1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,040 Speaker 1: This is Latino USA, the radio journal of News and 2 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: Courture Latino USA. Latin Latino USA. I'm Maria Inojosa. We 3 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: bring you stories that are underreported but that mattered to you, 4 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: overlooked by the rest of the media. 5 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 2: And while the country is struggling to deal with these, 6 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,479 Speaker 2: we listen to the stories of Black and Latino Studios 7 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:24,599 Speaker 2: United Latino Front, a cultural renaissance organizing at the forefront 8 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 2: of the movement. 9 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:34,839 Speaker 1: I'm Maria Inojosa. Noan getio, gebila gevirix Latino USA. Listener, 10 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: What's up? What's up? You know what I love? I 11 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:40,839 Speaker 1: love our archive. Here's a story from it. 12 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 3: I really didn't have a musical community until maybe I 13 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,240 Speaker 3: was like seventeen or eighteen years old in Chile, because 14 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 3: growing up, it was really more me and my own world, 15 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 3: spending time in that kind of wonderment with music, whether 16 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 3: it was like Spice Girls or Keith Jarrett, Oh Sweet 17 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 3: Genety's and Charlie Arcia. 18 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 1: From Pudro Media and PRX. It's Latino USA. I'm Maria 19 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:19,680 Speaker 1: Josa Today. Francisca Valinsuela, the Chilean American singer, songwriter, author 20 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 1: and entrepreneur Francisca Valinsuella's musical identity was shaped in two countries, 21 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: the United States, where she was born and spent her childhood, 22 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:44,400 Speaker 1: and Chile, her family's homeland, where she moved to in 23 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 1: her teens. It was there in San Diego, Chile's capital city, 24 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 1: that her prolific career as a bilingual pop rocker would begin. 25 00:01:56,320 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: Francisca's music career is a testament to Chile's thriving DIY 26 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 1: music scene. Her efforts to get the attention of major 27 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 1: labels weren't working out, so Francisca cut her teeth, performing 28 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 1: in small venues and reaching out to local radio stations. 29 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: Her first album, Moredree de la Lengua, was released in 30 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 1: two thousand and seven. From there, Francisca found success as 31 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:45,639 Speaker 1: a workie musician. In twenty fourteen, she created her own 32 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 1: music label called Frantastic Records, and she toured in the 33 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 1: United States, where she continued to build her global fan base. 34 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 1: After noticing a lack of women in music festivals around 35 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 1: the world, Francisca founded a LATINX feminist community called Ridosa, 36 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: which means a noisy woman. Since its inception in twenty sixteen, 37 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 1: Rithosa has hosted an annual music and culture festival throughout 38 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: the Americas. Artists such as Javiera Parra, Huimera, Sarrignana, and 39 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:27,679 Speaker 1: Pussy Riot have played at Ridosa Fest, and other creatives 40 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 1: like Monla Ferte, Lido Pimenta, and Jessica Salgado have spoken 41 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 1: at Ridosa's events and panels. Even during the COVID nineteen epidemic, 42 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 1: the platform has engaged with its community with online workshops 43 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 1: and interviews. Francisca released her fourth studio album, La fort 44 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: Lesa in January of twenty twenty. On this episode, Francisca 45 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 1: talks about her journey from California to Chile, and she 46 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:03,600 Speaker 1: takes us on the road that led her to La 47 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 1: fort Lesa. 48 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 3: Hi, everybody, my name is Francisca Alenzuela. I'm a Chilean singer, songwriter, performer. 49 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:19,280 Speaker 4: And artist Hope and Joy. 50 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 3: I was born in California, in San Francisco. My family 51 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,679 Speaker 3: is bicultural, so I grew up kind of first generation 52 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 3: of a Chilean family in the Bay Area. My parents, 53 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 3: which are Chilean, were in the States since the seventies 54 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:35,360 Speaker 3: and then they went back to Chile and took us 55 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,400 Speaker 3: with them naturally in the nineties. I grew up in 56 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 3: elementary school until like sixth grade or so in the 57 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:44,800 Speaker 3: Bay Area, and then moved to Chile with my family, 58 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 3: so we have kind of this multicultural Chile California, you know, 59 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:50,440 Speaker 3: Lyringo Chileno situation. 60 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 4: I think that I was really lucky because my. 61 00:04:54,760 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 3: Family really preserved the Chilean identity and were able to 62 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:04,599 Speaker 3: maintain that in the house. So, for example, growing up, 63 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:06,719 Speaker 3: I remember I learned how to read and write in 64 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 3: English first, and I remember I call my mom. 65 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 4: Like mom, and she'd be like Mama. 66 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:15,680 Speaker 3: So there was always this this kind of natural yet 67 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 3: conscious effort to keep us attached to both cultures. And 68 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 3: I think I'm very lucky that I've been able to 69 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 3: live a bicultural or multicultural identity, which is something that 70 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:31,919 Speaker 3: many people in the US I think have. At the 71 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:33,640 Speaker 3: time when I moved there, I was confronted with a 72 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:36,040 Speaker 3: whole bunch of things that I took for granted in California, 73 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:38,839 Speaker 3: which is naturally very diverse, which is very progressive, and 74 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 3: has so many resources, and it's such a unique history 75 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 3: and identity. So going back to Chile, there were all 76 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:48,240 Speaker 3: these other issues that I had never even thought about. 77 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 3: And there was all these formalities too that I wasn't 78 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:53,280 Speaker 3: exposed to, and a lot of religion. So there was 79 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:55,840 Speaker 3: a lot of culture clash in many respects, whether in 80 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 3: my inability to communicate properly or the more conservative kind 81 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:04,600 Speaker 3: of very antiquated culture in many ways. Language wise, eventually 82 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:07,440 Speaker 3: I began to kind of not only get comfortable with Spanish, 83 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 3: but also understand myself in Spanish. Like, for example, I 84 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:12,600 Speaker 3: didn't know how to really read in Spanish that well, 85 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 3: and then eventually I was like, I got curious about 86 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 3: reading in Spanish. I was like, who are the most 87 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:20,960 Speaker 3: famous authors in Spanish? Like who are singer songwriters in Spanish. 88 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 3: That's how I discovered like Shaquita last Elia. I began 89 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 3: to kind of go down the nopster at the time 90 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:46,480 Speaker 3: hole and google all the different kinds of singers and 91 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:48,720 Speaker 3: begin to be interested in the language itself. 92 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:49,279 Speaker 4: Poets. 93 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 3: I remember, I was like into poetry, so I was like, 94 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 3: who are the Spanish poets and found and all these 95 00:06:56,240 --> 00:07:00,760 Speaker 3: different voices that I had never discovered. I think if 96 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:03,120 Speaker 3: I always had an interest in the arts in general, 97 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 3: and literature and music and books, I'm very lucky because. 98 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 4: In my house that was always very nurtured. 99 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 3: Even though my parents and my brothers aren't necessarily in 100 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 3: the creative arts or in literature or anything like that, 101 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 3: they were always validating this interest and seeing it as 102 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 3: something that was important and valuable. They'd allow me whether 103 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 3: at ten or fifteen, I was like, family, sit down 104 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 3: and have a show to put on, and then I'll 105 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 3: be like, okay, here she goes. Do you think the 106 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 3: idea of pursuing music or really switching to music came 107 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 3: much later, like I would say, in my late teens, 108 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:39,119 Speaker 3: because I was always writing and doing stuff with music, 109 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 3: and I began to take piano lessons really young. Then 110 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 3: when I was in Chile, I did more piano lessons 111 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 3: and actually was interested in pursuing classical music at one 112 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 3: point because I wanted to be like Keith Jarrett. That 113 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 3: was my dream, like an improv jazz pianist. But the 114 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 3: classical piano things seemed so daunting and imposs and I 115 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 3: remember this one teacher once was like, you know, there's 116 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 3: only one classical pianist for orchestra. It so difficult, and 117 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 3: I was like, oh, I'm never going to. 118 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 4: Get that spot. 119 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 3: On the side, I would write songs for myself and 120 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 3: write songs in a very pop format, and only when 121 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 3: I began to show it to my friends in high school, 122 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 3: they were like, this song really resonates with me. I 123 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 3: totally identify, and they'd asked me to sing the song 124 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 3: in school. 125 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 4: When we get together in those houses. And it kind 126 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 4: of became a thing. It kind of like my stick that. 127 00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 3: I would write songs, and I would write songs about 128 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 3: boys I liked or my friends' stories, and that also 129 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 3: was really encouraging Giadne, Oh, that's good. Scenes. Eventually music 130 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 3: began to take off for me, and sheated performing my 131 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:51,199 Speaker 3: own stuff, you know, maybe two or three years in 132 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 3: a certain circuit because I was performing like in restaurants 133 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:55,440 Speaker 3: and jazz bars and all that kind of stuff. 134 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:56,680 Speaker 4: And eventually put together a band. 135 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:59,839 Speaker 3: And once that band began to perform and was part 136 00:08:59,880 --> 00:09:02,719 Speaker 3: of a scene, and I began to put together an 137 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 3: album and eventually make a little bit of money off 138 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:06,679 Speaker 3: of that, I was like, Okay, I think I'm safe, 139 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:08,800 Speaker 3: and I can you know, quit college and really commit 140 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 3: to this full time love. 141 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:15,240 Speaker 4: I know, get okay. 142 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:17,959 Speaker 3: So my first album in Chile called Morte Dere Lingua, 143 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 3: which means by your tongue came out. We recorded it, 144 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 3: I think in two thousand and five, two thousand and six. 145 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 3: I actually recorded it with the generous collaboration of a 146 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 3: band in Chia, Carlos Bunks, and they kind of god 147 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:34,560 Speaker 3: fathered the project and taught me a whole bunch of 148 00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 3: things I had never been in a studio before. We'd 149 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:39,400 Speaker 3: rehearse and do all this stuff to kind of eventually 150 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:42,680 Speaker 3: put together an EP. And that EP I took to 151 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:47,040 Speaker 3: multiple radio stations everywhere, to TV anyone that I thought 152 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 3: could listen to it and open an opportunity for these 153 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 3: songs to be heard somewhere. 154 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 4: I took to. 155 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 3: I would go on a daily basis all these places 156 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 3: with my songs, and I put together the MySpace and 157 00:09:56,840 --> 00:09:59,199 Speaker 3: the YouTube and eventually the Facebook and all the platforms 158 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 3: that were integral to having an independent project. 159 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:04,959 Speaker 4: Because I had even gone to labels at the. 160 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 3: Time, the very few ones in the Southern Cone like Agentina, Chile, 161 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 3: and they all said no. So I was like, I 162 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 3: can either sit and wait for something or someone to 163 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 3: come and pick me up. Just might as well move 164 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:18,839 Speaker 3: forward and figure this out because I don't have another option. 165 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:26,480 Speaker 4: Really gombnad Misste. 166 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 3: The first album came out, the first songs began to 167 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:32,680 Speaker 3: sound on the radio. This was a you know, a 168 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 3: process of maybe two years or so, and as I 169 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:38,440 Speaker 3: was saying very much artisanal, very much DIY and then 170 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 3: I was performing and finding places to play and kind 171 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 3: of begging places to let me perform, and eventually things 172 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 3: began to slowly take off. And when that happened, I 173 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 3: think I began to feel more comfortable and validated. I 174 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 3: think I'm still on that path of self validation and 175 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:04,560 Speaker 3: self discovery and learning how to listen to myself as 176 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 3: an artist and who I am as an artist. 177 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 4: Truly, it took me a while to really have a 178 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 4: self confidence to be like, Okay. 179 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 3: Yeah I am I can be a captain of this vote, 180 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:18,559 Speaker 3: I can be the leader of my project. I can 181 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 3: understand that there's an artist in me that you know, 182 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:23,960 Speaker 3: deserves to be heard kind of And then also began 183 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 3: to eventually see how can I leave Chile, how can 184 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:29,440 Speaker 3: I make this a project that has the international reach? 185 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 3: And that's been kind of the path. Which is the 186 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:49,520 Speaker 3: last and most recent album that came out. I think 187 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:51,679 Speaker 3: I didn't really have an idea of or a shape 188 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 3: of the album. Previously, it began to come together maybe 189 00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 3: a year before, like a year in, I want to say, 190 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:00,800 Speaker 3: the sense that I released them and was the first single, 191 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 3: and just when Thoma came out, I began to imagine 192 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 3: what this album was was speaking to and what photo 193 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:08,319 Speaker 3: it was taking of the moment. 194 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:12,800 Speaker 5: Oh yeah, yeah yeah do momento moment ah yeah yeah, 195 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:16,680 Speaker 5: ooh yeah yeah yeah doment moment ah yeah yeah. 196 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 3: There's an inherent difference between this alum and the previous 197 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 3: just because of course the person I am today not 198 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 3: the person I was five ten years ago their moment. 199 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 3: I would say it's a very confessional and emotional album 200 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:39,960 Speaker 3: that speaks to the process of empowerment and power and 201 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 3: getting out of the dark place that maybe a lot. 202 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 4: Of us have been through at times. 203 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:46,959 Speaker 3: And it's an album that has moments of like self 204 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 3: realization and insecurity, and it's kind of a conversation with 205 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 3: myself and also with the world in different dimensions, whether 206 00:12:55,880 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 3: as like a woman, whether it's sexists, invisruality, whether it's joy, 207 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:03,200 Speaker 3: whether it's giving in to someone else, whether it's getting 208 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 3: over a really damaging relationship. 209 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 4: I think also especially for women. 210 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:11,440 Speaker 3: Culturally, we grew up thinking that the hero is someone 211 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:13,520 Speaker 3: outside of us, someone that comes and rescues us. I 212 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 3: wanted to illustrate that with the concept of Ita So 213 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 3: You'll Sit. It is a song that talks about the 214 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:31,199 Speaker 3: battle that we all may face on a day day basis, 215 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:34,920 Speaker 3: whether with ourselves, the world, someone something specific and overcoming 216 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:37,200 Speaker 3: that battle. My idea with the song and the concept 217 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 3: was defined or resignifying the idea of who a hero is. 218 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:43,400 Speaker 3: And it also speaks to the fact that sometimes our 219 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:47,720 Speaker 3: biggest enemy, our biggest villain, is ourselves. If we overcome 220 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:50,440 Speaker 3: which we're all capable of, we can also be our 221 00:13:50,480 --> 00:14:03,320 Speaker 3: own heroes. It's almost like a cinematic description about what I imagine, 222 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:06,720 Speaker 3: how strength feels like, what it looks like. It's a 223 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 3: moment to look at yourself and see who you are 224 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:12,120 Speaker 3: and accept that and love that and love all the 225 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 3: pieces in the parts. 226 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:15,760 Speaker 4: I almost forget sometimes that I wrote that song. 227 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 3: You know, even in the recent months when things have 228 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 3: been hard, my friends are. 229 00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 4: Like friend, but you got this. You wrote the song. 230 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:25,160 Speaker 3: You understand that this is something you can you know 231 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 3: you can face and you can do, especially for women 232 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 3: and people that have been marginalized. I think not only 233 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 3: are many stories and realities made invisible or made to 234 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 3: feel invalidated, but I think also we're put into boxes. 235 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 3: And I think the idea of truly freeing yourself from 236 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 3: whatever chains are holding you back is an invitation that 237 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 3: is really power horful. This is a song and this 238 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:04,880 Speaker 3: is an album that talks about this personal journal is 239 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:08,520 Speaker 3: personal transformation and strength, but it also talks about how. 240 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 4: We are strong together. 241 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:24,240 Speaker 3: As is an intersectional, interdisciplinary LATINX feminist festival, community and 242 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:28,160 Speaker 3: platform and we you know, we seek to empower women 243 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 3: and marginalized voices and non binary voices in the creative 244 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 3: industries throughout Latin America and the US, and we do 245 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:47,040 Speaker 3: that with actual music festivals. I put that together in 246 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 3: twenty sixteen. We've been doing festivals and stuff all over 247 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 3: the region. We've done stuff in Peru, Argentina, Mexico, here 248 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 3: in the States as well. We do workshops, we do 249 00:15:56,640 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 3: conversation panels, talks, and seminars, and we also do content 250 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 3: and research. How can there be one girl representing all 251 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 3: Mexican girls in Mexican music when there's not. 252 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 4: One type of woman for the succeed in La care. 253 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:16,400 Speaker 5: We have different stories, and I believe that all of 254 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 5: our stories should be represented. 255 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:29,200 Speaker 3: We put together the first study on female participation in 256 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 3: Latin American music festivals and Latin American award shows and 257 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:34,960 Speaker 3: awards just to kind of put on the table this 258 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 3: conversation about the lack of female participation, representation, and just 259 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:44,160 Speaker 3: just to be able to have identified the problems that 260 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:46,800 Speaker 3: are within our industry, whether it has to do with stereotypes, 261 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:50,040 Speaker 3: abusive behavior, the lack of participation, and the barriers that 262 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 3: to access these opportunities. The fellow, I think that our 263 00:16:57,040 --> 00:17:02,840 Speaker 3: region is a very machista region. It's the place where 264 00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 3: you know, diversity, especially the multi dimensions of women, aren't 265 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:08,879 Speaker 3: really welcome. And I think to break those stereotypes and 266 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 3: free you know, whether it's men, women and non binary 267 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 3: folks from the constructions of gender and the pressure of 268 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:21,120 Speaker 3: gender is really important because if something I've seen transversally 269 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:24,320 Speaker 3: in all the Riosa is that the stories of all 270 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:27,640 Speaker 3: these women and all these creative fields have been you know, 271 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 3: no one has been exempt of that. And to also 272 00:17:30,119 --> 00:17:33,639 Speaker 3: celebrate and connect the network of women in the region 273 00:17:33,680 --> 00:17:35,920 Speaker 3: and the creative industries, it has been really important because 274 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 3: that was something that hadn't been mapped out yet. 275 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:52,560 Speaker 5: Ola Ilma Loyo Sandro de miss West. 276 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 3: In a personal note, I think it's been an amazing 277 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:58,240 Speaker 3: thing because I was feeling very alone at the time 278 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:01,679 Speaker 3: in the music industry in the Latin world, and it 279 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 3: really also was a response to the desire to make. 280 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:07,280 Speaker 4: Community, and it's been such a beautiful thing to. 281 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:12,440 Speaker 3: See how many colleagues and creative voices have been generous 282 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:14,359 Speaker 3: with their time and have opened up and shared and 283 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:17,639 Speaker 3: connected with the whole community with the platform with me 284 00:18:17,720 --> 00:18:18,080 Speaker 3: as well. 285 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:52,120 Speaker 1: That was singer songwriter Francisca Balinzuela Latitolino Escant. This episode 286 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 1: was produced by Oscar de Leon and Gini Montalbo was 287 00:18:55,200 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 1: edited by Alexandra. The Latino USA team also includes Victoria Strada, 288 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:07,520 Speaker 1: Renaldo Leanoz Junior, Andrea Lopez Crusado, Lori mar Marquez, Marta Martinez, 289 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:13,160 Speaker 1: Benilee Ramirez, Mike Sargent, Nour Saudi, and Nancy Trujillo. Our 290 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 1: director of engineering is Stephanie Lebau. Our senior engineer is 291 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:22,879 Speaker 1: Julia Caruso. Additional engineering support by Gabriel Lebayez and jj Carubin. 292 00:19:23,240 --> 00:19:27,080 Speaker 1: Our marketing manager is Luis Luna. Our theme music was 293 00:19:27,119 --> 00:19:31,080 Speaker 1: composed by Zeer Rubinos. I'm your host and executive producer 294 00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:34,280 Speaker 1: Marino Rosa. Join us again on our next episode. In 295 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:36,959 Speaker 1: the meantime, look for us on your social media and 296 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:41,760 Speaker 1: as always, remember note maayes pasta a proxima jao. 297 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:49,320 Speaker 6: Latino USA is made possible in part by California Endowment, 298 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:53,200 Speaker 6: building a strong state by improving the health of all Californians. 299 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:57,159 Speaker 6: The Annie E. Casey Foundation creates a brighter future for 300 00:19:57,240 --> 00:20:02,040 Speaker 6: the nation's children by strengthening families, building greater economic opportunity, 301 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:07,320 Speaker 6: and transforming communities. And funding for Latino USA is coverage 302 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:10,120 Speaker 6: of a culture of health is made possible in part 303 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:12,640 Speaker 6: by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 304 00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 3: It's hard with genres, you know that, I would say 305 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:23,480 Speaker 3: In the main thing is like Latin alternative pop singer 306 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:26,120 Speaker 3: songwriter confessional vibes.