Growing Up Spanglish

In this powerful episode of Growing Up Spanglish, we sit down with Panamanian-Haitian creative strategist and wellness founder Cristina “Cris” Jerome (@cristinaashly_) for a conversation that bridges culture, burnout, and the radical act of rest.

From her no sabo kid upbringing in Virginia to building community in Miami, launching the beloved RnBae showcase, and now leading the mental health nonprofit Off-Worque, Cristina walks us through what it means to burn out, break down, and still find the strength to heal — for yourself and your family.

If you’ve ever felt pressure to hustle harder, prove your worth, or ignore your body’s cries for rest, this one’s for you.

*This episode contains a discussion of suicidal ideation and mental health struggles beginning around the 35:00 mark. Please take care of yourself while listening, and skip this section if needed. If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available: 988lifeline.org or dial 988 for 24/7 support in the U.S.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Intro + Word of the Day: Entre (Between)

02:00 – Cristina’s background: Panamanian-Haitian & proud no sabo baddie

04:00 – Growing up in Virginia: Little Panama at home, Southern outside

07:00 – Moving to Miami and finally feeling embraced

09:00 – Breaking into Power 96 & the early days of social media

12:00 – From digital marketing to Slip N Slide Records

15:00 – Founding RnBae: a show for R&B artists, not rappers

18:00 – Creating community while building a brand

21:00 – Branding RnBae: flower crowns, drinks, and discipline

23:00 – Artist compensation, ticket links & structure

26:00 – The pandemic hits: Cristina tries to expand to LA

27:00 – Burnout, backlash & pulling the plug on RnBae

30:00 – Jumping industries and chasing everything at full speed

33:00 – “If I kept going like this, I wouldn’t exist.”

35:00 – Early childhood mental health moment (TW: suicidal ideation)

39:00 – Why rest feels wrong in Black & Brown homes

41:00 – Founding Off-Worque: rest as resistance, PTO as a tool

43:00 – Creating the Out of Office Fund

45:00 – Do you really want that goal — or did someone assign it to you?

47:00 – Why she quit marketing — and started healing

49:00 – Helping her parents learn to rest, too

51:00 – Cultural pressure: No kids? Not married? You’re “behind”

53:00 – Her first trip to Panama: connecting a missing puzzle piece

55:00 – Healing through land, ancestry & legacy

57:00 – Cookie tin test: certified Panamanian ✅

58:30 – Final reflection: take inventory of your goals — and take one off the list

🎧 Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple & everywhere you get podcasts

🌐 Learn more or donate to the Out of Office Fund: offworque.com

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We’re back with Part 2 of our conversation with Dominicana, entrepreneur, and mother Ashley Flete — and this time, we’re talking about strength, purpose, and doing it scared.

Ashley walks us through her career journey, from working as a news anchor to suing her former employer in a class action lawsuit — and how that moment of risk opened the door for so many others. We also get into spiritual growth, being used as a vessel, her connection to FAMU, and what “redefining strength” really means.

This one will leave you empowered, emotional, and feeling like healing really is possible.

🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple & YouTube.

⸻

⏱️ Timestamps for Part 2

00:00 – Welcome back (Part 2)

01:00 – From anchor desk to lash tech: career pivots and identity

04:00 – Losing the job, filing the lawsuit, finding her voice

07:00 – “God used me as a vessel” — speaking up & getting red-flagged

09:00 – Lessons from the industry: contracts, self-worth, and trusting timing

11:00 – Teaching advocacy through example

12:00 – Redefining strength for the next generation

15:00 – The FAMU effect: choosing an HBCU as a Dominicana

18:00 – Divine timing, Will Packer, and God’s alignment

20:00 – Spiritual awakening through motherhood

23:00 – “Why am I worried when God got me?”

26:00 – Making space for faith to work

29:00 – Stop praying the same prayer if you already gave it to God

30:00 – Religion vs spirituality

31:00 – Cookie break! Selena Gomez’s horchata Oreos 😂

35:00 – Reflections, gratitude, and feeling light after the conversation

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This week on Growing Up Spanglish, we’re joined by Dominican-American media host, marketing coordinator, FAMU grad, and proud mama Ashley Flete for the first of a two-part conversation about parenting, boundaries, and healing out loud.

Ashley grew up in a traditional Hispanic household — old-school values, tight-knit family, summers in DR. But now as a mother, she’s raising her daughter with more intention, more emotional safety, and a different kind of love.

In Part 1, we talk about:

Choosing not to rush into marriage for tradition’s sake

Reparenting yourself while raising your kid

Saying no to old expectations — even from your own family

Teaching your child to feel, speak up, and set boundaries

And redefining what respect looks like in a modern Latino family

Whether you’re a parent, a cycle breaker, or healing your inner child — this one’s for you.

🎧 Listen now and come back next week for Part 2.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Word of the Day: Criar (to raise)

02:00 – Meet Ashley: Dominicana, mama, FAMU grad, creative

04:00 – Growing up with both sets of grandparents & big family values

06:00 – What generational commitment looks like through Ashley’s eyes

10:00 – When you realize your parents were hurting too

11:00 – Rejecting the pressure to marry just because you’re pregnant

13:00 – Breaking cycles + earning your parents’ respect as an adult

18:00 – Parenting with intention: how Ashley parents her 6-year-old differently

24:00 – Boundaries, being seen, and asking: “Do you still love me if I stop playing the role?”

27:00 – From people-pleasing to self-rediscovery

30:00 – Teaching her daughter consent, emotional processing, and critical thinking

33:00 – Passing on Dominican culture: food, dance, and summer trips to DR

36:00 – The “grandparent effect” – how they’re softer with grandkids

39:00 – Addressing mental health + the guilt of healing when they didn’t get to

46:00 – “Your ceiling is your kid’s floor”: rethinking generational privilege

50:00 – Do I owe my parents a seat at the table?

53:00 – Learning to say: I love you, and this still hurt me.

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In Part 2 of our conversation with Peruvian-American singer Marcel Ledoux, we explore music, identity, and the pressure to be culturally “authentic.” Marcel opens up about his artistic evolution, the tension between creativity and belonging, and what it means to reconnect with your heritage — even if you didn’t grow up speaking the language.

🎙️ We talk Drake, Bad Bunny, NSYNC, the power of vulnerability, and Marcel’s upcoming music project — built around identity, healing, and real-life emotions.

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – Previously on Growing Up Spanglish…

01:00 – Optimism bias & the illusion of safety

02:00 – A Black men’s book club, sparked by his son

03:00 – Why Bad Bunny feels authentic (and Drake doesn’t)

06:30 – What it means to “plant your flag” for your people

08:00 – Genre-hopping vs. cultural ownership

09:00 – Is Drake just playing a role?

10:30 – Take Care, vulnerability, and the “cool guy” shift

13:00 – Genre rules: why hip hop doesn’t get grace

14:00 – Shaboozey, cowboys & country rap

15:00 – When the music doesn’t match the story

16:00 – Can artists still evolve and be real?

17:30 – Artists who changed the game: GOAT talk

20:00 – Why authenticity always wins

21:00 – Marcel’s own musical evolution

24:30 – Happy-sad music & resisting the industry “product”

26:30 – Writing through depression: “Everything’s Fine”

29:00 – Why Marcel struggles with the “product” of being an artist

30:00 – Paying homage vs. crossing a cultural line

31:00 – The moment he was given “permission” to claim his Peruvian identity

34:00 – Roxy’s final words: This is your green light to explore your heritage

🎧 Part 1 is live now — go back and listen if you missed it!

👇 Like, rate & share if this episode spoke to you.

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Marcel Ledoux joins Roxy and Kovi to talk about growing up Peruvian-American, feeling disconnected from his culture, and the identity crisis that shaped his life. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, we explore what it means to feel like an outsider in your own culture, how therapy sparked a healing journey, and why reclaiming identity isn’t always simple.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Word of the Day: “Pertenencia”

01:50 – Can you be Hispanic and not feel like it?

03:10 – Marcel’s disconnect from his culture

05:20 – Cultural guilt and white-passing privilege

09:00 – Connecting to Peruvian roots through food

10:30 – Visiting Peru… someday

13:00 – Living in the past, present, or future?

17:30 – Regret, therapy, and father wounds

22:00 – Talking through trauma with family

24:30 – Releasing expectations of parents

28:50 – Seeing your parents as people

34:45 – Gender roles and emotional vulnerability in men

41:00 – Liking your partner vs. just loving them

45:00 – Loneliness, community, and the fear of being forgotten

48:00 – Divide within the Hispanic community

49:30 – Black and Hispanic solidarity: the tension and the truth

54:00 – If it can happen to them, it can happen to you

57:00 – Why community matters more than ever

🎙️ Part 2 drops next week — subscribe so you don’t miss it!

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In Part 2 of our powerful conversation with Miami artist @Coinslot, we dive deeper into the role of art in activism, why separating the artist from the art is so complex, and how today’s culture is shaped by social media, stan behavior, and censorship.

We also explore the making of his evolving universe of original characters, and the future of art in the age of AI and digital pressure.

This episode is about growth, nuance, and creating anyway — even when the world tries to cancel you.

Timestamps

00:00 – Picking up where we left off

01:00 – Lex the Copycat: The origin story

03:30 – Growing up as “the kid who drew”

05:00 – No participation trophies, only first place

06:00 – “I’m the next Walt Disney”

08:00 – Can you separate the art from the artist?

11:30 – R. Kelly, Kanye, Disney & cancel culture

15:00 – Stan culture and obsession online

20:00 – Social media, rage bait & fake outrage

24:30 – The loneliness behind keyboard warriors

25:00 – What makes art great in its time

27:00 – Artists being silenced by fear and platforms

29:00 – Blue chip art vs. social media influence

31:00 – NFTs, toxic communities & creative burnout

33:00 – Using AI as a tool, not a threat

34:00 – Building a comic book universe

36:00 – Why Miami needs a creative renaissance

38:00 – A gift that brings Coinslot to tears

39:00 – What this podcast is really about

🎙️ Hosted by @ohroxc & @kovi___j

🎥 Recorded at @co.labstudiosmiami

🧩 Guest: @coinslot

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In this powerful two-part episode, Roxy and KJ sit down with Cuban-Honduran artist Coinslot, whose bold art and bolder opinions have sparked conversation across Miami and online. From growing up in the 305 to navigating the politics of identity, immigration, and social media, this episode dives deep into the personal stories and cultural tensions that shape our communities.

Whether you agree or not, this episode is an open dialogue about why people believe what they believe — and why understanding that matters more than ever.

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – Word of the Day: “Chevere”

03:00 – Meet Coinslot: Art, culture, and growing up in Miami

06:00 – Family, immigration stories, and the artist hustle

08:30 – Social media: A necessary evil or toxic trap?

11:00 – AI, creativity, and losing jobs to the algorithm

14:00 – Are we living in a simulation?

16:00 – Media manipulation, riots, and algorithmic control

18:00 – Why did some immigrants vote for Trump?

21:00 – Colorism in Hispanic communities and political choices

23:00 – Controversy, criticism, and why Coinslot wore the red hat

26:00 – A personal story: Coinslot’s mom and the broken immigration system

29:00 – Cuba, the Bay of Pigs, and mistrust in U.S. policy

33:00 – KJ on history, economy, and pandemic-era fallout

36:00 – Proximity to whiteness and assimilation politics

39:00 – Where are the leaders? What we’ve lost since Malcolm X

41:00 – Final thoughts before the break: Hope, accountability, and change

This is just Part 1. Stay tuned for Part 2 next week where we explore Coinslot’s art, creative process, and more of the story behind the murals you know.

Recorded at CoLab Studios in the heart of Miami.

Follow us:

IG: @grwinupspanglish | @ohroxc | @kovi_j

Guest: @Coinslot

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What does it mean to create legacy when the system tells you you don’t belong?

In this powerful episode, Roxy and KJ sit down with Venezuelan-born creative and DACA recipient Dani Cardenas, founder of Tiny Stage Entertainment. Dani shares her family’s harrowing escape from political persecution in Venezuela, growing up undocumented in New York, and how she turned fear into fuel by building one of Miami’s most impactful creative platforms.

From immigration, identity, and internet culture to purpose, privilege, and community — this is one of our most vulnerable and eye-opening conversations to date.

🎧 Tap in to learn how purpose, community, and compassion can change everything.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro + Word of the Day: “Alcancé”

04:30 – Meet Dani Cardenas: Venezuelan roots & family history

07:20 – Fleeing Venezuela: Political persecution & survival

10:50 – Starting over in New York & moving to Miami

16:30 – Venezuela vs. U.S.: Propaganda, power & perspective

20:30 – The dangers of distraction & social media culture

26:45 – What is DACA? Dani’s story as a Dreamer

36:00 – Lobbying as an 8th grader + learning English in a year

40:00 – Being in legal limbo + what DACA really means

48:00 – Building Tiny Stage: From passion to community platform

54:00 – Miami’s creative scene then vs. now

1:00:00 – The loneliness epidemic & why real community matters

1:06:00 – What legacy looks like for Dreamers

1:10:00 – Purpose over popularity

1:13:00 – Final reflections + why compassion is key

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In this episode of Growing Up Spanglish, artist and curator Lauryn Lawrence joins Roxy and Kovi to talk about growing up Afro-Caribbean in South Florida, preserving culture through food, and choosing tenderness over transaction in art and identity. From stew peas and short hair to photography and feminism, Lauryn keeps it real, raw, and rooted.

Timestamp Guide:

[00:00:00] Intro + Spanish Word of the Day: Colegio

[00:02:50] Meet Lauryn Lawrence: Artist, curator, Afro-Latina storyteller

[00:04:10] Growing up in Miramar + favorite Caribbean dishes

[00:07:30] Food as cultural memory: stew peas, sancocho, family recipes

[00:10:00] The power of family archives and handwritten photo notes

[00:11:30] Photography as personal storytelling vs. freelance work

[00:14:45] Shifting from transactional to tender creative practice

[00:18:30] On being raised by storytellers + choosing an art path

[00:21:00] Switching majors, moving to London, and betting on purpose

[00:24:00] What curators actually do + intersectional feminist lens

[00:27:00] Feminism, womanhood, and personal definitions of freedom

[00:29:00] Hair politics, identity, and Lauryn’s big chop journey

[00:36:30] Roxy’s short hair rebellion + the “pixie intimidation” theory

[00:41:00] Body image, family affirmations, and internalized voices

[00:47:30] Curating the algorithm: digital self-defense tools

[00:51:30] Combating insecurity with presence, hobbies, and community

[00:55:00] Lauryn’s dream curations + championing visibility in art

[01:00:00] The power of showing up, softness, and shared storytelling

[01:03:30] Outro + Roselyn’s final thoughts

🎙 Hosted by: @ohroxc (Roxy) & Kovi

🎨 Guest: @laurynn_l , laurynlawrence.com

📍 Recorded at CoLab Studios, Miami www.letscolab.us

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After being sentenced to federal prison, Amanda and Legend wrote over 300 letters to each other — letters that would eventually become the foundation of their nonprofit, 300 Letters. In this powerful episode, they join Roselyn to share their journey from incarceration to inspiration.

We talk about:

Growing up in survival mode

What it really means to be labeled a “felon”

How incarceration impacts entire families — not just individuals

Rebuilding after prison, raising emotionally-aware sons, and founding a nonprofit that’s rewriting the system

This episode is raw, honest, and full of the kind of healing our community needs to hear.

🎧 Listen now and support Amanda and Legend’s work at 300letters.org.

🎭 Attend their Masquerade of Miracles Gala on June 5th in Miami → Get tickets here

📲 Follow them on Instagram: @300letters

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – Spanish Word of the Week: Embarazada

04:00 – Meet Amanda & Legend

08:00 – Growing up in survival mode

12:30 – From college student to indictment

17:00 – Why incarceration is a family issue

26:00 – Finding out she was pregnant in prison

31:00 – The truth about medical care while incarcerated

39:00 – The cost of prison on families

45:00 – Reentry and healing through 300 Letters

52:00 – Redefining “felon” and changing the narrative

1:07:00 – Raising emotionally-aware kids

1:13:00 – Starting a nonprofit as returning citizens

1:19:00 – Real success story from a 300 Letters family

1:22:00 – Gala info + final thoughts

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