This is my love letter to the working class people and immigrants who shaped me. Too often we focus on stories about people who have achieved positions of influ...
Rosaena: An Intergenerational Conversation With My Abuela
Rosaena is always dressed to the nines with her hair curled and her signature pink lipstick on. Aging hasn’t changed her desire to look beautiful. I want her to feel her best, but she’s almost 90. Doesn’t she deserve a break from putting on eyeliner to go to the grocery store?! This is one of the questions I decided to finally ask her point blank when she came with me to the recording studio. My abuela has lived with my family part of the year since she was in her 50s so we’ve always been close. But, this interview was an opportunity to talk about topics we don’t touch on every day - like where her beliefs about womanhood come from or her views on aging and death. We’ll also hear her life story and the many twists of fate it entails. My mom Claudia returns to the show too to help translate and to reflect with me about her mother’s life. You’re in for a silly, heartfelt, sweet, and surprising intergenerational episode! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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52:55
Yajaira: Being Underestimated as a Young Latina Mom
Finding out she was pregnant came as an utter shock to a 16 year old who hadn’t yet realized that her actions had consequences. Letting down her immigrant parents was her biggest fear. She learned at a young age to believe in herself, no matter what. Today as a 26 year old mother to a nine year old daughter, Yajaira is still eager to prove herself. She thrives off the energy of New York City’s hospitality industry, but that doesn’t mean her career always provides the stability she needs, or that her managers recognize her hard work. As a young ambitious Latina people act like she has time to work her way up the professional ladder. They underestimate the responsibilities she has at home and don’t acknowledge the leadership she is capable of. From memories of her own childhood to her reflections on raising her daughter, Yajaira’s story is filled with inspiration, determination, confidence, and positivity.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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45:45
Abby: An Indigenous Chicano’s Homecoming
When Abby ended up at Alcatraz Island one cold winter night in his 20s, he had found himself at the epicenter of the Indian Pride Movement. It blew his mind and made him feel that he had come home to a part of himself that had been missing. Abby is an Indigenous Chicano leader who is part of the Yaqui tribe. It’s been 50 years since that night at Alcatraz, but it stands out as a turning point in his life. Together, we look back at his family history and the history of his people to reflect on Indigenous teachings, his family’s involvement in the monumental Brown v. Board of Education case, and his own participation in historic strikes like the Grape Boycott. Personally, our interview made me investigate my own identity as a Chicana and how I live out my values. But I believe anyone will walk away from this conversation drawing strength from those who came before us.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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47:21
Danny, Terry & Charles: Fighting for Unions in Coal Country
Too often miners are painted almost as caricatures - as conservative, ignorant, poor, depressed, and selfish. The reality is that miners often go unheard. Coming from families of multi-generational coal miners is a core part of who Danny, Terry, and Charles are. But what they’re most proud of is being in a union. From their childhoods spent playing in the Appalachian mountains, to their first day inside the mines, to a career-defining strike, they paint us a picture of their lives over decades. Today, they continue to fight to be seen in their community, and by our nation at large. In our interview, they each get candid about regrets they’ve had, lessons they’ve learned, and hopes they hold onto for the future of West Virginia. I went into this conversation hoping to find working class solidarity, and came away feeling even more empowered than I had imagined.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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37:27
Daniel: Being a Double Minority in a Red State
Daniel says being trans is just a small part of his identity. His obsession with Radiohead is a way bigger part of his life—it’s often in the queue during his drive to and from high school. Most high schoolers are probably fixated on their favorite bands. But most 16 year olds haven’t testified in front of their representatives or organized a protest (and dance party) in front of the Supreme Court. Daniel invites us into his world as a young trans Latino in Arizona. Growing up near the border he’s surrounded by Mexican culture and immersed in communities of queer folks and artists of color. He paints a different picture than you might imagine for someone living as a double minority in a red state. He explains why it’s not so simple to pack up and move even when facing the threat of harmful legislation. This season I really wanted to hear from a young person about what they wished for the world and I was lucky to meet someone as empathetic and generous as Daniel. He gets real about navigating family ties and friendships as an in-betweener and speaks honestly about how his age affects his activism.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This is my love letter to the working class people and immigrants who shaped me. Too often we focus on stories about people who have achieved positions of influence, wealth, and power. On this podcast, we won’t be doing that. Many of our guests have never been interviewed before. I want to shed light on the experiences of folks who feel invisible. What do everyday people have to say about their lives, their country, their hopes and dreams, and what they believe would make the world a better place?
I’m your host, Maria Fernenda Diez and I’m a first gen Mexican-American. Growing up, my family moved to different regions of the US - from the East Coast to the Midwest to the South - and we were on food stamps when I was young before we became middle class. I ended up getting an almost full ride to the Ivy League but never left my roots behind. I call myself an in-betweener because I’m part of many communities, but don’t fully fit into one single community. Although this can be lonely at times, it’s a vulnerability that can help me connect with others, have honest conversations, and build genuine connections.
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