¿Quién Are We?

Growing up in beautiful, tropical Costa Rica led anthropologist Fernando Villanea to fall in love with the biology of nature. And it’s led him down a path of passion, success and a yearning for home as he studies one of the most interesting animals of all: us. Host and producer: May Ortega Mixed by: Emily Williams Editors: Erin Jones, Andrew Villegas Project Manager: Rebekah Romberg Additional editorial support: Jo Erickson, Kibwe Cooper, Luis Antonio Perez Theme music by Pedro Lumbrano; additional music courtesy Universal Production Music Episode art: Maria Juliana Pinzón Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale Thanks also to Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Matt Herz, Kim Nguyen, Brittany Werges and CPR's members and staff. QuienAreWe.org Follow May on Twitter: @MayVOrtega

Carolina Acosta didn’t grow up speaking Spanish or doing family game nights. Then she made a Spanglish drinking game. And it blew up.Host and producer: May Ortega Mixed by: Luis Antonio Perez Editors: Erin Jones, Andrew Villegas Project Manager: Rebekah Romberg Additional editorial support: Jo Erickson, Kibwe Cooper, Emily Williams Theme music by Pedro Lumbrano; additional music courtesy Universal Production Music Episode art: Maria Juliana Pinzón Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin DaleThanks also to Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Matt Herz, Kim Nguyen, Brittany Werges and CPR's members and staff.QuienAreWe.orgFollow May on Twitter: @MayVOrtega

Obed Manuel remembers the best taco he ever had: the ones his parents sold, walking door-to-door in their Dallas neighborhood. With long drives, some sorrow, lots of joy and a little smoked meat, those memories shaped him into the father he is now. Host and producer: May Ortega Mixed by: Luis Antonio Perez Editors: Erin Jones, Andrew Villegas Project Manager: Rebekah Romberg Additional editorial support: Jo Erickson, Kibwe Cooper, Emily Williams Theme music by Pedro Lumbrano; additional music courtesy Universal Production Music Episode art: Maria Juliana Pinzón Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale Thanks also to Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Matt Herz, Kim Nguyen, Brittany Werges and CPR's members and staff. QuienAreWe.org Follow May on Twitter: @MayVOrtega

Artist Jasmine Dillavou fights for space in a mostly-white profession, fueled her passion for art that highlights Latino joy. Host and producer: May Ortega Mixed by: Emily Williams Editors: Erin Jones, Andrew Villegas Project Manager: Rebekah Romberg Additional editorial support: Jo Erickson, Kibwe Cooper, Luis Antonio Perez Theme music by Pedro Lumbrano; additional music courtesy Universal Production Music Episode art: Maria Juliana Pinzón Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale Thanks also to Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Matt Herz, Kim Nguyen, Brittany Werges and CPR's members and staff. QuienAreWe.org Follow May on Twitter: @MayVOrtega

We'll be back next week with a new episode. In the meantime, we're excited that our friends at Off the Walls are taking over the feed this week – with the people and the stories behind Denver's street art. Listen to all five episodes of Off the Walls on CPR.org or wherever you listen to podcasts. To see photos of the mural “Huitzilopochtli,” visit CPR.org. Credits for “The Hummingbird Warrior” from Off the Walls: Hosts: Kibwe Cooper, Emily Williams Editor: Jo Erickson Written and reported by Emily Williams and Kibwe Cooper Mixed by Kibwe Cooper Denverite editor: Obed Manuel Additional editorial support: Kevin Beaty, Erin Jones, Rebekah Romberg, Luis Antonio Perez Theme music by Kibwe Cooper. Additional music via Universal Production Music. Executive producer: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale Thanks also to Kevin Beaty, Hart Van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Kyle Harris, Desiree Mathurin, Kim Nguyen, Maria Juliana Pinzón, Clara Shelton, Rebecca Tauber, Isaac Vargas, Arielle Wilson. This show was produced with support from PRX, and is made possible in part by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and a grant from the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation. Off the Walls is a production of Denverite and Colorado Public Radio — part of the NPR Network. Credits for ¿Quién Are We?: Host and producer: May Ortega Mixed by: Emily Williams Editors: Erin Jones, Andrew Villegas Project Manager: Rebekah Romberg Additional editorial support: Jo Erickson, Kibwe Cooper, Luis Antonio Perez Theme music by Pedro Lumbrano; additional music courtesy Universal Production Music Cover art: Mia Rincón Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale Thanks also to Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Matt Herz, Kim Nguyen, Brittany Werges and CPR's members and staff. QuienAreWe.org Follow May on Twitter: @MayVOrtega

Jennifer Serrano and Veronica Vasques are former enemies, turned lovers and business owners of a design company called JZD. But being Latina and queer can come with both opportunities and obstacles – including from one of the biggest corporations of all: Target. Host and producer: May Ortega Mixed by: Emily Williams Editors: Erin Jones, Andrew Villegas Project Manager: Rebekah Romberg Additional editorial support: Jo Erickson, Kibwe Cooper, Luis Antonio Perez Theme music by Pedro Lumbrano; additional music courtesy Universal Production Music Episode art: Maria Juliana Pinzón Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale Thanks also to Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Matt Herz, Kim Nguyen, Brittany Werges and CPR's members and staff. QuienAreWe.org Follow May on Twitter: @MayVOrtega

A family trauma expert, Mariel Buque, guides us through her own path of acceptance and healing. Her perspective was shaped by her family's difficult transition from the Dominican Republic to New Jersey. Host and producer: May Ortega Mixed by: Luis Antonio Perez Editors: Erin Jones, Andrew Villegas Project Manager: Rebekah Romberg Additional editorial support: Jo Erickson, Kibwe Cooper, Emily Williams Theme music by Pedro Lumbrano; additional music courtesy Universal Production Music Episode art: Maria Juliana Pinzón Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale Thanks also to Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Matt Herz, Kim Nguyen, Brittany Werges and CPR's members and staff. QuienAreWe.org Follow May on Twitter: @MayVOrtega

When a teenager in Chicago had an unwanted pregnancy, she was ready to put her baby in the foster care system. Instead, that baby -- Dimitra Trejo -- was adopted by a family friend and came of age in South Texas. Dimitra's relationship with her adoptive mother, plus learning at an unexpected moment that she was adopted, made life hard. Now, she's a mother herself. And her experiences with her birth mother and adoptive mother have shaped how she will raise her son. Host and producer: May Ortega Lead producer: Luis Antonio Perez Editors: Erin Jones, Andrew Villegas Mixing: Luis Antonio Perez Additional producers: Rebekah Romberg, Jo Erickson, Ana Campbell Theme music by Pedro Lumbrano; additional music courtesy Universal Production Music Cover art: Mia Rincón Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale Thanks also to Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Matt Herz, Kim Nguyen, Brittany Werges and CPR's Latino Audience Working Group. QuienAreWe.org Twitter: @MayVOrtega, @COPublicRadio

As a child in front of the TV, at block parties, at school; Manuela Sanchez loved to dance. Then when she discovered she could pursue her passion as a career, her life changed. And even as her identity as an Afro Dominicana strengthened her love of dance, she struggled — as an arts pioneer in her family and in the largely white world of her profession. Host and producer: May Ortega Lead producer: Luis Antonio Perez Editors: Erin Jones, Andrew Villegas Mixing: Patrice Mondragon Additional producers: Rebekah Romberg, Jo Erickson, Ana Campbell Theme music by Pedro Lumbrano; additional music courtesy Universal Production Music Cover art: Mia Rincón Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale Thanks also to Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Matt Herz, Kim Nguyen, Brittany Werges and CPR's Latino Audience Working Group. QuienAreWe.org Twitter: @MAyVOrtega, @COPublicRadio

Growing up in Texas, Jose Borjon's mom raised him to love his community and help the people around him. He never would have guessed that his passion for serving others would take him all the way from the Rio Grande Valley to Washington, D.C. Host: May Ortega Lead producer: Luis Antonio Perez Editors: Erin Jones, Andrew Villegas Mixing: Luis Antonio Perez Additional producers: Rebekah Romberg, Jo Erickson, Ana Campbell Theme music by Pedro Lumbrano; additional music courtesy Universal Production Music Cover art: Mia Rincón Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale Thanks also to Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Matt Herz, Kim Nguyen, Brittany Werges and CPR's Latino Audience Working Group. QuienAreWe.org Twitter: @MayVOrtega, @COPublicRadio Correction: An earlier version of this episode misidentified a school that Jose Borjon attended. It is Texas Southmost College. The audio has been updated.

Victor Sosa always loved plants. But it wasn't until the Denver entrepreneur saw a post online that he realized he might be able to turn his passion into a business opportunity. He didn't just make the sale. He made houseplants accessible to his community in a whole new way. Host and producer: May Ortega Lead producer: Luis Antonio Perez Editors: Erin Jones, Andrew Villegas Mixing: Rebekah Romberg Additional producers: Jo Erickson, Ana Campbell Theme music by Pedro Lumbrano; additional music courtesy Universal Production Music Cover art: Mia Rincón Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale Thanks also to Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Matt Herz, Kim Nguyen, Brittany Werges and CPR's Latino Audience Working Group. QuienAreWe.org Follow May on Twitter: @MayVOrtega, COPublicRadio Find The Plant Room on Instagram: @PlantRoomDenver

Brandon Vargas feels incredible pride when he thinks of his grandmother's green chile recipe. So he set out to recreate it for his friends and family. There was just one catch: She never wrote down the recipe. Host and producer: May Ortega Lead producer: Luis Antonio Perez Editors: Andrew Villegas, Dennis Funk, Brad Turner Mixing: Pedro Lumbrano Additional producers: Rebekah Romberg, Jo Erickson, Erin Jones Theme music by Pedro Lumbrano; additional music courtesy Universal Production Music Cover art: Mia Rincón Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale Thanks also to Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Matt Herz, Kim Nguyen, Brittany Werges and CPR's Latino Audience Working Group. QuienAreWe.org Follow May on Twitter: @MayVOrtega, @COPublicRadio

In this episode, it's our host's turn to tell her own story! Growing up in Texas, May Ortega thought she had a pretty good idea of who she was. But but when she became a journalist, she realized that to report on other people, she had to figure out her own story. Host: May Ortega Produced by: Erin Jones Lead producer: Luis Antonio Perez Editors: Rebekah Romberg, Ana Campbell Mixing: Pedro Lumbrano Additional production: Jo Erickson Theme music by Pedro Lumbrano; additional music courtesy Universal Production Music Cover art: Mia Rincón Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale Thanks also to Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Matt Herz, Kim Nguyen, Brittany Werges and CPR's Latino Audience Working Group. QuienAreWe.org Follow May on Twitter: @MayVOrtega

Denise Soler Cox was lonely growing up outside New York City. Her parents were Puerto Rican, and the dominant culture in her town was white. It wasn't until she grew up and moved away that she realized there was a whole community of people who feel just like her. She knew she had to share this community with others, and so the idea for a film was born. The only thing she needed to figure out was how to make a film. Learn more about Denise Soler Cox and her film, “Being Eñye,” at projectenye.com. Host and producer: May Ortega Lead producer and mixing: Luis Antonio Perez Editors: Andrew Villegas, Ana Campbell, Erin Jones Additional producers: Rebekah Romberg, Jo Erickson Theme music by Pedro Lumbrano; additional music courtesy Universal Production Music Cover art: Mia Rincón Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale Thanks also to Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Matt Herz, Kim Nguyen, Brittany Werges and CPR's Latino Audience Working Group. QuienAreWe.org Follow May on Twitter: @MayVOrtega, @COPublicRadio

Allan Benavides grew up in Southern California, in a family that loved baseball. Despite his family's wishes, he couldn't be a player. Still, he dreamed of working with the sport in some way. Eventually he landed his dream job — in a town that was much whiter than the one he was from. Could he create a new sense of community and pride there among Latino baseball fans? Host and producer: May Ortega Lead producer: Luis Antonio Perez Editors: Andrew Villegas, Ana Campbell, Erin Jones Mixing: Pedro Lumbrano Additional producers: Rebekah Romberg, Jo Erickson Theme music by Pedro Lumbrano; additional music courtesy Universal Production Music Cover art: Mia Rincón Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale Thanks also to Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Matt Herz, Kim Nguyen, Brittany Werges and CPR's Latino Audience Working Group. QuienAreWe.org Follow May on Twitter: @MayVOrtega, @COPublicRadio

When Jon Baron's plan to attend college didn't work out, he realized something was missing from his life. So he worked his way into Denver’s vibrant brewing scene, where he grew to love the techniques behind brewing. Still, it took a special drink from his heritage, brewed with centuries of myth and meaning, to find what he'd been missing. Host and producer: May Ortega Lead producer and mixing: Luis Antonio Perez Editors: Andrew Villegas, Ana Campbell, Erin Jones Additional producers: Rebekah Romberg, Jo Erickson Theme music by Pedro Lumbrano; additional music courtesy Universal Production Music Cover art: Mia Rincón Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale Thanks also to Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Matt Herz, Kim Nguyen, Brittany Werges and CPR's Latino Audience Working Group. QuienAreWe.org Follow May on Twitter: @MayVOrtega, COPublicRadio

Get ready for a new season of ¿Quién Are We?, a podcast about being Latinx, Hispanic, Chicana – or however you identify – and the beautiful things that make us who we are. Host and journalist May Ortega is back with more everyday stories of incredible people who are exploring their heritage through their personal passions. You’ll hear from an artist, an anthropologist and a game-maker. You’ll hear about the relationship between two enemies, turned lovers and the connection between a father and son. Most importantly, you’ll hear yourself in these stories. Season 2 of ¿Quién Are We? from Colorado Public Radio debuts April 5. Follow us on your favorite podcast app so you don’t miss an episode.

This summer, get ready for a new podcast about being Latino, Hispanic or Chicana – or however you identify – and the beautiful things that make us who we are. Host and journalist May Ortega will share the everyday stories of some incredible people, and explore how we connect with our heritage through our interests. You'll hear from a brewer, a dancer, a baseball lover, a filmmaker and many others with moving stories. You’ll hear journeys of Latino identity, relationships with parents and friends, and the ways new places show us new parts of who we are. But most importantly, you'll hear yourself in these stories. ¿Quién Are We? from Colorado Public Radio debuts July 8. Follow us on your favorite podcast app so you don’t miss an episode.