Ep 83: Connecting Science with Community in Puerto Rico & Experiencing Microaggressions with Dr. Mónica Feliú Mójer from Award-Winning Aquí Nos Cuidamos
Joshua Smyser-DeLeon Joshua Smyser-DeLeon

Ep 83: Connecting Science with Community in Puerto Rico & Experiencing Microaggressions with Dr. Mónica Feliú Mójer from Award-Winning Aquí Nos Cuidamos

Mónica Feliú Mójer, Ph.D. joins the show today. She is a scientist, science communicator & project lead for the Aquí Nos Cuidamos, which is an award-winning community engagement project that promotes COVID-19 prevention and the well-being of vulnerable and marginalized communities in Puerto Rico through culturally relevant multimedia education, community engagement, science and solidarity.

We discuss her work on the Aquí Nos Cuidamos project, the realities communities in Puerto Rico face when trying to gain access to life saving information from the science community, and how she has navigated microaggressions as a Boricua in the science field.

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Episode 67: Puerto Rican Desserts, the Baking Industry & Starting a Small Business with the Owner of Borinken Cakes
Joshua Smyser-DeLeon Joshua Smyser-DeLeon

Episode 67: Puerto Rican Desserts, the Baking Industry & Starting a Small Business with the Owner of Borinken Cakes

Being a small business owner can be tough, and the pandemic has only made things harder, especially for BIPOC owners. On today's episode, we welcome Boricua small business owner, Rachel Diaz, to the show. She is the owner of a Puerto Rican Bakeshop called Borinken Cakes. She’s a working mother of two, who - before getting into the baking business - had a career in product design with products appearing on the shelves of retailers like Target, Michael's, and Joann Fabrics. When she entered the baking industry, she went from baking at home, to operating out of a mall kiosk to now owning two storefronts. We’re going to talk with Rachel about what it took for her to start her own business, the challenges she faced as a small business owner, and of course, the wonderful world of Puerto Rican desserts!

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Episode 49: Leading Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School Through The Pandemic
Joshua Smyser-DeLeon Joshua Smyser-DeLeon

Episode 49: Leading Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School Through The Pandemic

We welcome Dr. Melissa Lewis to the show. She’s the principal of Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School located on Paseo Boricua in Chicago. We’re going to discuss the high school and how it differs from Chicago Public Schools, her experience as an Afro-Boricua in the education field, what it has been like leading the high school through the pandemic and a whole lot more.

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Episode 34: Marina Del Rios, MD, MS on Covid-19 & IL Unidos
Joshua Smyser-DeLeon Joshua Smyser-DeLeon

Episode 34: Marina Del Rios, MD, MS on Covid-19 & IL Unidos

Marina Del Rios, MD, MS is with us today. We talk about what her experience has been teaching medical students, Covid-19’s impact on the Latinx community, her personal story of trying to avoid bringing the virus home to her husband and children, and a whole lot more.

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