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

An image of a bronze shoes statue in Cartagena Plaza. Graphic by Cathy Areu.

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 […]

Do Abuela’s Cold Remedies Actually Work? A Doctor Weighs In

When you’re sick in a Latino household, heading straight out to the pharmacy isn’t anyone’s first move. Instead, Abuela is already brewing some mysterious tea while yelling at you to put on socks. ”No andes descalzo!”  But do Abuela’s cold remedies actually work? And do we really have to wear socks all the time? We […]

How Adhemar Montagne Went from Diplomatic Roots to TV News Veteran

If you’ve lived in New York City, chances are you couldn’t escape Adhemar Montagne. His presence was a trusted staple on television screens everywhere – from corner neighborhood delis to Chelsea happy hour bars, delivering the news that mattered.  Montagne was THE face of NY1 Noticias, the first 24-hour Spanish-language news station in New York […]