American Colony | The Latino Newsletter Podcast
Produced by The Latino Newsletter and Shake It Easy Media, American Colony is a series that explores how colonialism shapes the everyday lives of Puerto Ricans. Hosted by Julio Ricardo Varela and Nuria Net. New episodes in English and Spanish.
Episodes
Episodio 4: La Chacón
Durante décadas, Iris Chacón cautivó a los puertorriqueños con su exitoso programa de televisión y se convirtió en una de las latinas más reconocidas del entretenimiento, tanto dentro como fuera del archipiélago. Con su cuerpo e ingenio, “La Vedette de...
Episode 4: La Chacón
For decades, Iris Chacón dazzled Puerto Ricans with her hit TV show, becoming one of the most recognizable Latinas in entertainment. Celebrated for her body and her wit, “La Vedette de América” challenged the beauty standards and expectations imposed o...
Episodio 3: Más libres que nunca
En la época dorada de las Negro Leagues, sus grandes estrellas venían a Puerto Rico a jugar durante el invierno. En Estados Unidos, vivían el racismo. En el archipiélago, nunca se sintieron más libres. Julio Ricardo Varela cuenta cómo Puerto Rico les d...
Episode 3: Never Felt Freer
During the Negro Leagues’ golden age, their biggest stars came to play winter ball in Puerto Rico. In the United States, they experienced racism. On the archipelago, they never felt freer. Host Julio Ricardo Varela tells how Puerto Rico gave Black Amer...
Episodio 2: Volver o vivir
José Raphael sueña con retirarse a Puerto Rico, donde nació. Es el padre de T.J. Raphael, la productora de este episodio. José sobrevivió a Vietnam, al Agente Naranja y al cáncer. Pero en todo el archipiélago hay un solo hospital de veteranos operativo...
Episode 2: No Way Home
José Raphael dreams of one thing: retiring in Puerto Rico, the place where he was born. He survived Vietnam, Agent Orange, and cancer. But the archipelago has just one fully functioning VA hospital, and going back could cost him the care keeping him al...
Episodio 1: Somos colonia
Es el 4 de julio y Estados Unidos cumple 250 años. También es el día en que celebra su libertad del colonialismo. ¿Y Puerto Rico? En el episodio prólogo de American Colony, los presentadores Julio Ricardo Varela y Nuria Net se preguntan: ¿qué significa...
Episode 1: We Are a Colony
It’s the Fourth of July, and the United States is 250 years old. It is also a day Americans celebrate freedom from colonialism. But what about Puerto Rico? In the prologue episode of American Colony, hosts Julio Ricardo Varela and Nuria Net ask: What d...
We Are Preciosa With Jay Trevino
Host Michelle Zacarias sits down with queer social media influencer Jay Trevino ( https://www.instagram.com/edenxjay/ ), the co-creator of the grassroots queer Latin movement Preciosa, which she built alongside her wife, Eden. Jay opens up about their ...
Introducing American Colony
American Colony premiered on July 4, 2026, and is available on The Latino Newsletter podcast feed, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major podcast platforms.
Frontline Organizing With Leo Martinez
From hyper-local neighborhood alert systems to confronting ICE on the streets, Leo Martinez (@tacodpollo ( https://www.instagram.com/tacodpollo/ )) shares how VC Defensa ( https://www.instagram.com/vcdefensa ) is building community power from the groun...
Learn Your History With Anthony Milian
Host Michelle Zacarias sits down with Afro-Latino public historian, social media content creator, and fine art photojournalist Anthony Milian ( https://www.instagram.com/deffnotant/ ) to explore the power of storytelling as resistance. Anthony shares h...
Ramsey Robinson and Freezing the Rent
Michelle Zacarias sits down with mental health professional, social worker, and community organizer Ramsey Robinson ( https://www.instagram.com/ramsey4gov/ ), who is running for Governor of California on the Peace and Freedom Party ticket. They talk ab...
Brenda Gonzalez Builds Her Own Table
What does it mean to build your own table — and then invite your community to sit at it?In this episode of the Latino Newsletter Podcast, host Michelle Zacarias sits down with Brenda Gonzalez, founder and co-host of ( https://www.tamarindopodcast.com/ ...
Butch Ware: The Green Candidate
A UC Santa Barbara professor and 2024 Green Party Vice Presidential candidate, Butch Ware is now running for Governor of California and challenging the two-party system head-on, despite ongoing legal battles to keep him on the June primary ballot. In t...
No More Pedestals
In this special episode of the Latino Newsletter podcast, host Michelle Zacarias is joined by founder Julio Ricardo Varela to discuss the New York Times report on the sexual abuse allegations against César Chávez. Michelle and Julio process the public ...
Gustavo Arellano and Early Detection
In this deeply personal episode of The Latino Newsletter podcast and in honor of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, host Michelle Zacarias sits down with LA Times columnist Gustavo Arellano for a heartfelt conversation about colonoscopies, col...
John Carlos Frey Humanizes Immigration
Six-time Emmy award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker John Carlos Frey shares his unconventional journey from Hollywood actor to investigative reporter covering immigration and border issues — a transition sparked by learning about the horro...
Traces of Home With Colette Ghunim
Filmmaker Colette Ghunim discusses her award-winning documentary “Traces of Home.” The film follows Colette and her parents as they return to Mexico and Palestine — the homelands they were forced to leave — to confront intergenerational trauma, displac...
Nicole Foy and the Power of Local Journalism
Investigative reporter Nicole Foy joins the Latino Newsletter Podcast to discuss her groundbreaking ProPublica investigation that uncovered more than 170 U.S. citizens detained by immigration agents as of October 2025 — a number she describes as a "vas...
Venezuela’s Path
The first weekend of 2026 started with the news that the United States had captured Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro. For this episode of The Latino Newsletter podcast, host Michelle Zacarias welcomes Juan Escalante, an immigrant rights advocate, dig...
Andrea Flores on Redesigning the System
In this episode, Andrea Flores reflects on her journey as an immigration lawyer and policy advocate, sharing firsthand insights from her work in both the Obama and Biden administrations. She discusses the challenges of navigating a broken immigration s...
Governor Maura Healey and Latinos
For our latest episode, The Latino Newsletter and El Planeta teams interview Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey about Latino communities in the state and what they are experiencing in 2025. This episode marks the start of a new bilingual partnership b...
A Portrait of Lalo Alcaraz
Chicano activist and political cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz on growing up in a border town, politics in comic strips, and AI in the art world. From the controversial comic strips “La Cucaracha” to his latest project, a musical compilation called “Contra ICE...
Con La Gata
Multi-faceted artist and reggaeton historian Katelina Eccleston, known as La Gata, on becoming the first queer, Black femme with a platform discussing the roots and reverberations of Reggaeton. From her online course Perreo 101 to lecturing at Harvard ...
Bobbito García's B-Ball Life
Season 2 of The Latino Newsletter podcast is back with a very special guest: Bobbito García, aka Kool Bob Love. Host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Bobbito to talk about his latest memoir, Bobbito's Book of B-Ball Bong Bong! They cover an array of topic...
Second Chances, First Steps
As we close out Second Chance Month, The Latino Newsletter podcast presents a powerful collaboration with our friends at CALÓ News. Guest hosts Brenda Verano and Michelle Zacarias sit down with newly sworn-in attorney Ester Mendez. a first-generation O...
The Puerto Rican Woman Running for US Senate in Minnesota
Julio Ricardo Varela talks with Melisa López Franzen, a former Minnesota State Senator leader now running in the 2026 Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) primary for the United States Senate. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, López Franzen reflects on building...
Latino Media Forward
Live from Miami and the Knight Media Forum, Julio Ricardo Varela hosts a discussion with FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez and FTC Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya. They delve into pressing issues surrounding Latino media, the challenges of audience measurement...
Our 2024 Message
Thank you all for a fabulous first season! Host Julio Ricardo Varela shares a 2024 message from all of us here at The Latino Newsletter. Keep us going into 2025 by becoming a foundational supporter. You can give here. We wish you a Happy New Year!
A New Latinidad
For the final episode of our first season, host Julio Ricardo Varela explores the evolving future of Latinidad with Dr. Manuel Pastor, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California and di...
The Space We Build
Host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes journalist and cultural producer Alisha Miranda to discuss how her "Latinx Industry Night" series is redefining storytelling and amplifying Latino voices in Philadelphia’s hospitality scene. They talk about how these ...
The Status Never Ends
Puerto Rico's 7th (yes, 7th) non-binding status plebiscite happened on Election Day, with statehood getting 57% of the symbolic vote and independence getting 31%. What does it all mean, or what doesn't it mean? Host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Christ...
Univision and Latino Politics
In the third of a series of conversations about the Latino vote and the 2024 election cycle, host Julio Ricardo Varela talks with Jesus Lara, President of Local Media at TelevisaUnivision, about what the network did this past election cycle and what...
Trump’s Latino Plan
In the second of a series of conversations about the Latino vote and the 2024 election cycle, host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Jorge Bonilla , veteran Latino conservative writer and radio personality, to talk about what American political media m...
The Untold Latino Vote
In the first of a series of conversations about the Latino vote and the 2024 election cycle, host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Geraldo Cadava, a contributing writer at The New Yorker, co-editor-in-chief of Public Books, and host of the “Writing Latino...
Latino Voices React to 2024 Results
SPRINGFIELD, MA — National exit polls revealed that Donald Trump achieved historic support among Latino voters, securing 45% of their votes—a level not reached by a Republican candidate since George W. Bush in 2004. In western Massachusetts cities like...
The Election Show
Here at The Latino Newsletter podcast, we have been following election results in both the United States and Puerto Rico. Host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes veteran journalist Susanne Ramirez de Arellano to talk about what Tuesday's results mean both f...
Latino Businesses and Political Promises
SPRINGFIELD, MA — Besides the presidential election, there is also a Senate election in Massachusetts on Tuesday. NEPM and GBH hosted a senate debate in October with incumbent U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-MA, and Republican candidate John Deaton. Both...
High School Latina Voters Share Hopes and Challenges
SPRINGFIELD, MA — Many young Americans are stepping into a new chapter this year as they gain the right to vote. Across the country, high school seniors who have turned 18 are casting their ballots this election cycle. At Discovery Polytechnic Early Co...
Boosting Latino Voter Engagement
Latinos make up 27% of the population in Hampden County—a significant increase of 25% from 2010 to 2020, according to Pew Research. Despite this growth, cities with large Latino populations like Holyoke, Springfield, and Chicopee have some of the lowes...
The Latino Vote in Western Massachusetts
According to Pew Research, there are more than 36 million eligible Latino voters in the U.S. this year. In Massachusetts, Latinos account for approximately 9% of all eligible voters, a growing share that has seen significant increases over the past two...
Latino Identity in 2024
In this episode of The Latino Newsletter Podcast, host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Mando Rayo, an OG taco journalist and digital storyteller, to discuss the evolving identity of the Latino community, the importance of political representation, and cu...
Latino Impact Unseen
Host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Ana Valdez, president and CEO of the Latino Donor Collaborative, to discuss the significant economic impact of the U.S. Latino community, the challenges of media representation, and why Latinos still lack political po...
Gustavo Arellano's Road Trip
This week, Los Angeles Times columnist Gustavo Arellano launched his new project, "Caminos del Southwest: A road trip through Latino America." Host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Gustavo to talk about what turned into one very informative journey about ...
Democrats and Latino Men
Earlier this week, a new swing state poll from USA Today and Suffolk University showed Kamala Harris trailing Donald Trump among Latino men under 49 years old in Arizona and Nevada. How did this happen? Host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes veteran politi...
Latino Leaders Rising
In this episode of the Latino Newsletter podcast, host Julio Ricardo Varela discusses Latino representation in politics with U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) and Marco A. Davis, President/CEO of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI). The...
The Politics of María
In this episode of The Latino Newsletter podcast, host Julio Ricardo Varela and special guest Tanzina Vega, contributing writer forThe Boston Globe and founder of La Mala Media, reflect on the lasting impact of Hurricane María, seven years after it d...
Latino Political Power
What is the state of Latino political power in 2024? Host Julio Ricardo Varela chats with with Frankie Miranda, the first openly gay president and CEO of the Hispanic Federation. They explore the growth of Latino eligible voters, the importance of civi...
The Latino Media Consortium
"There has never been a better moment to help build a more equitable media landscape for the nation’s 64 million Latinos," the new Latino Media Consortium (LMC) announced during last week's launch. Featured by Axios, the LMC was formed in 2024 with an ...
America's Last Tax Haven
For this episode of The Latino Newsletter, we explore the push to abolish Puerto Rico's Act 22. For those who don't know, Act 22 is a tax incentive that allows American investors to avoid paying federal income taxes by living in Puerto Rico. Welcome to...
Venezuela, One Month Later
It has been one month since Venezuela's presidential elections. As NPR noted this week about the 1-month anniversary, "The incumbent president, Nicolás Maduro, declared himself the winner, but his opposition points to their meticulous work counting vot...
Latinos and Arizona
Arizona is an important 2024 state for so many reasons. So as convention season ends and the real presidential campaigning begins, where will Arizona go in November? Host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes journalist Maritza Félix, Founder of Conecta Ariz...
A Latino Hollywood Check-In
How's Latino Hollywood doing these days? Host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Cristina Escobar, Co-Founder and EIC of LatinaMedia.Co to the show. Cristina discusses the current state of representation, recent wins and the work being done to support and i...
Latinos and "Rural America"
Host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Paolo Cremidis, executive director of The Outrun Coalition, to talk about the role of Latinos in rural communities. They discuss the misconceptions about rural voters and the challenges of organizing in traditionally ...
Latinos in the 2024 Cycle
In this debut episode of The Latino Newsletter, host Julio Ricardo Varela interviews Rafael Bernal, a staff writer for The Hill, about the state of Latinos in the 2024 election cycle. They discuss Vice President Kamala Harris, the relationship between ...
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