In this episode of The Attitude Lounge, AdDiTude sits down with Carol Obando-Derstine, Democratic Candidate for Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District, whose life story is rooted in resilience, service, and purpose.

At just three years old, Carol immigrated with her family from Colombia to the United States in search of a better life. That journey shaped her understanding of struggle, opportunity, and the responsibility to give back. Over the past two decades, she has dedicated her life to serving the Lehigh Valley as an engineer advocate, educator, mobile therapist, and bilingual community leader; meeting people where they are and helping them navigate systems that too often leave families behind.

Carol’s passion goes beyond policy. It’s personal! From advocating for equitable education and accessible mental health care to supporting working families, immigrants, and underserved communities, her work is grounded in lived experience and deep empathy. She understands the challenges facing our region because she’s been walking alongside the people facing them.

Dolores Huertas said it best in one of her famous quotes...
"Walk the street with us into history. Get off the sidewalk"

This conversation explores what it means to turn lived experience into leadership, why representation matters, and how compassion, education, and advocacy can shape a more inclusive future. You can’t search for a life you haven’t named. Carol Obando-Derstine didn't just named her life, she prepared for it too! She isn’t just running for office, she’s running to make a real difference.

*Links Mentioned in the episode: Carol Obando-Derstine website, Facebook, Instagram, and X

Until then, Stay Connected! Live a life well-lived through the magic of doing what you love. And that looks different for everyone. 

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Christina Vega-Perez, RN & MSN
Leading Healthcare Industry Life Coach & CEO of Life’s Risk Management, LLC Director of Health, Safety, & Wellness - Chi Upsilon Sigma, Latin Sorority, Inc.            Podcast: But Are You Happy?  (Spotify)

In this episode, host and guest Christina Vega-Perez dive deep into the emotional and professional realities faced by healthcare workers. With years of experience spanning bedside nursing, patient care, administrative leadership, and mental health advocacy, Christina shares how her journey led her to create Life’s Risk Management, LLC, where she now provides personalized one-on-one coaching for healthcare professionals. 

Christina discusses the hidden pressures inside the healthcare system—burnout, compassion fatigue, identity loss, and the struggle to balance purpose with personal well-being. She explains how coaching can help nurses and healthcare employees rebuild confidence, set boundaries, and rediscover happiness outside of their job titles. Throughout the conversation, she offers practical tools for emotional resilience, mindset shifts, and redefining success beyond productivity. 

• The emotional risks healthcare workers carry daily
• Why mental health support is essential, not optional, in healthcare settings
• How coaching bridges the gap between clinical demands and personal fulfillment
• Strategies to reconnect with joy, purpose, and self-worth

This episode is a reminder that healthcare workers deserve the same care they tirelessly give to others. Christina closes with one powerful question she hopes every listener asks themselves...

 You’re helping everyone else survive; But Are You Happy? (Apple)
 

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Special episode recorded on the beach in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico

In this deeply inspiring episode, we sit down with Bianca Alba, Founder and CEO of This Latina Travels LLC, to explore a journey defined by service, resilience, global exploration, and now, love.

Bianca shares how Puerto Rico became more than a destination; it became home. Embraced by the warmth and generosity of the Puerto Rican people, she found a community that welcomed her heart and her purpose. That bond was strengthened in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, when Bianca organized fundraisers, collected essential supplies, and personally delivered aid to residents who had lost their homes. Her compassion and commitment left a lasting impact and deepened her connection to the island.

During the uncertainty of COVID-19, Bianca turned challenge into opportunity by launching a podcast that created space for storytelling, connection, and empowerment. What began as a creative outlet soon evolved into a mission-driven brand, This Latina Travels LLC, focused on empowering others through domestic and intentional, meaningful travel.

Having traveled six of the seven continents, with Antarctica next on the horizon, Bianca brings a truly global perspective to her work. Today, her business continues to expand, offering educational student travel experiences in Puerto Rico for student groups, blending cultural immersion, history, sustainability, and community engagement. She is also in the process of developing women’s retreats, designed to offer rest, motivation, self-growth, and transformation in a supportive and inspiring environment.

As Bianca steps into an exciting new chapter of her life and marriage, we celebrate not only her professional growth and global impact, but also the love and partnership she is building. We extend our heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for a future filled with love, joy, adventure, and continued purpose.

This episode is a beautiful reminder that when travel is guided by heart and intention, it can lead not only to new destinations, but to home, healing, growth, and lifelong love.

Please support Bianca's efforts by signing up for her monthly email on her website thislatinatravels.com You will also find her travel guide, shop, blogs, podcast and contact information on her website. 

Subscribe to her podcast on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube @thislatinatravels. You may also find her on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @thislatinatravels.

Please support Bianca's efforts by signing up for her monthly email on her website This Latina Travels. You will also find her travel guide, shop, blogs, podcast and contact information on her website. 

Subscribe to her podcast on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube @thislatinatravels. You may also find her on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @thislatinatravels.

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In this episode of The Attitude Lounge, we sit down with Shareen Silva, MS.Ed, the compassionate and energetic 11th-grade high school teacher who has become a trusted voice of encouragement on TikTok as Ms_Persist and on YouTube as Ms_Persist4922. Known for her authentic conversations about growth, self-awareness, and emotional resilience, Shareen brings her educator’s insight and her creator’s heart to a deeply human discussion.

Together, we explore what it truly means to be a work-in-progress; not as a flaw, but as a lifestyle. Shareen reminds us that acknowledging our faults isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s the beginning of transformation. She talks about the importance of being honest with ourselves, accepting reality as it is, and understanding that healing doesn’t require perfection, only willingness.

A major theme of the conversation is the power of presence: how the past no longer exists except in memory, and how the future is shaped by what we choose to give our attention to today. Shareen shares how she encourages her students, followers, and herself to stay grounded in the moment, recognizing both the good and the challenging parts of life without letting either define us.

We dive into the following:

Positivity with depth, not forced optimism, but choosing hope while acknowledging pain.

Healing as a process, nonlinear, personal, and ongoing.

Acceptance without settling, seeing things clearly so we can respond wisely.

The courage to face your own patterns, and to move forward anyway.

The reality that growth is work, and why that work is worth it.

With warmth, humor, and her signature authenticity, Shareen Silva encourages us to show up for our lives with intention. Whether you’re a student, a teacher, or simply someone navigating your own path, this episode offers a refreshing reminder: you don’t have to have it all figured out, you just have to be willing to keep going.

Welcome to a conversation about owning your journey, embracing the present, and giving yourself permission to evolve.

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TaLisa Ramos Watts is a proud first-generation college graduate, decolonial educator, trauma therapist, and culturally responsive death doula with a serious passion for healing and student success.
She has an MSW, and is CEO of Ancestral Healing Collective. Talisa is a therapist that walks into a room like a quiet revolution; softly, gentle, grounded, and powerful. As a death doula and a decolonial educator, she carries a wisdom that doesn’t come from textbooks alone, but from lineage, spirit, culture, and the deep knowing that healing is never one-size-fits-all.

Her passion is a compass, always pointing people back to themselves, back to the medicine that lives in their roots, their stories, their ancestors, and the rituals we sometimes forget we’re allowed to reclaim. Talisa teaches that healing is not linear, it’s personal, ancestral, and beautifully layered. And she invites others to explore those layers with courage, curiosity, and love.

At The Attitude Lounge, her presence feels like a blessing. She brings a softness that holds you, and a fire that wakes you up. She reminds us that life is sacred, that death is a transition full of meaning, and that we all have the right to love our lives fully, out loud, boldly, and without apology.

Talisa’s message is simple and powerful: Healing is yours. Culture is medicine. Ancestors are guides. Life is meant to be loved deeply.

Please support Ancestral Healing Collective on Instagram; follow, like and share. If you , a family member, or a friend are in need of a therapist, please contact Talisa about her services via Instagram, link in bio.

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In this episode we dive into a magical story about reading, family and living life on purpose. For Glenda Gracia-Rivera, the joy of reading has always been more than just turning pages; it's her sanctuary, her happy place, a portal into worlds where imagination and emotion danced freely. Books give her comfort, culture, history and strength, and it was through this love that she created her Instagram book club, Get Lit with the Good Witch. What started as a cozy corner for kindred spirits to share thoughts, laughter, and the magic of storytelling soon became something far greater. One day, amid the comments and book discussions and reviews, someone reached out via email; someone who was a match from AncestryDNA. After a long heartfelt conversations, finally, the discovery of a truth that would change everything: Glenda had found her siblings, who had been searching for her for years. What began as a celebration of books transformed into a reunion of hearts. Through the magic of words and community, Get Lit with the Good Witch became not only a place for stories, but the story of Glenda’s own; one of rediscovery, connection, and the power of reading to lead us home. 

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Claudia, a Registered Nurse and Board-Certified Holistic Nurse Coach through the American Holistic Nurses Association, brings compassion, wisdom, and purpose to her work at Cloudspace Wellness. Cloudspace Wellness is a sanctuary where healing meets self-discovery.

As a Holistic Nurse Coach, she goes beyond traditional healthcare; guiding women of color to heal not just the body, but the mind and spirit. Her mission is to help break cycles of generational patterns, strengthen self-awareness, and nurture emotional resilience. Through her podcast, Brown Girl Boundaries, Claudia creates a safe space for honest conversations about healing, self-love, and reclaiming peace; reminding listeners and viewers that true wellness begins from within. 

Show Claudia support - follow & on subscribe: Cloudspace Wellness & Brown Girl Boundaries Podcast

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In this episode of The Attitude Lounge podcast, we welcome Erik Rodriguez, the vibrant host of the Dope Individuals Only podcast. Erik dives deep into his creative journey, sharing the powerful role poetry and music have played in shaping his identity and his mission to uplift and inspire others. As an artist, his words and melodies paint vivid pictures of the world as he sees it, aiming to bring authenticity and raw emotion into everything he creates. 

Erik also talks about his community involvement, focusing on the impact he’s striving to make in the lives of others. Whether it's through music, poetry, or conversations, he believes in the power of connection, unity, and using his platform to elevate voices that often go unheard. 

One of the most profound parts of our conversation is Erik’s personal journey toward kindness. He opens up about his quest to be kinder every day, embracing the ups and downs of life with open arms and a sense of peace. As he shares his reflections, Erik touches on the importance of accepting life for what it is—acknowledging the challenges, the growth, and the joy that comes from each step of the journey. Ultimately, his message is about enjoying the ride and owning life fully, without letting fear or doubt hold him back. 

It’s a heartfelt and empowering episode where Erik’s openness, creativity, and commitment to making a positive impact on both his community and himself shine through. 

Support and follow Erik Rodriguez on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Instagram, and TickTok @erikthehost @dopeindividualsonlypodcast

You may support The Attitude Lounge on Spotify, Apple, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. YouTube coming soon.

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In this awesome conversation, AdDiTude The Host sits with Associate Professor Beatriz Sanabria Messina, LCSW, to chat about resilience, passion, and lifelong learning. Originally from Costa Rica, at 12 years old she immigrated with her mother to the United States in pursuit of greater opportunities. With determination, she earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Social Work, proving that education is a powerful tool for transformation. But her story doesn’t stop there; beyond academia, Beatriz found joy in creative pursuits, mastering the art of baking exquisite cakes and playing the violin. Her journey reflects the beauty of embracing multiple passions, staying focused on growth, and finding fulfillment in both professional and personal endeavors. 

Please show Beatriz some love on Instagram and follow her @beacakeart

Follow, like, and share our social media platforms and subscribe to the podcast @theattitudeloungepodcast Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and other major podcast platforms.

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In this episode of The Attitude Lounge, we explore the powerful advice that shifted our perspective and shaped the way we approach life. From career breakthroughs to personal growth, these nuggets of wisdom have become guiding principles we apply every day. Join us as we reflect on the moments that changed everything and share insights that might just inspire a transformation in your own mindset.

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