Latino Rebels Radio

By Futuro Media and PRX

What's Latino Rebels Radio about?

Commentary, news and analysis of the U.S. Latino world. Engaging traviesos. A 2019 iHeart Radio Podcast Awards nominee for Best Multicultural Podcast hosted by award-wining journalist Julio Ricardo Varela.

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Latino Rebels Radio episodes:

09.29.2023
Neuro-Inclusivity, Belonging and Radical Hospitality
Latino Rebels Radio goes on the road for a live podcast recording at Mitchell College in New London, Connecticut. Host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes seven students to discuss how a college such as Mitchell is creating more welcoming, accessible living...
09.21.2023
From 2022: Long Live Punk
From Peru to Mexico to the Lower East Side, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela breaks down the Latino and Latina pioneers who influenced punk rock with guests Ceci Bastida and Núria Net, part of the creative team behind...
09.14.2023
From 2022: Juan González's Harvest of Empire
Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela proudly welcomes award-winning journalist and Democracy Now! co-host Juan González to discuss the second revision of his legendary book and how it relates to recent events. They talk about the current Summit of...
09.06.2023
American Homeboy
We welcome The Daily Chela founder Brandon Loran Maxwell to discuss his new film, American Homeboy, for a nuanced discussion of Cholo culture and how it still influences pop culture today.
09.01.2023
¡Viva Mia Zapata!
Latino Rebels Radio producer Oscar Fernandez steps in to guest host as he welcomes true-crime novelist H. Allegra Lansing to discuss the forgotten legacy of ‘90s grunge rock singer Mia Zapata.
08.24.2023
Democracy in Doubt
Following a historic election victory by the progressive Semilla Party in Guatemala, Latino Rebels Radio producer Oscar Fernandez steps in as guest host to welcome Marco Fonseca, Instructor of Latin American and International Studies at York University in Canada, to...
08.17.2023
A More Level Playing Field
The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup has featured new stars, new upset victories, and the rise of future title contenders. To discuss the surprise success of non-European teams at the tournament, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes back...
08.10.2023
All the Other Barbies
In this special episode of Latino Rebels Radio ---originally aired on the Futuro podcast In The Thick--- host Julio Ricardo Varela is joined by Futuro Media editorial director Fernanda Santos for a roundtable discussion with Dr. Aria Halliday, an associate...
08.03.2023
Oppenheimer’s Nuclear Colonialism
With the release of the blockbuster film 'Oppenheimer,' Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Myrriah Gomez, assistant professor at the University of New Mexico and author of 'Nuclear Nuevo México: Colonialism and the Effects of the Nuclear Industrial...
07.27.2023
A Conversation with Esmeralda Santiago
Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela proudly welcomes acclaimed Puerto Rican writer Esmeralda Santiago for a lively discussion about her latest novel, Las Madres, and the importance of becoming visible in the American landscape through literature.
07.20.2023
Hotel Workers Strike Back
On this episode, Hector Luis Alamo, senior editor of Latino Rebels, steps in as guest host to speak with Ada Briceño, co-president of Unite Here! Local 11, and Diana Rios Sanchez, a striking hotel worker, about the hotel workers' strike in...
07.13.2023
No Water for You
Amid a record breaking heat wave throughout Texas that has led to several heat-related deaths, Gov. Greg Abbott has signed a bill eliminating mandatory water breaks for construction workers. Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Daniela Hernandez, state legislative...
07.06.2023
Supreme Court of Politics
Affirmative action struck down in college admissions. LGBTQ rights limited. Student loan relief blocked. Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Vanity Fair legal affairs contributor Cristian Farias to discuss the latest round of Supreme Court rulings plagued by...
06.29.2023
Sports Con Sazón
Latino Rebels senior editor Hector Luis Alamo steps in as guest host to welcome sports journalist Bryan Fonseca for a knockout conversation on the future of Puerto Rican boxing, history made at the NBA draft, and Boricua representation in pro...
06.22.2023
SOS Central America
This week, Latino Rebels Radio is proud to present the first episode of SOS Central America, hosted by Maria Martin, creator and founding team member of Latino USA. In this episode, Maria examines the arrest of journalist and president of the...
06.15.2023
After Sacramento and Martha's Vineyard
Following another series of migrant flights by Florida governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Autumn Gonzalez and Iván Espinoza-Madrigal to discuss the latest political stunt in Sacramento, how it is a...
06.08.2023
Flamin' Hot
Latino Rebels entertainment correspondent Cristina Escobar steps into the host seat again to talk with Linda Yvette Chavez, writer of the upcoming film ‘Flamin’ Hot,’ about the importance of family and community to both the filmmaking process and the extraordinary...
06.01.2023
Ignoring Latino History
In this episode, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes professors Lilia Fernández and Ana Patricia Rodríguez to discuss why so much U.S. Latino history is missing in textbooks and how it eventually extends to issues of imperialism. Lilia Fernández...
05.25.2023
Boycotting DeSantis
With Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis launching his 2024 presidential campaign this week after passing a slew of anti-immigrant measures, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes freelance writer and LR contributor Arturo Domínguez to discuss how some Latino truckers...
05.18.2023
Hollywood Writers Strike
As the Writer's Guild of America goes on strike and brings the entertainment industry to a halt, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes writer and producer Erick Galindo to discuss the importance of fighting for better working wages and fair representation in...
05.11.2023
A Nation of Hating Immigrants
Amid a wave of anti-immigrant rhetoric and violence, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Roberto Lopez, Senior Advocacy Manager for the Texas Civil Rights Project, to discuss the circumstances around the tragedy in Brownsville, Texas, and how the...
05.04.2023
Trans Voices Silenced
Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Pita Juarez, Vice President of Communications for LGBTQ+ Victory Fund and Institute, to discuss Trans voices being silenced by Republicans following the censure of Montana transgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyr and the importance...
04.27.2023
Chief Drug Smuggler
In the wake of a wild story out of San Jose, California, where the head of the police union was charged with smuggling fentanyl into the country, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes investigative journalist Jonah Owen Lamb...
04.20.2023
Leguizamo Does Latino Rebels
Latino Rebels entertainment correspondent Cristina Escobar steps into the host seat for a conversation with actor and comedian John Leguizamo to discuss his passion and activism in Hollywood as well as his new show on MSNBC, "Leguizamo Does America."
04.13.2023
Latino Rebels Sports Special
On a special episode of Latino Rebels Radio, sports correspondent Bryan Fonseca turns the tables on host Julio Ricardo Varela as they discuss the impact of this year's World Baseball Classic, the controversy around Twitter Blue, and Julio's love and...
04.06.2023
Labor Victory in L.A. Schools
Many service employees in Los Angeles' school district work two or three jobs to make ends meet, while still living below the poverty line. Some are even unhoused. For this episode of Latino Rebels Radio, host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Roosevelt...
03.30.2023
Protect Children, Not Guns
Another mass shooting, this time in Nashville, has once again raised the issue of gun control and the inaction of lawmakers to do anything about it. In this episode of Latino Rebels Radio, host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Oscar Juarez-Luna,...
03.23.2023
LGBTQ Rights Under Attack
"Y'all means all!" goes the pro-LGBTQ slogan in Texas, but judging by the bills being introduced and passed in states across the country, many conservative lawmakers clearly disagree. On this episode, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Karma...
03.16.2023
Migrant Child Labor Exposed
Head splitters. Bandsaws. Exposure to Covid. Following a series of reports on migrant children being exploited in the meatpacking industry, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Rose Godinez, legal and policy counsel for the Nebraska chapter of the ACLU...
03.09.2023
Haitian Women Make Soccer History
Haiti is going to the Women's World Cup! Following this historic achievement last month by Haiti's national women's soccer team, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Brenda Elsey, professor at Hofstra University and co-host of the Burn...
03.02.2023
Miss Coppin State Speaks
On this episode of Latino Rebels Radio, host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Keylin Perez, the first Latina to be named Miss Coppin State at the historically Black university in Baltimore, Maryland, to discuss the backlash she has received online versus...
02.23.2023
Crabs in a Bucket
Is George Lopez out of touch by disparaging up-and-coming comedian Ralph Barbosa? Latino Rebels’ Senior Editor Hector Luis Alamo steps in as guest host this week to break down the George Lopez/Ralph Barbosa controversy with entertainment correspondent Cristina Escobar and...
02.16.2023
Puerto Rico's Land Defenders
The private seizure of public lands. Regulations that go unenforced. Serious environmental damage. Growing public discontent. One activist shot. On this episode of Latino Rebels Radio, host Julio Ricardo Varela speaks with Latino Rebels' Caribbean correspondent Carlos Edill Berríos Polanco...
02.09.2023
Combating Anti-History
While the fight for African American studies continues in Florida, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Sean Arce, the former co-founder of the Mexican American Raza Studies Program in Tucson, Arizona to draw parallels to the current battle...
02.02.2023
Rest in Power
On this episode of Latino Rebels Radio, host Julio Ricardo Varela speaks with President and General Counsel for LatinoJustice PRLDEF Lourdes Rosado about the latest shocking example of police violence in Memphis and why the death of Tyre Nichols should...
01.26.2023
The Hollywood Report
It's award season, which means it's time for Latino Rebels to return to Hollywood to see if real gains have been made by Latinos and Latinas in film during the past year. Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes...
01.24.2023
La Brega, Temporada 2: La experiencia boricua en ocho canciones
Conocida como la isla donde hasta las piedras cantan, Puerto Rico alberga una vertiginosa amplitud de expresión musical. Desde los boleristas líricos de la década de 1930 hasta los salseros eléctricos de los 70 y los reggaetoneros de hoy que...
01.19.2023
Peru's Failed Democratic Transition
As Peru faces another political crisis following the impeachment of former president Pedro Castillo last month, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Peruvian professor Roger Merino to discuss how the right wing is playing a dangerous democratic game...
01.12.2023
Brazil, Biden and the Border
Following a week that included a failed coup attempt in Brazil by followers of former president Jair Bolsonaro and U.S. president Joe Biden receiving heavy criticism for expanding Trump-era immigration policy, what parallels can be drawn from these events? Latino...
01.05.2023
Lula Returns
With the return of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as Brazil's president and the hope of Brazilian democracy being renewed, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela begins the new year by speaking with Brazil-based freelance journalist Michael Fox on...
12.29.2022
Anti-Black Latino Bias
While Futuro Media remains on holiday break, Latino Rebels Radio producer Oscar Fernández steps in once again for another episode of the Latino Media Collective. Oscar spends the hour with Professor Tanya Katerí Hernández to discuss her recent book, “Racial Innocence:...
12.22.2022
Undocumented & LGBTQ: Julio Salgado
It’s time for the annual holiday break at Futuro Media, which means it’s also time for our producer Oscar Fernández to step in with another episode of the Latino Media Collective. In this episode, Oscar welcomes visual artist and longtime friend...
12.15.2022
Journalism Is Not a Crime
Why is military-grade spyware being used against journalists? Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela searches for answers by speaking with El Faro reporter Nelson Rauda to discuss the use of Pegasus spyware in El Salvador and why it should...
12.08.2022
The Latino TV Boom
Following the huge success of “Wednesday” on Netflix, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes entertainment correspondent Cristina Escobar to look back on an outstanding year for Latino representation in Hollywood.
12.01.2022
Futuro Investigates
On this episode of Latino Rebels Radio, host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Futuro Media senior producers Julieta Martinelli and Roxanne Scott to discuss the debut Futuro Investigates story about the dangers migrants face in the Arizona desert. “Death by Policy: Crisis...
11.24.2022
Rethinking Thanksgiving
Latino Rebels Senior Editor Hector Luis Alamo returns as guest host and welcomes Rhonda LeValdo to break away from romanticized narratives of Thanksgiving and deconstruct the facade of turkey day. LeValdo is a citizen of Acoma Pueblo and a professor...
11.17.2022
No More Sleeping Giant
Following a midterm election cycle that defied predictions of a red wave, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Chuck Rocha —president of Solidarity Strategies and co-host of The Latino Vote podcast— to break down the complexity of Latino...
11.10.2022
Messi's Final Shot
Just days before the start of the 2022 World Cup, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Jasmine Garsd, host of the new podcast The Last Cup, to discuss how the journey of Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi runs parallel...
11.03.2022
Lula vs. Bolsonaro: Round 2
Amid a sense of apprehension over the future of Brazilian democracy, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Roberta Braga, director of counter-disinformation strategies at Equis, to break down the contentious and highly competitive second round of Brazil's presidential...
10.27.2022
Winning Over Latino Voters
In the lead-up to the November midterm elections, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Gustavo Sánchez of IZQ Strategies to talk about Futuro Media's first poll of Latino voters and what it could mean for key races in...

What's Latino Rebels Radio about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Latino Rebels Radio episodes:

Neuro-Inclusivity, Belonging and Radical Hospitality

From 2022: Long Live Punk

From 2022: Juan González's Harvest of Empire

American Homeboy

¡Viva Mia Zapata!

Democracy in Doubt

A More Level Playing Field

All the Other Barbies

Oppenheimer’s Nuclear Colonialism

A Conversation with Esmeralda Santiago

Hotel Workers Strike Back

No Water for You

Supreme Court of Politics

Sports Con Sazón

SOS Central America

After Sacramento and Martha's Vineyard

Flamin' Hot

Ignoring Latino History

Boycotting DeSantis

Hollywood Writers Strike

A Nation of Hating Immigrants

Trans Voices Silenced

Chief Drug Smuggler

Leguizamo Does Latino Rebels

Latino Rebels Sports Special

Labor Victory in L.A. Schools

Protect Children, Not Guns

LGBTQ Rights Under Attack

Migrant Child Labor Exposed

Haitian Women Make Soccer History

Miss Coppin State Speaks

Crabs in a Bucket

Puerto Rico's Land Defenders

Combating Anti-History

Rest in Power

The Hollywood Report

La Brega, Temporada 2: La experiencia boricua en ocho canciones

Peru's Failed Democratic Transition

Brazil, Biden and the Border

Lula Returns

Anti-Black Latino Bias

Undocumented & LGBTQ: Julio Salgado

Journalism Is Not a Crime

The Latino TV Boom

Futuro Investigates

Rethinking Thanksgiving

No More Sleeping Giant

Messi's Final Shot

Lula vs. Bolsonaro: Round 2

Winning Over Latino Voters