Latinas From The Block To The Boardroom

S7 Ep73: Tech, Truth & Latina Power with Sylvia Salazar of Tono Latino on Fighting Misinformation

Sylvia Salazar, founder of Tono Latino, joins host Theresa E. Gonzales on Latinas from the Block to the Boardroom to share how she turned her passion for technology and democracy into an accessible, bilingual media platform. In this episode, we explore the intersection of tech, politics, and community building—from WhatsApp misinformation campaigns to voter rights education—and why authentic content is the key to mobilizing Latino communities. Sylvia reveals how Latinos consume more video than any other demographic and why that makes video activism an essential tool for voter education. We discuss her journey from a computer engineer at Intel to a trusted voice simplifying U.S. politics, her signature “cafecito” style of content creation, and her use of satire to expose corporate and political hypocrisy. Along the way, Sylvia offers a blueprint for creators, organizers, and brands who want to engage Latino audiences ethically and effectively. We also break down the pitfalls of misinformation, the importance of transparency in paid partnerships, and the need to rethink outreach strategies ahead of critical elections. Whether you’re a parent worried about misinformation, a creator seeking impact, or a brand interested in authentic sponsorships, this episode offers practical takeaways on using tech for good. Key Topics:  Learn how to spot and stop misinformation in your feeds Discover why WhatsApp is central to Latino communication Hear Sylvia’s journey from computer engineer to trusted political voice  Get inspired to use your own platform for change Explore Sylvia’s work: https://www.tonolatino.com/ DDIA-Digital Democracy Institute of America: https://ddia.org/en/about-us Want to launch or grow your podcast? We can help: https://www.latinasb2b.com If this conversation resonates with you, leave us a review, share with a friend, and consider sponsoring an episode to support this mission. Connect with us:  Website: www.latinasb2b.com YouTube @Latinasb2b Instagram: @Latinasb2b LinkedIn: @latinasb2bmarketing Facebook: @Latinasb2b.marketing BlueSky: @latinasb2b.bsky.social Join newsletter: www.latinasb2b.com This podcast was produced by Theresa E. Gonzales and co-produced/engineered by Robert Lopez of cratesaudio.com To learn more about Latinasb2b.com and how you can work with us in a sponsorship opportunity, please contact us at info@latinasb2b.com Gracias.

S7 Ep72: Big Tech Backslide and The 1st Amendment with Civil Rights Attorney Nora Benavidez

When platforms profit over people, communities pay the price. In the latest episode of Latinas from the Block to the Boardroom, Theresa E. Gonzales speaks with Nora Benavidez, a Civil Rights and Free Speech Latina attorney fighting for free expression and tech accountability. While Big Tech spends $61.5M on lobbying to avoid this accountability, Nora is using civil rights law to fight back and won her groundbreaking PEN America v. Trump victory to exposing the "Big Tech Backslide" that eliminated 17 safety policies right before the 2024 election. She is the ONLY LATINA proving that strategic legal action that can challenge even the most powerful tech giants. Nora shares how she went from law school—where no one looked like her—to the ACLU and now Free Press, shaping policy around misinformation and civil rights. Her Big Tech Backslide report exposes how companies like Meta, X, and YouTube rolled back critical trust and safety policies despite public promises. Finally, we dive into Section 230, the law that shields platforms from liability while still enabling harm, yet we are still protected by this from our 1st Amendment rights.  She is a contributing writer for Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, CNN, and Tech Policy Press. Her expertise and commentary is regularly featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, CNN, NBC, Fox News, The Los Angeles Times, and other publications. Join us on Latinas from the Block to the Boardroom as we  amplify Latine and community voices, through their stories of perseverance, and having the courage to believe in your pursuit of your dream. Let's take control of our narratives, discuss pathways to higher education, empower community with technology, to inspire future generations. Host & Executive Producer Theresa E. Gonzales discusses everything from the our representation in tech industry, healthy communities, change makers of non-profits, education and small business journeys, through intergenerational conversations with unapologetic banter tochange the status quo. Check out and listen to more episodes: Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3zvQq2y Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4e8wNwM Amazon: https://amzn.to/4eMOBxE YouTube: https://bit.ly/Latinasb2b Support Latinas B2B by checking out our merch: https://www.latinasb2b.com/shop-latin... Connect with us: Website: www.latinasb2b.com YouTube @Latinasb2b Instagram: @Latinasb2b LinkedIn: @latinasb2bmarketing Facebook: @Latinasb2b.marketing Join newsletter: www.latinasb2b.com Podcast production by Theresa E. Gonzales and Audio Engineered by Robert Lopez. To learn more about Latinasb2b.com and how you can work with us in a sponsorship opportunity, please contact us at info@latinasb2b.com.

S6 Ep71: "Navigating the Digital Landscape: Protecting Our Youth Online" With Rosalia Rivera Founder of Consent Parenting and Co-Founder of Brave Movement

Rosalia Rivera, a fervent Founder and Co-Founder for Consent Parenting and Brave Movement.org joins us to dissect the multifaceted challenges of raising children in a tech-saturated era. Together, we discuss the urgent issue of online harm regarding the lack of tech transparency of CSAM, (Child Sexual Abuse Material) sexploitation of teens and youth being targets through online apps, social media platforms and online gaming. By describing the internet and the app store to a bustling mall that kids can actively browse and instantly download, without any age gating or device age regulation, we underscore the need for parental vigilance and legislative measures like the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) to shield our youth from unintended digital dangers and predatory harms. Our conversation emphasizes the critical role parents, our communities and our non-profits continue to advocate for tech KOSA policy, which was a supported issue by both parties of Congress in 2024, but has since been sidelined. However, with the proliferation of AI Sexual Content on the rise, KOSA and AI safety regulation need to be that play a vital role in the digital landscape as we are moving faster into the AI stratosphere. As we both do support technology as critical tools to help our daily lives, we turn our attention to the innovative technologies and organizations dedicated to child safety, such as BARK PHONES, THORN and HEAT. Companies like Bark and Pinwheel offer phone solutions alternatives for monitoring digital interactions, while organizations such as Thorne, Heat and Child Rescue Coalition work tirelessly to combat child exploitation. The discussion pivots to our own tech habits and the powerful influence they wield on our children. By advocating for mindful technology use and supporting companies that prioritize child safety, we encourage listeners to take an active role in shaping a safer digital future for all. Join us on Latinas from the Block to the Boardroom as we champion a proactive approach to technology, empowering parents and particularly women of color, in these essential conversations. Resources: PunchBowl News -Mike Johnson says KOSA Problematic NOLA.com - Meta 10 Billion Dollar investment for New Data Center in Louisiana FBI -Sextortion: A Growing Threat Targeting Minors-Jan. 2024 Highlights: (04:55) Kids Online Safety Act Impact (160 Seconds) (08:39) Raising Conscious Consumers for Online Safety (96 Seconds) (13:00) Age Verification Laws and Online Porn (104 Seconds) (19:50) Parenting in the Digital Age (79 Seconds) (29:39) Questioning Apple's Privacy Technology (63 Seconds) Connect with us: Website: www.latinasb2b.com YouTube @Latinasb2b Instagram: @Latinasb2b LinkedIn: @latinasb2bmarketing Facebook: @Latinasb2b.marketing BlueSky: @latinasb2b.bsky.socia Join newsletter: www.latinasb2b.com Theresa E. Gonzales, is the host and executive producer of of Latinas From The Block To The Boardroom Podcast. From being one of the few women of color in a predominantly white tech industry, to spearheading a podcast platform and digital business marketing consulting, she is amplifying Latine/a/x/o and community ally voices, through their stories of perseverance, and having the courage to believe in your pursuit of your dream. Let's take control of our narratives, discuss pathways to higher education, empower community with technology, to inspire and build resilient communities. Thank you to Robert Lopez, co-production and audio engineer at Cratesaudio.com. For more information and or to support/collaborate with us, reach us at info@latinasb2b.com or you can donate a few dollars here. Gracias. 

S6 Ep70: How Social Media Addiction is Harming Our Youth – A Conversation With Julie Scelfo Former NY Times Journalist and Founder of WeAreMama.org

In this urgent and deeply concerning conversation, host Theresa E. Gonzales sits down with former NY Times journalist, author, and activist Julie Scelfo. She is now the founder and  executive director of Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA). Together, Julie and Theresa's combined knowledge of these social media platforms begin to pull back the curtain on the hidden harms of modern technology—particularly how unregulated social media platforms and AI-powered algorithms are targeting, addicting, and endangering children. Julie also discusses how she and Mothers Against Media Addiction, helped to create the first kids cell phone policy in NY schools, the "Bell To Bell" policy, which is the largest state legislation to help kids become more engaged in school  and to limit phone screen time. Julie brings to the table years of investigative reporting, alarming statistics (including a 92.3% increase in suicide among Hispanic children), and heartbreaking stories of young lives lost due to harmful content exposure online. She details how media addiction has been normalized, how schools are becoming battlegrounds for attention, and what it means to fight for systemic safeguards and legislation like the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). She has help create 35 chapters across 22 states in just over a year, which is a testament to  wearemama.org, and how they are mobilizing parents across the country to reclaim control, and change the future of digital safety. If you’re a parent, teacher, activist—or someone who simply cares about the next generation—this episode will give you the tools and awareness to act. Resources listed below.  If you enjoyed this episode and found it informative, you can support us by making a donation here . This helps us keep bringing you these amazing guests!  Episode 70 Resources: wearemama.org National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy's call for warning labels on social media platforms KOSA (Kids Online Safety Act) Social Media Victims Remembrance Day (June 23) Meta Gets Approval To Build 10 Billion Dollar Data Center In Louisiana Dec. 2024.  Connect and engage with us: Website: www.latinasb2b.com YouTube: @Latinasb2b Instagram: @Latinasb2b LinkedIn: @latinasb2bmarketing Facebook: @Latinasb2b.marketing BlueSky: bsky.app/profile/latinasb2b.bsky.social Join our newsletter: www.latinasb2b.com Podcast production by Theresa E. Gonzales and Audio Engineered by Robert Lopez. To learn more about Latinasb2b.com and how you can work with us in a sponsorship opportunity, please contact us at info@latinasb2b.com. Gracias.

S6 Ep69: Mother's Day Healing Through Cultura: A Conversation with Instituto Familiar de la Raza Dr. Angela Castillo-Gallegos and Program Director Carlos Izaguirre

The wisdom and the work continues in this powerful episode of Latinas from the Block to the Boardroom, host Theresa E. Gonzales speaks with Dr. Angela Gallegos Castillo and Program Director Carlos Izaguirre from Instituto Familiar de la Raza (IFRSF). Together, they discuss the deep roots of community-based healing, cultural preservation, and collective empowerment through indigenous traditions and mental health (Wellness)  advocacy in the Mission District of San Francisco, California,  for over 46 years. Instituto Familiar de la Raza's powerful interconnected medical network with UCSF and other California Non-profits is a statement to community strength, local and state healthcare recognition and organizing for health and wellness resources to keep communities safe and healthy. You can listen to some of their wellness programs online through their YouTube Channel. Key Highlights: • The origin and mission of Instituto Familiar de la Raza – a 46-year legacy of healing. • How cultural identity and ancestry are essential to individual and collective resilience. • The Promotoras model: Building peer-led support systems grounded in community wisdom. • Advocacy for bilingual, bicultural healthcare professionals and culturally responsive services. • The importance of reclaiming ancestral healing practices alongside modern systems. This conversation reminds us that healing begins with remembering who we are and where we come from. By embracing indigenous traditions and collective strength, Instituto Familiar de la Raza offers a model for community resilience and empowerment. Gracias to Robert Lopez for Audio Engineering and Co-production. If your'd like to learn more about sponsorship or to help support for Latinas from the Block To Boardroom Podcast, you can join us here and a monthly subscriber or reach out to discuss how we can help your marketing and media strategy with podcasting, here: Info@latinasb2b.com. Follow us: IG@Latinasb2b LI@Theresalatinasb2b YouTube@Latinasb2b Threads@Latinasb2b Gracias,  Theresa E. Gonzales  Latinasb2b.com Founder/CEO/Executive Producer  c/o 5-E Leadership & Marketing LLC All rights reserved.