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Welcome to El Barrio

Welcome to El Barrio

By: iHeartPodcasts
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About this listen

“Welcome to El Barrio” is a vibrant new podcast about Puerto Rican identity — our stories, finally told by us.

Hosted by award-winning producer Becca Ramos, this series blends laugh-out-loud interviews with artists, scholars, creators, tastemakers, and everyday Boricuas to illuminate the stories the textbooks left out.

Each week, Becca dives into the history, culture, politics, spirituality, and pop-culture moments that shape what it means to be Puerto Rican today — from the roots of brujería and ancestral healing, to the global impact of Bad Bunny, to the hidden history behind Operation Bootstrap, Hurricane Maria’s aftermath, and the evolution of the diaspora.

This show is unapologetically for us. For the kids who grew up “ni de aquí, ni de allá.” For everyone who felt their culture reduced to stereotypes, mispronounced in classrooms, or left out of the narrative entirely. Through humor, heart, research, and community storytelling, Becca invites listeners on a journey of self-discovery — and a celebration of La Isla del Encanto in all its complexity.

Featuring a lineup of powerful Boricua voices across film, music, academia, design, and activism, Welcome to El Barrio is a love letter, an archive, and an invitation. Come learn, laugh, heal, and say it with us. WEPA!

2026 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia Social Sciences World
Episodes
  • "Puerto Rico Es Una Cama Twin" w/ Ale-Marie Figueroa

    "Puerto Rico Es Una Cama Twin" w/ Ale-Marie Figueroa
    Feb 24 2026

    This week Becca chats with community builder and culture writer -- Ale-Marie Figueroa! The two chats being perceived in the diaspora, boozy book club, politics and higher education, and more!

    Also don’t forget to email us at welcometoelbarrio@gmail.com, or DM the show page @welcometoelbarrio for submissions!

    And subscribe to the show’s substack for FREE for bonus content!

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
  • "Boricua For All" w/ Vico Ortiz

    "Boricua For All" w/ Vico Ortiz
    Feb 17 2026

    This week Becca chats with actor, activist, drag king extraordinaire -- Vico Ortiz! The two chat, representation in hollywood, drag, fluidity of language, and more!

    Those in the NYC area, join us for our launch party Feb 21st in partnership with Lighthouse Campus! RSVP for your spot below:
    https://posh.vip/e/welcome-to-el-barrio-launch-party

    Also don’t forget to email us at welcometoelbarrio@gmail.com, or DM the show page @welcometoelbarrio for submissions!

    And subscribe to the show’s substack for FREE for bonus content!

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
    Show More Show Less
    42 mins
  • "Multiple Puerto Ricos" with Jorell Melendez-Badillo and Aurora Santiago-Ortiz

    "Multiple Puerto Ricos" with Jorell Melendez-Badillo and Aurora Santiago-Ortiz
    Feb 10 2026

    Welcome BACK to another episode of Welcome to El Barrio, where this week Becca Ramos chats with authors, historians, and activists Jorell Melendez-Badillo and Aurora Santiago-Ortiz.

    The three chat challenges of living in Puerto Rico, Aurora and Jorell’s barrio stories, Venezuela and its relation to Puerto Rico, their program Puerto Rican Studies Hub, and more!

    Follow Aurora and Jorell here:
    @sant_aurora_
    @jmelendezbadillo

    And follow the Puerto Rican Studies Hub here:
    @prstudieshub

    Also don’t forget to email us at welcometoelbarrio@gmail.com, or DM the show page @welcometoelbarrio for submissions!

    And subscribe to the show’s substack for FREE for bonus content!

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
    Show More Show Less
    48 mins
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