Latino USA

This week Latino USA brings stories about people who are fighters. Macho men in the Dominican Republic who ignore their pain out of pride, a woman who takes the difficult decision to find out whether she has early onset Alzheimer's, and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade opens up about her break up.

People often assume that technology will make our lives better, and much of the time, it does. But sometimes there are bumps along the road. We hear from a family separated by deportation that manages to stay connected via Skype. The second largest school district in the country tries out an ambitious plan to get technology in the classroom that catches the attention of the FBI. And an activist in Mexico uses technology to share and gather information but his online presence also makes him a target. We bring stories about technology's benefits, risks, and limitations.

Jews and Latinos are often discussed as different categories, but of course there are many Jewish communities across Latin America and some have made their way to the U.S. On this episode of Latino USA, we explore the history of Jewish migration throughout the Americas, hear personal stories of family and identity from Jewish Latinos themselves, and learn about struggle to preserve a fading Spanish-Jewish language known as Ladino.

For better or worse we are all influenced by the people who made us who we are...our families. This week we hear stories about family ties and what values bond us together. One family tries to break a Guinness World Record while another family is in the business of elk whispering, and one man describes the difficult choice to come out to his grandma.

The Yakama Nation in Eastern Washington is home to 11,000 Native Americans and almost three times as many Latinos. Over recent decades, the reservation's rich agricultural lands have attracted Mexican farmworkers and their families who made the valley their home. Despite shared indigenous roots and intermarriages, living side by side hasn't been easy, and tensions between the two groups are high. On this special collaboration with Northwest Public Radio, Latino USA dives deep into the dynamics of the reservation, exploring how two communities, living side by side, try to learn to get along.

We explore Latinos in uniform. Latino USA explores the history of army marketing and recruiting of Latinos. We hear from current recruiters and anti-recruiters in classrooms, a former solider now Youtube beauty guru, and a self-medicating vet who smoked pot then faced deportation.

Pundits on television are always talking about the Latino Vote: are they going to decide the election? Are they definitely voting for a Democrat? Or could a Republican sway them? So here at Latino USA we wanted to figure out what is the Latino Vote anyway? We learn about the surprising president to first court hispanic voters, the representation gap, the power of Latino millennials, and hispandering – the often comical ways candidates try to engage Latino voters.

Latino USA gets spooky. We bring not only new ghost stories but also some history behind classic spooky icons like La Llorona and La Lechuza.

What is it like to live life behind bars? We hear from prisoners who are trying to manage their health, stay in touch with family, and care for those who are dying. Plus a controversial new use for ankle monitors.

Two years ago, a group of young undocumented activists staged one of, if not the, riskiest protests in the history of the immigration rights movement. The Dream 9 was a group of people who had grown up in the U.S., had gone back to Mexico, and now wanted to return to what they thought of as "home." Some of them had even left the U.S. just to participate in the action. Their efforts landed all of them in detention. Latino USA dedicates the entire hour to their story and discussing their legacy.

What happens when we try to share spaces? Or when we want what our neighbors have? This week, Latino USA explores Turf Wars, from Americans retiring in South America to a battle over cigar domination.

Daisy Rosario guest hosts this special hour about diversity in geekdom: from Comic books, to video games, to Cosplay. We even hear from special guests including DMC of Run-DMC and listeners.

This week Latino USA looks at stories of parenting. We hear from Sonia Manzano, Maria from Sesame Street, who opens up about how her life mirrored her character on the show's life. Maria Hinojosa opens up about being worried whether her daughter is Latina enough. Indie musician, Empress Of, talks about how her mom crashes her concerts. And we hear about the struggles of families that live across borders.

Latino USA anticipates Pope Francis's visit to the U.S. by learning about his past, hearing from Latinos eager to catch a glimpse of him, and talking about how he and his seemingly radical views are impacting the Catholic Church in the U.S.

Latino USA talks about people who work themselves to the bone: from a storeowner in Michigan to the Latinas who really run Hollywood. We learn what it means to be a workaholic.