Intersectionality in the Diaspora

In this episode we are joined by josh martinez, an anti-racist cis gay man with Mexican and Sri Lankan ancestry. josh loves trying to understand systems and the systems that build those systems, while moving anti-racism and equity theory into reality. He writes weekly about viewing systems, processes, and the world through an anti-racist lens at the website bethefuture.space. We are thrilled to have him join us to share his perspectives and insights on how to navigate, survive and thrive within PWIs.

We’re kicking off season 2 with a series on Surviving Predominantly White Institutions. Our first episode takes us into a journey of unpacking and revisiting our earliest experiences within PWIs, the realizations of being a racialized being in these spaces and most importantly WHY there’s a need to survive and ultimately get out! Content Warning: Racism, work-related trauma, medical racism- *EDIT* the doctor mentioned is Dr Susan Moore, who was in Indiana (not Ohio, as originally stated). https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/23/us/susan-moore-black-doctor-indiana.html

After domestic terrorists stormed the capitol, we wanted to share some words of affirmation and love to our listeners.

Clara and Melo discuss different ways they’ve had to adapt to American/White culture as children of immigrants; clara shares her experience from a neurodivergent perspective; melody has a realization. CW: mental health, eating disorders, systemic racism, navigating predominantly white institutions, ableism, antiblackness and family dynamics

September is Suicide Prevention Month and to normalize and destigmatize the topic of suicide, we decide to talk about it! Join us as we navigate the impacts of generational trauma compounded with current events, what we wish we’d known and what we can do now to raise awareness and support our community.... CW: death, suicide, eating disorders, self-harm, childhood trauma

Join Melo and Clara as they unpack aspects of trauma bonding and its impact on relationships with others and the self. We apply a different perspective to trauma bonding and dive into how this application helps in healing, growth and resiliency. CW: family dynamics, eating disorders, body talk, daddy issues (yep!) and the pandemic

Clara y Melo navigate generational trauma and the inherited fears of our ancestors; we discuss the parallels of the current political climate in the US and that of the civil war in ES/CentAm, how we process the emotions and new findings while finding joy in the midst of all the chaos and pain.

Melo and Clara explore how 4th of July has manifested over the years for them, the connection to the BLM movement and the challenges they’ve faced in speaking their truth.

Join us as we take a trip down memory lane and discuss the novelas and tv shows that influenced us as kids; when we first saw ourselves represented on the big screen and some of the ways anti-blackness has been normalized en nuestra casa.

Today Melo y Clara discuss observations of anti-blackness in their early life and process its impacts on our lives today. The conversation is in and of itself difficult, uncomfortable and absolutely necessary to begin dismantling our own internalized racism.