We Live Here

Today we are taking you on a delicious culinary journey to Tacos La Jefa in the heart of Dutchtown in St. Louis! Only sold on Saturdays, their delicious Birria and Quesabirria sell out everytime.

Birria is a dish you cannot rush. It is a Mexican meaty stew from the state of Jalisco. The Quesabirria is a crunchy quesadilla with melted cheese and filled with hot, tender, juicy Birria meat that has been stained red by the chiles and spices that give it a deep, red color. Preparation is an extensive process so once they run out; they run out.

This story begins with the matriarch of the Amezcua family – Heriberta Amezcua – also known as La Jefa, “the boss”. Heriberta’s legacy is celebrated every day at Tacos La Jefa. Her daughter, Elizabeth, walks us through the journey of opening the restaurant, a longtime dream of her mother. Her granddaughter, Diana is the gatekeeper of the delicious Birria recipe. So listen and enjoy this loving family and the impact “the boss” had on the family and on the community.

Thanks for listening in - what’s your story? We’d love to hear from you. Let us know what you love about We Live Here Auténtico and the stories of our community. Or maybe you are ready to share your own story - send us an email at [email protected].

Latin TV writer, Emilia Serrano is no stranger to uncomfortable scenarios. She knows what it’s like to feel like a fish out of water and to struggle with internal identity crises as a first-generation daughter of immigrant parents. As a teenager, Emilia and her family moved from Union City, California to Troy, Missouri. The small, mid-western town was as unfamiliar to her as she was to it. She had only known the predominantly Spanish-speaking community of her youth. In California, she wasn’t diverse either. She grew up constantly surrounded only by Latinos and her family. It was a culture shock for her.

Those experiences shaped her so profoundly that they became inspirational gold for America’s BIG Screen. Along the way, she would use those experiences as story points for humor or something that someone else could relate to and she’s taken her stories all the way to Hollywood!

“Sometimes all the crappy things and all your trauma can actually make you money down on paper”, she quips. “It was oftentimes such a struggle and culturally challenging, but then that’s exactly what helps me write stories now.”

Her time in America’s Heartland and the nurturing influence of her community and family honed her skill as a “Son”-solid storyteller in her own right. Her dad (a mechanic) and her mom (a mariachi-singer) guided her to fight through tough battles and to find her voice. She is proud of her Mexican American culture and her authentic stories reflect her passion to see more inclusive onscreen characters who reflect the real people in her life and culture.

And she’s winning!

Emilia Serrano is co-executive producer of major network television shows like, Promised Land, Mixed*Ish and High School Musical - The Series. Emilia’s creativity and skills have attracted the attention of major production houses. She recently sold exclusive content to Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions and for actress, producer and director, America Ferrera.

In this episode:

Connect with Emilia Serrano

Thanks for listening in - what’s your story? We’d love to hear from you. Let us know what you love about We Live Here Auténtico and the stories of our community. Or maybe you are ready to share your own story - send us an email at [email protected].

Whether you love St. Louis or you need a reminder of its greatness, join Carlos Restrepo and explore our region through his eyes/experiences. From Medellin Colombia to St. Louis, Missouri, Carlos knew at a young age he would be living in St. Louis someday, through the pages of a picture book, he first saw the landscapes of our region. He shares with you his reaction while living here and how he ended up in Marshall, Missouri.

Colombian-born, Carlos Glynias Restrepo, is a bilingual marketing and communications professional, with a career background specializing in international business, journalism, digital marketing, and public relations. A native from Colombia, Restrepo’s experiences as a Spanish-speaking immigrant have strengthened and widened the communication tools at his disposal, helping him understand the complex issues of navigating multiple cultures when delivering a message, whether electronically, in print, video or audio. Restrepo holds a bachelor’s degree in global journalism from Webster University, a master’s degree in international business from Saint Louis University, and is a proud graduate of the class of 2017 of the Hispanic Leadership Institute.

Thanks for listening in - what’s your story? We’d love to hear from you. Let us know what you love about We Live Here Auténtico and the stories of our community. Or maybe you are ready to share your own story - send us an email at [email protected].

When we advocate for one community, we uplift the voices of other communities.

Kendall Martinez-Wright is an Afro-Puerto Rican transgender woman advocating for transgender rights in the Missouri Legislature. Amidst nationwide transphobic legislation in 2021, Kendall ran a historic campaign for Missouri’s Fifth District. She has a long career in advocacy, politics and legislative work. The campaign’s website was admitted to the Library of Congress, as she became the first Afro-Puerto Rican transgender woman to run for Missouri’s House of Representatives.

In this episode you’ll discover:

You can find Kendall on twitter at @KendallKaniMW

Thanks for listening in - what’s your story? We’d love to hear from you. Let us know what you love about We Live Here Auténtico and the stories of our community. Or maybe you are ready to share your own story - send us an email at [email protected].