Morado Lens: Recent Episodes
Morado Lens
A feminist podcast hosted by two childhood friends who discuss embracing our #innerbruja, sex & culture — always funny, always real.
We needed some more Rebecca Gitana loving on Morado Lens and so this time we paid her a visit at her pad in Manhattan. Rebecca dives into her anxiety on going back to her tierra of Puerto Rico post Hurricane Maria. She also gives us some insight on what is desperately needed in Puerto Rico right now and how you can donate to her relief fund. You can hear it all on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher and more. You can also follow our visual journey via Instagram or Facebook @moradolens.
Join us as we discuss the inner workings of Lifestyle Remix's Rebecca Gitana as a healer through the home space, spirit guide, earth angel, gentle warrior and certified firecracker who believes she is on this planet to help people remember who they are. We talk about how she prayed for a breakthrough in her early 20's and the process of becoming a healer. Because while we would love to wake up one day and just be one, that's not the case. There is serious work involved. Rebecca reveals how she came about embracing her brujaness, her connection to the church and what her experience was to be a vivid dreamer as a child. You might love this convo so much, you might just listen to this twice. You're welcome, brujitas. Check out her personal Instagram account and her work here. You can hear it all on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher and more. You can also follow our visual journey via Instagram or Facebook @moradolens.
We joined forces with fellow podcasters Katherine and Tina from Real Me In and we got super real on our personal experiences from micro-aggression to colorism and even dive into the difference between intention and impact. You don't want to miss it! You can hear it all on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher and more. You can also follow our visual journey via Instagram or Facebook @moradolens.
We're officially reclaiming the word "catcall" in honor of our special guest Kat Lazo of TheeKatsMeow who also happens to be a kick-ass video producer at MiTu. Kat shares the insanely creative way she combats catcalling in the streets! You don't want to miss this. We also went in on lucid dreaming, cultural appropriation, being children of immigrant parents, and how to make space for ourselves in media. She's got the special sauce to tackle tough subjects like colorism and white privilege with genuine and comedic ease. Be sure to follow Kat Lazo on YouTube and check out her work on MiTu where she tackles subjects like "Why are novelas so white?" and "What's with the X in Latinx?" Season 2 is coming up at the end of September! You can hear it all on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher and more. You can also follow our visual journey via Instagram or Facebook @moradolens.
Annie The Alchemist gets super vulnerable in this episode as she dives into her experience with a category 5 hurricane by the name of Irma. She describes mother nature's turbulence and how she mentally prepared for a life changing catastrophe. You can hear it all on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher and more. You can also follow our visual journey via Instagram or Facebook @moradolens. And, don't forget to follow Annie the Alchemist on Instagram.
Tatianna Tarot on knowing she had a gift ever since she was kid, her pregnancy increasing her intuitive vibes, and what she does before every reading to ensure only positive spirits come through. And, she even reveals a super fun fact about yet another creative skill she has and her baby's middle name ⭐️ Then, Cindy gets her tarot cards read asking Tatianna a super personal question. Things get vulnerable, brujas. You can also follow our visual journey via Instagram or Facebook @moradolens.
This week's episode brings you an entrepreneur and overall badass Latina by the name of Vivian Nunez. She is the host of a Latina-driven podcast called Creating Espacios. She is also the founder of a community called Too Damn Young, a resource for teens who are grieving and figuring out life after loss. Viv opens up about her own personal loss as a teen and how she coped with it as well as how she hopes to inspire the future presidential candidate. You don't want to miss it!
We bring you a bonus episode to when we flew out to Miami and interviewed some really amazing women at Premios Tu Mundo. From Rashel Diaz of the daytime show Un Nuevo Dia to the three beauties of Suelta la Sopa. And, we were even blessed to have an intimate conversation with Rosie Rivera, icon Jenni Rivera's only sister. They dive into their current projects, how they landed there and even give all us women (and men) a dose of empowerment. You don't want to miss it! Available on iTunes, Spotify, iHeart, Google Play, & Stitcher. Brought to you by Spirit Airlines for #MoreGoStory!
Annie the Alchemist is back this month to talk about going for your goals, no matter how big or unattainable they may seem. We dive into narrowing down your big idea, get real about the self-discipline you need to keep going, and the emotional roller coaster that comes when launching anything. We each share our intimate stories with Annie on what we went (and still go through sometimes!) when trying to figure out what projects speak to our soul. We hope in sharing our stories, they inspire you to go after your goals! Tune in and get the low down on manifesting so you can reach your goal! Don't forget to follow Annie the Alchemist on Instagram.
American labor leader and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta sits down with Morado Lens to talk about her latest endeavor - Dolores the movie. She gets into why it took so long for this to come to fruition, being a mother of eleven children and why it is okay for women to ask for help and make mistakes. Dolores gives all women (and men) inspiration to persevere regardless of the hurdles or as she puts it - Si Se Puede (Yes You Can)! Be sure to check out DoloresHuerta.org to find a screening near you and as always tune in to our journey via @moradolens and be sure to subscribe and review us on iTunes!
FavyFav and Babelito of the Latinos Who Lunch podcast joined us to talk about the behind-the-scenes of creating a podcast, the rise of faux brujas a.k.a. cultural appropriation, if and how they embrace their inner bruja. They even opened up about why at first they chose to use nicknames instead of using their real names when launching and how liberating it's been in committing to being vulnerable on the show. This honest conversation on culture, politics, and importance of visibility in the podcast world might leave you hungry for more. Check them out at Latinos Who Lunch for more and listen to their podcast! #supportbrownpodcasts Shoutout to Pam Covarrubias from the Cafe con Pam Podcast and the FEMININE Podcast By The Modern Curandera, both available on iTunes.
In this episode, Nat & Cindy get into how it all began for them when deciding to launch a podcast. They also get super real on energy vampires that are no good for you and how to cope with idea stealers, being resourceful and saging the shit out of shade you may get when exposing yourselves to the world. Please remember to subscribe and review Morado Lens on #itunes. We're also available on #spotify, #stitcher, #iheart #googleplay and God knows where else.
Valeria of Mestiza Magic is not a traditional woman. As she puts it, she’s “that bruja that has really long armpit hair and likes to cuss out loud.” We were instantly attracted to her knowledge of Mexican curanderismo, owning her bruja identity as a form of healing and complicated but touching journey on coming out as a bruja to her mother. Her mom tries to sway her to not identify as a bruja because as she put it, "it's not something that's embraced in her family.” The Massachusetts-based queer mestiza bruja is on her way to New Orleans to expand her creativity in reading and designing tarot cards and recently launched blog which came to her in a vision best described as "just a little bit of poison and a whole lot of consciousness." Check out her Instagram account @MestizaMagic and website at MestizaMagic.com where she crafts her existence outside of the patriarchal world that tells her she’s not powerful.
Annie the Alchemist joins us again after a short hiatus and gets into her past life as a grade-school teacher, her former relationship and why embracing the different stages of grieving is key to overall growth. Be sure to follow our journey on Instagram @moradolens. #innerbruja
Cuban-American illustrator Cristy C. Road is unlike any other artist you've ever met before. Her vivacious attitude isn't just contagious but endearing. This Miami-based gemini is nothing short of spectacular as she spills on her toughest experiences proving that vulnerability is in fact a strength. Cristy, whose real name is Cristina Carrera, also dives into what it was like to come out to her conservative Latino family, using art as an escape in her teens through zines, and how proud she is to have produced a soon-to-be released beautiful 78-tarot card deck after all these years. She also reveals the story behind her name. Hint: punk rock is near and dear to her heart. Check out this fellow bruja's raw and passionate work on moradolens.com. This is part 2 of our FUERZAFest coverage, the first LGBTQ Latino festival, run by Mario Colon who was interviewed in our previous episode. Don't forget to show Cristy C. Road some love by visiting her website.
We sat down with LGBTQ activist and founder of Fuerza Festival, Mario Colon. He talks about growing up as a gay, brown-skinned Latino man in Puerto Rico and what he endured from his own father through this journey. He also offers great advice to the LGBTQ community on how to push forward in life and even lets us in on his secret on how to tap into your #innerbruja. *FUERZAfest is supported by the Hispanic Federation and highlights stage and film work, art exhibitions, workshops and panel discussions that contribute to the gay rights movement.
We couldn't get enough of Joanna Solotaroff so we are back with part 2 of our conversation with the producer of 2 Dope Queens and sidekick on Sooo Many White Guys podcast. She shared her thoughts on keeping your day job when attempting to dive into a creative field and the power of really telling the people you work with what you're passionate about. We even, ahem Cindy, talks about her undying love for Louis C.K. and what she plans to do if they ever meet. Joanna shared her thoughts on Tinder, why Minneapolis is one of the best cities in the country and what makes a good podcast.
Joanna Solotaroff is a producer at WNYC Studios in NYC who currently produces the 2 Dope Queens and Sooo Many White Guys podcast. In this episode, she sits down with us and talks about life behind-the-scenes, dating a Latino man, and her parents. Spoiler alert! Her mom is a fellow bruja (aka witch) who reads the tarot cards. #innerbruja This is part 1 of our awesome conversation with her. Look out for part 2 next week! In the meantime, follow Joanna on Twitter (@joannna).
On our continuous mission to practice self-love, we talk to anxiety coach Palak Vani who launched CuratedGoals.com, an affordable anxiety coaching service offered over the phone, email, text message or in-person. She breaks down the different types of anxiety, how she got her Indian family to own the once taboo conversation, how to deal with it in the moment and even opens up about how she handles her own anxiety. We also get into how we've dealt with our own anxiety and how tapping into our inner bruja has helped cope with it.
Annie The Alchemist dials in to discuss why she is dedicated to daily palo santo cleanses - sometimes even more than once! And, you don't want to miss as she gets super real on what a sexual energy cord is and how to rid yourself of negative energy you picked up from your last lover.
In honor of LGBT Pride Month, we talked to transgender and human health rights advocate Ericka Florenciani. This feminista breaks down her advocacy work with PrEP, a daily HIV-preventative tool. All in the name of the helping promote health towards love. And, of course, she's an empowered bruja, who talks about how she uses tarot cards and astrology to express herself and connect with the spiritual world.
Priscilla Klock is a fellow bruja, podcaster of Feminine and founder of Modern Curandera. She dives into how she had to assimilate because her ethnicity was looked down on and how through that pain she birthed the Modern Curandera - a safe place that unites the modern and ancient cultures of her heritage all while helping bruja entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground. Listen as we get into what all this meant for a fellow Latina and what this means for modern brujas today.
On our journeys to self-love, we've both come across a sort of darkness that at first made us uncomfortable. But we learned that in order to truly explore, accept and love ourselves we had to acknowledge and embrace the dark parts as well. Psychologists refer to that dark side, or shadow self, as repressed ideas, impulses, weaknesses, desires, and even embarrassing fears. The wild and chaotic side that for many of us are the source of our creative energy. But, remember, shadow cannot exist without light, brujas. Listen as we get into our recurring dark and strange dreams, lucid dreaming, fears, and morbid side of ourselves and how we embraced our dark side in order to see the light.
We sat down with Kathleen Pagan from the very successful lifestyle blog Endlessly Elated and chatted on what made her take the leap from financier to a full-time entrepreneur. Kathleen tells us about how her "third eye don't lie" rule and even gives us tips on how to make your blog stand out above the rest. Be sure to subscribe to her Youtube page @Endlesslyelated and get all the great tips on being the hostess with the mostess.
Cindy’s mom, Yolanda, aka an OG bruja, makes a special appearance in honor of Mother’s Day. She opens up about how she tapped into her intuition more than ever once she immigrated to the U.S., how she came to read cigars, and shares special baños for when you feel super cargarda (heavy). This particular show is mostly in Spanish and Spanglish, so tune in with your mom, abuela or tia. Happy Mother’s Day, brujas!
Annie The Alchemist aka The Fashion Poet is back to discuss love and the best ways to cleanse away any brujeria that does not serve you. She also shares with us her spiritual journey to Iceland and what items to pack when traveling. Be sure to follow her spiritual journey on IG @anniethealchemist.
With high hopes that she would see her first female president, winemaker Meg Murray went with her instincts and started producing Nasty Woman Wines. She was passionate about turning a once used negative turn by a certain president-elect on it's head. And, with that, make sure that 20% of her net profits would go to organizations that help put women in positions of power worldwide. She shares with us how her daughter inspired her, challenges in distribution, and how she tapped into her inner bruja to make this all happen.
Cindy & Nat discuss their biggest fears, when they came about and how they're facing them with courage present day. What are your fears?
Heidi Hackemer is a forced to be reckoned with. You feel it when you meet her and your inner bruja will confirm it the moment she speaks to you. Personally, she's in tuned with her empowered herself. Professionally, she's leading packs of smart and savvy women (and a couple of guys too!) at Wolf & Wilhelmine, a New York based brand shop. Heidi breaks down what "bad ass" means and how it relates to womanhood, her pet wolf, and why she needs to recharge by driving on her Harley in the mountains. Warning: You will be inspired to take over the world after you hear what this passionate, intuitive, unapologetic feminist has to say. A big shout out to the Lower Eastside Girls Club for letting us use their facilities to record this episode. Check out what they're doing and donate if you can.
Miami-based fashion blogger Annie Vazquez is back to give us spiritual advice as she's been embracing her inner bruja on her new blog as Annie The Alchemist. From how to use palo santo, herbs, and sage to baños, clearing out negative energy and how to get past relationships that no longer serve us. All with good vibes because we truly believe that everything can be resolved with positive love and energy.
We wrap up Women's History Month with a collaboration with fellow Latina podcasters Benzy and Wilx of Duhmericana Podcast. This simulcast couldn't have come at a better time, especially since we believe that empowered women empower women. We got into what womanhood means to us, what we do in our own lives to empower other women and how the ladies of Duh Americana embrace their inner Bruja. If you’d like to connect with Duhmericana Podcast, you can find them anywhere you prefer to listen to podcasts, and on Instagram @duhmericana_podcast.
After popular demand, Cindy + Nat revisit the topic on dating, love and sex and how Cindy is tired of using dating apps but still wants to find her ideal partner to have more sex with, while Nat realizes she may have a "republican" pu$$y after all.
We get into our Latino "accents", what motivated us to own them, or lack there of (as in, "Why are you talking white?"). And, how to deal with non-Latinos who aren't too keen on our accents. Plus, how Sofia Vergara needs to step up her accent game after her blunder.
Nat and Cindy finally talk about their experience at Standing Rock, North Dakota. Why they decided to go, being welcomed by Natives, and how they are still standing with the water protectors as they prepare to march in Washington D.C. even though the camp is now gone.
Welcome back! Morado Lens takes you through their journey at the historical Women's March in Washington, D.C. 2017
On our final episode for the season we share personal stories on dating older (and younger) men and the pros and cons that come with that.
Elder Fran Luck dissects feminism from her lens and why she believes Hillary will carry the torch for women.
What does self-love mean to you? Does putting yourself at the top of your to-do list make you feel guilty? We get into how our families and significant others play into that.
We sit down with domestic violence survivor Zayda Rivera and discuss her history with domestic violence, how she overcame it and why shame is still associated to people going through this.
We talk to creative spirit, storyteller, and fashion blogger Annie Vazquez on what tragic moment motivated her to embrace her inner bruja, the power of attraction and energy, & baños for those looking for love.
Check out our interview with clinical social worker Dolly Sacristan where we dive into some deep topics like sexual abuse survivors, being connected to someone even after they die, & mourning a loved one.
ESPN's Sarina Morales broke down her journey to the sports channel for us, spilled on what it's like to be the only Latina in the room, and how she hopes the MLB will recruit her to play center field. Because if her attitude matches her skill set, she's totally got this.
Your favorite twins Nina Sky talked to us about what individuality means to them, how their grandma helped them tap into their inner bruja, and introduced us to their new single "Champion Lover".
We got up close and personal with hot model and Peruvian chef Franco Noriega of Baby Brasa in New York City to talk about how he embraces his inner bruja and what it's like for Latinos living in two worlds in the United States.
Has your perspective on plastic surgery changed over the years? If so, why? Would you ever get plastic surgery? We share some of our personal experiences with plastic surgery and confess our insecurities.
Are you a Latina who has dated outside her culture? Or a Latina who prefers to only date Latina men? Why or why not? Is there a difference? Dive into this little debate from two women who have had super distinct experiences in dating Latino and non-Latino men.
We get to the bottom of sex toys in and outside of a relationship, then somehow we segway into having healthy boundaries with mother-in-laws and if culture plays a part. Check out the full episode on SoundCloud: http://bit.ly/1Yojg9c Morado Lens is a podcast hosted by two childhood friends who discuss embracing your inner bruja, sex, and culture - always funny, always real.
Check out our debut episode where we get into how we met, relationships, cheating, and sexual fluidity.
Pop that bottle of champagne because we get into what 2018 brought us and how we grew as women. As Nat said, this year “was very interestingly painful.” Cheers to that, brujas, because out of pain comes growth and we are about that life. We started the year off strong with actress Rosario Dawson who broke news on our podcast about the sexual assault she experienced as a child and interviewing badass Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to name a few. We even talk sex and whether or not Nat has finally tried a sex toy, how marijuana is actually a colonized word and what it was really like to let go of certain people in our lives. Lessons learned, self-worth, podcast realness is what we’re about. Be sure to listen to the very end as we finally release a story close to hearts that carried a lot of shame for way too many years. We make a special announcement on the future of Morado Lens. And the projects we’ve been working on. Cindy on Pen to Paper Retreats, helping women of color seeking a spiritual connection to get out of their comfort zones and into hiking and writing. Nathalie on her first international retreat in Costa Rica for La Brujas Club for October 2019. Join us on January 18th as we will attending the Indigenous People’s March in Washington D.C. and staying in the area for the Women’s March the following day.
Immigrations Lawyer, Activist and Artist. All descriptions of Carolina Rubio-Macwright who we had the pleasure of interviewing for the second time on Morado Lens. Last time Carolina stopped by the studio, we discussed immigration law and the Dream Act. This time around we dived into the asylum seekers coming mostly from Central America, the detention centers privately owned (and making a shit ton of $$ from detaining asylum seekers), the ground work in Dilley, TX, border issues and so much more. Carolina also educates us all on how we can help locally and why you should head over to her Posada if invited - you won’t regret this Mexican ritual. You can hear the full episode on moradolens.com, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher and Apple Podcasts. Be sure to follow Carolina’s amazing work via IG/FB @Carustol.
Social media influencer, lifestyle blogger, and self-love extraordinaire Ana Benzan joins us to talk about the difference between self-care and self-love, growing up fast after coming to America from the Dominican Republic at 14, and learning to find a home within herself. This fierce Latina isn’t afraid of keeping it real and showcasing her “non-instagrammable” moments on her Instagram account. From body positivity and mental health to sheet masks and a glass of wine, Ana takes us on her journey to self-love and shares how journaling in moments of insecurity has taught her the importance of being comfortable being by herself. She also talks about being vegan-ish, her relationship with food, and finding a balance between her plant-based diet and her Dominican culture. You can find Ana on Instagram or on her blog at PositivelyAna.com.
Nancy Ruffin is an award winning author of Live Purpose, host of @theempowermenthour podcast and also a badass Latina who is unapologetic about becoming the next Oprah. When it comes to confidence Nancy lacks none. She explains how it all came about from her love in prayer and truly believes all is possible if you imagine it. She continues with her maternity journey and how her difficulty in conceiving moved her to write letters to her unborn (but very much wanted) daughter and how that came to life because of what she (and we agree!) is calling the power of manifestation. She is definitely a boss in her own right and proves that through her multiple books, podcast, and more.
Vida aka Mama Vida almost needs no introduction. If you’ve taken a deep dive into embracing your inner bruja and you should have already heard about her. She’s the most energetic, warm, and powerful bruja rocking tarot readings with mucho amor. But, if you’ve come across her social media platforms, particularly Instagram, you may notice that her page is private. And, there’s a very good reason for that. Hint: #spiritualboundaries Listen to her breakdown of intuition, when to seek an espiritualista, energy contracts, how not to be scared of seeing spirits, and her magical trajectory that led her from medical billing and collections provider to full-time spiritual entrepreneur complete with her own product line. She drops gems on where she thinks she will be in 5 years and how Spirit has taught her and can teach you about connecting to your higher source. For more on Readings by Vida, check out her website The Almighty Pineapple. Email her, please do not DM her on Instagram.
Wow, we’ve come along way and if you’re still tuning in we got mad love for all of you! You also know that we couldn’t let October get away from us without highlighting incredible Brujas doing the spiritual work for the community. First up for this magical month is Jessyka Winston from Haus of Hoodoo, who specializes in Tarot Therapy and Folk Magic. In this particular episode she gives us insight on the power of the broom, how she uses it for her magic and even breaks down when not to sweep!! We also bring up folktales, some passed down from her abuela but also others that we’ve collected along the way from random brujas that are questionable. Last but not least, there’s a difference between appropriation and appreciation and Haus of Hoodoo does not shy away from dropping some truth bombs on this topic. Let’s get right to it!
In honor of Latinx Heritage Month, a.k.a. Hispanic Heritage Month, we are highlighting Latinx authors. Erica Garza’s memoir Getting Off explores the taboos in culture around sex and porn from a woman’s perspective, her voice is necessary in how we talk about addiction. In this episode, she talks about needing to masturbate whenever she didn’t know how to deal with issues in her life to knowing something was wrong but didn’t feel comfortable talking to her parents about it because sex was not spoken about at home. Find out what led to her recovery and how she feels about her daughter her memoir. This is not the anti-porn conversation but rather a reality check that women can also have sex addiction. You aren’t alone. Don’t be ashamed. There is help out there. Find out more about her book here.
In honor of Latinx Pride in September, we will honor Latina authors changing the game one word and illustration at a time. Say hello to Sheree Brown, a woman of many colors. Somewhat of an old soul too. Only 29 but when vibing with her over a call (excuse the reception issues at the end), you almost feel you're sitting down with an elder. The book she wrote spells it out for you. Sheree describes lovemestiza as "Dreaming beyond the shadows of life". She takes you on a journey to explore the realms of breaking apart, to heal again. Weaving the journeys of ancestry and future timelines, Brown carries us to the depths of her darkest moments with a recent loss and somehow finds a way to facilitate the transformation of her life and body through process, writing, and ritual. Exploring the convergences of identity, she illustrates the unique experience of a woman of mixed ancestry living in the North American Southwest.
Meet the warrior from Colombia bringing indigenous sound and lyrics to your ears: Lido Pimienta. This singer shares her most intimate details on what it was like to face colorism as a young girl living in Colombia, not seeing herself represented in telenovelas, and how she stays fierce. She may have spent her adult life in Canada but remains close to her roots in Colombia as part of the Wayuu tribe, located deep in the La Guajira desert, close to the Colombian and Venezuelan border. Do yourself a favor and check out 2016 album La Papessa which won the 2017 Polaris Music Prize. Look out for her upcoming album Ms. Colombia. This is part 3 of our August music series. Be sure to check out our interviews with Ivy Queen and DJ Riobamba.
Sara aka DJ Rio Bamba is a diverse human being with a passion for culture who delivers Caribbean/Indigenous music that will get you off your a$$. She is a first-generation immigrant with an Ecuadorian-Lithuanian background who is even more passionate about human rights and helping incarcerated women of color. Rio Bamba was all open heart and even shares with us her most intimate space - her shrine at her Brooklyn apartment. Oh and the kicker! Rio Bamba tells us who the artist that inspired her on her music journey is. And to top it off, she goes on to coin a whole new music genre - Perreo Espiritual! Yeah, its officially a thing now. Tune in to hear all the badassery she has to deliver, including the mix we dropped at the very end of the episode. And you can follow this music #Bruja @RioBamba_DJ on IG, FB, etc…
There’s only one Ivy Queen and we got to interview this fellow bruja. We even reveal the story behind getting this interview with her. Listen to what she wants her legacy to be and if she identifies as a bruja. Her influence and lyrics brought us to a real ass convo on life, love and, of course, heartache. Nat talks about how Ivy Queen helped her through a tough time while going through a breakup when she was younger. Which couldn’t come at a better time because Cindy makes an important announcement on her own love life. Spoiler alert: Cindy is on a mission to do una limpieza profunda! Letting go of toxic relationships is hard but having powerful music like Ivy’s will give you life. If you didn’t already know, music is a form of therapy and contributes to your vibrations because how it seeps into your subconscious. That and more on our episode back from summer solstice! S/o to sound healer Rebecca Gitana, PR pros Zayda Rivera and Janice Torres, and La Marina in NYC. We see you!
Okay, don't freak out but this is our last show for the summer. Yes, you read it right. WE are leveraging the summer solstice to rejuvenate and care for our soul. And, we are also utilizing this time off to put together some amazing content for your ears (and eyes!). In the meantime, please take a moment to hear what 2018 has brought to fruition for us. We dive into some of our favorite highlights, give you insight to what some of our Brujitas or badass guests are up to these days, and even giveaway some clues for what we have in store. Get acquainted and let us know what or who you want to hear from starting August 2018. Until then, please take a moment to appreciate the sun's energy source, and remember we are only a DM or email away from all of you amazing ladies who have been a source of inspiration for us.
When you meet Ada Rojas the first thing you will notice is her insanely lively curls and vibrant aura. Could it be an Aries thing? We suspect it has something to do with it but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. This hard-working, creative entrepreneur drops genuine gems on Instagram in hopes of connecting with her followers to help make the world a more inclusive and positive place. She lets us in her professional and curly hair journey to selling Avon in high school to blogging when it wasn’t a thing to how being raised by a single Dominican mom helped make her who she is today. Ada even tells us the story behind her name, the famous “where are you from?” question, and answers a question from our Morado Lens tarot deck that hits home. You can learn more about Ada here. P.S. She’s even got a dope wellness event called Good Vibes & Chill where Morado Lens will be doing a live podcast. Join us. Tell a friend or 5.
Oh does this hit home for many of us mujeres aka women! We asked some tough questions around cattiness to Annie from @anniethealchemist and she kept it super real. She went down memory lane on her experience with it, which began during her teenage years while attending an all girls high school. Fast forward, she's on her grown woman ISH, and though she still experiences some of this same cattiness from other women in the blogging industry, she wants everyone to know that you can still vibrate higher regardless of other people's nonsense. Annie also got to draw a question from our tarot deck where she was asked what one place in the world she would choose to travel to for one whole month before the end of the world arrives.
Learn how to self-correct in the middle of a sentence sin pena, brujas. Because best-selling author of Latina Empowerment Through Leadership, actor, TV host and kickass content creator Lizza Monet Morales has spent the last 4 years working with psychologists and experts to nail down what words women use at a higher percentage that are playing down their power (like the word “just”). Lizza helps us break down the concept of pena, asking for what you want, and how to generate things that you aren’t seeing in the world from -- even when in the darkest of places. This all coming from a hella strong woman who was sexually molested by 4 different family members wherein speaking up was not probable because they threatened to hurt the rest of her family. Sadly, even her stepmother tried to poison and kill her. But while her story starts out as a heart-wrenching as they come, her journey will make you realize that you can handle anything life throws at you -- surviving and thriving -- hopefully with heart-filled eyes as Lizza once had to. The natural born connector now speaks around the world but nothing brings Lizza greater pleasure than championing on the efforts of other entrepreneurs and being a resource to colleagues and mentor to the next generation. When not working, you can catch Lizza either, speaking Japanese, salsa dancing, traveling, volunteering, or talking about her global movement where she celebrates #ClassyChingonas around the world. You can also find her online sharing her crazy adventures of her daily life, on and off set, on her Periscope channel under @xoxolizza, her blog and across all her social media platforms.
Meet Sandy Fernandez-Masciatti, a Mother, Yoga Teacher, Writer, Financial Advisor, and also the President and Founder of Karmic Currency. Karmic Currency has a unique philosophy that will allow you to discover how your money mindset and personal chakra energy impact your relationship with your finances and your business. "Money is energy and more than just a “currency”, it is a current that flows through our lives." Sandy also taps into the power of being a clairvoyant, the different types that exist, and how she discovered and learned to own her own magical power. And you can reach out directly to Financial Guru Sandy on Instagram and Facebook via @KarmicCurrency.
As a young girl and into her college years at business school, Ambika Pai was told that she could never be a leader because of how emotional she was. But deep down inside she knew that was wrong so now part of her ethos in her personal life as well as a brand strategist at wolf & wilhelmine was to shut that noise down, way down. Listen to how she taps into the feminine divine in order to be a strong leader at work, what demons she still fights today and why she uses tarot cards as her guide. She even shares how her husband became acquainted with her bruja self and how he supports her spirituality. You can find out more about her here. As always remember to work with your darkness instead of against it. It exists in everyone, honor it. But only feed the light in your life.
Andrea Guendelman is a boss in every sense of the word. She is a Harvard law grad, an entrepreneur, a mom, and an immigrant by choice. She has also created a platform meant to bring women (and men) of all walks of life both mentors and sponsors. Andrea knows that as a Latinx it’s hard to build a network around yourself. This is why she helped start BeVisible.soy, a website that helps Latinx millennials network both in real life and online. Don't miss out, the next conference is on Thursday May 17th in San Francisco.
Mother's Day can bring up a lot of feelings of joy, gratefulness and, at times, anxiety. Why? Because not every relationship with our mothers is Instagram perfect. We share our own childhood traumas with our moms, how we dealt with them as we evolved, and what we want to do differently with our own children. Tune in as we get extra vulnerable. We hope this special episode makes you all feel less alone if your relationship with your mom is less than perfect.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is running for Congress to create an America that works for all of us - not just a wealthy few. #Ocasio2018 is a campaign built on bringing people together to champion the needs of working families in the Bronx and Queens. Her goal is to create a nation of dignified health care, tuition-free higher education, quality employment, and justice for all - without the influence of big money. To learn more about her efforts for POC, and how to donate to the cause, take a look at her site at ocasio2018.com and remember to vote on June 26th!
The Jessica Torres that you see today took a while to build. The now bad ass body positive plus-size fashion blogger was once very insecure and would make sure her body was always hidden. It took years to for her to love herself this hard and now she's determined to encourage other women to be a better version of themselves. Torres says the key is learning to love yourself right now, whether you do or do not want to lose weight. The 20-something also talks about how she deals with trolls, what her alone time looks like, and how she stays centered to avoid burning out as a content creator. Because even with all the likes on Instagram she gets, she says to never "judge yourself through the eyes of a stranger."
We dive into full hype mode when discussing our favorite bruja right now - Cardi B. We mentioned we wanted her on our show a while back (and we still do!), but until that day comes we thought it is important to highlight some more Cardi B. Yes, we know every other outlet has done so already, but ain't nobody talking about it like us. Take a listen as we reflect on Cardi's winning streak, dissect other women like Oprah who are supporting her so much, and why this amount of love shown shocked us a bit. Oh, and of course we are curious to what bruja/brujo Cardi visits on her time off so we went ahead and made some predictions/guesses for you.
If there were ever a time to launch a feminist porn magazine, it’s now. Listen to founder MacKenzie Peck talk about what inspired the beautifully curated and unassuming print magazine that you can easily read on your commute to work. You can finally read about niche kinks like people who fuck on balloons, a.k.a lunars, or indulging in a fantasy on that co-worker even though you’re in a monogamous relationship. This magazine is a safe sex space intended for you to explore where ever your sexual journey takes you. Spoiler alert: Math’s latest issue features an intimate interview with adult film producer, transsexual man and human rights activist Buck Angel. Peck also talks about being polyamorous since high school, how she became sexually empowered and progressive, sex in public, play parties, and what happened after Math hosted a squirting workshop on Snapchat. She has some advice on how to discuss polyamorous feelings in a monogamous relationship and tips on how to take the first steps in being sex positive for those new to the game. “There is porn for everyone,” says Peck. “You can be sexually progressive and still not want to run through the streets naked.” Sign up for Math Magazine’s newsletter because their social media platforms are under a watchful eye and can be shut down at times. Or, email MacKenzie directly at privatebox@math-mag.com.
episode dedicated to sex and we did just that (you're welcome!). We broke it down in 2 ways. One of us (hint: Nat) is the prude and the other (hint: Cindy) is the pornstar - not in a literal sense, but kinda. We break down walls (not the kinds that exist in our vagina) about being sex positive, lifting the veil of shame and owning more sex toys in the future because hey, we're all about self-care at Morado Lens headquarters. We even sprinkle in motherhood and the societal norms that make some think Nat isn't the mom of a 4 yr. old named Jonah. Crazy, we know. And Cindy delivered breaking news about her future Erotica novel... stay tuned!
We live in a time where everyone is a brand and what that means is constantly changing. And Dominican American blogger and photographer Denisse Benitez is no different. She takes us through her branding journey and why she’s leaving the land of bodegas and botánicas, aka northern New Jersey, for Arizona. Plus, we get into colorism in the media industry, all the shit she got for dating a white guy and how her outspoken self stays centered even though she grew up in a religiously conflicted home. Spoiler alert: We found out we have a Bruja in common because the world is that small! And, find out why we call her the Cardi B of blogging and photography, how to value yourself and make space for yourself as a women of color. Because as Denisse said, “Equality is not isolating yourself. Equality is "Move the fuck over, I belong here.” Follow her magic on Instagram @ChasingDenisse to keep up with all the things.
What happens when four badass intersectional feminists come together to discuss Selena's cultural impact, spirituality and social good? You get exploratory conversations that range in perspective and hopefully inspire you Brujas to join the movement. Meet Marcel Rosa-Salas and Isabel Flower from Top Rank podcast, two intellectuals who base their content around social and cultural topics that is exploratory rather than prescriptive or conclusive. For more information, check out their website TopRankMag.com or their Instagram @TopRankMagazine.
Immigration lawyer Carolina Rubio-MacWright breaks down the ugly truth of what happens to women who leave horrendous situations, some with their children, seeking refuge in the United States. She teamed up with Mamas Con Poder/Moms Rising to help women in all kinds of situations and show the world that we aren’t just all undocumented, there are amazing Latinas changing the game. With the immigration campaign, Mamas Con Poder have been focusing heavily on TPS and the DREAM act. And, giving more visibility to detention centers, especially incarcerated women with children. The Women’s Refugee Commission did a very extensive report stating that in within the first 6 months of the Trump administration taking office, there was a 60% increase of women detained. Which means many more women are being denied bonds. It’s causing a lot of trauma and issues. The scariest part: Women and children are being separated now more than ever. But not all is lost. Tune in and see what you can do to help undocumented moms and their kids. To top it off, Rubio-MacWright will leave you floored on all that she does as an artist. She shares her thoughts on her the universe, intuition and how being open and letting things happen instead of resisting the moment. For more information, check out their website MomsRising.org or MamasConPoder.org, if you want to read it in Spanish.
Podcasters Rachel Strauss-Muñiz and Juan Bago lit up the room with straight up comedy! They discussed their comedic journey, how they both met and even offered success advice to future Latinx storytellers. Hear how our conversation went from loud to louder when agreeing we want more Latinx-owned media companies, more money for our content, how pastelitos in Jersey are the best (and the cheapest!), and how Juan Bago's alter ego 'Latin Daddy' sounds super pornographic (google it). You can find out more about Latinos Out Loud on their Youtube page or follow their Instagram.
Founder & CEO of Financially Wise Women Brittney Castro is here to switch up the relationship you have with money. She’s been on a mission to help the next generation learn new ways to manage new businesses successfully and wants you to know that abundance is everywhere. But first you have to believe that because we all have right to that abundance. She gives money tips from weekly money dates to nailing down your monthly budget to writing hate and love letters to your debt, all in the name of nurturing your relationship with money. Brittney even drops knowledge on what every woman should know before going head first into being a small business owner. She gives us insight in how much risk should be taken, what uncomfortable questions we should ask ourselves before starting, and how long it really takes to get a small business up and running. You can find out more about Brittney Castro on her website or follow her on Instagram.
We sat down with Chief Happiness Officer of LeslieInc.org, Leslie Juvin-Acker, and had a conversation around spirituality and how she found her calling as a life coach. Leslie is refreshingly candid about her various super powers and the journey that taught her how to tap into her "inner bruja". Be prepared to get enlightened! To find out more about Leslie or should you need a badass life coach that will change your life for the better, you can keep in touch via her via social media @leslieinc.
While motherhood comes with its share of exhaustion, new mami and intuitive Tatianna Tarot says she’s very grateful that it’s also given her the ability to step out of herself and realize that being a new mother has broadened and heightened her sense of purpose and awareness. She even delves into how she is trying to micromanage her energy because energy is vital for survival, especially as the matriarch of her family and business owner. As Tatianna put it, “Self care is whatever you need to do to give yourself an extra dose of self love", on Valentine’s Day and every day. You might just be surprised to hear how this bruja stays centered when she transitions from boss witch to house witch. She shares what essential oils she’s been turning to recently to calm down, wake up and bring joy, which have also helped her tap into her own magic. Tatianna also walks us through her birthing story and the real struggles no one talks about. And, we also get into pregnancy sex positions, getting her brujo in training boo on the show, and our love for black cats. Spoiler alert: We even release an impromptu PSA for the fellas who are dating or married to pregnant brujas. Share this with a friend who needs to indulge in tangible self-love/care tips, bruja mom real talk, or someone who may need a private reading by Tatianna Tarot. Don’t forget she will be in New York City (Shout out to The Trap Witch!) for her event (sold out!) but will be around for tarot card reading classes. Hit her up here.
Annie The Alchemist breaks down her latest spiritual adventure in Europe. It involves finding a vortex (or 2), fairy pools, and even cute boys. Annie also gets into her connection with fairies and how manifestation plays a big role in her travel decisions. Oh, and we even plan our next trip to Japan!
Intuitive tarot therapist, medium, and ritual practitioner Tatianna Tarot is back and this time to give us the lowdown on how to tell the difference between intuition and paranoia, because there is a fine line. She explains what happens to you both spiritually and physically when intuition hits and what to be aware of in the moment. We even get into how to take okra baths, what prayer to say to your spirit and what to do after you’re done. And, because it’s the new year and we all have our intentions on our mind, Tatianna even shares the subcategories her journal and how she builds a tangible and intentional plan for her goals. Spoiler alert: Plan loosely, if your plans deviate from what the universe has planned for you. And, her new intuitive baby girl Sahara also makes an appearance on the show! Be sure to check out her site at her site to book a reading.
2017 was a year of many struggles for people of color, specifically women, and our political climate in the U.S. has only gotten more tense in 2018. That is why we came together, this time in NYC, to join thousands of women and men for the Women's March. We got the opportunity to interview young women, elders, gay couples with children and even husband's supporting their wives. The crowd was diverse and passionate about equality and definitely anti-Trump. Hear all these moving interviews right here on #MoradoLens - the home of intersectional feminism!
Actress, activist, superhero and fellow bruja Rosario Dawson sat down with us to talk about how her recent presence on social media has ignited a #zerofucks attitude, grandmother’s passing shook her world, and how recent personal traumatic events have given her back a sense of gratitude. We have all gone through it but hearing how Rosario opens up and lets her vulnerability shine might just bring you to tears. She also reveals some interesting fun facts like: her biggest fears, super power, scariest thing she’s ever done, and what she was never able to do before that she completely embraces now. Look out for her upcoming projects from environmental PSA’s to season 2 of Luke Cage to her work with Studio One Eighty Nine, a social enterprise that provides a platform to help promote and curate African Fashion.
Costa Rican photographer Daniela Vesco sat down with us to discuss her upbringing in Costa Rica and how the surf culture helped her explore underwater photography. She also gets into her current projects with Ecuadorian musician Johann Vera, her previous work which included the likes of Beyoncé and much more. Daniela finishes off our interview session with her acoustic version of a French country song which will be sure to blow your mind! You don't want to miss what this brujita shared with all of us.
The end of the year had us reflecting on 2017's highs and lows. We both purged, started to break bad habits, and had thoughtful conversations with ourselves about our past traumas all for the sake of being even better selves for 2018. We even spend some time talking about toxic love in romantic relationships, how it affects self-love and saying goodbye to ex-boyfriends once and for all. And, listen to our affirmation for year by written fellow bruja Mariam Mouna for @iSeeYouWell. A special shout out to the brujos who listen to us, we appreciate you! If you love us, please tell a friend about our podcast or leave a review for us! We are currently accepting 5 stars. ::wink::
As we quickly approach 2018, we took this moment to reflect and show gratitude to all the beautiful moments at Morado Lens. Of the many, our listener's comments and questions are what we live for. To know Morado Lens podcast is reaching out to so many feminists, Latinas - and even men, is so wonderful! So here's a special episode dedicated to all you (the listener's) ! *May we continue to share love via our podcast and beyond!
We talk to one Latina who is working on changing policies to help with housing affordability and homelessness. Ali Solis is President and CEO of Make Room Inc., a national advocacy nonprofit organization giving voice to America’s struggling renters. She works closely with the White House, U.S. Congress, state and local policy leaders and industry stakeholders — not to mention she works closely with families who often have to do trade-offs (clothes, transportation, etc.) in order to afford their rent. About 9 million children live in households that struggle with this problem. Latinos are affected in particular because they make up most of the renter population. This issue hits home for Solis because her family is from Puerto Rico and she seen first hand how lack of housing efforts’ support and resources there can affect people. Check out how to get involved with Ali Solis on MakeRoomUSA.org to see how you can help support her in a legislation that commemorates September as the National Month for Renters bringing awareness to an often underreported issue.
Brenda is the co-founder of Tamarindo Podcast, a platform dedicated to media, politics, and life. In this episode we dive into what it takes to keep a podcast successful, political issues affecting the Latino/Latina families and more... We also want to welcome Tamarindo's latest addition. Now it will be hosted by not one but two #educatedpeleoneras, Brenda and Melinna Bobadilla, an actor, singer, voice over artist, and educator. Melinna played Lidia in Macro Ventures' first digital series, GENTEFIED, produced by America Ferrera.
The Brujas of Brooklyn, Afro-Latina identical twins Gricelda and Miguelina, open up about their spiritual journey led by their Dominican mother. Led by academia but still using the spiritual tools they grew up with, they’ve organized a tight collective of women of color in their community to empower, protect and educate in hopes of going beyond limitations they were exposed to while growing up. Miguelina also goes into detail about the health scare and traumatic breakup that ignited her spiritual healing and Gricelda talks about what inspired her to become a doula. We also go to see these practical magic makers before their pink tent event which retroactively honors the moment when women got their period because in our culture there is a lot of shame tied to it. Their expertise in womb-healing will inspire you to honor about this pivotal moment in your life. Tap and own your womb-power, brujas. For more information on Brujas of Brooklyn, check out https://www.brujasofbrooklyn.com.
Annie The Alchemist joins us this month to talk about her girl gang and why good vibes are so important. We discuss protecting your energy and Annie's latest merchandise venture. Let your fellow brujas know what's up so we can keep supporting one another.
We get into the politics of Thanksgiving, what moment we realized what we learned in school about the holiday was all kinds of wrong and what we are doing now to change it up. We are thankful for many things especially our listeners and each and everyone one of your messages to us. And, we even share how we handled some of our highs and lows and how we grew from it.
Caridad or as most know her, La Bruja, is a poet, mc, activist, proud Nuyorican and so much more. We dive into how she came about calling herself La Bruja almost 20 years ago and why she feels it is so important for women and feminists alike to claim that word Bruja now more than ever. She also blesses us with a beautiful spoken word at the end. Be sure to hear it all!
We got a bonus episode for you with no other than Maria Teresa Kumar, president and CEO of Voto Latino. She talks about how she got started with Voto Latino, the power of our vote, how she balances work and life. Don't forget to vote on November 7th! Be sure to check out their Power Summit, a two-day leadership conference, in Austin, Texas happening on Nov. 4-5.
We dive into Halloween and Día de los Muertos and the history behind both these holidays. Be prepared to get the full scoop on what some may call appropriation as well as some fun facts behind trick or treating.
More and more people are turning to CBD oil for it's medicinal benefits but some are still a little hazy on how it's different from marijuana. To help break down the facts and other not widely known health benefits, we asked our friend Kat Bagley, found of Nectar of the Goddess, to come on the show and help educate us. She gets into what motivated her to launch organic full-spectrum CBD products and why they should be honest and affordable. Fun fact: CBD oil is legal in all 50 states. Also worth mentioning, we met Kat at Standing Rock last year and because she spent months as a water protector, she became our point of contact when we got to the reservation. We are so happy that we get to bring her on and talk about her journey back to Colorado to help bring this amazing product to the public. It's only when we heal ourselves, that we can heal the world. You can check out Nectar of the Goddess on Instagram or order some products on their website. Let's support one another!