Last week we dove into the history of the land and the hispanos who lived in Los Alamos when the government and Oppenheimer came to town - that’s right the land was not “unoccupied”, as the movie would have us believe. Hundreds of native ranchers and their families were forced off their lands and their livelihoods, and subsequently had no choice but to work at the labs.

TODAY, in part two, best-selling author and award-winning journalist Alisa Lynn Valdés brings us the story of LOYDA MARTINEZ. Loyda’s father was one of the men that was forced off his land and who worked in the labs where him and his fellow locals were not given protective gear, despite the fact that they were working with highly poisonous beryllium. Loyda, who worked at the lab herself, ends up becoming a kind of whistleblower about these real goings on, and for most of her life she’s been fighting tooth and nail for the men and women that worked at the labs not only for recompense from the initial damage but also for better pay and benefits for the employees that suffered at the labs for so long.

With Alisa's permission, we bring you her episode "The Other Los Alamos Part 2 - Loyda Martinez", from her podcast CHINGONA HISTORY - uncovering the extraordinary and often overlooked stories of Latinas who shaped United States History. Like, follow & subscribe now to help signal boost Alisa's crucial new podcast! Find it on:

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Follow Alisa on Twitter @AlisaValdesRod1

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A Broad is a woman who lives by her own rules. Broads You Should Know is the podcast about the Broads who helped shape our world!

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Broads You Should Know is hosted by Sara Gorsky.

IG: @SaraGorsky

Web master / site design: www.BroadsYouShouldKnow.com

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Broads You Should Know is produced by Sara Gorsky & edited by Chloe Skye