Tamarindo

Comedian and director Benjamin-Shalom Rodriguez joins Brenda and Luis and discusses filmmaking, story-telling, and why his abuelita Mari is his best friend. Ben is the co-creator of the web series Pushy Riots and other projects such a "Mari con Ben" starring abuelita. On our next full-episode we are excited to have Uriel Saenz, fashion designer and creator of Latinos de Hoy, the LA Times event that honors Latino leaders. Subscribe to Tamarindo so you don't miss an episode! Follow Ben at @thebunrodriguez and check out Pushy Riot: https://youtu.be/0ya1V5lu1HI

Los Angeles based @LasCafeteras blend roots music, punk, hip hop, beat music, cumbia and rock, for their beautiful melodies, which tell powerful stories of their neighborhood and community. Band members Denise Carlos and Daniel French join #tamarindopodcast to tell us the story behind the band, and to preview songs from their new album #TastesLikeLA which releases April 14. Find tour dates and more at www.lascafeteras.com Don't forget to rate and review us to help other listeners find our show! Write to us at tamarindopodcast@gmail.com

On this finale installment of our four part series, #MujeresLead, we hear from Dolores Arredondo, Commissioner for LA County Department of Public Social Services, leader at a fortune 100 company, and long-time volunteer leader on numerous nonprofit boards. Ms. Arredondo tells us the power of harnessing your inner fire, or #chispita, for leadership. She shares with us what #faith #family and #fitness mean to her and how these three core values drive her. A mentor for Brenda, Ms. Arredondo, is also a long time volunteer of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality, or HOPE, an organization she once chaired. Ms. Arredondo has a Bachelors of Arts from Wellesley College and MBA from Pepperdine University. She is a mother, wife, sister, aunt, and mentor to many, many amazing #mujeres. Please rate and review #tamarindopodcast and share this great story with a friend.

In this third installment of our #WomensHistoryMonth series #MujeresLead, we hear from Kristie Hernandez, who just returned home to East LA after two years in the Obama Administration. Ms.Hernandez has over a decade of experience in government affairs, most recently as an appointee of President Obama where she spent time in the Department of Defense and later as Deputy Director of Congressional Relations at the Peace Corps. What makes this interview so special is getting to hear from Kristie's mother, Rita Hernandez, who celebrates the great accomplishments of her daughter who was able to "volar!" Please share this podcast with the hashtag #trypod #supportpocpodcasts #supportbrownpodcasts

This is part two of our Women's History Month series. Brenda connects with Nora Vargas, Vice President of Community & Government relations for Planned Parenthood of the Pacific South West. She is a Governor Brown Appointee to California's State Teacher's Retirement Program. Ms. Vargas was appointed and later elected to the Southwestern Community College District Governing Board in the San Diego area. Ms. Vargas tells us how her experience growing up in the San Diego-Tijuana border area, raised by two feminist parents, has shaped her leadership. She has a wealth of experience as a political consultant and her passion for politics is fueled by a drive to serve her community. We hope you enjoy this minicast interview with this badass leader. Please write and review #tamarindopodcast and subscribe!

Brenda and Luis celebrate one year of bringing Tamarindo Podcast to your ears! Hear from our friends and fans as we look back at our favorite moments and recommend past episodes. We also speak to our friend Rashad Al-Dabbagh, who is the founder and director of the Arab American Civic Council, an advocacy organization based in Anaheim's Little Arabia. He is an immigrant born in Saudi Arabia to Palestinian and Armenian parents and joins us to discuss his leadership supporting refugees. Lastly, we give a very belated chancla to Salma Hayek who is not a #wokebae

It's Women's History Month and Brenda is speaking to amazing #mujeres about #Latina #leadership. This is part one with Dr. Feliza Ortiz-Licon, Senior Director of Education Leadership at the National Council of La Raza, and the only Latina on the California State Board of Education. Previous roles for Dr. Ortiz-Licon include Director of College Access, Fulfillment Fund; Director of Policy/Chief of Staff, Los Angeles Unified School District, Board District 5; researcher, Urban Planning, Housing/Land Use Development, City of Long Beach/Institute of Urban & Regional Development; elementary school teacher, Long Beach Unified School District. She is a mother, wife, sister, chingona, and friend. We hope you enjoy this minicast conversation with Feliza where she discusses the importance of mentorship, code switching, leadership, and more! Look for a second minicast with another amazing Latina leader soon!

Brenda and Luis are recording their one year anniversary episode this Sunday March 12. To be included in our celebration, record a short voice memo and e-mail it to Tamarindopodcast@gmail.com by 9:00am PST March 12. You can also rate and review us on Itunes and we will be reading comments from there also. Thank you for supporting us this year!

Friend of the podcast FavyFav of Latinos Who Lunch joins Brenda for a chat about the movie making all the buzz, Get Out. This is a minicast episode in between the full Tamarindo Episodes which you can subscribe on itunes! Don't forget to review this minicast!

Julissa Arce, author of "My Underground American Dream," joins us to tell us how she made it in Wall Street while keeping a secret. Now, she is a writer, speaker, and social justice advocate and is the co-founder and chairwoman of the Ascend Educational Fund providing scholarships to immigrant students regardless of status. Find her work at julissaarce.com and follow her at @julissaarce on Twitter. And this episode's music is courtesy of Veronique Medrano check her out at veroniquemedrano.com. Don't forget to follow us @tamarindocast and rate and review our podcast!

A year after the KKK led violence in Anaheim, the city of Mickey is making national news again due to an off-duty LAPD officer's violent altercation with a minor. Gabriel San Roman, reporter for the OC Weekly, joins Tamarindo to discuss the case and tensions in the Magic Kingdom. Brenda also references the Law Enforcement Accountability Network found at www.learn4change.org. Find coverage of this incident at www.ocweekly.com and follow Gabriel at @gsanroman2

Our good friend and Los Angeles based house music uber producer Jamie Prado returns to the podcast to bless us with a finely curated selection of music that is a must listen! Our Valentine's Day gift to our listeners because we

Brenda & Luis are back from a short break with a Valentine's Day themed episode. We discuss what we're watching on TV, play a fun game with our partners, and interview the amazing Eddie G, the YouTube star who drops "Kuh-nowledge Bombs" on the internet. His beloved character Tiburcio joins us to give love advice. Check him out at www.omgitseddieg.com. Subscribe to Tamarindo Podcast for a special Valentine's day gift for your ears!

Tamarindo Podcast with Brenda Gonzalez and Luis Octavio is taking a short break. This is a rebroadcast of episode 19, DREAMing with Rafeel Agustin, the actor, playwright, and Executive Director of two local nonprofits. Tamarindo Podcast will be back in mid-February. Tell us your topic ideas at tamarindopodcast@gmail.com

Luis and Brenda welcome 2017 with jokes and laughter. Actress, comedian, and storyteller, Karina Luna shares her experience breaking into the comedy scene and more! Check her out @KarinaGotJokes

Our last minicast for 2016, is an interview with Wendy Carrillo, candidate for the 34th Congressional seat which includes several communities in the east side of Los Angeles County. Wendy is a former labor organizer and journalist, who used to host Power 106's show, Knowledge is Power. She grew up in the district since she arrived in the US from El Salvador as an undocumented child escaping war and violence. If elected, Wendy will be the only Salvadoran woman and second formerly undocumented person in congress. She tells Brenda of #tamarindopodcast all about why she is running in this special election. Learn more about Wendy at www.votewendycarrillo.com

For your #thanksgiving commute, enjoy our #Oaxacking episode where Luis and Brenda record on the road earlier in November. We talk #DiadelosMuertos and #Halloween and eat our way around #Oaxaca. We also discuss some of our #gripes when visiting the motherland. Also, don't forget to check out Tortilla Factory stickers where you can get your very own #tamarindopodcast stickers to text to friends. Check them out here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tortilla-factory-sticker-pack/id1155794988?mt=8

Amiga of the #tamarindopodcast Anna Castro joins us for some #positive actions we can take in the wake of the #presidentialelection. She takes a pause from her work at #MiFamiliaVota to speak to Brenda on this #minicast episode with some great ways we can all move forward in #solidarity.

Join us as we relive the emotional #electionnight with Brenda of #Tamarindopodcast and Sharis of Latino Rebels. On this #LatinasVote special, these two #traveisas bring a mic to an election night party in #DTLA and speak to #Latinas a they watch the election. We also join the #DrugPolicyAlliance at their #Prop64 victory party where we learn more about California's success in #decriminalizing #marijuana. You'll hear from #dreamhamton, a filmaker, writer and organizer who spoke at the #DPA victory party. We know that the 2016 Election was emotional and that like you, many of us are angry, afraid, and concerned. We plan to discuss this and more in many future #tamarindpodcasts and encourage your contributions to tamarindpodcast@gmail.com

As a preview to our first ever full travel episode on our Oaxaca adventure, Luis interviews the famous owner of La Cocina de Frida in Ocotlán Oaxaca Mx. We discover her incredible story and incredible food. Enjoy and look out for our full Oaxaca cast soon!