Amplifying Our Voices

Patty Hyack
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Personal Journals
  • Daily

Amplifying Our Voices is a space where real stories matter. This podcast is a way of giving guests a space to share their truth and their lived experiences. Because I believe there is power in sharing our stories. Each conversation is honest, unpolished, and rooted in lived experience — identity, work, culture, healing, belonging, and the courage it takes to speak up even when your voice shakes. These are our stories. Our truths. Our power. And together, we’re turning up the volume.

  1. 2d ago

    Ep20 From Immigrant to Community Builder: Betsy Hurst's Story of Belonging, Resilience, and Hope

    What does it really mean to leave everything behind and start over? In this powerful conversation, Betsy Bonilla Jimenez-Hurst shares her journey from Costa Rica to East Tennessee, arriving as a college-educated professional who unexpectedly found herself rebuilding her life from the ground up. From navigating culture shock and learning English, to working alongside farmworkers in Grainger County and eventually becoming Executive Director of Hola Lakeway, Betsy's story is a testament to resilience, belonging, and the courage to begin again. But this episode goes beyond immigration. Betsy offers a rare and deeply human look into the realities immigrant families face today, the grief of leaving home, the stereotypes they work to overcome, and the hope that keeps communities moving forward even in difficult times. You'll hear heartbreaking stories, inspiring moments of connection, and a powerful reminder that behind every immigration headline is a person simply trying to build a life, contribute, and belong. Stay until the end to hear the future Betsy is fighting for and the legacy she hopes to leave behind for the next generation. Learn more about Hola Lakeway: https://www.holalakeway.org/

  2. Oct 19

    Ep19 Dreaming Awake: Veronica Galindo on Authenticity, Culture, Healing, Education and Equity

    What does it mean to live authentically, honor your culture, and create change without losing yourself in the process? In this inspiring episode, Patty Hyack sits down with Dr. Veronica Galindo candidate, educator, equity leader, folklórico dancer, and lifelong learner to explore the power of storytelling, cultural pride, healing, and leadership. Veronica shares how growing up in a Mexican American family shaped her identity, the lessons she learned from her parents and ancestors, and why dance has become both an act of joy and resistance. From performing at Chicago's El Grito celebration to pursuing a PhD focused on educational equity, Veronica reflects on the importance of embracing your voice and telling the stories that often go unheard. Together, Patty and Veronica dive into topics including Latina leadership, authenticity, cultural identity, education, intergenerational healing, therapy, personal growth, equity in schools, imposter syndrome, and the journey of earning a PhD as a first-generation Mexican American woman. This conversation is a powerful reminder that our stories matter, our communities hold incredible wisdom, and that healing, learning, and transformation happen when we have the courage to show up as our full selves. If you're passionate about Latina empowerment, leadership, education, personal development, cultural heritage, and authentic living, this episode is for you. Follow Veronica Galindo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-galindo-1749281bb/

  3. Oct 17

    Ep18 From Laid Off to Reclaimed: First-Gen Latina Lessons with Gabby Sanchez

    This episode is a heartfelt conversation with Gabriela Sanchez, daughter of Salvadoran immigrants, HR leader, and proud eldest daughter, as she reflects on the experiences that shaped her journey. From translating for her parents as a child and carrying the responsibilities many first-generation Latinas know so well, to navigating leadership in corporate America, Gabriela shares how resilience, community, and the lessons passed down from her parents became her foundation. Through stories of cafecito conversations, family sacrifice, sisterhood, and finding her voice, she reminds us that our roots can be both our anchor and our strength. Gabriela also opens up about one of the most challenging seasons of her life: being laid off after a successful leadership career. With honesty and vulnerability, she shares how losing a job forced her to rediscover who she was beyond her title, embrace rest, and redefine success on her own terms. This is a powerful conversation about identity, healing, visibility, self-respect, and the courage to show up authentically, even when you're still figuring things out. If you've ever questioned your worth, struggled with identity, or wondered who you are outside of what you produce, this episode is for you. Follow Gabby on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriela-s%C3%A1nchez-shrbp/

  4. Oct 10

    Ep17 Claudia Fabian on Aging Without Apology & Redefining Beauty

    In this episode, Patty sits down with pro‑aging beauty creator Claudia Fabian to talk about Latina identity, aging with confidence, and breaking beauty standards. Claudia shares her story of growing up as the only Mexican kid in a white suburb, reclaiming her heritage, and embracing her gray hair after decades in the beauty industry. Together they explore representation, self‑love, menopause, and why women over 40 deserve better from beauty culture. If you’re navigating identity, aging, or redefining beauty on your own terms, this conversation will inspire you to choose confidence, authenticity, and liberation at every stage of life. Follow Claudia: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thebeautydebut?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&dlrf=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==Y You Tube https://youtube.com/@thebeautydebut?si=5psqIr3cH-Y4cjFq

  5. Oct 5

    Ep16: True Image - Veronica Gana on Identity, Healing, and Latina Sazón

    In this deeply personal and powerful conversation, I sit down with my sister Veronica Gana, a first‑generation Mexican American, eldest daughter, pioneer, and woman who has never toned down her sazón. Together, we revisit our childhood in Houston, the culture shock of moving to Georgia, and the ways language, responsibility, and identity shaped her into the trailblazer she is today. From navigating life as the family translator to becoming a mother, educator, and advocate, Veronica shares how fear, failure, and resilience became her teachers. We talk about generational gifts, Latina joy, the fire passed down from our abuelito Papa Joe, and the lessons she now pours into her daughters and her community. Veronica opens up about healing, validation, leadership, and the emotional toll of being a first‑gen educator — and what it means to choose growth over victimhood. This episode is a celebration of Latina identity, sisterhood, and the courage it takes to create your own mold when none exists. Follow Veronica Gana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-gana/ Company website:https://ganachiro.com/

  6. Sep 4

    Episode 15 - From Corporate Success to True Alignment: James Martin's Journey to Spain and starting over, poco a poco

    This episode is a journey — from the suburbs of Minneapolis, to a Fortune 500 career, and ultimately across the ocean to Spain. James Martin opens up about the momentsthat shaped him: discovering storytelling as a kid around a campfire, building a life through travel, and realizing he was living someone else’s version of success. He shares the pivotal day his daughter asked him to play, the wisdom his father left him before passing, and how those truths pushed him to redefine what fulfillment actually looks like.   We also explore what it means to start over as an immigrant — the courage, the cultural humility, the “poco a poco” mindset, and the invisible challenges that come with rebuilding your life in a new country. This conversation is about alignment,family, identity, and choosing a life that feels like your own. It’s honest, human, and full of reminders to slow down and live with intention. Follow James Martin on LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/james-martin-938b2314

  7. Aug 14

    Episode 14 - From Taboo to Truth: The Conversations Our Cultura Needs - What Will They Say? Author Denise Soler Cox

    In this powerful conversation, Patty sits down with author, filmmaker, and cultural truth‑teller Denise Soler Cox to explore the stories behind her groundbreaking book What Will They Say?. Denise opens up about the taboos Latinas are taught to keep quiet — from family secrets to mother‑daughter wounds — and how breaking that silence becomes a pathway to healing. She shares the origin of the “line of secrets and dreams,” the thousands of women who entrusted her with their stories, and the moment she realized she needed to write this book for all of us. Together, we dive into cultural conditioning, identity, generational pain, and the deep relief of finally feeling seen. Denise explains why private truth‑telling heals the individual, but public truth‑telling heals the culture — and how Latinas can begin warming the “cold spaces” in their lives to move toward wholeness. This episode is a love letter to every Latina navigating duality, silence, and self‑discovery. It’s raw, liberating, and full of the conversations our comunidad has needed for generations. Book releases on August 18, 2026. https://denisesolercox.com/book

  8. Aug 1

    Episode 13: Dismantling Systemic Racism: Emotional Intelligence, Power, and DEI with Paul Ladipo

    In this episode, I sit down with DEI advocate and author “It Was Never About That: Going Beyond Hate to Dismantle Everyday Racism in America” - Paul Ladipo. We talk about justice, neurodivergence, and the emotional intelligence needed to confront racism in today’s workplace. Paul shares how growing up autistic shaped his commitment to fairness — “I knew something was different… I was ostracized and bullied a lot, but I always had this sense of fairness.” Together, we unpack performative DEI, power dynamics, and why honest conversations — even uncomfortable ones — are essential for real change. A grounded, eye‑opening dialogue for anyone navigating inclusion, advocacy, or healing. His book “It Was Never About That: Going Beyond Hate to Dismantle Everyday Racism in America” officially comes out on October 14, 2026. Connect with Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-ladipo/?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3BcFbZfNlYRTOP6lh%2FTsDzqA%3D%3D

See All (21)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Amplifying Our Voices is a space where real stories matter. This podcast is a way of giving guests a space to share their truth and their lived experiences. Because I believe there is power in sharing our stories. Each conversation is honest, unpolished, and rooted in lived experience — identity, work, culture, healing, belonging, and the courage it takes to speak up even when your voice shakes. These are our stories. Our truths. Our power. And together, we’re turning up the volume.

Information

  • Creator
    Patty Hyack
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Patty Hyack
  • Show Website
    Amplifying Our Voices

You Might Also Like