Ten-ish Podcasts to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re sharing ten podcasts (really 11; our podcast with Lin-Manuel Miranda has two parts) that will introduce you to men and women whose personal stories and artwork reflect the Latino experience in the United States. Through their art, they have given voice to the Hispanic Diaspora, and have reshaped the landscape of American art in the process. Julia Alvarez: In this podcast, Creative Writing Fellow, Big Read author, and 2013 National Medal of Arts recipient Julia Alvarez discusses how In the Time of the Butterflies came to be, the rich source material she finds in her family's immigrant experience, and how her life as a reader led to her life as a writer. David Tomas Martinez: Poet and Big Read author David Tomas Martinez walks with us down the streets of Southern California in this podcast, where violence, meanness, and moments of heart-stopping grace have equally shaped his work. Ofelia Esparza: As we approach Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, revisit this podcast with 2018 National Heritage Fellow Ofelia Esparza, who creates unbelievably intricate, beautiful altars to honor deceased loved ones. Alex Lacamoire: The award-winning orchestrator and music director behind Hamilton and In the Heights, Alex Lacamoire tells us how he helped bring those shows to life. Lin-Manuel Miranda: When you’re finished listening to our podcast with Alex Lacamoire, get the full Hamilton experience with our two-part conversation with Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creative force behind this groundbreaking show. (Part One / Part Two) Adriana Sananas: The actress and narrator Adriana Sanasas describes moving back and forth between Spanish and English on the stage and on the page. Juan Felipe Herrera: In this podcast, the former U.S. Poet Laureate and NEA Literature Fellow Juan Felipe Herrera tells us how he honors people’s languages and voices, whether he’s writing about his own Chicano community or other cultures around the globe. Verónica Castillo: By expanding a traditional Mexican art form, known as Tree of Life sculptures, clay artist and 2013 National Heritage Fellow Verónica Castillo expresses the need for social justice in the 21st century. In this podcast, Castillo opens up about her creative practice. Ramón “Chunky” Sánchez: For 40 years, Chunky Sánchez played and sang the stories of the Chicano people. In this podcast, the 2013 National Heritage Fellow tells us how his music helped inspire his community socially, politically, and spiritually. Eddie Palmieri: In this podcast, pianist, bandleader, composer and 2013 NEA Jazz Master Eddie Palmieri talks about his innovative music which blends Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz.