Perspectives with Lyzeth and Martina

Continuing the conversation, Carmen speaks to patient centered care and how electronic medical records are not as helpful as they could be due to antiquated systems. You will hear how medical insurances saved millions of dollars at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and about the hidden costs not shared with patients. Be curious about your healthcare, and the answers you find might surprise y...

Welcome Chicago’s own Carmen Vergara, who grew up in Little Village, and now serves as the COO of a well-known healthcare clinic. Trained as a nurse, Carmen discusses her education, and notes that “we stood out” when speaking of the five Latinx students in her cohort. You’ll hear her explain that based on bias, medical professionals will describe the behavior of their patients differently based on...

Tune in with Lyzeth and Martina as they wrap up conversations with Dr. Mejia. In the opening, we explore the Hispanic paradox and how food is playing a critical role in the high cases of chronic illnesses within the Black and Brown communities. As you listen to Dr. Mejia, you will feel his passion for education, particularly education on healthy eating and nutrition. You will hear how capitalism,...

Join us in welcoming Dr. Jairo Mejia, a Colombian born physician, who took a chance of a lifetime to move his family to a country he has now been in for 20 years. You will hear the real tales of his life as a resident at a well-known west side hospital, and how it was there that he received the “aha moment” that inspired him to continue working with marginalized communities. Now years later, Dr. M...

To wrap up the identity series, Lyzeth and Martina spend some time discussing faith, and its impact on the communities it serves, as it correlates to Sherida’s conversation. Listen to how politics has infiltrated the faith community. Politics often has a negative impact on faith, and this video explains why there should clearly be a separation of church and state. The video evolves to how we need...

In the wrap up, Lyzeth and Martina speak on how much they learned from the women in this dynamic series. Being a child of immigrant parents, Lyzeth resonated with hearing the importance of understanding where you come from in Grace and Sylvia’s stories. Identifies, and sometimes the lack thereof, play a critical role in the lives of POC. White supremacy has tried to negatively shape those identiti...

Lyzeth and Martina wrap up the conversation with Sherida focusing on faith. Within some South Side African American communities in Chicago, there are up to 100 churches, but where’s the impact? There are a lot of answers and there is a lot of division within the communities. Listen to Sherida’s approach on faith, and how faith is bigger than walking into a church on Sunday morning! Social Media Li...

Listen to Sherida, a Chicago native, with roots in the South, tell her story of identity. From an early age, Sherida’s focus has been on mentoring and fostering opportunities for women and girls of color. You’ll hear her speak on the importance of mentoring, and how “she’s not the typical professor”. Tune in to hear her journey of hope and empowerment! Social Media Links Instagram https://www.inst...

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"We didn’t cross the border, the border crossed us” - what a quote! Listen to Sylvia tell her impactful story of identity. From an early age, Sylvia began the journey of figuring out who she was, and where she belonged. She speaks of her parent's journey of being migrant workers in Texas to leaving for a better life in the Chicago suburbs. Thanks to her parents and always being a smart kid, she be...

After listening to Sydney’s beautiful and complicated life story, the conversation continues around race and Sydney’s lived experience. The video examines how some whites still do not understand the historic trauma of POC. Tune in to hear more about this provocative conversation! Social Media Links Instagram https://www.instagram.com/perspectiveslm/ Music https://www.purple-planet.com

Meet Sydney, a lighter skinned Black woman discussing her mixed heritage family. She explains how from a young age race and identity played a role in her adolescence as her family moved from the inner city of Detroit to a middle class white Detroit suburb. Social Media Links Instagram https://www.instagram.com/perspectiveslm/ Video Music https://www.purple-planet.com

Let’s talk about it - what’s Japanese whiteness? Grace discusses that her dad grew up in Japan occupied Taiwan and how Japanese was spoken in her household growing up. She continues the conversation by speaking on the assimilation of whiteness in the Japanese culture she grew up in America, despite not being Japanese. While euro-centric whiteness plays a role, elitism is an overarching theme. Tune...

The “Who Am I?” series is a special one for Lyzeth and Martina. For the first time ever, the hosts are welcoming guests. These are not just any guests, you will hear explicitly from women of color as they tell their stories around their proximity to whiteness and how that has shaped their identities. First up is Grace, an Asian-American woman, from whom you’ll learn about her background in America...

Stop equating bad health and wellness with plus-sized women. If a plus-sized woman comes in with a broken arm, it does not relate to her weight. However, a large number of physicians and medical care professionals, are extremely dismissive of plus-sized people and their ailments. No one talks about the possibilities of underlying issues that might affect one’s weight and body structure. Instead of...

Where’s the Big Girl Haute Couture? Mainstream fashion does not want plus-sixed ladies to succeed. If they did, options would not include horizontal stripes or paisley designs. Nevertheless, bigger ladies are left with either having no fashion, ugly fashion, or overpriced fashions. When will supply and demand invest in cute, affordable plus-size fashion…? Social Media Links Instagram Channel - htt...

Fat phobia is really rooted in white supremacy! The Trans-Atlantic slave trade began the hate of not only Black people, but Black women with voluptuous bodies. As the plus-sized image continues to be distorted by the fashion industries, women unfortunately fall prey to fake images of perfection. Listen to Lyzeth and Martina discuss how our skinny friends can “show up” for their plus sized friend....

The release of Lizzo and Cardi B’s “Rumors” sparked the continued convo around bullying of “big girls”. Lyzeth and Martina discuss how being plus sized since a young age has defined many lived experiences in their lives. From always being the larger friend to even equating plus sized to being ugly to dating fetishes - these ladies have heard it all. Over the next few episodes, they will explore ho...

If you choose to believe in “My Body, My Choice” then you have to respect the consequences that come with not getting the vaccine. As the US continues to implement innovative ways of showing that you're vaccinated (or lack thereof), establishments are rightfully protecting themselves. Lyzeth and Martina discuss the selfishness some Americans are displaying - especially as those people begin to fal...

As COVID-19 cases, and it’s many variants, including the Delta Variant increase nationwide, masks are being reinforced. Obviously, the increase is due to lack of vaccinations but let's dig a little deeper. Follow along as Lyzeth and Martina discuss the “Vax Pass” and how Americans have always had a “Vax Pass”. Is the vaccination the miracle we've all been praying for….? Connect with us on Instagra...

Why are we so sensitive regarding salaries? Yes, not talking about salaries is definitely rooted in white supremacy. Not talking about salaries allows the poor and middle classes to stay within their “box” and continues to prolong the pay gap. Similarly, just as policing is about controlling POC, the pay gap is also about controlling POC. Later in the episode, they’ll discuss how the color of your...

Down with the patriarchy! Lyzeth and Martina refer to how the patriarchy and capitalism play a key role in white supremacy, and that we can’t only remove one or the other, but all three must go. Listen to them discuss how W/POC always get the short end of the stick, and always end up being the “bigger person” in workplace white supremacy practices. Non-POC need to spend more time genuinely underst...

Companies will have to release dominion over their staff, or deal with the fall out of not having a company to manage. Listen to Lyzeth and Martina reflect on their lived experience around white supremacy at the workplace. Whether Americans want to recognize it or not, we live in a caste system that extends to the workplace - from the false sense of urgency to grind culture - it is not even meant...

Early policing stems from American slavery (suprise, suprise) as a way to control Black bodies, all the way to the Northern American to control the poor. Officers of the law are traditionally trained as warriors and to kill first, not protect and deescalate a situation. However, where is that warrior mentality when officers confront whites….? Listen to Martina and Lyzeth talk about going the oppos...

White children are always given the benefit of the doubt, but where is that benefit of the doubt for our Black and Brown children. No matter how far Black and Brown families get to the proximity of whiteness, we are always reminded that we are POC at the end of the day.