

Latino USA
My Cultura, Futuro and iHeartPodcasts
Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S. centering Latino stories, hosted by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Maria Hinojosa Every week, the Peabody winning team brings you revealing, in-depth stories about what’s in the hearts and minds of Latinos and their impact on the world.
Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peaks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus
Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peaks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 30, 2026 • 25min
Inside 'The Rip': Three Latinas Star in Netflix’s Newest Crime Thriller
Netflix’s newest crime thriller, The Rip, brings together three Latina actresses: Catalina Sandino Moreno, Sasha Calle, and Lina Esco. The Colombian women share the silver screen with Hollywood heavyweights, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, in this high-stakes cop film, directed by Joe Carnahan. The cast reflect on their careers, from independent films like Maria Full of Grace to becoming the first Latina Supergirl. They talk activism, stereotypes in Hollywood, and the importance of speaking up, And they also share a couple of their favorite Colombian dichos. Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S., centering Latino stories and hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. Follow the show to get every episode. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 25, 2026 • 25min
One Year After the LA Fires: Recovery, Toxic Soil, and Scams
“Our government has failed us in many ways.” A year has passed since the fires in Los Angeles devastated Altadena, CA. Who gets to rebuild? Who stays and who leaves? We begin by checking back in with Sal Saucedo, a hairdresser who spoke to us after his home became rubble. He has since planted new roots by opening a hair salon in Mexico City. Then we delve deeper into the slow and heartbreaking recovery in Altadena so far with the help of UCLA researcher Silvia González, comedian and Altadena resident Chris Garcia, and environmentalist Isaias Hernandez. Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S., centering Latino stories and hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. Follow the show to get every episode. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 21, 2026 • 29min
Podcast Special: “Enough is Enough”: The Fight Against ICE In Minnesota
Minnesotans say ICE agents and other federal officers have been terrorizing residents as part of “Operation Metro Surge” for nearly a month. And as ICE’s enforcement becomes more militarized and their numbers grow, so does the network of resistance created by everyday citizens. We speak to a local grassroots organizer and a journalist about the latest on the ground, the support networks keeping the most vulnerable in Minneapolis safe, and what others can learn from them. “This occupation has disrupted our sense of normal, our sense of safety, our sense of community." All eyes are on Minnesota. Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S., centering Latino stories and hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. Follow the show to get every episode. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 18, 2026 • 25min
Being Bruja: How One Journalist Tapped Into Her Ancestral Power and Became a Witch
When Journalist Zayda Rivera decided to become a witch, people in her life thought it was a joke–many did not take her seriously. Still, Zayda was confident in her choice to follow the ancient practice of brujería. Last year, Zayda published her debut children's book, Being Bruja: A Young Mystics Guide and its Spanish version, Vivir Bruja. This Brujería 101-guide provides easy to understand basics, and also a brief history of the practice. In this episode, Maria Hinojosa meets Zayda la Bruja, to dig deep into the ancient tradition and actually practice some brujeria together! Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S., centering Latino stories and hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. Follow the show to get every episode. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 16, 2026 • 26min
Mirta Ojito on Memory, Migration and the Stories the Ocean Keeps
“Suddenly, a memory assaulted me: For my own journey from Cuba four decades earlier, I had worn the red polyester bell-bottom pants my mother had made.” Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Mirta Ojito joins us to talk about the inspiration behind her new novel, Deeper Than the Ocean. Mirta reflects on the real shipwreck that sparked the idea for her novel, her own immigration story of leaving Cuba during the Mariel boatlift, and her fear of water. Mirta explores the meaning of memory, the emotional cost of covering immigration, and the power of storytelling, across generations and the ocean. Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S., centering Latino stories and hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. Follow the show to get every episode. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 11, 2026 • 24min
The World Through the Eyes of Comedian Julio Torres
Born in El Salvador, Julio Torres has become a big name in comedy. From writing for SNL and having an HBO comedy special, to making and starring in his own films, Julio's dry style is unique: it’s highly visual and deeply inquisitive, and at Latino USA we love it! In this reimagined interview from a couple years ago, Julito spoke to us about developing his own comedic approach, his journey in the industry, and how he enjoys challenging audiences to look at the world from a different perspective. Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S., centering Latino stories and hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. Follow the show to get every episode. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 9, 2026 • 29min
The Fall of Maduro and the Rise of an “Unconstrained” Trump
The capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro marks yet another chapter in a long history of U.S. interventionism across Latin America. We talk to an expert on democracy to make sense of the incursion, how it could destabilize the entire rules-based international order, and why Americans should be concerned about the rise of an “unconstrained and autocratic” Trump. Plus, we get a glimpse of what it was like to be a journalist covering corruption under the Maduro regime, and what Venezuelans might hope for the future. Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S., centering Latino stories and hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. Follow the show to get every episode. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 4, 2026 • 50min
Mary’s Journey: The Costs of Caring for a Loved One in Prison
One in four women in the United States has a family member in prison — and those carrying the resulting financial and emotional burden are disproportionately women of color. Mary Estrada is one of them. She’s been taking care of her husband, Robert, for 40 years, as he’s been in and out of prison throughout his adult life. Most Sundays, Mary wakes up at 3 a.m. and drives 135 miles each way from Pomona, California, to San Diego to meet her incarcerated husband. In this episode, we accompany Mary on one of her Sunday visits, and we learn about the true costs of supporting a loved one in prison. This story first aired in 2023. Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S., centering Latino stories and hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. Follow the show to get every episode. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 2, 2026 • 33min
Unexplainable’s “Listen to the Universe” and the Discoveries of Wanda Diáz-Merced
As you start the New Year, we wanted to bring you an episode from our friends at Vox’s podcast Unexplainable that we think you’ll like. It’s about a scientific mystery and with a Puerto Rican astronomer at the center of it all. Wanda Diáz-Merced lost her sight as a college student, she thought her dreams of becoming an astronomer were over — until she learned to listen to space instead. Unexplainable takes listeners right up to the edge of what we know...and then keeps on going. For more go to vox.com/unexplainable Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S., centering Latino stories and hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. Follow the show to get every episode. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 28, 2025 • 38min
“My Divo”: The Long-Lost Prison File
Earlier this week we brought you an episode from “My Divo” which we think you’ll enjoy as you slow down this holiday season. This is Ep. 3: “The Long-Lost Prison File” In it, host Maria Garcia looks for answers about Juan Gabriel in Mexico and discovers government files about the artist that have never come to light. As Maria learns more about Juan Gabriel’s story as a young man on the streets and in jail, she reflects on her romantic relationship and what’s at stake when queerness is criminalized. My Divos an Apple Original podcast produced by Futuro Studios. Full series here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-divo/id1719362271 Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S., centering Latino stories and hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. Follow the show to get every episode. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


