Welcome to El Barrio

Holi listeners! This is part two of the activist episode -- focusing on real-time movements happening on the island. In this episode, Becca speaks with writer, educator, and activist Beatriz Llenín Figueroa of the Defiende Cabo Rojo coalition and Hugo Delgado, a physics teacher, newspaper editor, and member of the Movimiento Socialista de Trabajadores. Figueroa connects environmental justice with feminist, queer, anti-colonial, and anti-racist struggles and details opposition to Esencia, an ultra-luxury “private city” proposed for about 2,000 acres in Cabo Rojo, including protected lands, endangered species habitat, and over 100 archaeological sites. Delgado discusses intensified colonial control under the fiscal control board, defunding and political intervention at the University of Puerto Rico, privatization and charter schools, rising tuition, weakened campus organizing spaces, student hunger, and calls for organizing and diaspora solidarity.
Also don’t forget to email us at welcometoelbarrio@gmail.com, or DM the show page @welcometoelbarrio for submissions!
And subscribe to the show’s substack for FREE for bonus content!
SHOW NOTES:
@defendpr
@mikey.cordero
@con.sentimientospr
@alianamarga
Unmasking PROMESA: The unelected board perpetuating colonialism in Puerto Rico (The Real News Network)
What is Esencia and what will happen to Puerto Rico if this is constructed? (MR Online)
@diaspo.rico
About Law 82
Defiende Cabo Rojo
Sierra Club de Puerto Rico
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holi listeners! This week, we are doing part one of two episodes -- focusing on real-time movements happening on the island. In this episode, Becca speaks with Mikey Cordero, creator of Diasporico and La Sala Libre, a space launched during the Bad Bunny concert influx to offer a non-extractive way to engage with local and diasporic nuance; his project documents “ethical return” conversations and links gentrification to colonialism. The two also chat about DefendPR, a collective producing immersive, short-form storytelling from grassroots movements, beginning with protests in Peñuelas. Becca also chats with Aliana Margarita of Consentimiento PR, who translates policy and activism education; she explains Law 82 (PC-310), which requires plaintiffs to pay 10% of a project’s cost to sue, and connects it to Proyecto Esencia, PROMESA’s fiscal control board, UPR budget cuts, and ongoing colonial governance.
Be sure to tune in next week for the other activists and movements we'll be highlighting.
Also don’t forget to email us at welcometoelbarrio@gmail.com, or DM the show page @welcometoelbarrio for submissions!
And subscribe to the show’s substack for FREE for bonus content!

SHOW NOTES:
@defendpr
@mikey.cordero
@con.sentimientospr
@alianamarga
Unmasking PROMESA: The unelected board perpetuating colonialism in Puerto Rico (The Real News Network)
What is Esencia and what will happen to Puerto Rico if this is constructed? (MR Online)
@diaspo.rico
About Law 82
Defiende Cabo Rojo
Sierra Club de Puerto Rico
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Becca chats with Kenya Rivera! An LA-based Puerto Rican content creator, filmmaker, musician, and pop-culture enthusiast.The two chat Kennya's journey from growing up in Puerto Rico, moving to LA with an internship and a dream, Afro-Latina identity in LA, racism and hair/voice policing, colonial realities of Puerto Rico, and the importance of Puerto Rican community, food, care, and more.
Also don’t forget to email us at welcometoelbarrio@gmail.com, or DM the show page @welcometoelbarrio for submissions!
And subscribe to the show’s substack for FREE for bonus content!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week is a very special episode -- as it's the LIVE episode with COVL from the Welcome to El Barrio LA x Hi Neighbor event! Becca interviews COVL where they chat about her career, her aritsry and how it has evolved, both of their family relationships to their careers, their own relationships to cannabis, answer audience questions, and more.
Special thank you to Hi Neighbor and all the Angelinos who came out to support the event -- it was such an experience to remember.
If you enjoyed this episode and want more live experiences, comment / like /etc to let us know!
Also don’t forget to email us at welcometoelbarrio@gmail.com, or DM the show page @welcometoelbarrio for submissions!
And subscribe to the show’s substack for FREE for bonus content!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Becca chats with Mayagüez-born host, comedian, and content creator known for BuzzFeed Pero Like and -- Iván Emilio! The two chat connecting in Portland, OR almost a decade ago, Iván's time at BuzzFeed paving the way for Puerto Rican media representation, Cafe Cofresi, and more.
Also don’t forget to email us at welcometoelbarrio@gmail.com, or DM the show page @welcometoelbarrio for submissions!
And subscribe to the show’s substack for FREE for bonus content!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.