Growing Up Spanglish

In this powerful episode of Growing Up Spanglish, we sit down with Panamanian-Haitian creative strategist and wellness founder Cristina “Cris” Jerome (@cristinaashly_) for a conversation that bridges culture, burnout, and the radical act of rest. From her no sabo kid upbringing in Virginia to building community in Miami, launching the beloved RnBae showcase, and now leading the mental health nonprofit Off-Worque, Cristina walks us through what it means to burn out, break down, and still find the strength to heal — for yourself and your family. If you’ve ever felt pressure to hustle harder, prove your worth, or ignore your body’s cries for rest, this one’s for you. *This episode contains a discussion of suicidal ideation and mental health struggles beginning around the 35:00 mark. Please take care of yourself while listening, and skip this section if needed. If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available: 988lifeline.org or dial 988 for 24/7 support in the U.S. ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 – Intro + Word of the Day: Entre (Between) 02:00 – Cristina’s background: Panamanian-Haitian & proud no sabo baddie 04:00 – Growing up in Virginia: Little Panama at home, Southern outside 07:00 – Moving to Miami and finally feeling embraced 09:00 – Breaking into Power 96 & the early days of social media 12:00 – From digital marketing to Slip N Slide Records 15:00 – Founding RnBae: a show for R&B artists, not rappers 18:00 – Creating community while building a brand 21:00 – Branding RnBae: flower crowns, drinks, and discipline 23:00 – Artist compensation, ticket links & structure 26:00 – The pandemic hits: Cristina tries to expand to LA 27:00 – Burnout, backlash & pulling the plug on RnBae 30:00 – Jumping industries and chasing everything at full speed 33:00 – “If I kept going like this, I wouldn’t exist.” 35:00 – Early childhood mental health moment (TW: suicidal ideation) 39:00 – Why rest feels wrong in Black & Brown homes 41:00 – Founding Off-Worque: rest as resistance, PTO as a tool 43:00 – Creating the Out of Office Fund 45:00 – Do you really want that goal — or did someone assign it to you? 47:00 – Why she quit marketing — and started healing 49:00 – Helping her parents learn to rest, too 51:00 – Cultural pressure: No kids? Not married? You’re “behind” 53:00 – Her first trip to Panama: connecting a missing puzzle piece 55:00 – Healing through land, ancestry & legacy 57:00 – Cookie tin test: certified Panamanian ✅ 58:30 – Final reflection: take inventory of your goals — and take one off the list 🎧 Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple & everywhere you get podcasts 🌐 Learn more or donate to the Out of Office Fund: offworque.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re back with Part 2 of our conversation with Dominicana, entrepreneur, and mother Ashley Flete — and this time, we’re talking about strength, purpose, and doing it scared. Ashley walks us through her career journey, from working as a news anchor to suing her former employer in a class action lawsuit — and how that moment of risk opened the door for so many others. We also get into spiritual growth, being used as a vessel, her connection to FAMU, and what “redefining strength” really means. This one will leave you empowered, emotional, and feeling like healing really is possible. 🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple & YouTube. ⸻ ⏱️ Timestamps for Part 2 00:00 – Welcome back (Part 2) 01:00 – From anchor desk to lash tech: career pivots and identity 04:00 – Losing the job, filing the lawsuit, finding her voice 07:00 – “God used me as a vessel” — speaking up & getting red-flagged 09:00 – Lessons from the industry: contracts, self-worth, and trusting timing 11:00 – Teaching advocacy through example 12:00 – Redefining strength for the next generation 15:00 – The FAMU effect: choosing an HBCU as a Dominicana 18:00 – Divine timing, Will Packer, and God’s alignment 20:00 – Spiritual awakening through motherhood 23:00 – “Why am I worried when God got me?” 26:00 – Making space for faith to work 29:00 – Stop praying the same prayer if you already gave it to God 30:00 – Religion vs spirituality 31:00 – Cookie break! Selena Gomez’s horchata Oreos 😂 35:00 – Reflections, gratitude, and feeling light after the conversation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Growing Up Spanglish, we’re joined by Dominican-American media host, marketing coordinator, FAMU grad, and proud mama Ashley Flete for the first of a two-part conversation about parenting, boundaries, and healing out loud. Ashley grew up in a traditional Hispanic household — old-school values, tight-knit family, summers in DR. But now as a mother, she’s raising her daughter with more intention, more emotional safety, and a different kind of love. In Part 1, we talk about: Choosing not to rush into marriage for tradition’s sake Reparenting yourself while raising your kid Saying no to old expectations — even from your own family Teaching your child to feel, speak up, and set boundaries And redefining what respect looks like in a modern Latino family Whether you’re a parent, a cycle breaker, or healing your inner child — this one’s for you. 🎧 Listen now and come back next week for Part 2. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Word of the Day: Criar (to raise) 02:00 – Meet Ashley: Dominicana, mama, FAMU grad, creative 04:00 – Growing up with both sets of grandparents & big family values 06:00 – What generational commitment looks like through Ashley’s eyes 10:00 – When you realize your parents were hurting too 11:00 – Rejecting the pressure to marry just because you’re pregnant 13:00 – Breaking cycles + earning your parents’ respect as an adult 18:00 – Parenting with intention: how Ashley parents her 6-year-old differently 24:00 – Boundaries, being seen, and asking: “Do you still love me if I stop playing the role?” 27:00 – From people-pleasing to self-rediscovery 30:00 – Teaching her daughter consent, emotional processing, and critical thinking 33:00 – Passing on Dominican culture: food, dance, and summer trips to DR 36:00 – The “grandparent effect” – how they’re softer with grandkids 39:00 – Addressing mental health + the guilt of healing when they didn’t get to 46:00 – “Your ceiling is your kid’s floor”: rethinking generational privilege 50:00 – Do I owe my parents a seat at the table? 53:00 – Learning to say: I love you, and this still hurt me. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part 2 of our conversation with Peruvian-American singer Marcel Ledoux, we explore music, identity, and the pressure to be culturally “authentic.” Marcel opens up about his artistic evolution, the tension between creativity and belonging, and what it means to reconnect with your heritage — even if you didn’t grow up speaking the language. 🎙️ We talk Drake, Bad Bunny, NSYNC, the power of vulnerability, and Marcel’s upcoming music project — built around identity, healing, and real-life emotions. ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Previously on Growing Up Spanglish… 01:00 – Optimism bias & the illusion of safety 02:00 – A Black men’s book club, sparked by his son 03:00 – Why Bad Bunny feels authentic (and Drake doesn’t) 06:30 – What it means to “plant your flag” for your people 08:00 – Genre-hopping vs. cultural ownership 09:00 – Is Drake just playing a role? 10:30 – Take Care, vulnerability, and the “cool guy” shift 13:00 – Genre rules: why hip hop doesn’t get grace 14:00 – Shaboozey, cowboys & country rap 15:00 – When the music doesn’t match the story 16:00 – Can artists still evolve and be real? 17:30 – Artists who changed the game: GOAT talk 20:00 – Why authenticity always wins 21:00 – Marcel’s own musical evolution 24:30 – Happy-sad music & resisting the industry “product” 26:30 – Writing through depression: “Everything’s Fine” 29:00 – Why Marcel struggles with the “product” of being an artist 30:00 – Paying homage vs. crossing a cultural line 31:00 – The moment he was given “permission” to claim his Peruvian identity 34:00 – Roxy’s final words: This is your green light to explore your heritage 🎧 Part 1 is live now — go back and listen if you missed it! 👇 Like, rate & share if this episode spoke to you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marcel Ledoux joins Roxy and Kovi to talk about growing up Peruvian-American, feeling disconnected from his culture, and the identity crisis that shaped his life. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, we explore what it means to feel like an outsider in your own culture, how therapy sparked a healing journey, and why reclaiming identity isn’t always simple. Timestamps: 00:00 – Word of the Day: “Pertenencia” 01:50 – Can you be Hispanic and not feel like it? 03:10 – Marcel’s disconnect from his culture 05:20 – Cultural guilt and white-passing privilege 09:00 – Connecting to Peruvian roots through food 10:30 – Visiting Peru… someday 13:00 – Living in the past, present, or future? 17:30 – Regret, therapy, and father wounds 22:00 – Talking through trauma with family 24:30 – Releasing expectations of parents 28:50 – Seeing your parents as people 34:45 – Gender roles and emotional vulnerability in men 41:00 – Liking your partner vs. just loving them 45:00 – Loneliness, community, and the fear of being forgotten 48:00 – Divide within the Hispanic community 49:30 – Black and Hispanic solidarity: the tension and the truth 54:00 – If it can happen to them, it can happen to you 57:00 – Why community matters more than ever 🎙️ Part 2 drops next week — subscribe so you don’t miss it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices