Boston Stories and Numbers

Heloiza Barbosa
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Documentary
  • Complete Series

An audio-documentary series in which Boston's residents tell their story and the Research Division of the Boston Planning and Development Agency connects the data. The result is: complexity!

Season 1

  1. Ep 1. My Quinceanera

    Episode 1

    Ep 1. My Quinceanera

    This is an audio-diary story recorded by the soon-to-be 15 year old, Chrisnel Peña. Chrisnel is a born bostonian, she is a freshmen at  the John D O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science, and she self identifies as a Latina teen. Chrisnel recorded for three weeks her life. She talks about her neighborhood, Roxbury. She takes us inside her school conversations, and she shares with us the intimacy and stress of planning a quinceanera party. Did you know that 5.6% of Boston's population is from the Dominican Republic? Besides Dominicans, there are plenty of other Hispanic nationalities living in Boston today, meaning there's plenty of other girls planning and dreaming of their quinceanera party. This means a lot of jobs and a lot of money goes into the city's economy. Produced by Heloiza Barbosa Audio captured by Chrisnel Peña Music score and sound Design by Paulo Pinheiro

    42 min
  2. Ep 2. Boston Future in 9 College Essays

    Episode 2

    Ep 2. Boston Future in 9 College Essays

    In January of 2023, Heloiza Barbosa, the audio producer of this project, went to the Boston International High School, dedicated to attending the recently arrived immigrant youth in the city of Boston who have limited English proficiency or some gaps in their formal schooling. There, Heloiza met a group of 9 seniors who were in the midst of applying for college. She recorded them reading their college essays. She also gave each one a recorder and asked them to capture sounds of their lives.  What you will hear in the episode are five very moving audio essays that infuse our spirit with imagination and hope for the future of Boston.  But, you can also also appreciate individually all the 9 essays by watching the beautifully produced audiograms. Click in the image to watch and listen. Enjoy! Produced by Heloiza Barbosa Hosted by Phill Granberry Music score and sound Design by Paulo Pinheiro

    35 min
  3. Ep 3. There is Diversity Here

    Episode 3

    Ep 3. There is Diversity Here

    In this episode you will meet David Camacho. David is an energetic 18 years old resident of East Boston. He is always smiling and bouncing from one activity to another. Heloiza interviewed David, and he shared with her the most mortifying story of the loss of his father. At such a young age, he has experienced unimaginable pain and violence. David, his mother and older brother left Colombia and arrived in Boston seeking refuge. David promised  himself that no matter what, he would be happy just like his dad was.  David is one of 9,154 Colombians living in Boston. In East Boston, where his home is, Latinos make up more than half of the population. Right now, he is one of the 6.6 percent of Bostonians working in a food prep or service job, and he takes the T to his job and school, along with 27 percent of the city’s residents. One day David hopes to be part of the 8 percent of the city’s population that works in finance. His dream for the future is that he will  join the 52 percent of Bostonians that hold a Bachelor’s degree. His name is David Mutis Camacho, he is 18 years old, and he is the future of Boston. Produced  and hosted by Heloiza Barbosa Interview edited by Colleen Martin Music Score and sound design by Paulo Pinheiro

    26 min
  4. From Braceros to H-2B Visa to Mass Deportation - a flawed pathway

    Episode 4

    From Braceros to H-2B Visa to Mass Deportation - a flawed pathway

    Eileen Ortega's Story: Exploitation and Deportation In this episode of 'Boston Stories and Numbers,' demographer Phil Granberry introduces the new audio series 'Emerging Latino Voices: Building Boston's Future,' focusing on the experiences of four Latino students at UMass Boston. Eileen Ortega, a junior psychology major who moved from Laurel, Mississippi, shares her personal story. Narrating her family's challenges as Mexican immigrants under the U.S. Guest Worker Visa Program (H-2B Visa). Eileen recounts a 2008 immigration raid at Howard Industries that drastically affected her family. Through research and interviews, Eileen illustrates the harsh conditions faced by her parents and many other immigrant workers, emphasizing the exploitation within visa programs and the severe consequences of mass deportation. This episode highlights the resilience of immigrant communities amidst systemic challenges. 00:00 Introduction to Boston Stories and Numbers 00:19 Introducing Emerging Latino Voices 01:16 Eileen Ortega's Journey Begins 02:45 Life in Laurel, Mississippi 03:22 The Immigration Raid of 2008 04:29 Struggles and Resilience Post-Raid 12:50 The Labor Exploitation of Mexican workers from Bracero to H-2B Program 28:22 Boston: A New Beginning for Eileen  Reflections on modern slavery

    56 min
  5. What is Community? How we find one?

    Episode 5

    What is Community? How we find one?

    Finding Community: Katherine's Journey from Colombia to Lynn, Massachusetts Katherine Gravenhorst, a 22-year-old economics major at UMass Boston, narrates her journey from Valledupar, Colombia to Lynn, Massachusetts. Despite loving life in Colombia, Katherine moved to the U.S. after not receiving college scholarships. She talks about living with her aunt and cousins, feeling isolated, and struggling to find a sense of belonging in a new country. Through college and programs like La Vida and the Latino Leadership Program, Katherine discovers the importance of building supportive communities. Produced by Heloiza Barbosa and Katheryn Gravenhorst Edited by Heloiza Barbosa Music and MIx by Paulo Pinheiro

    30 min
  • 5 Episodes

About

An audio-documentary series in which Boston's residents tell their story and the Research Division of the Boston Planning and Development Agency connects the data. The result is: complexity!

Information

  • Creator
    Heloiza Barbosa
  • Episodes
    5
  • Seasons
    1
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Heloiza Barbosa
  • Show Website
    Boston Stories and Numbers