In today’s episode of Tacos of Texas, we sit down with Reyna Vazquez, chef and co-founder of Veracruz All Natural to talk about her brand-new cookbook, Veracruz All Natural: Fresh Mexican Recipes from Our American Home. Reyna also shares her family’s journey, from crossing the border to the success of seven taco spots across Austin.
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Gina Hinojosa: The Texas Democrat using Latina Power to take down Abbott
In today’s episode of Tacos of Texas, we sit down with Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic nominee for Governor of Texas. Earlier this year, she ate tacos with former President Barack Obama & James Talarico. Today she’s discussing them with us. We’ll talk about what it means to run for governor as a Latina woman and her abuela’s sage advice that she still carries with her. Pull up a silla to our kitchen table.
Tacos of Texas is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org
Trailer: Tacos of Texas Season Seis Coming Soon
Season Six of the Tacos of Texas Podcast is taco journalism at its core: Host and Taco Journalist, Mando Rayo dives into twelve episodes spanning heavy stories—ICE fears, gentrification & Austin Taco History, Black Indigenous Mexicans, Gina Hinojosa taking on Abbott and conflict foods tied to a family detention center in South Texas; alongside muy rico conversations on halal tacos, three generations of women running a Baja-style trailer and finally asking the question everybody’s been afraid to: DID TACO BELL STEAL THE TACO? One taco at a time, we’re continuing to share the stories of Tejas.
Austin Community College continues free tuition program and staff raises despite lower revenue
Data center construction is booming in Texas, and though proponents say the industry stands to bring billions of dollars to the state’s economy, their rapid growth is under scrutiny from all sides of the political spectrum.
The Austin Community College Board of Trustees has approved a budget for the 2027 fiscal year that continues free a tuition program and staff raises despite lower revenue — but officials say they will need state legislators to approve new funding to be able to keep up with increased costs in the future.
The latest excerpt from the “After the Flood” podcast.
There’s lots more than World Cup watch parties happening this weekend in Austin: a roundup of the galleries and shows you don’t want to miss.
Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org
New podcast revisits the July 4 Hill Country flood aftermath
An important rethink of the state’s K-12 curriculum is on the drawing board in Austin. We’ll get up to speed on a week of contentious hearings now underway as the state board of education takes up a new statewide reading list featuring Bible passages and a reshape of the social studies curriculum.
One year after the deadly flooding in Texas’ Hill Country, a new podcast examines what happened last July and what’s changed in the months since.
Plus, scholar and storyteller W.F. Strong’s modest proposal to help those struggling with diphthongs and drawls: A phonetic alphabet for the Lone Star State?
Can desalination solve Texas’ water future?
As Texas copes with concerns about water, a small river agency near Corpus Christi makes plans to build the largest desalination plant in the country.
Pesticides used in the Rio Grande Valley may be the link to the large number of Parkinson’s patients in the region.
“The Last 12 Weeks,” a new podcast from The Marshall Project, offers a look behind the scenes at the effort to stop the execution of the El Paso man known as “The Desert Killer.”
And best-selling author Lauren Hough sets off from Austin with her dog on a cross-country road trip for her new book “Monster of a Land.”
New year, new do’s – and dont’s – of tacos
Taco journalist Mando Rayo shares how he feels diners can be more intentional with how they engage with the cuisine we all love.
The interview in this bonus episode of Tacos of Texas was originally aired on the Texas Standard in January, 2026.
Tacos of Texas is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org
If you found the reporting above valuable, please consider making a donation to support it here. Your gift helps pay for everything you find on texasstandard.org and KUT.org. Thanks for donating today.
Lamb Barbacoa at El Grandpa’s Mexican BBQ
Get in on the barbacoa craze that hit Grandpa’s Barbacoa. Find out how that slow cooked lamb barbacoa hits differently in an outdoor, above-ground Pozo.
If you’d like to support the Tacos of Texas podcast and other podcasts like it from KUT & KUTX in Austin, please visit supportthispodcast.org. Thank you for your support!
BLK ODYSSY: Connected To the Frequency
BLK ODYSSY talks about the darkness and reshaping the light, and offers his insight on connecting to the best frequency.
This is a live podcast taping recorded at the Vortex on October 16th, 2025.
(SPF 1000) Vampire Sunscreen is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can help make this podcast happen by donating at supportthispodcast.org.
Streaming Sucks: The good, the bad and the future of music platforms
We examine what streaming looks like now and what it could look like in the future. Walker Lukens explains how Song Confessional has found success with streaming. And Lauren Bruno talks about a possible alternative to streaming that she wants to build called Prosper XO.
Learn more about the Living Wage for Musicians Act.
Check out Prosper XO’s surveys
Let us know what you think about the future of streaming.
Pause/Play is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can help make this podcast happen by donating at supportthispodcast.org.
Navy destroyer headed to the southern border region
A U.S. Navy destroyer armed with tomahawk missiles enroute to the gulf waters off the coast of Texas. What’s this all about?
Investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy of The Texas Newsroom with word that the Texas government appears to be maintaining a list of people asking for information about changing the sex on their driver’s licenses. Who’s compiling this list and what is it being used for?
Five years after the declaration of a pandemic, what’s happened with vaccination rates?
And an AI service used by millions for free is about to go behind a paywall.
Plus, why Texas Monthly’s barbecue editor is busy making his list and checking it twice.
Richard J. Reddick
In this episode of Black Austin Matters, Lisa sits down with her co-host, Richard J. Reddick, to discuss his upbringing as an Air Force brat, his undergraduate experience at Harvard University, his journey as an educator, and the insights behind his book, Restorative Resistance in Higher Education: Leading in an Era of Racial Awakening and Reckoning.
Is a Jay-Z feature still worth it?
On this episode Fresh and Confucius discuss the difference between podcasting and radio and if a Jay-Z feature is still worth it to artists.
Trailer: (SPF 1000) Vampire Sunscreen
In (SPF 1000) Vampire Sunscreen host Laurie Gallardo simply asks one question of her guests: What is the darkness to you? Or, what is dark to you?
The season launches on Thursday, September 12th.
Don’t Austin My Lockhart: How Austin musicians seeking affordability are impacting surrounding towns
We’re looking at what happens to small towns like Lockhart when a bunch of Austin musicians seeking affordable places to live move there.
You’ll hear from musician Emily Gimble, musician and co-owner of Fiddler’s Green Jenn Miori Hodges, co-founders Courthouse Nights and Rach and Rhodes presents Rachel Lingvai and Will Rhodes, musician Pierson Saxon and founders of Duett’s in Martindale, Texas Ryan and Katie Grametbaur.
Bonus: Embodied — Making Music From Family Secrets
WAIT, WHAT! WHY? WHO?!
Thats right. Song Confessional was part of a live event with WUNC’s Embodied podcast. This episode features an interview with co-host Walker Lukens, a juicy confession from last years SX Sydney festival, and a song by Blue Cactus.
Vaqueros, Longhorns and Breakfast Tacos
Explore the origins of the cowboy and our favorite breakfast on a tortilla. Guests include Katie Gutierrez, author and writer and Miguel Cobos, co-owner of Vaquero Taquero.
How SXSW went from an Austin festival to an international experience
SXSW started in 1987 as a regional music festival in Austin. You’ll hear how it started and how it changed over the years from the perspectives of some of the musicians who’ve played it. You’ll also learn about what changed because of musician protests, what SXSW was like in Sydney, Australia, and what the festival might look like in the future.
Check out this flier from the first SXSW
Artist Interview: Golden Dawn Arkestra — “Orgy”
REET REET PETITE!!! Part 2 of our episode featuring Texas’s finest purveyors of world funk sex beat, Golden Dawn Arkestra, is here! In this interview with lead groove despot, Zapot, you’ll hear how he found enlightenment, five dollars, and a new lease on life by moving to Austin, Texas all those years ago.
We highly recommend listening to part one before diving into this interview.
Big thanks to Long Center for allowing us to gather this scandalous confession at our permanent booth.
Got a story you want to confess and maybe have it turned into a song? Join the Song Confessional mailing list to stay up to date on all of our latest episode, news, and the whereabouts of our confessional booth: https://songconfessional.com/connect.
Pause/Play is taking a quick break
There should be a new episode of Pause/Play this week. But, we got hit by a mix of travel, COVID, and unforeseen circumstances. So there’s no episode right now. But there will be in two weeks!
In the next episode, you’ll hear about the history of SXSW, and how it’s changed over the years.
And in the episode after that, you’ll hear about what happens when people leave Austin and start music scenes in towns around Austin.
We want to hear from you — do you live in a town close to Austin with a new thriving music scene or have you been to a show where you least expected to see live music? We’d love it if you would send us a voice memo about your experience!
You can leave a message at kutkutx.studio/contactpauseplay, email us at pauseplay@kut.org or you can leave us a message on Instagram — our handle is @pauseplaypod