Populistic girl a Mada Lata and you're listening to exactly a Mada a production of I Heart Radio. I am so excited because today we're celebrating our all year celebrating. Yes,
we're celebrating how proud we are of our ancess fears were. Yes, all that good stuff, our music, our culture, all those amazing things you know, um as Latinos, and I think that also as Latina, as a black woman, as an Afro Latina, as a woman in this country overall, I'm part of all those things that is so important for us to talk about the National Hispanic Heritage Month and why we should celebrate it all year round and not just like a one month thing, kind of like how
they do with Black History Month, which is so annoying to me that they just do it like one month. Let's celebrate it all year around, because all year we're doing amazing things all around the world, the importance of Latinos in our culture, Latinos and media in the entertainment industry, and Latinos every day in life. So today I'm super excited because we have amazing guests. Better, before I even get to that, okay, I have to see this show wouldn't be the same without my co host Stevie Noonez
or Stevie Nunez. You know you talk about what talking about Hispanic Heritage Month, We definitely need to talk about all the amazing politicians we have, um, that are playing important roles that really make an impact not only the Latino community, but in the United States and the community overall. Um. We have amazing athletes that'm being you like sports um uh If I like the athletes of worse, I do.
They're beautiful. Oh my god, I feel like bodies, Like why do you think a rod Victor Cruise athletes are as a Dominicano? Have to talk about the Dominicano that are making it happen, like you said, Alex Rodriguez amongst many. Do you see how important, Sammy? Do you know how important it is? Big body? Like all these important Latinos
that have impacted in so many different ways. I don't know too much about you know, scientists, but I know that in the science department, and that they've also been impactful in the entertainment industry. Of course, we know a lot of Latinos that have been impactful. Um. I'll start with one. I go with one and you go with the other one. Okay, Cruise yes? Or Anthony, oh wait, Gloria Stefan okay, um Mark Anthony Yes, and Stepan Mark Anthony.
Oh my god God, but we gotta diversify, yes, Jenny Rivera, there's so many. The list goes on and on and on and on. Oh I know another one too. I bet you don't know this one. They don't do it as see savey. You see, this is a great thing. It's not just about like the Caribbeans but Chile. I meant, hintena. The list goes on of how versatile we are and how amazing we are, how impactful we've been in so
many different departments as actors may strolls, as doctors. I mean, like we have truly immigrants, no matter how much they want to, you know, because there's always a little group of people they're like, oh, we don't want to know about immigrants, and kick them out of here, and we don't want them here. And now that shut up, okay, because without immigrants in this country, we shape our nation.
We shape this country. You know, this country wouldn't have been the same without us because a lot of the times, guess who does the hard work we do while they want to do the cute stuff. The Latinos that come here Sulambo, sacrificing all types of things, we're the ones that really make what this country is. And hello, a lot of Latinos, a lot of Latinos worked for five dollars in our work and help build a lot of corporations in this country. Okay, we are we are the
backbone of this country. A lot of us are the backbone of the country. And let's not even talk about Puerto Rico. How they made us. Um they haven't made us a state, but they made as a part of the country because they needed us. We never asked to be a part of the country. They needed us. I don't know what they have up in that country that they need. I do know, you know that's I don't want the government after me, but I know that that they we are very abhorant and we are not just
the help. You know, we are not just There's so many, um, second generational like people that have came here, Like I'm a kid of immigrants, you know, parents, you know what I mean, I'm I'm that person. But we're gonna have some such amazing guests today that actually are kids and have been very successful from you know, they have migrated to this country and it's awesome. I can't wait. I cannot wait to bring on our guests. And that's why
today's show it's so important. Today's is one of those shows that I want you guys to really pay attention the Latin X community, just the Latinos. If you come from parents that immigrated to this country, this conversation is for you, um, and for those that don't understand why we're so passionate, or for those that still feel certain
type of way about immigrants coming to this country. That's why it was so important for me to have a very close friend of mine who also is an immigrant agent, who also fought for this country as an immigrant, who also came to this country to succeed to provide a better future for his family, for his country. UM, my friend France, So France, are you there? Thank you? Thank you. I'm great. I'm great. I don't know if I'm too loud or if it's okay the volume. No, you're fine.
This is speak deeply to me when it comes to immigration, but for us, even speak for myself. I remember at the beginning a motter, I was talking about what don't we have, you know, a whole a whole year, Well, a brief history. You know. When Hispanic Month came in into place, it was one week they used to give you guys. It wasn't until nine Democratic President Lindon B.
Johnson declared that it should be a whole month. And then twenty years later in nine press the Republican President Reagan signed in the law where they should have that celebrate for a whole month. And the reason being that it's celebrated within September fifteen to October fifteen is because this is when most of Latin American country or Hispanic countries they gained the independence from Spain. It wasn't September fifteen the majority. So that the reason why they keep
the September fifteen. But I agree with you should be a whole year. Anyway, that was a brief history for what you just said. Thank you. It was a very educational moment. See, I didn't know that, and I love learning things. Yeah, I mean that's fine. So um, I am Olswids representative for immigration. I came here myself added political asylum. With the whole process I kept my head on straight. I was qualified for political asylum. I gave
my green card are Jindal military. I signed in August eight, um two six, and I saw the book camp on January seven, two thousand seven. And I sat for fourteen years in the military, valiantly fought for this country as an immigrant, the very people they say, let them stay in the country, let them not do anything. So I was one of the people who came here proud and
remain proud and do what I got to do. So when they keep on saying close the borders, one thing they have to understand with immigration and with immigrants in general, it's because of the separation of people in country and land that we are in this condition. For example, if you're in the continent of Africa, everyone in this continent, whe are you from Djibouti, so Maliya, Ga bond anywhere?
They call you African, right. But in America you're in Latin American country, they call you Latin American, they call you Dhysic or you that. But we are in the continent of America. Technically we are Americans, but this country claimed the name of American to give titles to different people. Now We're not gonna be bashing USA or anything like that.
That's not what we're doing. But we're just trying to make sure that our people are educated enough to understood end when you're here, not only you're an American according to the Lens separation, but you are also part of this great nation that is that is being built. And this nation is built almost entirely on the backs of immigrants, almost entirely because you're gonna see like people like Senator macaol Wob I mean his family were they were they
were immigrants. You have so many other people in in in politics had it not been for the people coming in to do exactly what they had to do to passs the kids paperwork. Like you said, a matter a lot of people from the border of Mexico coursing going to pan myself out, or before they get to Mexico they got rape, they got killed. Some people they get their family murder in four of them they cannot do
anything about it. So um, when it comes to really strong education, as far as helping people, the political salum when they come in here, helping people get into a green card, helping them if they if they find a family members or applying for a visa. So we are here to help them to make sure they keep their on straight and they do what they got will do, and they remain in this country and work, bring to the family and building the land to where it came up.
I have a question, do you feel that the immigration laws UM in the past two years or so have become more beneficial towards the Latino community or do you feel that there hasn't been any progress since the new UH, since our new president UM. Right now, it's kind of hard because it's still at a steady place because of so much Trump had done, with so many rules that he had come up with. So Biden had to reverse many laws that many many decisions that he has taken.
For example, one of which was the public charge war. The public charge war was something stated in February when it says that let's say, if you were to marry someone, it was to go under theod of the support. Let's say I'm married somebody right like a woman, and then I'm making a hundred thousand a year, so according to what I'm making, she was able to get the green card easily. But when Trump said the public charge will in effect it's implements that they don't go by my
income anymore. They go back. Okay, let's say, oh, you're found the republic. Oh you know what I feel like within two years you you're going to become a public charge, meaning you're gonna ask for benefits, You're gonna take up all our money. And the immigration officer I can decide at that point of time not to give you the wink card, which was terrible. So that's terrible. And this one to something we're still in effect because Biden cannot overbold every single day ye have done. But we are
in the maze of confusion in immigration. And another thing because there's so many back aloud things that usually used to take a year to process. Let's say, if you apply for your son or daughter, used to take a year. Now you can take all the way up to two years depending on what office isn't. Did the pandemic really affect the way uh these cases are being now, like the pandemic is slowed the process of a lot or is it back open? Is it it was it still running?
What happened for those people that had open cases? Um, the pandemic really affect a lot of things because as we can see the entire world as as if it is being redone like not. A lot of officers were closed, and a lot of cases were pushed back, and some applications that were done only like when they send it
back to you like taking even way more time. That's the reason why recently about like a month ago, Biden signed something where even unless it's somebody who got married with someone, they're gonna assigned officers where they're gonna open immigration on saturdays. So pretty strongly you're gonna see some people start getting interviews on Saturdays, things that never happened in immigration here. So that's the progress. And he just hired a lot of immigration officers do we view cases?
Because the backloging immigration is as much as the backlog in High Rest now for your attacks, So it's really really bad. But they are making progress because he's made every effort to how your more immigration agents. Absolutely. So, um, just yourself, I would like to hear more about France about you. Um, so you came from Haiti me and made the I T right. Um, tell us a little bit about your like your family coming here? Did you
come on your own? Did your family come and what were the the goals did you like as an immigrant because I know my dad was an immigrant. Do you come here with goals or you just played by ear? What what is it that you wanted to to accomplish in America? Because listen, I was raised in America, right, and I know how my Dominican family views America. They think is like the American dream and all of this.
And I'm like, well, I live in the project in the food you know, do you I'm sending money to you, but we're also struggling on our and we're not as rich as you think we are. You know, Um, what was the with your experience? I want to know about the front experience? Well, Um, back when I was in Haiti, I was a cop. So I served in the country of Haiti for five years and then after a while, I decided to come here on my own. I didn't have you know, my mom I passed away ninety eight.
My dad was in the military. When the military that dissolves in Haiti. Um, we didn't have any hope anymore because it was only the soup provider. So when I became a cop, I was the soap provider. Now in my family, including taking care of my dad and a sister brother, all of them older than me. So UM, as I was coming to the state, I put in my head, you know what, I love writing and I love you know guns. You know that's reason wh I serving the police. I knew I was gonna be serving
in the military here. I had that in my mind and to continue with my writing career. So as soon as I learned in this country, like I said before, UM, I applied for political slum. I wanted the case and quickly applied for the military, which was continued on following my dream. While I was in the military, I was on diplomat in Spain. This is when I wrote my first book while I was in the military. So every single thing that I've done, I calculate everything. That doesn't
mean I don't make mistakes here. That's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is I keep my head on street to the vision, and when I have a setback, I kept myself up, and I drugged myself up and I kept going. This is a very important topic for me. It was important to not just celebrate um just thinking about Hispanic heritage month, but thinking about immigrants in this country. I know that data. And I know that you know, the Dreamers have has been a really big topic, UM
that we've all seen on national TV. We've seen on social media, We've seen people protesting, We've seen all these things. Do you can you update us a little bit on the laws with dot guy? And for those those students that want to or those children that were born in this country and are going to school, for those that are out of the country that want to come to this country to study, um, what would be the right steps? How has the law of been beneficial for the Latino
community to study in this country? And so on? You know this this topic can go on and on. I can talk to you forever about all these immigration issues because I feel that we really need to get informed and study these things. But will go for it. Uh, Well, with the whole doctor is still in the h it's still on the table. So it's not fully it's not fully resolved yet. But as far as you know, children coming here to study, whether they come legally or illegally,
they are different world. So let's say they come as a refugee, there's their specific programs which they can be part of until then because they're not gonna refuse anyone medical care or refuse anyone education in this country just because you are an immigrant. Of course, there's some universities and colleges you would need to have your your legal paper. Now there are different out of countries now I mean Haiti included and a Servador and other places Venezuela where
they can also acquire tps. Now with the new law that just came about. And in immigration you can have as many as two three cases you know open until everything in result. Because remember when I said, you know, uh, the formal president really made a mess out of almost a lot of things in immigration, and there are certain things when they are done it is not as easy
as one to three to get them undone. But this is something where a lot of um social activists are fighting right now to see how the DAKA program can come back into the place again so that those children can have a possibility and a venue where they can be protected and then to study and to stay in
this country. Is there a phone number, uh, Instagram page a platform where people can reach out to you with the one more information as far as immigration that you can kind of guide them through MHM right now, they can contact me on my phone which is seven A
six four it's seven seven. And I do have another Instagram page also which I'm gonna be creating, but so far right now, they can contact me on my organization because I do have a mouth organization where I have I go a lot in Haiti about four times a year and I have a hundred twenty kids that I pay school for to go to school free and he so hand International ink on that page. They can find me hand International in their hand stands for Human Assistance
for Necessary Development. Okay, look at Gero. We're so proud to have you on our show today. Thank you so much for being such an amazing person, for being such an amazing human, for helping, supporting, for being a hope and guide not only for other Haitians in your country, for other immigrants in this country as well. They can look at look up to you as an inspiration. They can also serve in the military. They can also figure out ways to provide a better future for their family.
And I am so grateful to have you on today's show. So before we end the show, I'm and I just want to ask you, you know, as I love how I say that acts, um, how did what was your immigration experience with um mama on um Oh, hell no, you're not about a mess up my mama's name. No, you know what it is. No, no, no, you know what it is. The other day, real quick and real brief, they put Mamiani on the internet, so it confused the
hell out of me. Is Mommianna Reddy And you know that's my t T alright ready, I was born here in Miami. That's what I was talking about. It's about how amazing it is to have those parents that are winning to sacrifice their lives to give us a better future. Because I had the opportunity of being born here in America with you know, many possibilities, and thanks to those sacrifices,
I'm here today. So I personally didn't have those immigration issues, but I definitely can relate and understand the pain of those that do because I got to see with my own eyes. I got to see, like my mom working with no papers and then later on they didn't want to pay her, and they would, you know, tell her all the time, oh we're gonna call immigration on you, and all these terrible things that a lot of immigrants
have to go through in this country. Um, but I just wanted to say, how hard was it for you to have to go all the time to the store and have to help your mom? Like I always had to be the translator for mydas from the midmigrant public.
The language was very I was always like, this little kid and you know what, I've seen this the other day, because now I'm in Florida, I've seen this little boy he must have been only like seven doing being that person he was at the store and then um, and he's like, my parents want this, and what did your parents say? And he was like the mediator and it was just translator and it was just so nice at an early age that we have to take that initiative,
that leadership, you know position. Did you ever go through this too? Did you ever go through this to my mom? Always felt when I was younger and still to this day, because I know how to fix I know how to speak English, I should be able to fix anything, well, like fix this, Well, don't you know English. I'm like, yeah, but that doesn't mean I know how to do it. And you know what I'm saying, But these are all
real life situations. Um, I really really wish that I could I stay with France even a little bit longer, because I have so many questions, and not just for me, but questions for like other people that want to, like you know, come out of their country. They want to get a visa, they want to get a tourist visa, they want to get a work permit, they want to get married, that have children that want to bring them
to this country. Like, there's so many questions. There's endless immigration questions that I could ask all day because I know there's a lot of people that want to know. I'm always gonna be putting France, which is the immigration agent. I'm gonna be putting all his information on exactly I'm out his page. So you guys can contact him, talk to him directly if you need any guidance, if you need any help, if you have if you feel like you're lost, if you want to start anything, whatever the case,
maybe he got you. And also if you also want to support his foundation that helps uh, you know, the children and all the people in Haiti, you can also do that as well, because you know that our brothers and sisters are out there in Haiti right now, just went through a terrible tragedy and they need our love and support right now as well. So with that being said, Latina, I know that Stevie you are as well. Okay, each today listen to me da, don't get me started. It
is a rap. Okay, dug, Yeah, it's a rap. Don't forget to join us each Thursday for all new episodes of Exactly a Mada. You can also find us on Instagram and on Twitter at Ada also at exactly a Mata And of course you have to follow us at Michael through that podcast on Instagram. Stevie, what are your social me this so they can follow YouTube It's Stevin nos s t e v e y n e w n easy and I know I look like Stevia Hanna
Anoi And what a great show. Exactly and also all of our episodes are available on YouTube by searching or or exactly amada. Um you can find all the episodes. Just in case we want to watch it again. We got you. This has been such a great and amazing show. I am so happy and excited. This has been a
production of I Heart Radios Michael podcast network. For more podcasts from my Heart, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows you already know Relate, we got you, and we're celebrating our corda all year long. Okay, thank you so much for joining us. We will be back next Thursday with more exactly