My Divo

I loved how this podcast weaved history, both collective and personal, through the life and music of Juanga. I found it to be unique, multifaceted, and deeply moving, esp about Mexican and queer culture.

I’m not sure why folks don’t read the about section. This is a podcast about going back to your roots with Juanga as a guide. This is a moving, personal, creative, and inspiring podcast. There are very few podcasts that are personal, artistic, and educational, this one is all 3.

I grew up with the magnificent Juan Gabriel. His contribution to Latino culture (if there is such a thing) is incalculable. My grandmother’s favorite song was Amor Eternal. We played it at her funeral. Mine is Asi Fun. I love the way Maria weaves her own story and the story of Juan Gabriel together. I too am queer. Thanks to this podcast I appreciate Juan Gabriel more than ever. This is a beautiful podcast. I enjoyed it immensely. I do wish she had not referred to Juan Gabriel as "Juanga." Growing up I only heard him called Juanga as a pejorative to emphasize and make fun of his homosexuality. Maria, why do you call him Juanga?. I really want to know.

I shared this series with friends and family. As a child of a Mexican immigrant not raised close to extended family and near Mexican culture, I missed out on learning about many things. But thankfully I was able to grow up listening to Juan Gabriel because of my mom. I loved learning about his life, growing in understanding and connection to the culture.

About 20 minutes of Juan Gabriel content. The rest of the series is about the host’s personal life, then the last episode is about the host’s friend’s personal life. Don’t get me wrong I am glad the host was able to share details about her personal life but this is not the right place to do so. While listening to this podcast I found myself wondering why the host didn’t make a separate podcast about her roots, or write a blog.