Award winning writer, director, producer, and actor Elaine Del Valle joins Gracias, Come Again for a powerful and deeply honest conversation about survival, storytelling, and representation. Elaine opens up about growing up Puerto Rican in the 1980s in Brownsville, Brooklyn, raised in low income housing while surrounded by addiction, poverty, and instability.

We talk about being sent to Puerto Rico as a form of punishment, an experience many Latino kids can relate to, and how those summers on the island shaped her identity and perspective. Elaine reflects on becoming a socially impactful storyteller who centers voices and communities that are rarely seen or heard on screen.

Elaine began her acting career in the 1990s, appearing in projects like Donnie Brasco, The Sopranos, and lending her voice as Belle the Octopus on Dora the Explorer for 23 episodes. We also talk about her acclaimed film Princess Cut, now streaming on HBO Max, and the importance of telling authentic Latino stories without compromise.

Make sure to stream Elaine Del Valle’s powerful new film Brownsville Bred, available now on Amazon Prime Video. This episode is a must hear for anyone interested in resilience, culture, filmmaking, and stories rooted in truth.

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Dominican icon Vakero sits down for an honest and wide ranging conversation about music, family, and legacy.

The Latin Grammy nominated artist talks about growing up in San Pedro de Macorís, and his role as a later pioneer of Dominican urban music since the 1990s. Vakero opens up about working very humble jobs outside of music like selling apples, becoming a fashion forward artist, and his views on beauty standards, marriage, and fatherhood with 11 kids.

He shares stories from acting alongside Manny Pérez, explains why he declared himself Team Fruta on La Casa de Alofoke, and talks about collaborating with younger artists like J. Noa.

Plus, Vakero reveals exclusive details about a new album coming in 2026 with Dominican producer Maffio and why using his voice for the less fortunate in our countries still matters to him today.

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Step into this powerful, cultural deep dive with Word Life, the Bronx-born Puerto Rican creator behind the viral tagline “Facts is Facts.” Known for his straight-to-camera truth telling, WordLife has become one of the most trusted voices educating the world on Puerto Rico its history, culture, food, music, politics and the real issues the island faces.

Before the viral moments and millions of views, he was a New York rapper grinding in the music scene. Now he’s fully committed to storytelling that uplifts his people. In this episode, we get into his journey before content creation, his transition out of music, and what it means to be a Latino in hip hop.

We also unpack the biggest misconceptions about Puerto Rico, highlight the major contributions Boricuas have made across entertainment, and dive into the current events he often breaks down online. One powerful point he breaks down is why Latinos must start buying homes in their ancestral countries, the same way tourists are doing in his native Puerto Rico.

And because they both love the sport, they end with a fun segment on Puerto Rican boxing legends Honey names Tito Trinidad, Hector Camacho, Miguel Cotto, Edgar Berlanga & Amanda Serrano and he hits back with the perfect one-word descriptions.

This episode is informative, educational, funny, and a full celebration of Puerto Rico and the Bronx. BX to the island, this one’s for y’all.

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