America's Dreamers America Arias

My guest today is a literal example of reaching for the stars! 
Jose Hernandez went from working in the fields with his parents up and down California to becoming the first Mexican-American NASA Astronaut. In 2009, he was part of the STS-128 mission on board the Space Shuttle, Discovery.
FIRST: Jose shares his 6-ingredient recipe for success that helped him land his nearly impossible dream of going to space! It took him 12 tries! He tells us why he didn't give up and what finally got him accepted into NASA.
Jose has broken many barriers but is also honest about both the physical and mental hurdles along the way to achieving his dream.
THEN: Jose’s daughter-- Vanessa also joins us to share what it’s been like to live in her dad’s iconic shadow and how she’s using Tiktok to tell her dad’s story. 
AND FINALLY: Jose gets real about dealing with imposter syndrome and how he’s helping others who may be silently suffering. And he also shares how his life has come full circle! He’s back working the fields with his 80-year old dad… but this time they’re working the vineyards and developing their own brand of WINES! And he shares about the new Netflix film based on his life and all the other cool projects he's working on. 
I would love your feedback!  Tag me on instagram (@AmericaArias) and twitter at (@AmericaArias) and use the hashtag #AmericasDreamers
Please support this podcast by rating and reviewing my show. I would really appreciate a 5-star rating!

The first episode of 2021! Get ready to be inspired by Dr. Gloria Montiel’s unprecedented career that has broken many barriers and paved the way for countless others in her community. She went from undocumented to the ivy league when she beat the odds and got into HARVARD! Back then she was one of the first undocumented students to ever do that. 
FIRST: We discuss her educational journey. Gloria shares the sacrifices, tears and hard work that it took to get into the Ivy League. Including the moment she was once told, "Mexican girls don’t go to Harvard.” Against all odds, she proved she could. And she wasn’t done yet. 
LATER: She later became the very first undocumented student to graduate from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education master’s program in learning and teaching. Then she made history AGAIN when she became the first undocumented student to get a Ph.D. at Claremont Graduate University. 
FINALLY: Gloria shares how she’s using her knowledge, resources, and grant-writing skills to bring in millions of dollars to create opportunities in her Orange County, CA community. You’ll hear how she’s creating opportunities for others like her, by tackling education, health access and community engagement. 
AND BONUS: Why the first thing she did after getting her work permit as a HARVARD grad was to apply for a job at McDonald’s! 
I would love your feedback!  Tag me on instagram (@AmericaArias) and twitter at (@AmericaArias) and use the hashtag #AmericasDreamers
Please support this podcast by rating and reviewing my show. I would really appreciate a 5-star rating!

December 2020 kicks off the holiday shopping frenzy, and even during the pandemic people are still buying and spending hundreds of dollars on gifts online. And while most of us are spending all that cash, my guest is making THOUSANDS of dollars a day thanks to his side hustle: E-Commerce. 
He’s name is Cristian Trujillo and he’s a reservist in the US Air Force who is one of thousands of individual sellers who use e-commerce platforms like Amazon to sell stuff! 
In this episode, Cristian shares how he’s able to travel the world… make thousands of dollars per day while only working 4 hours a week. 
We also discuss all the different ways you can become a seller: Dropshipping or Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and how to make as much money than he’s making now. Cristian tells us his 3 pieces of advice for people looking to get started with e-commerce as a side hustle and he also shares his mistakes including one that cost him $20,000 and how you can avoid those pitfalls. He even shares how his 4 assistants are helping him maximize profits no matter what he sells … including fake rocks! 
Cristian came to the U.S. when he was 13 years old from Colombia and settled in Sacramento, CA. Hear how his new business is helping his family back in Colombia and how being in the military has made him a stronger entrepreneur mentality and emotionally! Take a listen and let me know what you think! 
I would love your feedback!  Tag me on instagram (@AmericaArias) and twitter at (@AmericaArias) and use the hashtag #AmericasDreamers. 
Please support this podcast by rating and reviewing my show. I would really appreciate a 5-star rating!

Latina Track Star Brenda Martinez on how she defeated all odds and bounced back from defeat to make her American Dream of going to the Olympics a reality. 
Brenda represented Team USA in the 2016 Rio Olympics and is now training for round two-- The games in Tokyo. In this episode, Brenda talks about how she ALMOST didn’t make the team-- because of an incident during the Olympic Trials. 
FIRST: Brenda talks about the sacrifices her Mexican immigrant parents had to make to help her achieve her Olympic dreams. How she overcame financial hurdles, physical injuries and many rejections… and how she finally found a champion… who helped her achieve her American dream of becoming a world-class Olympic runner. 
THEN: How she’s giving back to her community and specifically young kids achieve their own running dreams. Since 2013, Brenda has run a summer running camp in Big Bear. But it’s more than just a running camp, she’s inspiring young girls and boys to go to college and find their passion. 
AND LATER: We discuss how the Pandemic has forced her to change her Olympic training as she prepares to make the team for the next Olympics. 
Plus, how to start your day like an Olympian! Brenda shares her surprising morning routine-- the 3 THINGS she does before starting her day. 
I learned so much about sacrifice and resilience from her! Take a listen and let me know what you think! Tag me on Instagram (@AmericaArias) and twitter at (@AmericaArias) and use the hashtag #AmericasDreamers. Please support this podcast by rating and reviewing my show. I would really appreciate a 5-star rating!

Award-winning actor Bambadjan Bamba opens up about how being both black and undocumented has impacted his Hollywood dreams. He’s a working actor based in Los Angeles with credits on many TV shows and movies like the blockbuster film, “Black Panther.” He tells you why this movie has been so powerful in creating cultural change.
Bambadjan was born in Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in West Africa and was brought to the U.S. when he was just 10 years old. He grew up in New York, where at one point he worked as a taxi cab driver to help pay for acting school before catching his first break.
FIRST, Bambadjan shares about navigating life as an undocumented person and a DACA recipient. And also as a black man and how his identity has presented him with both challenges and opportunities. We also discuss how he’s using his star power to bring awareness to social issues he deeply cares about.
LATER, he also tells us how he’s helping others like him break into the industry and how he’s working to keep the doors of opportunity open in Hollywood through his work with the non-profit ‘Color of Change.’
FINALLY, he shares TWO key pieces of advice for anyone with showbiz dreams!  This is an inspirational chat that will give you a shot of motivation! Take a listen and let me know what you think! Check out Bambadjan on his website or on his social media. 
I would love your feedback!  Tag me on instagram (@AmericaArias) and twitter at (@AmericaArias) and use the hashtag #AmericasDreamers
Please support this podcast by rating and reviewing my show. I would really appreciate a 5-star rating!

Imagine shooting a film on your iphone and with a $100 budget… that’s exactly how award-winning director, writer and actor Jorge Xolalpa began his journey to Hollywood. In this episode, we discuss why he gave up a career in law, what inspired him to go into filmmaking. You’ll hear why this rising star in Hollywood is earning his nickname as the “Latino Spielberg.”
Jorge is a DACA recipient who came to the U.S. when he was 9 years old and now owns a film & TV production company called Mighty Aphrodite Pictures that’s creating content championing Women, Latinos and diverse stories.
In this episode, Jorge shares his powerful strategy to making your passion projects a reality, and why you shouldn’t wait for the perfect time to get started. Jorge also explains how to get creativity flowing when you feel stuck and how to get inspired to chase your wildest dreams, no matter your situation or lack of resources. If he made his first film on a $100 budget, he says you too can find a way even when things seem impossible. Take a listen and let me know what you think! 
I would love your feedback!  Tag me on instagram (@AmericaArias) and twitter at (@AmericaArias) and use the hashtag #AmericasDreamers. For a link to Jorge's movies go to my instagram account.
Please support this podcast by rating and reviewing my show. I would really appreciate a 5-star rating!