Journeys Podcast

Leonina Arismendi is an immigrant from Uruguay who has lived many lives — as an artist, a civil rights activist, and now a published author. Their story has taken many turns, but the running thread has always been about creation: finding a career in art, establishing safe spaces for marginalized artists, building grassroots organizations from the ground up, and now helping migrant farmers share their stories through Farmer’s Footprint for the past three years.

Leonina is currently working on a series of writings in Spanish for News Latino Today supporting communities in North Carolina and beyond with information on the impact of climate change. They currently serve as a Lead Prevention Ambassador for Young Gifted and Green and a Climate Reality Leader in DC. They also received one of eight inaugural Environmental Artivist Fellowships of 2024 from Social Arts and Culture and the Aspen Institute’s Arts Program, and is currently co-working on a public arts project in Ward 5. Listen to the episode to hear how Leonina has found a sense of power as an undocumented parent, and prioritizes work that’s rooted in joy.

The organizations mentioned in this episode include:

Defensores de la Cuenca

Young, Gifted & Green™

Iglesia del Pueblo Freedom Church of the Poor

Photo by Gabriela Paola Franco Peña and Ben Israel for Nature Forward’s Pertenecido: Nuestras Raíces, Nuestra Tierra: A Naturally Latinos Photo Book.

On our sixth episode of the fourth season of Journeys, we sit down with two-time Olympic rower for Team USA and co-founder of Peruvian Brothers Giuseppe Lanzone. Giuseppe discusses the sacrifices it takes to make the Olympics, recapturing your heritage, and starting a business as an immigrant.

Music: Ketsa - Acid Road

On our next episode of the fourth season of Journeys, we chat with Rola Z, the creator of Funny Arabs Show, DC's only Dark Comedy Show and Co-founder of DC Traumedy Festival. Rola discusses her experience finding community and bonding with people through comedy to get through trauma.

Music: Ketsa - Acid Road

On our fourth episode of the fourth season of Journeys is Mariia Ulianovska, a Ukrainian journalist and documentary filmmaker. Mariia discusses her experience with American bureaucracy and what we lose when we leave home.

Music: Ketsa - Acid Road

On our third episode of the fourth season of Journeys is Adele Yiseol Kenworthy, a first generation Korean American artist-organizer . On this episode, Adele discusses her art, how she does community engagement through art, and what social practice means to her.

Music: Ketsa - Acid Road

On our second episode of the fourth season of Journeys is Mahima Patel, whose family originally moved to the US from India. Mahima discusses her experience being the eldest daughter in an immigrant family and how she has worked to move away from hyper-independence.

Welcome to Season 4 of Journeys! Our first guest is Yasmin Elhady, an attorney and comedian who fled with her family to the US from Libya. She explains what wearing hijab means to her, how to stand up for herself and others, and how communities can find meaning and healing in comedy.

Music: Ketsa - Acid Road

Follow Stella's "love journey" from Armenia to the U.S., where she opened Yerevan Cafe in the heart of Adam’s Morgan with her husband in 2021. In this episode, Stella shares her perspective on approaching cultural diversity with curiosity, bringing a slice of Armenian life to DC, and the meaning behind Armenian apricots' unique flavor.

Music: Ketsa - Acid Road

Join us as we hear from Liz Kleinrock (she/her), a Korean-American transracial adoptee, queer, Jewish, anti-bias and anti-racist educator, facilitator, and author. In this episode, we discuss Liz’s experience growing up as an intercountry, interracial adoptee, her current work in raising awareness in the intercountry adoptee community, and her upcoming second book. In 2018, Liz received the Teaching Tolerance Award for Excellence in Teaching, and in 2019 delivered her TED Talk, “How to teach kids to talk about taboo topics." In the spring of 2021, Liz released her first book, “Start Here, Start Now: A Guide to Antibias and Antiracist Work in Your School Community.”

Yao Zhao is a man on a mission. In his family’s home in China, sichuan peppers were a culinary staple, and now he’s determined to expose the world to the unique, tingly spice. On this episode of KAMA Journeys, he tells us about the cooking experience that inspired his business “50Hertz Tingly Foods,” the story behind its creative name, and why exactly he’s so passionate about sharing Sichuan’s magic with everyone he meets.