Leo Rodríguez was born in Dalton, Georgia and raised his first eight years in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. In this episode, he talks about how that upbringing shapes how he shows up in the world, why he describes himself as a multipotentialite instead of searching for one calling, and how that shows up in his work as a creative strategist, DJ, and the founder of Corazón a Corazón, a poetry night and open mic built on community and intention.

We talk about his mom's role in shaping how he sees his roots as a strength, what it really takes to build a space people want to come back to, and why he's chosen to keep Corazón a Corazón small and meaningful instead of scaling it into a business.

In this episode, Leo shares that:

You don't need only one "true calling." Leo reframes being a multipotentialite as a strength, not a lack of focus, drawing on diverse interests (writing, DJing, strategy) that all inform each other.

Roots can be reframed as a superpower. Leo's early years in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, followed by a culture shock to Dalton, Georgia, shaped how he shows up in the world, how he solves problems and even his empathy for other cultures.

You don't have to monetize everything you love. Leo intentionally keeps some creative outlets, like Corazón a Corazón, free from the pressure to scale or generate income, preserving them as a space for authentic expression instead.

Follow Leo:
📲 Instagram: @leorodriguezz
🎶 Corazón a Corazón: @_corazon.a.corazon_

Stay Connected with Cultura Convos:

🎙️ Listen to more episodes of Cultura Convos wherever you stream podcasts.
📖 Get my children's book, Two Homes, Dos Casas, in English/Spanish or Spanish-only editions: edithsuarez.com/books
📲 Follow along: @itsedithsuarez
🌐 www.edithsuarez.com

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What happens when you show up somewhere carrying assumptions you did not even know you had?

In this solo episode, I share the story of packing turquoise pants for Burkina Faso, West Africa and what that cringe worthy thrift store moment revealed about the stories I had been carrying as truth without ever questioning them.

From being so nervous telling my parents I was leaving for two years to arriving in West Africa and realizing an entire continent had been reduced to a stereotype in my mind, this episode goes deep on something that shows up in all of our lives: the stories we are told and never told shape everything. How we see other cultures, other people, and even ourselves.

In this episode I share:

• Where my inherited assumptions actually came from
• How World Vision commercials, National Geographic, and limited representation shaped my entire worldview
• Why examining our stories is the starting point to reframing our own story
• How to be intentional about what you expose yourself to
• What your own turquoise pants moment might be trying to teach you

This is exactly what Cultura Convos was built for. Real, nuanced conversations that help us write and rewrite our stories from a place of strength.

What is your turquoise pants moment?

Share it with me: hola@edithsuarez.com or LinkedIn, and IG.

Read the original blog entry: edithsuarez.com/blog

Get Two Homes, Dos Casas: edithsuarez.com/books

Visit my website: edithsuarez.com

If this episode resonated with you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who you think will love it.

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What does food really mean to you?

In this solo episode, I dive into my personal journey with food. From growing up eating Mexican food every day to the moment everything shifted when my dad had a stroke in high school. I share how witnessing this sparked a lifelong curiosity about health, ingredients, and the deep connection between cultura and what we put on our plates.

From tacos de lengua to roasted eggplant mole, from my family joking that all I eat is lechuga lechuga to honoring my ancestors' way of eating, this episode is all about food, familia, and the ongoing journey of becoming more intentional about how we nourish ourselves and seeing the abundance of ingredients in our roots.

In this episode:

• Growing up eating Mexican food and the memories attached to it
• How my dad's stroke became my first real pivot with food
• Why I walked away from labels like "vegan" and "vegetarian"
• How this journey allowed me to see the abundance of ingredients in our cultura
• Why eating healthier doesn't mean letting go of your cultura

✨ Get my children's book Two Homes / Dos Casas and more at 👉 edithsuarez.com/books

Cultura Convos is a space for stories and reflections of identidad y cultura because there's no one identity that defines us.

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