In this episode, Sonia shares her lived experience navigating identity in the entertainment industry—from early typecasting to evolving roles and the future of AI in performance.

Topics include:

Latinx representation in Hollywood

Typecasting across cultures

Middle Eastern representation in the 1990s

Ethnomusicology and cultural depth AI and identity in acting

Reclaiming narrative through creative work

References and inspirations:

Cultural and music studies from University of California, Los Angeles (Ethnomusicology)

Ongoing discussions in diversity, casting, and AI ethics in entertainment .

https://poeticresurrection.com/store/

https://sonialozada.com/

#RepresentationMatters
#LatinxVoices
#ActingIndustry
#VoiceActing
#Authenticity
#DiversityInFilm
#Storytelling
#AIandCreativity

In this episode, I reflect on watching Bad Bunny’sperformances on Amazon and the Super Bowl stage — not just as entertainment, but as cultural memory brought into global light. With a background in Ethnomusicology from UCLA, I share how my academic research into Puerto Rican music — through texts such as El Jíbaro de Puerto Rico, La Música en Puerto Rico, La Música Folklórica de Puerto Rico, and Voz Folklórica de Puerto Rico — deepened my understanding of traditions like Jíbaro, Bomba, Plena, and Aguinaldo.

But this episode is not only scholarly — it’s personal.

I revisit childhood memories of my father playing Jíbaromusic loudly while driving down Chicago Avenue in Chicago, and the shame I once felt. I reflect on how that discomfort evolved into teenage pride and later adult understanding.

I also honor my mother, who sang “Preciosa” and “En Mi ViejoSan Juan” in the kitchen, and my uncle who played guitar and cuatro, going door to door during the holidays performing Aguinaldos.

This episode explores:

What once felt too loud became legacy.What once felt distant became home.

What happens when you still love being on set, but thepassion for the dream doesn’t feel the same?

In this episode, I talk honestly about discouragement inacting and entertainment — not the dramatic kind, but the quieter season where you keep showing up without a five-year plan or a constant sense of inspiration.

This isn’t an episode about quitting or forcing motivation.It’s about staying present, redefining success, and letting the work be part of your life instead of the explanation for it.

If you’ve ever felt discouraged but still here — still doingthe work — this conversation is for you.

Music: Blue Ballsa by The Blue Cherries