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Hyphenación Explores Adulting Through Latino Conversations

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KQED’s new podcast launches today!

Want to find fresh, nuanced, and real perspectives on life’s big questions with a Latinx lens? Enter Hyphenación where conversation and cultura meet.

The Spanglish neologism “Hyphenación” is an ode to the hyphenated identities that many Latinos hold. It’s also the name of KQED’s newest video podcast series. Hosted by Xorje Olivares, a queer Tejano millennial writer and producer, Hyphenación brings together Latinos of different backgrounds for candid conversations about culturally relevant topics — from Latino identity, to religion, to the American Dream. 

Guests, including journalist Paola Ramos, comedian Angelo Colina, and memoirist Javier Zamora, join Olivares in conversation about their approaches to complex topics, both individually and in their communities. Each 30 – 45 minute episode connects Olivares with two dynamic guests to tackle intersectional topics through a culturally nuanced lens.  

The first episode of the podcast, with TikTok star Ian Paget and poet Maria Burgos, asks the question “Who gets to be Latino?” They’ll discuss who falls under the Latino umbrella and explore the associations that come along with the word. Upcoming episodes include writer Yosimar Reyes speaking about parental caregiving, author Karla Cornejo Villavicencio on the meaning of US citizenship, and cultural critic Manuel Betancourt on non-monogamy.

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The podcast is primarily in English, with a sprinkling of Spanglish. Look forward to confronting taboos, having a laugh, and thinking about your own identity, as Olivares and his guests navigate adulting with nuance, authenticity and humor!

Hyphenación is a safe space to dive into conversations that go beyond conventional or stereotypical Latinx topics like immigration or crime,” says Olivares. “We’re all still figuring things out, and we don’t shy away from anything, because we know that our cultural identities shape every corner of our lives.”

Hyphenación centers on the Latino experience, but everyone trying to make sense of life’s everyday challenges will see themselves in the conversations.

Watch Hyphenación on the KQED Arts YouTube channel or listen wherever you get your podcasts! New episodes drop Tuesdays, starting today, Tuesday, April 15 through June 3, 2025.

About KQED
KQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS affiliate based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. A trusted news source and leader and innovator in interactive technology, KQED takes people of all ages on journeys of exploration — exposing them to new people, places and ideas. www.kqed.org

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