Latina to Latina

On The Today Show and while covering red carpet fashion for Access Hollywood, Lilliana Vazquez has become one of the most sought-after style experts. As a first-generation Latina growing up in Texas, she assumed she’d become “an accountant, a lawyer or a doctor.” Instead, with her blog, The Cheap Chica’s Guide to Style, as a foundation, she built a fashion brand at “the intersection of aspiration and accessibility.” With the recent launch of her online boutique, Tesoro Collective, Lilliana is parlaying her love of fashion, her knowledge of e-commerce and her media training into much more: a sense of security and independence she’s never had before. Tips for editing your closet and secrets to the perfect influencer photo paved the way for her blueprint to “build something that belongs to you.”Follow Liliana on IG @lilianavazquez and on Twitter @LillianaVazquez and @theLVguide. If you loved this episode, listen to Jillian Mercado and Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton for more on the world of style and fashion. Show your lov

This episode gets real quickly. Alicia talks to journalist Janel Martinez, founder of Ain’t I Latina, about how forming her Afro-Latinx identity was an intentional act—often in defiance of the “resistance to black identity within the landscape of Latinidad.” From how blackness is erased from the foundations of our cultures, to “diaspora wars” that include “fighting over the colonizer’s language,” Janel does not hold back in her dismantling of myths and falsehoods Latinos tell ourselves about who we are. And she’s quick to tell white Latinos to check their privilege while being the top consumers of black Latinx culture.Follow Janel on Twitter @janelmwrites and IG @janelm; and follow Ain't I Latina @aintilatina on Twitter and IG. If you loved this episode, listen to Amara La Negra, Sunny Hostin and Iris Beilin for more on representation and inclusion within Latino communities. Show your love and become a Latina to Latina Patreon supporter!

The Brazilian-American novelist says she never had to claim her Latina identity because “it embraced me” as she grew up bilingual, bicultural, and multinational. On tour for her latest novel, The Air You Breathe, de Pontes Peebles tells Alicia about wrestling with the tension between needing time and space to create while meeting the demands of being a dedicated mother. She also recounts difficult scenes from her postpartum depression and how the act of telling someone saved her. Writing continues to save her, and she guards her gift ritualistically, including her tradition to “let the wall be empty for a while.”Follow Frances on Twitter @chiquinhapeebles. And buy her book, The Air You Breathe. If you loved this episode, listen to Lilliam Rivera, Carmen Maria Machado, Valeria Luiselli and Quiara Alegría Hudes for more on summoning the writing muse. Show your love and become a Latina to Latina Patreon supporter!

Maria Cristina Gonzalez Noguera was an executive at Estée Lauder when she became First Lady Michelle Obama’s communications director. The devoted mother of a one-year-old, her mother, and her husband, headed to DC where Maria Cristina committed herself to a “once in a lifetime opportunity.” She talks with Alicia about the people who inspire her, turning down a future in finance, and juggling life in the East Wing during one of the most popular presidencies in recent history.If you loved this episode, listen to Christy Haubegger and Lorena Garcia for more on changing career paths. Show your love and become a Latina to Latina Patreon supporter!

Let’s talk about money. The average Latina earns 54 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men. To earn what he earned one year, we have to work an extra 10 months into the next year—until November 1st. That’s recognized nationally as Latina Equal Pay Day. To mark this important date, Alicia wanted to have a bigger conversation with personal finance expert, author and podcast host Carmen Rita Wong about what drives the wage gap, the attitudes about money and self-worth that hold Latinas back, and what it takes to make real money moves. We’re proud to bring you this episode as a special collaboration with our friends at Phenomenal Woman.Follow Carmen on Twitter @CarmenSense and IG @its_the_caren_show. If you loved this episode, listen to Gia Morón, Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton and Julissa Prado on the power of money and the politics of consumption. Show your love and become a Latina to Latina Patreon supporter!

Gloria Calderón Kellett runs the show. Literally. She’s the co-showrunner and executive producer of Netflix’s One Day at a Time, and with each season, she’s adding more credits to that list: writer, director and actor. She talks with Alicia about her rise through Hollywood’s writers’ rooms (How I Met Your Mother, Devious Maids, and Drunk History), and argues for letting good things be good. And reveals her plans to take her storytelling to the next level.Follow Gloria on Twitter @everythingloria and IG @gloriakellett. If you loved this episode, listen to Cristela Alonzo, Linda Yvette Chavez, and Ilana Peña on what takes to write and run a television show. Show your love and become a Latina to Latina Patreon supporter!

Amara La Negra knew she was destined to be a star at five years old. And she started putting in the work then. From her first big break on Univision’s Sabado Gigante, to her scene-stealing role on VH1’s Love & Hip Hop: Miami, Amara’s larger-than-life personality catapulted her into the spotlight. She tells Alicia about how racism and colorism sometimes limit her career, why she can’t shake her “poor girl mentality” and reveals the real price of pursuing her dreams.Follow Amara @AmaraLaNegraALN on Twitter and IG. If you loved this episode, listen to Latashá, DaniLeigh, and Dessa on finding your voice through music. Show your love and become a Latina to Latina Patreon supporter!

After decades of beaming into our homes from her perch on the Univision anchor desk, Maria Elena Salinas is enjoying finally speaking for herself and pursuing her own ideas and work. She jokes that she didn’t want her legacy to be that “I worked at Univision and then I died,” but Alicia also gets her to open up about that lingering doubt we all feel, the hard choices of being a working mom, and the freedom that comes with stepping boldly into your destiny.Follow Maria @MariaESalinas on Twitter and IG. If you loved this episode, listen to Ilia Calderón, Mariana Atencio and Cristina Costantini on paths into journalism. Show your love and become a Latina to Latina Patreon supporter!

As a child, Christy Haubegger knew what she wanted to be when she grew up: a boss. As the founder of the iconic Latina magazine, a film producer, and now an agent at one of the most powerful talent agencies in Hollywood, Creative Artists Agency, Christy is more than a boss; she's a force to be reckoned with. Born to a Mexican-American mother, and then adopted and raised by non-Latino parents, Christy talks about her unique take on the shared struggle of existing between cultures, the merits of a white sense of entitlement, and why impact is more important than money or titles.Follow Christy @_christyhaubegger on Instagram. If you loved this episode, listen to Gloria Calderón-Kellett, Linda Yvette Chavez and Gina Torres on the power and importance of inclusion in Hollywood. Show your love and become a Latina to Latina Patreon supporter!

Film director and activist Paola Mendoza embodies today's political resistance. As Creative Director of the Women's March, her visionary work helped galvanize millions around the world, and continues with the "I Am a Child" campaign and efforts to stop the latest Supreme Court nominee. Paola was raised by a single mother, and, as a rebellious teen, found salvation in the arts. She talks with Alicia about gaining strength from her mother's difficult choices and why for her joy is an act of resistance.Follow Paola @paolamendoza on Twitter and IG. If you loved this episode, listen to Nelini Stamp, Jess Morales Rocketto and Cristina Jiménez on advocacy and organizing. Show your love and become a Latina to Latina Patreon supporter!

A rising star in Netflix’s Orange is the New Black as Maritza Ramos, Lina in Jane the Virgin, and Sofia in Superior Donuts, Diane Guerrero embodies quintessential Latina powers. She's grounded in her strong family roots but still shaped by the trauma that separated them apart when she was a teenager. Somehow she harnessed the loss and pain into unmatched self-determination and drive. She opens up in this intimate convo with Alicia.Follow Diane on Twitter @dianguerrero__ and IG @dianexguerrero. And buy her book, In the Country We Love. If you loved this episode, listen to Daniela Pierre-Bravo, Karla Cornejo Villavicencio and Cristina Jiménez on owning your own narrative. Show your love and become a Latina to Latina Patreon supporter!

We're baaaack!!! And we're now a Latina-owned podcast. For months, we've been talking to incredible women who inspire us, and have been itching to get these fresh episodes to you. So, settle in for your weekly dose of Latina realness.   

US Senator. Mentor. Deal-maker.  How Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto drives Washington D.C. into the next era of politics.Follow Catherine on Twitter @CatherineForNV and Instagram @catherinecortezmastoforny. If you loved this episode, listen to UN President María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz and Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez for more on paths into service. Show your love and become a Latina to Latina Patreon supporter!

Strategist. Connector. Talent magnet. How Daisy Auger-Dominguez creates a space in corporate America for the rest of us.Follow Daisy on Twitter @DaisyAD and Instagram @daisyaugerdominguez. If you loved this episode, listen to Christy Haubbeger. Show your love and become a Latina to Latina Patreon supporter!

Singer. Broadway star. Revolutionary. How Mandy Gonzalez commands — and captivates — on stage and in person.Follow Mandy on Twitter @_mandygonzalez and Instagram @mandy.gonzalez. If you loved this episode, listen to Quiara Hudes, Dessa and Stephanie Beatriz for more on finding a place for yourself in the performing arts. Show your love and become a Latina to Latina Patreon supporter!

CEO. Coach. Boundary breaker. How Natalia Oberti Noguera disrupts the world of angel investing.Follow Natalia on Twitter @nakisnakis and Instagram @nataliaobertinoguera. If you loved this episode, listen to Gia Morón, Annie Elainey, Nathalie Molina-Niño for more on disrupting industries. Show your love and become a Latina to Latina Patreon supporter!

Writer. Actor. Trailblazer. How Cristela Alonzo makes room for stories like hers in every medium.Follow Cristela on Twitter @cristela9 and Instagram @cristela9. If you loved this episode, listen to Gina Brillón, Ilana Peña and Linda Yvette Chavez for more on comedy and story telling for television. Show your love and become a Latina to Latina Patreon supporter!

The View host. Former federal prosecutor. Future politician. How Sunny Hostin takes on today’s most controversial topics — on live TV.Follow Sunny on Twitter @Sunny and IG @Sunny. If you loved this episode, listen to Ilia Calderón, María Elena Salinas, and Gina Torres for more on stepping into your moment. Show your love and become a Latina to Latina Patreon supporter!

Actor. Musician. Activist. How Jackie Cruz creates her own path (in and out of the spotlight).Follow Jackie on Twitter @MsJackieCruz and IG @JackieCruz. If you loved this episode, listen to iLe, Scherezade Garcia, and Latashá for more on finding your creative voice. Show your love and become a Latina to Latina Patreon supporter!

In this new interview series, host Alicia Menendez talks to remarkable Latinas about making it, faking it, and everything in between. In often-hilarious and always-revealing episodes, Alicia and her guests take on the challenges of existing, and then thriving, as women of color.