Hella Latin@

From Philly to Silicon Valley

Noel Claudio is a proud Puerto Rican and Dominican who was raised in the hood in Philadelphia and paved his way to being a Latino in tech in Silicon Valley. In this episode, you'll hear all about Noel's first-gen journey from graduating Penn State to leading engineering and ops at Twitter. More importantly, you'll hear the vulnerable parts of Noel's story where he reminds us to stay grateful despite the adversities. Connect with Noel on Twitter @NoelClaudio_ and find him on LinkedIn.

For updates on Hella Latin@ episodes, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect with me on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

From Surviving to Thriving

Jasmine Vallejo is a proud First Gen Latina from the south side of San Antonio. Currently, she leads Community Engagement for the Southwest region at Meta, working to keep the local neighborhoods strong through partnerships with nonprofits, organizations, and schools by providing STEM and economic opportunity programs. She is also Board Member of Latinas in Tech, a non-profit that is focused on empowering and connecting Latinas in the technology industry and co-founded Latinos in Tech, an organization that brings together Latinx and allies for community and connections.

Coming from a family of migrant farm workers and growing up in an underserved community, it’s important to Jasmine to shine light on the lack of representation in technology and empower communities that shaped her as a young Latina. In this episode, we cry, we laugh, but most importantly we hear from the powerhouse woman herself.

Connect with Jasmine on Instagram @jasminevallejo, Twitter @jasminevallejo, and find her on LinkedIn.

For updates on Hella Latin@ episodes, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect with me on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

Extraordinary Latina

Ilhiana Rojas is an Executive & Career Transformation Strategy Coach, a DEI Catalyst, a Hispanic advocate, Bestselling Author, and an international motivational speaker. She was recently recognized by the NY Journal as one of the top 10 Inspiring women to watch in 2021. In addition to coaching, Ilhiana also serves as an advisor for the Network for Executive Women, Center for Women & Enterprise, and Social Enterprise Greenhouse to support their DEI initiatives. Ilhiana graduated with honors as a Chemical Engineer in Mexico City, and currently lives in Rhode Island with her husband and two kids. Most recently, she published a book called, Extraordinary Latinas which became a best selling book!

In this episode, we learn about the powerhouse woman she is and her journey in navigating womanhood and ambition. Follow her on Instagram, connect with her on LinkedIn and visit her website, Belive Coaching.

For updates on Hella Latin@ episodes, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect with me on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

1 Million Views in 2 Days

Jasmine Ortiz embodies ambition and determination. She was born in NY, raised in PA, and currently resides in Miami. In her latest single “21”, Jasmine made history by becoming only the 2^nd artist approved to record their music video at The University of Miami, second to no other than Drake, her icon. In Jasmine’s music video for “21” she plays tribute to Drake and his video “God’s Plan," and received over 1 Million Views in 2 Days. In this episode, we learn about Jasmine's upbringing, her identity, and where her ambition and hunger to success in the entertainment industry began. 

Connect with Jasmine on Instagram @iamjasmineortiz.

For updates on Hella Latin@ episodes, follow @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect with me on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

He Was Told Latinos Don’t Get Far

Ivan Estrada is a successful Real Estate Broker in Beverly Hills who just released a book, Brand With Purpose, based on his experience building his brand and the obstacles along the way. 

Despite his successful career, various accolades, and graduating from USC, Ivan struggled with self-reflection and his own identity, something many Latinos suffer from today. Ivan struggled with homophobia embedded in Latino culture and was told to pass as Italian in order to be successful. He felt like he couldn’t be himself at home or at work. But all the negative influences and stereotypes aside, Ivan found success in being himself and building a brand that’s genuine, real, and with purpose.

Born into a working-class Latino family to being featured in Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing and being named  “Top 30 Under 30″ in real estate nationwide with the National Association of Realtors, Ivan shares his journey of self-reflection and success. Most importantly, he shows us that staying true to who we are is always the answer.

Understanding Identity, Something You Can’t Google

Ricardo Horna was born in Lima, Peru, raised in Tampa, Florida, and is currently based in Los Angeles, CA. He has been at Google for 5 years and is currently on the YouTube Recruiting team, charged with ensuring a diverse and representative workforce at YouTube. He received his Masters in Communication Management from the University of Southern California, and served as a Teach For America Corps Member teaching Middle School Spanish in inner-city Baltimore for three years. In this episode, he talks about what identity means to him and how he's learned to embrace all its complexities. 

Connect with Ricardo on Instagram @ricardo.horna and find him on LinkedIn.

For updates on Hella Latin@ episodes, follow me @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect with me on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

Hope, Hard Work, and Helping Hands

As his Zepeda for Senate campaign stated, Jaime's story is a story of hope, hard work & helping hands. Jaime Raul Zepeda grew up in Mexico in a working-class neighborhood. Jaime saw vicious inequality there. Mercedes parked in front of women starving. Law enforcement hired as security for the wealthy. A destiny determined by your last name. Moving up was not a dream, it was a fantasy. 

At 17 he left Mexico, alone, for America. For years, he hustled to pay for housing, food, and healthcare. Through that hustle, hope, and the help of his friends and family, Jaime now helps people who, like him, struggled to survive. He advises non-profits helping thousands of low-income students prosper in California. He helps FORTUNE 500 companies build people-first businesses. He mobilizes people and resources to help people experiencing homelessness, survivors of domestic violence, Black and brown youth in need of mentorship, and the undocumented community. The list goes on. I hope this episode inspires you to share your voice, share your story, and lean into hope.

Connect with Jaime on Instagram and Twitter @jaimeraulzepeda, and find him on LinkedIn.

For updates on Hella Latin@ episodes, follow me @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect with me on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

How I Linked [IN] to my identity

This episode is FULL of laughs, story, and inspiration. In this episode, Colin talks about feeling "like a white kid with a last name Espinales" his whole life to then being embraced by LinkedIn's Latino ERG, and digging into his Ecuadorian culture through his Father's stories. He simultaneously walks us through that difficult and often dispiriting journey in landing your dream career.  

A little backstory: Colin Espinales moved to Chicago from Oklahoma in 2008 with two suitcases and a theater degree. After performing improv around the city, he began to focus on his next phase in life, which led him from waiting tables to customer support to client management and now, to program manager for LinkedIn's Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging team, focusing on professional development for members of underrepresented communities. You can find Colin exploring his beautiful city of Chicago still 13 years later, playing with his two sons, gardening and connecting with others to learn their stories and amplify and uplift one another.

Connect with Colin on Twitter @ColinEspinales and find him on LinkedIn.

For updates on Hella Latin@ episodes, follow me @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect with me on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

¿Como Puedes? Porque Soy Mujer

Fernanda Kelly's successful 20-year career as an actress and television presenter in the US Hispanic market earned her two Emmy awards and three Telly awards for her work as the host of the critically acclaimed show, LAnzate on Univision network.

In 2018, Fernanda expanded her career as an entrepreneur in the fashion industry to further express her passion for celebrating individuality. This is where NYTAQ was born, a clothing brand that honors her love for the arts and connecting with female artists who make one-of-a-kind pieces that depict empowerment, strength, and embracing uniqueness. NYTAQ has previously been featured on Despierta América show on Univision Network, Grow with Google webinar, Insightful Babes podcast, and SD Voyager magazine.

Fernanda grew up as a border girl, being raised across Tijuana and San Diego. In this episode, she talks about that upbringing and also talks about her journey in pursuing her passion. Y nos cuenta de todo—the ups, the downs, the triumphs, and even the ugly side of entertainment. 

Connect with Fernanda on IG @fernandakellyyy and LinkedIn. Also check out NYTAQ on IG @shopnytaq and via website at nytaq.com.

For updates on Hella Latin@ episodes, follow me @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect with me on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.

The Nuyorican Experience

Nestor Melendez is a proud Nuyorican/Boricua, born and raised in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Knights podcast co-host is part jack-of-all-trades, part philosophizer, part rebel, and a professional educator who is focused on having conversations that remind people of who they were, who they are and who they could become. In this episode, Nes gives us a little history lesson on Puerto Rico and its relationship with the U.S. and its Caribbean neighbors, and he ends with what identity/Latinidad truly encapsulates. At the end, he also gives us a much-needed bendición.

Connect with Nes on IG @a_tribe_called_nes or on LinkedIn, and check out his podcast on IG @bknypodcast.

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For updates on Hella Latin@ episodes, follow me @hellalatinopodcast on Instagram and connect with me on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com.