Johanna Ferreira is a writer, journalist, and digital content creator/strategist. She previously worked as the Deputy Editor of HipLatina (under H Code Media) and is currently a freelance writer who has written and contributed compelling content for several notable media outlets and e-commerce beauty/lifestyle brands including Oprah Mag, Allure, Refinery29, Healthline, and more.

A passionate storyteller with close to 10 years of experience, Johanna understands the importance of creating content that speaks truth and representation of marginalized voices. Her work centers on various themes including Latina womanhood, culture, beauty, and wellness — often covered from a socio-perspective. She has hosted and moderated panels that aim to bring awareness to social issues and empowerment to underrepresented communities across race, class, and gender.

In this week’s episode, Johanna shares her experiences growing up as a Dominican in the US and how she found her voice. While her mother raised her to be proud of where she came from, she always wanted to explore the world beyond her family’s religious lifestyle. She kept asking questions, respectfully of course, and looking for more and more information. As an adult, her curiosity led her to pursue journalism where she could be the representation in media she didn’t see growing up. Tune in to hear more about how she broke through her family’s expectations and followed her dreams. 

Keep up with Johanna on their website and Instagram. 

For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

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Julissa S. Germosén 🇩🇴 is an award-winning technology leader with over two decades of experience leading teams in global enterprise sales, consulting, strategic alliances, product development, go-to-market strategy, and partner operations. She currently serves as CEO of Mariposa Blanca, a business strategy consulting firm. Her forthcoming book, Latina Madrina: Stories, Lessons, and Hard Truths from a Brown Latina in Tech, reflects her journey in the tech industry.

Throughout her career, Julissa has driven growth and competitive advantage for Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft and Salesforce, as well as tech startups. Julissa has had the honor of speaking at TEDxMSJC and numerous tech conferences, including Microsoft, Salesforce, HITEC, and LTX Connect. She has also been a keynote speaker at the National Hispanic Media Coalition and has spoken at Rutgers University and the New Jersey Statewide Latina Conference, among others.

As a proud immigrant from the Dominican Republic, Julissa is passionate about education and the Latinx community. She created the Latina Leadership Potential Award scholarship at Rutgers University to support Hispanic/Latina women. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science & Criminology from Rutgers University and a Diversity Management Graduate Certificate from Cornell University.

In this week’s episode, Julissa joins us in the podcast to tell us all about her new book Latina Madrina: Stories, Lessons, and Hard Truths from a Brown Latina in Tech. With almost twenty-five years of experience, Julissa knew that she had a wealth of information that needed to be shared with women who looked like her. She often felt so alone in her experiences that she never wanted any other Latinas to feel the same way. So, she’s sharing her best advice in her brand-new book and this interview. Tune in to hear more about Julissa’s book, her upbringing, and how she finally learned how to put herself first. 

Keep up with Julissa on her website and Instagram. 

For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

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Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez is serving her sixteenth term as Representative for New York's 7th Congressional District. In the 118th Congress, she is the Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee, a senior member of the Financial Services Committee, and a member of the House Committee on Natural Resources.

As a fighter for the equal rights of the underrepresented and a proponent of economic opportunity for the working class and poor, Congresswoman Velázquez combines sensibility and compassion as she works to encourage economic development, protect community health and the environment, combat crime and worker abuses, and secure access to affordable housing, quality education, and health care for all New York City families.

Katharine Pichardo-Erskine is a trailblazer who has melded political organizing expertise and executive leadership to become a widely recognized change-maker in the governmental, political, and civic arena. She took charge as Executive Director at Latino Victory with a mission perfectly suited to her 25 years of experience as a successful leader and passionate advocate: building political power within the Latino community and ensuring that Latino voices are included in the nation’s policy and fiscal agenda. 

Most recently, Katharine served as Senior Vice President at the MirRam Group, a top-tier New York-based strategic consulting firm where she has managed some of the firm’s most prominent portfolios. Between 2018 and 2022, Katharine also led the firm’s political arm, as President of the Hamilton Campaign Network (HCN).

In this week’s episode, we discuss Nydia’s twenty-five political career and how her contributions have improved our country. Nydia shares stories about the man who tried to sabotage her career, her spearheaded policies, and all the amazing ways she’s supported our community. And you can help support her, too! Latino representation in politics has always been an issue, but now is an amazing time for Latinas to join the cause. Tune in to this week’s episode to learn how. 

Keep up with Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez on her Instagram and her official website. 

Keep up with Katherine on her LinkedIn and the Latino Victory website. 

For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

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Melissa Llarena is an international Job Interview Coach, Published Author, and the host of the Mom Founder Imagination Hub podcast. She has been career coaching for over 20 years. She believes that you can play the cards in your favor during a job interview no matter how many cards you may feel are stacked up against you. She’s coached professionals around the world on how to effectively and confidently sell themselves during a job interview and helped millions through articles in Forbes, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, Financial Times, CNBC, and Fox Business.

In this week's episode, Melissa and I talk about her incredible journey of resiliency and entrepreneurship. Growing up her mother had a manic depressive disorder so that often meant that she was raising her mother more than her mother was raising her. Melissa had to grow up quickly, and I often meant being the person that she could count on the most. Now she feels as if there’s nothing outside of her reach. She funded her college career strictly through scholarship money, she's raising her kids while running a business, and she’s using her imagination to be her most powerful asset in that business. Tune into this week's episode to hear more about Melissa’s incredible story and how you can believe in yourself as much as she does. 

Keep up with Melissa on their website and Instagram. 

For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

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Michelle Barrionuevo-Mazzini is an Argentinian-Peruvian creative entrepreneur from the Bay Area and the owner of two small businesses.

Her first small business, MB Creative Co. is a boutique planning and design firm that has produced over 800 events both locally and abroad since its inception in 2004. Her events are creatively designed and seamlessly translated into an experience with depth and meaning for their discerning clientele. Many of their events have been featured in print and online publications such as Hola! Magazine, BRIDES, The Knot, Grace Ormonde, Marin Magazine, and Today’s Bride just to name a few. 

Amidst the pandemic, Michelle launched a second small business called CASITA MICHI. This California-based wellness brand celebrates culture through empowering and nostalgic candles, hand-poured with the planet in mind. With the lack of representation in the home fragrance space, she and her team set out to create a product that would inspire our community to practice self-care through intentional storytelling and culturally empowered phrases. In addition to being a brand that values sustainability and social good, they believe in the power of belonging through purposeful and intentional representation. 

In the Fall of 2021, CASITA MICHI became the first Latina-owned candle brand to debut at Macy's and their signature line of vegan coconut wax candles can be found both online and in 400+ Macy's stores across the U.S. They have been featured in USA Today, Hip Latina, Complex, NBC News, Refinery 29, Poderista, Good Housekeeping, Mujerista and Yahoo. 

In this week’s episode, Michelle shares her journey as an entrepreneur and how she invested in her creative worth. Throughout her life, Michelle has endured a ton of highs and lows - including a separation, the 2009 market crash, and the Covid pandemic. Through it all she persisted and has two incredible businesses that she uses to lift up the Latino community and her fellow entrepreneurs around her.

Check out Michelle’s episode for an incredible story of strength through resilience and confidence in her creative self.

Keep up with Michelle on their website and Instagram. 

For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

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Christine knew from a young age, that she wanted to use her skills to empower others. After recognizing her connection and passion for ceremonial cacao, yoga, and wellness, she realized that she was a magical being on the path to remembering.

Her book A Child of Magic, as well as the adapted screenplay Lana Livia and The Ancestral Magic, are both based on her own journey of remembrance, serving as a reminder to reconnect with the innate magic within and around us.

After her father took his life, she felt she had lost a part of herself that she’d never be able to connect with again. That is until she discovered Mayan cacao from Guatemala. While there, she reunited with her heart, her ancestry, and her ancestral plant medicine. She felt a clear connection and a deep knowing that she was meant to work with cacao ceremonially, not only for her own healing but for the healing of the world. Ever since this discovery, she’s been sharing cacao in the ceremony through The Maltyox (Gratitude) Method and her stories with communities worldwide.

After facilitating healing and transformation within many communities, including Poosh Wellness, Alo Yoga, and countless masterminds, she’s taken what she’s learned to write her next book — a guide for readers to experience full self-liberation through harnessing the power of gratitude.

Her wish is to cultivate love and enrich others' lives by sharing her gifts, her truth expression, and her magical creations. To embody gratitude, the love, light, & magic and inspire others to do the same. She hopes with all of my creations she can inspire others to live in their truth and tap into their magic.

In this week’s episode, Christine shares her recent spiritual experiences, including her journey to her ancestral lands. In Guatemala, she was able to reconnect with her roots and suppressed feelings. She learned about her ancestral spirituality and has dedicated herself to sharing this knowledge with Latin Americans who are also looking to tap into their roots. Listen to Christine’s episode to hear more about her incredible journey! 

Keep up with Christine on their website and Instagram. 

For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

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Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST.

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Katharine Pichardo-Erskine is a trailblazer who has melded political organizing expertise and executive leadership to become a widely recognized change-maker in the governmental, political, and civic arena. She takes charge as Executive Director at Latino Victory with a mission perfectly suited to her 25 years of experience as a successful leader and passionate advocate: building political power within the Latino community and ensuring that Latino voices are included in the nation’s policy and fiscal agenda. Today, Katharine is a sought-after strategist. She has appeared on various “power lists,” including City and State New York’s top political consultants list. She is also a regular political commentator on Telemundo as well as other media outlets in English and Spanish.

Sindy Marisol Benavides is the President and CEO of Latino Victory of Latino Victory, a progressive organization dedicated to building Latino political power at the local, state, and federal levels. Sindy is a recognized national civil rights leader deeply committed to uplifting the voices of vulnerable and underserved populations. With nearly two decades in the non-profit sector, Sindy has helped build organizations to scale from the bottom up through strategy development, governance, communication, partnerships, and outreach. As a proud Honduran-American, Sindy immigrated to the United States with her family and has experienced the American Dream. She now devotes her career to public service, ensuring that countless young people, women, and immigrants have the same opportunity. 

In this week’s episode, Katherine and Sindy join us for the first episode of a very special collaboration between the Latino Victory Fund and Hella Latin@! Our amazing guests discuss how they got into politics, why policymaking is so important to them, and how they are currently making a difference in American politics. If you have been disappointed in the state of our country, this episode is a breath of fresh air. Listen in to hear more about the actions Katherine and Sindy are taking to make immediate and long-term changes for the betterment of our communities. 

Keep up with Katherine on her LinkedIn and the Latino Victory website. 

Keep up with Sindy on her LinkedIn and the Latino Victory website. 

For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

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Yomarie "YoMo" Castellano is a proud Puerto Rican and female hair loss empowerment coach and advocate. As a hair loss warrior for the past 10 years due to Androgenic Alopecia, YoMo understands the emotional and physical impacts of hair loss. Her mission is to help women facing challenges in their hair loss journey reclaim their confidence, ignite their inner ch*ngona, and thrive through personalized coaching. She provides guidance and support to help women cultivate a positive self-image and navigate the obstacles surrounding hair loss. Hair Loss Bonita is YoMo's brand and movement, dedicated to empowering women with hair loss to embrace their inner beauty, reclaim their power, and overcome challenges.

In this week’s episode, YoMo opens up and shares her incredible story of strength and resilience. After leaving her abusive father with her family, YoMo settled in Milwaukee where she grew up. She later battled with alcoholism, the same disease she lost her father and grandfather. Now she’s five years sober and is now a female hair loss empowerment coach after losing much of her hair to alopecia. YoMo has become the representation she needed for thousands of women around the world. Tune in to hear how she became sober and what she’s doing to feel beautiful inside and out. 

Keep up with YoMo on their website and Instagram. 

For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

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Karen Santos is a Peruvian American portrait and branding photographer whose specialty lies in creating images that are dynamic, colorful, soulful, and honest. She's really passionate about using her creative medium to highlight and celebrate communities of color, particularly our Latino community. She believes that imagery has the power to elevate marginalized communities through positive representation. She runs her own photo studio in Oakland, California, and travels to New York and LA often for photography commissions.

In this week’s episode, Karen shares how her months-long sabbatical to explore her Peruvian heritage changed her life forever. After finding out she was 87% Indigenous Andean, she wanted to learn more about where she came from and how that affected her artistic style and her never-ending work ethic. Now, she’s a portrait photographer specializing in the most eye-catching headshots we’ve ever seen! Through her work, she’s connected with the most amazing network of women role models from every industry. Fun fact: we met at a networking event in Silicon Valley and I hired her for an event at LinkedIn! Today, Karen is looking forward to enjoying a soft life and embracing a vibrant future. Listen to Karen’s episode to learn more! 

Keep up with Karen on their website and Instagram. 

For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

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Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST.

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Mariana Fernández's journey as a fitness instructor is deeply rooted in her upbringing and fueled by a passion for empowering others. Born in Tampico, Mexico, and raised in San Diego with a family of athletes, Mariana's early experiences instilled in her a love for movement and a profound understanding of the mind-body connection.

Drawing from her diverse background in theater arts and fitness, Mariana seamlessly blends her expertise into her teaching style. Her classes at Peloton, which she joined in 2020, encompass a wide range of offerings, from invigorating yoga flows to tread classes and meditations designed to cultivate inner peace and happiness. Whether guiding students through mindful movements on the mat or inspiring them to find their stride on the tread, Mariana's classes are a reflection of her commitment to holistic well-being.

Central to Mariana's teaching philosophy is the desire to bridge the gap between physical and mental wellness while honoring her Mexican heritage. Through her classes, she infuses elements of Mexican culture, creating a space where her community feels seen and celebrated. Mariana's teaching approach is characterized by a unique blend of warmth, tough love, and infectious energy, creating an environment where students are encouraged to push beyond their limits, no matter where they are on their fitness journey. 

Mariana's goal remains the same in every class: to empower her students to embrace their full potential in practice and in life. With her unwavering dedication to uplifting others and her dynamic teaching style, she invites her community to join her on a journey of self-discovery, transformation, and joy.

In this week’s episode, Mariana Fernández shares her journey of living between Mexico and the U.S., feeling both too Mexican to be a foreigner and too foreign to be a true Chilanga. As Peloton’s first bilingual instructor, she discusses the importance of picking herself up, staying true to herself, and not letting challenges define her. Mariana also acknowledges the need for Latinos to fight for respect and opportunities, and how supporting each other with compassion and empathy can help us all thrive. Tune in for an incredible episode with this amazing person! 

Keep up with Mariana on her Instagram. 

For all Hella Latin@ updates, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

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Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST.

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