In this bonus episode, Carlos and Cecilio talk through the deeper mission behind the podcast: creating space for honest conversations about faith, community, service, expectations, disappointment, and personal responsibility.

What starts as a conversation about “why we’re doing this” opens into a candid reflection on trust, learning through experience, adapting within tradition, and the importance of asking questions before stepping into something life-changing. They also get into the realities of communal responsibility, the lessons learned from doing the work behind the scenes, and the anxiety, preparation, and pressure that can come with dancing a tambor.

This episode is not about perfection. It is about dialogue, lived experience, and making room for the conversations that too often happen quietly in corners.

In this episode, Carlos sits down with Afro-Cuban artist, singer, dancer, musician, performer, and Omo Obatalá, TaDeo Asojano, for a conversation on cultural preservation, lineage, and responsibility.

TaDeo shares his journey growing up inside Afro-Caribbean traditions, running from them, and eventually realizing that art, religion, and academia were never as separate as they seemed. Together, Carlos and TaDeo explore what it means to represent living traditions with care, how performance differs from spiritual calling, and why curiosity must be met with respect, commitment, and accountability.

This conversation is about more than dance, music, or ceremony. It is about honoring the people who came before us, knowing when to sit down, and understanding that preservation requires more than visibility — it requires responsibility.

In this episode, Carlos and Cecilio discuss one of the most important relationships in Lucumí/Ocha: the relationship between godparent and godchild.

They reflect on their own experiences with godparents, elders, yubonas, and religious community — from nurturing guidance and lifelong mentorship to discipline, accountability, and learning through observation. The conversation explores what a godparent should provide, what a godchild should be looking for, and why this relationship should never be rushed.

Together, they unpack how the role of godparents has changed over time, the importance of asking questions, the responsibility of correcting with care, and why spiritual relationships require patience, trust, respect, and good character.

This episode is for anyone asking: What should I expect from a godparent? How do I find one? What makes someone qualified to guide others? And how do we preserve accountability in the tradition while continuing to grow?

Reflection Question: What do you expect from a godparent — guidance, discipline, availability, teaching, accountability, or all of the above?