Dreaming Big | Working Hard

What does a California State Assemblymember actually do when they aren’t voting on bills in Sacramento? In this episode of Dreaming Big Working Hard,  David Alvarez flips the script and sits down with his own front-line team: District Field Representatives Liliana Barba and Ernesto Castañeda. Discover the hidden half of government service that changes lives day-to-day right here...

How do we build trust in communities where it has been tested for decades? Join David Alvarez for a powerful conversation with retired SDPD Officer Carlos Lacarra, a man who spent 31 years—nearly 23 of them in South San Diego—redefining what it means to protect and serve. In this episode of Dreaming Big | Working Hard, Carlos shares his journey from being the son of Mexican immigrants...

The "Dreaming Big Working Hard" podcast welcomes a true global icon: Don Miguel Ruiz. In this deeply personal conversation, the author of The Four Agreements sits down with David Alvarez to share the incredible story of his three hearts—literally. From his early days as a surgeon to surviving a near-fatal heart attack and undergoing two heart transplants, Don Miguel explains how these crises...

What is a food co-op and how does it work? Can a community really build its own grocery store? In this episode of Dreaming Big Working Hard, we sit down with Kim Rivero Frank to share the inspiring real story behind a community-owned grocery store built from the ground up. After becoming a food desert with no full-service grocery store, residents came together to launch Suncoast Market Co-op &mdas...

What does it really take to change your life after prison? In this powerful episode of Dreaming Big. Working Hard., host David Alvarez sits down with Dr. Alberto “Beto” Vasquez, whose life journey defies every statistic. Raised in Barrio Logan, incarcerated as a teenager, and cycling through the prison system throughout his early adulthood, Beto’s story could have ended there &md...

As the holiday season invites reflection, family, and hope, this special episode of Dreaming Big, Working Hard asks a deeper question: what does faith really look like when times are hard? David Alvarez sits down with Father Scott Santarosa, SJ, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Barrio Logan, for a powerful conversation about faith, immigration, and human dignity at the border. While many...

In this powerful episode of Dreaming Big Working Hard, Assemblymember David Alvarez sits down with Casey Castillo, CEO of the San Diego Food Bank, to expose the real face of hunger in San Diego — a crisis affecting 848,000 people, including teachers, seniors, nurses, military families, and children. Casey reveals what hunger actually looks like today, why 1 in 4 San Diegans can’t relia...

In this episode of Dreaming Big, Working Hard, host David Alvarez sits down with three incredible first-generation college students from Southwestern College in San Diego. Hear their real stories of resilience, hope, and community as they navigate higher education — from immigrant beginnings and foster care to transferring to top universities like UC San Diego and San Francisco State. Discov...

For over three decades, Macedonio Arteaga has been using laughter as a weapon of empowerment. In this inspiring episode of Dreaming Big Working Hard , he shares how Chicano comedy, art, and storytelling became powerful tools to preserve culture, uplift youth, and spark social change. From humble beginnings to creating a movement, Macedonio opens up about the challenges, victories, and unforgettabl...

In this inspiring two-part conversation, Assemblymember David Alvarez sits down with Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval and Chico State President Steve Perez to explore the power of public higher education in California. From stories of immigrant families and farmworker roots to building world-class universities, they reflect on leadership, legacy, and the role of education...

In this episode of Dreaming Big Working Hard, host David Alvarez, sits down with former California Speaker Emeritus John A. Pérez and U.S. Consul General in Tijuana Christopher Teal to explore the powerful intersection of education, diplomacy, and economic opportunity between California and Mexico. From dual-degree programs to binational workforce development, this conve...

California’s housing crisis impacts everyone, from skyrocketing rents and long commutes to rising homelessness. In this episode, Assemblymember David Alvarez sits down with Shane Phillips, housing policy expert and author of The Affordable City, to break down the “Three S’s” every community needs for real solutions: supply, stability, and subsidy. They discuss why building...

Josie Talamantez , lifelong activist and founding member of the Chicano Park Steering Committee, joins Assemblymember David Alvarez to share the story of how Barrio Logan residents stopped bulldozers and reclaimed land for the community. From forming human chains in 1970 to protect Chicano Park, to creating the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center, Josie reflects on five decades of activism, pr...

In this episode, Assemblymember David Alvarez interviews Ulizes Sanchez, a firefighter at San Diego’s Station 12 and Vice President of Bomberos de San Diego . Ulizes shares his inspiring journey from Barrio Logan to public service, reflecting on representation in the fire department, the power of mentorship, and how his nonprofit is building safer, stronger communities through outreach, scho...

In the premiere episode of Dreaming Big Working Hard, California Assemblymember David Alvarez explores the transformative power of education—through policy, personal experience, and community leadership. Joined by his first guest and wife, Xochitl Alvarez, Director of Graduate Support at Nativity Prep Academy, the two reflect on their own journeys as first-generation college students and the...