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Voices del Valle

Voices del Valle

By: KPBS Public Media
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About this listen

 Voices del Valle is a youth-led podcast spotlighting powerful coming-of-age stories from California’s Imperial Valley. Told through the eyes of local teens, each episode dives into real experiences of growing up in a rural, tight-knit, and culturally rich border community. From navigating mental health and multigenerational households to chasing dreams in sports, music, and media, these stories reveal the resilience, creativity, and identity of young people forging their own paths. Whether facing homelessness or finding purpose through podcasting, Voices del Valle captures what it truly means to come of age in el Valle — with honesty, heart, and hometown pride. Social Sciences
Episodes
  • What Are You Doing Here?

    What Are You Doing Here?
    Sep 8 2025

    The Imperial Valley is a place that is said to be a great place to raise kids. It has a small town feel and it is common for families to have been here for several generations. But when a family moves to the Valley from places like San Diego, Los Angeles, or other places that don’t have the stifling heat of the summers here, kids meet the “new kid” with the question of “What are you doing here?” This isn’t meant in a challenging way, it is just that Valley kids see places outside the Valley as the better, more desirable places to be.

    In this episode of Voices del Valle, we visit with four students that moved to the Imperial Valley and attended, or are attending, Central Union High School. In the discussions, it becomes clear that our small town feeling community is actually a special place where students create great friendships and a strong bond to this place we call home.

    CREDITS

    Episode 104 - What Are You Doing Here?

    What Are You Doing Here was written and hosted by: Ismael Peraza, Destiny Garibaldi, and Mitzel Martinez.

    Edited and produced by: Dr. Thomas Tacke

    Theme by: Ismael Peraza, Destiny Garibaldi, and Mitzel Martinez.

    Music by: SpartanSound Productions

    Technical and operational support provided by KPBS Technical Producer / Sound Designer, Adrian Villalobos, and KPBS Producer, Julio Ortiz Franco. - Lisa Jane Morrisette is KPBS Director of Audio Programming and Operations.

    This programming is partially made possible in part by the KPBS Explore Content Fund.
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    33 mins
  • You’re From Where? Featuring Donal Logue

    You’re From Where? Featuring Donal Logue
    Sep 1 2025
    Nearly all high schools have at least one person that finds fame after graduation. For the schools in the Imperial Valley, there are many that have found it in the arts, sports, and entertainment industries. And when the individual tells people they are from El Centro, a common response is, “You’re from where?” For this episode of :You’re From Where?”, we visited with film and TV celebrity Donal Logue about his growing up in El Centro, and his strong connection to Central Union High School and the Imperial Valley.CREDITSEpisode 103: You’re From Where? Featuring Donal LogueYou’re From Where was written and hosted by: Dominick Ramos Felix, Felipe Castro, Evan Harper, and Samantha Denmon. Edited and produced by: Dr.Thomas TackeTheme by: Dominick Ramos Felix, Felipe Castro, Evan Harper, and Samantha DenmonMusic by: Walter Beasley and SpartanSound ProductionsTechnical and operational support provided by KPBS Technical Producer / Sound Designer, Adrian Villalobos, and KPBS Producer, Julio Ortiz Franco. - Lisa Jane Morrisette is KPBS Director of Audio Programming and Operations.This programming is partially made possible in part by the KPBS Explore Content Fund.
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    29 mins
  • Championships

    Championships
    Aug 25 2025

    Small towns love their high school sport teams, and the Imperial Valley, this love is unconditional regardless of how well the teams records end. But when championships are won, there is always stories to be told of how that happened. During the 2024-25 season, two of Central Union High School’s teams took the quest for championships all the way to the CIF State final levels. The Spartan Cheer Team repeated as CIF State Champions and the Boys Soccer Team went further than any Valley team in history and won the CIF Southern Section and ended their season as Runner Up at the CIF State competition.


    Credits:


    Episode 102: Championships

    Championships was written by Dr. Thomas Tacke, Joshua Ahumada and Lilyana Morquecho

    Hosted by: Joshua Ahumada and Lilyana Morquecho

    Edited and produced by: Dr.Thomas Tacke

    Theme by: Dr. Thomas Tacke

    Music by: SpartanSound Productions

    Technical and operational support provided by KPBS Technical Producer / Sound Designer, Adrian Villalobos, and KPBS Producer, Julio Ortiz Franco. - Lisa Jane Morrisette is KPBS Director of Audio Programming and Operations.

    This programming is partially made possible in part by the KPBS Explore Content Fund.
    Show More Show Less
    33 mins
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