Otomí

December 12th is the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe. This is a very important holiday for Latin American Catholics, especially Mexicans. Pilgrims from across Mexico visit La Basílica de Guadalupe to pray to "la tilma," which displays the sacred image of "La Virgen Morena."

In this episode, we take a look at more specific traditions of El Día de Los Muertos. I discuss the importance of the Xoloitzcuintli, or Mexican hairless dog, in Mexican culture and its significance on the holiday. Additionally, we revisit the topic of Afro-Mexican communities. This time, however, we discuss the Afro-Mexican celebration of El Día de Los Muertos and the historical context of La Danza de Los Diablos.

Mexicans just recently celebrated El Día de Los Muertos on November 1st and 2nd. This is a very important celebration in Mexico and reflects the vibrant indigenous heritage of Latin America. With my mother growing up in Michoacán, a state with some of the most colorful Día de Los Muertos celebrations, I've grown up visiting the cultural heart of the celebration. In this episode, I share some of my personal experiences and knowledge of this great festivity. Please enjoy this two part segment.

Despite composing only 1.2% of the population, Afro-Mexicans have significantly contributed to Mexico culturally, historically, and socially. Afro-Mexicans are essential to the Mexico that we know today. These individuals live in vibrant communities along the coasts of Mexico, reclaiming the cultural practices of their enslaved ancestors who first arrived to the beaches of Veracruz centuries ago. This side of history has often been whitewashed, but it is our duty to inform ourselves about the role that Afro-Mexicans have played in Mexico's development as a country and cultural center.

Growing up in Silicon Valley, my religious background has often been juxtaposed with my increasingly secular surrounding environment. As I have become more familiar with the practice of Catholicism in various nations, I have noticed that one's culture has a significant impact on a community's celebration of their Catholic faith. In this episode, I discuss the unique qualities of "Hispanic" Catholicism and how it has played an important role in my life.

This episode, we take a look at the model minority myth. Growing up in the Bay Area, my community has been largely composed of Asian Americans. Today, I have Tej Tummala, a close friend of mine, as a guest. He gives his perspective on the model minority myth as an Indian American student living in Silicon Valley. We also address the manner in which this myth impacts non-Asian minorities and the way that they are perceived by American society.

During this episode, we're going to be talking about the Spanish language. By Spanish language, I mean Castilian Spanish. With Mexican grandparents, a Spanish grandmother whose friends are Colombian, and a Nicaraguan aunt, I was exposed at a young age to the dialectical diversity of Castilian Spanish. Aware of the manner in which phonetic discrepancies correspond to geographic differences, I have done extensive research on the varieties of Spanish dialects and pronunciation. This episode includes only a small amount of the linguistic research that I have amassed, however, I hope that this condensed presentation serves to be extremely informative.

Salut, hola, olá. If you know me personally, you know that I am fascinated with studying foreign languages. This week, I dive into the topic of multilingualism and the factors that contribute to being able to effectively speak multiple languages. As my guest, I have Omarion Perez, an Afro-Latino student living in Springfield, Illinois. Omarion speaks five different languages, three of which I also speak. In this discussion, Omarion and I find similarities and differences in our approaches to learning new languages. If you listen, you'll find that the manners in which we acquire new languages have some significant discrepancies.

What's the difference between race and ethnicity? I'm certain that you've asked yourself this question before. For Latinos, answers to questions of race are often ambiguous. Latin America is one of the most racially diverse regions of the world. This week, I address the issue of racial ambiguity in Latin America and the manner in which it impacts individuals, like me, with regards to one's ability to confidently identify with a racial group. I additionally analyze several misconceptions regarding the unclear lines between race and ethnicity. Relax and enjoy our first episode of Otomí!

Take a peek at this trailer that will provide a general run-through of what my podcast will cover. Enjoy! ¡Disfruten! Amusez-vous! Desfrutem!