Elevating La Cultura Podcast

Sarah Brown, DNP, CNM, WHNP is a certified nurse midwife and women’s health nurse practitioner (NP). She has experience working in pediatrics, labor & delivery, community birth, and gynecology settings. She obtained her doctorate degree from University of Illinois at Chicago. A primary passion of Sarah’s is physiologic birth, which involves moving through labor, birth, and postpartum in a way that prioritizes a woman’s natural ...

Susie Gómez-Ortega, LCSW, PMH-C, is a Mexican-American woman, mother, and survivor of relationship loss and recovery. As a relational therapist and founder of Connection & Belonging Therapy, she draws on over 20 years of clinical experience to help men and women heal attachment wounds and return to themselves through relational self-awareness. Her work is rooted in authenticity, compassion, and the belief that deep connection i...

Hola! We are back to continue season 12. I took a small break for August as I focused on the transition back to the school year for my kids, as well as hosting a Women’s Health Panel Event. 

Anyone else feel like this year’s back to school is just heavier, and more chaotic than previous years? Maybe it’s just me as we navigate Elena’s first year in high school and part of a ballet company. Plus Elias’ last year in middle school and ...

Hola I’m back in Chicago! 

I'm giving a quick recap on our transition back after 5 weeks in Harrisburg Pennsylvania. 

Next week Aug 13 from 6:30-8:30, I’m inviting three ladies to lead a panel discussion on all things women’s health. Shoutout to my panelists, Dr Louisa Olushoga, Sarah Brown, and Ana Lopez.

This will be the first event hosted in the Elevating la Cultura Studios. While it's still a work in progress, I'm e...

Michelle is a trauma-informed certified coach on a mission to support leaders to value their strengths, grow their confidence, build a clear vision for their life and leadership, and find ease to sustain as a leader for as long as they choose. 

With a background of executive coaching, experience consulting, leading as an administrator in K-12 education, and serving as a nonprofit executive, Michelle has navigated what it means to be...

Speaker, author, and dedicated visionary, Dr. Shelley Jones-Holt inspires education and business leaders to cultivate equity-driven systemic change within their organizations, schools, and communities so they can build a more just and promising future for all. A passionate and deeply empathetic speaker, Dr. Shelley shows audiences how they can take charge of their leadership and uncover a deeper commitment to their communities so t...

Hola hola, it’s been a minute! I’ve taken like a whole few months off. Last season, season 11 wrapped in April where we talked about all things finance. 

After Season 11 I took some time to focus on the end of the year for my kids. For those who don’t know, I school my kids at home. I’ve homeschooled them since the beginning of their schooling years, but the past two years I’ve enrolled them in an online program which has been amazi...

Hey hey! We’re wrapping up another great season! Season 11. Thank you SO much to everyone who has continued to support and taken us to over 8600 downloads.

We really got into the numbers this season. The topic of finance is so interesting, and the more I learn, the less scared and anxious I feel. While things are really uncertain in our current economy, I feel with each new wild thing that happens I’m surprised yet not surprised at ...

Araceli Narvaez is the founder of Narvaez Financial Solutions, a virtual bookkeeping and payroll firm that supports small business owners with clean books, accurate financials, and peace of mind. Through her work, she empowers entrepreneurs, especially within the Latina community, to better understand their numbers and make confident, informed decisions. Her mission is to help business owners build sustainable, thriving businesses ...

Today’s episode is a little different. We recorded our episode live right after the Latina Brilliance Mini Summit a few weeks ago. It was an amazing event. I’m thankful to Jasmine & Adriana the speakers who led impactful workshops and Q&A, and I’m thankful they were willing to reacp some of the topics of conversations with me via the podcast! Enjoy!

Jasmine Lopez is a Latina creative & storyteller, CEO of Mentally Mutual...

Born and raised on the Southside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin by Mexican parents de Nayarit, Lupita Avalos was the first in her immediate family to earn a degree graduating from Marquette University. She is passionate about helping her community through her career and by volunteering her time. In the last 5 years, Lupita has served as a Bilingual Financial Advisor. She helps educate professional women and small business owners on life i...

Monica Acosta is a Back of the Yards native and proud Chicagoan. She went to Whitney Young High School and attended Roosevelt University, where she studied Finance and Economics. During college, she obtained an internship through INROADS (https://inroads.org/), which paved the way for her career with the federal government. She is currently a bank examiner with the OCC, an agency under the U.S. Treasury Department. Monica lives in ...

Hola! We are halfway through season 11. 

I’m coming on today with a short episode because if you haven’t heard I’m in Mexico facilitating an amazing group with Rise and Thrive Latinas. It is our first collaborative Mexico trip, and I am recording this before we leave, but I’m beyond excited to be part of this perhaps first of many Rise and Thrive Latinas collaborations. 

If you remember I had Stephanie the founder of RTL on season 9 ...

Rosalie is a risk strategist, advisor, and founder of Portecua Consulting, a Latina-owned consulting firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs identify and get ahead of risks so they can build beautiful businesses that are protected, optimized and well-positioned for growth and impact. Whether it’s through a consulting project, as a 1:1 advisor, via workshops, or with her upcoming book, Build a Beautiful Business con Confianza...

Jackie Montoya is an experienced tax preparer and the owner of A&M Financial Services. With over seven years in the industry, she turned her passion for helping others—sparked by her mother’s tradition of preparing taxes for friends and family—into a thriving business. She specializes in personal and business tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services, providing reliable financial guidance tailored to her clients’ needs...

Julissa was born in Morelos, Mexico, and immigrated to the United States in 1993. Over the years, she’s held various jobs, but her most impactful roles include serving as a case manager for 21 years and transitioning to the insurance field in 2018. These experiences have shaped her passion for helping people. Julissa takes pride in educating clients, ensuring they understand their coverage, and finding the best solutions for their ...

A testament to her own financial journey, Bernadette paid off $300,000 in debt by age 37 and achieved a net worth of $1 million in her 30s as a first-generation Filipina-American. Since launching her program, Crush Your Money Goals® in 2020, she has reached thousands of people nationwide, offering practical and engaging financial education. 

Featured on platforms like CNBC, ACCESS Hollywood, and Good Morning America, and recognized ...

Welcome to a new season! Inspired by a conference I attended at the end of last year, this season is going to be highlighting Latinas in the finance space! I get more into the story in the episode, but I'm excited to share amazing jefas who have gotten the education with the goal to pour back into and help their community.

Before we get into the episode I want to mention the reality we are currently in: We are only a ...

Hey hey! I can not believe we’ve made it to the end of Season 10. It’s still a little surreal to realize I’ve been doing this for 10 seasons. Thank you SO much to everyone who has continued to support and taken us to over 8000 downloads…next year we will hit 10k for sure! 

This season is filled with amazing leaders that really want what’s best for their communities and are working hard to spread the word, raise funds, and create a l...