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Angel didn't grow up dreaming about a restaurant. He studied programming and computers back home in Monterrey, Mexico — but the kitchen had been calling his whole life without him noticing. On this episode of The Global Latin Factor, we sit down on location at Los Guapos off 7th Street in Fort Worth to trace the whole journey: dishwasher to line cook, the Cuban bar chef's table at Embargo, the vegan pioneer days of Mariachi's Diner inside a gas station, the bicycle taco deliveries to Martin House Brewery, and finally Los Guapos — now stacking up reader's choice awards for best tacos, best Mexican/Latin, and best international cuisine.

We get into his mom's pozole and the one rule that shaped his cooking — make it taste like home — why he says you have to marry the industry, the programmer brain that turns every problem into a solution, the story behind the name, bottled aguas frescas and branded salsas on the horizon, and why he's Mex, not Tex. Plus how Los Guapos is getting ready for the wave of fans coming to town for the 2026 World Cup.

This one is comfort food, community, and the Latino hustle in one conversation.

Follow Los Guapos on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @LosGuaposfw.

The Global Latin Factor is a bilingual podcast where we talk Latino everything — culture, identity, food, and the people building community across the diaspora. New episodes weekly. Subscribe wherever you listen.

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Rice and beans isn't just a side dish — it's one of the most powerful cultural staples in Latino and Caribbean life. In this solo episode, Christine traces the real history behind the plate: how indigenous communities cultivated beans in the Americas centuries before colonization, how African knowledge and labor shaped rice cultivation across the Atlantic world, and how the two came together to become a daily staple from Puerto Rico to Brazil to Central America.

We break down the regional versions Latinos defend with their lives — moros y cristianos, gallo pinto, casamiento, arroz con habichuelas, arroz e feijão — and why attacking someone's recipe is basically attacking their abuela. Plus, the actual nutrition science behind why rice and beans together just works.

If you've ever eaten this dish without thinking twice about where it came from, this episode will change that.

🌐 Website: thegloballatinfactor.com
🎙️ New episodes weekly — make sure you're subscribed
💬 Got a favorite version of rice and beans? Let us know — we want to hear it.

Topics covered:
- The indigenous origins of beans in Mesoamerica and the Andes
- How rice entered the Americas through colonial systems and African expertise
- Regional rice and beans dishes across Latin America and the Caribbean
- The nutritional science behind the combination
- Why this dish became identity, not just food

#GlobalLatinFactor #LatinoCulture #RiceAndBeans #LatinoHistory #LatinoPodcast

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¿Qué pasa cuando llegas a un país sin papeles, sin familia cerca, con un hijo pequeño y un sueño que no puedes explicar con palabras? Laura Mejía lo vivió — y lo convirtió en To.Gather.

En este episodio de The Global Lighting Factor en Español, Laura comparte su camino desde los barrios populares del sur de Bogotá hasta los escenarios culturales de Dallas, Texas. Actriz formada en el Teatro Nacional de Colombia, emprendedora por instinto y mamá de Martín — Laura construyó una empresa desde cero, desde una mesa familiar y un cerillo.

▶ LO QUE VAS A ESCUCHAR:
— Cómo un colegio comercial en Bogotá le enseñó a vender desde los 10 años
— Por qué dejó la universidad de negocios y entró al teatro profesional
— Llegar a EE.UU. sin permisos de trabajo y lavar platos para sobrevivir
— Criar a su hijo solo, sin red familiar, en un país nuevo
— La depresión posparto que nadie llamó por su nombre
— Cómo la pandemia le devolvió su propósito
— Qué es el duelo migratorio y por qué afecta a todo inmigrante
— El origen del nombre To.Gather y por qué el punto lo cambia todo
— Sus metas: llegar a 5,000 familias en el norte de Texas este año

📲 SIGUE A LAURA MEJÍA:
Instagram To.Gather: @2gather21
Instagram personal: @lauraugm

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Instagram: @thegloballightingfactor
YouTube: Suscríbete aquí 👆 para no perderte ningún episodio

💬 CUÉNTANOS EN LOS COMENTARIOS:
¿Tú también has sentido el duelo migratorio? ¿Qué fue lo más difícil de adaptarte a un nuevo país?

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https://thegloballatinfactor.com/

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What happens when the #2 biggest carnival in the world lands in North Texas? We went live from the Carnaval de Barranquilla in Dallas to find out.

In this bilingual (English/Spanish) episode, we hit the floor talking to vendors, performers, and community members who are keeping Colombian culture alive right here in DFW.

🍽️ Meet the vendors:

• Manarel Salsón Colombiano (Fort Worth) — 15 years serving lechona, chicharrón, empanadas, and ahorrajados at this event. A family business built with love.
• Cauca's Fritanga — 3 years bringing papas rellenas, rellena, and the flavors of Santander and Cauca straight to Dallas.
• So Freshy — Puerto Rican-inspired piña coladas with fresh ingredients and a "Vacation in a Cup" vibe hitting DFW for the first time.

💃 Featured Guest: Alexander Gutiérrez aka Alex Benz — Barranquilla's own champeta dancer and cultural ambassador, sharing what it means to see Colombian culture celebrated in Texas.

This episode is a celebration of roots, community, and what it feels like to find home thousands of miles away from Colombia.

Visit the website for more https://thegloballatinfactor.com/

📩 Sponsorships: info@thegloballatinfactor.com | DM "SPONSOR" for our media deck

🎬 Produced by Rebel Media House

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Jenny is the founder of Pasteles Y Más, makes custom cakes in DFW specializing in elevated Mexican-American-inspired desserts. Host Crispin Valentin sits down with Jenny to unpack her full journey — from Mexico City to Los Angeles, culture shock in Rowlett, Texas, at 17, dropping out of nursing school, working her way up through high-end Dallas restaurants, and launching her own business during the pandemic with a newborn at home.

Her cakes are edible memories. Bubu Lubu, Lemon Drop, Mixed Berry, and handcrafted mini conchas are all rooted in the flavors of a Mexican-American childhood.

This one is for anyone sitting on a dream they haven't started yet.

IN THIS EPISODE:
— Hot takes: California tacos vs Texas tacos
— The first cake at age 7 that started it all
— Watching Ace of Cakes at 13 — the aha moment
— Dropping nursing school and telling her strict Mexican parents
— Sneaking into the back of the house at Suzie Cakes
— Landing a job at Nou Dallas despite full imposter syndrome
— Two weeks perfecting the Bubu Lubu marshmallow fluff
— The secret her conchas have that she refuses to reveal
— How delivering a wedding cake confirmed this is her calling

🍰 CONNECT WITH JENNY
Website: pastelesymas.com
Instagram: @PastelesYMasTX
Facebook: Pasteles Y Más TX

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🌐 Website: https://xn--pastelesyms-t7a.com/
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We celebrate Latino stories of grit, creativity, and culture. New episodes drop regularly — subscribe so you never miss one.

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🌐 Website: https://thegloballatinfactor.com

New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe and leave a review — it helps more people find stories like this one.

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Noemí Moreno llegó a Estados Unidos desde Morelia, Michoacán, con un inglés oxidado, una hija con necesidades especiales y la determinación de comenzar de cero. Hoy es fundadora de la Cámara de Comercio Hispana de Lewisville y creadora de Brava Foods, una salsa macha gourmet artesanal con aceite de aguacate que ya llega a Nueva York.

En esta conversación con Crispín de The Global Land Factor en Español, Noemí comparte sin filtros su historia: la muerte de su padre a los 7 años, diez años de espera migratoria, violencia doméstica, y la despedida de su abuelo de 105 años. Pero también los errores que vio cometer a otros empresarios —y los que casi la hunden a ella.

Lo que vas a escuchar:
• Por qué una DBA no es suficiente para proteger tu empresa (y qué es una LLC)
• Cómo pagar impuestos correctamente determina el valor de tu negocio
• El modelo "ganar-ganar" que usó para lanzar su Cámara de Comercio sin un solo miembro.
• 9 meses de pruebas hasta dar con la receta perfecta de la salsa macha.
• La lección más dura: cómo recuperarse de una estafa y seguir adelante

Un episodio sobre fe, comunidad y lo que significa ser inmigrante emprendedora en los Estados Unidos.

Conéctate con Noemí:
Salsa Macha Brava Foods → www.labravafoods.com

The Global Land Factor en español —historias de empresarios latinos que están haciendo la diferencia.
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Hispanic chambers of commerce can be valuable resources for Latino entrepreneurs, small business owners, and minority-owned businesses in the United States.

In this episode of The Global Latin Factor Podcast, we explain how chambers of commerce work, what Hispanic chambers do, and how business owners can use them for networking, mentorship, business certifications, government contracts, advocacy, referrals, and long-term business growth.

This episode is for Latino business owners who want to understand how to connect with local chambers, build stronger business relationships, find support, and access opportunities that may help them grow in the U.S. business community.

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In this special episode of The Global Latin Factor Podcast, host Crispin Valentin sits down with Claudia Tiffany Rodriguez, also known as Tiffany Folklore, for a powerful conversation on the Latino roots of hip-hop.

Together, they explore the 4 elements of hip-hop—DJing, MCing, graffiti, and breaking—and highlight how Puerto Rican, Mexican American, and Latino pioneers helped shape the culture from the very beginning. From the Bronx origins of hip-hop to Texas rap, Chicano identity, border storytelling, and Latino cultural influence, this episode connects history, music, dance, art, and community.

The conversation highlights key names, including DJ Kool Herc, DJ Disco Wiz, DJ Charlie Chase, Prince Whipper Whip, Lee Quiñones, Lady Pink, Crazy Legs, Kid Frost, Mellow Man Ace, Cypress Hill, and Disco Al. It also looks at how hip-hop became a space for representation, creativity, pride, storytelling, and cultural connection across Black and Brown communities.

If you want a deeper understanding of hip-hop history, Latino influence, Chicano rap, breaking, graffiti, DJ culture, and the 4 elements of hip-hop, this episode is for you.

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