New 2024 Shows

Episode 131: Advocates for Trans Equality’s Josie Caballero builds coalitions, develops policy and advocates to enhance the visibility and understanding of transgender issues at the nation's top Trans organization. Listen now

Episode 130: Latino Victory’s National Political Director Winter Snitz-Meza talks about his organization’s focus on voter turnout in swing states and how the organization is preparing the next generation of Latino elected officials. Listen now.

Episode 129: Q Street President Yesenia Alvarado Henninger talks about her professional association dedicated to LGBTQ lobbyists and public policy advocates that works to ensure queer rights are protected and advanced on Capitol Hill. Listen now.

Episode 128: Queer Latinx Psychologist and Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at George Washington University Dr. Joshua DeSilva talks about the importance about mental health & how to seek help. Listen now.

Episode 127: Democratic Party Activist Diego Miguel Sanchez talks about the Democratic National Convention, the 2024 election, and how a Harris Presidential Administration will benefit LGBTQ people. Listen now.

Episode 126: Longtime community organizer Robert Salcido Jr has worked hard to bring equality to the Alamo City and now is taking his fight statewide by bringing resources to queer communities throughout Texas. Listen now.

Episode 125: Community leader Dr. Wilfred Labiosa offers a comprehensive chronology of the LGBT rights movement in Cuba, highlighting the significant milestones, setbacks and tribulations in his new book. Listen now.

Episode 124: Helping the next LGBTQ generation thrive in post-secondary education is the focus of The Point Foundation and its CEO Jorge Valencia. Hear about the work that goes into America’s largest Queer scholarship. Listen now. 

Episode 123: Longtime Queer Activist Orlando Gonzales talks about his new role at the Human Rights Campaign, his past activism in Florida, and how his experience with Spanish language media made him a stronger communicator for the movement. Listen now.

Episode 122: MALDEF Lawyer Ernest Herrera talks about protecting the Latino vote and representation in elected offices throughout the country. Anti-Latino rhetoric motivated him to get into law. Hear how this Queer Latino now takes on the Good Ole Boy System and slays them in the courts! Listen now.

Episode 121: Latino Community Foundation’s Eduardo Garcia talks about building political and civic power in the Latino Community while supporting LGBTQ causes in California. So much is at stake in the next election, and LCF is determined to get Latino voices heard this November. Listen now.

Episode 120: What started as private pool parties after the pandemic, became a group of Queer Brown Bears ready to press the reset button in South Texas and make the community more powerful and fun. Leading the effort is Pedro Coronado, a longtime community activist who is ready to take it to the next level. Listen now.

Episode 119: After researching his family history in Cuba, Marley Pulido got inspired to share all these forgotten Black Cuban stories left out of history books. He has taken on a self-funded mission to build a community archive that will preserve the Black Cuban historical memory of the island and the diaspora. Listen now.

Episode 118: Filmmaker Dolissa Medina, a journalist turned visual artist who documents marginalized histories, talks about how a tragic memory from the 1980s inspired an upcoming World AIDS Day project that will soon feature her work in major cities throughout the United States. Listen now.

Episode 117: More than 20 years ago Shane Mendez Windmeyer launched Campus Pride, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating safer, more LGBTQ-friendly colleges and universities. Shane talks about the type of work that goes into rating higher education institutions and what red flags you should look for before you accept that admissions packet. Listen now.

Episode 116: Meteorologist Mark Peña delivers weather to DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia residents. We’ll talk about his Texas roots, how politics have crept into weather and why warnings by your local weather can save your life. Listen on Audible, Amazon, iTunes, Spotify and Soundcloud. Listen now.

Episode 115: Meet the Latino overseeing the nation’s leading Transgender Equality organization, Executive Director Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen. For the last 20 years, National Center for Transgender Equality has advocated in DC. Now that fight has gone to state legislatures due to a historic number of anti-Transgender bills. Listen now.

Episode 114: In North Texas, a LGBTQ community advocate, the Resource Center, has taken on a new mission to take care of vulnerable LGBTQ seniors during their golden years. Rafael McDonnell shares how the center plans to help Queer elders live out their best lives. Listen today. Listen now.

Episode 113:  Ben Garcia has spent his whole life working in museums and ensuring art and history are protected and accessible. Now he gets to lead the launch of a brand new museum dedicated to the American LGBTQ+ experience. Listen now.

Episode 112:  Meet the Latina working mom who is making sure the nation’s capital puts on the best Queer Brown Pride festival on a shoe string budget and volunteer power. Nancy Cañas is president of the Latinx History Project and she's got some pride news for you. Listen now.

Episode 111:  Lifelong teacher Dr. Nancy Vera is taking on right-wing groups trying to undermine public education. She’s organizing educators and holding elected officials accountable for short-changing Texas school children, whose population is now made up of a Latino and Black majority. Listen now.

Episode 110:  Judge Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez has prepared her whole life for the bench. She worked in social services, education and as a lawyer representing families in need. Now she gets to help people find justice, and for a lucky few, a second chance by presiding over a Bexar County Court. Listen now.

Episode 109: Mayra Hidalgo Salazar is the Deputy Executive Director at the National LGBTQ Task Force. Get ready to learn about organizing for LGBTQ civil rights movement. Listen now.

Episode 108:  After years of advocating for the Latino community and preparing others to lead, Gay Latino Immigrant Jonathan Dromgoole is ready to run to represent all his communities. Listen now.

Episode 107: National Association of Hispanic Journalists Executive Director Dave Peña talks about his organization’s work here and abroad to support the professional development of future and current journalists, plus we’ll talk about the Top 10 stories of 2022. Listen now.

Episode 106: Meet Karla Cruz Godoy, a Queer Latina Warrior who made it to Survivor’s Season 43 Finale on CBS this fall. We’ll talk about her 20+ day journey to outwit, outplay and outlast her fellow players. Karla will also share advice on getting and surviving on the show. Photo by Robert Voets/CBS. Listen now.

Episode 105: One small act of discrimination turned into a big opportunity for a policy wonk to become a historic Transgender Activist. Joanna Cifredo took her political skills she learned in DC back to her island of Puerto Rico to fight for equality. Listen now.

Episode 104: More than 11,000 migrants have been sent to DC by Republican Governors on busses full of empty promises. While media comes and goes, Jennie Saldaña has kept welcoming migrants during this humanitarian crisis from day one. Learn their story today.  Listen now.

Episode 103: Learn in realtime what DC’s top medical professional is doing to combat the Monkeypox Virus. Epidemiologist Dr. Anil Mangla shares ways to protect yourself and treatment available for those sick with the virus.  Listen now.

Episode 102: LGBTQ Latinx Drag Queen Lady J Monroe is spreading self acceptance, literacy, and most importantly, love. But conservatives are labeling Drag Queen Storytellers as  predators who must be stopped. Hear her side of the story and learn how Drag is making the next generation smarter and kinder.  Listen now.

Episode 101: Imagine getting hired to write about social justice, inclusion and self identity at the largest newspaper in the United States. Reporter Marc Ramirez has taken on the challenge and has included the Latinx LGBTQ community in his front page stories. Listen now.

Episode 100: Democracy Rising Co-Director Maria Perez is a leading expert on Ranked Choice Voting, an election model that is voter centric, eliminates negative attacks and saves taxpayers by avoiding costly runoffs. Listen now.

Episode 99: Comic Book Shop Owner Gabriel Mendez shares how comics have evolved over the years and how new LGBTQ heroes are being introduced into storylines with care. Listen now.

Episode 98: Commissioner Roy De Los Santos talks about making history in Brownsville, Texas, by being becoming the first-ever openly gay elected official, how the city has progressed over the years, and his plans to modernize infrastructure. Listen now.

Episode 97: Marilyn Sulay shares her journey as a businesswoman, inventor and entrepreneur who shattered glass ceilings in the media and tech world but had to fight discrimination once folks learned she was transgender. Listen now.

Episode 96: Emmy Award Winning News Producer Johnny Cordoba shares his journey into the news business, tips for future journalists, and his thoughts about the year’s top news stories that had people talking. Listen now.

Episode 95: Campaign strategist Christopher Guerrero talks about winning progressive races, shares his political journey and gives advice to candidates. Plus, we chat about the future bench of POC leaders ready to be the next POTUS. Listen now.

Episode 94: Longtime Latinx Community Leader Ray De Los Santos revisits when AIDS came to the Barrio. He shares how HIV ravaged the community, plus how Queer Brown Voices were erased as they searched for resources for their community. Listen now.

Episode 93: Retired Army Sergeant Roxx Mojica finally had her student loan debt cancelled after being initially denied. This summer the Department of Education changed an existing program to help more disabled veterans qualify, and Mojica wants to share the good news with everyone. Listen now.

Episode 92: Activist Joseph Soza talks about building bridges between the LGBTQ & Latinx communities in Ohio, plus organizing coalitions in cities to protect the Queer community that's under attack by hateful state laws. Listen now.

Episode 91: Every fall South Texas native Gabriel Hernandez aka Margo Rita Swirlz raises money by competing in drag to help LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS organizations. Learn about the history of the Miss Adams Morgan Pageant and how a little competition became a family affair. Listen now.

Episode 90: Univision Reporter Rafael Sánchez Cruz talks about working for the largest Spanish-language network and ensuring fair coverage in a world that is not so kind to Latinx and LGBTQ people. Listen now.

Episode 89: Center for American Progress Policy Analyst Caroline Medina talks about the U.S. Census Bureau’s history-making Household Pulse Survey that asks about sexual orientation and gender identity. Listen now.

Episode 88: Lydia Blanco Garza, a professional TV, Film and Stage Actor turned Talent Agent talks about her start in the industry, her adventures in Hollywood on and off screen, and tips for those who want to pursue a career in acting. Listen now.

Episode 87: Progressive Texan James Lee wants our community to be more inclusive and for nuestra familia to consider the use of Latine. He talks about how oppression and discrimination in the past has led to a new movement to regain culture and to rebuild starting with the Spanish language. Listen now.

Episode 86: Tax professional Jezzika Lee Perez shares some advice for tax season, from avoiding common mistakes when filing taxes to important reminders for those who received pandemic assistance. Listen now.

Episode 85: Jasmine Guadalupe Morales, an Outreach and Prevention Education Specialist for FAIR Girls, talks about how human trafficking still thrives during pandemic and how both the LGBTQ and Latinx populations remain at risk. Listen now.

Episode 84: Battling addiction since her youth, Jacie Lozano is thankful for her sobriety today and wants to share that gift with her Queer Brown community by raising awareness and combating stigma. Listen now.

Episode 83: Alejandro Bolívar-Cervoni talks about how COVID-19 affected his life and why he volunteered to enroll in a study for the Moderna Vaccine. He also gives us a preview on what to expect after getting vaccinated. Listen now.

Episode 82: News Anchor J.C. Estrada of Austin, Texas, comes on the Jesse Garcia Show to talk about his career in television news and how he is helping diversify the industry, plus we review the top stories of 2020. Listen now.

Episode 81: Paulina Montañez Montes of Protect Democracy discusses her organization's mission to protect U.S. government institutions that safeguard democracy.  Listen now.

Episode 80: Gabriel Garcia-Vera of Catholics for Choice shares how his organization helps others express their Catholicism as it is lived by ordinary people, and that they are part of the great majority of the faithful in the Catholic church who disagree with the dictates of the Vatican on matters related to sex, marriage, family life and motherhood. Listen now.

Episode 79: The Trevor Project’s Rob Todaro talks about new research on the suicide risks of Latinx and Black LGBTQ youth. Also, while other organizations were scaling back because of the pandemic, The Trevor Project ensured its services remained available 24/7 to help queer youth deal with the depression and with the negative mental health impacts associated with the COVID-19.  Listen now.

Episode 78: Rising political star Eric Holguin talks about his very progressive campaign in a very traditional South Texas district that is home to Texas icons Whataburger, Tejano Star Selena and, hopefully, the first openly-gay state legislator from the Texas Coastal Bend. Listen now.

Episode 77: Journalist turned author Sergio Chapa talks about his journey and adventure along the U.S. Mexico border and how he is chronicling the interesting places and faces he met along the way. Listen now.

Episode 76: Historian Leti Gomez talks about her work in the LGBTQ Latinx movement, her coming out experience, and the creation of "Queer Brown Voices," a book she edited about our Latinx trailblazers.
Listen now.

Episode 75: Coming this Fall: "Selena: A Mexican American Identity and Experience" taught by Dr. Sonya Aleman, Associate Professor in Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department and Mexican American Studies Program at the University of Texas San Antonio. This new class will focus on Selena’s career, image, music, language and Mexican American identity. Listen now.

Episode 74: Reggie Greer, the new LGBTQ+ vote director for 2020 Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden, talks about life on the campaign trail and how a Biden presidency will look like for minority communities. Listen now.

Episode 73: Meet the Lone Star State's Progressive Warrior: State Representative Jessica Gonzalez. She is making waves in order to spotlight her community's issues and inspiring young activists to lead. Her advice? Don't wait. Run for office. Be authentic. Listen now.

Episode 72: La Clinica Del Pueblo’s Manuel Diaz-Ramirez talks about his nonprofit taking on new technologies to adapt to life under Coronavirus. Keeping Latinx immigrants healthy during the pandemic is still a priority.  Listen now.

Episode 71: After years of organizing the Queer Latinx Community in Texas, Jesus Chairez packed his bags and headed to Mexico City to immerse himself in culture and art. Learn how life is like South of the Border in the time of Coronavirus. Listen now. 

Episode 70: Health Care Worker JP Cano talks about battling the Coronavirus at home and in the public as the Prevention Services Manager at the Resource Center in Dallas, Texas. Listen now.

Episode 69: Meet Juan Jara, Chairman of the Board of the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He’ll talk about preparing small businesses for life after the Coronavirus and why it’s important for businesses to join their local chambers in order to access resources to help build their brand. Listen now. 

Episode 68: Capt. Christopher Reyes talks about how to prevent the spread of Coronavirus, what to do if you show symptoms, and where to go to get the latest information. Listen now.

Episode 67: Latinos for a Secured Retirement Executive Director Abigail Zapote talks about laws affecting your ability to retire with enough benefits, how you should be preparing for your golden years, and how proposed legislation will help queer spouses claim benefits owed to them. Listen now. 

Episode 66: As we prepare for the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, the Latinx community seeks ways to commemorate the occasion by visiting parks and cleaning up the environment. Albert Arevalo of Latino Outdoors shares  

ways you can contribute and enjoy our country’s parks, along with responsibilities we all have when visiting them. Listen now.

Episode 65: Luis Nasvytis Torres is a Senior Legislative Representative at Earth Justice, which works to promote access to clean, affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy sources to mitigate the effects of climate change, create jobs, and improve the health of communities. Listen now. 

Episode 64: Sharita Gruberg, director of policy for the LGBTQ Research and Communications Project at American Progress, talks about issues facing Queer immigrant detainees, asylum seekers and DACA recipients. Listen now.