This Is EZ With Friends

Diana Zúñiga (she/her/hers) is a liberatory coach, cultural healer and worker, medicine woman, organizational consultant, system weaver, and business owner with 16 years of experience. She is the Founder of Tres Lunas Consulting , a holistic business that provides support through coaching, healing, and organizational consulting services for individuals, organizations, coalitions, and systems to bu...

My plan was to record this episode and save it for the archives, but I really wanted to betray my own trust, so I'm releasing it. What kind of sick person does that? Me, that's who. It's artsy and demure AF. Do I speak in southern accents sometimes? Maybe. But that's what artists do, okay babe? They art. Buzz words include - falling off wagons, thinking about hopping on new wagons,...

I’m back on my bullshit with another solo episode. This one is about my decision to stop drinking a month ago. Trigger warning: I cry in the episode. Couldn’t help myself. Had a lot of feelings while talking about what led up to this decision and how it has impacted the way I see myself and my life. Don’t worry. I’m not trying to convince you to stop. I’m just documenting this time, and the wave o...

If you’re a day one listener of TIEZWF, you remember my first ever episode with my bestie Kim on the topic of toxic relationships. I would encourage you to go back and listen, but the truth is that it’s cringeworthy. We both listened to it a while after we recorded it and felt so embarrassed by our lack of self-awareness. We’ve been apologizing off-mic ever since, but we’re back to say we’re sorry...

Jen Mejan and Deborah Danhof came highly recommended by several people that I love and trust. Ralph and I were shopping for homes at the height of the COVID real estate bubble, and we had just about given up on homeownership. We went through several different agents that were unresponsive, sometimes flaky, and seemingly out for themselves. We understood that it was a business transaction, but we a...

Miguel and I have the gift of gab. We recorded for almost three hours and the conversations were just too good for me to leave in the archives. I started editing this episode weeks ago. If you saw my story last week, you know my hard drive crashed and all my progress was lost. I had to fight the urge to throw my laptop out the window, and here we are. I mustered up the energy to start over. This e...

Miguel Sandoval is an educator, a native plant lover, and just an all-around cool-ass dude. I met Miguel a few years ago when my friend Niki posted a picture of him with a poll that read “What is Miguel talking about?” The options were: succulents, the moon, or music. I was like “Your husband sounds like my husband,” and we planned a date for our husbands to meet. Miguel later helped Ralph with ou...

Greetings, loyal followers far and wide! I was going to release an episode today with the homie Miguel Sandoval, but I felt inclined to keep it real with y’all about what’s been going on in my personal life. Today I bring you a solo episode, and with it, a piece of myself. I’ve had to postpone some of my episodes due to being in a state of overwhelm. This happens to me sometimes, and I’ve learned...

Kellie G. Espinoza is my neighbor turned friend that I met a little over a year ago when Ralph and I decided to have a yard sale on a weekend when we weren’t even allowed to. Kellie and her husband Joey were among the five people who actually stopped by. Her Texas twang and cheery disposition were like magnets for the friend addict in me. We exchanged Instagrams and I learned that her thumb is as...

Luis Humberto Chaidez is a first generation latino, historian, and educator. On trend with the latest episode, Luis and I met through Aileen. I look forward to seeing him at social gatherings because I almost always learn something new about world history. He joined the podcast to talk about the patriarchy, and the ways in which he shows up as a man for his students, and in his personal relationsh...

Jorge Castillo is a baseball reporter for ESPN, was previously a sports reporter for the LA Times, graduated from Yale, grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts, and is the proudest Puerto Rican I have ever met. The only person I know with a resume as impressive as Jorge’s is his wife, Aileen Villarreal-Castillo, season one guest of the podcast, and my good friend of almost 30 years. Power couple of th...

Welcome to Season 3 of This Is EZ With Friends! Jasmine Garcia is a curator, resin artist, podcaster, event host, and vinyl DJ. When Jasmine isn't creating art, she can be found networking, collaborating, connecting with, and supporting underground artists. I met Jasmine at one of her art shows and, admittedly, felt a little inadequate in her presence. She's heavy into the music scene and...

As a Christmas gift to all of my listeners, I am releasing a bonus episode that I recorded over the Thanksgiving break with my family. Surprisingly, I didn’t have to twist anybody’s arm. Everyone willingly chatted with me about their favorite Thanksgiving memories and the things they are most grateful for this year. There seemed to be an overwhelming appreciation for community. I bring you this ep...

Mario Zapata is Nicaraguense and he came to this country on September 19, 1978/1979 (he didn’t seem sure, and I’m not sure either). He traveled on PanAmerica’s final flight from Nicaragua to LAX and arrived at 4:30 in the afternoon. He’s also my dad.  My parents divorced when I was four, and I’ve spent my entire life trying to piece together what happened. I’m still not sure, but I had the desire...

Naomi Cruz and I were at the same party several years back when I found out she was an immigration lawyer. I had so many questions and only asked a few for fear of coming off as a total creeper. I stalked her for years - attending several of the same parties, co-hosting the games at our mutual friend’s baby shower, and finally luring her onto the podcast as part of my higher, diabolical plan. She...

Lauren Renee is 25 and full of life. She's a queer artist, model, and actress who joined the podcast to talk about people-pleasing until we realized we're both only children and Virgos, so we talked about that instead. Topics include homophobia, loneliness, abandonment issues, and our leap into maturity as a result of growing up around adults. Lauren shared her story of being brought up in...

Raymundo Archila is a filmmaker in every sense of the word. He’s a storyteller, writer, director, and editor, who is currently promoting his short film “Manhunt,” also known as “La Siguanaba,” based on a Central American urban legend. He joined the podcast to talk about his experience as a Salvi youth in a predominantly white and Asian neighborhood. His connection to his Central American roots wen...

If I had a quarter for every time Trish and I got drunk and sang karaoke together, I'd have about five dollars. We are living proof that you can bridge the gap between boomers and millennials. Ralph used to house sit for Trish long before I came along, since she was busy traveling the globe during the summer months. Her black lab Marlon (RIP), was the goddog at our wedding. Patricia "Trish" Soto i...

Has life ever brought you to a crossroads? A place in your timeline where you’ve had to decide whether to stay in the same old relationship, job, apartment, or friendship - or take a leap of faith and try something totally different and outside of your comfort zone? Nereida Gutierrez wears many hats but identifies as an artist, creative, and community organizer. She is a beacon of light and a forc...

Work has been insane, I did my first-ever comedy open-mic a few weeks ago, and the truth is that I didn’t have an episode lined up for you. On yesterday’s mental health walk, I decided to record my first-ever solo episode. Topics include but are not limited to inner child work, the stand-up experience, a dance while walking group that I’d like to start, social media, a documentary about Lucille Ba...

Rosario Calatayud-Serna is a founder, administrator, non-profit professional, and a creative. She’s also one of the coolest people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. Rosario joined the podcast to talk about her beginnings in the nonprofit world, and opening a business in Huntington Park at the height of the pandemic. When I asked Rosario how she continued to pursue one goal after another without fe...

Nicole Presley is a Latina culinary rockstar with an inspiring story. She left her career in marketing behind to pursue her dream of creating her own culinary brand. She started vlogging in 2011, and eventually, her brand took off. If her name sounds familiar, it’s because you may have seen Presley’s Pantry on the shelves at Target or Walmart. Perhaps you’ve seen her book “Viva Desserts” on the sh...

Rachel Yoffe (pronounced like coffee), and I work in production finance together at a studio that can’t be named because we signed non-disclosure agreements. Let’s just say we’re guardians of the finance galaxy, wink wink. Rachel’s not just an assistant accountant. She’s also heavily involved in musical theater and was recently cast as the lead role in an original zombie musical titled Losing Your...

Nicole Lopez is a proud born and raised SELA activist, community organizer, and congressional candidate. When she's not talking about politics (or pop culture) she loves talking about the importance of prioritizing one's mental health and chasing dreams. Oh, and she loves talking about her dogs! Overall, Nicole loves connecting with other women of color as they work to uplift each other an...

Dale Trumbore is a celebrated composer and writer. If you don’t believe me, check out her bio at daletrumbore.com. She’s been praised by The Washington Post and The New York Times for her work, and it’s no surprise to me. We used to be neighbors, and hearing her play the piano through the wall of our duplex, remains one of my most soothing memories. She joined the podcast to talk about her decisio...