Wait, Cameron Diaz Is Cuban?! And Her Family Helped Build Tampa’s Ybor City With Cigars?
When you think of Cuban-American culture, your brain probably jumps to Miami and its internationally-known beaches and always-booming salsa music. But way before the Castro Revolution made Miami the unofficial Cuban capital in the United States, there was another Florida city full of the island’s flavors. That place? Tampa. Specifically, a neighborhood called Ybor City, […]
Who Put the ‘Miranda’ in Miranda Rights?
If you’re a fan of crime shows or movies, you definitely know Miranda Rights: “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can, and will, be used against you in court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you.” But, have […]
The ‘Limpia de Huevo’ Explained: Latino Reiki, Placebo Effect, and Abuela’s Touch
If you’ve ever had a bad day, a bad vibe, or just the misfortune of receiving someone’s mal de ojo, then chances are your Abuela has performed a “limpia de huevo” on you. The sacred ritual, popular in Mexico, and throughout Latin America, involves waving/rubbing an egg all over your body and cracking it into […]
Florida’s Forgotten Vaqueros: The Real O.G.s of the Wild West
When you hear the word “cowboy,” what comes to mind? Probably some rugged guy in a ten-gallon hat riding across the dusty plains of Texas or Montana. Maybe he’s chewing on a piece of hay, tipping his hat to a tumbleweed. But what if I told you that the original American cowboys weren’t in Texas, […]
Bad Bunny, Calvin Klein, and the Great Mother-Daughter Bonding Revolution
Have you ever had a deep, life-changing bonding moment with a loved one? Maybe over a meaningful conversation? A shared secret? A profound cultural experience? For me, it was when my Abuelita and I would eat soda crackers with coffee. Back in my day (which was somewhere between landlines, mixtapes, and the rise of avocado […]
How Marie Leguizamo Took Over TV
What’s one decision that can change everything? Marie Leguizamo has the answer. As Managing Director of Banijay Mexico + US Hispanic, a division of Banijay America, she’s built a career on making bold decisions. And they’ve led her to create some of the biggest television brands across the U.S. and Latin America. With over two […]
Cartagena Plaza Has Giant Shoes and You’ve Probably Never Noticed Them
I’ve driven past Cartagena Plaza approximately one billion times. You probably have too, if you’ve ever been near Le Jeune Road, Sunset Drive, Old Cutler Road, or Cocoplum Road in Miami. It’s the scenic shortcut most of us locals take to avoid the traffic jams along “La Uno,” aka U.S. 1. Like most people, I […]
How did the Guna Yala Outsmart the Spanish and Stay Lost for 500 years?
In the Caribbean, off the coast of Panama, lies a world that seems to exist outside of time. It’s separated from the mainland and long hidden from the brutality that shaped so much of the Americas. Unlike nearly every other Indigenous group in the Western Hemisphere, this world, created by the Guna Yala, was never […]
How a Rum-Loving Entrepreneur Accidentally Built the Chocolate Cortés Empire
What if the best chocolate you’ve ever had was never supposed to exist? That’s exactly the story behind Chocolate Cortés, a brand that has been satisfying sweet cravings for almost a century. What started as an unexpected twist of fate turned into a Caribbean chocolate empire. The company was founded in 1929 when an entrepreneur, […]
Think Café Bustelo Is Cuban or Puerto Rican? Think Again!
When ALDI, the German-founded “no frills” grocery store, switched out Cafe Bustelo for their brand El Morro, customers were up in arms. They immediately took to Facebook asking: “Is Cafe Morro as good as Bustelo?” And “Why did Aldi stop selling Cafe Bustelo?” The replies came in quick from fellow ALDI shoppers, with a common […]
Why Do Some Chicanos Call California ‘Califas’?
If you’re from California, or have a Chicano friend, you may have heard the term “Califas.” Maybe in a song. Maybe in a mural. Maybe in a conversation that just felt, you know, deeper than the everyday chatter about the Golden State. But why do some Chicanos call California “Califas”? And what makes this version […]
Bad Bunny, Pedro Pascal & Marcello Hernández Shine at SNL 50 … and Make History!
SNL, the longtime “not fit for primetime” comedy sketch show, just hit a major milestone: 50 years on the air. And it celebrated big time, with its “Saturday Night Live” 50th anniversary special, which surprisingly aired on primetime. The show finally made it to an earlier time slot! And it did not disappoint. The SNL […]