1 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: Welcome to Morenita, A deep dive into the Latin X experience. 2 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 1: With more Anita, we want to create a community and 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 1: a shared space with you while sharing knowledge and inspiration. 4 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:19,160 Speaker 1: This show is about celebrating our culture with guests who 5 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: exemplify the best of us. I'm Darrylene Gastillo Ethane Vitola. 6 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: Today I welcome Marcello Donati to the show. Marcello may 7 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:35,880 Speaker 1: not be a name that you've heard, but he's worked 8 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 1: on every show that you have heard of, including Hamilton's 9 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:41,239 Speaker 1: where he served as head of hair. I want to 10 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: have Marcello on because he's a sweet and gentle soul 11 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 1: with an amazing life story that I wanted him to 12 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 1: share with you. I hope you enjoy it. Ala, Marcello, 13 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: Welcome to more Anita. It is so good to have you. 14 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 1: First off, I miss you. I have not seeing you 15 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: in so long. You are currently well. You were currently 16 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:09,759 Speaker 1: on the road with Hamilton's. Correct, Yes, that's correct, um, 17 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:13,119 Speaker 1: And Marcello is a I just call you a hair 18 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 1: magical genius. Marcello Marcello was the head of department of 19 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 1: the wigs and and the hair department for Hamilton's. The 20 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: musical yes, that is right, my listeners. These Broadway shows, 21 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 1: they have people that are specified to make sure that 22 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:38,199 Speaker 1: our hair looks amazing. And um, yeah, Marcella, I'm excited 23 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:39,839 Speaker 1: to have you here and have and have you share 24 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: all of your hair secrets. Oh, thank you. Well, I 25 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 1: am actually I am taking it to a week vacation, 26 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:49,920 Speaker 1: but I am still on the road right now, I'm 27 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: in San Francico, but on the fourteenth, I'm going back 28 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 1: to Denver, Colorado, where we're going to be there for 29 00:01:56,680 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: five weeks with the show and back to tour life, 30 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 1: right yes, yes, So, um, let's talk first about who 31 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 1: you are, where you're from. And I think that that's 32 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: because I just think you're so fascinating. Okay, Well I am. 33 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:20,359 Speaker 1: I am from Argentina, originally from Buenos Aires, and I 34 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 1: moved to United States, specifically to San Francisco in and 35 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: before that, I was working at the Opera House in 36 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:38,080 Speaker 1: Buenos Aires the Theater Cologne for seven years, and I 37 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 1: also um work in some of the Argentinian film industry 38 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 1: for a while. And I'm sorry to go right ahead, 39 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:50,359 Speaker 1: I'm sorry. I love now. I did I did fashion shows, 40 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:53,919 Speaker 1: I did movies. I did you know everything that was 41 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: here and makeup. Originally I was doing makeup. So, UM, 42 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: what what propelled you to come to the States, um 43 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 1: and do and do the work out here? Was that 44 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 1: just like a goal you always wanted to come to 45 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:11,640 Speaker 1: America and you know kind of do that same exact 46 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: kind of work out here and experience that. Well. Actually, UM, 47 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 1: my goal was to move to Europe because my mom 48 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 1: was born in Spain and I have a dual citizenship. 49 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,360 Speaker 1: But when I was in One Aside's, I met a 50 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 1: guy that I was from American he was from San Francisco. 51 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 1: On we fall in love with our relationship and we 52 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 1: lived together in One Asides for seven years and then um, 53 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:45,440 Speaker 1: he passed in a very dramatic way. On it was 54 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 1: my I couldn't live there anymore. So I decided to 55 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: come to the place where he was from. Because I 56 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:57,160 Speaker 1: also fall in love with San Francisco. I think being 57 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: a gay person, UM, I feel safe and I feel 58 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: welcome here. Yeah, and and um, and I'm so sorry 59 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 1: for your lost um, and and the propelling of going 60 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 1: to San Francisco and and to stay connected to that, 61 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: and just because you fell in love with the city. 62 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 1: It's such a great city. Um and and it does 63 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 1: have a very open arms to the gay community. And 64 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 1: for what you do in the arts. Did you find 65 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:27,840 Speaker 1: like living in Argentina your whole life and growing up there, 66 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: did you struggle with that even in the industry, Like 67 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:34,599 Speaker 1: the industry was fine because I started working at the 68 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 1: Opera House and I was they have you know, they 69 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:41,039 Speaker 1: have classes there. So I went there and I started 70 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:44,359 Speaker 1: studying there, and then they got to know who I 71 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: was and they offered me an internship, So that part 72 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:53,040 Speaker 1: was not hard. But being gay, being HIV positive, I'm 73 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:55,719 Speaker 1: talking you know, nineteen nine, seven, nineteen. I mean I 74 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:59,359 Speaker 1: started working the nineteen ninety two, so that was like 75 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 1: a long I'm like, all things were different. People were different. 76 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:07,360 Speaker 1: It was a different world even here. I mean, this 77 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:10,119 Speaker 1: is not the same like it was when I came 78 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: to live here. But I feel like I struggled my 79 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:18,359 Speaker 1: whole life for different reasons. Um Um. I still have 80 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:22,719 Speaker 1: that immigrant mentality and I have to prove myself every 81 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:25,800 Speaker 1: single moment of my life. Um. You know the fact 82 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 1: that I speak with a very strong accent. I'm almost 83 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 1: trying to tell people, you know, I don't speak English perfectly, 84 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 1: but I speak another language. It's not that I am 85 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 1: not smart, it's just you know, this is I came 86 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:41,919 Speaker 1: here when I was older, and I learned everything I 87 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 1: started two. Yeah, you taught yourself. I mean gosh. And 88 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 1: when when I heard your story, I'm like, I was 89 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 1: born in ninety one, so I can't even like, I 90 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 1: can't even go back and talk about it. And yeah, no, 91 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: it's a lot of that. And um, I just I'm 92 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 1: and coming from Argentina to San Francisco. Did you have 93 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 1: connections in San Francisco to start to work out out 94 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 1: there and to you know, do the hair and makeup 95 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 1: world out there? How did that connection for you happen? No, 96 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:16,839 Speaker 1: when I came here, it was a survival thing. I 97 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 1: was not even trying to get a job in the industry. 98 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:25,239 Speaker 1: I just came here asking for political asylum. My only 99 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:28,719 Speaker 1: goal was to be safe. I was It was the 100 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:30,839 Speaker 1: time of my life when I need to start taking 101 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: medication for my HIV condition, and that medication was not 102 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 1: available back home. So, um, I didn't have any goals, 103 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 1: like professional goals. I just want to survive. That's that 104 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 1: was the best thing that I was the only thing 105 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 1: that was important for me. Yes, everything else was secondary, 106 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 1: you know, because without that you don't have anything. You know, 107 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 1: It's it's very true. And I'm so glad you did. 108 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 1: And I'm so glad that our paths eventually after the nineties, 109 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 1: they they crossed paths. So I am, uh gosh, there's 110 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 1: so much that I think that we can unpack with 111 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 1: your story and and and I I guess my question is, 112 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 1: then when you're in San Francisco and you are in 113 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 1: the journey of looking for safety and shelter and health 114 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 1: and all of that and seeing the person that you 115 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:35,240 Speaker 1: are now and what you've built and what you've created 116 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: for yourself, Um, can we talk about that journey and 117 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 1: what that is for you? Yeah? Of course, I think 118 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 1: you know, when you when you feel safe, when you 119 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 1: feel welcome, when you're not afraid for your life, you 120 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaker 1: can flourish. You know, you can be who you are. 121 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 1: And what I learned in my life is, um, I 122 00:07:55,520 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 1: turned a negative into a positive all the things, and 123 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 1: I lost in a way, it was kind of an 124 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:06,040 Speaker 1: investment on the future. I mean, I lost a lot, 125 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 1: But it's like putting money in the market. You know, 126 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:10,200 Speaker 1: you put all your money and then you lose it, 127 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 1: but you keep it there and then the stuck up. 128 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 1: You're a millionaire. Oh yeah, so that's what happened to me. 129 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 1: I put all my stocks here. Yeah, yeah, I am. 130 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:25,320 Speaker 1: I am a very positive person. And what I usually 131 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 1: do when I am afraid or what I am insecure, 132 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:32,079 Speaker 1: I put myself back in that situation what I was 133 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: when I just came here, and I'm like, why I 134 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 1: accomplish all this? So, you know, if I am the 135 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:41,560 Speaker 1: same person and I was when I came here, and 136 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 1: that person is still there, So that is helping me 137 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:48,439 Speaker 1: to put the present in perspective, to be happy in 138 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: the present. I'm grateful for this moment, you know right now? Yeah, 139 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 1: how did you um? Tell me about Hamilton's How did 140 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 1: Hamilton's Land where at your feet? And also the fact 141 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 1: that we were doing the show in San Francisco for 142 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 1: a year. This was what two thousand eighteen? Oh yes, 143 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:16,080 Speaker 1: so two thousand eighteen eighteen into nineteen. We started in 144 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 1: Puerto Rico on New Year. We were both a part 145 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 1: of the and Peggy production that got to go to 146 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:26,840 Speaker 1: Puerto Rico and do the show with the man himself, 147 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:30,960 Speaker 1: le Manuel Miranda Um and we got to experience that together. 148 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: So how did Hamilton's happened for you? I work at 149 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 1: the San Francico Opera House on the San Francico Ballet 150 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 1: for fourteen years. I was that's a long time. That's 151 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 1: a long time. I was already happy there and I 152 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 1: learned a lot. I was comfortable. You know, sometimes you're 153 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:05,560 Speaker 1: comfortable and you sit there and you don't do more 154 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 1: than that. And then one day I didn't feel comfortable anymore. 155 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 1: So I started looking for something else and I, Um, 156 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 1: my first Broadway show was Headwig and the Angry Inch 157 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:22,720 Speaker 1: and they were here chas for one week, sorry for 158 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 1: a month. Um. Somebody that I worked with in the past, 159 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 1: she was friends with the head of the department, and 160 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: she contact me and I was like, oh, hey, Weik 161 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:36,880 Speaker 1: is coming to San Francisco and they need the makeup artist. 162 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:39,760 Speaker 1: The person who played head Week at the time was 163 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: Darren Chress. Yeah. So so that was my first Broadway 164 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:55,480 Speaker 1: show per se. And the supervisor from Headway was friends 165 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:59,920 Speaker 1: with the supervisor from Hamilton's. So when the Headwig show 166 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 1: and uh and um, the supervisor from the show call 167 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:07,320 Speaker 1: me and asked me if I want I was interested 168 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:09,800 Speaker 1: in work in Hamilton's. And that's how I started, but 169 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:13,360 Speaker 1: I started with the Ant Peggy Company. I I worked 170 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:17,040 Speaker 1: for six months as a local person here and then 171 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:20,800 Speaker 1: the show went away. And then when they opened the 172 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 1: Aunt Peggy Company, they asked me if I want to 173 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:26,480 Speaker 1: join them in Puerto Rico, And that's how I end 174 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:30,040 Speaker 1: up in Puerto Rico. Wow. And what was your experience? So, 175 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 1: I mean it sounds like you were working a lot 176 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:34,880 Speaker 1: in opera houses and like in that kind of in 177 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:37,920 Speaker 1: that kind of world. What was like the biggest difference 178 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:42,079 Speaker 1: in Broadway or in musical theater world? Like, was there 179 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:45,000 Speaker 1: something that you were like, Wow, I really like this 180 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: better or do you love both of them equally? Well? 181 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:52,079 Speaker 1: I like both. Um. The thing with the opera house 182 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:56,400 Speaker 1: is you do a show only for nine times and 183 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:59,000 Speaker 1: you connect with one artist or two artists. I was 184 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 1: doing the the divas in the show when I never 185 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:08,720 Speaker 1: diva doing a diva. Yeah, I always say that I 186 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:11,440 Speaker 1: am the diva trainer because I was always putting people 187 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:15,840 Speaker 1: in their place, saying horrible things with a cute accent 188 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:20,160 Speaker 1: and getting away with it. The story of my life, Latinos, 189 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 1: that's what we do right now. Yeah, So for me, 190 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:25,600 Speaker 1: it was good. The person that I like the personal 191 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:29,360 Speaker 1: connection that it was very close, but now I have 192 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 1: the personal connections the last longer because you know, we're 193 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 1: on the road and we experience more things. We basically 194 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:40,120 Speaker 1: lived with the actors, I mean, we spend every single 195 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:44,599 Speaker 1: moment with them, so it creates more kind of like community, 196 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:48,880 Speaker 1: you know, more like you're part of something bigger than 197 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:54,239 Speaker 1: than you. And that's the thing that I find wonderful 198 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 1: about being a Broadway tour because also the fact that 199 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:01,800 Speaker 1: you're moving around, you're seeing different places, You're connecting with 200 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:07,600 Speaker 1: other people. Every time I go somewhere, I realize that 201 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 1: San Francico is the place for me and it's not 202 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 1: another place like this. Yeah, here, I have my home here. 203 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 1: It's good to have a place to go back to. 204 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:20,320 Speaker 1: I was gonna say, how is how is your your 205 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 1: touring life? Because touring is something new for you, right 206 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:26,559 Speaker 1: Like you're usually you're used to you know, being in 207 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:30,880 Speaker 1: your place and your home and and working, you know, 208 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:34,120 Speaker 1: for that long period of time, and then now you're 209 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:37,960 Speaker 1: like you're traveling. You're going to one city, you're hopping 210 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:39,719 Speaker 1: to the next one. You're going to the next one 211 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:42,640 Speaker 1: and going to the next. So how has um touring 212 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:46,000 Speaker 1: been for you. Well, in the beginning was very hard 213 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 1: because I'm kind of a couch potato. I like, you know, 214 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:52,320 Speaker 1: I like my things, and you've been in my house. 215 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:54,319 Speaker 1: You know that I live in a very colorful place. 216 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:58,480 Speaker 1: Marcalo has the most beautiful home in San Francisco. I mean, 217 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:02,520 Speaker 1: it is so stunning and it is so fun, and 218 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:07,160 Speaker 1: there are colors everywhere, and the furniture is just wacky 219 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:10,559 Speaker 1: and amazing. And Marcelo, you're also a painter. I want 220 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:14,520 Speaker 1: to throw that out here, because you paint. Yes, it 221 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 1: is so good. You guys like I'm I'm trying to 222 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:23,840 Speaker 1: I'm trying to get myself a portrait. I want to 223 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 1: talk about your painting for a second, like when did 224 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 1: you start? When did you start painting? When? When did 225 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:32,640 Speaker 1: you start doing that? Well? I was I always liked to. 226 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:35,360 Speaker 1: When I was a little kid, I was constantly drawing 227 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 1: and painting portraits of people, and it was something that 228 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 1: it was in my gene. My my my aunt was 229 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:45,360 Speaker 1: an artist. My dad was an interior designer. So I 230 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 1: have that in my jeans. But I went to school. 231 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 1: I went to school for Fine Arts and I was 232 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 1: there after I finished high school, I was in the 233 00:14:56,280 --> 00:14:58,600 Speaker 1: art school for five years and that's when I learned 234 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:03,120 Speaker 1: techniques and you know, everything I know about art. And 235 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:07,040 Speaker 1: it's funny because through that school I got connected to 236 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:10,440 Speaker 1: the Opera House in in in Buenos Aires, and that's 237 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 1: I didn't even know that being a makeup artist was 238 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:17,840 Speaker 1: the thing. I didn't know anything about that. It was 239 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:20,680 Speaker 1: something that just across my path because I was in 240 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 1: the right place, I guess at the right time. I 241 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:27,440 Speaker 1: meant the right people. That's what it's about. Yeah, So 242 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:31,640 Speaker 1: I feel lucky that I choose that path because, um, 243 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 1: I don't know what I would do if I don't 244 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:37,200 Speaker 1: do what I'm doing right now. Yeah. And where you 245 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 1: you came from an artistic family, it sounds like it 246 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:44,600 Speaker 1: was there always support um for your artistic journey, um 247 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 1: from your family. And this is always something I asked, like, 248 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 1: you know, especially in the Latino culture, just because not 249 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 1: all of us come from artistic you know, backgrounds and whatnot. 250 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:56,920 Speaker 1: So was that something that was supported in your household? 251 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:02,240 Speaker 1: Actually not. The only supportive person was my aunt because 252 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:05,520 Speaker 1: she she wanted to be an artist and she never 253 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 1: did anything. She she was you know, staying home ladies 254 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 1: and did the chores of the house. She didn't have kids, 255 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:15,320 Speaker 1: but she took care of my grandmother until she died. 256 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 1: So I think she was putting all that on me 257 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 1: because she was, you know, living that part of her 258 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 1: life through me. She was a very magical person in 259 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 1: my life. And basically I think she was the person who, um, 260 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 1: I mean, my mom died when I was nineteen, and 261 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:34,200 Speaker 1: she took me under her wing, and she she was 262 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:37,440 Speaker 1: an inspiration for me. She was the person who always 263 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 1: told me that I could be whatever I want. She 264 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 1: was the one who told me that I don't have 265 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: to be afraid of anything. She was the one who 266 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:46,520 Speaker 1: really told me. You know, I became the person I 267 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 1: am because of my experiences, but part of it was 268 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:53,040 Speaker 1: how I was nurtured by by her. You know, she 269 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 1: was like my angel and and I don't know if 270 00:16:57,120 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 1: I would be what I am if it wasn't for 271 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 1: that person. No, I mean, I think she still is. 272 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:06,080 Speaker 1: So um, I definitely see that light in you. You've 273 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:12,800 Speaker 1: always had that had that light every time when every 274 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:14,719 Speaker 1: time when I paint, because I don't paint many of them, 275 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:16,639 Speaker 1: but when I paint something happened in the house. I 276 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 1: can't fell off or or something happened, and I think 277 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:23,119 Speaker 1: it's her approval, her saying like, Okay, you're painting again. 278 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:26,640 Speaker 1: I love that. I love that. Um So I want 279 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:31,119 Speaker 1: to talk about some of your incredible highlights of of 280 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:34,479 Speaker 1: your Hamilton accomplishments, because I heard that you just won 281 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 1: an award. Well, I won an award last year. He's like, 282 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 1: I want an award last year, and I also want 283 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 1: an award now. I have nominated. We are team is 284 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:52,680 Speaker 1: nominated again. It's an award on the makeup artists her 285 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:57,800 Speaker 1: stylist in Los Angeles half every year the category than 286 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:03,400 Speaker 1: we are participating. It's better hair styling and theatrical production. 287 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:06,600 Speaker 1: And I want that. It's called them once, which is 288 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:12,960 Speaker 1: makeup Artists and hair Stylists. Gila Ward and I am nominated. 289 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:15,560 Speaker 1: We are nominated again this year and we will find 290 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 1: out in February nineteen. We are the winners. I'm manicesting 291 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:24,959 Speaker 1: it that you've already won. So everyone moved aside the 292 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:29,480 Speaker 1: Diva's here. I am. I am happy because it's good 293 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:33,359 Speaker 1: to get recognition for your work. It's also good to 294 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:36,160 Speaker 1: share that recognition with the people who are around you, 295 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:41,600 Speaker 1: supporting you and helping you. To get to accomplish that 296 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:45,240 Speaker 1: because you know, everything is a team effort. You know, 297 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:48,840 Speaker 1: you don't do things on your own. You always need support, 298 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:52,440 Speaker 1: you need you know, your people. Yeah, I mean when 299 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:55,200 Speaker 1: I when I hear your story, mass Marcello, there's always 300 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:57,960 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, obviously there's this American dream, right, 301 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:01,200 Speaker 1: there's this American dream to like come to America. And 302 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:04,080 Speaker 1: and obviously, like the American dream was not really what 303 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 1: propelled everything of you coming here. It was you know, 304 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:13,560 Speaker 1: the safety and the and the and that that connection 305 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:19,440 Speaker 1: that you had with San Francisco. Um, I guess I'm 306 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 1: I mean you are. You are an incredible success from 307 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: your story. I mean you are a homeowner. And wait, 308 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:27,680 Speaker 1: have you remodeled your kitchen? Did you remodel your kitchen? 309 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:31,359 Speaker 1: Already I was going to, but then I was I 310 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:33,560 Speaker 1: got panicked because I was like, oh my god, this 311 00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:35,320 Speaker 1: is all the money and how I can do this 312 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:38,520 Speaker 1: from the pandemic, you know, it was before I wasn't 313 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:41,560 Speaker 1: before the pandemic, but it was like October and then 314 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:44,680 Speaker 1: I was okay. I canceled everything and that was October 315 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:47,480 Speaker 1: and in March was the last day that I worked. 316 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:49,879 Speaker 1: I was like, thank God, I didn't do it because 317 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 1: I would have a new kitchen enough food to cook 318 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:55,160 Speaker 1: and the I'm so sorry. I like literally just had 319 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 1: this moment. I was like wait and looking at your 320 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:00,119 Speaker 1: kitchen and I'm like, did you remodel your kitchen? U? Right, 321 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:02,679 Speaker 1: let me go back. So I know that there's, like 322 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:04,720 Speaker 1: you know, some of our maybe some of our listeners 323 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:08,920 Speaker 1: who are not living in America or wherever they are. Um, 324 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:11,920 Speaker 1: but I'm just so curious for you like this. I mean, 325 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:15,480 Speaker 1: you are a product of the American dream. I mean 326 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:18,680 Speaker 1: you you came here and then you created this new 327 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:21,280 Speaker 1: life in this new community for yourself. How did you 328 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:28,119 Speaker 1: how did you so successfully do that? Maybe that's like 329 00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:30,639 Speaker 1: a heavy loaded question, but there's there's a lot of 330 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:33,560 Speaker 1: parts of that question, I'm sure, But how did how 331 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: do you think that your journey ended up to where 332 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:40,000 Speaker 1: you are now currently? I think when when I was 333 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 1: back in when outside, well, I was in my late twenties, 334 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 1: I had to keep this secret. Then it was really 335 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:51,639 Speaker 1: hard to keep, you know, the secret to be HIV posset, 336 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 1: to the secret to be well. I couldn't hide the 337 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 1: funk that I'm gay because it's obvious. But living your life. 338 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:01,240 Speaker 1: You know, in Fee you're thinking like, oh, people are 339 00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:03,320 Speaker 1: gonna not this. People are gonna know what if I 340 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:06,639 Speaker 1: get sick? You know. So when I came here, I 341 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:09,560 Speaker 1: did the opposite. I was like, Okay, this is part 342 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:13,399 Speaker 1: of who I am, and I open up to everybody, 343 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:16,119 Speaker 1: and you know, that's one of the first things I 344 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 1: tell people, like I might chay be positive when I 345 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:21,919 Speaker 1: started doing that because one of my first jobs was 346 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 1: I was working at Macis doing window displayed and you 347 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:29,159 Speaker 1: work with sharp tools and you know you can have 348 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:31,920 Speaker 1: an accident and you can bleed, and you don't want 349 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:34,800 Speaker 1: to expose people because you know you don't know what 350 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:37,320 Speaker 1: could happen. So one of the first things I always 351 00:21:37,359 --> 00:21:40,320 Speaker 1: tell people and I work with them is my my 352 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:44,399 Speaker 1: my health condition, just to be sure if something happened, 353 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:47,359 Speaker 1: if I lose conscious that I want everybody to be 354 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:49,479 Speaker 1: aware of what's going on, and I don't want to 355 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:53,600 Speaker 1: put anybody at risks. So I think what happened to 356 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 1: me is like I'm very open, and I guess I 357 00:21:57,000 --> 00:22:00,800 Speaker 1: attract good things coming to my life because of that openness. 358 00:22:00,840 --> 00:22:05,359 Speaker 1: You know, Um, I'm okay with the person that I became. 359 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 1: I don't have a problem showing that to everybody. Now 360 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:13,000 Speaker 1: it shows in your work too, I mean, your authenticity 361 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:16,800 Speaker 1: of how you live your life, um has. I mean 362 00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 1: it's inspired me in so many ways to just be like, 363 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:23,639 Speaker 1: be yourself, you know, and be honest, and there's so 364 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:38,480 Speaker 1: much freedom in that for me. It's not another way 365 00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:41,320 Speaker 1: people I would say to be by myself because everybody 366 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:44,640 Speaker 1: else was taken. And you know, you know what's true. 367 00:22:45,119 --> 00:22:49,560 Speaker 1: It's like you discover who you are when you are growing. 368 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:52,120 Speaker 1: It's part of the growing process, you know. I'm I'm 369 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:55,919 Speaker 1: turning fifty eight next week on Sunday. Actually, that's insane, 370 00:22:56,640 --> 00:23:00,280 Speaker 1: and I am happy to be to get getting older. 371 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 1: It makes me happy, you know, was something then before 372 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 1: I was afraid because you're you know all you know, 373 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:09,399 Speaker 1: the gay community, it's all about being young and beautiful 374 00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:11,520 Speaker 1: and being in good shape and you know, all the 375 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:14,919 Speaker 1: things that you can, all the positive image. But I 376 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:18,399 Speaker 1: am learning that, you know, growing, Oh, it's also a 377 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 1: positive thing. Being comfortable with wrinkles and droope eyelids. That 378 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:27,760 Speaker 1: is okay too, you know, we can be forever. And 379 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:30,960 Speaker 1: I learned a lot. I mean, these rinkles in my 380 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:35,240 Speaker 1: face are the result of all the wonderful experiences and 381 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:39,119 Speaker 1: laughs and good times and also you know, not so 382 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:42,119 Speaker 1: good times. Then I live in my life, but that 383 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 1: makes who I am, you know. Yeah, I mean if 384 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:48,080 Speaker 1: I wouldn't be here, if all the tragedy didn't happen, 385 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:51,320 Speaker 1: because I will be comfortable what I was. You know, 386 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 1: sometimes you get push to jump from the top of 387 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:58,119 Speaker 1: the mountain and you don't have it chills, it just 388 00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: have to go for it. And that's what happened. So 389 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 1: I'm grateful for everything, for the good, the bad, and 390 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:10,720 Speaker 1: the eye. And what are you looking forward to, um 391 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:12,639 Speaker 1: in this next chapter of your life? I know that 392 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:15,240 Speaker 1: you are. Um. You're on tour, and I'm not sure 393 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:18,440 Speaker 1: how much longer do you have left before you technically 394 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:23,600 Speaker 1: finish yourw The tour was supposed to end in September, 395 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 1: but they keep adding, they keep extending the tour. So 396 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:32,960 Speaker 1: I really don't have an answer for that. I don't 397 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:35,240 Speaker 1: I don't know at this point. I don't know. But 398 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:38,359 Speaker 1: you're like today, you're in the present, like this is 399 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:41,840 Speaker 1: where I'm at today. I'm on vacation, Darylyn, and we'll 400 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:45,400 Speaker 1: see what happens when that all comes. But UM, I 401 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:48,440 Speaker 1: imagine you still do see yourself, you know, um doing 402 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 1: your craft and your art, your artistry. Well, the funny 403 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:55,200 Speaker 1: thing is I what I say now that I look 404 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:57,919 Speaker 1: at my life now and I I am what I 405 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:01,160 Speaker 1: want to be and I what I'm supposed to be, 406 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:04,400 Speaker 1: and right now, this is all I need. I don't 407 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:08,240 Speaker 1: need more than this. This makes me happy. So I'm 408 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:11,879 Speaker 1: just instead of thinking, you know, ahead and looking ahead, 409 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:15,760 Speaker 1: I'm just like you said, I'm leaving this moment. Like 410 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:19,760 Speaker 1: I said, I mean, I don't know how much further 411 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:23,120 Speaker 1: I'm gonna get with this, but I'm happy with this. 412 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:27,479 Speaker 1: You know what is wrong with this? Right? Just being present? 413 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:29,800 Speaker 1: I think that's something that I mean, I think the 414 00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:32,479 Speaker 1: younger generation can learn from. You know, there's always this 415 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:34,399 Speaker 1: like we gotta go, we gotta move, we gotta do 416 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 1: this next thing and dad, so to hear you like 417 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:42,280 Speaker 1: in this peaceful, like present place is such an eye 418 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:46,320 Speaker 1: awakening moment. I was always running behind the carrot, but 419 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 1: now I'm like, you know what, I'm gonna eat the carrot. 420 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:54,359 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna follow the cart. I love that eat 421 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:59,360 Speaker 1: the carrot. Y'all, do not follow the carrot. Okay, I'm 422 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:04,439 Speaker 1: curious about um. When you went. When you moved to 423 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:08,479 Speaker 1: San Francisco from a anthena, UM, I mean that is 424 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 1: a huge, a huge decision and a huge life changing moment. 425 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:16,600 Speaker 1: How did you find community? Because that that's a gift 426 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 1: that I think that you have. UM. I know our 427 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:23,200 Speaker 1: listeners don't know you personally, but UM, when I visited 428 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:28,919 Speaker 1: San Francisco, Marcelo invited me to a dinner on Thanksgiving 429 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:33,399 Speaker 1: and it was with his community, the people that he 430 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:40,560 Speaker 1: called his family, and I've never felt so at home. Um. 431 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:45,840 Speaker 1: And I was fascinated leaving that dinner because I was like, UM, 432 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:48,280 Speaker 1: even my boyfriend at the time, you know, we were 433 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:51,840 Speaker 1: we were both like, how did he like build this 434 00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:55,240 Speaker 1: amazing strong community? And I think that's a challenge for 435 00:26:55,280 --> 00:26:58,560 Speaker 1: people when they moved somewhere different, you know, especially moved 436 00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:01,480 Speaker 1: to a different country and don't speak a certain language, 437 00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:04,280 Speaker 1: and there's a lot of fear in that. How did 438 00:27:04,359 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 1: you find your community? I know you had years of 439 00:27:08,119 --> 00:27:11,440 Speaker 1: experience of it, but how did that happen for you? 440 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:16,199 Speaker 1: I think it's it's is the survival instinct. Because I 441 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:19,680 Speaker 1: came here by myself, and I didn't have anybody here, 442 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:22,959 Speaker 1: and the only way to stay here was having a 443 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:25,400 Speaker 1: reason to stay here, and the reason to stay here 444 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,560 Speaker 1: is the community. Like I said before, I I am 445 00:27:29,560 --> 00:27:33,600 Speaker 1: a very lucky person because I always find my tribe. 446 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:36,760 Speaker 1: You know, I met a couple of friends. I started 447 00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:39,679 Speaker 1: a new relationship with a new person. Then it was 448 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:43,760 Speaker 1: very open and he was American and he was teaching 449 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:48,040 Speaker 1: me and helping me with my English, with my finances, 450 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:49,760 Speaker 1: you know, with all the things that I had to 451 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:54,879 Speaker 1: learn because I didn't know. But I believe that everybody 452 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:58,720 Speaker 1: needs community, everybody needs family. And what I did when 453 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 1: I invite you to that thing giving dinner, that's what 454 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:03,439 Speaker 1: people did when I came here. So I just I 455 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:06,520 Speaker 1: just keep passing, you know, the torch to the new 456 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:12,159 Speaker 1: generations and you know, being open and offering people the 457 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:15,840 Speaker 1: things that I it was hard for me to find 458 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:18,040 Speaker 1: in the beginning. So I'm trying to be that friends 459 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:21,399 Speaker 1: and I didn't have when I just right here. And 460 00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 1: that's why, um, it makes me happy when I meet 461 00:28:26,080 --> 00:28:29,520 Speaker 1: somebody that needs family. I am very like Latino that way. 462 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:31,440 Speaker 1: I want you. You know, I'm gonna give you food, 463 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:34,400 Speaker 1: I'm gonna give you shelter, I'm gonna give you whatever 464 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:38,400 Speaker 1: you need so you can stay so you can, you know, 465 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:42,760 Speaker 1: make your drink come true. Um, I got political asylum, 466 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:45,200 Speaker 1: and I help a lot of people not only from 467 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:49,040 Speaker 1: my country, ground from different countries. Gay guys then came 468 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:53,640 Speaker 1: here in the same situation and I was a similar situation, 469 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:57,320 Speaker 1: and I offer them shelter. I connect them with the 470 00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:01,760 Speaker 1: lawyers and we're going to help them. And to me, um, 471 00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:06,240 Speaker 1: every time somebody got asylum, and most of the people 472 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:08,320 Speaker 1: are not in my life anymore, but to me, it 473 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:11,520 Speaker 1: was so great to be able to conquer that. It 474 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 1: was like a triumph for me, like, oh, I'm helping 475 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:16,840 Speaker 1: and not only I did this on my own, but 476 00:29:16,880 --> 00:29:23,320 Speaker 1: I also could help other people to give back. Yeah. Yeah, 477 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:25,640 Speaker 1: it could be like you know, the little that little 478 00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:30,800 Speaker 1: connection between arriving here and moving on to whatever their 479 00:29:30,920 --> 00:29:34,800 Speaker 1: dream was, you know. Yeah, and that is wonderful, the 480 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:40,000 Speaker 1: wonderful feeling. I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful for you. 481 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:43,320 Speaker 1: I'm grateful for that in you as well, because it 482 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:45,200 Speaker 1: was something that I needed, you know, when I was 483 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:47,720 Speaker 1: in San Francisco and I was struggling being away from home, 484 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:51,240 Speaker 1: and especially both of us being the very few Latino 485 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:55,520 Speaker 1: people in the company, that just always it's nice to 486 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:57,240 Speaker 1: see your people, you know what I mean, It's nice 487 00:29:57,240 --> 00:29:59,400 Speaker 1: to see your people when you go to work. And 488 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:05,880 Speaker 1: there was something that I hadn't experienced um ever, you know, so, UM, 489 00:30:05,920 --> 00:30:08,440 Speaker 1: you were definitely a gift to an Peggy and I 490 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:14,840 Speaker 1: know that you continue to be a gift to that company. UM. 491 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:18,440 Speaker 1: I wanna I wanna maybe give you a moment, Tom 492 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:20,760 Speaker 1: Express And I know that you talked about being positive 493 00:30:20,960 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 1: and and and such. But if there's a UM, if 494 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:27,840 Speaker 1: there's something or if there's a listener out there who 495 00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 1: is struggling, you know, with with being um, with being 496 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:35,160 Speaker 1: open about their their health. UM, if they're struggling with 497 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:39,440 Speaker 1: HIV um or AIDS or or any kind of health situation, 498 00:30:39,640 --> 00:30:43,880 Speaker 1: or struggling with just coming out and being themselves and 499 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:47,360 Speaker 1: being gay or being proud of that, what is UM 500 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:51,320 Speaker 1: something that you would maybe say to them? Well, what 501 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:54,920 Speaker 1: happened to me When I got diagnos with the HIV? 502 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:59,800 Speaker 1: My first thought was I'm gonna die. I mean I didn't, 503 00:31:00,200 --> 00:31:04,600 Speaker 1: I was gonna reach forty. So instead of like getting 504 00:31:04,680 --> 00:31:07,800 Speaker 1: scared and you know, saying like, oh it's the end, 505 00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:11,200 Speaker 1: I just did the opposite. I did everything. Don't scare me. 506 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:14,120 Speaker 1: I just went for everything else, Like I'm afraid to 507 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:16,280 Speaker 1: be in a relationship, Okay, I'm gonna be in a relationship. 508 00:31:16,280 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 1: And I'm afraid to live with my partner. Okay, I'm 509 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:22,800 Speaker 1: gonna live with my partner. So basically, this um, this 510 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:27,160 Speaker 1: condition helped me to do everything. Don scare me to 511 00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:32,520 Speaker 1: go for it. To stop being afraid, because the word 512 00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:35,240 Speaker 1: thing that you can have is fear. Fear doesn't help. 513 00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:38,840 Speaker 1: Fear is a fantasy. Fear is something that's gonna stop 514 00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:43,400 Speaker 1: you from being you. So don't be afraid. Just you know, 515 00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:46,560 Speaker 1: live live your life, live today, be happy. I would say, 516 00:31:46,840 --> 00:31:48,960 Speaker 1: I want to be happy now. I don't have time 517 00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 1: to wait until. Oh I'm gonna be happy when I 518 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:55,040 Speaker 1: have a better car. I'm gonna be happy when I 519 00:31:55,160 --> 00:31:59,240 Speaker 1: have a house in the beach. Now I'm happy now. 520 00:31:59,280 --> 00:32:01,880 Speaker 1: I'm happy right now with my glass of water and 521 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:06,400 Speaker 1: my dog, my house, my shoes. Would be like, just 522 00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:12,280 Speaker 1: don't don't project too far away and forget about this moment, 523 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:15,160 Speaker 1: because you have to enjoy the process. You have to 524 00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:18,960 Speaker 1: enjoy every step, and you're gonna get where you have 525 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:22,160 Speaker 1: to get. It doesn't you didn't need to rush. Things 526 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:24,800 Speaker 1: happen when they have to happen, and the other thing 527 00:32:24,840 --> 00:32:27,680 Speaker 1: to do is just let go. You know. You do 528 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:30,720 Speaker 1: everything you can and then you put in the universe 529 00:32:30,840 --> 00:32:34,480 Speaker 1: and things will happen. And if something doesn't happen, well 530 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:37,440 Speaker 1: maybe it was not meant to be. And and sometimes 531 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:41,440 Speaker 1: you don't realize that right away, but then the time passed. Oh, 532 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:45,400 Speaker 1: I understand now why that relationship didn't work, or I 533 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:49,440 Speaker 1: understand now why that job was not for me or 534 00:32:49,480 --> 00:32:51,320 Speaker 1: not I was not given to me, you know, And 535 00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:53,760 Speaker 1: at that point I was frustrated and I felt like 536 00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:56,240 Speaker 1: I was not good enough, but actually it was not 537 00:32:56,360 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 1: meant to be. And look how happy I am now. 538 00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:02,280 Speaker 1: I mean, if I did and lose something, I wouldn't 539 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:05,640 Speaker 1: gain all the things that I gain. And it's amazing 540 00:33:05,680 --> 00:33:11,360 Speaker 1: life that I have. You're gonna make me cry, no, 541 00:33:11,680 --> 00:33:14,760 Speaker 1: I mean, it's it's true. It's very true. And it's 542 00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:17,560 Speaker 1: something that in life, even when you're going through some 543 00:33:17,640 --> 00:33:21,040 Speaker 1: difficult things, it's something that you have to keep reminding 544 00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 1: yourself the present and being grateful for where you are 545 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:25,840 Speaker 1: in the moment. And I think that's very easy to 546 00:33:25,880 --> 00:33:27,880 Speaker 1: forget in a society that we live in right now. 547 00:33:28,280 --> 00:33:33,640 Speaker 1: M Yeah, thank you. For sharing. Yeah, one of the 548 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:37,400 Speaker 1: biggest mistakes of the human beings is trying to control everything. 549 00:33:38,880 --> 00:33:40,840 Speaker 1: I have a dog, and I learned from her, like 550 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:44,320 Speaker 1: she's happy right now. It's like just the food that 551 00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:47,160 Speaker 1: she's gonna eat right now. Like she doesn't think about 552 00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:52,280 Speaker 1: the future and she doesn't care. Yeah, Yeah, she's like 553 00:33:52,360 --> 00:33:55,680 Speaker 1: happy because I'm here with her. So you know, it's 554 00:33:55,720 --> 00:33:58,440 Speaker 1: like I want to be happy. That's what I want. 555 00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:01,160 Speaker 1: I want happiness right now that I don't want to, 556 00:34:01,240 --> 00:34:04,600 Speaker 1: you know, be worried about everything and try to control everything, 557 00:34:04,640 --> 00:34:08,680 Speaker 1: because we learned with the pandemic that we can't control nothing, 558 00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:14,640 Speaker 1: have any control. Yeah, absolutely absolutely. I have a question 559 00:34:14,680 --> 00:34:17,319 Speaker 1: for you, Marcello um and the thought that I would 560 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:19,880 Speaker 1: love for you to leave us with, But what is 561 00:34:20,040 --> 00:34:23,600 Speaker 1: the one thing that reminds you of home or makes 562 00:34:23,640 --> 00:34:27,800 Speaker 1: you feel like your home. I think it's gonna be funny, 563 00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:29,600 Speaker 1: but I don't. I don't know if you know that 564 00:34:29,640 --> 00:34:31,840 Speaker 1: I love to cook, and one of the things that 565 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:34,960 Speaker 1: made me feel home is food because I make the 566 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:38,239 Speaker 1: food that gave me comfort, the food that my aunt 567 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:40,960 Speaker 1: used to make, the food that my dad used to make. 568 00:34:41,200 --> 00:34:43,200 Speaker 1: And when I talk to my I have all my 569 00:34:43,239 --> 00:34:46,920 Speaker 1: family is still in Argentina and I have one brother 570 00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:50,000 Speaker 1: left and I talked to him like every week and 571 00:34:50,080 --> 00:34:53,359 Speaker 1: he's always like we give each other, like, you know, 572 00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:58,279 Speaker 1: recipes of things that our parents is to make. And 573 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:01,040 Speaker 1: the happiest moments in my life were in the kitchen. 574 00:35:01,160 --> 00:35:04,520 Speaker 1: I mean I think that my my father and my 575 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:08,239 Speaker 1: mother have the best relationship in the kitchen because they 576 00:35:08,280 --> 00:35:10,960 Speaker 1: love to cook. They were good cooks and that was 577 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:15,400 Speaker 1: the time when they really communicate the best in that room. 578 00:35:15,960 --> 00:35:19,319 Speaker 1: So to me, the kitchen, that's why I want to 579 00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:23,799 Speaker 1: remodel my Kiden. Yes, the kitchen is the heart of 580 00:35:23,920 --> 00:35:28,200 Speaker 1: the house and it's also it's the place that reminds 581 00:35:28,239 --> 00:35:31,600 Speaker 1: me at home. The place is my happy place. Yeah, no, 582 00:35:31,719 --> 00:35:33,920 Speaker 1: it definitely is. I don't think you've ever cooked for me. 583 00:35:34,040 --> 00:35:36,000 Speaker 1: I think we had a charcottery board. But we did 584 00:35:36,040 --> 00:35:38,000 Speaker 1: have a lot of champagne. We drank a lot of 585 00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:41,160 Speaker 1: champagne in your kitchen, so I did remember that. And 586 00:35:41,320 --> 00:35:48,920 Speaker 1: champagne is a meal because it has bubbles. Yes, Marcello, 587 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:52,279 Speaker 1: If our listeners want to follow your journey or learn 588 00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:56,280 Speaker 1: more about you and continue, you know, on with you, Um, 589 00:35:56,320 --> 00:35:58,640 Speaker 1: where can they find you? Is their social media tack 590 00:35:58,760 --> 00:36:01,920 Speaker 1: that they can follow you on. Yeah, well I am 591 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:06,720 Speaker 1: am Donnari in Instagram and that's my name. M hm 592 00:36:06,840 --> 00:36:11,279 Speaker 1: d O n A R I perfection. I love you 593 00:36:11,360 --> 00:36:13,680 Speaker 1: so much, um there there are so many feelings that 594 00:36:13,719 --> 00:36:16,160 Speaker 1: I have for you. You already know that. I'm so 595 00:36:16,239 --> 00:36:18,320 Speaker 1: grateful that you came on here to share your story 596 00:36:18,560 --> 00:36:21,840 Speaker 1: and thank you for being so open and vulnerable and honest. 597 00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:27,560 Speaker 1: Thank you. I appreciate you remembering me, bringing me here 598 00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:33,439 Speaker 1: on making me feel important. And I'm gonna be coming 599 00:36:33,440 --> 00:36:36,400 Speaker 1: out to San Francisco very soon, so I need to 600 00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:38,279 Speaker 1: come and see you when you or at least visit 601 00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:41,320 Speaker 1: you on tour something. Yes, you let me know on 602 00:36:42,080 --> 00:36:46,040 Speaker 1: My home is always open for you. Thank you so much, Marcello. 603 00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:50,839 Speaker 1: And my friend if you stole my friend, whoever your 604 00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:53,680 Speaker 1: friend is, all of my friends are all my friends. Carlos, 605 00:36:53,719 --> 00:36:59,000 Speaker 1: you're invited, Sophia, you're invited, August, We're all invited. Thank 606 00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:00,759 Speaker 1: you so much, Marcella. Look, thank you for hanging out 607 00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:04,000 Speaker 1: with us on much love. Thank you. I love you too, 608 00:37:04,120 --> 00:37:12,840 Speaker 1: Thank you. I really appreciate this. Marcello said something today. 609 00:37:13,200 --> 00:37:17,520 Speaker 1: He said, fear is a fantasy. Think about that fear 610 00:37:17,719 --> 00:37:20,720 Speaker 1: is a fantasy. When he was presented with the worst 611 00:37:20,760 --> 00:37:23,200 Speaker 1: news of his life, he knew he could give into 612 00:37:23,239 --> 00:37:25,600 Speaker 1: fear and let it take over his life, but he 613 00:37:25,640 --> 00:37:28,880 Speaker 1: decided he needed to keep living, to keep pushing forward. 614 00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:33,960 Speaker 1: I need to follow Marcello's example, keep pushing forward, keep living, 615 00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:41,960 Speaker 1: knows vemos Thing. Mon Anita is a production of Sonato 616 00:37:42,040 --> 00:37:45,960 Speaker 1: and partnership with I Heart Radios michaela podcast network. For 617 00:37:46,040 --> 00:37:48,839 Speaker 1: more podcast from I Heart Radio, visit the I Heart 618 00:37:48,920 --> 00:37:52,080 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your 619 00:37:52,120 --> 00:37:52,840 Speaker 1: favorite shows.