100 Latina Birthdays
An original documentary series from LWC Studios that investigates the health and lifetime outcomes of Latinas in the United States from birth to age 100.
S2 E14 · Mon, December 23, 2024
Essential and Overlooked: The Silent Struggles of Latinas in the Workforce
From healthcare to home care, education to service industries, Latinas are at the forefront of essential labor—but their contributions come at a steep cost. With one of the highest labor market participation rates in the U.S.—even surpassing pre-pandemic levels—Latinas are critical to the workforce, but their stories are often left unheard. How do overloaded schedules, burnout, and workplace safety issues impact not just health but mental well-being? Reporter Julia Binswanger dives into the often overlooked work hazards, injuries, and environmental risks faced by Latinas in the workforce today.
S2 E13 · Mon, December 16, 2024
Living in Survival Mode: Why Latinas Facing Homelessness Experience Simultaneous Health Crises, Part 2
Between 2015 to 2019, unsheltered homelessness increased among two populations: women and Latinos. Homelessness carries a social stigma, and getting help is difficult because people do not disclose how much they’re struggling. But housing insecurity—overcrowding, doubling up, and moving often—can be traumatizing and have life-long impacts on a person’s health and well-being. In this episode, reporter Vicky Diaz-Camacho explores the cultural taboos of homelessness and the link between housing instability and overall health of Latinas.
S2 E12 · Mon, December 09, 2024
Living in Survival Mode: Why Latinas Facing Homelessness Experience Simultaneous Health Crises, Part 1
Between 2015 to 2019, unsheltered homelessness increased among two populations: women and Latinos. Homelessness carries a social stigma, and getting help is difficult because people do not disclose how much they’re struggling. But housing insecurity—overcrowding, doubling up, and moving often—can be traumatizing and have life-long impacts on a person’s health and well-being. In this episode, reporter Vicky Diaz-Camacho explores the cultural taboos of homelessness and the link between housing instability and overall health of Latinas.
S2 E11 · Mon, December 02, 2024
70 Million Investigates: ICE x Gender - Mothers Seeking Asylum Face Much More Than Documentation Challenges
This week, we are sharing an episode from our Peabody-nominated series, 70 Million. The newest season focuses on the ways that Immigration and Customs enforcement, or ICE, detention impacts those in its custody who identify across the gender spectrum. We hope you like it. Many make the dangerous trek across South and Central America to arrive at the U.S. border to seek asylum and safely. But for some mothers, reaching the country is where their hardships begin. Reporter Inés Rénique connects with two immigrant mothers in NYC whose journeys only intensified as they sacrifice and work to support their families after arriving in the U.S. Find an annotated transcript at our website here. Find more information—including transcripts and resource guides—visit 70MillionPod.com (Here). Follow @70MillionPod.
S2 E10 · Mon, November 25, 2024
Embracing the Latina Experience with ADHD Pt. 2
Being diagnosed with ADHD can feel like a complicated and isolating experience—but for Vanessa, her ADHD diagnosis as a 28-year-old Latina gave her much-needed clarity. Vanessa spent most of her life questioning why "simple" tasks were so challenging. She knew something was not right, so she sought out a psychiatrist who specializes in anxiety disorders. In this two-part episode, reporter Carmen Marquez explores the challenges of receiving a correct ADHD diagnosis, the cultural misconceptions that prevent parents from acknowledging the illness, and how embracing a diagnosis can lead to self-empowerment and healing.
S2 E9 · Mon, November 18, 2024
Embracing the Latina Experience with ADHD Pt. 1
Being diagnosed with ADHD can feel like a complicated and isolating experience—but for Vanessa, her ADHD diagnosis as a 28-year-old Latina gave her much-needed clarity. Vanessa spent most of her life questioning why "simple" tasks were so challenging. She knew something was not right, so she sought out a psychiatrist who specializes in anxiety disorders. In this episode, reporter Carmen Marquez explores the challenges of receiving a correct ADHD diagnosis, the cultural misconceptions that prevent parents from acknowledging the illness, and how embracing a diagnosis can lead to self-empowerment and healing.
S2 E8 · Mon, November 11, 2024
Meet the Latinas Who Are Reconnecting with Ancestral Medicine
Nearly 80% of Latino youth suffer childhood trauma, but many don’t start actively healing and acknowledging adverse childhood events until later in life – often when they start showing up as physical symptoms – stomach pains, headaches, racing heart rates. Some Latinas are starting to recognize the inextricable link between the mind and body, and reconnecting to ancestral medicine to heal. But in the process of offering a deeper healing, compassionate practice to their communities, they are also discovering the depth of problems created by a Western medical system that centers profit over care.
S2 E7 · Mon, November 04, 2024
How Latinas Experience Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma
Nearly 21.4% of Hispanic and Latino adults report having a mental illness. In this episode, Juleyka Lantigua, the creator of our show, sits down for a roundtable discussion with two mental health practitioners to discuss some of the most prevalent mental health issues among Latinas and to unpack how Latinas understand and cope with their mental wellbeing. Generalized anxiety disorder, major depression, and PTSD––the panel gets into it all. Gabriela Livas Stein, PhD, is Professor and Chair of Human Development and Family Sciences at UT Austin. and the Principal Investigator at CAMINOS Lab. Catalina Fortich, MS, LMFT, is a clinician in private practice and owner of Safe Place Therapy.
S2 E6 · Mon, October 28, 2024
Caring for Latina Mothers in Prison, Part 2
This is Part 2 of a special two-part episode of 100 Latina Birthdays. After serving 10+ years in prison, Destiny and Diana had to adjust to a new life outside of prison. From finding a new job, to rebuilding relationships, and learning to regulate their emotions, returning to the community, their families, and their kids was often an overwhelming experience. Reporter Francesca Mathews investigates why Latinas impacted by the carceral system often struggle with isolation and cultural disconnection, and the negative impact on their physical, mental and emotional health. 100 Latina Birthdays is an original production of LWC Studios . It's made possible by grants from Healthy Communities Foundation , Kellogg Foundation , Woods Fund Chicago , the Field Foundation of Illinois , Pritzker Foundation , and the Chicago Foundation for Women . Mujeres Latinas en Acción is a series fiscal sponsor.
S2 E5 · Mon, October 21, 2024
Caring for the Health of Mothers, in Prison and Beyond, Part 1
The negative health impacts of incarceration on Latina mothers and their families are profound and long-lasting, even beyond a release from prison. Destiny and Diana were incarcerated during their transition from adolescence into adulthood and motherhood, so they had to learn about their bodies and reproductive health, as well as their physical and mental wellbeing in the dehumanizing setting of prison. Francesca Mathews documents the journey of two Latina mothers impacted by incarceration, and dives into the health implications of the medical neglect, and the psychological and emotional trauma many women experience behind bars. She also speaks with medical experts, community organizations and counselors on the outside who are working to improve the wellbeing of women as they transition into the community and rebuild their lives. 100 Latina Birthdays is an original production of LWC Studios . It's made possible by grants from Healthy Communities Foundation , Kellogg Foundation , Woods Fund Chicago , the Field Foundation of Illinois , Pritzker Foundation , and the Chicago Foundation for Women . Mujeres Latinas en Acción is a series fiscal sponsor.
S2 E4 · Mon, October 14, 2024
What Does it Mean to Be a Healthy Community?
In Chicago, there are 77 community areas ranked by their social vulnerability index, a tool that helps explain how underlying health disparities can make some Latino neighborhoods more vulnerable in the face of environmental or man-made disasters. Reporter Francesca Mathews spends time in the southwest side speaking with residents and advocates, like organizers from the Chicago Environmental Justice Network and the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, about the health impacts of past disaster on the local communities, and what government officials can do to help them be more resilient. 100 Latina Birthdays is an original production of LWC Studios . It's made possible by grants from Healthy Communities Foundation , Kellogg Foundation , Woods Fund Chicago , the Field Foundation of Illinois , Pritzker Foundation , and the Chicago Foundation for Women . Mujeres Latinas en Acción is a series fiscal sponsor.
S2 E3 · Mon, October 07, 2024
The Ups and Downs of Psilocybin Mushrooms as Mental Health Treatment
The popularity of "magic mushrooms" or psilocybin is on the rise. While its use has been decriminalized in very limited contexts in some states, it remains illegal in most of the U.S. Journalist Carmen Marquez reports on Chicago and LA-based Latinas who are raising awareness about the potential of these psychedelics to heal, to nurture, and to connect us with our roots. 100 Latina Birthdays is an original production of LWC Studios . It's made possible by grants from Healthy Communities Foundation , Kellogg Foundation , Woods Fund Chicago , the Field Foundation of Illinois , Pritzker Foundation , and the Chicago Foundation for Women . Mujeres Latinas en Acción is a series fiscal sponsor.
S2 E2 · Mon, September 30, 2024
Learning to Live With Endo Pain, Part 2
This is Part 2 of a special two-part episode of 100 Latina Birthdays. If you haven’t listened to Part 1, we suggest you do that first. Mariela "Ella" Vazquez had a hysterectomy at age 11, after being diagnosed with endometriosis. As an adult, like many Latinas with this condition, Ella had to learn not just how to manage her chronic pain, but how to speak about it openly with loved ones. Reporter Julia Binswanger documents Ella's personal journey and speaks with medical experts about why the pain of many Latinas endo patients is not taken seriously and the significant implications this can have on their health and wellbeing. 100 Latina Birthdays is an original production of LWC Studios . It is made possible by grants from Healthy Communities Foundation , Kellogg Foundation , Woods Fund Chicago , the Field Foundation of Illinois , Pritzker Foundation , and the Chicago Foundation for Women . Mujeres Latinas En Acción is a series fiscal sponsor.
S2 E1 · Mon, September 30, 2024
Learning to Live With Endo Pain, Part 1
This season we’re documenting the health, wellness and lifetime outcomes of Latinas between the ages of 20 and 40. 29-year-old Mariela "Ella" Vazquez was diagnosed with endometriosis at an unusually young age, and figuring out how to understand and address her physical symptoms became a lifelong journey. Journalist Julia Binswanger reports on Ella's personal experience understanding her body and her pain, and investigates why it can take adult Latina women so many years to receive a correct diagnosis after the onset of symptoms. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays. 100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.
S1 E10 · Mon, December 04, 2023
Finding Community at a Predominantly White University
Celiana Lopez, Gisselle Cambron, and Yami Rodriguez are three students at Loyola University Chicago. Attending a predominantly white institution, or PWI, has presented challenges to all three girls, but Celiana, Gisselle, and Yami have found joy and community in Lambda Theta Alpha, their Latina sorority, and in programs meant to support first generation and low income students like Loyola’s Achieving College Excellence program. In this episode, reporter Gina Castro meets the three friends and digs into what it’s like to be a Latina at a PWI. Researchers from the Latino Policy Forum also unpack new research about obstacles to Latinas’ success in college. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays. 100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.
S1 E9 · Mon, November 27, 2023
Making Space for Queer Identity Through Art
Art has always been an important way for 20 year-old Kaelah Serrano to explore and express her queer identity. Born and raised on Chicago’s southwest side, Kaelah found an artistic home in Yollocalli Arts Reach, a nonprofit based in Little Village that provides arts, media, and storytelling education for young people—many of them Latinx—in Chicago. Yollocalli is an example of a crucial “third space”: a place separate from home and school where young people can socialize and learn. In this episode, reporter Grace Del Vecchio follows Kaelah’s journey of self-discovery and explores how schools can better serve their Latinx LGBTQ+ students. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays. 100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.
S1 E8 · Mon, November 20, 2023
What Happens When We Adultify Our Children
Dariana Urbina is just 17 years old, but she is responsible for far more than the average teenager. She takes care of her three younger siblings—budgeting, cooking and cleaning, and doing paperwork and translation for her parents, who work jobs with grueling hours. Dariana’s heightened burden of responsibility is an example of what experts call “adultification” or “parentification”, in which children are forced to take on the responsibilities of the adults, often due to their families’ socioeconomic status. In this episode, reporter Brenda Ordoñez unpacks adultification’s causes and mental health impacts on children, and what can be done to protect and celebrate families instead. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays. 100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.
S1 E7 · Mon, November 13, 2023
Fighting For Safe Outdoor Play in Little Village
Nine year-old Rosalia Gonzalez and her teammates love playing flag football through Beyond the Ball Girls, a Little Village organization that teaches children life skills through sports. Safe outdoor recreation is especially important to the families in Little Village, a predominantly Latino neighborhood in Chicago impacted by higher rates of gun violence and gang activity compared to much of the city. Little Village also faces high rates of environmental pollution as a result of a coal plant and Target distribution center in the area. In this episode, reporter Gina Castro investigates the intertwined issues facing the neighborhood, and meets the Little Village residents, activists, and community leaders working to make their neighborhood a safer place for children to play outdoors. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays. 100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.
S1 E6 · Mon, November 06, 2023
How to Support Kids Going Through Early Puberty
Andrea Luna Oviedo got her period for the first time in fourth grade, a year before her school district typically began puberty education for its students. She was able to tackle this new phase of her life with the help of supportive family and friends, and her school district in Berwyn, IL began teaching puberty education to fourth graders the year after. In this episode, reporter Francesca Mathewes explores the increase in early puberty rates among most girls and some nonbinary and trans children, and unpacks the factors that could contribute to Latina girls experiencing early puberty at a higher rate than their white counterparts. Dr. Louise Greenspan, a pediatric oncologist, and health educators at Chicago Public Schools also explain how best to support children going through puberty earlier than their peers. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays. 100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.
S1 E5 · Mon, October 30, 2023
Reframing Healthy Food and Healthy Bodies
For Latina parents like Melissa Huerta in Berwyn, IL, providing her children with food that reflects her Mexican upbringing is a priority. But this objective is complicated by the relative convenience of processed foods, and her 9-year-old daughter’s preference for spaghetti and meatballs. In this episode, reporter Julia Binswanger digs into the array of issues facing families looking to feed their children healthy and culturally significant foods, as well as the implications of new guidelines around childhood obesity. Leaders at organizations working to provide fresh produce and culturally specific food staples discuss their work in neighborhoods across Chicago, many of which are in food deserts. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays. 100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.
S1 E4 · Mon, October 23, 2023
Why How We Deal with Peripartum Depression Matters
High school teacher Itzel Carranza always knew she wanted to have a child, but difficulties arose along the way: from trouble conceiving and gestational diabetes to an intense labor experience and trouble breastfeeding. The anxiety Itzel felt was exacerbated by a cold Chicago winter, and she says she experienced postpartum depression for three months. While she was never officially diagnosed–about half of those suffering from it ever are–Itzel’s experience illustrates the pressures new moms face to be successful in their new roles. In this episode, reporter Wendy Wei untangles the many physical and social factors that can contribute to this very common birth complication. And mental health workers and community healers share how Latinas can build the villages that can support them and their baby. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays. 100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.
S1 E3 · Mon, October 16, 2023
A Pandemic Pregnancy Story
Gina Ramirez learned she was pregnant in the fall of 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Unable to practice social distancing due to her job, she came down with the virus when she was just two months pregnant. Like many Latinos in her neighborhood of Brighton Park in southwest Chicago, she had to navigate the anxiety and insecurity of not knowing how her job would support her while sick or pregnant, or how the virus would impact her pregnancy. In this episode, reporter Francesca Mathewes revisits the crucial months that Latinos learned about the Covid-19 vaccine through the lens of Gina and her family. Local activists in Chicago shed light on the real fears and obstacles that fueled vaccine hesitancy, and illustrate how their focus on community health safeguarded the health and wellness of neighborhood residents and families like Gina’s. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays. 100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.
S1 E2 · Mon, October 09, 2023
Why We Must Talk About Pregnancy Loss
Many of us think miscarriages are rare, but at least 1 in 3 Latinas in the U.S. experience them . Mayra Buitrón is a birth and bereavement doula in Chicago–a health worker who helps parents navigate the physical and emotional fall-out of pregnancy loss. She lost a pregnancy in the past, and experienced the shame and silence that makes it hard to talk about it openly; a stigma that has only increased with the crackdown on the use of abortion pills, a crucial miscarriage management tool. In this episode, reporter Leslie Hurtado accompanies Latina birth workers who themselves miscarried as they share the importance of seeking both physical and emotional care in the aftermath of pregnancy loss. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays. 100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.
S1 E1 · Mon, October 02, 2023
The Myths and Gifts of Bilingualism in Babies
New parents Wendy Miralda and José Paz are navigating the first year of their daughter Jelyani’s life, in Spanish. Language is key to their connection as a family and as Hondurans living in a predominantly Mexican neighborhood in Waukegan, Illinois. The Paz family never questioned teaching their baby Spanish. But many Latinos in the U.S. grapple with the misconception that doing so could delay their child learning English, or affect their development. There’s also the stigma Latinos face when they don’t teach their children Spanish. Reporter Andrea Flores dives into the research on infant brain development that supports bilingualism, and tackles the harmful misconceptions that divide U.S. Latinos along language lines. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays. 100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.
Trailer · Wed, September 27, 2023
Welcome to 100 Latina Birthdays
The health and wellness of Latinas is crucial to the health and wellbeing of the U.S. economy. In 100 Latina Birthdays, an original documentary series from Peabody-nominated LWC Studios, reporters in Chicago investigate the health and lifetime outcomes of Latinas in the United States from birth to age 100. In season 1, the stories that unfold center Latinas during their perinatal journeys, childhood, adolescence, and up until age 20. Made possible by grants from Healthy Communities Foundation, Field Foundation, Woods Foundation, Pritzker Foundation, and Chicago Foundation for Women. Fiscal sponsor is Mujeres Latinas en Acción. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays. Series premieres October 2. 100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.
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