What happens when you grow up between countries, cultures, and expectations; and still build a career, a community, and confidence on your own terms?In this episode, we sit down with Dani Araya Molina, a Costa Rican immigrant, fintech professional, and content creator who has become a trusted voice for pay transparency, career advocacy, and navigating corporate America as a Latina in her 20s.Dani opens up about immigrating to the U.S. at just five years old, the quiet identity struggles that come with growing up between cultures, and how those early experiences shaped her drive to succeed, even when she didn’t always feel like she belonged.We dive deep into her journey from earning $20/hour to six figures, the mistakes she made early in her career by not advocating for herself, and the strategies she later used to negotiate salary, equity, and growth in tech and finance. Dani breaks down what she wishes first-generation professionals knew sooner and why access to information can change everything.She also shares the behind-the-scenes story of building Amigas Latinas, a community that grew from 0 to 60,000 people in under a year, the emotional and financial reality of running a passion project, and the painful but necessary decision to pause it due to burnout.This conversation is about ambition, identity, rest, and redefining success; especially for immigrants, Latinas, and anyone trying to build a life without a blueprint.If you’ve ever felt like you had to earn your rest, prove your worth, or figure everything out alone, this episode is for you.Timestamps:00:00 – “People Came Looking for Connection”01:13 – Meet Dani Araya Molina: Immigrant, Fintech Leader & Creator02:48 – Where Is “Home” When You Grow Up Between Countries?05:39 – Moving to the U.S. at 5: Language Barriers & Cultural Shock07:11 – Being the Only Latina in the Room08:15 – Losing Touch With Your Culture — And Finding It Again10:19 – Why Dani Started Building Community11:07 – How She Accidentally Became a Public Figure11:46 – From Fashion TikToks to Corporate Career Advice13:39 – Why Pay Transparency Is Still Controversial14:01 – From $20/Hour to Six Figures14:59 – The Salary Mistake She Made After College16:13 – How to Actually Negotiate Pay, Equity & Growth17:04 – What It’s Like Being a Latina in Finance19:32 – Amigas Latinas: From 0 to 60K Followers21:31 – Why “Third Spaces” Are Disappearing23:20 – Why This Community Worked When Others Didn’t26:38 – The Hardest Decision: Pausing Amigas Latinas28:11 – Burnout, Unpaid Labor & Passion Projects30:22 – Mental Health, Guilt & Always “Doing More”31:36 – Why So Many Immigrants Feel They Must Earn Rest32:19 – Partnering With LinkedIn & Imposter Syndrome33:40 – Breaking Into Brand Deals as a Latina Creator34:36 – The Moments She’s Most Proud Of35:30 – Why Career Risks Were Worth It36:21 – How Content Creation Changed Her Career37:06 – Using Your Platform as LeverageWage Gap Source Information: https://iwpr.org/equal-pay-in-2025-gender-gaps-increased-forecast-for-achieving-pay-equity-bleaker/

Connect with Dani:

Instagram: @wfhdani https://www.instagram.com/wfhdani/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arayadaniela/

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María José Guevara (Colombia) y Carolina Suarez (Bolivia), son las visionarias detrás de Latinas en USA, una comunidad que hoy impulsa, inspira y conecta a mujeres latinoamericanas en todo Estados Unidos.

Lo que comenzó como el deseo de dos amigas por encontrar otras latinas con quienes conectar en Nueva York, terminó convirtiéndose en un movimiento que ha impactado cientos de mujeres tanto en lo personal y profesional.

En esta conversación, Majo y Caro comparten sin filtros los retos de migrar solas, la soledad de empezar desde cero, las reinvenciones profesionales y personales, las microdiscriminaciones, el choque cultural, los miedos, las oportunidades, los riesgos que tomaron… y las coincidencias que terminaron alineando sus caminos.

También hablamos de:

✨ El proceso emocional de dejar sus países
✨ La búsqueda de estabilidad, identidad y comunidad en Nueva York
✨ Sus vidas en Bolivia y Colombia
✨ Las dificultades laborales y la importancia de aprender a ponerse límites
✨ El momento exacto en el que decidieron crear Latinas en USA
✨ Cómo una marca global como Adidas llegó a colaborar con ellas

Esta es la historia de cómo dos inmigrantes transformaron la soledad en comunidad y convirtieron un deseo personal en un espacio que hoy cambia vidas. Bienvenidos a este episodio.

Si te inspira, compártelo con otra latina que necesite escucharlo.

Apoya a Latinas en USA:

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LinkedIn: Latinas en USA https://www.linkedin.com/company/latinas-en-usa/

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Valentina sits down with Daniel Alarcón; co-founder and executive producer of Radio Ambulante, NPR’s first-ever Spanish-language podcast and one of the most influential narrative journalism platforms in the Americas. Daniel is also a MacArthur Fellow, Fulbright Scholar, and the acclaimed novelist behind Lost City Radio.

Together, they explore the emotional and often complicated journey of growing up between cultures, the impact of the immigrant experience, and how Daniel’s life in both the U.S. and Peru shaped the stories he tells today.

Daniel’s story is a reminder of the strength, creativity, and resilience within the Latin American and the immigrant community. From navigating childhood in the U.S. South, to reconnecting with Peru, to building one of the most respected Spanish-language podcasts in the world — Daniel shows what happens when you follow curiosity, embrace your identity, and center the stories others overlook.

Topics we cover:

• Daniel’s identity as an immigrant and what it means “to be American outside the home and Peruvian inside the home”* His return to Peru as a Fulbright Scholar and the search for memory, belonging, and family history.
• How Lost City Radio came to be, and why Lima changed his approach to writing.
• The origin story of Radio Ambulante, from a risky idea “that would never work” to NPR’s first Spanish podcast.
• Why Latin American stories matter, and how the show bridges Latin America with Latino communities in the U.S.
• Building a storytelling company from scratch, leadership challenges, and navigating generational shifts.
• The power of language, bilingual identity, and how switching languages can reveal new versions of ourselves.
• What’s next for Radio Ambulante: live shows, global storytelling, and new creative ambitions.
• Daniel’s advice for creators, podcasters, and anyone starting something big without all the answers.

To learn more about Radio Ambulante visit: https://radioambulante.org

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