Latina Leadership Podcast

Anjelica Cazares

The podcast by Latinas for Latinas. Founded by Anjelica Cazares and with cohosts Susie Barrera, Olga Rodriguez, and Carolina Arenas. We bridge the gap between aspiring women from all walks of life and leading Latinas in positions of power, at every level, through our weekly video and audio podcast. Our mission is to help remove barriers to access and to make the stories from our communities accessible anywhere, anytime, free of cost, and at your convenience to fit your lifestyle. Amigas, you have found the podcast community for you. Leave us your thoughts and feedback please. We want to hear from you.

  1. The Passport You Already Have

    JAN 27

    The Passport You Already Have

    Erasing the Map: How to Unlearn Your Deepest Fears with Listener Michelle.  Reframing solo travel, generational fear, and the superpower of unlearning. We all walk around carrying maps we didn't draw. From the moment we are born, we absorb stories about what is safe, what is dangerous, what paths are open to us, and which ones are strictly off-limits. For Latina professionals, especially first-generation trailblazers, these maps are often drawn with heavy borders of caution, scarcity, and inherited fear. You might feel a deep pull to expand your life, your career, or your perspective, but something heavy is holding you back. In this episode, we meet Michelle, a listener who grew up in Colombia in the 90s, believing the world was wildly out of reach. Fast forward 25 years, and she has traveled to 100 countries, 65 of them solo. Michelle is not just a world traveler; she is an expert in the art of dismantling inherited fear. Today, we are talking about the most powerful skill Michelle learned on her journey: unlearning. Whether you are navigating corporate spaces, starting a business, or just trying to exist outside of the stereotypes handed to you, you will learn the exact three-step blueprint for taking off the lenses you were given and seeing your potential with your own eyes. "Travel was not teaching me to discover the world. Travel was teaching me to unlearn it. Unlearning became my true passport." — Michelle Mentioned in this Episode Gabriel Garcia Marquez ("Gabo"): The Nobel Prize-winning Colombian author whose magical realism inspired Michelle's journey. 100 Years of Solitude: The iconic novel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Mexico City (Zócalo): The location of Michelle's first solo trip in 2001. Key Takeaways Name the Inherited Map: Acknowledge the beliefs you hold about your potential, career, or the world that feel like givens rather than choices you made. Find Your Counter-Narrative: You just need one crack in the old story. Read a book, listen to a podcast, or talk to someone who successfully lives outside the narrative of fear. Practice the "Tea-by-Tea" Method: Transformation doesn't require a grand leap. Have a coffee with a coworker you don't understand, or try food from a culture you were taught to be wary of. Use Unlearning as a Leadership Strategy: Challenge standard operating procedures and biases in your workplace to create room for real human connection.

    14 min
  2. Las Patronas: Real Women Look Like Us

    JAN 23

    Las Patronas: Real Women Look Like Us

    Cultural Conditioning & Hustle Culture: Las Patronas on Breaking Generational Cycles and Self-Acceptance From a young age, Latina women are heavily conditioned by family expectations on how to look, what to eat, and how to behave, creating a heavy mental load that follows us into our professional lives. In this episode, Mary Ann and Monica, leaders from the Houston-based collective Las Patronas, sit down with us at the historic Alley Theatre to discuss how to break these generational cycles and find power in sisterhood. What You Will Learn Overcoming Cultural Conditioning on Body Image Latina women often navigate a double-edged sword regarding their bodies; they are pressured by family to "finish their plate" but then punished by cultural expectations when their weight begins to show. Monica and Mary Ann discuss how seeing these taboos represented on a main stage helps grown women and little Latinas alike navigate self-acceptance, body image, and the realities of aging, including the struggle to embrace gray hair. The Roots of Latino Hustle Culture The relentless drive experienced by modern Latina leaders directly mirrors the survival instincts of their immigrant parents, many of whom worked in 1980s garment factories. Our guests unpack how witnessing their undocumented mothers' struggles with immigration raids and citizenship tests fuels today's constant need to produce, leading to the high-functioning anxiety that drives Latina entrepreneurship. Breaking Generational Cycles Through Sisterhood Healing intergenerational trauma requires unlearning the shame associated with cultural loss, such as losing the Spanish language due to assimilation pressures in the 1970s. Through community efforts like the nonprofit Raíces Unidas and initiatives like "Project Prom," Latina leaders are channeling the resilience of their mothers to model unconditional love and strength for the next generation of sons and daughters. Mentioned in this Episode •Alley Theatre: Hosting "Las Patronas Night" on February 12th. Get your ticket at alleytheatre.org/laspatronas. Use promo code LAS PATRONAS to get $10 off! •Real Women Have Curves: The vivacious comedy play set in a 1980s garment factory. •Josefina López: Playwright of Real Women Have Curves. •Lisa Portes: Director of the play. •Raíces Unidas: A nonprofit organization founded on the principle of unconditional community love. •Project Prom: A partnership initiative collecting dresses, shoes, and accessories of all sizes to help young people feel special. • Dr. Laura Murillo: Featured guest for the post-show reception. Episode Quote: "We hustle because we know how hard our families worked to get us here." — Las Patronas

    19 min
  3. The Voices We Carry

    JAN 20

    The Voices We Carry

    The Voices We Carry: Rosanna, Maritere, and Paola on Reclaiming Leadership Hola, amiga. In this special episode, we move beyond standard self-improvement to witness stories of survival, reclamation, and the profound strength of the Latina experience . We feature three powerful video submissions from listeners—Rosanna, Maritere, and Paola—who demonstrate how leadership is often found in the rebuilding of a life after something tried to break it . Persistence as a Form of Leadership Rosanna, a survivor of domestic violence, shares the reality of her seven-year court battle to maintain a relationship with her daughter, Destiny . Her story illustrates that leadership is often the stubborn, daily act of not giving up, redefining strength as the ability to endure sterile courtrooms and supervised visits to keep a family bond alive.  Reframing Cultural Responsibilities as Superpowers Maritere, the founder of Mija Books, discusses her new book Tío Ricky Doesn't Speak English and flips the script on the common Latino experience of being a child translator . She transforms the narrative of translating for family members from a burden or chore into an act of love, linguistic pride, and a unique "superpower" that builds cultural confidence . From Surviving to Post-Traumatic Growth Paola, a relationship coach and insurance agent, opens up about her journey from domestic abuse survivor to helping women move from "anxious to secure" . Her segment highlights the necessity of safe spaces within our community and the profound realization that moving forward requires understanding that there is nothing "wrong" with you—only a need for a safe environment to heal . Mentioned in this Episode - Mija Books: A company creating diverse children's books. - Tío Ricky Doesn't Speak English: A children's book by Maritere. - Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star: The song played by Destiny during a supervised visit . - Post-traumatic Growth: The psychological transformation described in Paola's journey . Quote of the Episode "Your voice isn't your weakness — it's your material."

    14 min
5
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

The podcast by Latinas for Latinas. Founded by Anjelica Cazares and with cohosts Susie Barrera, Olga Rodriguez, and Carolina Arenas. We bridge the gap between aspiring women from all walks of life and leading Latinas in positions of power, at every level, through our weekly video and audio podcast. Our mission is to help remove barriers to access and to make the stories from our communities accessible anywhere, anytime, free of cost, and at your convenience to fit your lifestyle. Amigas, you have found the podcast community for you. Leave us your thoughts and feedback please. We want to hear from you.

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