Suave
The Pulitzer Prize-winning podcast returns for its second season! Seven years after his release from prison, former juvenile lifer Luis "Suave" Gonzalez seems to be thriving. His career has taken off, he’s in a committed relationship and he’s received public recognition after telling his story on the podcast. Suave always thought once he was out of prison and found stability in his new life, he would finally feel truly free. But freedom, it turns out, is more complicated than it seems. "Suave" is a deeply intimate portrait of a man battling the lingering trauma of incarceration and his sear...
S2 E1 · Tue, April 15, 2025
Roses and Manure
Years have passed since Season One, and Suave is thriving. He’s got a great job. He’s on the news for his work on prison reform. He’s even got a new nickname on the block: Mr. Pulitzer. Suave is doing what he always dreamed of – and he’s making a real difference. It almost seems like “happily ever after.” Or is it? Season 2 of Suave was made possible by The Mellon Foundation. Mellon makes grants to support the visionaries and communities that unlock the power of the arts and humanities to help connect us all. More at mellon.org .
S2 Enull · Mon, April 07, 2025
Building The Future: A Message From Maria
We’re doing something different! Today, Maria Hinojosa joins listeners for a special message announcing something new from Futuro. Been dreaming of immediate full season access, and behind the scenes chisme from your favorite shows at Futuro? We have too! Listen to hear more about what’s next for Futuro. To help us grow the future of journalism go to: futuromediagroup.org/joinplus The Futuro Plus team includes producer Sam J Leeds, production managers Francis Poon and Jessica Ellis, marketing manager Luis Luna, development manager Danetsy Len, and engineers Gabriela Baez and Stephanie Lebow.
S2 Enull · Thu, April 03, 2025
Introducing - Suave: Season Two
You can leave prison, but does the lingering trauma of prison ever leave you? The Pulitzer Prize-winning podcast from Futuro Studios returns for its second season! “Suave” Gonzalez was one of thousands of juvenile lifers granted a second chance at life. Season 2 is his story about life after incarceration—and the search for the true meaning of freedom. Suave: Season 2 is out everywhere on 4/15. New episodes every Tuesday. Season 2 of Suave was made possible by The Mellon Foundation. Mellon makes grants to support the visionaries and communities that unlock the power of the arts and humanities to help connect us all. More at mellon.org .
Tue, October 15, 2024
Introducing: Chess Piece: The Elián González Story
Here's a new series that we think you'll love: "Chess Piece: The Elián González Story," from Futuro Studios, in collaboration with iHeartRadio's My Cultura Podcast Network. In 1999, two Florida fishermen found a cherub of a boy named Elián González in the sea on Thanksgiving. The boy had floated alone for days. His mother managed to save her son’s life by strapping him to an inner tube before she drowned. Elián's father in Cuba desperately tried to get his son back. Our host, investigative journalist Peniley Ramírez, was also separated from her family by the Florida Straits. When Peni was 11 years old her dad told her a dangerous secret before he left on an official trip on behalf of the Cuban government — he would not be returning. Relating to Elián in many ways, Peniley seeks to unearth his story with the clarity of history, nearly a quarter century later. Looking beyond the mythology around Elián saga, from the miracle rescue to dolphins, Peni uncovers a more layered story, even dark at times. This season on Chess Piece, we tell you the Elián story unlike you've heard before. You can find and subscribe to "Chess Piece" on the iHeartRadio App , Apple Podcasts , Spotify , and wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow it on Instagram and Tiktok .
Thu, August 22, 2024
Suave Presents: Stars and Stars with Isa
Futuro Studios presents Stars and Stars with Isa in collaboration with Stitcher Studios. Each week our host and astrologer, Isa Nakazawa, sits down with some of the most talented stars and thinkers of our time, to find what their birth chart reveals about them and their purpose. You’ll laugh, you might cry, and you’ll definitely connect with your favorites. And who knows, maybe, you’ll learn a little bit more about yourself. In this episode, Isa speaks with standup comedian, host, director, and producer, W. Kamau Bell. Together, they discuss how his Aquarius Sun, Scorpio Moon, and Taurus Rising inform his ability to ask the right questions of people who should be held accountable. You can find and subscribe to Stars and Stars with Isa wherever you listen to podcasts, and follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @starsandstarswithisa .
Tue, July 02, 2024
Introducing: My Divo
Introducing "My Divo" For host Maria Garcia, Mexican megastar Juan Gabriel has always held a singular allure. He was a prolific composer and one of the world’s greatest showmen. There was a lightness and a bigness to him—a big queer exuberance. And now, as the first openly gay woman in her family line, Maria looks to Juan Gabriel as a key to reconcile her queerness with her Mexican heritage. "My Divo" is an Apple Original podcast produced by Futuro Studios. Follow and listen: Apple Podcasts
Bonus · Wed, April 24, 2024
Suave Is Going On Tour
We're deep in production of season 2 of Suave, dropping on the feed this fall! We can't wait for you to listen. In the meantime, Suave is taking his story on the road. He is producing his own live show, "The Never Give Up Tour" and traveling the country. Join him for a night of storytelling, music, and special guests in a city near you this Summer. Click the link for tickets: https://linktr.ee/ldgonzalez1120
Thu, February 02, 2023
Suave Presents: La Brega 2 — The Puerto Rican Experience in 8 Songs
Known as the island donde hasta la piedras cantan – “where even the rocks sing” – Puerto Rico is home to a dizzying breadth of musical expression. From the lyrical boleristas of the 1930s, to the electric salseros of the ’70s, to the reggaetoneros of today who have taken music from the margins and made it a global sensation, this season takes listeners on an exciting, richly-reported, cross-genre adventure that captures the ceaseless creativity, emotional resonance, and yes, la brega. We start this journey with the island’s most celebrated composer Rafael Hernandez, who wrote one of the island’s unofficial anthems, “Preciosa.” It’s a love song written for Puerto Rico that praises the island’s beauty and, remarkably, also calls out the forces that oppress it.
Trailer · Tue, January 24, 2023
La Brega Season 2: The Puerto Rican Experience in 8 Songs
As the island donde hasta la piedras cantan –“where even the rocks sing”– Puerto Rico is home to a dizzying breadth of musical expression. From the lyrical boleristas of the 1930s, to the electric salseros of the ’70s, to the reggaetoneros of today who have taken music from the margins and made it a global sensation, this season takes listeners on an exciting, richly-reported, cross-genre adventure that captures the ceaseless creativity, emotional resonance, and yes, la brega that are hallmarks of Puerto Rican music across eras and formats. Voices featured in this trailer include Elena Martínez, José Massó, Gabby Rivera, Afrika Clivillés, Lia Camille Crockett, Bianca Graulau, Omar Alfanno, Ruben Blades, Mireya Ramos, Velcro, Susana Baca, and Alberto “Ringo” Martínez. The first episode drops Thursday, January 26. Subscribe now .
Fri, December 16, 2022
New Series: USA v. García Luna
Futuro Investigates and Latino USA—in partnership with Lemonada Media—present “USA v. García Luna,” a story where true crime meets telenovela. In this new investigative series, we’ll focus on Genaro García Luna: the most powerful Mexican official to ever face trial in the U.S. for allegedly accepting million-dollar bribes from the Sinaloan drug cartel. Maybe you've never heard of him, but in five episodes, Pulitzer Prize winner Maria Hinojosa and Emmy Award winner Peniley Ramírez will tell you why he matters, and how his story connects the U.S. government, the war on drugs, and millions of dollars from U.S. taxpayers. In episode one, “Untouchable,” Peniley dives into the latest with her new friend and co-host Maria. Over a bottle of tequila, they raise questions about what García Luna's upcoming trial says about the role of the U.S. in the “war on drugs.” To hear more of USA v. Garcia Luna, head to Futuroinvestigates.org
Trailer · Tue, December 06, 2022
Introducing USA v. García Luna
Futuro Investigates and Latino USA —in partnership with Lemonada Media— present “USA v. García Luna,” a new investigative series about the most powerful Mexican official to ever face trial in the U.S. for allegedly accepting million-dollar bribes from the Sinaloan drug cartel. Before his arrest, Genaro García Luna worked closely with U.S. diplomats and intelligence agencies, and was considered the architect of the Mexican "war on drugs," funded with more than $3 billion of U.S. taxpayer money. Look for it on December 9th wherever you get your podcasts and at futuroinvestigates.org . You can subscribe to “USA v. García Luna” here .
Wed, May 11, 2022
8. Suave Wins the Pulitzer!
It's been a year since we released Suave into the world, and so much has happened. Including some really, really big news: this week our podcast won the Pulitzer Prize for Audio Reporting. We bring you a special recording of Maria Hinojosa and Luis "Suave" Gonzalez reflecting on what this means for them, and for criminal justice reform.
Mon, February 07, 2022
Death Note (The Ballad of Chalino Sánchez)
From Futuro Studios and Sonoro Narcocorrido superstar Chalino Sánchez sings to a sold-out crowd for the first time in Sinaloa. It's the best night of his career until someone hands him a note. His face turns pale and his smile slowly disappears. That night, after the show, Chalino will be executed. But who killed him and why? We begin a journey to understand Chalino's life and impact, and the theories behind his unsolved murder. For more episodes, subscribe here .
Trailer · Tue, January 25, 2022
Introducing ÍDOLO: The Ballad of Chalino Sánchez
From Futuro Studios and Sonoro, a show that examines the extraordinary life of the “King of Corridos” and attempts to unravel the mystery of his death. Coming next week to all podcast platforms. Subscribe here .
Thu, December 30, 2021
The Journey Begins, From 'We Imagine...Us: The Way Long Way Around'
The Suave team presents an episode from We Imagine...Us , a new project by Futuro Unidad Hinojosa, the newest editorial division of Futuro Media. Starring Emmy award-winning actress Karrueche Tran, We Imagine…Us: The Long Way Around is Futuro's first-ever fiction podcast series. It tells the story of a Black American father and his Black Vietnamese American daughter who set out across the United States in hope of rebuilding their lives. Offering a clear-eyed look at real-world struggles many communities in our country face today, its core message is that through solidarity we can make change. In this episode, Albert "Bumpy" Watkins, after serving three years in prison, is released into a post-Covid America, where he has to navigate his new status as a formerly incarcerated person and his new role as a single parent to teenager Mercy Watkins. Subscribe here to enjoy the full series as well as the companion series Re-Imagination Nation with Maria Hinojosa featuring interviews with John Legend, Ava DuVernay, Michelle Alexander, Heather McGhee, Linda Sarsour, Saru Jamarayan and others.
Mon, August 09, 2021
The History of Reggaeton
This is the true story of the young people from Jamaica, Panama, Puerto Rico and beyond who beat the odds, refused to be quiet and created an irresistible musical culture that has kept the world dancing. Join Ivy Queen, one of the founders of the genre, for an incredible musical story about sex, race, drugs, censorship, and of course, perreo. First: stop Panama. LOUD: The History of Reggaeton is a new podcast from Spotify Studios and Futuro Studios.
Mon, May 10, 2021
'Hot Trash' From Ear Hustle
It’s been a few months since we dropped the last episode of Suave, Season 1 on your feed. Recently our team heard a podcast episode from our friends at Ear Hustle, from PRX's Radiotopia, that made us think about some of the conversations we had with Suave about the importance of visits in prison. And we wanted to share that with you. Today we’re featuring that episode, called “Hot Trash.” Visiting a loved one in prison is both emotionally intense and constrained by countless rules — from how much PDA is too much PDA, to what kind of candy you can eat inside. One year after California prison authorities suspended in-person visits due to COVID-19, Ear Hustle brings you stories from and about visiting rooms, and hear how families are adjusting to video “visits.” For more Ear Hustle episodes, visit here .
S1 E7 · Tue, March 16, 2021
The Reckoning
“There's no winners in this. You’re a victim so you victimize other people because you’re hurt. It's a circle and it goes on and on.” Suave reckons with the last three decades of his life and begins to deal with the traumas of his childhood and incarceration that he’s long buried. Maria and Maggie discuss how the Supreme Court decision has played out differently across the country, leaving some other juvenile lifers still behind bars. Maria worries about the lasting effects of lifetime parole on Suave and comforts him through some tough disappointments. And Suave ponders what it truly means to be free. Please note that this episode contains a brief description of violence and sexual abuse. You can avoid it by skipping between 4:45-6:45.
S1 E6 · Tue, March 09, 2021
The Corner
“That little place right here changed my whole life. December 6, 1986. 15 seconds. 15 seconds changed my whole life.” Suave has been cleared from all accusations and is free once again. He returns with Maria to the corner of 8th and Somerset in the Badlands—the place where his victim’s young life ended and the place that changed the course of Suave’s life. And Suave reveals to Maria a shocking story she’s never heard before about the night of the murder in 1986.
S1 E5 · Tue, March 02, 2021
The Doubts
“Doesn’t matter if you doing good, if you got a job, it doesn't matter—it could be snatched up in a heartbeat and there's nothing you could do about it.” Suave returns to prison and goes silent for weeks. Maria tries to figure out why and finds herself torn between her faith in Suave’s innocence and her responsibility to believe his accuser. Suave finds it impossible to adjust to being back in prison. Maria questions the entire parole system of and whether Suave will ever be truly free. Suave finally goes before a judge and again finds himself fighting for his freedom.
S1 E4 · Tue, February 23, 2021
The Release
“I never dreamed that it would be this good. Even the worst day that I have is good. I'm going up… and I know everything that goes up must come down.” Suave kicks off his first day of freedom by checking things off his bucket list, including a long overdue conversation with his brother and an apology to students at a school in his old neighborhood in the Badlands. We follow Suave in his first year of freedom as he experiences the excitement of many firsts and as he tries to adjust to his new life on the outside…. until an unexpected revelation puts Suave’s future into doubt.
S1 E3 · Tue, February 16, 2021
The Old Head
“We had a secret, unspoken bond. We’re all dying in here. And I felt like I was breaking that bond. I feel like I'm leaving my brothers behind.” Suave moves to a transitional housing unit at Graterford and begins to prepare for his release. But as he readies for life on the outside, his excitement gives way to a “never-ending list of fears” about life outside of prison. Suave also reckons with some complicated emotions—both the unparalleled joys of his upcoming release and the guilt of leaving behind the men he’s considered his brothers for nearly three decades. Maria ponders how her relationship with Suave will change now that they have a chance to explore their connection beyond a journalist-source relationship, as she travels to Graterford on his release day to bring him home.
S1 E2 · Tue, February 09, 2021
The Hustle
“I was fascinated with the lifestyle. I was fascinated with prison flicks. That's how you get the street credibility. You know, I'm gonna be the baddest dude on the block.” Maria learns more about Suave’s early life in the South Bronx and the crime Suave was convicted of as a teenager in the Badlands of Philadelphia. We explore the tactics of ruthless prosecutors that led to Pennsylvania becoming the state that sentenced the most minors in the country to life in prison without parole. Meanwhile, Suave anxiously awaits the decision from a judge that could grant him the opportunity to experience adult life on the outside.
S1 E1 · Tue, February 09, 2021
The Sentence
“The very last word she said was ‘You can become a voice for the voiceless.’ And I was just like, ‘Damn, why am I letting this lady mess up my high?’” We meet Suave, a man who has been serving a life sentence at a Pennsylvania maximum-security prison since he was a teenager. And we learn about his decades-long relationship as a source with journalist Maria Hinojosa. Suave has come to terms with the fact that he will never leave the confines of Graterford prison. That is until a Supreme Court ruling suddenly grants him a second chance to fight for his freedom.
S1 Enull · Tue, February 02, 2021
Trailer: Suave
In 1988, David Luis “Suave” Gonzalez was found guilty of first-degree homicide. A Philadelphia judge sentenced him to life without parole for a crime committed when he was 17 years old. At a Pennsylvania prison, Suave joined the largest population of juvenile lifers in the country—young men considered by the justice system to be “irredeemable,” destined to die in prison for acts committed when they were just teenagers. Acclaimed journalist Maria Hinojosa met Suave 27 years ago in prison while working on a story. They kept in touch over the decades by phone, letters, and occasional visits. Originally, she maintained contact in order to have a source inside the prison system. But over the years, their relationship evolved. And then a Supreme Court ruling changed everything, forever altering the course of Suave’s life. Suave was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Audio Reporting in 2022.
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