The First Gen Madrina | Podcast Guru

Details

The First Gen Madrina is a podcast for social work students and professionals who are ready to build a career that doesn't cost them their peace. Hosted by Sara Diaz, LCSW, this show blends real talk with practical tools for anyone navigating this field. Each episode digs into the parts of social work that grad school never prepared you for: burnout that gets treated like a personal failing instead of a systemic issue, the guilt that comes with setting boundaries, advocating for fair pay in a field that expects you to sacrifice for it, and the quiet grief of being "the first" to do any of this. Sara brings her own story as a first-gen Latina and licensed clinical social worker into every conversation, along with guests who understand what it's like to hold space for everyone else while trying to figure out who's holding space for you. Whether you're still in your MSW program or years into practice, this is your reminder that rest isn't a reward you have to earn, ambition and burnout aren't the same thing, and you don't have to do this alone. Welcome to the familia.

Recent Episodes

E134 Are You Really Burned Out?

Every year, another cohort of social workers leaves the field, and every year, the field calls it burnout like it's a personal failing. In this season premiere of The First Gen Madrina Podcast, Sara asks a different question: are people leaving because they're burned out, or because the support was never there to begin with? This episode reframes burnout as a systems issue and not a personal one. We are talking about unpacking unsustainable caseloads, no clinical supervision, pay that doesn't...

12 MIN

E133 Why Are There Few Male Social Workers? with Michael Avila, LCSW

In this episode of The First Gen Madrina Podcast, Sara sits down with Michael Avila, a first-gen Latino therapist and founder of BrightMinds Therapy, to talk about what it's really like being one of the only men in the room in a field dominated by women. Michael opens up about growing up as a first-gen kid navigating anger, identity, and machismo, and how mentorship helped him find his way to social work. Together, he and Sara dig into the double stigma men of color face entering the mental h...

29 MIN

E132 How to Create More Representation in Social Work with Sara

In this episode of The First Gen Madrina Podcast, we're tackling a topic that doesn't get enough attention in social work and mental health: representation. We break down the lack of male representation in social work, therapy, and other helping professions. We also talk about why diversity in social work matters beyond gender including the need for more men of color, LGBTQ+ clinicians, and non-binary and gender non-conforming professionals in mental health spaces. Representation isn't just a...

15 MIN

Bonus Episode: Surprise Update About The Podcast

For the first time since launching The First Gen Madrina Podcast, I'm pulling back the curtain on a decision that's been months in the making. Growth doesn't always mean starting over. Sometimes it means getting clearer about the impact you're meant to make. In this episode, I'm sharing a personal update that reflects where this journey is headed, why this next chapter feels so important, and how it will create more intentional conversations for our community moving forward. Whether you've be...

9 MIN

E131 How to Redefine Success On Your Own Terms with Melissa Gallardo

What does success look like when the version you were taught no longer feels aligned? In this episode, Sara sits down with Melissa Gallardo, founder and CEO of Valorosa Candles, a culturally inspired home fragrance brand rooted in Latin traditions, identity, and belonging. Together, they explore what it means to grow up first generation while navigating assimilation, identity, and the pressure to fit into definitions of success that were never fully our own. Melissa shares how growing up as a...

39 MIN