Undocu-Life: No Longer Dreaming

How does language access affect how young immigrants navigate the public education system in America? Born in the city of Nezahualcóyotl in Mexico, Brenda Valeria Perez Amador is a passionate advocate for helping other young immigrants including those with the protection of DACA. Brenda, a DACA recipient herself, reflects on her love of learning, but recalls many instances of language injustice she encountered while attending public school in D.C. after arriving in the U.S. in 2006 at the age of 10. In this episode of Undocu-Life, listeners will learn more about Brenda’s upbringing and how her immigration experiences have inspired her to combat racial injustice, harmful immigration narratives, climate change, food insecurity, and more intersectional issues.
Episode Credits:
Host: Jose Luis Mendoza
Narrator: Brenda Valeria Perez Amador
Episode Interviewer: Delia Beristain Noriega
Episode Scriptwriter/Organizer: Noelle Norris and Claudia Peralta Torres
Episode Editor: Claudia Peralta Torres
Podcast Director: Christine MacDonald

Music by Blue Dot Sessions:Calumet - Curiously and Curiously
Sugartree - Cornicob

Follow along with the English and Spanish episode transcripts located on our podcast webpage.

Don’t forget to follow us on all social media platforms, @holaculturadc, and subscribe to the podcast to get updates on upcoming episodes.
Visit Hola Cultura!

How does the Spanish-to-English language barrier affect young immigrants in a public school system? University of the District of Columbia (UDC) undergraduate, Maria Nunez Pereira, was born in El Salvador, and immigrated to D.C. when she was five years old. Upon arriving in the United States and enrolling into public school, Maria recalls being denied the support she needed in her classes, while she was barely starting to learn English. In this episode of Undocu-Life, Maria opens up about her mental health journey, and the pride she now feels about being a young undocumented immigrant.
Episode Credits:
Host: Jose Luis Mendoza
Narrator: Maria Nunez Pereira
Episode Interviewer: Delia Beristain Noriega
Episode Scriptwriters/Organizer: Thomas Bravo, Jose Luis Mendoza, and Claudia Peralta Torres
Episode Editors: Norma Sorto and Claudia Peralta Torres
Podcast Director: Christine MacDonald

Music by Blue Dot Sessions:
Resolute - Morning Colorwheel
Sugartree - Cornicob

Follow along with the English and Spanish episode transcripts located on our podcast webpage.

Don’t forget to follow us on all social media platforms, @holaculturadc, and subscribe to the podcast to get updates on upcoming episodes.
Visit Hola Cultura!

How do undocumented immigrants facing social and economic injustices in the workplace and their own communities find the resources to thrive in the United States? D.C. organizer, using the pseudonym, Jacinto Maldonado Torres, came to Washington, D.C. in 2010 when he was 15 years old. Originally from Mexico City, he attended D.C. public schools and recently earned an associates degree in early childhood education at the University of the District of Columbia. His previous experiences at immigrant youth empowerment meetings fostered his passion for teaching other immigrants about their rights and resources in the United States. In this episode of Undocu-Life, Jacinto tells us about his work empowering other immigrants, especially those working in the restaurant industry, to utilize resources and overcome adversity, including health and economic challenges.
Episode Credits:
Host: Lucía Matamoros
Narrator: Jacinto Maldonado Torres
Episode Interviewer: Delia Beristain Noriega
Episode Scriptwriter/Organizer: Noelle Norris and Claudia Peralta Torres
Episode Editor: Jose Luis Mendoza and Claudia Peralta Torres
Podcast Director: Christine MacDonald
Music by Blue Dot Sessions:
Confectionery - Palms Down
Sugartree - Cornicob

Follow along with the English and Spanish episode transcripts located on our podcast webpage.

Don’t forget to follow us on all social media platforms, @holaculturadc, and subscribe to the podcast to get updates on upcoming episodes.
Visit Hola Cultura!

How do immigration experiences differ? How are they similar? Since Undocu-Life launched, we’ve spoken with five narrators about their own experiences with immigration. In our English-language conclusion episode, three of our narrators—Brenda Perez Amador, Gerson Quinteros, and Maria Nunez Pereira—come together for a roundtable discussion where they take their previous conversations further expanding on how their passions for education, social change, and family shape their identity. These conversations are important to have, especially during an uncertain time for U.S. policies like DACA that are meant to help immigrants.
Thank you everyone for listening to the first season of Undocu-Life and for exploring the lives of these five immigrants with us. Next week, we have our final Spanish-language episode, wrapping up this conversation, for now anyway. We may be back with new episodes next year.
Episode Credits:
Host: Jose Luis Mendoza
Narrators: Gerson Quinteros, Brenda Perez Amador, and Maria Nunez Pereira
Episode Interviewer: Lucía Matamoros
Episode Scriptwriter: Thomas Bravo
Episode Editor: Claudia Peralta Torres
Podcast Director: Christine MacDonaldMusic by Blue Dot Sessions:El Baul - Only Lara
Sugartree - Cornicob

Follow along with the English and Spanish episode transcripts located on our podcast webpage.

Don’t forget to follow us on all social media platforms, @holaculturadc, and subscribe to the podcast to get updates on upcoming episodes.
Visit Hola Cultura!

¿Cómo difieren las experiencias migratorias? ¿Qué tienen en común? Desde que se lanzó Undocu-Life, hemos hablado con cinco narradores sobre sus experiencias migrando a los EE.UU. En nuestro último episodio en inglés, tres de nuestros narradores, Brenda Pérez Amador, Gerson Quinteros y María Núñez Pereira, se reúnen en un panel en el que nos cuentan un poco más sobre sus anécdotas, experiencias y pasiones; como lo son la educación, el cambio social y la familia. Es importante tener estas conversaciones, especialmente durante un momento incierto para las políticas estadounidenses, como el DACA, que están destinadas a ayudar a los inmigrantes.
Gracias a todos por escuchar la primera temporada de Undocu-Life y por explorar la vida de estos cinco inmigrantes con nosotros. Es posible que volvamos con nuevos episodios el próximo año.
Episode Credits:
Presentador: Lucía Matamoros
Narradores: Gerson Quinteros and Maria Nunez Pereira
Entrevistador del episodio: Lucía Matamoros
Guionista del episodio: Thomas Bravo
Editora del episodio: Claudia Peralta Torres
Directora del podcast: Christine MacDonald

Music by Blue Dot Sessions:
El Baul - La Inglesa
Sugartree- Cornicob

Follow along with the English and Spanish episode transcripts located on our podcast webpage.

Don’t forget to follow us on all social media platforms, @holaculturadc, and subscribe to the podcast to get updates on upcoming episodes.
Visit Hola Cultura!