It’s 2022 and yes we’re still dealing with taco tropes, Latino stereotypes & pendejadas. But in between all that hot mess, we still have lots of tacos to enjoy. Today we’ll tackle some of the highlights and low lights of 2022 with Ultima Palabra with special guests from the Taconet, Lucy Flores from Luz Media and Junior Taco Correspondent, Samuel Franco.
podcast
Texas Standard: October 20, 2022
The Texas Secretary of State says inspectors will be sent to Harris county polling sites, citing breaches of election management in 2020. A Harris county official calls the timing of the letter suspicious. We’ll hear more. Also science fiction is now science fact, and big business, too. We’ll look at Texas’ role in the artificial intelligence boom. And after Hurricane Ian the ripple effects reaching the Texas citrus industry. Plus the Texas podcaster preserving some spooky storytelling traditions. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:
Taco Gentrification
In Austin, East of IH-35 is considered the great divide, from the wealthy and the poor, the whites and Black and Latino communities. With Austin’s growth and gentrification comes even more displacement. You can literally experience it through the city’s tacos, where you can buy tacos for $2.00 at one location and $9.00 at another, all within 5 blocks of each other! In this episode, we’ll explore Taco Gentrification and how it impacts taqueros and the communities we live in. We will take a taco tour of the east Cesar Chavez and 7th Street and also hop over to East Riverside, a place of dos mundos where one side of the street is home to immigrants and families while the other side is inhabited by millenials and new condo dwellers. Guests include Regina Estrada from Joe’s Bakery & Mexican Restaurant, Mincho Jacob from BASTA Austin and Samuel Franco, East Riverside resident and advocate.
Las Jefecitas: using comida to sustain immigrant households.
Many immigrants have leveraged the delicious cuisines of their países as a means of income and work when they first arrive in the United States. Even before setting up a taco truck or even a brick and mortar, we see vendedoras earning their income by selling tacos out of their hieleritas in grocery store parking lots or wherever they know they’ll find foot traffic. In this episode we explore what motivates these women to leave their kitchens and go out into these parking lots. We discuss these informal economies and how they look in today’s digital age. We also spend time at La Mujer Obrera and Cafe Mayapán to see how the organization supports immigrant and indigenous women by training and employing them.
Decolonizing Maíz
Corn is the most important crop of the Americas. It sustained the Western Hemisphere for centuries, and with the colonization of its lands, came the colonization of corn. In the past century, corn went from maíz production to mass production, with companies modifying it and depleting it of its natural riches. In this episode we rally with masa makers on a journey to reconnect our comunidades with the nutrients and flavors of the superfood in a more pure form than the mass-produced maseca, with which many of us are familiar. We talk to Andres Garza, now Nixta Taqueria’s Director of Masa Development and Fermentation, Olivia Lopez, chef and co-owner of Molino Olōyō in Dallas, Texas, and Julian Maltby of Mercado Sin Nombre in Austin, TX about decolonizing the once magical maiz and the many shapes of tacos being made with their corn tortillas.
Politi-tacos: The Politics of Tacos
As some politicians take more notice of the voting power of the communidad Latina, we see our cultura make its way into campaign slogans, hear Spanish being spoken from debate podiums, and even Tacos being used as an effort to rally up support! While some taco tactics may just be lip service, others have made sincere connections with the communities they go into. In this episode we talk tacos and politics with Councilmember Vanessa Fuentes, AISD Trustee Ofelia Zapata and Jilma Palacio from Taqueria King as we get to know the Dove Springs neighborhood in Austin, Texas.
Cabrito y Familia: Rebecca’s Mexican Restaurant
The tradition of cooking cabrito goes back centuries. For Rebecca’s Mexican Restaurant, in McAllen, Texas, it goes back over 30 years, for a mother and her two daughters. In this episode we stop by this G.O.A.T. of a restaurant and talk cabrito traditions of the RGV with both hijas, Jessica Gutierrez and Laurie Johnson and some fellow taco-loving customers at the restaurant.
Vitamina T
Don’t forget to take your Vitamin T! That’s T for Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales. In this episode, taco journalist Mando Rayo and bilingual educator Suzanne Garcia-Mateus sit down and browse through the spanglish children’s book that they co-wrote called Vitamina T for Tacos. They connect over their shared experiences of growing up bilingual and speaking spanglish and how that motivated them to write a book that represented the complex culture that they didn’t see in children’s books when they were growing up.
Trailer: Tacos of Texas Season Dos
Let’s talk tacos with Mando Rayo, Taco Journalist and the co-creator of United Tacos of America TV Show & Tacos of Texas book and PBS digital series.
As an avid taco ambassador, food explorer and street ethnographer, Mando has traveled across the U.S. to uncover the tastiest tacos, from the Rio Grande Valley in Texas to L.A. and New Orleans to New York City. And we’re keeping the conversation front and center through the Tacos of Texas podcast Season Two.
Keeping it true to our TacoJournalist roots, we’ll talk to Texas taqueros, tortilleras & makers; we’ll also explore food cultures & people while exploring issues like Taco Beats, Taco Identity, Smoked Beef Barbacoa, Taco Gentrification and of course, we’ll keep it muy caliente with our “sound of tacos” and “where taqueros eat” segments by people across the great state of Texas.
Texas Standard: May 9, 2022
Texans overwhelming approved two constitutional amendments promising some tax relief. So what happens now? We’ll take a look. We’ll also dive deep into one Dallas neighborhood for some understanding of the challenges facing lower-income renters everywhere. And the head of the state’s juvenile justice department resigned just over a week ago. Why the timing has some advocates worried. Plus eyes are on an annual celebration in Russia this year, we’ll have what a Texas-based expert is watching for. And Lockhart, Texas is synonymous with BBQ, but it’s a veggie-growing enterprise there that’s caught our attention. We took a trip to find out why what’s going on there is so cutting edge. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Night Moves – Vulnerable Hours
This week we hear part 2 of our first 3 part episode! Same confession, new song!
Minneapolis indie rockers, Night Moves, take their turn transforming this fun story into a dreamy reflection on modern dating.
Listen to Song Confessional every Thursday at KUTX.org and anywhere else you listen to podcasts.
Alesia Lani – Fool For You
This week we hear a woman’s nationally newsworthy proposal gone just a bit awry.
Austin based R&B powerhouse Alesia Lani turns this romantic mishap into a soulful pop anthem reminding us what it feels like to fall in love.
You’ll hear Walker and Alesia talk about their love lives and how she mixed in her own experiences to create this bop!
Don’t miss Song Confessional every Thursday at KUTX.org and anywhere else you listen to podcasts.
Bonus! Gina Chavez and Joe Greenwald at ACL Music Festival
Miles Bloxson speaks to Latin Grammy nominee Gina Chavez and artist manager Joe Greenwald at Austin City Limits Music Festival back in October of 2021. They talk about navigating the pandemic and issues facing the Austin music scene.
Freddie Gibbs vs Dr. Umar?
This week on The Breaks:
- Confucius is out so Fresh talks about the proposed boxing match between Freddie Gibbs and Dr. Umar Johnson.
- Fresh explores his thoughts about Rory and Mal, formerly of the Joe Budden podcast, getting a deal for $10 million dollars to start their own podcast.
- In this week’s installment of Hip-Hop Facts you’ll learn interesting tidbits about the recording of UGK’s “Ridin’ Dirty,” Curren$y and Lil Wayne’s relationship and UGK’s history with Jay-Z.
- In his Unpopular Opinion Fresh explains why he thinks that the Lakers won’t win the championship this year.
You can hear the latest full broadcast of The Breaks Saturday night show.
The Breaks Live at ACL Fest 2021
This week on the Breaks:
- Confucius and Fresh were out at the Austin City Limits Festival for weekend 2. You’ll hear their interviews with Austin artists Mike Melinoe and Sheila, recorded live at the ACLfest Bonus Tracks stage.
- In this week’s installment of Hip-Hop Facts, you’ll hear about the surprising connection between Megan Thee Stallion and Q-tip, how 50 Cent passed on Freddy Gibbs, Aaliyah’s intro to 4 page letter, how Rick James felt about MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This,” the story of Prince and Michael Jackson’s Bad and more.
- Confucius and Fresh discuss OG Ron C’s assertion that DJ Screw didn’t actually chop and screw beats.
- Fresh puts forth the Unpopular Opinion that Texas Hip-Hop deserves more appreciation than it is currently getting and should get its flowers now!
- In his Confucius Says segment Confucius says that even though he’s been a fan of comedian Dave Chappelle he thinks the comedian needs to shut the hell up.
You can hear the latest full broadcast of The Breaks Saturday night show.
Texas Standard: August 11, 2021
ICU bed capacity is slim to none in most parts of the state. What that means on a practical level and why adding more beds isn’t really the solution. And as COVID-19 cases continue to surge across the state, the messages about the protection of getting vaccinated and wearing masks continue. But do we need to change what we’re saying or how we’re saying it? And how safe is it to go to a concert right now? Musicians and venues weigh the risks. Plus we’ll take a closer look the infrastructure bill in Washington and how much money could come to Texas. And we’ll examine national identity and sports as we talk with a Texan who competed at the Olympics under the Puerto Rican flag. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Respect Nicki Minaj!
This week on The Breaks:
- Fresh is out, so host Confucius Jones explores the legacy of Nicki Minaj after the re-release of her 2009 mixtape “Beam Me Up Scotty.”
- This week’s installment of Random Hip-Hop facts centers around LL Cool J and Jay-Z after the announcement that both of them will be inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.
- Confucius talks about Future’s recent jab at his ex Lori Harvey on 42 Dugg’s song “Maybach, and proclaims that Future complains about women more than Drake does.
- In his Confucius Says segment Confucius acknowledges that the odds are stacked against Black and Brown Austinites, but still encourages them to do the work to fix the problems they see around them, even when it’s hard.
You can hear the latest full broadcast of The Breaks Saturday night show.
Music and Activism with Jonathan “Chaka” Mahone
Jonathan “Chaka” Mahone from the Austin hip-hop duo Riders Against the Storm talks about how his experience as a Black musician in the Austin music community led him to create the DAWA Fund and the Black Live Music Fund. He also explains why his music is the reason he is able to continue to serve the community he loves.
Links:
To Support the Black Live Music Fund
Black Live Music Fund – “Thankful” Live Stream Event February 19th
Nelly vs St. Lunatics
In this episode of The Breaks
- Hosts Confucius and Fresh talk about the recent dispute between Nelly and Ali from St. Lunatics.
- Both hosts talk about why they think Pooh Shiesty and Flo Milly will be two of the breakout stars of 2021.
- In this week’s installment of Random Hip-Hop Facts you’ll learn things you might not have known about Lil’ Wayne, Warren G, Outkast and more.
- Fresh states the Unpopular Opinion that Prince was intimidated by Michael Jackson.
- In his Confucius Says segment, Confucius encourages listeners not to lose touch with who they are, even in the midst the pandemic.
Listen on The Apple Podcasts App, Spotify or Stitcher
The Breaks are on every Saturday 10pm-1am on KUTX 98.9.
You can hear the latest full broadcast of The Breaks Saturday night show.
Biography
We may think we understand history from the classes we took in school. Yet, there is so much more to the events and the players than we memorized in class. In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about how biographies add a missing dimension to the psychology of history.