Comedian Ian Lara joins me for a conversation about identity, creativity, first-gen expectations and learning to become more yourself.

Born to Dominican parents and raised in Queens, Ian reflects on growing up Afro-Latino, navigating the complexity of identity, and the experience of leaving New York and realizing how often people outside of his community misunderstood who he was.

In this episode, he talks about studying political science and economics with plans for law school to pursuing stand-up comedy after discovering a passion for the craft. What followed were years of open mics, writing, performing and slowly building a career that eventually led to Comedy Central, The Tonight Show and his HBO special Romantic Comedy.

We get into the reality of making a living as a creative, the importance of repetition and practice, and why Ian believes pursuing a creative career requires a balance of delusion and self-doubt.

Tune in to hear about all things comedy, dating, Dominican culture, colorism, representation, and the process of figuring out what parts of ourselves we want to carry forward and the parts we're ready to redefine.

---

Follow Hella Latin@ for more updates on upcoming episodes and events. Connect on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠, and learn more at ⁠⁠hellalatina.com⁠⁠.

Episode filmed live at Sueños Social Club in LA.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some artists write about who they are, others write about who they’ll become. Bucki Sugar documents the experience at both ends and the one in between.

In this Hella Latin@ episode, Odalys Jasmine sits down with Los Angeles rapper, producer, and songwriter Bucki Sugar for one of the most thoughtful conversations on creativity, identity, faith, and transformation.

Born to Egyptian parents and raised between Florida and Egypt, Bucki reflects on what it means to grow up between cultures, navigate questions of identity, and carry the dreams of immigrant parents while finding your own voice.

Together, they explore how music became more than self-expression, it became a practice of healing.

Bucki opens up about writing through grief, learning to create from a place of hope instead of self-destruction, and why his music captures not only who he is today, but every version of himself along the way.

We also dive into spirituality, patience, vulnerability, and the creative process. If you've ever wondered how artists turn life into art or how people become who they're meant to be — this conversation is for you.

About Bucki Sugar:

The Los Angeles based rapper / producer / songwriter approaches hip-hop as a process of transformation, using vivid imagery, layered lyricism, and soulful, atmospheric production to explore the moments that reshape a person. His music moves through grief, faith, memory, identity, and self-discovery. Not only as fixed ideas but as evolving states of being.

Bucki Sugar embraces life’s uncertainty and it comes through in his artistry. His songs reward repeat listens, revealing new connections between personal reflection and universal experience, while remaining emotionally direct at their core. The result is music that feels lived-in — intimate enough to resemble journal entries, yet expansive enough for listeners to find their own stories within them.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Odalys Jasmine sits with 3 Bronx natives — Joél Leon, Naley by Nature, and Jasmine Ruíz — to talk liberation, capitalism, healing, and imagining new systems.

Together, we explore how their personal journeys from navigating diaspora identity and systemic oppression to embracing spirituality and community, have shaped their understanding of freedom.

The conversation asks deeper questions like:

From Puerto Rican identity and post-9/11 experiences to mindfulness, social media, faith, conflict resolution, and the contradictions of this modern life, this episode is an invitation to slow down, get curious, and imagine a better world for the collective. It also challenges us to think beyond systems of oppression and ask: What are we building instead?

--

Joel Leon is a Bronx-born writer, performer, storyteller, father, and creative facilitator whose work explores healing, identity, vulnerability, and collective liberation. Through poetry, performance, and community engagement, he creates spaces for deeper conversations around emotional well-being, masculinity, and human connection.

Jasmine Ruiz is a Puerto Rican content creator, actress, comedian, and writer from the Bronx. Known for her humorous and insightful commentary on family dynamics, cycle breaking, first-generation experiences, and navigating adulthood, she uses storytelling and comedy to make difficult conversations more accessible.

Naley is the founder of Naley by Nature. She's a storyteller, writer, and geopolitical content creator whose work bridges politics, spirituality, culture, and global liberation movements. Through thoughtful analysis and compassionate storytelling, she helps audiences connect world events to larger questions of humanity, justice, and collective responsibility.

This conversation with Joel, Jasmine, and Naley reminds us that liberation is a constant practice.

---

Follow Hella Latin@ for more updates on upcoming episodes and events. Connect on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠TikTok⁠, join the conversation on ⁠LinkedIn⁠, and learn more at ⁠odalysjasmine.com⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I sit down with the one and only Aida Rodriguez - comedian, author, storyteller, and cultural commentator - for a deeply personal and expansive conversation on identity, ancestry, spirituality, womanhood, and what it means to reclaim ourselves in a world that constantly asks us to shrink.

Together, we unpack pieces of her memoir, Legitimate Kid. From her Afro-Indigenous identity and the ongoing impact of colonization, to the importance of preserving our ancestral wisdom and why education begins with our grandparents' stories.

Aida shares her journey of evolving beyond labels, embracing her Blackness and Indigenous roots, and learning to belong deeply to herself. This episode is a reminder that liberation begins within.

"As much as they've tried to get rid of us, we're still here. That's magic."

---

Follow Hella Latin@ for more updates on upcoming episodes and events. Connect on Instagram and TikTok, join the conversation on LinkedIn, and learn more at odalysjasmine.com.

Episode filmed live at Sueños Social Club in LA.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hella Latin@ brought the LA community back for another live, intimate podcast experience where we explore the stories we carry, the cultures we straddle, and solidarity amongst our communities.

This conversation centers on how to create a life rooted in creative expression while operating under capitalism. We know art isn't always profitable, and add coming from Black, Brown, Latino or working class immigrant families — there's often pressure to build stability.

So, how do you alchemize the pressure and apply purpose? How do we live a sustainable and fulfilling life of art, passion and abundance? How do we use art as a tool for self- and collective liberation?

I invited three multi-hyphenated creatives to come back on the podcast and share their journey and wisdom. Their lives being a breathing example of what it looks like to build a life rooted in self expression no matter the odds.

Guests:

Choosey - Afro-Chicano Rapper and Hip Hop Artist 🇲🇽

B0ryan - Salvadorean Rapper and Creative Entrepreneur 🇸🇻

Brianna Meighan - Creative Entrepreneur 🇧🇿

Odalys Jasmine (Host) - Hella Latin@ Podcast 🇭🇳

Episode filmed live at Sueños Social Club in LA. Follow Hella Latin@ for more updates on upcoming episodes and events.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Hella Latin@, Odalys Jasmine sits down with B0ryan — a first-gen Salvadoran creative to talk identity, resilience, and what it really means to create not from survival, but from truth.

From growing up in a Central American household shaped by immigration and a strong lineage of women, to navigating assimilation, football, creative entrepreneurship, fashion and music — this conversation dives deep into first-gen pressure, healing, and building a life rooted in authenticity rather than expectation.

Today, ⁠B0ryan⁠ channels his voice, creativity, and lived experience into art and design through ⁠Pirate⁠, and storytelling through ⁠music⁠. Grab your cafecito and tune in for a powerful reflection on culture, art as therapy, reclaiming identity, and redefining success on your own terms.

Keep up with Hella Latin@ episodes, events, and experiences here: ⁠www.hellalatina.com⁠

Want a glimpse into the chisme? Together, they explore:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Hella Latin@, Odalys Jasmine sits down with Daniel Ordóñez — a Haitian-Salvadorean entrepreneur and creative director — for a deeply reflective conversation on legacy, identity, masculinity, and purpose.

As a first-generation LA native, Daniel's passion for creativity and making an impact led him to Saints – a unique concept store redefining the barbershop and boutique experience, cultivating a space where he can empower his community through style, self-care, grooming, and unique experiences.

In this episode, he shares his family’s immigration story from El Salvador and Haiti, to growing up in Pico Union, to being bused into affluent West LA schools, and to building his legacy.

Together, they explore what it means to live in the in-between as a first-generation Afro-Latino, how love at home builds unshakable confidence, and why failure is simply data on the path forward. From being kicked out of school to finding discipline and building a business rooted in purpose rather than assimilation — this episode is all about becoming who our ancestors prayed for.

Keep up with Hella Latin@ episodes, events and experiences at www.odalysjasmine.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this powerful episode of Hella Latin@, Odalys Jasmine sits down with Brianna, a first-generation Belizean-American creative from Los Angeles whose work lives at the intersection of art, innovation, culture, and connection.

Grounded in her Belizean roots and shaped by her lived experience as the daughter of immigrants, Brianna brings a powerful lens to conversations about identity, belonging, and what it means to grow up “Latino adjacent.” Through honesty and vulnerability, Brianna shares how assimilation, family expectations, language, colorism, and diaspora shape her identity — and how she learned to create her own sense of belonging when none felt clearly defined.

The two dive into:

This conversation honors the beauty of Belizean culture while spotlighting the universal first-gen journey — identity confusion, quiet resilience, responsibility, community, and the work of embracing every part of yourself.

A love letter to anyone growing up between worlds.

Connect with Brianna on Instagram and keep up with Hella Latin@ episodes, events and experiences here: www.odalysjasmine.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Odalys Jasmine (Host) sits down with Sandy Correa and Ana Gaona, the founders of Two Peacocks Travel, to explore the themes of empowerment, cultural identity, and the transformative power of travel. They share their experiences as first-generation Latinas, the journey that led to founding their travel company, and the importance of building community among women.

In this episode, we dive into:

✨ Key Takeaways:

Connect with Two Peacocks Travel! And keep up with Hella Latin@ on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or any other channel you follow us.

Subscribe and share! If you’re ready to explore, reclaim, and live fully, this episode is for you.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Hella Latin@, host Odalys Jasmine sits down live in-studio with author and actor Christopher Rivas, lawyer and content creator Farah Fezz, and DJ and dancer Love Baila for a dynamic conversation on identity, solidarity, and liberation. Together, they unpack what it means to live in the in-between — as first-generation individuals and bodies of culture navigating layered identities and cultural narratives within a western system. How do we reclaim stories through art and community, and build bridges toward collective freedom? We dive into it all.

Episode Highlights

This dialogue is a reminder that liberation is not a solo journey but a collective one. It’s about building bridges across cultures, honoring our legacies, and staying present in the moments that define us.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices