100 Latina Birthdays

LWC Studios

An original documentary series from LWC Studios that investigates the health and lifetime outcomes of Latinas in the United States from birth to age 100. read less

Our Editor's Take

100 Latina Birthdays reports the experiences of Latinas in America. The podcast speaks to women across generations, navigating big and small milestones. While it focuses on people in Chicago, these stories resonate in communities nationwide. By revealing Latina's stories, the show tries to understand the future of the US economy. It explores the implications of caring about the health and wellness of Latinas.

The podcast also investigates the consequences of not doing so. By 2051, one in four women in the US will be Latina. Today, Latinas experience more than twice the poverty of non-Hispanic white women. Only one in three Latinas has enrolled in college at age 24. Latinas encounter higher rates of pregnancy and birth complications. They are more likely to have chronic illnesses like diabetes and obesity. This group also tends to live in neighborhoods with gun violence and COVID-19 spikes.

Approximately 30% of US Latinos are under 18. In its first season, 100 Latina Birthdays speaks about health topics that matter most to those in the first two decades of their lives. There are testimonials about pregnancy loss. One in three Latinas experience this issue. Discussions focus on kids going through early puberty and how to support them.

The podcast reporters explore how cultural food intersects with healthy eating. They investigate whether raising kids bilingual confuses them or benefits them. There are empowering stories of Latinas taking down barriers to health care. For instance, in cases where people were afraid to get vaccinated, the Latina staff talked to them about their own experiences.

100 Latina Birthdays discusses the ages 20 to 100 in later seasons. They report on topics like pregnancy, sexual health, menopause, and more. As with the first season, the hosts seek to explore ways to achieve equality in healthcare. They do so by revealing the many challenges Latinas encounter, one story at a time.

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Welcome to 100 Latina Birthdays

Welcome to 100 Latina Birthdays

The health and wellness of Latinas is crucial to the health and wellbeing of the U.S. economy. In 100 Latina Birthdays, an original documentary series from Peabody-nominated LWC Studios, reporters in Chicago investigate the health and lifetime outcomes of Latinas in the United States from birth to age 100. In season 1, the stories that unfold center Latinas during their perinatal journeys, childhood, adolescence, and up until age 20.Made possible by grants from Healthy Communities Foundation, Field Foundation, Woods Foundation, Pritzker Foundation, and Chicago Foundation for Women. Fiscal sponsor is Mujeres Latinas en Acción.For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays.Series premieres October 2.100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.

Episodes

Finding Community at a Predominantly White University

Finding Community at a Predominantly White University

Celiana Lopez, Gisselle Cambron, and Yami Rodriguez are three students at Loyola University Chicago. Attending a predominantly white institution, or PWI, has presented challenges to all three girls, but Celiana, Gisselle, and Yami have found joy and community in Lambda Theta Alpha, their Latina sorority, and in programs meant to support first generation and low income students like Loyola’s Achieving College Excellence program. In this episode, reporter Gina Castro meets the three friends and digs into what it’s like to be a Latina at a PWI. Researchers from the Latino Policy Forum also unpack new research about obstacles to Latinas’ success in college. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays. 100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.

Making Space for Queer Identity Through Art

Making Space for Queer Identity Through Art

Art has always been an important way for 20 year-old Kaelah Serrano to explore and express her queer identity. Born and raised on Chicago’s southwest side, Kaelah found an artistic home in Yollocalli Arts Reach, a nonprofit based in Little Village that provides arts, media, and storytelling education for young people—many of them Latinx—in Chicago. Yollocalli is an example of a crucial “third space”: a place separate from home and school where young people can socialize and learn. In this episode, reporter Grace Del Vecchio follows Kaelah’s journey of self-discovery and explores how schools can better serve their Latinx LGBTQ+ students. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays. 100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.

What Happens When We Adultify Our Children

What Happens When We Adultify Our Children

Dariana Urbina is just 17 years old, but she is responsible for far more than the average teenager. She takes care of her three younger siblings—budgeting, cooking and cleaning, and doing paperwork and translation for her parents, who work jobs with grueling hours. Dariana’s heightened burden of responsibility is an example of what experts call “adultification” or “parentification”, in which children are forced to take on the responsibilities of the adults, often due to their families’ socioeconomic status. In this episode, reporter Brenda Ordoñez unpacks adultification’s causes and mental health impacts on children, and what can be done to protect and celebrate families instead. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays. 100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.

Fighting For Safe Outdoor Play in Little Village

Fighting For Safe Outdoor Play in Little Village

Nine year-old Rosalia Gonzalez and her teammates love playing flag football through Beyond the Ball Girls, a Little Village organization that teaches children life skills through sports. Safe outdoor recreation is especially important to the families in Little Village, a predominantly Latino neighborhood in Chicago impacted by higher rates of gun violence and gang activity compared to much of the city. Little Village also faces high rates of environmental pollution as a result of a coal plant and Target distribution center in the area. In this episode, reporter Gina Castro investigates the intertwined issues facing the neighborhood, and meets the Little Village residents, activists, and community leaders working to make their neighborhood a safer place for children to play outdoors.For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays.100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.

How to Support Kids Going Through Early Puberty

How to Support Kids Going Through Early Puberty

Andrea Luna Oviedo got her period for the first time in fourth grade, a year before her school district typically began puberty education for its students. She was able to tackle this new phase of her life with the help of supportive family and friends, and her school district in Berwyn, IL began teaching puberty education to fourth graders the year after. In this episode, reporter Francesca Mathewes explores the increase in early puberty rates among most girls and some nonbinary and trans children, and unpacks the factors that could contribute to Latina girls experiencing early puberty at a higher rate than their white counterparts. Dr. Louise Greenspan, a pediatric oncologist, and health educators at Chicago Public Schools also explain how best to support children going through puberty earlier than their peers. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays. 100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.

Reframing Healthy Food and Healthy Bodies

Reframing Healthy Food and Healthy Bodies

For Latina parents like Melissa Huerta in Berwyn, IL, providing her children with food that reflects her Mexican upbringing is a priority. But this objective is complicated by the relative convenience of processed foods, and her 9-year-old daughter’s preference for spaghetti and meatballs. In this episode, reporter Julia Binswanger digs into the array of issues facing families looking to feed their children healthy and culturally significant foods, as well as the implications of new guidelines around childhood obesity. Leaders at organizations working to provide fresh produce and culturally specific food staples discuss their work in neighborhoods across Chicago, many of which are in food deserts. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays. 100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.

Why How We Deal with Peripartum Depression Matters

Why How We Deal with Peripartum Depression Matters

High school teacher Itzel Carranza always knew she wanted to have a child, but difficulties arose along the way: from trouble conceiving and gestational diabetes to an intense labor experience and trouble breastfeeding. The anxiety Itzel felt was exacerbated by a cold Chicago winter, and she says she experienced postpartum depression for three months. While she was never officially diagnosed–about half of those suffering from it ever are–Itzel’s experience illustrates the pressures new moms face to be successful in their new roles. In this episode, reporter Wendy Wei untangles the many physical and social factors that can contribute to this very common birth complication. And mental health workers and community healers share how Latinas can build the villages that can support them and their baby. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays. 100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.

A Pandemic Pregnancy Story

A Pandemic Pregnancy Story

Gina Ramirez learned she was pregnant in the fall of 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Unable to practice social distancing due to her job, she came down with the virus when she was just two months pregnant. Like many Latinos in her neighborhood of Brighton Park in southwest Chicago, she had to navigate the anxiety and insecurity of not knowing how her job would support her while sick or pregnant, or how the virus would impact her pregnancy. In this episode, reporter Francesca Mathewes revisits the crucial months that Latinos learned about the Covid-19 vaccine through the lens of Gina and her family. Local activists in Chicago shed light on the real fears and obstacles that fueled vaccine hesitancy, and illustrate how their focus on community health safeguarded the health and wellness of neighborhood residents and families like Gina’s. For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays. 100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.

Why We Must Talk About Pregnancy Loss

Why We Must Talk About Pregnancy Loss

Many of us think miscarriages are rare, but at least 1 in 3 Latinas in the U.S. experience them . Mayra Buitrón is a birth and bereavement doula in Chicago–a health worker who helps parents navigate the physical and emotional fall-out of pregnancy loss. She lost a pregnancy in the past, and experienced the shame and silence that makes it hard to talk about it openly; a stigma that has only increased with the crackdown on the use of abortion pills, a crucial miscarriage management tool. In this episode, reporter Leslie Hurtado accompanies Latina birth workers who themselves miscarried as they share the importance of seeking both physical and emotional care in the aftermath of pregnancy loss.For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays.100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.

The Myths and Gifts of Bilingualism in Babies

The Myths and Gifts of Bilingualism in Babies

New parents Wendy Miralda and José Paz are navigating the first year of their daughter Jelyani’s life, in Spanish. Language is key to their connection as a family and as Hondurans living in a predominantly Mexican neighborhood in Waukegan, Illinois. The Paz family never questioned teaching their baby Spanish. But many Latinos in the U.S. grapple with the misconception that doing so could delay their child learning English, or affect their development. There’s also the stigma Latinos face when they don’t teach their children Spanish. Reporter Andrea Flores dives into the research on infant brain development that supports bilingualism, and tackles the harmful misconceptions that divide U.S. Latinos along language lines.For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays.100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.

Welcome to 100 Latina Birthdays

Welcome to 100 Latina Birthdays

The health and wellness of Latinas is crucial to the health and wellbeing of the U.S. economy. In 100 Latina Birthdays, an original documentary series from Peabody-nominated LWC Studios, reporters in Chicago investigate the health and lifetime outcomes of Latinas in the United States from birth to age 100. In season 1, the stories that unfold center Latinas during their perinatal journeys, childhood, adolescence, and up until age 20.Made possible by grants from Healthy Communities Foundation, Field Foundation, Woods Foundation, Pritzker Foundation, and Chicago Foundation for Women. Fiscal sponsor is Mujeres Latinas en Acción.For more information, all episodes, and transcripts in English and Spanish visit us at 100latinabirthdays.com. Follow us on social media @100latinabirthdays.Series premieres October 2.100 Latina Birthdays is made possible by grants from the Healthy Communities Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago, the Field Foundation of Illinois, JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, and the Chicago Foundation for Women. Mujeres Latinas en Acción is the series' fiscal sponsor.