Welcome back to the sala, mi gente!

In this week’s emotional episode, we’re joined by Dominican-Mexican indie-pop artist Ambar Lucid, the voice behind Garden of Lucid and her upcoming EP El Jardín de Lágrimas, dropping May 9. She opens up with us about growing up between New Jersey and the Dominican Republic, her father’s deportation, and how music became her way to heal.

“Music is how I survive — it’s how I process the things that were too heavy to speak out loud.”

In this heartfelt and powerful conversación, you’ll hear:

• How her father’s deportation impacted her identity and shaped her music career
• Her journey with mental health, therapy, and healing generational trauma
• How she built a loyal fanbase by sharing her story through bilingual indie-pop
• The lessons she’s learned navigating the music industry while staying grounded in her truth

Pull up a seat, press play, y suelta lo que ya no te sirve.

If you’ve ever been told to tone it down, hide your accent, or play small to get ahead — this one’s for you.

On this episode of Growing Up Latina, Alyi V sits down with career strategist Susana Alba to talk about breaking the mold and showing up as your full, unapologetic self at work and in life.

Susana shares how a near-death car accident and unexpected layoff became the push she needed to finally bet on herself. From being called “Shaniqua” during a job interview to being told she was “too Black to be Latina” and “too Latina to be Black,” Susana opens up about what it really means to take up space as a proud Dominicana from the Bronx.

We get into:
• How she rebuilt her career with faith and fire
• Why she stopped hiding her natural hair, Bronx accent, and roots
• The moment she let God lead — and everything changed
• Her exact tips on negotiating, self-worth, and taking your power back

This week, Alyi V sits down with the hilarious and unapologetic Danielle Perez — a Dominican comedian from Los Angeles who’s making her mark in comedy and beyond. Danielle gets real about growing up Dominican in LA with kale dinners, novelas, and big dreams. She shares the story of losing her legs at 20 and finding her voice through stand-up comedy, eventually breaking into the industry and starring in Netflix’s number one show *The Night Agent*.

She opens up about coming out as queer during a Comedy Central taping — with her parents in the audience — and reflects on mental health, healing, and what taking Lexapro taught her about easing the weight of it all. Danielle also talks about being raised by strong women, why her abuela remains her biggest inspiration, and how she's navigating success while staying grounded in who she is. Her story also brings an important lens to disability and accessibility in entertainment — reminding us that visibility, representation, and equity matter on and off the stage benefits everyone.

This episode is bold, hilarious, and honest — a deep dive into identity, resilience, and the power of showing up exactly as you are. Watch, subscribe, and share with someone who needs to hear this story.