Cafe con Pam

This week, Pam gets real about how hard it is to set boundaries with family when our culture tells us those boundaries shouldn’t exist. Instead of blaming ourselves for feeling guilty or overwhelmed, she points out how these pressures are part of a bigger system—a system that expects us to always show up, even if it means erasing parts of who we are. This is an honest look at how we can start to p...

In this episode of Cafe con Pam, Pam notices how true freedom feels different when you’ve had to build it for yourself—especially when you grow up balancing family expectations, cultural traditions, and new systems in a new country.  Emilia Huerta-Sanchez shares what it’s like to find independence as a first-gen Mexican immigrant, navigate old-school ideas of respect and silence, and eventually de...

In this solo episode of Cafe con Pam, Pam gets real about why so many first-gen Latinas feel like they have a “confidence problem”—and flips the script by calling out what it really is: an instruction problem. Through her own stories of navigating life in the U.S., writing essays without a roadmap, and learning from the women in her family who always cooked “al tanteo” (by feel), Pam shows how mos...

On this week's episode of Cafe con Pam Zaena Zamora, executive director of Frontera Fund, dig into the critical fight for reproductive justice. Zaena shares her experiences on the frontlines in South Texas, where systemic barriers and aggressive laws challenge access to healthcare. Discover how border politics uniquely impact communities and why small, resilient actions can lead to significant cha...

This week's episode of Cafe con Pam iss a solo deep dive into what makes leadership feel out of sync, even when everything looks perfect on paper. Centered around first-gen experiences and eldest daughter realities, the episode breaks down why feeling disconnected isn’t a leadership fail—it’s a nervous system story. With real-life client moments, and practical somatic tips, you'll learn how to mov...

In this episode of Cafe con Pam, Pam sit down with Neha Shah, a former engineer turned nutritionist, to explore the intersection of heritage, immigrant experience, and traditional nutrition. Neha shares her journey from India to the United States, the challenges she faced adapting to Western food systems, and how returning to her roots in Indian traditional cooking transformed her health. The conv...

In this solo episode of Cafe con Pam, Pam dives deep into the often unnamed feeling experienced by high-achieving first-gen leaders: the "certainty gap." —that weird in-between space where your mind knows you’ve made it, but you don’t feel it yet. With plenty of honest personal stories and super practical tips (like mechanical tapping!), Pam helps you figure out how to move through those tough emo...

In honor of Mental Health Month, this episode of Cafe con Pam gets extra honest and vulnerable. Pam welcomes actress and writer Valeria Maldonado Jackson for a deep dive into what mental health really looks like behind the scenes—especially for Latinas and creatives. Valeria shares her personal experiences with depression, the rollercoaster of emotions after big achievements, and how she uses both...

What no one says out loud on Mother's Day weekend, about the women who held us, the ones who didn't, and the thread we're left to weave. Here is the Mother's Day tapping sequence we promised during the episode.   Thank you to Savvy Ladies for supporting Cafe con Pam. Savvy Ladies is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping women take control of their financial future. Check out their free fi...

In this heartfelt episode of Cafe con Pam, Pam sits down with Dr. Christine Coleman to discuss her powerful journey navigating a dual Mexican-Iranian heritage, her experiences with grief and anticipatory loss, and building resilience as a therapist, mother, and founder of Sol Sisters nonprofit. Together, they unpack the psychological impacts of identity, the challenges and liberation of late-diagn...

In this episode of Cafe con Pam, Pam goes solo to break down what keeps so many of us holding back: the visibility wound and the certainty gap. Pam gets real about how these two “sisters” show up for women—especially women of color—at work and beyond. You’ll walk away with practical tips, a simple body-based exercise, and a reminder that you don’t have to wait for permission to show up fully as yo...

On this episode of Cafe con Pam, Pam chats with Edna Mariñelarena, a powerhouse in finance with deep roots in Chihuahua, Mexico. Edna opens up about what it’s like growing up as a first-generation Latina in the U.S., how she became the family “financial floor,” and the emotional rollercoaster of supporting loved ones while building her own career. The conversation dives into why financial literacy...

In this solo episode of Cafe con Pam, Pam kicks off quarter two with an empowering deep dive into the concept of "rooted authority" for first-generation Latina leaders. Using real survey responses and her own career stories, Pam breaks down the four roots Latinas have been quietly building: translating, managing without authority, caring for everyone, and surviving visibility in spaces not made fo...

On this episode of Cafe con Pam, Pam chats with Alexis Evans—aka the “Contract Queen”—about how she made the jump from corporate life to landing multi-million dollar government contracts and building her own business empire in Florida. Alexis opens up about what it’s really like being a Black woman working in construction and government spaces, the big misconceptions about contracting, and why net...

In this solo episode of Cafe con Pam, Pam addresses the recent revelations from civil rights icon Dolores Huerta, who at 95 came forward to disclose Cesar Chavez’s sexual assault against her in the 1960s. With honesty and heart, Pam unpacks what Huerta’s story means for the Latinx community, the heavy silence so many women carry, and the complicated feelings that come when a cultural hero lets us...

On this episode of Café con Pam, Pam sits down with Sahirenys Pierce, a powerhouse financial educator and the mind behind the High Five Banking Method. Sahirenys opens up about her experience growing up as a first-gen Dominican-American in San Diego, going through her family’s financial ups and downs during the 2008 recession, and how it pushed her to create new money habits (and eventually, her o...

In this solo episode of Café con Pam, Pam talks about what it actually means to feel certain—and why so many first-gen Latinas constantly feel like they're not enough for any room. We break down the difference between confidence (which we can fake) and certainty (which has to come from deep within), and shares why Calladita Culture was stealing our sense of wholeness before we even noticed. If you...

This week on Cafe con Pam, Pam sits down with the incredible Cindy Chavez Swenson—a Mexican-American PhD, educator, and founder behind the Rosca app. They dive into Cindy’s journey growing up as the child of Mexican immigrants, what it’s like being overlooked (and underestimated) in both academia and tech, and how her family’s values inspired her to create a fintech app that actually serves Latino...

Ready to shake things up this spring? In this episode of Cafe con Pam, Pam tackles what the new season means for first-gen Latinas, especially those who've been running on survival mode. She revisits the five Calladita Culture leadership archetypes and shares simple, practical spring activation tips you can try right away—no matter which archetype you relate to. If you've been wondering how to mov...

This week on Cafe con Pam, Pam sits down with scholars Petra Rivera-Rideau and Vanessa Díaz to dive into all things Bad Bunny, Puerto Rico, and what it really means to be Latinas in academia. The episode is equal parts inspiring and real as they open up about the struggles (and joys!) of being underrepresented in their field, how teaching a college class about Bad Bunny grew into a book, and why t...

In this solo episode of Café con Pam, Pam explores the complex relationship between rest, productivity, and leadership for first-generation Latinas and women navigating Calladita Culture. Drawing from her own experiences, client stories, and years of coaching, Pam unpacks why our bodies can interpret rest as unsafe, how cultural and generational patterns inform our nervous systems, and what it tru...

In this episode of Cafe con Pam, Pam sits down with Ana Yáñez-Correa, Ph. D for an honest, moving conversation about her journey from Mexico to the US, childhood challenges, and finding freedom by reconnecting with her roots. Ana shares what it was like surviving work trafficking as a kid, how she hustled her way through school and work, and eventually burned out—only to learn how to put herself f...

In this solo episode of Cafe con Pam, Pam gets real about those tough moments when you just don’t know what to do next—especially when everything in the world feels heavy. Pam opens up about what it means to rest with intention and reminds us that taking care of ourselves isn’t selfish, it’s actually revolutionary. We weave in wisdom from Audre Lorde, Gloria Anzaldúa, Ana Castillo, and introduce D...

In this episode of Cafe con Pam, Pam welcomes breathwork expert and coach Ana Lilia for a heartfelt conversation about healing, personal growth, and breaking generational cycles. Ana Lilia shares her story of growing up as a first-generation Mexican-American in Napa, navigating family expectations, and stepping boldly into independence and self-discovery. They tap into the challenges of being the...

In this episode of Cafe con Pam, Pam gets real about why typical manifestation advice just doesn’t cut it for first-gen Latinas and anyone navigating “Calladita culture.” She breaks down the actual science behind why just dreaming about your goals isn’t enough—plus, she shows how the brain’s reticular activating system (RAS) decides what opportunities you see (or don’t!). Pam shares her favorite m...