on air a little bit. I ran the control board a lot, and I worked for those two stations on a part time basis, probably about a three quarter time basis, for several years after leaving college, and it was really a student job, but I had trouble finding any other more meaningful work in the industry. What I gradually came to find out is that I loved radio, but radio really didn't love me, and I wasn't really thinking strategically. At that time, I graduated in 1988 it is that very same year that a little known figure from Kansas City named Rush Limbaugh hit the American airwaves like a ton of bricks. And because of him and some other people like him, all of a sudden, local stations realized that they could drop their news and information programming, stop hiring so many people, and because Mr. Limbaugh was as popular as he was, they could basically run a lot of satellite based programming, have somebody sort of halfway monitor the board and hire somebody else to program computer systems that would put automated commercial breaks on and things like this, and they wouldn't really have to produce local content. We also saw the elimination of the equal time standard and the Fairness Doctrine, which required local stations to put on a variety of viewpoints and air programming every week that was in the public interest, that didn't necessarily have commercial value. And so the things I wanted to do became a lot harder to do, because by the time I was ready to get hired to do them, not a lot of radio stations were hiring people to do it, even in the even in the television world, and so strategically, I was buying into a sinking market, and That wasn't a great place to be at that time. And so with some reluctance, after a lot of fruitless job searching, I chose another path, not necessarily knowing where that path would lead. And so the last time I ever got paid to run a shift for a radio station was in late June of 1993 I've been a guest on a couple of different shows and some podcasts like this one. I greatly enjoy it. I've even thought about doing some internet broadcasting. I don't have the time, really to do that now, but, but, and I miss it, but I have found out there are ways of diverting the skill sets I have to another path.   Michael Hingson ** 28:25 And what path did you choose?   Kane Brolin ** 28:28 Initially, the path I chose was graduate school. I was fortunate enough to have gotten good enough grades that I was able to get approved by a number of different business schools. You know, the first path I really wanted to do is be a Foreign Service Officer for the diplomatic corps. I applied for the US Department of State. And I had some hopes in doing that, because around 1990 a gentleman named Rami Rabbi. You may know him, I do did became the first blind person ever to be a Foreign Service Officer. Now, he had advantages. He had traveled the world. I had traveled to Mexico and Costa Rica, and I spoke Spanish, and I was pretty fluent, but he was a little bit more qualified in different ways that they were looking for. So I wanted some international experience. I applied for the Peace Corps, and I had no real shot at that. What they were looking for was something very different from what I was then. But I did apply to the Foreign Service, and I made it almost all the way down the hiring process. I made the final 3% cut among the class they were looking at in 1990 and 91 I went to Virginia to, I think Alexandria and I sat for the last round of interviews and simulations that they did. Unfortunately, I was in the top 3% and they wanted the top 1% so I had a really fun few days out there at the government's expense. But I also found that I was not going to be hired to be the second blind. Foreign Service officer. I later found out that Mr. Robbie had to actually file a lawsuit and win that lawsuit to get his opportunity. So I know that the system were not exactly bought in to blame people doing this on a regular basis. I know there's others that have gotten there since that, and I've met one of them, but but that that wasn't for me, but they also said what I really needed was more management experience. I'd never done anything in management, so I decided to go to management school or business school as graduate school. I got accepted by a few different places. I chose Northwestern University in Chicago. My sister had gone through that program. I guess that's maybe one of the reasons I selected that one. I could have gone to a couple of others that also had accepted me, and sometimes I wonder what would have happened had I done that. But I did spend two years in Chicago land met some of the most impressive people that I've ever met in my life. Figured out train systems and pace bus systems, and went all over the place and had friends in the city, not just in the school. I made the most of that time, and that's what I did from 1993 to 1995 unfortunately, I found out you can get a an MBA or a master of management, but they still, still weren't hiring a lot of blind people out there. And so while my associates were getting jobs at McKinsey and Company, and Booz Allen Hamilton, as it was known at that time, and they were working for Bank of America, doing all kinds of interesting things and and also brand management companies like disco and Kellogg and all that. I got all of one job offer coming out of one of the top 5b schools in the country, and I took that job offer, which led me to Midland, Michigan, where I knew nobody at that time, but I spent about three and a half years doing various types of business research for the Dow Chemical Company, and that did not last as a career, but I got a chance to make the first real money I had ever earned. At that time through another connection that wasn't related to Dow, I happened to meet the woman that I eventually married and am with now, and have had four kids with, and so that was a whole different kettle of fish. But at the end of 98 I was downsized, along with several others in my department, and we decided at that time that entrepreneurship was probably not a bad way to go, or, you know, something that wasn't just strictly speaking corporate. In 2000 I landed in the South Bend, Indiana area, which is where she is from. I had never lived here before. This is where I am now. And while struggling to find a place here, I realized that I could get hired on as what is called a financial advisor. I had no idea what that was. Well, you know, with a business degree, I could probably be a credible hire as a financial advisor. Little did I know that that involved tele sales. In the very beginning, never thought I was a salesperson either. Since then, I have found out that I have more selling ability than I had ever thought that I might and that that is an honorable profession if you're convincing people to do what is right for themselves. And so I've found that over the years, being what I am enables me to, well, in a way, keep my own hours. We've chosen the small business, sort of independent contracting route, rather than the employee channel, working for a bank or for somebody else's brokerage. I get to be a researcher, I get to be a public speaker now and then, and I get to help people problem solve, which is something I would not have had a chance to do on the radio. And when someone comes up to you, as a few people have and have, said, you know, thank you for making it possible for me to retire and to do what I want to do, and to spend time with grandkids and to live where I want to live. You know, that's a that's definitely a hit. That's a great feeling to have someone say, Thank you for helping me to do and to be what I didn't know I could do or be. So   Michael Hingson ** 34:38 investing isn't what you had originally planned to do with your life. So I can't say that it was necessarily a lifelong goal from the beginning, but you evolved into it, and it seems to be going pretty well for you.   Kane Brolin ** 34:51 Well, yeah, I think it has. It's investing means different things to different. People, to some clients, the goal is, I just don't want to lose money. Please put me in something that earns a little bit, but I don't want the chance for anything I'm in to go down for others. What investing means is, I want to be more aggressive. I want to build what I have. What do you think about this or that opportunity? What stock should I be in? Because I really want to grab onto an opportunity and seize the day and have as much as I can have at the end of the day. And you know, For still others, it means, it means giving. It means building something up so I can pass it along, either to a charity, to the kids, to the grandkids, to to my religious institution of choice, whatever that is. So I find that investing is not just investing, the the at the root, at the heart of investing, the heartbeat of it, is really the people that I serve. And you know, I was told early on, hey, you don't have a practice. All you're doing is practicing, unless you have people to be in front of. And so in my mind, you know, and I'm not that much of a quantitative guy. I'm I'm not the person out there working as an actuary for Symmetra Life Insurance Company figuring out how much money has to go in and how much it must earn to be able to give 50,000 people the payouts they want from an annuity till the end of their projected lifespans. That's that's not where I am. I'm not designing a mutual fund that's more like what a certified financial analyst would be. I am a Certified Financial Planner practitioner, and what a CFP does is takes numbers that you see and translates those into action steps that I can explain in plain English terms to a client I'm in front of that can give that individual person, family or small business the kinds of outcomes that they want. So I'm on the retail end of the food chain, and my job is to try to take the numbers that others are generating and boil that down into something that is digestible to the common man and woman, that allows them to, we hope, live the way they want. So   Michael Hingson ** 37:29 I gather from listening to you though, that you enjoy what you do.   Kane Brolin ** 37:36 I do particularly when it works.   Michael Hingson ** 37:39 Well, there's times.   Kane Brolin ** 37:40 There are times it gets a little tricky. 2001 2002 I know that you had a very personal experience that vaulted you, Michael, into this, into the realm of the famous, or the Almost Famous, on 911 I remember what 911 was like as a very small time retail investment person working out of a field office. I was somebody's employee at that point. I was working for American Express financial advisors, and I remember my life was never in danger in 911 but there were a lot of clients that thought their money and their data were in danger, and then the country that the country itself, might even be in danger. And so I morphed during that week from being a telemarketing person trying to set appointments with people I'd never met to being a person who was trying to dole out comfort and a feeling of security and solace to people I had met who the few that I was managing their accounts at that time, calling them and saying, You know what, your money and your data are safe. I'm here. The company that you have your stuff invested with is based in Minneapolis. It's not based in the Twin Towers, the markets are shut down. There will be volatility, but you're not crashing today, just so   Michael Hingson ** 39:08 the other the other side of it, the other side of that, was that during that week after September 11, there were a lot of people who were working and moving, literally Heaven and Earth, if you will, to bring Wall Street back. And I know I'm working with some of those companies and providing them with the backup equipment, or not so much at the time, backup equipment, but the equipment that would be able to read existing tape backups and put that back on computers. And I know, I think it was Morgan Stanley had found an office space sometime during the week after September 11. Then, as they describe it, it was the building with a floor the size of a foot. Football field, and they scrounged and scavenged and got their providers of equipment, like IBM to provide them with computers, even taking them from IBM employees desks to provide enough equipment to be able to set up what was the equivalent to the trading floor that had been in the world trade center that was destroyed on September 11, and literally from Friday afternoon that would have been the 14th to the 16th in 36 hours. They not only reconstructed physically what the trading floor was but because of what we provided them with, they were able to completely reconstruct what everything looked like on their computers. So when Wall Street reopened on the 17th, everything was like it was when everything shut down on the 11th now, I think there's some blessings to the fact that the towers were struck before Wall Street opened. I don't know how much easier that made it maybe some, but the reality is that data is backed up regularly, so they would have been able to to survive, but the fact that the markets hadn't opened in the US certainly had to help. But by Monday, the 17th, they brought Wall Street back, just as if nothing had happened. It was a monumental feat to be able to do that. That is a story   Kane Brolin ** 41:37 that I would love to read, because I've never heard that story before, and that makes me feel very unintelligent. Michael, you know, I can't even imagine the logistics and the people and just even the imagination that it would take to reconstruct that. I'm sure it was 1000s. I'm sure it was 1000s of people. And I'm sure that probably that's something that somebody had thought about even before the 911 incident happened. I don't think that was invented out of whole cloth on Friday the 14th, but that's a story that would be a very captivating book, and if no one's written it, then, gosh, would that be a fun thing to research and write.   Michael Hingson ** 42:21 Well, you know, the reality is, the SEC required that all data from financial institutions had to be backed up and kept available off site for seven years. So first of all, the data was all around and that's why I think it was an especially great blessing that the markets hadn't opened, because all the backups from the previous night, and probably from all the not only the futures, but the sales from foreign markets, were pretty much all backed up as well. So everything was backed up. That, of course, was the real key, because getting the hardware, yes, that was a logistical nightmare that they were able to address, getting the computers, getting everything where they needed it. Then companies like ours providing them with the wherewithal to be able to pull the data from the tapes and put it back onto the computers. It had to be quite a feat, but it all worked. And when Wall Street opened, it opened as if nothing had happened, even though some of the the offices were now in completely different places across the river. But it all worked, incredible. Yeah, I was, it was, it was pretty amazing. I knew people from the firms. And of course, we helped them by providing them with equipment. But at the same time, hearing about the story later was was really quite amazing, and and they did a wonderful job to bring all that back. So it was pretty, pretty amazing that that all that occurred. So that was pretty cool all the way. And   Kane Brolin ** 44:00 of course, the other struggle was in 2007 2008 I remember when I would be sitting at my desk and I'm not a day trader, I'm, I'm, I'm a long term investor. That's what most of my clients want. I'm not in there, you know, trading, trading daily options. I'm not doing inverse leveraged products that have to be bought in the morning and then sold in the afternoon under most cases. But I remember sitting at my desk in 2008 when the great recession was going on with the financial crisis happened and and when banks and huge investment banks, brokerage institutions were, in some cases, completely failing, that's a whole other story that was chronicled in books like The Big Short as an example, but I remember sitting at my desk and timing it and watching in a five minute period of time. As the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which was back in in those days, was, was what maybe 6000 or so as a benchmark. It was going up and down by a margin of error of 800 points in five minutes, it would be 400 up one minute, and then 400 down from that level. In other words, an 800 point swing within a five minute period of time. There was one day I went to take a test, because I have continuing education on a pretty regular basis, had to go to a testing center and take a test that lasted maybe three hours. I got back, and I think the market for at least the Dow Jones had dropped by 800 points during the time that I was in the testing center. And that gives you some stomach acid when that sort of thing happens, because even though it it's, you know, things always bounce back, and they always bounce up and down. Clients call and they say, oh my gosh, what happens if I lose it all? Because people really think that they could lose it all. Now, if you're in a mutual fund with 100 different positions, it's very unlikely, right? All of those positions go to zero. What I found out is that when people's money is concerned, it's emotional. Yeah, it's all rational. They're not looking at the empirical data. They're thinking fight or flight, and they really are concerned with what in the world am I going to do if I go to zero? And   Michael Hingson ** 46:38 it's so hard to get people to understand, if you're going to invest in the market, it has to be a long term approach, because if you don't do that, you can, you can disappoint yourself, but the reality is, over the long term, you're going to be okay. And you know now, today, once again, we're seeing the evidence of that with what the Fed did yesterday, lowering by a half a point, and how that's going to affect everything. But even over the last five or six years, so many people have been worried about inflation and worried about so many things, because some of our politicians have just tried to scare us rather than dealing with reality. But the fact of the matter is that it all will work out if we're patient and and allow things to to work. And what we need to do is to try to make wise decisions to minimize, perhaps our risk. But still, things will work out.   Kane Brolin ** 47:43 Yeah, I remember, I think, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which is what always used to get quoted, at least on the radio and the television. It was somewhere in the somewhere in the 11,000 range, before the 2008 debacle. And it fell to, I think, 6400 right was the low that it reached. Now it's over 41,000   Michael Hingson ** 48:11 closed up above 42 yesterday. I'm not   Kane Brolin ** 48:13 sure it very well may have so you know when you when you really think about it, if you just stayed in and it's more complicated than that. One of course people have with the market is that when the market crashes, they also may need to get their money out for different, unrelated reasons. What if I lost my job as a result of the market crashing? Right? What if? What if there is a need that I have to fulfill and that money has to come out for me to make a house payment. You don't know that. And so that's the unfortunate part, is that a lot of the academic missions don't take into account the real human factor of real people that need to use their money. But if you could stand to hang on and leave it in, it would be worth you know, what would that be like six or seven times more than it was in 2008 but that's not what what clients often do. They they often want to sell out of fear when things are down, and then wait too long to buy back in when the elevator has already made its way quite a ways up, right?   Michael Hingson ** 49:25 I remember once, and I don't remember what the cause was, but Rolls Royce dropped to $3 a share. And there were some people saying, this is the time to buy. It is it's not going to go away. And those who did have done pretty well. Bank   Kane Brolin ** 49:44 of America was $3 a share for quite some time. It was, it was technically a penny stock. This is Bank of America, you know, one of the leading financial institutions in the in the country, which, incidentally, has a very interesting. History. It wasn't born in New York, it was born in the south, right? But, yeah, if you only knew what those trough opportunities were and knew exactly when to buy in and and I'm constantly telling people, look my my goal is, is not so much to figure out what to buy but when to buy in. We're trying to buy low and sell high, and just because something did well last year doesn't mean you have to hang on to it. It might mean we want to trim that position a little bit, take some profit and and pick something that doesn't look as attractive or sexy because of last year's lackluster returns, but maybe this year. It will just due to changing conditions. Financial markets run in cycles. And it's not that some things are inherently good or bad. Some things are in favor now. They were not in favor last year, and they might not be in favor, you know, two years from now, but they are now. So that's the hard part. You're not supposed to really time the market. We can't predict all these things, but that's why you encourage people to diversify and to have some things that are not correlated with each other in terms of doing well or badly at the same time. So you can always sometimes be gaining with in with your left hand, while your right hand is is struggling a bit. Hence,   Michael Hingson ** 51:25 the need for people who are certified financial planners, right? So there you go. So you, you got married, what, 27 years ago, and you married someone who was fully sighted, who probably didn't have a whole lot of exposure to blindness and blind people before. How did all that work out? Obviously, it's worked out because you're still married. But what was it like, and was it ever kind of an uncomfortable situation for you guys?   Kane Brolin ** 51:58 I don't think blindness. Surprisingly enough, I don't think it was super uncomfortable for her. Now, she had not encountered lots of blind people before, maybe not even any before. She met me, but I met her, and this is where I had it easy. She didn't have it easy, but I met her through her family. I knew my wife's name is Danica. I knew her brother before I knew her, because he and I had been buddies. We for a little while. We ended up living in the same town up in Michigan, and it was not here in the South Bend area where she is, but I went home and had a chance to be to tag along as he was doing some some family things and some things with his friends so but, but my wife is a very interesting father. She has a very interesting dad who is no longer with us. May he rest in peace? No, no. Hello. Sorry. My nine year old just made a brief appearance, and she's incorrigible.   Michael Hingson ** 53:00 You wouldn't have it any other way. No, there   Kane Brolin ** 53:03 are days when I would, but I don't. So anyway, the I found out some interesting things raising kids as a blind parent too, but you know, her dad did not see really any kind of limitations when the world around him was racist he really wasn't. When the world around him was ableist. He really didn't. And one of the things he encouraged me to do, they had a little acreage Danika parents did. And he actually asked me one time when it was a leaf blowing or leaf storing season, it was in the fall, lots of oak trees, different things there to drive the garden tractor, as there was a Baleful leaves behind that he was taken to an area where they would eventually be burned up or composted or something. And I did that. He had an old garden tractor with a, you know, his gas powered, and it had pedals and steering wheel, and he would literally run around alongside it, didn't go very fast, and tell me kind of when and where to turn. I'm told that I almost crashed into the pit where the basement of the home was one time, but I didn't. So he was one of these people that like saw virtually no limitations. Encouraged his kids and others to do great things. He didn't have a great feel for people. He would have been an anti politician. He had trouble remembering your name, but if you were a decent person and treated him right, it didn't matter if you were black, purple, green, blind, deaf, whatever. He saw it as an interesting challenge to teach me how to do things. He taught me how to kayak. He taught me how to cross country ski. Back in those days before climate change, we actually got quite a bit of snow in the area where I live, even as early as Thanksgiving to. I'm in November. And so the first couple of winters that we lived here, and we would go to a local park, or, you know, even just out in the in the backyard of where his property was, and, and, and ski, Nordic ski, not downhill ski, really, but it was, it was an amazing exercise. It's an amazing feel to be able to do that, and I have no memory, and I had no relatives that that were in touch with the true Scandinavian heritage, that ancestry.com says that I have, but the act of doing a little bit of Nordic skiing with him gave me a real feel for what some people go through. Because traditionally, skiing was a form of transportation in those countries. In the Larry P you skied to work, you skied to somebody else's house. So, you know, I thought that that was fun and interesting. Now, the last few winters, we haven't gotten enough snow to amount to anything like that, but I do have, I still have a pair of skis. So no, that may be something that we do at some point when given the opportunity, or some other place where we have a bit more of a snow base.   Michael Hingson ** 56:10 Well, I'm sure that some people would be curious to to know this being blind and doing the work that you do, you probably do. Well, you do the same things, but you probably do them in different ways, or have different technologies that you use. What's some of the equipment and kind of technologies that you use to perform your job?   Kane Brolin ** 56:32 Well, you know, I wouldn't say that. I'm cutting edge. I'm sure there are people who do differently and better than I do, but I do most of my work in a PC based environment. It's a Windows based environment at the present time, because the broker dealers and the other firms that I work through, you know, I'm independent, in a way, meaning I pay my own bills and operate out of my own space and have my name of Berlin wealth management as a shingle on my door, so to speak. But you never walk alone in this business. And so I chose, ultimately, a company called the Commonwealth financial network to serve as my investment platform and my source of technology, and my source of what is called compliance, which means, you know, they are the police walking alongside what I do to make sure that I've documented the advice I've given to people, to make sure that that advice is suitable and that I'm operating according to the law and in the best interest of my clients, and not Not taking money from them, or, you know, doing phony baloney things to trade into a stock before I recommend that to somebody else. You know, there's a lot of malfeasance that can happen in this type of industry, but all these securities that I sell and all the advice that I given are done so with the blessing of the Commonwealth Financial Network, which is a member of FINRA and SIPC, I just need to point that out here. But they also provide technology, and most of their technology is designed to work in a Windows environment, and so that's typically what I have used. So I use JAWS.   Michael Hingson ** 58:23 And JAWS is a screen reader that verbalizes what comes across the screen for people who don't know it right, or puts   Kane Brolin ** 58:28 it into Braille, or puts it into Braille in the in the in the early days of my doing the business, many of the programs that we had to use to design an insurance policy or to pick investments, or to even monitor investments were standalone programs that were not based on a web architecture that would be recognizable. And so I was very fortunate that there was money available from the vocational rehab system to bring somebody in from Easter Seals Crossroads here in Indiana, to actually write Jaws script workarounds, that is, that could help jaws to know what to pull from the graphics card on the screen or in the system, to be able to help me interact. Because otherwise, I would have opened up a program and to me, it would have just been like a blank screen. I wouldn't be able to see or interact with data on the screen. Now, with more things being web based, it's a little easier to do those things. Not always. There are still some programs that are inaccessible, but most of what I do is through the use of Windows 10 or 11, and and with the use of Jaws, I do have, I devices. I like Apple devices, the smaller ones. I'm actually speaking to you using an iPad right now, a sixth generation iPad I've had for a while. I have an iPhone so I can still, you know, look up stock tickers. I can send 10. Text messages or emails, if I have to using that. But in general, I find that for efficiency sake, that a computer, a full on computer, tends to work best and and then I use that more rapidly and with more facility than anything else, right? I use the Kurzweil 1000 system to scan PDFs, or sometimes printed documents or books, things like that, into a readable form where I'm trying to, trying to just kind of anticipate what other things you may ask about. But you know, I use office 365, just like anybody else might. You know, I I have to use a lot of commonly available programs, because the people monitoring my work, and even the clients that I interact with still need to, even if they have sight, they need to read an email right after I send it. You know, they've my assistant has to be able to proof and manipulate a document in a form that she can read, as well as one that I can listen to or use Braille with. I'm a fluent Braille reader and writer. So there are some gizmos that I use, some braille displays and Braille keyboards and things of that nature. But, you know, most people seem to be under the misconception that a blind guy has to use a special blind computer, which must cost a king's ransom, not true, if anybody's listening to the program that isn't familiar with 2024 era blindness technology, it's mostly the same as anybody else's except with the modifications that are needed to make stuff accessible in a non visual format, and   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:45 the reality is, that's what it's all about. It's not like it's magically expensive. There are some things that are more expensive that do help. But the reality is that we use the same stuff everyone else uses. Just have some things that are a little bit different so that we are able to have the same access that other people do, but at the same time, that's no different than anyone else. Like I point out to people all the time, the electric light bulb is just a reasonable accommodation for light dependent people. Anyway, it's just that there are a whole lot more people who use it, and so we spend a whole lot more time and money making it available that is light on demand to people. But it doesn't change the fact that the issue is still there, that you need that accommodation in order to function. And you know that that, of course, leads to and, well, we won't spend a lot of time on it, but you are are very involved in the National Federation of the Blind, especially the NFB of Indiana, and you continue to pay it forward. And the NFB has been all about helping people to understand that we're not defined by blindness. We're defined by what we are and who we are, and blindness is happens to be a particular characteristic that we share   Kane Brolin ** 1:03:09 well, and there's a lot of other characteristics that we might not share. As an example, somebody, I don't know that he is involved in the NFB as such, but you know blind, if you're involved in American Blind culture and and that you've probably heard of a man named George Wurtzel. He is the brother of the guy that used to be president of the NFB of Michigan affiliate. But I understand that George is very good at things that I am not at all good at. He, you know? He understand that he almost built his own house from the ground up. His skill is not with computers and email and all this electronic communication that they do today, but he's a master woodworker. He's an artisan. You know, I I'm also involved, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention it, I'm also involved with an organization called Penny forward, which is, you know, it could be the direction that I ultimately head in even more because it dovetails with my career. It's financial, education and fitness by the blind, for the blind, and it was started by a young man named Chris Peterson, who's based in the Twin Cities, who is not an NFB guy. He's actually an ACB guy, but his values are not that much different, and he's been a computer programmer. He's worked for big organizations, and now he started his own and has made a full time business out of financial fitness, educational curricula, podcasting, other things that you can subscribe to and buy into. And he's trying to build a community of the varied blind people that do all kinds of things and come from all sorts of backgrounds. And in one of the later editions of his podcast, he interviewed a man who's originally from Florida, who. Founded a company called Cerro tech that some might be familiar with, Mike Calvo, and Mike came to some of the same conclusions about blindness that you and I have, except that he's much younger. He's from Florida, and he's a Cuban American. He's a Latino whose first language growing up probably was Spanish, and who actually came out of, out of the streets. I mean, he was, he was in gangs, and did all kinds of things that were very different from anything I was ever exposed to as a young person. So I think in a lot of ways, we as blind people face the same types of issues, but we don't. None of us comes at it from the same vantage point. And, you know, we're, we're all dealing with maybe some of the same circumstances, but many, many, we've gotten there in very many different ways. And so I try to also impose on people. We are all different. We're a cross section. We don't all tie our shoes or cook our meals the same way. We don't want to live in the same environment. We don't want to do the same hobbies. And we don't all have better other senses than sighted people do. I don't know how many times you've heard it. I'd be a very rich man if I had $1 for every time someone said, Well, yeah, but you know, being blind, your hearing must be so much better, your sense of smell must be so much more acute. Well, no, the the divine forces in the universe have not just compensated me by making everything else better. What do you do with someone like Helen Keller, who was blind and deaf. There are people with plenty of people with blindness, and also other morbidities or disabilities, or I don't even like disabilities, different different abilities, different strengths and weaknesses. Along with blindness, there are blind people who also happen to be autistic, which could be an advantage to them, in some ways a disadvantage to others. I would like to go beyond the discussion of disability and think of these things, and think of me and others as just simply being differently able, because, you know, what kinds of jobs and roles in life with people that have the characteristic of autism, maybe they are actually better at certain things than a non autistic person would be. Maybe overall, people who live with the characteristic of bl

Hi. I'm Ana. I was five when my family emigrated from Cuba to the U.S. in 1967. Ever since, I've been striving to honor my family's story and Cuban American culture through storytelling. Currently, I'm at work on Radio Bemba, a full-length memoir about my family's experience. In the past, my commentary has been featured in The...

Navarro joins executive producer Brian Teta to discuss how the SpaceX rocket debris in Florida impacted her, what she thinks about the alleged Elon Musk-Marco Rubio beef, and she remembers the impact of her friend, longtime Florida politician and Cuban-American pioneer Lincoln Díaz-Balart. Have a question or want advice from Brian or a co-host? Call or text us at (917) 960-3037 or leave us a message here: https://woobox.com/kaoojs. Messages may be used on a future podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Navigating the cannabis industry without outside investment is challenging, but Cristy Aranguiz, CEO of Cannabis and Glass, has built a thriving business just that way. In this episode, Cristy shares how her and her partner Tate launched their first dispensary with just $10,000, scaled a business while maintaining full ownership, and prioritized affordability for consumers in a competitive market. She also shares how her Cuban-American upbringing shaped her entrepreneurial drive, the challenges of breaking into the industry as a Latina CEO, and her advocacy work with the National Hispanic Cannabis Council. Cristy discusses her approach to hiring, company culture, and why she believes social equity programs need to be restructured to create real opportunities for underrepresented entrepreneurs.Cannabis and Glass 

A famous rapper, an Al Pacino movie and a captive whale named Lolita seemingly don't have much in common. But in Jennine Capó Crucet's latest novel, Say Hello to My Little Friend, she manages to bring them all together in an ode to the magic of Miami. Jennine joins Mattea Roach to talk about the wild ride of writing the book and how her own experiences as a Cuban American are reflected in the story.  If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:Teresa Wong: Illustrating her family's past — in all its ordinary and epic momentsKaveh Akbar: Finding meaning in sobriety and writing his bestseller, Martyr!  

Jorge Zamanillo is the Founding Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino in Washington, DC. This episode of the CHLI Purple Line Podcast explores Jorge's Cuban-American experience from museum enthusiast to founding a national museum honoring the contributions of America's Hispanic communities.

"The only thing permanent is change." - Felix Gonzalez-Torres There is no way around it. The work of Felix Gonzalez-Torres, a gay, Cuban-American artist who responded to - and died during - the AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 90s, is sad. His work is a memorial, both to a lost generation and to his own partner, Ross. Yet it is through these seemingly banal, industrial, or every day materials, and the powerful metaphor that they represent, that we can best get to the root of what loss can mean. And, maybe, healing as well. See the images: https://www.thelonelypalette.com/episodes/2025/2/10/episode-68-felix-gonzalez-torres-untitled-march-5th-2-1991 Music used: The Blue Dot Sessions, “A Little Powder,” “Lerennis,” “Taoudella,” “The Melt,” “Rafter” Open Book, “Second Chance” Episode sponsors: Art of Crime The Seattle Prize Visual Arts Passage Smartist App With extra special thanks to Martin Young.

[@5 min] Alright...This week, we go Inside the Huddle with Elena Villalón! The Cuban-American soprano returns to OBS 6 years after she first joined after winning the Met Council auditions. Later this month, she makes her Detroit Opera debut in Handel's "Rinaldo." [@36 min] And then…a Listener Mailbag on a song recital! Oliver, is this your doing? This is Opera Box Score, not Lieder Anzeigetafel! [@42 min] Plus, in the ‘Two Minute Drill'…will a certain podcast be designated as an enemy of the state for not showing blind allegiance to the chairman? Stay tuned and find out..unless we've already been scrubbed from the internet. GET YOUR VOICE HEARD operaboxscore.com facebook.com/obschi1 bsky @operaboxscore

Emilia and Rori speak with Dr. Maria Orive from the University of Kansas, who shares her journey as a Cuban American who became a renowned population geneticist. She discusses growing up in a Cuban American community in Olympia, Washington, and her academic journey through Stanford and UC Berkeley, including the challenges she faced. As an associate dean and fellow at the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Dr. Orive highlights the significance of mentorship, the importance of resilience, and the balance between work and personal life in academia.EPISODE CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction to Science Wise Season 201:36 Growing Up Cuban American in Olympia03:46 Early Interests and Challenges07:19 Academic Journey and Influences13:10 Undergraduate Research Experience18:09 Graduate School and Mentorship20:18 Challenging Postdoc Experience22:33 Struggles with Dissertation Completion28:33 Transition to Faculty and Career Growth37:21 Revise and Resubmit: Overcoming RejectionCREDITS: This episode is produced and edited by Maribel Quezada Smith. Sound Engineering by Keagan Stromberg. Production Coordinator, Marissa Alcantar. A Diferente Creative Production. The hosts are Dr. Emilia Huerta-Sanchez and Dr. Rori Rohlfs. Special thanks to Dr. Maria Orive.

Jay and Todd talk with Isaac Gonzalez Rossi, a charming Cuban-American actor whose journey from the vibrant streets of Miami to the dazzling lights of Hollywood is nothing short of cinematic. With a passion for storytelling that ignited in his youth, Isaac has charmed his way into a myriad of roles, each more charming than the last. He's a Latin prince charming!  

In this episode, we take a bit of a break from politics to discuss 'Alter Ego,' an incredible novel by Alex Segura, set in the fascinating world of comic books. The conversation covers the novel's connection to its predecessor 'Secret Identity,' featuring Cuban American heroines like Annie Bustamante, dealing with industry challenges and personal growth. Segura talks about his passion for comics, the inspiration behind his characters, and the role of underrepresented storytellers. The discussion also touches on how comic books have influenced Segura's life and broader issues of racism and sexism in creative industries. Additionally, Segura shares his upcoming projects, including a Daredevil crime novel and various comics for major publishers. Book links:Secret Identity link: https://amzn.to/416dYWMAlter Ego link: https://amzn.to/40TrP1xCHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction to Alter Ego by Alex Segura01:12 Meet the Author: Alex Segura01:21 The Connection Between Secret Identity and Alter Ego02:45 Diving into the Comic Book Universe03:47 Incorporating Comic Book Pages into Novels04:47 Highlighting Cuban American Heroines05:58 Racism and Sexism in the Creative World09:07 Personal Inspirations and Comic Book Influence11:38 The Golden Age of Comics12:31 Current Projects and Future Plans16:14 Final Thoughts and Where to Find MoreAbout Bob Gatty A former journalist and communications consultant, Bob Gatty is the founder and editor of the Lean to the Left blog and host of this podcast, which focuses on progressive politics and the important social issues of our time. Please check out Bob's new book, Hijacked Nation: Donald Trump's Attack on America's Greatness, now available on Amazon.com. Barnes & Noble and other outlets. Paperback: $11; Hardcover: $24. Digital version: $3.99. Here's a direct link: https://amzn.to/4eK8ghZ.As we continue to explore pressing social issues, I encourage everyone to share their stories and experiences. Your voice matters!DISCLAIMER: Some links in this description are affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through them, you won't pay any extra – in fact, you may even save with a discount! Using these links helps support this channel, allowing us to keep providing free content to help you on your journey. Thank you for your support.

Ada Ferrer is a Cuban-American historian. She is a professor of history and Caribbean Studies at Princeton University. She won the 2015 Frederick Douglass Prize for her book Freedom's Mirror: Cuba and Haiti in the Age of Revolution. She was also awarded the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in History for her book Cuba: An American History.

On today's episode, Vince sits down with Luis Navia, a former Cuban-American drug trafficker who played a central role in the international cocaine trade for over 25 years, and Jesse Fink, the author who chronicled Luis's story. Born in Cuba, Luis fled to Miami with his family after Castro's takeover in 1959. Raised in privilege, he attended private schools and Georgetown University before becoming involved in drug trafficking in the 1970s. Known in South American cocaine circles as “El Senador,” Luis worked with powerful cartels, including Escobar's Medellín cartel, the Cali cartel, and Venezuela's Cartel de los Soles, building extensive smuggling networks across Latin America, the Caribbean, and the U.S. In 2000, Luis was arrested in a global operation that involved the DEA, FBI, and Colombian authorities. After being held accountable for over 10 tons of cocaine, he cooperated with U.S. authorities, providing critical information on cartel operations and serving five years in prison. Together, Luis and Jesse share insights into the dangerous world of drug trafficking, the decisions that led to Luis's rise and fall, and the lessons learned along the way. To find out more about Luis's story, check out Jesse Fink's book: Pure Narco: One Man's True Story of 25 Years Inside the Cartels Borderland is an IRONCLAD Original Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 59 –Tejanos during the civil war The Rio Grande, since it was the border between Texas and Mexico was important to both the Confederacy and the Union. The Confederacy wanted to use it to bring in supplies and the Union wanted to keep it bottled up. Regardless of their reasonings, both the North and the Sount did their best to recruit and draft Mexican Texans. The confederates set up camps in Laredo, Brownsville, Victoria, and Corpus Christi and trained approximately 2,550 Mexican Americans from Texas. They primarily served inside the state with the regular confederate army or with various companies of the state militia. José Agustín Quintero, who was actually a Cuban American and hailed from New Orleans, joined the Quitman Guards of Texas. That group saw action in Virginia and Quintero was later appointed by President Jefferson Davis to serve as the confidential agent (a sort of ambassador) of the Confederate government in Mexico. While the majority of those who joined were either in their teens or early twenties, there were some who were in their sixties. The majority did join the confederate army, still an estimated 960 joined the Union army. In many cases, their reasons for joining came about partly because they or their family members remember how they had been treated during some of the events of the Texas Revolution and in particular how Mexican were treated after the revolution. (Check out my books Years of Revolution 1830 to 1836. And A Failing Republic Becomes a State 1836-1850. For more about those time periods and what took place.)     One such union group was the Second Texas Cavalry (U.S.), which was comprised largely of Texas Mexicans and Mexican nationals; not sure why, but this unit suffered a high desertion rate.    Much like people everywhere Mexican Americans of Texas (Tejanos) were divided over the whole issue of secession. Before the war even started there were accusations of subversion and disloyalty being thrown about, which made many reluctant to even become involved. Part of the reasons that almost everyone who signed up to serve in a militia unit, especially from South Texas or from the frontier,  was a healthy fear of being sent to serve in the deep south and thus away from their families. Several people avoided conscription simply by claiming that they were actually residents and citizens of Mexico. There were at least 2,500 Mexican Texans who actually signed p to serve in the Confederate Army. Santos Benavides was perhaps the most famous of them, and he was eventually put in charge of the 33rd Texas Cavalry with the rank of colonel. The 33rd Texas Cavalry was never defeated in battle even though they did not have the best equipment or supplies. In fact, Colonel Benavides, and his Refugio and Cristóbal, put together what can only be thought of as an incredible record in defending the border. In May of 1861, they became folk heroes to southern sympathizers, after they defeated a band of anti-Confederates who were led by Juan N. Cortina at Carrizo (Zapata) . They also led incursions into northern Mexico seeking revenge for Unionist-inspired guerilla raids into Texas. In March of 1865, they also succeeded in repulsing a small group of Union solders that attacked Laredo. A few of the Tejano's who joined Hood's Texas Brigade actually were sent into Virginia where they fought in the battles of Gaines' Mill, Second Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, and Appomattox Court House. Some Thirty Tejanos from San Antonio, Eagle Pass, and the Fort Clark area signed up and joined Trevanion T. Teel's artillery company, and thirty-one more joined Charles L. Pyron's company, and ended up marching across West Texas to help in the fight to secure the Mesilla valley. Some Tejanos from San Antonio served in the Sixth Texas Infantry and fought in several of the eastern campaigns, including the battles of Chattanooga, Chickamauga, Atlanta,

In this episode, Kat sits down with Alyssa Bolaños, founder of Oh Eco, a low-waste store, also known as @casabolanos on Instagram. Alyssa shares her journey of promoting eco-friendly living, the challenges she's faced, and the importance of accessible, everyday low-waste swaps. They dive into how small, realistic changes can make a big impact, the power of supporting local businesses, and the pros and cons of using social media in building a sustainable community. Alyssa also discusses the importance of authenticity in sustainability and how consumer choices can drive both corporate and political change. Key Takeaways How Alyssa's Cuban-American upbringing influenced her take on sustainability from an early age. How parenthood changed Alyssa's approach to low waste & sustainable living Alyssa's tips for shopping at a refill shop  The importance supporting your local refill shops and building community    Sustainability doesn't have to be all or nothing—starting small and embracing the journey is key. Shop Oh Eco HERE. Connect with Alyssa on Instagram.Check out the Refillery Collective.  Connect with Glo Eco HERE. Connect with Kat HERE.

Mike Calvo is an esteemed public speaker, Cuban American, and a passionate advocate for accessibility and empowerment. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised in Miami after attending the Michigan School for the Blind, Mike's journey is one of resilience and determination.As the founder of The Blind Visionary, LLC, Mike utilizes his personal and professional experiences to inspire audiences across various sectors. His speeches delve into overcoming life's challenges, harnessing technology for empowerment, and advocating for inclusivity.Living in Orlando with his combined family of seven children, Mike's narrative is enriched by his roles as a father, husband, and community leader. His Cuban heritage and life experiences bring a unique flavor to his talks, resonating with diverse audiences.English or Spanish, Mike's engagements are not just speaking events; they are transformative experiences designed to motivate and challenge perceptions about what is possible.Learn more: www.mikecalvo.com

ALTER EGO is the follow up stand-alone sequel to Alex Segura's thrilling LA Times Book Prize-winning novel, Secret Identity, centered around the world of comic books and featuring another Cuban-American heroine. Acclaimed comic book artist Annie Bustamante believes she's done with the comic book industry, but when an opportunity arises to tackle the Lethal Lynx, one of her longtime favorite superheroes, she's not sure she can pass it up. When Triumph Comics' newest CEO Bert Carlyle, son of its founder Jeffrey Carlyle, proposes for her to tell the Lynx's story Annie is hesitant to accept the offer. What makes matters worse is the ambiguity around who exactly owns the rights to the Lynx, Carlyle's desire to pair her with a disgraced filmmaker for a tie-in media play, and the anonymous messages she's been receiving telling her not to trust anyone. Chasing after the spark she felt when she first picked up her issue of The Legendary Lynx #1, Annie is determined to tell the story her way even if she uncovers dark secrets about the beloved character. In Annie's story, Segura celebrates the childlike wonder and transportive storytelling power of comic books and pays homage to the overlooked and underrepresented storytellers.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

Today on America in the Morning   Battling Wildfires & The Winds A new round of Santa Ana Winds hit Southern California but firefighters are managing to keep the historically devastating wildfires from gaining more ground, fires that have already scorched over 62 square miles. Jim Roope has the latest from Los Angeles.    Hegseth On The Hot Seat It was a four hour contentious hearing on Capitol Hill as Defense Secretary Nominee and former Fox News host Pete Hegseth sat before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani has the story.     Women's Sports Bill Passes The House On Capitol Hill, the GOP-led House passes a bill banning men from women's sports in schools. Correspondent Clayton Neville reports.    The External Revenue Service We have the Internal Revenue Service to collect taxes, and now President-elect Donald Trump wants to create a new government agency to oversee the revenue from tariffs.     Good & Bad For Congestion Pricing One week into a new congestion pricing toll for drivers in Manhattan, and results are less cars on the roads, but still traffic and now more people in an already crowded subway. Correspondent Julie Walker reports.    Unappetizing Investigation This certainly isn't appetizing. A USDA report on contamination at a food processing plant in Virginia now includes unsanitary conditions at several other Boar's Head plants. Lisa Dwyer reports     Latest On The LA Wildfires Nearly 100 thousand people remain under evacuation orders as the Los Angeles wildfires remain out of control, fueled again by hurricane-force Santa Ana Winds. Correspondent Julie Walker has the latest and on the issue of homeowners and insurance concerns.    Closing In On A Hostage Deal World leaders say a deal that would release Israeli hostages being held by Hamas and secure a ceasefire between the terror group and Israel is getting close. Correspondent Clayton Neville reports that both sides still have issues in securing a final deal that are being addressed.    More Nominees To Face The Senate Today President-Elect Donald Trump's nominee to run the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, received a grilling from Democratic members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Now later today, his picks for attorney general and secretary of state get their turn in the sun. John Stolnis has more from Washington.    Biden Clears Cuba President Biden is rescinding Cuba's state terror sponsor designation. As Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports, there is outrage among Cuban-Americans, including Florida Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar, who took to social media to vent her outrage.      The Inauguration & The Flag While the nation will continue to fly flags at half-staff to honor the passing of former President Jimmy Carter, flags at the US Capitol and in a number of states will be raised to full staff on Monday for the inauguration of Donald Trump.     Producer Price Report The government releases its latest report on wholesale prices, and while less than expected, there are concerns. Jennifer King has more.    Musk Sued The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed a lawsuit against the billionaire owner of Tesla, alleging he committed securities fraud by not disclosing he had amassed an active stake in Twitter in 2022, which allowed him to buy shares at lower prices.     Finally   Among those already evacuated due to the Los Angeles wildfires, a number of elderly citizens who had to be taken from senior care facilities as the flames were fast approaching. Correspondent Haya Panjwani reports on one senior living home evacuated in the City of Angels.    The women on ABC's The View are weighing in on a country music superstar's decision to sing at Monday's inauguration of Donald Trump. Kevin Carr reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How Black and white Cubans navigated issues of race, politics, and identity during the post-Civil War and early Jim Crow eras in South Florida. On July 4, 1876, during the centennial celebration of US independence, the city of Key West was different from other cities. In some of post–Civil War Florida, Black residents were hindered from participating in 4th of July festivities, but Key West's celebration, “led by a Cuban revolutionary mayor working in concert with a city council composed of Afro-Bahamians, Cubans, African Americans, and Anglos,” represented a profound exercise in interracial democracy amid the Radical Reconstruction era. Constructing Cuban America: Race and Identity in Florida's Caribbean South, 1868–1945 (U Texas Press, 2024) examines the first Cuban American communities in South Florida—Key West and Tampa—and how race played a central role in shaping the experiences of white and Black Cubans. Andrew Gomez argues that factors such as the Cuban independence movement and Radical Reconstruction produced interracial communities of Cubans that worked alongside African Americans and Afro-Bahamians in Florida, yielding several successes in interracial democratic representation, even as they continued to wrestle with elements of racial separatism within the Cuban community. But the conclusion of the Cuban War of Independence and early Jim Crow laws led to a fracture in the Cuban-American community. In the process, both Black and white Cubans posited distinct visions of Cuban-American identity. Andrew Gomez is an associate professor of history at the University of Puget Sound. Katie Coldiron is the Outreach Program Manager for the Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC) and PhD student in History at Florida International University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

How Black and white Cubans navigated issues of race, politics, and identity during the post-Civil War and early Jim Crow eras in South Florida. On July 4, 1876, during the centennial celebration of US independence, the city of Key West was different from other cities. In some of post–Civil War Florida, Black residents were hindered from participating in 4th of July festivities, but Key West's celebration, “led by a Cuban revolutionary mayor working in concert with a city council composed of Afro-Bahamians, Cubans, African Americans, and Anglos,” represented a profound exercise in interracial democracy amid the Radical Reconstruction era. Constructing Cuban America: Race and Identity in Florida's Caribbean South, 1868–1945 (U Texas Press, 2024) examines the first Cuban American communities in South Florida—Key West and Tampa—and how race played a central role in shaping the experiences of white and Black Cubans. Andrew Gomez argues that factors such as the Cuban independence movement and Radical Reconstruction produced interracial communities of Cubans that worked alongside African Americans and Afro-Bahamians in Florida, yielding several successes in interracial democratic representation, even as they continued to wrestle with elements of racial separatism within the Cuban community. But the conclusion of the Cuban War of Independence and early Jim Crow laws led to a fracture in the Cuban-American community. In the process, both Black and white Cubans posited distinct visions of Cuban-American identity. Andrew Gomez is an associate professor of history at the University of Puget Sound. Katie Coldiron is the Outreach Program Manager for the Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC) and PhD student in History at Florida International University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/latino-studies

How Black and white Cubans navigated issues of race, politics, and identity during the post-Civil War and early Jim Crow eras in South Florida. On July 4, 1876, during the centennial celebration of US independence, the city of Key West was different from other cities. In some of post–Civil War Florida, Black residents were hindered from participating in 4th of July festivities, but Key West's celebration, “led by a Cuban revolutionary mayor working in concert with a city council composed of Afro-Bahamians, Cubans, African Americans, and Anglos,” represented a profound exercise in interracial democracy amid the Radical Reconstruction era. Constructing Cuban America: Race and Identity in Florida's Caribbean South, 1868–1945 (U Texas Press, 2024) examines the first Cuban American communities in South Florida—Key West and Tampa—and how race played a central role in shaping the experiences of white and Black Cubans. Andrew Gomez argues that factors such as the Cuban independence movement and Radical Reconstruction produced interracial communities of Cubans that worked alongside African Americans and Afro-Bahamians in Florida, yielding several successes in interracial democratic representation, even as they continued to wrestle with elements of racial separatism within the Cuban community. But the conclusion of the Cuban War of Independence and early Jim Crow laws led to a fracture in the Cuban-American community. In the process, both Black and white Cubans posited distinct visions of Cuban-American identity. Andrew Gomez is an associate professor of history at the University of Puget Sound. Katie Coldiron is the Outreach Program Manager for the Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC) and PhD student in History at Florida International University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

How Black and white Cubans navigated issues of race, politics, and identity during the post-Civil War and early Jim Crow eras in South Florida. On July 4, 1876, during the centennial celebration of US independence, the city of Key West was different from other cities. In some of post–Civil War Florida, Black residents were hindered from participating in 4th of July festivities, but Key West's celebration, “led by a Cuban revolutionary mayor working in concert with a city council composed of Afro-Bahamians, Cubans, African Americans, and Anglos,” represented a profound exercise in interracial democracy amid the Radical Reconstruction era. Constructing Cuban America: Race and Identity in Florida's Caribbean South, 1868–1945 (U Texas Press, 2024) examines the first Cuban American communities in South Florida—Key West and Tampa—and how race played a central role in shaping the experiences of white and Black Cubans. Andrew Gomez argues that factors such as the Cuban independence movement and Radical Reconstruction produced interracial communities of Cubans that worked alongside African Americans and Afro-Bahamians in Florida, yielding several successes in interracial democratic representation, even as they continued to wrestle with elements of racial separatism within the Cuban community. But the conclusion of the Cuban War of Independence and early Jim Crow laws led to a fracture in the Cuban-American community. In the process, both Black and white Cubans posited distinct visions of Cuban-American identity. Andrew Gomez is an associate professor of history at the University of Puget Sound. Katie Coldiron is the Outreach Program Manager for the Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC) and PhD student in History at Florida International University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

How Black and white Cubans navigated issues of race, politics, and identity during the post-Civil War and early Jim Crow eras in South Florida. On July 4, 1876, during the centennial celebration of US independence, the city of Key West was different from other cities. In some of post–Civil War Florida, Black residents were hindered from participating in 4th of July festivities, but Key West's celebration, “led by a Cuban revolutionary mayor working in concert with a city council composed of Afro-Bahamians, Cubans, African Americans, and Anglos,” represented a profound exercise in interracial democracy amid the Radical Reconstruction era. Constructing Cuban America: Race and Identity in Florida's Caribbean South, 1868–1945 (U Texas Press, 2024) examines the first Cuban American communities in South Florida—Key West and Tampa—and how race played a central role in shaping the experiences of white and Black Cubans. Andrew Gomez argues that factors such as the Cuban independence movement and Radical Reconstruction produced interracial communities of Cubans that worked alongside African Americans and Afro-Bahamians in Florida, yielding several successes in interracial democratic representation, even as they continued to wrestle with elements of racial separatism within the Cuban community. But the conclusion of the Cuban War of Independence and early Jim Crow laws led to a fracture in the Cuban-American community. In the process, both Black and white Cubans posited distinct visions of Cuban-American identity. Andrew Gomez is an associate professor of history at the University of Puget Sound. Katie Coldiron is the Outreach Program Manager for the Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC) and PhD student in History at Florida International University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/latin-american-studies

How Black and white Cubans navigated issues of race, politics, and identity during the post-Civil War and early Jim Crow eras in South Florida. On July 4, 1876, during the centennial celebration of US independence, the city of Key West was different from other cities. In some of post–Civil War Florida, Black residents were hindered from participating in 4th of July festivities, but Key West's celebration, “led by a Cuban revolutionary mayor working in concert with a city council composed of Afro-Bahamians, Cubans, African Americans, and Anglos,” represented a profound exercise in interracial democracy amid the Radical Reconstruction era. Constructing Cuban America: Race and Identity in Florida's Caribbean South, 1868–1945 (U Texas Press, 2024) examines the first Cuban American communities in South Florida—Key West and Tampa—and how race played a central role in shaping the experiences of white and Black Cubans. Andrew Gomez argues that factors such as the Cuban independence movement and Radical Reconstruction produced interracial communities of Cubans that worked alongside African Americans and Afro-Bahamians in Florida, yielding several successes in interracial democratic representation, even as they continued to wrestle with elements of racial separatism within the Cuban community. But the conclusion of the Cuban War of Independence and early Jim Crow laws led to a fracture in the Cuban-American community. In the process, both Black and white Cubans posited distinct visions of Cuban-American identity. Andrew Gomez is an associate professor of history at the University of Puget Sound. Katie Coldiron is the Outreach Program Manager for the Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC) and PhD student in History at Florida International University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/caribbean-studies

How Black and white Cubans navigated issues of race, politics, and identity during the post-Civil War and early Jim Crow eras in South Florida. On July 4, 1876, during the centennial celebration of US independence, the city of Key West was different from other cities. In some of post–Civil War Florida, Black residents were hindered from participating in 4th of July festivities, but Key West's celebration, “led by a Cuban revolutionary mayor working in concert with a city council composed of Afro-Bahamians, Cubans, African Americans, and Anglos,” represented a profound exercise in interracial democracy amid the Radical Reconstruction era. Constructing Cuban America: Race and Identity in Florida's Caribbean South, 1868–1945 (U Texas Press, 2024) examines the first Cuban American communities in South Florida—Key West and Tampa—and how race played a central role in shaping the experiences of white and Black Cubans. Andrew Gomez argues that factors such as the Cuban independence movement and Radical Reconstruction produced interracial communities of Cubans that worked alongside African Americans and Afro-Bahamians in Florida, yielding several successes in interracial democratic representation, even as they continued to wrestle with elements of racial separatism within the Cuban community. But the conclusion of the Cuban War of Independence and early Jim Crow laws led to a fracture in the Cuban-American community. In the process, both Black and white Cubans posited distinct visions of Cuban-American identity. Andrew Gomez is an associate professor of history at the University of Puget Sound. Katie Coldiron is the Outreach Program Manager for the Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC) and PhD student in History at Florida International University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

How Black and white Cubans navigated issues of race, politics, and identity during the post-Civil War and early Jim Crow eras in South Florida. On July 4, 1876, during the centennial celebration of US independence, the city of Key West was different from other cities. In some of post–Civil War Florida, Black residents were hindered from participating in 4th of July festivities, but Key West's celebration, “led by a Cuban revolutionary mayor working in concert with a city council composed of Afro-Bahamians, Cubans, African Americans, and Anglos,” represented a profound exercise in interracial democracy amid the Radical Reconstruction era. Constructing Cuban America: Race and Identity in Florida's Caribbean South, 1868–1945 (U Texas Press, 2024) examines the first Cuban American communities in South Florida—Key West and Tampa—and how race played a central role in shaping the experiences of white and Black Cubans. Andrew Gomez argues that factors such as the Cuban independence movement and Radical Reconstruction produced interracial communities of Cubans that worked alongside African Americans and Afro-Bahamians in Florida, yielding several successes in interracial democratic representation, even as they continued to wrestle with elements of racial separatism within the Cuban community. But the conclusion of the Cuban War of Independence and early Jim Crow laws led to a fracture in the Cuban-American community. In the process, both Black and white Cubans posited distinct visions of Cuban-American identity. Andrew Gomez is an associate professor of history at the University of Puget Sound. Katie Coldiron is the Outreach Program Manager for the Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC) and PhD student in History at Florida International University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-south

Cuban Americans talk Christmas

In this episode, Rick interviews Luly B. Carreras, a dynamic Cuban-American entrepreneur with over 20 years of marketing, leadership, and business consulting expertise. Luly shares her journey from managing a thriving marketing agency to finding alignment and embracing her purpose as a business and life strategist. She discusses the power of authenticity, leveraging unique gifts, and fostering meaningful connections, inspiring listeners to overcome challenges and create a life filled with joy and impact. With honesty, vulnerability, and her signature passion, Luly reminds us how embracing our truth can spark positive change in the world.This episode is a MUST-LISTEN!

Ric Prado teamed up with Grey Dynamics to give away signed copies of his book. The only thing you have to do to win is to comment “blackops” under the episode of this post. You will receive a DM with instructions!Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast! The week we are talking to Ric Prado, a former CIA paramilitary operations officer and clandestine Special Activities Division (SAD) operator. Ric spent 24 years in the CIA, operating in the Middle East, Latin America, and East Asia. During the war on terror, Ric served as Chief of Operations at the CIA Counterterrorist Center (CTC), as well as setting up the Bin Laden Task Force. Previously, he served as an elite US Air Force Pararescue man. His New York Times Bestseller book, “Black Ops: The Life of a CIA Shadow Warrior”, tells his life story and extraordinary experiences along the way. We spoke about leaving Cuba as a refugee, experiences on operations, being in the CIA as 9/11 unfolded and much more.Find Ric Pradoricprado.comLinkedInWe Spoke About:0:00 Ric Prado's background2:50 Leaving Cuba alone at the age of ten after the revolution6:26 Having a mischievous streak and not fitting in7:54 Ric's first day at CIA headquarters10:14 What was the onboarding process and first mission like?13:32 What makes Cuban-Americans so patriotic?17:53 Ric's experience working with the Sandinista's in Nicaragua21:43 Studying to become a CIA officer and going to “the farm”24:48 Going to work in Costa Rica27:51 Experiencing 9/11 from inside the CIA35:13 Experiencing the culture change in the CIA during the war on terror40:10 Discussing Billy Waugh45:50 Why do intelligence professionals in fiction get such a negative reputation?48:17 Advice for young people53:19 What Rick does now he has retired from the CIA56:35 Cultural recommendations1:00:34 Book GiveawayAdvance Your Intelligence Career Today!We are the first fully online intelligence school helping professionals to achieve their long term goals. Our school with tons of new material is currently under construction and will be out there very soon. Meanwhile, you can sign up and be the first to know when we launch, plus get exclusive tips and offers.Get access to exclusive Grey Dynamics ReportsWith security clearance, you can take a crucial role in our intelligence community. As a cleared member, you get access to Secret & Top Secret grade publications. If you are a Top Secret holder, you also get access to our community area, where you can interact with other members and with our analysts! Subscribe today! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Ashley Hamilton joins Jimmy on the Cryptid Creator Corner to discuss the newest graphic novel he's written: Tectiv. Richard is an award-winning Cuban-American screenwriter and author. Working with artist Marco Matrone, Tectiv tells the story of Bingo Finder, the only literate person in a far future, post-apocalyptic Los Angeles. After Bingo's friend disappears, Bingo turns to the books she loves to solve the mystery of her friend's disappearance. Part noir, part dystopian sci-fi adventure, and all beautifully rendered. Jimmy and Richard have a great conversation about the origin and influences of Tectiv, plus they chat about volumes 1 and 2 of Scoop, another great graphic novel that imagines a Veronica Mars-type as an intern at a local Miami news station to clear her father's name. Scoop volumes 1 and 2 are available now. Tectiv is out December 11th.    Tectiv Maverick COMICS OVER TIME Make sure to give a listen to our friends with Comics Over Time. PATREON We have a new Patreon, CryptidCreatorCornerpod. If you like what we do, please consider supporting us. We got two simple tiers, $1 and $3. I'll be uploading a story every Sunday about some of the crazy things I've gotten into over the years. The first one dropped last week about me relocating a drug lord's sharks. Yes, it did happen, and the alligators didn't even get in the way. Want to know more, you know what to do. Our episode sponsors Arkenforge Play TTRPG games? Make sure to check out our partner Arkenforge. They have everything you need to make your TTRPG more fun and immersive, allowing you to build, play, and export animated maps including in person fog of war capability that let's your players interact with maps as the adventure unfolds while you, the DM get the full picture. Use the discount code YETI5 to get $5 off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanksgiving and Cuban Americans

Jel Martinez, a Cuban American artist born in Miami, draws inspiration from graffiti and the process of vandalism removal. An original member of the Ink Heads Crew, his work reflects the layers and textures of urban walls, merging expressionism with contemporary “buffs”—the patterns left by city cleanup crews. His paintings capture the dynamic interplay of creation, deconstruction, and decay, evoking the history and texture of city walls. Martinez's unique style, which he calls “urban abstraction,” incorporates acrylic, enamel, oil, and ink to form vibrant, layered compositions rooted in the urban landscape. @Jelmartinez

In this episode of the Stay Tranquilo Podcast, powered by Stay Tranquilo, special host Victoria Verdeja, interviews her grandfather who escaped Cuba to create a better life in America for his family. In honor of Hispanic Heritage month, we got to showcase a true Cuban American dream and what it meant to escape a Communist regime in Cuba. Check out the full conversation and let us know your thoughts! #staytranquilo Episode brought to you by: Vic Garcia World: https://vicgarciaworld.com/ Curaleaf FL: https://curaleaf.com/dispensary/florida Johnny Cuba Beer: https://www.johnnycuba.us/