NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, it’s important to remember that the celebration never truly ends.
While it’s important to observe the achievements and culture of Latin-Americans between September 15 and October 15, that observance can be done all year long. As Rachel Strauss-Muniz says, it’s just the beginning of “a year-long dialogue.”
In a recent interview with 1010 WINS, the comedienne, writer, and podcaster also compared the month to a party. However, she emphasized that it’s not just the duty of Americans to educate themselves about the culture, but for Latin-Americans to make sure that there’s an open invite to others as well.
“We have to make it more clear,” she said, “Everybody’s welcome to the party, whether you speak the language or not.
Straus-Muniz, or “La Loca” as she’s most commonly called, is one of the hosts of the award-winning podcasts Latinos Out Loud. Over the course of nearly 200 episodes, she and the rest of her co-hosts have spoken to the some of the Latin community's most prominent personalities. This includes Lin-Manuel Miranda, The Kid Mero, and Julian Castro.
Although most guests on the podcast are Latin-American, Straus-Muniz emphasized, “the [main] criteria to be a guest on the show is that you have to be moving the needle for our people.”
Humor may have been the show’s foundation - hence the initials spelling out LOL - but the ultimate goal is to continue to raise the community up through real and meaningful conversations.
She says, “From the angle of positivity, our show is empowering. We want to lift spirits. We'll never bring them down. And if we’re talking about a topic that’s relevant to Latinos that may bring [the community] down, as far as sentiment, I promise we’ll bring you back up.”
“...Or you’ll get your money back,” she jokes.
She adds that the podcast has become a form of therapy for her - not only as a woman of color, but as a woman in general. Being the sole female co-host of her podcast, she uses that platform to uplift and comfort other women because she knows what it’s like to feel lonely.
One issue she particularly enjoys speaking about is infertility. Speaking candidly about her own journey towards having kids, she explains that talking about your personal struggles in any capacity is important.
“If I don’t talk about, then nobody’s going to hear it...if nobody hears it, they’re going to be on infertility island alone. And I want people to know - women specifically - that [they’re] not alone.”