Shows
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastHow to tap into our Divine Feminine and all things Cuba!We chat with Maya Louisa to chat about the Divine Feminine. How do we tap into it more? How can we connect to ourselves more? Maya has also spent extensive time in Cuba and shares how it has influenced her life. She also chats about the deep meaning of waist beads. Guest IG: https://www.instagram.com/maya_louisa/Become a Patreon Supporter Here! www.patreon.com/rocioandmercedesWe'd love to hear from you! email us at rocioandmercedes@gmail.comFollow Rocio and Mercedes on IG: Rocio and MercedesP...
2022-06-2841 min
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastAfro Dominican Roots Music with Yasser TejedaWe chat with Yasser Tejeda, an award-winning Dominican composer, guitarist, vocalist, and producer. We talk about Dominican roots music and how music can connect us to our Afro Dominican heritage. Yasser Tejeda is an award-winning Dominican composer, guitarist, vocalist, and producer. According to Billboard, Yasser is giving traditional folkloric music a new spin with jazz, rock, and Caribbean rhythms in "a frenzied celebration of the ancestral union" while Juan Luis Guerra, the most influential Dominican artist in the world, praised his mission calling it the "marvelous example of what's happening with Dominican music. When it com...
2022-06-0745 min
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastGetting laid off, quitting and how to make a career changeWe sit down with Catalina Pena from Catalyst Creations and discuss career changes, getting let go, and how to pivot during difficult times. Catalina shares how getting fired opened up opportunities. She talks about mentorship, how job descriptions are created, and how to write your own job description. We also talk about her identifying as a Colombian Afro-Latina. We dive deep and chat about how her family embraced her identifying as an Afrolatina GUEST IG: curiouscata Catalyst Creations:https://www.catalystcreation.co/aboutusBecome a Patreon Supporter Here!ww...
2022-05-181h 19
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastHistory of Dominican Republic and HaitiIn this episode, we chat with Professor Remysell Salas and discuss Haiti’s influence on Dominican History. He also shares his recent visit to Africa and the similarities between Africa and the Dominican Republic. We talk of ways to bridge the gap and change the narrative. Tune in to a great episode! Guest IG: remysalasbxhttps://remysell.medium.com/Dominican Book Club: https://www.dominicanwriters.com/dominican-studieshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxv8T-9rcakWe'd love to hear from you!Follow Rocio and Me...
2022-05-0350 min
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx Podcast90 Day Fiance with Anny Francisco!We sit down with reality TV star Anny Francisco from 90 Day Fiance. She shares how life has changed for her since being on the show, what she misses most about the Dominican Republic as well as her journey to being an entrepreneur. Guest IG: anny_dr02 We'd love to hear from you!Follow Rocio and Mercedes on IG: Rocio and Mercedesemail us at rocioandmercedes@gmail.comPlease rate, subscribe, and review the show!It really makes a difference!This episode was produced by: Quinton Cameron, Mercedes Il...
2022-04-1927 min
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastNegra Aqui, Negra Alla -Embracing being AfrolatinaWe have a very candid and honest chat with Rosalyn Damiana Lake Montero, an educator in the DC area who was raised to celebrate her Blackness and love the skin she's in. She talks about the differences between being raised in the Dominican Republic and the states. She shares her struggles within her own community with how she identifies. She talks about her work with the youth and her passion for being an educator. She shares her long battle with Covid as a Black woman and how vulnerable she had to be. A long battle with Covid led her to...
2022-04-0539 min
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastDominican History with Anthropologist Dr. Ryan Mann-HamiltonIn this episode, we speak with Anthropologist and assistant professor Dr. Ryan Mann- Hamilton and discuss the complex history of the Dominican Republic. He discusses his research in Samana and our close connection to African American history. He also shares some tools we can use to research our own family history and the dangers of just using a DNA test.Guest Info:IG: @antilleanroutesDr. Mann Hamilton's website: https://www.echoprojectlg.org/https://isercaribe.org/
2022-03-221h 06
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastSeason 2 TrailerSeason 2 Trailer! This Season we explore Blackness in other Latinx countries celebrating the Afro in Afrocarribean! Join us! Enjoy! follow us! IG@rocioandmercedesTwitter: randmpodcastwww.rocioandmercedes.comBecome a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/RocioandMercedesSupport the show
2021-12-3101 min
Not (Blank) EnoughRocio Mendez & Mercedes Ilarraza : Not Dominican EnoughLatinx stereotypes, BLM, celebrating being Black and Dominican. Afro-Latina actresses and storytellers, Rocio Mendez & Mercedes Ilarraza, join Grasie Mercedes in a discussion they titled, Not Dominican Enough. OUR GUEST: Rocio IG: @rociomendezactor RocÍo Mendez Website: https://www.rociomendez.com/ Mercedes IG: @mercedesila Mercedes Ilarraza Website: https://www.mercedesila.com/ Rocio and Mercedes Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rocio-and-mercedes-podcast/id1533314019 Rocio & Mercedes Podcast IG: @rocioandmercedes Podcast Website: https://www.rocioandmercedes.com/ THE SHOW: Please rate and review th...
2021-04-2037 min
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastBeing 1st GenerationWe chat with actor, writer Nabil Vinas about being 1st generation. He talks about his upbringing, connecting to his roots and the language, and how to make a mean mangu!Please rate, subscribe, and review the show.It really makes a difference!About Nabil Nabil Viñas (AEA) is an actor, screenwriter, and producer born and raised in Washington Heights, New York City to parents from Moca in the Dominican Republic. He was the co-lead in “Program” which premiered at the 55th New York Film Festival at Lincoln Center, and played HBO’s New York Lat...
2021-04-071h 03
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastActing is ActivismFranceli Chapman-Varela is an Afro-Latina(Dominican) actor, host, writer, and producer. She is a member of 3 guilds; Writers Guild of America, SAG-AFTRA and Actor's Equity. We talk about her journey and how Art is a form of Artivism.Please rate, subscribe, and review the show.It really makes a difference!We love to hear from you!email us at rocioandmercedes@gmail.comBE A PATREON SUPPORTERwww.patreon.com/rocioandmercedesGUEST INFO:Instagram: @celihangoutWEBSITE:http://www.youtube.com/celihangout
2021-03-1750 min
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastDominicans do love HaitiansClarivel Ruiz is the founder of Dominicans love Haitians. We talk about how the organization started, why it's so important, and the Black Doll Movement. GUEST INFO:Instagram: dominicanslovehaitianswebsite: https://www.dominicanslovehaitians.com/BE A PATREON SUPPORTERwww.patreon.com/rocioandmercedesPlease rate, subscribe, and review the show!Spread the love!Dominican Studies book club:https://www.dominicanwriters.com/dominican-studiesWe love to hear from you!email us at rocioandmercedes@gmail.comFollow Rocio and Mercedes on IG: @rocioandmercedes
2021-03-0334 min
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastRepresentation MattersWe chat with Kelvin Grullon, a Dominican American actor from Washington Heights, New York City. We chat about the importance of seeing ourselves on screen. Kelvin shares how it felt to play Dominican characters. GUEST INFO:Instagram: kelvingrullonwebsite: https://www.kelvingrullon.com/check out his DJ skills here: https://soundcloud.com/wildchico1Kelvin on Univision:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6bBUd2KMvsBE A PATREON SUPPORTERwww.patreon.com/rocioandmercedesPlease rate, subscribe, and review the show.Spread the love!We lo...
2021-02-1658 min
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastWhat is Self-care?We talk with Eileen Z. Fuentes about all things Self-Care. She gives us 5 practical tips, shares the importance of rest, and shares her own journey of Self-care. Eileen is a Health educator, community health activist and full-time Clinical Coordinator for breast and gynecologic oncology. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and since then has become a fierce advocate for all patients with a focus on the most vulnerable. Please rate, subscribe, and review the show.It really makes a difference!We love to hear from you!email u...
2021-02-0457 min
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastSugar, Colonics and Community Violet Santana and Indhira Santana, two sisters who opened up My Wellness Solutions, a holistic health center in NYC. They chat about sugar addictions, colonics, weight loss, IIN, PCOS, and having a healthy menstrual flow. They share how they got started and their work in the community. GUEST INFOIG: MWSHEALTHWEBSITE: www.mywellnesssoutions.comTo learn more about Integrative Nutrition or IIN:https://www.integrativenutrition.com/Follow Rocio and Mercedes on IG: @rocioandmercedeswebsite: www.rocioandmercedes.comBecome a Patreon supporterwww.p...
2021-01-191h 12
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastPractical tips for saving money, and building wealthRamona Cedeno chats with us about financial freedom. We discuss financial planning, steps we can take In our 20s, 30s, 40s, and how to start from this moment forward. Ramona talks about her own journey to financial freedom and owning her own business. Ramona Cedeno is a CPA and Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with over 20 years of experience as an accounting and finance professional. She has a track record of successfully devising and deploying innovative strategies that enhance operational and financial performance. She is the founder and CEO of FiBrick, an accounting and fractional CFO s...
2021-01-0542 min
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastHuman Connection and ArtThis week Rocio and Mercedes speak with Sherazade Garcia, a Dominican Visual Artist about her family history, influences on her artwork, and how we are all connected as human beings.Scherezade Garcia is an interdisciplinary visual artist born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and based in New York. In her work, she addresses contemporary allegories of history and processes of colonization and politics, which frequently evoke memories of faraway home and the hopes and dreams that accompany planting roots in a new land. By engaging collective and ancestral memory in her public intervention and...
2020-12-2155 min
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastFood, Death and Mental HealthDiana López has over 18 years of experience working in the field of social services providing support to adults, children, and their families wearing many hats. Diana has experience in Trauma-informed practice. She has experience providing group therapy and individual counseling. She has served as an advocate and resource for homeless youth and families involved with NYC foster care system. Her most recent work was with children and families as an NYC DOE Bilingual School Social Worker as a Clinician. She also works as an interventionist providing Special Instruction and ABA therapy (Applied Behavior Analysis) for children receiving E...
2020-12-031h 04
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastEmbracing our curls, embracing ourselvesWe sit down with the textureologist Yessenia Reyes. We discuss The Crown Act, her hair journey, advice to those new to the natural hair journey. She provides a safe space, listening to each client’s story, sharing hair education, hair service offerings, and helping them dismantle false beliefs, she is able to create an experience for clients that leaves them feeling empowered, beautiful, confident, and most importantly with the tools to continue their natural healthy hair journey! OUR GUEST IG: @thetextureologistPlease rate and review the show! It really makes a dif...
2020-11-2552 min
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastWhy is spirituality so important?We chat all things Spirituality with Sili Recio. She shares her journey of becoming a Priestess. She answers questions on connecting to our loved ones that have passed, setting up an altar, and the beauty of death. We talk about her amazing children's book: "If Dominican were a Color" and her journey to writing It. Sili has been calling herself a writer since she won a trophy in a poetry contest in the sixth grade. She is an Afro-Dominican storyteller, disruptor, and Mami. Sili earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rollins College. She entered the...
2020-11-121h 22
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastHow is military life for a Latino?Karlos De La Cruz was raised in the Highbridge community of the Bronx, New York, Karlos De La Cruz is a first-generation Dominican American. Born in 1983, Karlos is technically an early millennial who bridged the gap between the days of pagers, payphones, and dial-up internet to the early adaptations the first iphone, Bluetooth, and communication networks that shaped the digital age as we know it today. As an active hispanic youth in the Bronx, Karlos had an early appreciation for the arts as he learned American Freestyle Karate and Break Dancing. And with Domincan roots you already know B...
2020-11-121h 22
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastLaura Gomez from Orange is the Black talks immigration on and off the showActress, writer, and director Laura Gómez, started her journey in her native country, Dominican Republic and has been making a name for herself in the entertainment industry over the past decade in New York City. She is best known for transforming herself into “Blanca Flores,” on the award-winning NETFLIX hit series Orange is the New Black. Other credits include the film Exposed, Law & Order SVU, the HBO Mini-Series Show Me A Herocreated by David Simon and the Dominican film Sambá, which premiered in Tribeca in 2017.She started a project on her Instagram page: #ImmigrantStoriesByLauraGomez with stories of peo...
2020-11-111h 20
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastWhy voting mattersWe talk with Genesis Aquino. We discuss the importance of voting, local elections, housing issues, the struggles of running a campaign. Genesis Aquino is an activist committed to gender, economic, and social equality. Genesis Aquino migrated from the Dominican Republic at age 11, and her work in NYC has been focused on healing from and addressing the systems of oppression that impact all her intersections as a Black Latina migrant woman. Genesis believes in the importance of power-building through voter mobilization, popular education, and community organizing. On her day job, she works to advance housing justice and fighting displacement by e...
2020-10-2850 min
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastHistory of Dominican RepublicRocio and Mercedes deep dive into Dominican History with Dr. Anthony Stevens-Acevedo. In this episode, talk about the original native people to Hispaniola to today, colonization, Dominican Republic/Haiti's tense relationship, the great migration to the US, and Juan Rodriguez.This episode was produced by: Quinton Cameron, Mercedes Ilarraza, and Rocio MendezEdited by: Quinton CameronLogo by: Dylan RogersSupport the show
2020-10-211h 42
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastColorism, NY Times and Therapy with Claudio CabreraTitle: Colorism Summary: Rocio and Mercedes talk with writer Claudio Cabrera. In this episode, we talk about Claudio’s writing journey, the effects of Colorism, the importance of self-love, and therapy. Guest infoIG: @claudio.e.cabreraTwitter: @CECabrera_Follow Rocio and Mercedes on Instagram @rocioandmercedesPlease rate and review the show! It really makes a difference!Follow Rocio and Mercedes on IG: @rocioandmercedesemail us at rocio...
2020-10-141h 07
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastCommunityRocio and Mercedes talk to Zenaida Mendez, Director of MNN El Barrio Firehouse Community Center. In this episode we talk about Zenaida's early career as a community activist, what we as a community can do now to stay informed and active, and the upcoming presidential and NYC mayoral election. Guest info:IG: zenalaunica4Twitter: @LaUnicaZeMendezWebsite: www.mnn.orgPlease rate and review the show! It really makes a difference!Follow Rocio and Me...
2020-10-0758 min
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastDominican WritersRocio and Mercedes chat with Angela Abreu, the founder, and Executive Director for Dominican Writers. This is an organization solely dedicated to highlighting content that not only promotes the works of Dominican Writers but also provides them with the tools and resources necessary for their development. In this episode, we discuss Angela’s journey toward creating the platform, touch on the importance of telling our stories, and her journey identifying as an Afro-Dominican.Guest Info:IG: @angysgotitIG: @dominicanwritersEmail: info@dominicanwriters.com
2020-09-2952 min
Rocio and Mercedes Podcast - Afrolatinx PodcastRocio and Mercedes TrailerRocio and Mercedes: Amplifying the AFRO in Afro - Dominican! Here is our trailer for our first season!Support the show
2020-09-2302 min