POPULARITY
Venezuelan musician and composer Ella Bric made history as the first woman to win producer of the year at the 2018 Latin Grammys. The trumpet player made a name for herself after moving to New York City and most recently made waves on Karol G’s Mañana Sera Bonito Tour. In this special Latino USA collaboration with WNYC, we bring you a live conversation and performance recorded in front of a live audience at The Greene Space in NYC. Ella Bric spoke to NYC Now host Janae Pierre about composing music for Futuro Media’s Our Thing: The Birth of Salsa in Nueva York and how jazz shapes her sound. 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 and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In early February, Latino USA traveled to the occupied West Bank to learn about the roots of the deep connections between Latinos and Palestinians. Maria Hinojosa and producer Nour Saudi accompanied a group of U.S. students and academics as they traveled from Jordan to Ramallah with their counterparts from a Palestinian university. Speaking with refugees, community leaders and student activists, we look at the parallels between the two communities— from the U.S. student protest movement to shared experiences of borders and surveillance and shared cultures around family, food and friendship. 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 and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Welcome to Art is Awesome, the show where we talk with an artist or art worker with a connection to the San Francisco Bay Area. Today, Emily chats with Miguel Arzabe, a engineer turned artist based in Oakland, Ca... About Artist Miguel Arzabe: Miguel Arzabe makes colorful and dynamic abstractions - weavings, paintings, videos. He starts by finding outdated beauty in paper ephemera from art shows, modernist paintings, discarded audio recordings. They are methodically analyzed, deconstructed, reverse-engineered. Drawing inspiration from the cultural techniques and motifs of his Andean heritage, Arzabe weaves the fragments together revealing uncanny intersections between form and content, the nostalgic and the hard-edged, failure and recuperation. Arzabe lives and works in Oakland, CA. He had recent solo shows at Shulamit Nazarian Gallery (Los Angeles, CA) and Johansson Projects (Oakland, CA). Arzabe's work has been featured in such festivals as Hors Pistes (Centre Pompidou, Paris), Festival du Nouveau Cinéma (Montreal), and the Geumgang Nature Art Biennale (Gongju, South Korea); and in museums and galleries including MAC Lyon (France), MARS Milan (Italy), RM Projects (Auckland), FIFI Projects (Mexico City), Marylhurst University (Oregon), the Contemporary Jewish Museum, Berkeley Art Museum, the CCA Wattis Institute, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Arzabe's work is held in public collections such as the Harn Museum of Art in Gainseville, FL; the de Young Museum; Albuquerque Museum of Art; Oakland Museum of California; San Francisco Arts Commission; the State of California; as well as numerous private collections. He has attended many residencies including Facebook AIR, Headlands Center for the Arts, Montalvo Arts Center, Millay Arts, and Santa Fe Art Institute. He holds a BS from Carnegie Mellon University, an MS from Arizona State University, and an MFA from UC Berkeley. In 2022 Arzabe was awarded the San Francisco Bay Area Artadia Award. In 2023 he was awarded a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant and and a Golden Foundation Residency. In 2024 his work was featured in the exhibitions About Place at the deYoung Museum and The Poetics of Dimensions at the ICA San Francisco. His work is featured in the 2025 contemporary art survey TEXTILES x ART published by Thames and Hudson AU. Visit Miguel's Website: MiguelArzabe.net Follow Miguel on Instagram: @Miguel.Arzabe -- About Podcast Host Emily Wilson: Emily a writer in San Francisco, with work in outlets including Hyperallergic, Artforum, 48 Hills, the Daily Beast, California Magazine, Latino USA, and Women's Media Center. She often writes about the arts. For years, she taught adults getting their high school diplomas at City College of San Francisco. Follow Emily on Instagram: @PureEWil Follow Art Is Awesome on Instagram: @ArtIsAwesome_Podcast -- CREDITS: Art Is Awesome is Hosted, Created & Executive Produced by Emily Wilson. Theme Music "Loopster" Courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License The Podcast is Co-Produced, Developed & Edited by Charlene Goto of @GoToProductions. For more info, visit Go-ToProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
When actor Harvey Guillén auditioned for a role written for a character 20 years older than him, he got cast anyway. In this intimate conversation with Maria Hinojosa, Harvey reveals how he became the breakout heart of What We Do in the Shadows as Guillermo, the vampires’ overworked human assistant who refused to stay a sidekick. In this 2025 Latino USA episode, Harvey explains how he’s built a career chasing roles not written for someone who looks like him, and rewriting them once he's in the room. He talks about trauma, tenacity, and turning “no” into a career. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Indigenous groups in South America have been cultivating the coca leaf for 8 millennia. But when the coca leaf became the base ingredient for cocaine, its story changed. In 1961, the United Nations classified the coca leaf in the same category as cocaine itself, regulating it at the same level. But the coca leaf is not a narcotic drug—it is a mild natural stimulant, venerated as sacred by many. An international movement has been trying to decriminalize and destigmatize the coca leaf. This episode spotlights the Indigenous origins of the coca leaf, and what its future could be. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Andrés Cantor has been a sports announcer for almost 40 years. He’s received eight Emmy Awards for his broadcasting and a place in the National Soccer Hall of Fame. You know his voice. His “Gooooooooool” has been featured everywhere from Late Night to the Simpsons. In this special episode of our new podcast “American Futbol,” we get into the nitty gritty of calling a game, why he’s not afraid to cry, and the beauty of the World Cup. 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 and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
After months out of prison, Frank Ross’ dementia has progressed. At times, he can no longer remember why he needs to wear the GPS monitor the law requires, putting his freedom at risk. He is dealing with serious health issues while adapting to his new life at the healthcare facility. While Frank struggles to live out his release in peace, we learn about a bill that advocates and some lawmakers say could reform Pennsylvania's compassionate release system, easing the state's financial burden and helping people like Frank whose healthcare needs aren’t being met in prison, to be released sooner. This is part three of “Released To Die” a three part mini series that explores what it means to get a chance to die free. 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 and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Welcome to Art is Awesome, the show where we talk with an artist or art worker with a connection to the San Francisco Bay Area. This week, Emily welcomes Paola de la Calle, a Colombian American multidisciplinary artist based in San Francisco. Her work spans textiles, ceramics, printmaking, and writing, and often explores themes of immigration, land sovereignty, family memory, and diaspora identity. About Artist Paola de la Calle: Paola de la Calle is a Colombian-American multidisciplinary artist whose work examines home, identity, borders, and nostalgia through the use of textiles, printmaking, and sculpture. In her practice, De la Calle combines photographs sourced from family albums and found images which she prints on textiles, as well as poetic texts, paintings made with coffee instead of paint, and found objects, to mine the aesthetics of nostalgia and examine the socio-political relationship between the United States and Colombia. She is a graduate of the New York Foundation of the Arts Immigrant Artist Program in 2019 and the lead artist for the Caravan for the Children Campaign as part of her residency with Galeria de la Raza in 2020. She was awarded fellowships at KALA (2022) and The Studios at MassMOCA (2025). She has attended residencies at the Textile Arts Center in Brooklyn, NY and Casa Lu in Mexico City, MX. De la Calle was awarded the 2026/2027 Ann Chamberlain Artist-in-Residence at San Francisco State University. She's been featured on Hyperallergic's “A View from the Easel”, “Through My Eyes” on Hulu, NPR, Refinery29, The Boston Art Review, Latina Magazine, Glasstire, and VOGUE among others. Visit Paola's Website: PaoladelaCalle.com Follow Paola on Instagram: @PaoladelaCalle -- About Podcast Host Emily Wilson: Emily a writer in San Francisco, with work in outlets including Hyperallergic, Artforum, 48 Hills, the Daily Beast, California Magazine, Latino USA, and Women's Media Center. She often writes about the arts. For years, she taught adults getting their high school diplomas at City College of San Francisco. Follow Emily on Instagram: @PureEWil Follow Art Is Awesome on Instagram: @ArtIsAwesome_Podcast -- CREDITS: Art Is Awesome is Hosted, Created & Executive Produced by Emily Wilson. Theme Music "Loopster" Courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License The Podcast is Co-Produced, Developed & Edited by Charlene Goto of @GoToProductions. For more info, visit Go-ToProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Michie, an incarcerated woman serving a life sentence at a Pennsylvania prison, learned early on that she needed to advocate for her own health behind bars. Over the decades and as she grew older, she says she witnessed many friends grow ill and die behind bars. Then, in her late 60’s, she discovers that she too has breast cancer. As Michie recounts the challenges of getting older - and sicker - in prison, we explore the particular health challenges that older women face while incarcerated. This is part two of “Released To Die,” a three-part miniseries that explores what it means to have a chance to die free. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Frank Ross was sentenced to die in prison – but after decades behind bars, he faces a new shot at freedom. At 93-years-old, Frank Ross is struggling with serious health issues. He’s able to secure a medical transfer to live out his final days at a healthcare facility through a law commonly known as “compassionate release.” Frank’s story is representative of a growing problem in prisons across the U.S., where the number of incarcerated people considered elderly has reached a historic peak. Compassionate release is one of the few options that could help combat the growing number of sick and elderly people. This is part one of “Released To Die” a three part mini series that explores what it means to get a chance to die free. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This graduation ceremony is not like the rest. Here, when students walk on stage to get their diplomas, announcers call the students' names, and also the names of their parents. We went to the 50th Annual Chicano/Latino Commencement Celebration at Fresno State, which is the largest, bilingual, bicultural affinity graduation celebration in the country. We go to the heart of California’s Central Valley to bring you the story of three graduates, and their families. We explore what it means to earn a degree and honor those who made it possible to get one. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
NYC has, arguably, dubbed its number one fan: Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The mayor has been celebrating big after the Knicks’ NBA Championship win, and cheering during the World Cup. To him, it’s more than sports; it’s political. “The World Cup offers us a chance to know each other as we truly are, to be curious, to be excited, to be joyful,” he told Latino USA. “Here in New York City, we have an opportunity to understand that no matter where you're from, you're at home.” Maria Hinojosa sits down with Mayor Mamdani to talk about sports, immigration, ICE, Trump, and what makes a great taco. This story is part of our democracy and election coverage: The Latino Factor: How We Vote. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Welcome to Art is Awesome, the show where we talk with an artist or art worker with a connection to the San Francisco Bay Area. This week, Emily Wilson sits down with Julia Goodman, a San Francisco-based artist who makes paper and textiles, as well as paintings and sculptures. They meet on the campus of the California College of the Arts — the last art school in San Francisco, set to close at the end of the 2026–27 school year — where Julia has been teaching. Their conversation covers Julia's winding path to art, the meditative and cathartic labor of making paper from recycled fabrics, grief, and an ongoing audio archive project about astronomy and motherhood. About Artist Julia Goodman: Julia Goodman is an artist and educator working at the intersection of papermaking, textiles, sculpture, and painting. Her work is held in the collections of the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA), DePaul Art Museum, Recology San Francisco, and Google. Unimaginable Units of Time marks her first solo museum exhibition, presented at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art. Recent group exhibitions include NMWA, Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Jose Museum of Art, DePaul Art Museum, Poetry Foundation, and Berkeley Art Center. Her residencies include JB Blunk Residency, Recology SF, Creativity Explored, Salina Art Center, The Space Program SF, and The Eames Institute. She is a recipient of the 2020 Women to Watch Award from the San Francisco chapter of NMWA. She is a longtime resident of the San Francisco Bay Area and started making paper in 2003 with a kitchen blender and old window screens. Visit Julia's Website: JAGoodman.com Follow Julia on Instagram: @JuliaAnneGoodman Learn more about Julia's Wrenching News Workshops HERE. -- About Podcast Host Emily Wilson: Emily a writer in San Francisco, with work in outlets including Hyperallergic, Artforum, 48 Hills, the Daily Beast, California Magazine, Latino USA, and Women's Media Center. She often writes about the arts. For years, she taught adults getting their high school diplomas at City College of San Francisco. Follow Emily on Instagram: @PureEWil Follow Art Is Awesome on Instagram: @ArtIsAwesome_Podcast -- CREDITS: Art Is Awesome is Hosted, Created & Executive Produced by Emily Wilson. Theme Music "Loopster" Courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License The Podcast is Co-Produced, Developed & Edited by Charlene Goto of @GoToProductions. For more info, visit Go-ToProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
In the early 2000’s David Archuleta broke into stardome on American Idol, capturing the hearts of millions. But behind the scenes he was grappling with his sexuality and faith. “I felt like if people found this out about me, they would know how dirty I was,” he told Maria Hinojosa when talking about what the Mormon Church made him feel, early on, when he began to realize he could be gay. In a new memoir, David reveals his journey to fame and how he has worked to embrace his authentic self. Listen to this intimate conversation about his journey and what his faith looks like today. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
La cantautora chilena Mon Laferte es una máquina en la industria musical como activista, artista y feminista. Creció con sus héroes musicales chilenos guiándola, como Violeta Parra y Víctor Jara. Entonces, no es sorpresa que ella también siga sus pasos, trabajando por un mundo más justo para todos. Su nuevo álbum, titulado “Femme Fatale Vol. 2”, ya está disponible. Es una colección de 20 canciones sobre el amor, de esos amores que ya hay que dejar ir. También hay una canción sobre la industria musical. En este episodio especial de Latino USA en español hablamos con Mon Laferte sobre el feminismo, su nuevo álbum y lo que la inspira en su activismo. ¿Quieres apoyar nuestro periodismo independiente? Únete a Futuro+ para acceder a episodios exclusivos, adelantos y chisme detrás de cámaras sobre Latino USA y todos nuestros pódcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mon Laferte and Francisca Valenzuela are both Chilean singer-songwriters using their platforms to draw attention to important issues while creating meaningful change. From Mon walking a red carpet in 2019 at the Latin Grammys, bare-breasted, with words calling out femicide, to Francisca’s founding of Ruidosafest, the all-Latina music festival and research platform, the two women are working hard to change the game. In today’s episode of Latino USA, we speak to both of them about feminism, their music, and how the ghosts of Chile’s musical past guide them to keep pushing for change. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oscar and Emmy-nominated actress Rosie Perez takes us on the journey of the birth of salsa in Nueva York and the rebellious, seductive and political label that defined it: Fania Records. The 1960s brings social and political change to the world and to New York City, where a young Johnny Pacheco keeps people dancing with his orchestra and charanga music. The Dominican musician is also going through a divorce and his lawyer, Jerry Masucci, happens to be a fan of Johnny’s music. They formed Fania Records, changing music forever. This is the first episode of Futuro’s new podcast Our Thing: The Birth of Salsa in Nueva York. The first two episodes are out now wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Subscribe and follow so you don’t miss upcoming episodes. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This June marks a decade since one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history at the gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando, Florida. “Sometimes when I close my eyes, I see when I was on the floor on [sic] that restroom,” Jorshua Hernández Carrión, a survivor of the shooting, told us. Through an interview with Jorshua, and a review of the investigations, Latino USA unpacks the lack of accountability, and how we should honor Pulse victims and survivors. We also talk with Carl Charles, a trans attorney with Lambda Legal, about how violence against the LGBTQ+ community has taken new forms in laws and rhetoric. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Welcome to Art is Awesome, the show where we talk with an artist or art worker with a connection to the San Francisco Bay Area. This week, Emily welcomes Abram Jackson, the Director of Interpretation at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, to talk about his work making museum exhibitions more inclusive and equitable. Abram came to the role through an unexpected path — he was a teacher and dean specializing in ethnic studies at the Bay School when a student's mother asked him to review an audio tour for inclusive language. He fell in love with the work and joined the de Young full-time in 2022. In his role, he reads exhibition labels through an equity lens, a practice he traces back to his very first edit on the Soul of a Nation show, where he revised the description of Fred Hampton's death to accurately name the role of COINTELPRO. The conversation also covers an upcoming Lowrider Culture Celebration at the de Young on June 6th, honoring artist Rose B. Simpson's Lexicon — rebuilt classic cars painted like pottery — planned in partnership with three women lowrider community leaders: Angel Romero, Ruby Ramirez, and Vera Majano. The free public event includes a lowrider exhibit, a screening of the documentary Los Dueños, a DJ, and family art-making activities. About Abram Jackson: Abram Jackson is the inaugural Director of Interpretation at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Jackson utilizes ethnic studies theories and DEIA practices in partnership with staff to incorporate more inclusive narratives into didactics. Jackson holds a Master of Arts in Ethnic Studies from San Francisco State University and a Master of Teaching in Social Studies from the University of Southern California. Jackson has fifteen years of administrative and teaching experience at the high school level, including seven at The Bay School of San Francisco as a humanities teacher and junior class dean, adjunct lecturer at San Francisco State University and at education programs for incarcerated people in California. Connect with Abram: LinkedIn Profile Follow Abram on Instagram: @Interpreting_Abram For Details About The Lowrider Culture Celebration on June 6 at the de Young - CLICK HERE Learn More About Rose B. Simpson Lexicon HERE -- About Podcast Host Emily Wilson: Emily a writer in San Francisco, with work in outlets including Hyperallergic, Artforum, 48 Hills, the Daily Beast, California Magazine, Latino USA, and Women's Media Center. She often writes about the arts. For years, she taught adults getting their high school diplomas at City College of San Francisco. Follow Emily on Instagram: @PureEWil Follow Art Is Awesome on Instagram: @ArtIsAwesome_Podcast -- CREDITS: Art Is Awesome is Hosted, Created & Executive Produced by Emily Wilson. Theme Music "Loopster" Courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License The Podcast is Co-Produced, Developed & Edited by Charlene Goto of @GoToProductions. For more info, visit Go-ToProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
When Tab Ramos’ family migrated from Uruguay as a child in the 1970s, he had no idea he’d play a role in the rebirth of U.S. soccer. “I remember telling my father at the time: out of all the countries in the world that we could move to, why do we have to move to the one that doesn't have soccer?” Tab said. But Tab became one of the best U.S. soccer players of the 1990s and played for the national team when the U.S. hosted the World Cup in 1994. In this special episode of our new podcast “American Futbol” we hear about his losses, his wins, and a cracked skull that nearly killed him. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Men’s World Cup is coming to our continent – and to this country! But what does soccer mean in the U.S.? Latino USA’s own Fernanda Echavarri asks that question in our new show “American Futbol.” We hear from immigrants all across the country for whom soccer is a touchstone, and who’ve also woven the sport into American culture and life. And we go back to the 90’s, to the very first time the World Cup came to the United States. There was Oprah, there was O.J., and it changed soccer in the U.S. forever. The first 3 episodes of “American Futbol” are where you’re listening to this podcast. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Inside one of the country’s largest contemporary art exhibitions, the Whitney Biennial, slimy green sculptures stare back at you, the scent of lemongrass fills the air, and the hum of insects surrounds you. This year, for the first time in the museum’s history, the exhibition is co-curated by a Latina. Marcela Guerrero brings a new perspective to the prestigious show. Of the 56 total artists displaying work this year, 16 are Latino, with different things to say. We take you inside the exhibition that is re-shaping the narrative around who and what kind of art gets to be considered “American.” 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In February 2026, The Mariachi Brothers, a musical group of 3 teenage boys, were detained by ICE during a scheduled court check-in. After their release, the brothers were invited by Country music star Kacey Musgraves to open her shows in New Braunfels, Texas. Continuing the legacy of Tejano Music, that in many ways is the story of Texas, migration, and the tension of assimilation. In this episode, two years after the death of icon Johnny Canales, we look back at the origins of Tejano music. And how Canales, the man known as the Oprah of Tejano music, changed the genre forever. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It’s been a time of growth at Futuro – we’ve been breaking news and bringing rigorous in-depth journalism at Latino USA, creating ambitious podcasts at Futuro Studios, and sharing some awesome behind the scenes moments and stories at Futuro+ with our subscribers. In this week's special episode, Futuro Studios Executive Editor and host Maria Garcia is joined by Managing Editor of Latino USA Fernanda Echavarri, and Grammy-nominated Senior Producer Jeanne Montalvo to bring you a sneak peak of some of the incredible projects we have in the works! The Futuro Plus Team includes associate producer Liliana Ruiz, production managers Victoria Estrada and Jessica Ellis, marketing manager Luis Luna, and development manager Danetsy Len. Mixing by Multitude Productions. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's been a time of growth at Futuro – we've been breaking news and bringing rigorous in-depth journalism at Latino USA, creating ambitious podcasts at Futuro Studios, and sharing some awesome behind the scenes moments and stories at Futuro+ with our subscribers.In this week's special episode, Futuro Studios Executive Editor and host Maria Garcia is joined by Managing Editor of Latino USA Fernanda Echavarri, and Grammy-nominated Senior Producer Jeanne Montalvo to bring you a sneak peak of some of the incredible projects we have in the works!The Futuro Plus Team includes associate producer Liliana Ruiz, production managers Victoria Estrada and Jessica Ellis, marketing manager Luis Luna, and development manager Danetsy Len. Mixing by Multitude Productions.Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peaks and behind-the-scenes chisme on all our podcasts futuromediagroup.org/joinplus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It's been a time of growth at Futuro – we've been breaking news and bringing rigorous in-depth journalism at Latino USA, creating ambitious podcasts at Futuro Studios, and sharing some awesome behind the scenes moments and stories at Futuro+ with our subscribers.In this week's special episode, Futuro Studios Executive Editor and host Maria Garcia is joined by Managing Editor of Latino USA Fernanda Echavarri, and Grammy-nominated Senior Producer Jeanne Montalvo to bring you a sneak peak of some of the incredible projects we have in the works!The Futuro Plus Team includes associate producer Liliana Ruiz, production managers Victoria Estrada and Jessica Ellis, marketing manager Luis Luna, and development manager Danetsy Len. Mixing by Multitude Productions.Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peaks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Suave and all our podcasts futuromediagroup.org/joinplus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It's been a time of growth at Futuro – we've been breaking news and bringing rigorous in-depth journalism at Latino USA, creating ambitious podcasts at Futuro Studios, and sharing some awesome behind the scenes moments and stories at Futuro+ with our subscribers.In this week's special episode, Futuro Studios Executive Editor and host Maria Garcia is joined by Managing Editor of Latino USA Fernanda Echavarri, and Grammy-nominated Senior Producer Jeanne Montalvo to bring you a sneak peak of some of the incredible projects we have in the works!The Futuro Plus Team includes associate producer Liliana Ruiz, production managers Victoria Estrada and Jessica Ellis, marketing manager Luis Luna, and development manager Danetsy Len. Mixing by Multitude Productions.Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peaks and behind-the-scenes chisme on La Brega and all our podcasts futuromediagroup.org/joinplus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to Art is Awesome, the show where we talk with an artist or art worker with a connection to the San Francisco Bay Area. This week, Emily interviews Emory Douglas, the Black Panther Party's Minister of Culture and revolutionary artist. The episode centers on a retrospective of his work, Emory Douglas in Our Lifetime, on view at San Francisco's African American Arts and Culture Complex. About Artist Emory Douglas: The former Minister of Culture and Revolutionary Artist for the Black Panther Party, Douglas helped define the aesthetics of protest at the height of the Civil Rights era, cementing his status among the 20th century's most influential radical political artists. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, he designed all but one of the Party's newspapers, each issue marked by the artist's bold, figurative illustrations outlined in thick black line and contrasted with bright colors, block text, and photomontage. The clearly rendered imagery, applied to a range of printed media from newspapers to posters, notecards, and pins, became a hallmark of liberation movements around the world, as supporters calling for an end to the oppression and subjugation of Black, Indigenous, and other communities sought to project a spirit of shared struggle through a common artistic vocabulary. Douglas was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 1951, his family relocated to San Francisco, where he continues to live today. Widely known as an epicenter of radical countercultural politics in the post–World War II era, the city was also deeply divided and segregated, and it was the injustices that Douglas observed as a child that informed his political ideology as an adult. Beginning in the early 1960s, as a student of commercial art at City College of San Francisco, Douglas made frequent trips to nearby San Francisco State University to see civil rights leaders like Amiri Baraka, Stokely Carmichael, and H. Rap Brown speak. He soon lent his talents to the nascent Black Arts Movement, creating fliers and other promotional artworks to advertise events held across the city. These formative experiences solidified his intentions to dedicate his work to the broader struggle for Black liberation that was taking shape around him. In January 1967, Douglas met Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, two young activists from nearby Oakland, who, months earlier, had founded the Black Panther Party (BPP). Black self-determination was the Party's primary motivation, seeking to improve the position of underprivileged people of color in America through “whatever means necessary.” The organization initially focused on an individual's right to bear arms for defense against police violence, but its attention eventually turned to social justice issues like free breakfast for school children and fair housing. Seeking to promote their civil rights agenda to a primarily Black American audience, the Panthers developed a newspaper, the first of which Seale created and published in April 1967. That first issue was simple in layout and design, leading Douglas to offer his expertise in print production, understanding the power that strong visuals could lend to political action. Beginning with the second, he designed every issue thereafter—some 537 newspapers, from 1967 until it ceased publication in the early 1980s. Douglas quickly rose through the ranks of the organization: he was officially named its Revolutionary Artist and, eventually, Minister of Culture, overseeing all aspects of the BPP visual identity. Douglas's familiarity with the print production process was a fruitful asset, as he employed simple tools like markers, rub-off type, and prefabricated texture materials to create his visually impactful designs. To keep costs low, each paper was printed in one or two colors—black ink, often with a contrasting bright color. His illustrations shone a spotlight on state-sanctioned brutality, depicting law enforcement officers and politicians as pigs, while also portraying Black people bearing arms and defeating their oppressors. Some issues featured images of Black suffering, lambasting the political establishment for failing to meet the basic needs of people of color across the United States. Douglas strategically employed photomontage as well, integrating photographs alongside text and illustrations to emphasize urgent issues facing the Party. The impact and influence of Douglas's designs underscored the importance of a consistent graphic strategy in conveying complex political messages in very simple terms. This success was underscored by the massive global distribution of the newspaper and the frequent use of Douglas's illustrations in the political campaigns for organizations like the Organización de Solidaridad con los Pueblos de Asia, África y América Latina, Organization of Solidarity with the People of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, known as OSPAAAL. Despite the popularity of the Panthers' programs and their frequent struggle against the established white political order, the Party was disbanded in the early 1980s. Douglas continues to work as a political artist and activist, producing work that seamlessly translates complex political issues into easily understood illustration, a hallmark of the pieces he produced as a member of the Panthers. His striking figural illustrations connect him to generations of American artists like Elizabeth Catlett, Aaron Douglas, and Charles White, while his combining of type and image draw on generations of political art emanating from across the world, including contemporaries working in Cuba during the Communist Revolution. Deeply bound to American history and politics, his imagery evokes a powerful, globally resonant narrative. For more on Emory, CLICK HERE. To learn about the exhibit honoring Emory's revolutionary work, CLICK HERE. -- About Podcast Host Emily Wilson: Emily a writer in San Francisco, with work in outlets including Hyperallergic, Artforum, 48 Hills, the Daily Beast, California Magazine, Latino USA, and Women's Media Center. She often writes about the arts. For years, she taught adults getting their high school diplomas at City College of San Francisco. Follow Emily on Instagram: @PureEWil Follow Art Is Awesome on Instagram: @ArtIsAwesome_Podcast -- CREDITS: Art Is Awesome is Hosted, Created & Executive Produced by Emily Wilson. Theme Music "Loopster" Courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License The Podcast is Co-Produced, Developed & Edited by Charlene Goto of @GoToProductions. For more info, visit Go-ToProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
This week, we’re presenting the first episode of “The Network,” a series that Latino USA co-produced with NPR’s Embedded. In the mid-1980s, an OBGYN in Brazil noticed that far fewer pregnant women at his hospital were dying from abortion complications. It wasn’t a coincidence. Brazilian women had made a discovery that allowed them to safely have abortions at home, despite the country’s abortion restrictions. That discovery eventually spread across the globe and transformed access to abortion for millions of women, including women now in the United States. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Caitlin Dickerson is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist at The Atlantic. She has become one of the leading voices on immigration coverage for more than a decade. In this episode, Caitlin talks about her recent reporting exploring why some mixed-status families are choosing to “self deport,” what that actually looks like and why we should all consider the impact of what gets left behind. Later, she breaks down the latest on what children and their parents are experiencing in the troubled Dilley family detention facility in Texas. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Two years after her untimely death, Cecilia Gentili remains a legendary trans icon. As International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia approaches, we celebrate it by revisiting our conversation with Gentili. In 2022 she spoke to Latino USA about her memoir, “Faltas,” written as a series of letters to people in her hometown in Argentina. Cecilia goes back to her youth, growing up in the 1970s and 80s, a time when few people in her community understood her gender expression. She also recalls the people who healed her, like her grandmother, and others who hurt her. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Grammy award-winning Mexican artist Julieta Venegas just released an album and a memoir all about being a Norteña. But like many growing up in the north of Mexico, near the U.S. border, she was also heavily influenced by music and pop culture in English. She loved The Cure as much as she loved Juan Gabriel. Listen to Julieta Venegas talk about her iconic sound, strict Mexican dads who get softer with time, the unusual choice to pick up the accordion while writing angsty 90s songs, and how her roots are always at the border despite not living there. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Governments worldwide are restricting press freedom, with the U.S. experiencing a drastic decline under the second Trump administration. Funding cuts to public media, lawsuits, federal censorship, and confrontations with ICE have become the norm. Journalists of color, Latino and immigrant journalists are disproportionately impacted. In this episode, we are joined by Maritza Félix, the founder and director of Conecta Arizona, and José Zamora, the regional director for the Americas at the Committee to Protect Journalists to discuss the state of press freedom and what it means for our democracy. This story is part of our democracy and election coverage: The Latino Factor: How We Vote. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Estefany Rodríguez, a Nashville-based journalist from Colombia, was arrested and detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement this past March. In this episode, Estefany gave Latino USA a shocking account about her detention and the inhuman conditions she experienced and witnessed. Estefany’s lawyers argue that her detention was retaliation for her reporting on immigration enforcement and ICE operations. We discuss what Estefany’s case shows about the conditions of immigration detention, and what it means that immigrant journalists could be targeted for their reporting in the United States. This story is part of our democracy and election coverage: The Latino Factor: How We Vote. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Welcome to Art is Awesome, the show where we talk with an artist or art worker with a connection to the San Francisco Bay Area. This week, Emily chats with Kara Maria, a painter and printmaker based in San Francisco Episode Highlights: Kara discusses her large-scale wood panel print on display at Chase Center in San Francisco, created at Magnolia Editions in Oakland with master printer Tallulah Terrell How a monarch butterfly painting became the starting point — and then had to be modified — for the Chase Center commission Her colorful aesthetic, rooted in 1970s cartoons, Spirograph, comic books, and Japanese woodblock prints (particularly Hokusai) The influence of her husband, Mexican artist Enrique Chaya, and their travels to Mexico on her color palette Childhood memory of a school librarian who gave her a shelf in the library for her handmade illustrated books Her journey from music school to painting — and why she knew she could never stop making art Her love of Bay Area edges: the Marina, Ocean Beach, and the view from Mount Davidson Why her studio, SF MoMA, the de Young, and the Legion of Honor all hold special meaning About Artist Kara Maria: Kara Maria is a visual artist working in painting, drawing, printmaking, and public art. Her recent work addresses climate change, biodiversity loss, and their significant impact on humanity. She meticulously paints miniature portraits of threatened, endangered, and extinct animals amid fields of flying shapes, twisting lines, and swirling colors. These works celebrate the joy and exuberance of life, emphasizing the incredible variety of existence on our planet. Maria received her BA and MFA from the University of California, Berkeley. She has exhibited work in solo and group shows across the United States at venues such as the de Saisset Museum at Santa Clara University, CA; the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, Sonoma, CA; the Nevada Museum of Art, Reno, NV; the Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, TX; and the Katonah Museum of Art in New York. Maria has been selected for awards and honors, including the Masterminds Grant from SF Weekly; a grant from Artadia; and an Eisner Prize in Art from UC Berkeley. Her work has received critical attention in the San Francisco Chronicle, the Los Angeles Times, and Art in America. She has been awarded artist residencies at the Montalvo Arts Center, the Recology Artist in Residence Program, Djerassi Resident Artists Program, and the de Young Museum Artist Studio. Maria's work is part of the permanent collections of the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive; the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University; the Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento; the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco; the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation, Los Angeles; the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; and the San Jose Museum of Art, among others. Born in Binghamton, NY (1968), Kara Maria now lives and works in San Francisco, CA. Links & Resources: Visit Kara's Website: KaraMaria.com Follow Kara on Instagram: @Kara Maria Art Kara Maria's work is on display at Chase Center as part of the Homegrown Series (alongside work by Masako Miki, featured in Episode 60) CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO -- Coming Up Next: Episode 70 on May 19th — Emery Douglas, graphic artist and former Minister of Culture for the Black Panther Party. His show Emery Douglas: In Our Lifetime is at the African American Art and Culture Complex in San Francisco through October. -- About Podcast Host Emily Wilson: Emily a writer in San Francisco, with work in outlets including Hyperallergic, Artforum, 48 Hills, the Daily Beast, California Magazine, Latino USA, and Women's Media Center. She often writes about the arts. For years, she taught adults getting their high school diplomas at City College of San Francisco. Follow Emily on Instagram: @PureEWil Follow Art Is Awesome on Instagram: @ArtIsAwesome_Podcast -- CREDITS: Art Is Awesome is Hosted, Created & Executive Produced by Emily Wilson. Theme Music "Loopster" Courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License The Podcast is Co-Produced, Developed & Edited by Charlene Goto of @GoToProductions. For more info, visit Go-ToProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
In this intimate reflection, Colombian-American producer Tasha Sandoval takes listeners with her as she returns to her native Colombia, after a lifetime of living in the United States. For a few years, Tasha has had a growing desire: to find out what life would be like if she relocated to the country her parents left, to go back to her homeland. And she’s not the only one– Latin American diasporas in the U.S., including many U.S.-born Latinos, are seeking connections to their ancestral homes Tune in as Tasha tries to answer a question: What happens when you are willing to return home? 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
After World War II, Puerto Ricans began settling in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, drawn by economic opportunities among Mennonite farming communities. Several generations later, they’re honoring their history and reclaiming their identity as “Dutchiricans” within the Mennonite church—and beyond. Tune in to listen to the story of a Dutchirican matriarch —from her family’s migration from Puerto Rico to their adoption of the Mennonite faith— and how spirituality, work, and resilience forged a new cultural identity. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
“If Hamilton is an Obama-era hope musical, we are a Trump-era protest musical," said Nygel D. Robinson, co-creator of “Mexodus.” “Mexodus,” a high-energy Off-Broadway show that explores a lesser-known part of U.S. history: the Underground Railroad, south into Mexico. In the 1800s, thousands of enslaved Black people fled to Mexico, where slavery had been abolished decades before the United States. Maria Hinojosa speaks with “Mexodus” co-creators and stars, Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, about what they hope their hit show can teach audiences today about cross-racial and cross-border solidarity. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Shortages of food, fuel, and basic goods are deepening the crisis in Cuba. For many families living on the island, survival now depends on an outside connection. In Miami, an entire economy has sprung up, with people sending packages of food, medicine, and even motorcycles, trying to fill the gap, while Trump keeps saying that “Cuba is next.” Latino USA’s Peniley Ramirez takes us to South Florida to understand how this economy of survival works, why this moment feels worse than anything Cubans have dealt with in recent decades, and, with the U.S. midterms approaching, what is up next for the island and the people living there. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
John Leguizamo is back on our screens—though he never really left. For decades he has played characters that have become comedy cult classics: Chi Chi Rodriguez in To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, to Benny Blanco in Carlitos Way, and Tybalt in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet. He’s the voice of Bruno in Encanto and Sid the Sloth in Ice Age. Roles that he argues would have skyrocketed any white actor to stardom. In this episode we break down his roles, why he thinks entertainers have a responsibility to speak up and get a peek into his new Hulu show where he plays Pablo Escobar. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Petrona Martínez is one of the most important Black singers in Colombia's modern history—and she didn't get her big break until she was 60! She’s known as “the queen of bullerengue,” an ancestral music tradition that goes back to times of slavery in the Colombian Caribbean Coast. For much of her life, Petrona dealt with isolation, poverty and invisibility as a Black woman from rural Colombia. In 1998, she became internationally known and in 2021 she won a Latin Grammy. Press play and join us in her journey. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Real Estate duo Miss Jamie Zapata and Kasandra Alicea went viral on social media in 2025 after showcasing luxurious homes as themselves: “Big ass trans women from South Texas.” Their content has raked in millions of views and people especially connected with them because they called themselves “The Real Estate Dolls.” The two are using their newfound virality to fight transphobia. "A lot of people wonder: 'Why do you always have to say you're trans?,'” Miss Jaime told Latino USA. “Because it matters to the people who are underrepresented.” 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Once a protected group of immigrants, people with DACA are now being detained and deported under the Trump administration. More than half a million people brought to the U.S. as children have gone through the rigorous process to get this protected status over the last 14 years, so what’s happening to their status now? We bring you the latest from NBC News’ Nicole Acevedo and take a look back at the program’s history with organizer Neidi Dominguez, who helped make DACA a reality under the Obama administration. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In 1989, Maria Hinojosa gave up her Mexican citizenship when she became a naturalized U.S. Citizen. She didn’t know it at the time, but she’d spend years of her life trying to get that legal status. And Maria is amongst the thousands looking for belonging and political power outside of the United States. And even though Maria’s journey is very personal, it asks inherently political questions, like: what does it mean to be the citizen of a country, and who gets to decide if and where you belong? 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In 1916, a Mexican composer named Maria Grever moved to New York City with her two kids. She went on to write about 1,000 songs until her death in 1951. She composed numerous top charting hits, scored for the big movie houses, wrote operas and Broadway musicals. One of her biggest hits from 1934 received a Grammy and yet many have never heard her name. Maria Grever the person is a mystery, making her one of the most famous unknowns in music history. Join us on a quest to find out everything we can about this prolific composer and why it’s important to remember the women who came before us. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In 1902, Isabel González arrived in Ellis Island, pregnant, alone and with only $11.00 in her pocket. She —like others before her— was detained for being an "alien" and at risk of becoming a "burden" on the state. But Isabel took her fight to the courts, defending her right to stay in the country that had invaded her homeland just four years earlier. She fought all the way to the Supreme Court where she argued for citizenship. In this excerpt from Futuro Studios’ series “La Brega” we learn about her legacy, and about a more recent similar challenge. Original episode art by Elizabeth Barreto. You can find her Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/cookingood/ 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dolores Huerta built a lasting movement with Cesar Chavez. And after waiting decades, she has decided to share the story of how Chavez abused her. Dolores Huerta told the New York Times that she felt pressured to have sex with Cesar Chavez, while on a work trip in 1960. Six years later — after they had founded the union for farmworkers– she says Chavez raped her. Shortly after the Times story came out, Huerta spoke to Latino USA host Maria Hinojosa. Hinojosa shared what she learned with NPR's Ailsa Chang. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Alejandra Marquez Janse, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane.It was edited by Courtney Dorning.Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
For decades, Cesar Chavez's name has been synonymous with workers’ rights. School buildings and streets bear his name. Alongside Chavez always stood Dolores Huerta. She’s a co-founder of the National Farm Workers Association and together they led a movement that profoundly transformed working conditions for farmworkers in the U.S. Now, Dolores speaks to Latino USA about being sexually assaulted by Cesar Chavez in her first interview after the New York Times revealed allegations of abuse of young victims, including minors, and the sacrifice she felt she had to make for the well-being of the movement. Trigger Warning: We should mention that parts of this story might be disturbing for some of our listeners. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
“We are dealing with the consequences of a demographic paranoia now.” Journalist, historian, and author Jelani Cobb often looks to the past to better understand the present, and he says the right’s pushback against immigration and multiculturalism is rooted in this country’s history. He speaks with Maria Hinojosa about the parallels between recent ICE raids and the Fugitive Slave Act, the importance of solidarity between Black and brown communities, and how we should be thinking about the U.S. as we approach the midterms and the country’s 250th anniversary. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Journalist and author Sam Quinones spent his career reporting on crime, drug trafficking and addiction. After his latest book on the opioid epidemic, he turned to a vastly different topic that long held his interest—the tuba, an instrument that for decades was often looked down on or ignored. The more Quinones learned about the tuba, and the people that dedicate their lives to mastering this complicated instrument, the more his interest in the world of band (and banda) grew. He takes us into his new book “The Perfect Tuba,” to explore its history and what we can all learn from working to master a craft. 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. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.