Cafe Mi Gente: Recent Episodes
Elias Posada
Our goal is to give the Chicano/a community a place to learn about their history and also share their stories. We do not claim to be experts on this topic. In fact, that’s the point. We want the audience to learn as we learn and hear different perspectives of Chicano/a life. The end goal is to continuously answer the question “What does it mean to be Chicano/a?”.
In this episode Elias and Allen discuss the Brown Berets, a very important but short lived group that supported the Chicano Movement. In addition to gaining recognition with their signature look and brown berets, they also were very important to their communities as they created programs and clinics around the country. They believed in policing their own communities, because they felt that they were not being policed effectively.
In addition, Elias talks about an important film for our community, American Me, directed by Edward James Olmos. It is about a Mexican American that gets involved with the Mexican Mafia. To avoid spoilers go to 9 min 20 sec
Brown Beret Website: www.brownberets.webs.com
Original Music by Stephen Castillo
We have had many guests speak with us about what it is like growing up as a first generation Chicano/a. For this episode we wanted to flip the narrative a little and talk to Irma who is the mother of Carlos and she immigrated here from Mexico. We talk to her about what life was like for her growing up and how she handled raising a first generation Chicano in Chicago. She has had an amazing life and we are so thankful that she shared it with us.
Original Music by Stephen Castillo
In this episode we talk to Jose Salcedo and Julio Ramos from the supporter's group for MLS team, LAFC. They are known as the 3252. We discuss why fútbol was so important to their childhood and why they wanted to inject their culture when starting their supporter's group. We also speak with Rigoberto Rodriguez from La Murga de Austin (Austin FC supporter's group). He discusses why it is important for supporter's groups to show pride in their communities both inside and outside the stadium.
Original Music by: Stephen Castillo
Guest Contact Info:
Julio Ramos: IG - @elchivamayor, Youtube - youtube.com/@Viveelfutbolesvida
Jose Salcedo: IG - @josesalcedo101
3252: IG - @lafc3252
Rigo Rodriguez: IG - @rigorrdz
La Murga de Austin - @lamurgaatx
In this installment of Chicano/a History 101 Allen and Elias discuss the Zoot Suit Riots. This event was a huge moment in our history and is also one of the more well known. They dig a little deeper into the riots and find out why they started and why it was a crucial turning point in the history of the Chicano/a community. Allen and Elias also discover that the name "Zoot Suit Riots" isn't actually accurate to the events... listen to find out why.
In this episode, Iliana is back (as a guest host) and we talk to Jessica and Manuel from the Institute of Chicano/a/x Psychology and Community Wellness about how mental health has played a part in the history of our community and how we can approach the subject going forward.
Institute of Chicano/a/x Psychology and Community Wellness Contact:
Website - razapsychology.org
Instagram - @xicanpsych
Original Music by Stephen Castillo
In part 2 of this series we talk to Iliana and Jorge about their experiences growing up in California, Texas, and Mexico. We compare education and cultures in these different regions.
Books mentioned in this episode:
Entre el Sur y el Norte
Mexico Profundo by Guillermo Bonfil Batalia
Original Music by Stephen Castillo
In this first part of two episodes, we are talking about what it's like to grow up as a Chicano/a in different parts of the country. For these two episodes we are focusing on California and Texas. We are talking with Tina Hernandez and Michael Muñoz about their experiences.
In this slightly World Cup themed episode, Elias talks with Richie Contreras (from @otraxfavor) and Mike Garza about the way fútbol (or soccer) has impacted their lives and what comes into deciding whether to root for the Mexican or United States national teams (or both?).
Original Music by: Stephen Castillo (@casti11o__)
In this episode Elias and Allen discuss the relatively unknown story of the El Paso Middle School Walkouts. These walkouts were triggered when a group of middle school students in El Paso, TX lost their teacher who was the only one that supported them and their education. This is a very early example of how the education system in this country has been unkind to minorities (to say the least).
Original Music by Stephen Castillo
Book referenced in this episode -
Rewriting the Chicano Movement: New Histories of Mexican American Activism in the Civil Rights Era
Edited by Mario T. Garcia & Ellen McCracken
In this episode we talk to artist Ruben Esquivel and activist Monica Maldonado about the importance of art and activism in our community. They also give some advice for aspiring Chicano/a artists.
Contacts:
Ruben Esquivel:
Instagram - @_esquivel
Monica Maldonado:
Instagram - @mascultura
Email - info@mascultura.org
In this episode we go over a brief history of the terms Mexican American and Chicano. We also discuss the newer term of Chicanx and why it can be seen as divisive among the community.
Elias and Allen discuss their upbringings and how it felt to grow up living in between two cultures. We want to start the conversation of "What does it mean to be Chicano/a?".
An introduction to what we are trying to accomplish with this podcast. We want to start conversations around what it means to be Chicano/a.