1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:03,920 Speaker 1: This is Latino USA, the radio journal of News and 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,400 Speaker 1: Kurturre Latino USC Latin Latino USA. 3 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:11,240 Speaker 2: I'm Maria Inojosa. We bring you stories that are underreported 4 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 2: but that mattered to you, overlooked by the rest of 5 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:16,320 Speaker 2: the media. And while the country is struggling to deal 6 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:18,439 Speaker 2: with these, we listen to the stories of Black and 7 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:23,800 Speaker 2: Latino Studios United, Latino Front, a cultural renaissance organizing at 8 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 2: the forefront of the movement. I'm Maria Ino Jossa Labida 9 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:37,520 Speaker 2: teqita It life gives and takes away. Maria Emilia Martin 10 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 2: gave the world this program, Latino USA, but on December two, 11 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 2: Maria Martin left us for good. If there was one 12 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 2: thing that Maria gave to the world besides Latino USA, though, 13 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 2: it was her capacity to celebrate life even when facing 14 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 2: the most difficult situations as a journalist, as a Latina, 15 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 2: as a woman, and she had a lot of those 16 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:05,039 Speaker 2: moments of trials and tribulations. And even though Madia Martin 17 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:08,320 Speaker 2: founded this program which launched on May fifth, nineteen ninety three, 18 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 2: and even though she named me the anchor of Latino 19 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 2: USA and frankly changed my life with that decision, she 20 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:18,679 Speaker 2: and I had never sat down to do a formal 21 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 2: interview to talk about the history of our show. You know, 22 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:25,679 Speaker 2: sometimes we're just too busy to celebrate, especially working journalists 23 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:31,119 Speaker 2: like Maria who never stopped practicing her craft. We had decided, though, 24 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 2: that celebrating thirty years on the air merited a retrospective 25 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:37,400 Speaker 2: of what we've done. No other news program in the 26 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:41,119 Speaker 2: United States has documented the Latino reality week after week 27 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 2: for thirty years, not in English, not in Spanish. No 28 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 2: other media outlet has done this in the United States 29 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:52,840 Speaker 2: but US. And you know, Maria Martin understood that by 30 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 2: launching Latino USA, she would be impacting history in this 31 00:01:56,160 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 2: country forever. What I never could have made would be that, 32 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 2: just months after our first sit down interview to go 33 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:08,520 Speaker 2: over thirty years of Latino USA, that I would be 34 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 2: having to say goodbye to her on the air. As 35 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 2: our family says, she crossed the rainbow to the other side. 36 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:20,800 Speaker 2: Madia Martin passed away on December two in Austin, peacefully 37 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 2: while the song Gracias a la vida played in the background. 38 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 2: We are still heartbroken by this news, and so we 39 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 2: decided to rebroadcast our thirtieth anniversary Oral History of Latino 40 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 2: USA in order to honor her. Madia was my first 41 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 2: journalism teacher. She taught me to love my profession, to 42 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 2: love life, to laugh, to push back and trust my 43 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 2: voice as a journalist, and to report with humility and 44 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 2: with heart. Madia always worked ten times harder than me. 45 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 2: Her stamina was extraordinary. In fact, there are so many 46 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 2: things about her that are extraordinary, and we will tell 47 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:07,800 Speaker 2: that story because while we are in the midst of 48 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 2: recovering from our shock and our sadness, we are preparing 49 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:16,000 Speaker 2: a special show celebrating Maria Martin's work and our contributions 50 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 2: to American journalism and to public radio. And that is 51 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 2: going to run in January. But for now, enjoy listening 52 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:26,799 Speaker 2: to the voice of Maria Martin and give thanks for 53 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 2: her and her work. She is the true visionary behind 54 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 2: this show. And you know, Madia's favorite sign off was 55 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 2: love and light. She gave me and Latino usay a 56 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 2: lot of both. I says, men, welcome Rock. A couple 57 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 2: of months ago, I went to Austin, Texas. 58 00:03:58,880 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 3: You very much. 59 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 2: If you've ever been to the campus at the University 60 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 2: of Texas at Austin, it's pretty well memorable. So you know, 61 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 2: the University of Texas is huge, Like everything in Texas, 62 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:18,479 Speaker 2: it's a massive campus. And then we pulled up to 63 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 2: a building. Oh we are hellow made it to the 64 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 2: staff entrance and there was a group of people actually 65 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 2: staff from the university and the library that we're waiting 66 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 2: for us. Hi, I'm Ryan, I'm having special collections. Thanks, 67 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 2: And they brought things with them. This is a whole 68 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 2: cart that's dedicated to Latino USA. Oh yes, Oh my gosh, okay, 69 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 2: get ready to see yourself younger. So here we are 70 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 2: to look back at our own history because today we're 71 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:59,160 Speaker 2: starting our celebration of thirty years of Latino USA being 72 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 2: on the air, thirty years reporting in English about Latinos. 73 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 2: No other show in the United States has ever done that. 74 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:16,720 Speaker 2: From Fudro Media and PRX, It's Latino Usa. I'm Mariainojosa. 75 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,279 Speaker 2: Today a very special show. We're gonna present to you 76 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 2: an oral history of Latino USA. How it all started, 77 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 2: what it took to keep the show going over three decades, 78 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 2: all of the drama along with thinking what the futuro 79 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 2: is gonna bring. You know, what it's like to have 80 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 2: a weekly deadline NonStop, week in, week out for thirty years. 81 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 2: It's a lot of work, and when you have a 82 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 2: weekly deadline, there's not a lot of space to kind 83 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 2: of pull back and think of how it all happened. 84 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:04,600 Speaker 2: So for us to tell you that story, we had 85 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:07,719 Speaker 2: to go back to where it all started. There is 86 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 2: a place at the University of Texas at Austin that 87 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 2: actually holds this trove of information. It's all being held 88 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:23,799 Speaker 2: at the Neddie Lee Benson Latin American Collection. That's because 89 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 2: the University of Texas at Austin was Latino USA's very 90 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:32,359 Speaker 2: first poem where we were based and created out of 91 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 2: the Center for Mexican American Studies. This archive has recordings 92 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 2: of all of the very first shows we produced. Is 93 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 2: it on a CD or on set? It's on CD, 94 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 2: but it's on everything. We have all of the formats. 95 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 2: This is Ryan Lynch. He's the head of Special Collections 96 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 2: at the Archives and he's the one that was response 97 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:02,919 Speaker 2: well for preparing just a selection of all of the 98 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 2: materials that they have at this library. The story. So 99 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:10,120 Speaker 2: we saw photographs, look at that our original team host 100 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 2: Maria host As, senior producer Maria Media, Martin marketing. Vidal 101 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 2: Luzman may he rest in peace. Executive producer Hebert took 102 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 2: out of the nas There were old press packets, Oh 103 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 2: my gosh, Latino USA your ticket to build audience and 104 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:30,240 Speaker 2: create marketing opportunities. There were lots of old documents logo 105 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 2: that was the logo for so long. And of course, 106 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:38,239 Speaker 2: the very first show that Latino USA aired on May fifth, 107 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:40,560 Speaker 2: nineteen ninety three, This. 108 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:44,000 Speaker 1: Is Latino USA, a radio journal of news and culture. 109 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 1: I'm Maria Inojosa today on Latino USA Latinos in South 110 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 1: central Losa. 111 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 2: It's emotional because it's like, wow, we really like on 112 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 2: our first show. He was like, we're doing it in 113 00:07:58,600 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 2: a different way. 114 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 1: Mayo eight Sesame Street. 115 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 2: Thirty years, Oh yameh, that is a lifetime. There has 116 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 2: been so much laughter, so much joy, so many celebrations, recognitions, awards, 117 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 2: but there were also some really difficult times. So as 118 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:26,880 Speaker 2: we were planning on doing this episode, we were confronted 119 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 2: with this reality, there's no way we can tell the 120 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 2: full thirty year history of Latino USA in just one hour, 121 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:40,319 Speaker 2: so we're not gonna do that. Instead, we're actually making 122 00:08:40,440 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 2: our own oral history, and obviously there's no way we 123 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 2: could put everyone's voice who's worked for Latino USA, and 124 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 2: thank you to each and every one of you. So 125 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:55,640 Speaker 2: you're gonna hear from three Compagni compagnros, one for each decade, 126 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 2: and they're gonna help bring back to life what our 127 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 2: show and our country has actually been through over the 128 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 2: last thirty years. To start off, I had a conversation 129 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:15,199 Speaker 2: with the person who put together and led our show 130 00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 2: during that first decade. Hello, Maria Amelia Martin. 131 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:23,680 Speaker 4: Hello, how are you miss? Maria delues Hosa. 132 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:27,960 Speaker 2: Maria Emilia Martin is a journalist who's been working in 133 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:32,200 Speaker 2: public radio for over fifty years. She's done it all, 134 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 2: and in the early nineteen nineties she had a vision 135 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 2: and a plan for what would become Latino USA. Maria. 136 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 2: I know it's not the first time that I've said, 137 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 2: Maria Amelia Martin, welcome to Latino USA. But I'm going 138 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 2: to say, Maria Amelia Martin, welcome back to Latino USA. 139 00:09:57,320 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 4: Thank you, Maria. It's been a long time and I'm 140 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:01,680 Speaker 4: really excited to be here. 141 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:05,320 Speaker 2: Thank you, Madia. And of course people make the mistake 142 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 2: of thinking that I created Latino USA. I did not 143 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 2: create Latino USA. I am not responsible for the idea 144 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 2: behind this show. It was you. It was your idea. 145 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 2: And so before we start, I have to say thank 146 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:20,960 Speaker 2: you because you were the one who decided not only 147 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:23,560 Speaker 2: to create the show, but then to name me as 148 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:26,080 Speaker 2: the anchor of the show, which frankly changed my life. 149 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 2: So thank you, Madia, which I was got asked. 150 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 4: Yes, well, thank you for recognizing that, Maria, you were 151 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 4: the Latina in public media who really started it for 152 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 4: all of us. There were so few of us. 153 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:39,760 Speaker 2: Well, that was like you in terms of having a 154 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 2: kind of national presence. You had been working out in 155 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 2: California for about a decade. So, Madia, take us back 156 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:51,319 Speaker 2: to the nineteen eighties. How did you see the state 157 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 2: of public radio in terms of Latinos and Latinas at 158 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:54,600 Speaker 2: that time. 159 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 4: Well, I had started working in public radio in nineteen 160 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 4: seventy five as a volunteer at the first Latino owned 161 00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 4: and operated public radio station in the country in Santa Rosa, California, 162 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:12,720 Speaker 4: and going into the nineteen eighties, things had begun to change. 163 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 4: There had been openings for minority voices, for Latino voices, 164 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 4: for African American voices on public radio, on the media 165 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 4: in general, as the result of the civil rights movement, 166 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:30,440 Speaker 4: But just a few years later there came this kind 167 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:33,880 Speaker 4: of backlash against those programs. 168 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:36,720 Speaker 2: There was a lot of politics that happened just to 169 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 2: get our voices on. It was because of you that 170 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:43,960 Speaker 2: there is a Latino desk created at the National Desk 171 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 2: at NPR. You're the first editor there. I'm hired because 172 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:52,520 Speaker 2: of your activism. And most of the times our stories 173 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:54,960 Speaker 2: were getting rejected, we were told that they didn't have 174 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:58,680 Speaker 2: enough national significance. We had to just be fighting for 175 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 2: our stories. And all of a sudden, I remember that 176 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:03,960 Speaker 2: you said something like, look, I think I might be leaving. 177 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 2: There's this other project that's happening in Austin. So why 178 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:12,959 Speaker 2: did you say I'm leaving the NPR mothership. 179 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 4: Well, there was a lot of potential. I knew at 180 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 4: this point that Latinos had ten fifteen years experience in 181 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 4: public radio, that we could do a really good job. 182 00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 4: But we had to be the ones in charge. We 183 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:34,520 Speaker 4: had to have editorial control. I wanted to do adequate marketing, 184 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:40,080 Speaker 4: to have it sound professional and just so compelling that 185 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:44,079 Speaker 4: it would be an addition to public radio. It wouldn't 186 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:48,600 Speaker 4: be something that there would be resistance to It wouldn't 187 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 4: be something that people could say, oh, people don't listen 188 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 4: to this kind of programming, or Latinos only listen to 189 00:12:56,880 --> 00:13:01,320 Speaker 4: programming in Spanish. So out of that came the idea 190 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:04,240 Speaker 4: that we needed to do something national. And what I 191 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 4: thought is, let's have this sound at first like NPR 192 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:15,120 Speaker 4: with an authentic Latino feel. And who is a voice 193 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:19,320 Speaker 4: who is familiar to NPR audiences. That would be Maria 194 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 4: no Josa. 195 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 2: I don't actually remember a lot about the conversations about 196 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:30,880 Speaker 2: choosing the name. Do you remember, like, was it always 197 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:32,080 Speaker 2: going to be Latino USA? 198 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:35,120 Speaker 4: What was the Oh no, it was originally supposed to 199 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:39,319 Speaker 4: be at tempo and I thought at the tempo, yes, 200 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:42,640 Speaker 4: it could have a play on time, but it could 201 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 4: also mean lukewarm. And so we threw out a zillion names, 202 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:52,040 Speaker 4: mosaic and Da da da And I think you and 203 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:55,680 Speaker 4: I were having a conversation and you had had a 204 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 4: conversation with Juan Gonzalez of Democracy Now and that he 205 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 4: had suggested Latino usaid that's it, That says what it is, 206 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 4: that's we're going with that. We're going with that. 207 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:10,439 Speaker 2: Oh wait a second, so we have to give credit 208 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:13,959 Speaker 2: to juang Gon sales we might have to Oh my god, 209 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:16,080 Speaker 2: but you know what, that is just such a beautiful 210 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 2: thing because juang Gon Salez is a pillar of Latino 211 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 2: journalism in the United States. Again, I just was watching 212 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 2: you as you were doing this, or I was like, 213 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 2: is she really going to do this? And then I 214 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 2: remember you saying, look, make plans bring your husband down 215 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 2: because we are going to have a launch party on 216 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:37,160 Speaker 2: Cinco de Mayo. Do you remember what it was like 217 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 2: on Sinco de Mayo in nineteen ninety three. I mean, 218 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:41,520 Speaker 2: it was a little bit chaotic. 219 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 4: We had announced that on Synco de Mayo we would 220 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 4: have the launch of Latino USA. We had asked all 221 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 4: of these people to come, and we were getting very 222 00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 4: few RSVPs. But then somehow the word got to President Clinton, 223 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 4: who was being counseled to reach out to the Latino community. 224 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 4: So all of a sudden, Bill Clinton is coming, all 225 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 4: of a sudden, everybody wants to come, all all of 226 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 4: a sudden, all of the public radio big wigs who 227 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:15,440 Speaker 4: want a ticket to be there. 228 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 5: As you can tell by my outfit, been somewhere else tonight. 229 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 6: But I'm awfully glad to be. 230 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:23,520 Speaker 4: Here that was the day I think the world changed. 231 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 5: Happy Senka DeMaio, Viva public radio, and thank you for 232 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 5: letting me be. 233 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:32,880 Speaker 4: Here tonight, at least a little bit for Latinos in 234 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 4: public radio. 235 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:38,320 Speaker 5: I hope that Latino USA does for its audiences what 236 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 5: programs like All Things Considered and Morning Edition do for 237 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 5: audiences all across America. Today, perhaps twenty two Senko demiles 238 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:50,280 Speaker 5: from today, you too will be able to look back 239 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 5: and remember what an important beginning this really was. 240 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 2: I just remember thinking, like, boy, I am working with 241 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:03,520 Speaker 2: Madia mar who has the capacity to put together a 242 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:07,920 Speaker 2: launch party that includes the president. What can't she do? 243 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:11,120 Speaker 2: She's doing everything is. 244 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:17,720 Speaker 4: What Latino journalists and broadcasters for the last twenty years. Happily. 245 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 4: It was just a wonderful day. It was a wonderful 246 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 4: validation of the vision that I had had for a 247 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:30,400 Speaker 4: long time. And the first official program of Latino USA 248 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 4: had gone on the air that week, and it sounded 249 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 4: really good. And I remember the voices of you, this. 250 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 1: Is Latino USA, a radio journal of news and culture. 251 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 4: And Mandalit del Barco or Latino USA, Mandalit del Barco, 252 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 4: and some young interns who had done a little piece 253 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:53,480 Speaker 4: about what do Mexicans and Mexican Americans really know about 254 00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 4: Cinco de Mayo. 255 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 2: Do you know why we celebrate to Guma. 256 00:16:56,400 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 4: I don't know that Sunday's birthday. 257 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 2: You know, Maria, hearing this brings back so many memories. 258 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:06,639 Speaker 2: I hardly recognized my own voice. I recognized the fear 259 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:09,199 Speaker 2: because I didn't even trust that I could do this. 260 00:17:09,560 --> 00:17:12,520 Speaker 2: You trusted that I could do this, And I just wonder, 261 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:16,000 Speaker 2: what do you remember about those early shows of Latino USA. 262 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:20,920 Speaker 4: I remember working hundreds of hours. I remember sleeping on 263 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:26,240 Speaker 4: the floor of the office and the studio because we 264 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 4: wanted to make sure that it sounded great. And a 265 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 4: shout out to engineer Walter Morgan and Angelica Luevano who 266 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:40,439 Speaker 4: worked much more than they're forty hours a week to 267 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:43,359 Speaker 4: do the show. And it was a labor of love, 268 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:49,320 Speaker 4: and it was a labor of bringing these stories that 269 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 4: were rarely heard on other media. That and I think 270 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:56,720 Speaker 4: that all of us who were involved with the program 271 00:17:57,080 --> 00:18:00,199 Speaker 4: in those early years should be really, really proud of 272 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 4: the doors that we've opened for so many people. 273 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:09,520 Speaker 2: Coming up on Latino USA. We continue our conversation with 274 00:18:09,640 --> 00:18:15,200 Speaker 2: Maria Emilia Martin the visionary behind our show. Stay with us. Yes, 275 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:06,879 Speaker 2: we are back, and we're going to continue sharing memories 276 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:10,639 Speaker 2: of Latino USA's creation and our first decade with the 277 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:17,080 Speaker 2: person who made it all happen, Maria Martin. I think 278 00:19:17,119 --> 00:19:19,600 Speaker 2: that you and I and the team, what we also 279 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 2: understood is that Latinos and Latins in the United States 280 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:27,879 Speaker 2: are not a monolith. We're incredibly complex and this is 281 00:19:27,920 --> 00:19:30,680 Speaker 2: something that we have been saying for the entirety of 282 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:33,680 Speaker 2: the existence of Latino USA. And I'm feeling like we're 283 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:36,879 Speaker 2: still having to say in many ways and deal with 284 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 2: the same things today. What was your plan in terms 285 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:43,280 Speaker 2: of saying, we are doing a show called Latino USA, 286 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:45,959 Speaker 2: and we're going to have to be representative. So how 287 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 2: did you tackle that? 288 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:51,639 Speaker 4: Well, that was the point of calling it Latino USSA 289 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:56,240 Speaker 4: to do something that would reflect the diversity of the 290 00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:59,640 Speaker 4: Latino community, in all of its beauty and in all 291 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:04,400 Speaker 4: of its pain. Imagine the sounds of Cayeocho and the 292 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:08,879 Speaker 4: Bronx and the fields of Fresno. These stories were crying 293 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 4: to be told, but also the need was for Latinos 294 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:17,360 Speaker 4: to perhaps have more solidarity with each other. 295 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:20,919 Speaker 2: I see you as a visionary in so many ways, 296 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:22,880 Speaker 2: just in being able to launch and create a show 297 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:26,000 Speaker 2: like Latino USA. But also you were the one who 298 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:31,920 Speaker 2: fought for us to do intensive AIDS coverage because Latinos 299 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:34,679 Speaker 2: and Latinos were becoming infected. We went to Puerto Rico 300 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:35,640 Speaker 2: because of you. 301 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:38,399 Speaker 1: In a corner of a poor barrio in the small 302 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:42,720 Speaker 1: town about Iscibo, a family despairs over their son Narvoon 303 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:45,159 Speaker 1: Salez Naibo is dying of AIDS. 304 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:49,120 Speaker 2: But nobody in this time we did so much political reporting. Yes, 305 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:52,960 Speaker 2: Bill Clinton, the President, was at our launch party, but 306 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:56,720 Speaker 2: from day one we were criticizing Bill Clinton and the 307 00:20:56,760 --> 00:21:00,720 Speaker 2: Democratic Party and the Republican Party. That kind of commitment 308 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 2: to solid journalism that is always influenced by hope and dreams, 309 00:21:05,760 --> 00:21:07,960 Speaker 2: which is really what we've been trying to say that 310 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:10,720 Speaker 2: the Latino population in this country represents, if you'd only 311 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:11,400 Speaker 2: let us. 312 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:15,440 Speaker 4: Yes, I think it's a great responsibility, but it's also 313 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:18,159 Speaker 4: a great joy to be a journalist, to be in 314 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:22,639 Speaker 4: a position to tell these stories. And that's what the 315 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:26,399 Speaker 4: gift of Latino USA has been for so many people. 316 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:29,440 Speaker 2: I remember that there were so many people who had 317 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 2: no expectation that Latino USA would make it I mean 318 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 2: the people that in PR at the headquarters in Washington, DC, 319 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 2: they didn't listen to what we were doing. But then 320 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:42,760 Speaker 2: in the first year that we were on the air, 321 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,400 Speaker 2: we go from being on fifty stations across the country 322 00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:51,240 Speaker 2: to tripling that number. We were growing like crazy, and 323 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 2: at the same time, we started winning all of these 324 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 2: awards we want, awards from the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, 325 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:02,240 Speaker 2: from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting, the National Association of 326 00:22:02,359 --> 00:22:03,639 Speaker 2: Hispanic Journalists. 327 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:07,240 Speaker 4: And that happened almost from the beginning of the program. 328 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:10,560 Speaker 4: And I think that that is one of the reasons 329 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 4: for the programs on jevity, is that we were doing 330 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:17,520 Speaker 4: award winning journalism almost from the get go. 331 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:22,640 Speaker 2: You had a lot of dreams by Dya. You were frankly, 332 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:26,720 Speaker 2: always raising the bar for all of us. And there's 333 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:29,280 Speaker 2: a decision that you make that is really very powerful. 334 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:33,359 Speaker 2: You're going to work on your own reporting. And September 335 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:34,280 Speaker 2: eleventh happened. 336 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:39,200 Speaker 4: Well. I remember that day. I was actually in Austin 337 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:43,879 Speaker 4: getting ready for work. I had planned to take a 338 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:47,919 Speaker 4: sabbatical to connect with Latin American journalists. I had the 339 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:53,360 Speaker 4: stream for Latino USA to also report on Latin America, 340 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:57,679 Speaker 4: and I heard the news and came in and we 341 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:02,040 Speaker 4: went to the cathedral to pray, and then the work 342 00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 4: of reporting about how all of this was impacting the Latinos. 343 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:12,919 Speaker 1: In an old wooden building in the Manhattan neighborhood of Chelsea, 344 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:15,320 Speaker 1: more than a dozen men and women are trying to. 345 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 2: Put their lives back together. 346 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:21,400 Speaker 1: All are undocumented, All lost their jobs on September eleventh. 347 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:25,439 Speaker 4: The waiters and the kitchen staff that worked in the 348 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:28,359 Speaker 4: windows of the World restaurant, and all of the people 349 00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:32,399 Speaker 4: who were impacted by that terrible movement. For all of us, 350 00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:36,600 Speaker 4: that was a big wake up call, a big call 351 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 4: for the fact that we needed to create more understanding 352 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:41,600 Speaker 4: of each other. 353 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:44,840 Speaker 2: You know, you kind of held it together. You were like, mane, yeah, 354 00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:47,800 Speaker 2: we have to do the show. I was reporting for 355 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:50,879 Speaker 2: CNN at the same time. You wrote a script. I 356 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:53,679 Speaker 2: remember I recorded it on the street, and then I 357 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:55,800 Speaker 2: know I went home at one point and I recorded 358 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:58,800 Speaker 2: another part of the script in the stairwell of my home, 359 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:03,520 Speaker 2: and of course that's when I actually end up developing PTSD. 360 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:07,920 Speaker 2: It was a really very painful time for us all, 361 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:10,720 Speaker 2: and I think you and I sensed right this is 362 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:13,119 Speaker 2: going to be a very complicated time for Latinos and 363 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:17,600 Speaker 2: Latinas in the United States. And then it didn't get 364 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:21,360 Speaker 2: any easier because in two thousand and three, you were 365 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 2: pushed to make a really difficult decision. You left Latino USA. 366 00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:27,720 Speaker 2: It was a big loss for the show, and I'm 367 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 2: wondering about your emotions leaving the show, and you were, 368 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 2: in fact leaving a baby that you had given birth 369 00:24:35,359 --> 00:24:36,160 Speaker 2: to and nurtured. 370 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 4: It wasn't my decision to leave Latino USA. I was 371 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:48,239 Speaker 4: forced out, basically, and yes, it was very painful to 372 00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:53,280 Speaker 4: leave that baby. When I look back, I see that 373 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 4: what happened to me was quite symbolic of what was happening. 374 00:24:59,119 --> 00:25:02,960 Speaker 4: I was not the only that Dina who was in power, 375 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:09,680 Speaker 4: who was talented and had earned a place, in my case, 376 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 4: in public radio. But you know, this happened to women 377 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 4: of color, facing gender issues, facing racism, facing the kind 378 00:25:21,280 --> 00:25:24,919 Speaker 4: of situations that we now look back and say, this 379 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:28,119 Speaker 4: is really unjust, you know, very much like what happened 380 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:32,280 Speaker 4: to women in terms of being harassed. I think that 381 00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:37,359 Speaker 4: in terms of the racial and ethnic reckoning that we 382 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:41,359 Speaker 4: have started to do with our past but haven't really 383 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:46,119 Speaker 4: done it yet, that was part of what happened to me. 384 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:50,920 Speaker 4: It's much more complicated than that, and certainly, as I said, painful, 385 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:55,360 Speaker 4: But you know, life works in mysterious ways. 386 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:59,080 Speaker 2: When we lost you, I know that I felt rudderless. 387 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:01,719 Speaker 2: You know what was left, you know, USA without Madia Martin, 388 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:05,520 Speaker 2: And I think that the lesson there was that it 389 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 2: did push us to become fully independent. Latino USA is 390 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:12,560 Speaker 2: no longer tied to any institution except for the small 391 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 2: nonprofit of Futuro Media. We're not in that situation where 392 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:19,479 Speaker 2: people can push us out or around. And you are 393 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:25,360 Speaker 2: now working in Guatemala really again, changing lives with your 394 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:27,400 Speaker 2: production company get us Hasbia. 395 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:29,919 Speaker 4: My being in Central America has put me in a 396 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:33,479 Speaker 4: position to train a lot of journalists to do a 397 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:37,199 Speaker 4: lot of good reporting that that is an area that 398 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:40,720 Speaker 4: is just crucial for US public radio audiences and other 399 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:45,200 Speaker 4: audiences to know about and to understand why so many 400 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:52,240 Speaker 4: human beings are making that terrible, risky, hard, tragic trek up. 401 00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:56,080 Speaker 2: Here, Madia, we're talking for the first time. We have 402 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:59,919 Speaker 2: never done a kind of oral history of Latino USA. 403 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:02,639 Speaker 2: But I'm wondering, how are you feeling about the legacy 404 00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:05,400 Speaker 2: of Latino USA. The show that you created. 405 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:11,320 Speaker 4: I feel very proud that it's still on the air. 406 00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:14,760 Speaker 4: You know, the memoirs that I've written about my time 407 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:20,400 Speaker 4: at NPR and creating Latino USA, and I go that 408 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:23,600 Speaker 4: young Maria was really brave. She put up with a 409 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:28,400 Speaker 4: lot because she had this vision. That it's still on 410 00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:32,280 Speaker 4: the air due to the efforts of so many people, 411 00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:36,000 Speaker 4: yours and your team. You know, my hope for Latino 412 00:27:36,119 --> 00:27:40,320 Speaker 4: USA is that it lasts another thirty years. It's a 413 00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:44,160 Speaker 4: wonderful thing to have been involved in. Thank you for 414 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:47,280 Speaker 4: the efforts that keep it going day to day. 415 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:52,520 Speaker 2: Maria, Amelia Martin, thank you for everything you've done for 416 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:55,439 Speaker 2: Latino USA. It has been so great to catch up 417 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:55,679 Speaker 2: with you. 418 00:27:55,880 --> 00:28:03,840 Speaker 4: It's nice to be back on Latino USSA. 419 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:13,919 Speaker 2: Those years after September eleventh, they were a blur to me. 420 00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:17,439 Speaker 2: I was deep in trauma. I didn't realize that I 421 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 2: had PTSD. All of it tied to the attacks. I 422 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:26,640 Speaker 2: was also a working mom and I was working NonStop. 423 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:31,360 Speaker 2: I had a job at CNN, I was doing PBS 424 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:34,800 Speaker 2: locally on the side, and I was hosting Latino USA. 425 00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:38,160 Speaker 2: So all of that took me away from the day 426 00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 2: to day operations. In Austin, and well, the truth is 427 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:46,480 Speaker 2: that Madia Martin's departure left a huge vacuum at the show. 428 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:53,960 Speaker 2: But still we had our audience clamoring for us, and 429 00:28:54,040 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 2: they were loyal and wanted more. 430 00:28:58,320 --> 00:28:58,480 Speaker 5: So. 431 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:02,880 Speaker 2: September eleventh confirmed for us the fact that we couldn't 432 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:06,280 Speaker 2: stop telling these stories that the mainstream media was leaving 433 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 2: out stories about undocumented workers, about migrants, professionals, all of us. 434 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:17,320 Speaker 2: And I was watching a whole new generation of young 435 00:29:17,480 --> 00:29:21,440 Speaker 2: producers and reporters stepping up and becoming a part of 436 00:29:21,520 --> 00:29:25,000 Speaker 2: Latino USA. And one of the people who came through 437 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:29,120 Speaker 2: the doors of our Austin newsroom in search of a 438 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:33,960 Speaker 2: work study program that would be Mincho Jacob. He was 439 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:37,000 Speaker 2: a student at the University of Texas at Austin and 440 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:41,480 Speaker 2: then it became his full time job. And well, Mincho, 441 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:46,960 Speaker 2: he kind of saved Latino USA. What a mean job? 442 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:48,400 Speaker 7: How's it go into? 443 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:55,960 Speaker 2: Used to be in my ears all the time? What 444 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:57,440 Speaker 2: would you say to me when I would like be 445 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:00,000 Speaker 2: tracking to be like eight o'clock at nine o'clock at night, 446 00:30:00,120 --> 00:30:02,320 Speaker 2: and you'd be like, un mas sip. 447 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:05,760 Speaker 7: I've been I'm still saying that I said it to 448 00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 7: my wife this weekend. 449 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:10,920 Speaker 2: The day when you actually go in for your job interview. 450 00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:12,240 Speaker 2: What happened that day? 451 00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:16,080 Speaker 7: I went in to apply for a work study and 452 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:18,760 Speaker 7: I was really interested in it was like radio because 453 00:30:18,760 --> 00:30:21,320 Speaker 7: I've a musician and then my family's from Watemala, So 454 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:23,520 Speaker 7: I was like, this is perfect, It'll be great. And 455 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:24,880 Speaker 7: I walked in and they made fun of me. 456 00:30:25,160 --> 00:30:27,080 Speaker 2: What were you wearing exactly. 457 00:30:26,800 --> 00:30:29,400 Speaker 7: At kaki slacks and like a short sleeve button up 458 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:32,800 Speaker 7: put this like dorky little tie and my goateee from 459 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:35,280 Speaker 7: you know, the nineties that I was still rocking into 460 00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:36,120 Speaker 7: the early two thousands. 461 00:30:36,160 --> 00:30:44,280 Speaker 2: So for you Minscho, getting that interview at Latino USA 462 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:47,320 Speaker 2: was a big deal. By then, Latino USA had a 463 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:50,720 Speaker 2: level of recognition at the University of Texas. What did 464 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:51,440 Speaker 2: you remember? 465 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:54,000 Speaker 7: So I had been listening to it was really like 466 00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:56,760 Speaker 7: excited to be able to do this kind of work. 467 00:30:56,840 --> 00:30:57,000 Speaker 8: You know. 468 00:30:57,040 --> 00:31:00,640 Speaker 7: There was always reports from Watemala and from just like 469 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:03,959 Speaker 7: Chicano culture, which was something that I had grown up 470 00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:05,960 Speaker 7: around and was really proud to be a part of. 471 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:09,200 Speaker 7: And so like it was just a different viewpoint that 472 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:10,680 Speaker 7: you didn't here on MPR at all. 473 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:13,360 Speaker 2: I think what you're saying is that the feeling that 474 00:31:13,480 --> 00:31:16,560 Speaker 2: Latino USA was that there was a community where you 475 00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:20,400 Speaker 2: could be Latino Latina and play in the sphere of 476 00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:25,400 Speaker 2: respected journalism or music journalism too, doing strong cultural reporting. 477 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:26,000 Speaker 6: Yeah. 478 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:28,920 Speaker 7: I feel like especially our music pieces were some of 479 00:31:28,960 --> 00:31:30,920 Speaker 7: the best. Patch on Massive, I think was like one 480 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:32,360 Speaker 7: of the bands we were using a lot for this 481 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:33,400 Speaker 7: sound for a long time. 482 00:31:34,040 --> 00:31:37,120 Speaker 1: Joining me in the studio is patcha Massive Nova and Maya, 483 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:38,760 Speaker 1: Welcome to Latino USA. 484 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:40,240 Speaker 7: Thank you for having us. 485 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:43,880 Speaker 2: Oh my god, patcha Massive that was like the soundtrack 486 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:46,240 Speaker 2: of my life. 487 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:48,920 Speaker 7: We had really beautiful audio pieces that we would do, 488 00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:50,440 Speaker 7: not just like with music, but you know if we 489 00:31:50,440 --> 00:31:52,280 Speaker 7: did like spoken word with like Luis. 490 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:56,280 Speaker 2: Guerra, Well, if your mouth isn't watering yet, Commentator Luis 491 00:31:56,280 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 2: Gerras tells us about the best dorty yes he's ever had. 492 00:32:00,440 --> 00:32:03,120 Speaker 9: As I came up the forest path, there were two 493 00:32:03,200 --> 00:32:07,000 Speaker 9: small and low structures, the aroma of tortillas. Let me 494 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:11,360 Speaker 9: right to the kitchen. These tortillas were a revelation. I've 495 00:32:11,360 --> 00:32:14,280 Speaker 9: been needing tortillas for half a century and these were 496 00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:15,200 Speaker 9: the best by far. 497 00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:19,800 Speaker 7: I think that's the importance of having Latino producers and editors, 498 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:23,320 Speaker 7: because there's that like are you stereotyping, you know, there's 499 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:26,640 Speaker 7: always that danger, or are you celebrating? There you doing 500 00:32:26,680 --> 00:32:28,600 Speaker 7: our own sound, our voice. And I think that was 501 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:31,200 Speaker 7: where we wanted to be. It was like, this is 502 00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:32,840 Speaker 7: the sound of our cultures. 503 00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:39,560 Speaker 2: Today we profile three influential jazz musicians. Sometimes bad luck 504 00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:42,960 Speaker 2: can turn out to be a good thing. Don't believe me, well, 505 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:45,000 Speaker 2: just ask Martin Turner. 506 00:32:48,760 --> 00:32:51,680 Speaker 9: If there's one thing that defines Los Ensanteles is their 507 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:55,400 Speaker 9: ability to absorb a Mexican musical style and make it 508 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:57,360 Speaker 9: their own and their new record. 509 00:32:57,760 --> 00:33:03,120 Speaker 2: Very soon into your job, basically doing everything because you 510 00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:06,000 Speaker 2: brought this energy of like I love the show, and 511 00:33:06,600 --> 00:33:08,760 Speaker 2: what I wasn't seeing because I was in New York 512 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:11,760 Speaker 2: was that you were working around the clock. So can 513 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:15,000 Speaker 2: you just tell us everything that you remember doing. 514 00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:17,520 Speaker 7: Can you say went through a lot of ups and 515 00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:19,880 Speaker 7: downs as a program. We were part of kt Radio 516 00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:22,440 Speaker 7: and we were part of NPR back then, and like 517 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:25,280 Speaker 7: you know, that was kind of in the area of flux. 518 00:33:25,320 --> 00:33:28,400 Speaker 7: When I started to in that chaos, there was also 519 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:30,680 Speaker 7: an opportunity and like that's why I would talk to you. 520 00:33:30,720 --> 00:33:32,440 Speaker 7: It is like, can I do this and like, sure 521 00:33:32,480 --> 00:33:34,280 Speaker 7: you want to do this? Okay cool, or like Walter 522 00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:35,760 Speaker 7: would be mixing and I'd be like, hey, can I 523 00:33:35,760 --> 00:33:38,640 Speaker 7: sit with you and just watch you learn. Basically, I 524 00:33:38,680 --> 00:33:40,720 Speaker 7: took on a lot because there wasn't a lot of 525 00:33:40,840 --> 00:33:44,320 Speaker 7: leadership in house on that. So we were writing, we 526 00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:47,080 Speaker 7: were editing, we were recording you, and then we'd mix 527 00:33:47,120 --> 00:33:49,560 Speaker 7: it and like put it out and sometimes we'd change 528 00:33:49,640 --> 00:33:53,240 Speaker 7: gears crazily and like get a breaking story. But yeah, 529 00:33:53,280 --> 00:33:56,160 Speaker 7: it was both fun and then became incredibly stressful. 530 00:33:56,440 --> 00:33:59,280 Speaker 2: One of the things that you actually experienced, more so 531 00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:04,640 Speaker 2: than other producers, very intensely, was me having to juggle 532 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:09,080 Speaker 2: the show every week, recording every week, traveling for CNN, 533 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:15,600 Speaker 2: and having kids, like kids who by now could actually say, hey, mom, 534 00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:19,719 Speaker 2: don't leave, don't catch that plane. Let's just say it. 535 00:34:19,880 --> 00:34:21,560 Speaker 2: There was a lot of guilt. 536 00:34:21,719 --> 00:34:24,560 Speaker 7: It was always like a gamble. We were always playing 537 00:34:24,560 --> 00:34:26,640 Speaker 7: craps of like is it going to be noisy or 538 00:34:26,719 --> 00:34:31,000 Speaker 7: is it not? Your kids were very gracious. I just 539 00:34:31,040 --> 00:34:33,040 Speaker 7: got to say. We were always recording late the night 540 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:36,080 Speaker 7: or early in the morning, at all hours. We were 541 00:34:36,120 --> 00:34:39,480 Speaker 7: eliciting it on your family life, which was a crazy thing, 542 00:34:39,560 --> 00:34:41,880 Speaker 7: but also just a side of the dedication. And so 543 00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:43,920 Speaker 7: your family, I know, has always put it a lot 544 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:45,719 Speaker 7: to make this happen, and they're much a part of 545 00:34:45,880 --> 00:34:46,680 Speaker 7: Latino USA. 546 00:34:47,239 --> 00:34:49,800 Speaker 2: I remember that whenever we would get ready to record, 547 00:34:49,840 --> 00:34:53,279 Speaker 2: I'd say right on the set, and they hated that. 548 00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:57,480 Speaker 7: They hated that exactly. It's tough. And I know as 549 00:34:57,480 --> 00:35:00,400 Speaker 7: a woman too, especially, you know, like the sacrifices that details, 550 00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:03,880 Speaker 7: but that a lot of time society doesn't recognize. You know, 551 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:05,680 Speaker 7: that's okay for a man to do that, but if 552 00:35:05,680 --> 00:35:07,960 Speaker 7: a woman is doing that, it's not viewed as okay. 553 00:35:08,840 --> 00:35:10,200 Speaker 7: You know, I respect you a lot for that, and 554 00:35:10,239 --> 00:35:16,799 Speaker 7: I hope your kids also have reconciled it all. 555 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:22,040 Speaker 2: So you actually end up living through the post nine 556 00:35:22,080 --> 00:35:28,000 Speaker 2: to eleven era of Latino USA, and now we start 557 00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:33,840 Speaker 2: becoming a target again immigrants, refugees, brown people in general. 558 00:35:34,520 --> 00:35:37,720 Speaker 7: There's always been a hard line against immigration that existed 559 00:35:37,719 --> 00:35:40,640 Speaker 7: in the United States, but it's certainly like skyrocketed and 560 00:35:40,719 --> 00:35:44,160 Speaker 7: that side of everything was very empowered post nine to 561 00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:46,799 Speaker 7: eleven because they're like, look, this is what happens when 562 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:49,760 Speaker 7: you have open borders, and that rhetoric that we see today, 563 00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:52,040 Speaker 7: I mean very much has its roots back then, and 564 00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:55,319 Speaker 7: we were constantly reporting on it and what that meant, 565 00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:59,480 Speaker 7: from the Minutemen down in Arizona to just the policies 566 00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:03,000 Speaker 7: of the United States in general. Try to create a 567 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:05,040 Speaker 7: certain debate about it too that didn't exist in a 568 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:05,560 Speaker 7: lot of ways. 569 00:36:05,880 --> 00:36:08,960 Speaker 2: I'm joined now by one of those supporters, Jim Gilchrist, 570 00:36:09,040 --> 00:36:13,040 Speaker 2: a founder of the Minute Men Project. Welcome to Latino, USA, Jim, Hi, 571 00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:16,399 Speaker 2: where is this sliver of common ground that you think 572 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:18,719 Speaker 2: you can have with people who say there's got to 573 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:22,600 Speaker 2: be another way except for massive deportations and building a wall. 574 00:36:22,760 --> 00:36:25,560 Speaker 3: I know people are coming here because of economic, social, 575 00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:29,800 Speaker 3: and political oppressions and their homelands, but we cannot realistically 576 00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:33,920 Speaker 3: continue ourselves as a world economic power or with any 577 00:36:33,920 --> 00:36:37,600 Speaker 3: global influence if we are going to take in every 578 00:36:37,680 --> 00:36:40,680 Speaker 3: person based on their willingness to come here, not on 579 00:36:40,719 --> 00:36:43,560 Speaker 3: our willingness to invite them here. I want them to 580 00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:46,800 Speaker 3: come here legally, have respect for our nation's laws. 581 00:36:47,160 --> 00:36:49,920 Speaker 7: I want them to and I think that we did 582 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:53,399 Speaker 7: a really good job of covering it. But it gets hard, 583 00:36:53,440 --> 00:36:56,160 Speaker 7: and Mike, we got all sorts of emails and messages 584 00:36:56,160 --> 00:36:59,120 Speaker 7: of y'all are just immigrants. Stop shut up? And again 585 00:36:59,239 --> 00:37:01,239 Speaker 7: that line of like who are we and what are 586 00:37:01,239 --> 00:37:03,319 Speaker 7: we about? And it was always a struggle too, you know, 587 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:06,640 Speaker 7: like when you and so she went to Taminican Republican 588 00:37:06,719 --> 00:37:10,800 Speaker 7: innegating folks that were like acting like medic men in Arizona, 589 00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:15,640 Speaker 7: essentially the exact same thing, trying to seek out undocumented Haitians, 590 00:37:15,640 --> 00:37:17,359 Speaker 7: and like this idea of like, we got to get 591 00:37:17,440 --> 00:37:18,800 Speaker 7: rid of the Haitians, they're the problem. 592 00:37:19,480 --> 00:37:23,240 Speaker 2: It's a stunning Monday morning, the sky is a shocking 593 00:37:23,320 --> 00:37:28,600 Speaker 2: Caribbean blue, but this beautiful backdrop doesn't mask something terrible 594 00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:32,320 Speaker 2: taking place at the very same time from a white 595 00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:36,040 Speaker 2: bus with metal bars on the windows, I hear cries 596 00:37:36,239 --> 00:37:46,760 Speaker 2: of distress. 597 00:37:47,200 --> 00:37:50,120 Speaker 7: And so we would talk about those things to really 598 00:37:50,280 --> 00:37:52,759 Speaker 7: like inform the discussions and the discourses that were happening 599 00:37:52,800 --> 00:37:55,000 Speaker 7: in the United States, because you know, when they were 600 00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:58,759 Speaker 7: talking about enhance interrogation, people weren't saying a torture and 601 00:37:58,880 --> 00:38:01,799 Speaker 7: NPR even was telling us to say torture. But we 602 00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:04,400 Speaker 7: did a series on torture in Chiba, and it was 603 00:38:04,560 --> 00:38:07,880 Speaker 7: very important to say, like, this is not enhanced interrogation, 604 00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:11,040 Speaker 7: this is a horrible crime against humanity, and we need 605 00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:13,759 Speaker 7: to call it torture for what it is. I'm really 606 00:38:13,800 --> 00:38:15,799 Speaker 7: proud of what we did, talking about no human is 607 00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:19,839 Speaker 7: illegal and trying to force the broader network into using 608 00:38:19,960 --> 00:38:23,360 Speaker 7: language that really did not dehumanize people. 609 00:38:24,080 --> 00:38:27,680 Speaker 2: In some ways, Latino USA took the post nine to 610 00:38:27,760 --> 00:38:33,600 Speaker 2: eleven dynamic, and because we were in control editorially, we 611 00:38:33,680 --> 00:38:36,560 Speaker 2: did respond editorially in a different way. 612 00:38:37,000 --> 00:38:40,080 Speaker 7: We were relevant in a time that powers that be 613 00:38:40,200 --> 00:38:42,680 Speaker 7: didn't want to have Latino USA around. It would have 614 00:38:42,719 --> 00:38:45,080 Speaker 7: been really easy for us to fall by the wayside. 615 00:38:45,239 --> 00:38:47,960 Speaker 7: I think MPR would have been fine with us going 616 00:38:48,000 --> 00:38:50,399 Speaker 7: by the wayside, and not to discount that they did 617 00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:52,760 Speaker 7: support us over time, and there was a lot of support, 618 00:38:52,800 --> 00:38:55,279 Speaker 7: But we were a difficult thing for them too, and 619 00:38:55,360 --> 00:38:57,400 Speaker 7: a lot of levels, And that's partly because of their 620 00:38:57,440 --> 00:39:01,760 Speaker 7: own inability to see what's important and about having diverse voices, 621 00:39:01,840 --> 00:39:05,080 Speaker 7: because we're often outside of the story of what is 622 00:39:05,120 --> 00:39:06,080 Speaker 7: the United States. 623 00:39:06,360 --> 00:39:08,960 Speaker 2: I mean, there were many years in that second decade 624 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:13,440 Speaker 2: that began to feel really challenging to keep the team together, 625 00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:18,560 Speaker 2: and then this thing happens, this terrible thing regarding an 626 00:39:18,600 --> 00:39:23,439 Speaker 2: ISDN line. Back then, it was a very expensive thing, 627 00:39:24,120 --> 00:39:26,560 Speaker 2: and the fact that I had an ISDN line into 628 00:39:26,600 --> 00:39:29,279 Speaker 2: my home. It was a great thing, but it also 629 00:39:29,600 --> 00:39:31,200 Speaker 2: was the thing that almost took us down. 630 00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:34,759 Speaker 7: Well, just so everybody knows about it, IDM line. Now 631 00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:37,359 Speaker 7: you have like very high speed internet connections in their homes, 632 00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:39,360 Speaker 7: so you can do a lot digitally that you could 633 00:39:39,360 --> 00:39:42,279 Speaker 7: not do back then. And so that ISDM mine was 634 00:39:42,480 --> 00:39:45,360 Speaker 7: thirty dollars a minute or something like that. It was ridiculous. 635 00:39:45,360 --> 00:39:46,759 Speaker 7: I might be exaggerating a little bit, but it was. 636 00:39:46,920 --> 00:39:49,760 Speaker 7: It was pricey. You could record to where I sounded 637 00:39:49,800 --> 00:39:52,720 Speaker 7: like two people were in the same studio. You would connect, 638 00:39:52,800 --> 00:39:55,600 Speaker 7: you would record for a couple hours, and we would disconnect, 639 00:39:55,640 --> 00:39:57,440 Speaker 7: and you know, that would still cost us like five 640 00:39:57,520 --> 00:39:59,880 Speaker 7: or six hundred dollars, and that was part of our budget. 641 00:40:00,160 --> 00:40:02,960 Speaker 7: But occasionally it would get left on a little bit longer, 642 00:40:03,520 --> 00:40:05,360 Speaker 7: and that was a problem. We would talk about it. 643 00:40:05,400 --> 00:40:07,239 Speaker 7: But one time, I think you went to dominicate the 644 00:40:07,320 --> 00:40:10,120 Speaker 7: public for vacation, that we left it connected for like 645 00:40:10,160 --> 00:40:13,480 Speaker 7: two weeks, and that is several thousand dollars is like 646 00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:17,680 Speaker 7: fifteen or twenty thousand dollars of a connection, which again 647 00:40:17,800 --> 00:40:21,960 Speaker 7: went to the internal mismanagement that was happening in the office. Basically, 648 00:40:22,040 --> 00:40:24,520 Speaker 7: by that point, Katt was like, we're done. We don't 649 00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:26,239 Speaker 7: want to do this anymore. This show is not really 650 00:40:26,239 --> 00:40:29,200 Speaker 7: getting any traction. It's losing audience. It's a half hour show, 651 00:40:29,200 --> 00:40:31,560 Speaker 7: which is a really hard thing to place. So the 652 00:40:31,600 --> 00:40:34,280 Speaker 7: idea to cancel the show, which there were some legitimate 653 00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:37,839 Speaker 7: mistakes that should have had consequences, but instead of like, hey, 654 00:40:37,960 --> 00:40:41,000 Speaker 7: let's take this thing and make it better because there 655 00:40:41,080 --> 00:40:43,360 Speaker 7: is an audience, basically it was like, this is a 656 00:40:43,440 --> 00:40:45,400 Speaker 7: golden opportunity. Let's end the show. 657 00:40:45,719 --> 00:40:48,520 Speaker 2: Can you take me to that moment where you are 658 00:40:48,520 --> 00:40:50,920 Speaker 2: in the office in Austin and you're like, Jesus, it's 659 00:40:50,920 --> 00:40:51,720 Speaker 2: really going to happen. 660 00:40:52,239 --> 00:40:55,279 Speaker 7: That was just really hard to hear and understand and 661 00:40:55,360 --> 00:40:57,160 Speaker 7: like know what we are going to do in the future. 662 00:40:57,200 --> 00:41:00,400 Speaker 7: You know, some people had contingency plans, some of us didn't. 663 00:41:00,480 --> 00:41:03,399 Speaker 7: That was my first foray into journalism, and like here 664 00:41:03,440 --> 00:41:06,920 Speaker 7: it was ending. So it was just really devastating. And 665 00:41:07,080 --> 00:41:09,799 Speaker 7: those like seven or eight months, Kat said, don't do 666 00:41:09,840 --> 00:41:12,239 Speaker 7: anything like repackage the show and put it on. So 667 00:41:12,239 --> 00:41:14,839 Speaker 7: we would just sit around. Walter would watch Hulu and 668 00:41:15,280 --> 00:41:17,560 Speaker 7: I would like tittle my thumbs and just read Wikipedia 669 00:41:17,560 --> 00:41:19,440 Speaker 7: all day. And it was kind of odd and uncomfortable. 670 00:41:19,520 --> 00:41:22,440 Speaker 7: It was incredibly difficult for us in Austin. And I 671 00:41:22,480 --> 00:41:25,520 Speaker 7: know that you were also dealing with what to do. 672 00:41:25,560 --> 00:41:27,600 Speaker 7: And I know you could have easily also walked away 673 00:41:27,680 --> 00:41:30,160 Speaker 7: and left this thing to just go away and not 674 00:41:30,239 --> 00:41:32,600 Speaker 7: be a problem. But what were you thinking about whenever 675 00:41:32,680 --> 00:41:35,279 Speaker 7: Latini say, yeah, canceled, and like, why not just walk 676 00:41:35,320 --> 00:41:35,879 Speaker 7: away from it? 677 00:41:36,600 --> 00:41:40,880 Speaker 2: The way I've understood Latino usay is confronting all of 678 00:41:40,920 --> 00:41:44,000 Speaker 2: these frankly the attacks and now you know the actual 679 00:41:44,320 --> 00:41:47,399 Speaker 2: like let's just cancel the show is because of this 680 00:41:47,520 --> 00:41:52,360 Speaker 2: deep sense of really serving our audience. Maybe the people 681 00:41:52,360 --> 00:41:55,640 Speaker 2: that NPR or KUT did not listen to our show, 682 00:41:55,680 --> 00:42:01,080 Speaker 2: but we knew that people were listening to it. When 683 00:42:01,080 --> 00:42:04,879 Speaker 2: I suddenly find myself without work in the year twenty ten, 684 00:42:05,320 --> 00:42:07,120 Speaker 2: and I was like, there's no way I can call 685 00:42:07,160 --> 00:42:10,480 Speaker 2: my dad, doctor Raoulino, Hossanse Buppy, I'm going to have 686 00:42:10,560 --> 00:42:14,239 Speaker 2: to go on unemployment. And so Latino USA, which had 687 00:42:14,320 --> 00:42:16,840 Speaker 2: kind of always been in some ways a side gig, 688 00:42:17,600 --> 00:42:20,839 Speaker 2: very important in terms of my journalistic identity, but in 689 00:42:20,880 --> 00:42:27,280 Speaker 2: fact a side gig with a side side salary, suddenly 690 00:42:28,160 --> 00:42:31,360 Speaker 2: it was going to become the thing. And one of 691 00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:35,520 Speaker 2: the key things that I knew now because the census 692 00:42:35,520 --> 00:42:39,080 Speaker 2: had come out, was that the Latino population had grown 693 00:42:39,160 --> 00:42:42,680 Speaker 2: by forty three percent from two thousand to the year 694 00:42:42,719 --> 00:42:48,160 Speaker 2: twenty ten, almost doubly, and I was like, oh, this 695 00:42:48,480 --> 00:42:53,200 Speaker 2: is why I need to stay with Latino Usay, this 696 00:42:53,320 --> 00:42:56,040 Speaker 2: is why I need to form Futuro Media and make 697 00:42:56,080 --> 00:42:59,200 Speaker 2: it a company that has a bilingual name. The hard 698 00:42:59,280 --> 00:43:02,920 Speaker 2: data is going to to save Latinos and Latinas because 699 00:43:03,680 --> 00:43:08,560 Speaker 2: we are a growth engine for this country. That was 700 00:43:08,640 --> 00:43:11,879 Speaker 2: my first major production, and of course, men Cho, you 701 00:43:11,920 --> 00:43:14,160 Speaker 2: were the one who actually did the nuts and bolts 702 00:43:14,520 --> 00:43:18,160 Speaker 2: of bringing the show to New York, And I'm wondering 703 00:43:18,560 --> 00:43:20,920 Speaker 2: what was that like for you to kind of be like, Okay, 704 00:43:21,360 --> 00:43:24,600 Speaker 2: I'm a Texas guy, been here my whole life mostly, 705 00:43:25,040 --> 00:43:27,040 Speaker 2: and now I'm moving to New York. I mean, we 706 00:43:27,040 --> 00:43:29,799 Speaker 2: didn't even have an office. I think we were at DCTV. 707 00:43:30,200 --> 00:43:32,279 Speaker 7: That was actually really cool to go to who was 708 00:43:32,320 --> 00:43:35,640 Speaker 7: a Chinatown and the old firehouse down there. It was 709 00:43:35,680 --> 00:43:38,400 Speaker 7: really crazy. It was traumatic to me in like cold. 710 00:43:38,680 --> 00:43:40,480 Speaker 2: That's funny that the thing that you remember the most 711 00:43:40,560 --> 00:43:42,360 Speaker 2: trauma was because of the cold, not the fact that 712 00:43:42,400 --> 00:43:44,480 Speaker 2: we didn't have an office, or the fact that you 713 00:43:44,520 --> 00:43:47,000 Speaker 2: didn't have any equipment. I mean, I don't even know 714 00:43:47,040 --> 00:43:48,560 Speaker 2: how you did it, Mincho. 715 00:43:49,080 --> 00:43:51,960 Speaker 7: It was a little crazy. It was definitely we had 716 00:43:52,000 --> 00:43:53,759 Speaker 7: been flying by the seat of our pants for a while, 717 00:43:53,840 --> 00:43:56,839 Speaker 7: so it was like, well, let's just keep on doing this. Yeah, 718 00:43:57,080 --> 00:44:01,320 Speaker 7: look at Pasa. But it was also just like career vitegrating. 719 00:44:01,320 --> 00:44:05,160 Speaker 2: The first, you know, year of creating Futuro and a 720 00:44:05,239 --> 00:44:09,640 Speaker 2: sense of robustness and kind of possibility, and you, Minscho, 721 00:44:10,239 --> 00:44:15,040 Speaker 2: carrying the entire show on your back. I was now 722 00:44:15,120 --> 00:44:17,920 Speaker 2: making my first frontline documentary, so I was out of 723 00:44:18,000 --> 00:44:22,840 Speaker 2: the office and I could see that it was beginning 724 00:44:22,840 --> 00:44:27,040 Speaker 2: to wear on you, and so you did say, okay, 725 00:44:27,320 --> 00:44:31,360 Speaker 2: I gotta basically take care of Mincho. So can you 726 00:44:31,400 --> 00:44:33,560 Speaker 2: tell me what it was like and why you decided 727 00:44:33,800 --> 00:44:36,280 Speaker 2: to leave Latino USA and what that meant for you. 728 00:44:35,880 --> 00:44:38,279 Speaker 7: You know, it's always like be careful what you wish for. 729 00:44:38,840 --> 00:44:42,040 Speaker 7: It was fun, it was a really exhilarating to do. 730 00:44:42,120 --> 00:44:44,320 Speaker 7: I like that. That's why I like my other career 731 00:44:44,360 --> 00:44:46,799 Speaker 7: in life has always like been working in restaurants. I'd 732 00:44:46,840 --> 00:44:49,880 Speaker 7: like that feeling of working under stress, producing something that 733 00:44:49,920 --> 00:44:53,160 Speaker 7: somebody is going to and enjoy, be it a brisket 734 00:44:53,320 --> 00:44:56,520 Speaker 7: or a radio piece, but you know the reality too, Yeah, 735 00:44:56,600 --> 00:44:59,640 Speaker 7: Like it just gets really hard. You had to have 736 00:44:59,680 --> 00:45:03,360 Speaker 7: a work life balance and everything, and I was on 737 00:45:03,400 --> 00:45:06,360 Speaker 7: the wrong side of that balance. When you're in a 738 00:45:06,480 --> 00:45:10,840 Speaker 7: nation organization, it's just it's hard and so it it 739 00:45:10,880 --> 00:45:11,920 Speaker 7: took its toll on me on that. 740 00:45:14,239 --> 00:45:17,560 Speaker 2: When you look back at your time at Latino USA, 741 00:45:18,760 --> 00:45:20,160 Speaker 2: what is the takeaway for you? 742 00:45:20,680 --> 00:45:23,879 Speaker 7: I really appreciated the work that we did even under 743 00:45:23,880 --> 00:45:26,680 Speaker 7: that pressure, even under the limited resources, Like we were 744 00:45:26,680 --> 00:45:28,640 Speaker 7: able to do things that I'm really proud of. 745 00:45:30,160 --> 00:45:32,040 Speaker 2: Mechel. Thank you so much for speaking with me. It's 746 00:45:32,080 --> 00:45:34,000 Speaker 2: really been great to go down memory lane with you. 747 00:45:34,719 --> 00:45:37,239 Speaker 7: Yes, definitely, thank you for having me on, and it's 748 00:45:37,280 --> 00:45:39,600 Speaker 7: great to reminisce and like, I'm really proud of the 749 00:45:39,640 --> 00:45:47,280 Speaker 7: stuff that y'all have done. 750 00:45:45,480 --> 00:45:49,479 Speaker 2: Coming up on Latino USA. So we saved this show 751 00:45:49,480 --> 00:45:53,600 Speaker 2: from getting canceled. But then Fuduu Media has to take 752 00:45:53,640 --> 00:45:58,400 Speaker 2: on the challenge of reinventing Latino USA after twenty years 753 00:45:58,400 --> 00:46:01,440 Speaker 2: of being on the air, well also learning how to 754 00:46:01,480 --> 00:46:06,280 Speaker 2: manage a new startup media company. It got real interesting. 755 00:46:06,680 --> 00:47:05,359 Speaker 2: Stay with us yes, dear listener, we are back. So 756 00:47:05,520 --> 00:47:08,400 Speaker 2: in twenty ten, I made one of the scariest but 757 00:47:08,440 --> 00:47:10,879 Speaker 2: really one of the most exciting decisions that I've ever 758 00:47:10,920 --> 00:47:15,200 Speaker 2: made in my life, and it was to found futuro Media. 759 00:47:16,080 --> 00:47:18,959 Speaker 2: I mean scary, because come on, I had never run 760 00:47:19,000 --> 00:47:22,760 Speaker 2: anything in my life, and the truth is that those 761 00:47:22,800 --> 00:47:27,000 Speaker 2: first years were pretty chaotic, even by Latino USA standards. 762 00:47:27,320 --> 00:47:29,840 Speaker 2: I was learning how to manage a company while still 763 00:47:29,880 --> 00:47:33,480 Speaker 2: having to produce a weekly show, which means we never 764 00:47:33,760 --> 00:47:38,680 Speaker 2: took a break. I also made another decision. I wanted 765 00:47:38,719 --> 00:47:43,040 Speaker 2: Futuromedia to be based in Harlem. I wanted our company 766 00:47:43,120 --> 00:47:47,280 Speaker 2: to be in a historically black community, and in twenty thirteen, 767 00:47:47,400 --> 00:47:51,440 Speaker 2: we finally convinced NPR to let us turn Latino USA 768 00:47:51,600 --> 00:47:55,640 Speaker 2: into a full hour weekly show. That did double the 769 00:47:55,640 --> 00:47:58,600 Speaker 2: production load on the team, but it also opened up 770 00:47:59,040 --> 00:48:03,200 Speaker 2: so many possible abilities for us. We were independent, we 771 00:48:03,239 --> 00:48:07,399 Speaker 2: could do essentially what we wanted, but after twenty years 772 00:48:07,400 --> 00:48:10,440 Speaker 2: on the air and thousands of stories reported and produced, 773 00:48:11,120 --> 00:48:15,520 Speaker 2: what was next for us? Luckily, we had a brilliant 774 00:48:15,560 --> 00:48:19,719 Speaker 2: team of young producers full of great ideas that we're 775 00:48:19,760 --> 00:48:24,080 Speaker 2: ready to take this challenge head on. People like Antonia 776 00:48:24,200 --> 00:48:30,960 Speaker 2: seehidro oh La. Maria Antonia was a journalism student from 777 00:48:31,040 --> 00:48:35,200 Speaker 2: Northwestern University. In twenty fifteen, she became one of the 778 00:48:35,239 --> 00:48:38,840 Speaker 2: first interns at Futuro Media, and she, along with so 779 00:48:38,920 --> 00:48:42,600 Speaker 2: many other talented producers and editors, helped to shape the 780 00:48:42,719 --> 00:48:45,960 Speaker 2: voice of a renewed Latino USA. 781 00:48:46,040 --> 00:48:49,200 Speaker 8: I remember being super excited about doing my journalism residency 782 00:48:49,239 --> 00:48:51,000 Speaker 8: at Latino USA, and then I don't know if you 783 00:48:51,040 --> 00:48:53,560 Speaker 8: know this part of the story, but I will say 784 00:48:53,560 --> 00:48:56,160 Speaker 8: at the time it was a ragtag group of people, 785 00:48:56,360 --> 00:48:59,359 Speaker 8: I think it's fair to say. And nobody actually gave 786 00:48:59,440 --> 00:49:02,719 Speaker 8: me the address of where I was supposed to go, 787 00:49:03,239 --> 00:49:05,120 Speaker 8: so I had to like find it on the Facebook 788 00:49:05,160 --> 00:49:07,359 Speaker 8: page of like where the office was, and then just 789 00:49:07,400 --> 00:49:09,359 Speaker 8: like showed up at the time that I thought would 790 00:49:09,360 --> 00:49:10,440 Speaker 8: be appropriate to show up. 791 00:49:10,480 --> 00:49:11,719 Speaker 2: Oh my god, it was. 792 00:49:11,920 --> 00:49:15,440 Speaker 8: Yeah, it was the middle of winter, and you walked 793 00:49:15,480 --> 00:49:19,719 Speaker 8: in with a zebra print mini skirt and like thigh 794 00:49:19,840 --> 00:49:23,400 Speaker 8: high like leather boots and giant hoop earrings. 795 00:49:23,520 --> 00:49:25,720 Speaker 4: And I was like, yes, I have arrived. 796 00:49:26,200 --> 00:49:27,759 Speaker 8: Is where I have to be. 797 00:49:28,480 --> 00:49:30,640 Speaker 2: I can't believe you remember the skirt. I mean that 798 00:49:30,760 --> 00:49:32,800 Speaker 2: was a I mean. 799 00:49:32,800 --> 00:49:35,280 Speaker 8: How often does your boss come in with a zebra 800 00:49:35,400 --> 00:49:36,439 Speaker 8: mini skirt. 801 00:49:36,800 --> 00:49:39,960 Speaker 2: And it's true they were over the knee boots. Heck, yes, no, 802 00:49:40,080 --> 00:49:40,640 Speaker 2: you look hot. 803 00:49:40,800 --> 00:49:44,359 Speaker 8: I was like, she's hot. And then also, I mean, 804 00:49:44,400 --> 00:49:46,800 Speaker 8: I just remember falling in love with the office immediately. 805 00:49:47,840 --> 00:49:50,400 Speaker 8: It's painted this like color orange that's very like warm 806 00:49:50,400 --> 00:49:55,480 Speaker 8: and inviting. And you know, Northwestern is an extremely white 807 00:49:55,560 --> 00:49:58,160 Speaker 8: and Anglo environment, and it was fun to be in 808 00:49:58,200 --> 00:50:00,919 Speaker 8: an office where we were speaking in English in Spanish. 809 00:50:01,000 --> 00:50:04,080 Speaker 8: There was an understanding of like Latin America. You know, 810 00:50:04,640 --> 00:50:05,680 Speaker 8: it just felt like there was a lot of like 811 00:50:05,719 --> 00:50:09,319 Speaker 8: shorthands already in place. I mean, I personally grew up 812 00:50:09,520 --> 00:50:12,360 Speaker 8: just surrounded by not many Datinos, and so for me, 813 00:50:12,400 --> 00:50:14,520 Speaker 8: it was like the most liberating feeling. It was the 814 00:50:14,560 --> 00:50:20,919 Speaker 8: most understood I had felt by like an environment. We 815 00:50:20,920 --> 00:50:24,120 Speaker 8: were a really young team. I mean I was the youngest, 816 00:50:24,160 --> 00:50:27,359 Speaker 8: but it was mostly people in their late twenties. How 817 00:50:27,360 --> 00:50:30,560 Speaker 8: did it feel for you to have such a young team. 818 00:50:30,920 --> 00:50:33,080 Speaker 2: I think one of the things that is the salvation 819 00:50:33,160 --> 00:50:35,799 Speaker 2: of Latino USA is that I have never felt like 820 00:50:35,840 --> 00:50:38,920 Speaker 2: it's my property. Even though people hear my voice and 821 00:50:38,960 --> 00:50:41,360 Speaker 2: my name and they immediately tie me to Latino USA. 822 00:50:41,760 --> 00:50:44,799 Speaker 2: I have never felt like it's my show and it's 823 00:50:44,800 --> 00:50:47,520 Speaker 2: got to be done my way. This show has had 824 00:50:47,520 --> 00:50:51,759 Speaker 2: this kind of editorial fluidity, and I think, yeah, there 825 00:50:51,840 --> 00:50:55,360 Speaker 2: was a definite sound to the first decade, a definite 826 00:50:55,360 --> 00:50:58,319 Speaker 2: sound to the second decade, and a definite sound to 827 00:50:58,360 --> 00:51:02,359 Speaker 2: the third decade, which is when I'm in charge and 828 00:51:02,400 --> 00:51:05,640 Speaker 2: I'm like, oh my god, look at all of these smart, young, 829 00:51:06,680 --> 00:51:10,160 Speaker 2: super creative producers. I want them to feel like they 830 00:51:10,160 --> 00:51:13,240 Speaker 2: can take risks and they're meeting the task. 831 00:51:13,880 --> 00:51:15,920 Speaker 8: What was really cool is that it was a time 832 00:51:16,000 --> 00:51:18,800 Speaker 8: where I think industrywide, there was a lot of ambition 833 00:51:18,920 --> 00:51:21,920 Speaker 8: in terms of what audio could bring. You know, the 834 00:51:21,960 --> 00:51:24,879 Speaker 8: other big shows at the time were This American Life, 835 00:51:24,920 --> 00:51:27,080 Speaker 8: were Radio Lab, and I think you can see in 836 00:51:27,120 --> 00:51:29,120 Speaker 8: the difference of having a Latina woman at the head 837 00:51:29,120 --> 00:51:31,960 Speaker 8: who's encouraging these young people to pursue what they want, Like, 838 00:51:32,600 --> 00:51:34,560 Speaker 8: we had the ambition to do things that were at 839 00:51:34,640 --> 00:51:39,480 Speaker 8: the journalistic level, that were creatively interesting, but also that 840 00:51:39,600 --> 00:51:42,160 Speaker 8: spoke to our own reality. And I think that you 841 00:51:42,200 --> 00:51:44,520 Speaker 8: gave us that opportunity, which I think was rare in 842 00:51:44,560 --> 00:51:47,080 Speaker 8: the industry then and still rare now, and a lot 843 00:51:47,120 --> 00:51:49,560 Speaker 8: of us producers were able to figure out our own voice. 844 00:51:49,960 --> 00:51:53,920 Speaker 2: I think I was very intentional about understanding how I 845 00:51:54,000 --> 00:51:57,160 Speaker 2: was being seen in the industry. At the same time, 846 00:51:57,200 --> 00:51:59,480 Speaker 2: you know, I was facing all kinds of challenges, whether 847 00:51:59,520 --> 00:52:02,919 Speaker 2: it was personal or financial. I remember I was in debt, 848 00:52:02,960 --> 00:52:06,200 Speaker 2: I had kids in college. You know, there were always worries. 849 00:52:06,400 --> 00:52:09,560 Speaker 2: There were behind the scene worries. There was are we 850 00:52:09,600 --> 00:52:11,760 Speaker 2: going to be able to make payroll kind of worries. 851 00:52:12,239 --> 00:52:15,080 Speaker 2: But I remember that I was like, you're walking into 852 00:52:15,120 --> 00:52:17,000 Speaker 2: this office and you are trying to set a tone, 853 00:52:17,560 --> 00:52:20,680 Speaker 2: you know, and the tone is upbeat, try to be happy. 854 00:52:20,680 --> 00:52:22,959 Speaker 2: Although at the same time, Antonia, I think you would 855 00:52:22,960 --> 00:52:25,400 Speaker 2: say yeah, but also you could never really hide your emotions. 856 00:52:25,760 --> 00:52:28,280 Speaker 2: And I bet you saw me in like some emotional 857 00:52:28,360 --> 00:52:29,000 Speaker 2: up and downs. 858 00:52:29,480 --> 00:52:31,760 Speaker 8: You used to send me voice notes of you crying. 859 00:52:32,719 --> 00:52:37,520 Speaker 2: Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. I 860 00:52:37,520 --> 00:52:38,120 Speaker 2: can't believe me. 861 00:52:38,200 --> 00:52:41,360 Speaker 8: But I was, oh God, the real Diehard. Let you know, 862 00:52:41,480 --> 00:52:43,239 Speaker 8: USA fans will know what I'm referring to. 863 00:52:43,640 --> 00:52:45,400 Speaker 10: You know that we're doing this episode about crying. 864 00:52:45,960 --> 00:52:48,759 Speaker 2: I know that we're doing an episode about crying. Oh 865 00:52:48,800 --> 00:52:51,799 Speaker 2: my god, Antonia. That was so it doesn't get more 866 00:52:51,800 --> 00:52:53,080 Speaker 2: intimate than that, does it. 867 00:52:53,200 --> 00:52:55,120 Speaker 8: Yeah, the personal stuff you were dealing with was insane 868 00:52:55,160 --> 00:52:56,600 Speaker 8: at the time because you were dealing with a lot 869 00:52:56,640 --> 00:52:57,520 Speaker 8: of death. 870 00:52:57,719 --> 00:53:00,279 Speaker 2: Not to I mean, yeah, not to bring it down, 871 00:53:00,320 --> 00:53:03,160 Speaker 2: but it was like my father was dying, Brimn Mexico 872 00:53:03,320 --> 00:53:03,720 Speaker 2: was dying. 873 00:53:05,520 --> 00:53:08,840 Speaker 11: So this is one of the times when after just 874 00:53:08,840 --> 00:53:12,640 Speaker 11: getting off the phone with my mom walking to work 875 00:53:13,920 --> 00:53:16,160 Speaker 11: and she's telling me about my debt. 876 00:53:18,080 --> 00:53:20,239 Speaker 2: The thing is that you talked about wanting to do 877 00:53:20,280 --> 00:53:23,200 Speaker 2: something about crying, and I just remember saying, well, I'm 878 00:53:23,239 --> 00:53:26,920 Speaker 2: crying all the time, so I want to work with 879 00:53:26,960 --> 00:53:30,319 Speaker 2: you on this. But I also felt safe with you 880 00:53:30,719 --> 00:53:32,600 Speaker 2: as a producer, and I think that that was the 881 00:53:32,640 --> 00:53:37,120 Speaker 2: other thing, was that your curiosity about what was possible, 882 00:53:37,200 --> 00:53:40,719 Speaker 2: what we could do, made me just see things differently. 883 00:53:41,600 --> 00:53:43,920 Speaker 10: So what I did is I went on the Wikipedia page, 884 00:53:44,080 --> 00:53:47,240 Speaker 10: and according to them, women cry between thirty and sixty 885 00:53:47,239 --> 00:53:50,719 Speaker 10: four times a year and men cry between six and 886 00:53:50,840 --> 00:53:53,960 Speaker 10: seventeen times a year. So there are two million Latinos 887 00:53:53,960 --> 00:53:56,239 Speaker 10: living in New York And I did some kind of 888 00:53:56,320 --> 00:54:00,319 Speaker 10: multiplication and division, and I reached a number or what 889 00:54:00,360 --> 00:54:03,000 Speaker 10: I thought the number of other Latinos crying in New 890 00:54:03,080 --> 00:54:05,040 Speaker 10: York City at the same time as me was. And 891 00:54:05,080 --> 00:54:08,120 Speaker 10: the number I got was six hundred and forty six. 892 00:54:08,719 --> 00:54:10,719 Speaker 10: I think the thing that you have always challenged in 893 00:54:10,719 --> 00:54:12,960 Speaker 10: your own journalism, and something that I've really taken to 894 00:54:13,040 --> 00:54:15,880 Speaker 10: heart is that a journalist is not like a robot 895 00:54:15,880 --> 00:54:18,720 Speaker 10: automaton that goes out in the world and records things, 896 00:54:19,080 --> 00:54:22,640 Speaker 10: and objectivity is a farce. And also as a goal 897 00:54:22,680 --> 00:54:25,799 Speaker 10: is only useful to an extent. And you always bring 898 00:54:25,840 --> 00:54:28,520 Speaker 10: your full humanity to your reporting, and I think that 899 00:54:28,560 --> 00:54:31,000 Speaker 10: comes through in the stories, and I think you bring 900 00:54:31,040 --> 00:54:33,480 Speaker 10: your full humanity to your management too. Could we have 901 00:54:33,560 --> 00:54:37,120 Speaker 10: had like a more robust HR system at FUTUA, probably, 902 00:54:37,680 --> 00:54:39,880 Speaker 10: but it felt really real, you know, and it felt 903 00:54:39,880 --> 00:54:42,880 Speaker 10: like we were able to process emotions and issues in 904 00:54:42,920 --> 00:54:45,640 Speaker 10: an open, sort of like community way. 905 00:54:46,440 --> 00:54:50,920 Speaker 2: When I think back, there is one episode in particular 906 00:54:50,960 --> 00:54:54,239 Speaker 2: Antonia that kind of captures what we were trying to do. 907 00:54:54,719 --> 00:54:58,000 Speaker 2: It's called a Day at the Bovega. And I don't know, 908 00:54:58,040 --> 00:55:00,640 Speaker 2: I think we really showed that we had the capacity 909 00:55:00,680 --> 00:55:03,160 Speaker 2: to do very special work at Latino USA. 910 00:55:03,280 --> 00:55:06,880 Speaker 8: In my journalism career. I consider that episode like a 911 00:55:06,920 --> 00:55:11,719 Speaker 8: really important milestone. Basically, we were inspired by like this 912 00:55:11,800 --> 00:55:15,040 Speaker 8: American life and the bodega that we all went to 913 00:55:15,120 --> 00:55:17,560 Speaker 8: get lunch at down the street burned down, and so 914 00:55:17,640 --> 00:55:20,279 Speaker 8: I think we were all really missing the bodega, and 915 00:55:20,320 --> 00:55:23,200 Speaker 8: we were like, oh, what if we did twenty four hours. 916 00:55:22,920 --> 00:55:25,480 Speaker 3: From opening to closing, like a whole you know, nineteen 917 00:55:25,520 --> 00:55:28,800 Speaker 3: hours in a single bodega, this place that you normally 918 00:55:28,800 --> 00:55:30,320 Speaker 3: don't spend more than ten minutes. 919 00:55:30,080 --> 00:55:32,799 Speaker 7: In, or maybe you do, right, maybe you do. It's 920 00:55:32,840 --> 00:55:33,160 Speaker 7: a place. 921 00:55:33,200 --> 00:55:35,719 Speaker 8: We were so hyped on the idea that we met 922 00:55:35,800 --> 00:55:38,640 Speaker 8: up on a Sunday. It was me, got Mito Aargas, 923 00:55:38,719 --> 00:55:42,200 Speaker 8: Marlon Bishop, and Michael Simon Johnson. We met up at 924 00:55:42,200 --> 00:55:44,640 Speaker 8: a diner and we were like, Okay, how are we 925 00:55:44,680 --> 00:55:47,000 Speaker 8: going to do this? And so we did shifts. We 926 00:55:47,040 --> 00:55:49,080 Speaker 8: did ships were like, Okay, Michael's going to do opening, 927 00:55:49,120 --> 00:55:51,319 Speaker 8: like I was going to do the evening, Marlon did 928 00:55:51,360 --> 00:55:53,640 Speaker 8: the middle. Like we kind of had the whole thing planned. 929 00:55:54,120 --> 00:55:55,920 Speaker 8: We heard from people after that episode that it was 930 00:55:55,960 --> 00:55:57,720 Speaker 8: like the first time they heard a voice that sounded 931 00:55:57,719 --> 00:55:58,640 Speaker 8: like their own voice. 932 00:55:58,440 --> 00:56:02,160 Speaker 7: On air, like YO, say, you know that's a little poppy, 933 00:56:02,200 --> 00:56:03,239 Speaker 7: that's this one that you know what I mean. 934 00:56:03,280 --> 00:56:05,279 Speaker 2: So it's like it's a community thing as well. 935 00:56:05,680 --> 00:56:08,480 Speaker 8: They were real people talking about their everyday stuff, and 936 00:56:08,520 --> 00:56:12,240 Speaker 8: that the pleasure and excitement of hearing somebody who sounds 937 00:56:12,280 --> 00:56:13,759 Speaker 8: like someone who lives down the block from you with 938 00:56:13,800 --> 00:56:16,239 Speaker 8: in the Latino community was like the excitement that we 939 00:56:16,239 --> 00:56:17,360 Speaker 8: were bringing to the table. 940 00:56:17,640 --> 00:56:19,520 Speaker 2: You know, I think you're right. There was a lot 941 00:56:19,560 --> 00:56:22,560 Speaker 2: of consciousness in terms of the audience, and I think 942 00:56:22,640 --> 00:56:25,239 Speaker 2: we were just trying to push the envelope editorially all 943 00:56:25,239 --> 00:56:29,360 Speaker 2: the time, which Antonia brings me to the Chewey story. 944 00:56:29,960 --> 00:56:33,440 Speaker 2: So in twenty fifteen, a man named Chuwy Garcia was 945 00:56:33,560 --> 00:56:36,040 Speaker 2: running in the Democratic primary for mayor of the City 946 00:56:36,080 --> 00:56:39,400 Speaker 2: of Chicago. This was a first and I figured that 947 00:56:39,400 --> 00:56:42,000 Speaker 2: we could get I don't know, some interesting access because 948 00:56:42,040 --> 00:56:43,719 Speaker 2: I had known him since I was a kid. And 949 00:56:43,760 --> 00:56:47,479 Speaker 2: so the idea was, all right, let's do twenty four 950 00:56:47,520 --> 00:56:51,759 Speaker 2: hours in the campaign. Not because we were supporting chewe 951 00:56:51,960 --> 00:56:55,840 Speaker 2: against his opponent Ram Emanuel, but because we wanted to 952 00:56:55,920 --> 00:56:59,080 Speaker 2: explore this question of what it looks like to be 953 00:56:59,160 --> 00:57:01,680 Speaker 2: a Latino leader. We were in a place like Chicago, 954 00:57:01,800 --> 00:57:07,600 Speaker 2: a very political city, but it got very controversial. NPR 955 00:57:07,960 --> 00:57:12,239 Speaker 2: decided to pull the branding from this episode. Honestly, this 956 00:57:12,480 --> 00:57:15,440 Speaker 2: was probably like the lowest point in my career, and 957 00:57:15,520 --> 00:57:19,960 Speaker 2: also my dad was dying. So oh, it was pretty terrible. 958 00:57:20,000 --> 00:57:23,760 Speaker 2: And I'm wondering, Antonia, what do you remember about the 959 00:57:23,840 --> 00:57:25,040 Speaker 2: Chewy episode? 960 00:57:25,280 --> 00:57:27,280 Speaker 8: Okay, I was not on the team that produced Chewy, 961 00:57:27,640 --> 00:57:31,080 Speaker 8: but it was really a hard time. I remember really 962 00:57:31,120 --> 00:57:36,160 Speaker 8: liking that episode. Editorially, First, WBEZ said that they weren't 963 00:57:36,200 --> 00:57:39,680 Speaker 8: going to release it because we were going to run 964 00:57:39,720 --> 00:57:42,200 Speaker 8: it before the election, and so they felt that it 965 00:57:42,240 --> 00:57:44,959 Speaker 8: was going to be unfair coverage to give a whole 966 00:57:45,000 --> 00:57:47,080 Speaker 8: hour to Chewy and not do the same for Rama 967 00:57:47,120 --> 00:57:51,360 Speaker 8: Manuel's Camp. And then after it aired, NPR said that 968 00:57:51,400 --> 00:57:54,040 Speaker 8: it was stripping its branding, which they'd never done, or 969 00:57:54,080 --> 00:57:57,360 Speaker 8: something insane like that to an episode. And I remember 970 00:57:57,400 --> 00:58:01,040 Speaker 8: we were all really devastated because it was humiliating. 971 00:58:01,080 --> 00:58:06,720 Speaker 2: Really that moment with NPR felt like we could die here. 972 00:58:07,440 --> 00:58:10,000 Speaker 2: This could be it, you know, because the foretelling of 973 00:58:10,120 --> 00:58:13,440 Speaker 2: Latino USA's demise has always been there, and certainly NPR 974 00:58:13,840 --> 00:58:16,000 Speaker 2: that was always part of the narrative. Right, eventually, it's 975 00:58:16,000 --> 00:58:20,400 Speaker 2: going to die without knowing this whole other commitment of 976 00:58:20,440 --> 00:58:23,520 Speaker 2: this audience that we had that just loved us. But 977 00:58:23,880 --> 00:58:25,800 Speaker 2: I was like, we're going to die. I don't know 978 00:58:25,800 --> 00:58:29,680 Speaker 2: how to salvage this and it was horrible. But in 979 00:58:29,720 --> 00:58:33,240 Speaker 2: that moment, as a journalist, I also thought Futuro was 980 00:58:33,240 --> 00:58:33,720 Speaker 2: going to die. 981 00:58:33,960 --> 00:58:35,800 Speaker 8: I didn't realize it was at that level for you. 982 00:58:36,080 --> 00:58:39,240 Speaker 2: Well, but o Claro, you know, would we lose funders 983 00:58:39,600 --> 00:58:43,360 Speaker 2: because NPR wrote about us, the umbutsmen wrote about us. 984 00:58:43,920 --> 00:58:47,720 Speaker 8: But I have a very clear memory of the Chruy 985 00:58:48,160 --> 00:58:51,880 Speaker 8: fiasco happening, and then the next week we won the Peabody. 986 00:58:53,360 --> 00:58:57,080 Speaker 8: You know, that was like the thing it was, It 987 00:58:57,120 --> 00:58:58,520 Speaker 8: was not to me. 988 00:58:58,720 --> 00:59:01,280 Speaker 2: It kind of symbolizes the way Futuro has felt in 989 00:59:01,400 --> 00:59:03,680 Speaker 2: a lot of ways, and the way Latino USA has felt, 990 00:59:03,680 --> 00:59:07,440 Speaker 2: which is like incredibly dramatic depotelenovelakomok. 991 00:59:07,760 --> 00:59:11,320 Speaker 1: What accepting the Peabody is Maria Hinojosa. 992 00:59:11,680 --> 00:59:15,080 Speaker 12: With this award, the committee is paying tribute to the 993 00:59:15,160 --> 00:59:19,160 Speaker 12: stories of thousands of young immigrants like Johann and Carlos 994 00:59:19,200 --> 00:59:23,760 Speaker 12: who were profiled in Gang's murder and migration in Ondudas. 995 00:59:23,160 --> 00:59:28,160 Speaker 2: Which was the affirmation of Marlon Bishop's work, our investigative work, 996 00:59:28,800 --> 00:59:32,280 Speaker 2: our decision to do a story about Onduas when nobody 997 00:59:32,320 --> 00:59:36,480 Speaker 2: else could care less. Thank you Peabody Committee for like 998 00:59:36,680 --> 00:59:42,040 Speaker 2: us wanting to make the invisible visible. Yes, thank you. 999 00:59:44,560 --> 00:59:47,880 Speaker 2: We did live through a lot of change while we 1000 00:59:47,880 --> 00:59:51,520 Speaker 2: were together. Antonia the company kind of grew up. We 1001 00:59:51,600 --> 00:59:56,280 Speaker 2: started getting these pretty fabulous awards and recognition, and then 1002 00:59:56,320 --> 00:59:59,720 Speaker 2: there was Election Night twenty sixteen. Do you remember. 1003 00:59:59,640 --> 01:00:03,640 Speaker 8: From from an office perspective, I remember that our entire 1004 01:00:04,280 --> 01:00:07,800 Speaker 8: plan for post election had to be scrapped, Like we 1005 01:00:07,840 --> 01:00:10,000 Speaker 8: didn't even plan for what would happen if Trump won 1006 01:00:10,080 --> 01:00:12,840 Speaker 8: because it just seemed like such an impossibility. And I 1007 01:00:12,920 --> 01:00:15,000 Speaker 8: remember it being kind of stressful because we were both 1008 01:00:15,080 --> 01:00:18,800 Speaker 8: sort of mentally emotionally processing what was happening and then 1009 01:00:18,840 --> 01:00:21,080 Speaker 8: also had to essentially create a show from scratch. 1010 01:00:21,520 --> 01:00:24,720 Speaker 2: We connected with the Ganinovaskiz family and they have a 1011 01:00:24,760 --> 01:00:28,400 Speaker 2: wide range of political views, so we decided to check 1012 01:00:28,440 --> 01:00:31,320 Speaker 2: back with them after election day. I always thought that 1013 01:00:31,360 --> 01:00:31,880 Speaker 2: he could win. 1014 01:00:32,080 --> 01:00:33,760 Speaker 8: Yeah, actually you did. I remember that. 1015 01:00:34,040 --> 01:00:37,680 Speaker 2: I think we didn't understand how intense the support was 1016 01:00:37,720 --> 01:00:40,320 Speaker 2: going to be for him, in particular from the Latino 1017 01:00:40,360 --> 01:00:43,560 Speaker 2: and Latina population, and I think that was part of 1018 01:00:43,560 --> 01:00:45,960 Speaker 2: the story. Can you tell us what you did on Tuesday, 1019 01:00:46,080 --> 01:00:49,120 Speaker 2: who you voted for, and essentially why I've vought it. 1020 01:00:49,080 --> 01:00:50,120 Speaker 3: For Donald Trump? 1021 01:00:50,200 --> 01:00:52,320 Speaker 7: And that was a very decisive move for me. I 1022 01:00:52,360 --> 01:00:55,360 Speaker 7: felt his message was resonated very well. 1023 01:00:55,240 --> 01:00:57,680 Speaker 8: With me as a journalist. It felt almost like going 1024 01:00:58,240 --> 01:01:01,400 Speaker 8: on the defense. It was weird because I remember we 1025 01:01:01,400 --> 01:01:03,360 Speaker 8: were getting a lot more donations. It was a time 1026 01:01:03,360 --> 01:01:06,520 Speaker 8: where people seem to really like be valuing that Latino 1027 01:01:06,680 --> 01:01:09,080 Speaker 8: USA existed in a way that we hadn't seen before, 1028 01:01:09,680 --> 01:01:12,120 Speaker 8: and I thought that was very powerful. But I also 1029 01:01:12,160 --> 01:01:14,840 Speaker 8: remember being a little bit angry that that is what 1030 01:01:14,880 --> 01:01:18,439 Speaker 8: it took. And I also remember feeling really angry that 1031 01:01:18,920 --> 01:01:21,919 Speaker 8: I felt that what people really wanted from us were 1032 01:01:22,000 --> 01:01:26,520 Speaker 8: these stories of how Trump was demonizing Latinos, which really 1033 01:01:26,560 --> 01:01:28,680 Speaker 8: derailed a lot of the work that we were doing. 1034 01:01:28,680 --> 01:01:31,680 Speaker 2: And the trajectory of the existence of Latino USA. We 1035 01:01:31,760 --> 01:01:36,240 Speaker 2: went from being invisible to then being hyper visible, and 1036 01:01:36,320 --> 01:01:40,680 Speaker 2: in that hypervisibility over a false narrative, we go back 1037 01:01:40,680 --> 01:01:44,080 Speaker 2: to invisibility because actually, then our work has to be 1038 01:01:44,160 --> 01:01:47,000 Speaker 2: to dismantle now a narrative that you've created in this 1039 01:01:47,160 --> 01:01:52,000 Speaker 2: hypervisibility that for example, Trump laid on us, and it's like, oh, great, 1040 01:01:52,000 --> 01:01:54,040 Speaker 2: now we have to go back and kind of undo 1041 01:01:54,120 --> 01:01:55,960 Speaker 2: this and teach. And it's like it's exhausting. 1042 01:01:56,320 --> 01:02:04,240 Speaker 6: Yeah, thing in the world of journalism is that sometimes 1043 01:02:04,280 --> 01:02:06,560 Speaker 6: it's very lonely work and you do it all by yourself, 1044 01:02:06,640 --> 01:02:07,840 Speaker 6: the way I started my career. 1045 01:02:08,280 --> 01:02:11,600 Speaker 2: But then as things progress, you work as a collective. 1046 01:02:12,000 --> 01:02:12,200 Speaker 4: You know. 1047 01:02:12,320 --> 01:02:14,240 Speaker 8: I think part of the reason why you had such 1048 01:02:14,240 --> 01:02:18,160 Speaker 8: a good time with this third generation. I'm saying like 1049 01:02:18,200 --> 01:02:19,720 Speaker 8: you had the best time with us, right, But I 1050 01:02:19,760 --> 01:02:21,760 Speaker 8: think part of it was that a lot of us 1051 01:02:21,760 --> 01:02:23,760 Speaker 8: were starting out and you, by that point were really 1052 01:02:23,800 --> 01:02:26,880 Speaker 8: an established journalist who had thought a lot about your career, 1053 01:02:27,000 --> 01:02:29,400 Speaker 8: had a lot of points of view, and like for me, 1054 01:02:29,640 --> 01:02:32,640 Speaker 8: was seeing a lesson up close. I saw how hard 1055 01:02:32,680 --> 01:02:35,360 Speaker 8: you pushed to make swabs the story of reality, and 1056 01:02:35,440 --> 01:02:38,600 Speaker 8: so it was like extremely rewarding to see how it 1057 01:02:38,640 --> 01:02:39,280 Speaker 8: all paid off. 1058 01:02:39,320 --> 01:02:42,080 Speaker 2: Okay, p U see Antonia lib. You know when the 1059 01:02:42,080 --> 01:02:43,680 Speaker 2: phone would ring and we would be in the middle 1060 01:02:43,720 --> 01:02:45,680 Speaker 2: of a major editorial meeting and I would run out 1061 01:02:45,680 --> 01:02:48,120 Speaker 2: because Wabi was calling me from prison. I mean, what 1062 01:02:48,200 --> 01:02:49,320 Speaker 2: did you really think? 1063 01:02:49,560 --> 01:02:51,800 Speaker 8: Oh, I bet you're loving this. Madia gets to rub 1064 01:02:51,840 --> 01:02:53,240 Speaker 8: this in everyone's face. 1065 01:02:53,440 --> 01:02:55,840 Speaker 2: I do that people are loving this, so go ahead. 1066 01:02:56,040 --> 01:02:58,960 Speaker 8: People were so annoyed. We would be like, Madiya, We're 1067 01:02:59,000 --> 01:03:00,640 Speaker 8: like in the middle of a meeting, we were like, 1068 01:03:00,680 --> 01:03:02,400 Speaker 8: what is she doing? She's always like running off to 1069 01:03:02,400 --> 01:03:05,720 Speaker 8: take these phone calls and you drop everything. So yeah, 1070 01:03:05,760 --> 01:03:08,960 Speaker 8: it was frustrating. But at the end of this decade 1071 01:03:09,440 --> 01:03:10,680 Speaker 8: you on the bullets. 1072 01:03:16,480 --> 01:03:19,840 Speaker 2: After you've been with a show like Latino USA for 1073 01:03:19,880 --> 01:03:21,720 Speaker 2: thirty years, you know, I mean, part of what you 1074 01:03:21,840 --> 01:03:23,600 Speaker 2: learn is that, yeah, there are going to be some 1075 01:03:23,640 --> 01:03:26,880 Speaker 2: people who come and go, it gets a little bit easier. 1076 01:03:26,960 --> 01:03:29,440 Speaker 2: But for me, the fact that you have that title 1077 01:03:29,520 --> 01:03:34,480 Speaker 2: of executive producer, that you are producing podcasts that I 1078 01:03:34,640 --> 01:03:38,040 Speaker 2: listened to over there at last, I mean, I miss you, 1079 01:03:38,440 --> 01:03:41,760 Speaker 2: but also I'm so proud of you. How do you 1080 01:03:41,920 --> 01:03:45,200 Speaker 2: see Futuro now from this kind of distance that you 1081 01:03:45,280 --> 01:03:47,640 Speaker 2: have as an executive producer in your own right? 1082 01:03:48,280 --> 01:03:51,520 Speaker 8: I mean, Futuro is like such a bright spot. It's like, 1083 01:03:52,000 --> 01:03:53,680 Speaker 8: I don't know, like, did you expect that you would 1084 01:03:53,680 --> 01:03:57,000 Speaker 8: like have a company with multiple hit podcasts when the 1085 01:03:57,040 --> 01:04:02,200 Speaker 8: Pullets are It's this huge success story and I'm so 1086 01:04:02,360 --> 01:04:05,080 Speaker 8: proud of having been a part of it. And I 1087 01:04:05,120 --> 01:04:08,640 Speaker 8: also feel like the central message that you always bring, 1088 01:04:08,800 --> 01:04:10,840 Speaker 8: which is to bring your humanity and your sense of 1089 01:04:10,880 --> 01:04:13,120 Speaker 8: self into what you do and into your reporting, is 1090 01:04:13,160 --> 01:04:16,720 Speaker 8: something that other places are just now kind of grasping. 1091 01:04:17,600 --> 01:04:20,440 Speaker 8: So I feel really grateful as being a producer, but 1092 01:04:20,480 --> 01:04:22,680 Speaker 8: also as being part of the audience that gets to 1093 01:04:23,000 --> 01:04:25,400 Speaker 8: hear and consume all of this incredible work. 1094 01:04:25,760 --> 01:04:28,400 Speaker 2: Antonia, muchas geta ask yes for everything you did, for 1095 01:04:28,480 --> 01:04:30,120 Speaker 2: letting you know us say I love. 1096 01:04:29,960 --> 01:04:31,960 Speaker 8: You, I love you, Madia, thanks for having me. 1097 01:04:35,200 --> 01:04:38,720 Speaker 2: Dear listener, our story is coming to an end, well, 1098 01:04:39,040 --> 01:04:42,320 Speaker 2: I mean for now, because you know we're not going anywhere. 1099 01:04:42,520 --> 01:04:44,760 Speaker 2: All I can say is thank you to each and 1100 01:04:44,880 --> 01:04:48,000 Speaker 2: every one of you for listening, not only today but 1101 01:04:48,480 --> 01:04:52,160 Speaker 2: for thirty years. You know that our future is going 1102 01:04:52,200 --> 01:04:56,240 Speaker 2: to bring us more incredible and challenging stories. So as 1103 01:04:56,280 --> 01:04:58,640 Speaker 2: we say, the only thing that is left for me 1104 01:04:58,760 --> 01:05:04,840 Speaker 2: to say is not tevayas because Latino Usa nosva Forrindao's bass. 1105 01:05:15,080 --> 01:05:18,880 Speaker 2: This episode was produced by Victoria Estrada and Monica Moreles 1106 01:05:18,880 --> 01:05:22,240 Speaker 2: Garcia and edited by Marta Martinez. It was mixed by 1107 01:05:22,320 --> 01:05:26,400 Speaker 2: Julia Caruso and Gabrielle Lebiez. Thank you to Renaldo Leanos 1108 01:05:26,480 --> 01:05:30,800 Speaker 2: Junior and Sophia Sanchez for their production assistants. Special thanks 1109 01:05:30,800 --> 01:05:33,720 Speaker 2: this week to the staff of the Neddie Lee Benson 1110 01:05:34,120 --> 01:05:38,400 Speaker 2: Latin American Collection and the University of Texas Libraries for 1111 01:05:38,520 --> 01:05:44,800 Speaker 2: retrieving historical content from the Latino USA Archive, including Carla Alvarez, 1112 01:05:45,040 --> 01:05:50,800 Speaker 2: Grace Bonilla, Elizabeth Garza, Ryan Lynch, Teresa Polk, Carla roig Bly, 1113 01:05:51,440 --> 01:05:56,280 Speaker 2: Ryan Sullivan, Jeremy Thompson, and Catherine Thornton. The Latino USA 1114 01:05:56,320 --> 01:06:02,120 Speaker 2: team includes Andrea Lopez Cruzado, Dori mar Marque, Mike Sargent, Norsaudi, 1115 01:06:02,280 --> 01:06:06,360 Speaker 2: and Nancy Trujillo. Benilei Ramirez is our co executive producer. 1116 01:06:06,920 --> 01:06:10,920 Speaker 2: Our engineers are Stephanie Lebou and JJ Krubin. Our marketing 1117 01:06:10,960 --> 01:06:14,520 Speaker 2: manager is Luis Luna. Our theme music was composed by 1118 01:06:14,560 --> 01:06:17,560 Speaker 2: Sega Rubinos. I'm your host and executive producer. Join us 1119 01:06:17,560 --> 01:06:19,960 Speaker 2: again on our next episode. In the meantime, look for 1120 01:06:20,040 --> 01:06:22,840 Speaker 2: us on social media and for the next thirty years, 1121 01:06:23,080 --> 01:06:27,720 Speaker 2: Los Proxymos Trientagos, Remember not tevyes Chao. 1122 01:06:30,760 --> 01:06:35,200 Speaker 13: Latino USA is made possible in part by the Ford Foundation, 1123 01:06:35,800 --> 01:06:39,800 Speaker 13: working with visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide, 1124 01:06:40,480 --> 01:06:46,920 Speaker 13: and the Heisin Simons Foundation unlocking knowledge, opportunity and possibilities. 1125 01:06:47,440 --> 01:06:53,880 Speaker 13: More at hsfoundation dot org. Latino USA thirtieth Anniversary episodes 1126 01:06:53,920 --> 01:06:58,000 Speaker 13: are made possible with support from our legacy sustainers. The 1127 01:06:58,080 --> 01:07:04,320 Speaker 13: Brett Family Foundation also come to Carmen Rita Wong Vamos Enterprises, 1128 01:07:04,760 --> 01:07:11,120 Speaker 13: the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, April Gessler, doctor Elmo Randolph, 1129 01:07:11,440 --> 01:07:16,400 Speaker 13: Belinda de la Libertad, Angela Garcia Simms, and Priscilla Rojas. 1130 01:07:20,720 --> 01:07:23,160 Speaker 8: I remember you'd always bring snacks back from all of 1131 01:07:23,200 --> 01:07:26,640 Speaker 8: your trips. One time you threw tortillas at all of us. 1132 01:07:26,680 --> 01:07:28,040 Speaker 8: We were like laughing. We were like, this is what 1133 01:07:28,080 --> 01:07:30,360 Speaker 8: people think we do, and it's what's happening. Is like 1134 01:07:30,360 --> 01:07:32,640 Speaker 8: you were throwing freshthias that you had brought with you 1135 01:07:32,680 --> 01:07:33,400 Speaker 8: from Chicago