Sisters of the Underground (Behind the Scenes)

So I hope that people see this and see what's happening in our country now and go wait, I could participate in a bigger way, Yes, because these women did. The young women of these were old need to see stories like this, creating an army of history around our children. The inspiring part was definitely learning the history about the Metabows and how amazing it was and what they've been through and how much they suffered. But they were so

strong during this whole time. A most restan talk on me, monsieur b m Beneathos and welcome to the final bonus episode of Sisters of the Underground. I'm Daniel Ramides one of the executive producers of the podcast, and I also play me new the narrator. Today you will hear from some of the powerful voices behind this show. I feel very great to have partner up with Eva Longoria. You know, Eva and I share a passion for stories that will

empower the Latin voice in America and in the world. Really, I know that this needs no introduction at this point, but here's me and Eva talking about it. It was really serendipitous because I had just met whole Maria in a random Somebody goes, you should meet this writer, and I meet him and I said where even he goes on Dominican And I said, oh my gosh, that's so. That's I don't need very many Dominican writers. This is amazing.

And literally two days later, Dona sits with me and goes, I want to do this story and I loved like it to be all Dominican, Dominican sounding, Dominican writer, Dominican voices. And I was like, I just met a Dominican writer, and then I introduced you to Maria. And that's the thing. That's the thing too, that's my life's mission is not to speak for the Latino commune. I'm not. I don't speak for anybody. I don't speak for women, I don't

speak for Latinos. I encourage people to speak up for themselves, and the way we do it as creators is finding those stories from our communities and giving giving it that voice. And I think that's what you've done so beautifully with this particular series, is you've got so specific with the story. Is not not even just with being Dominican and it being a Dominican story, it being about these three women. The more specific you tell a story from a point

of view, the broader the reach. And that's the irony of storytelling, because it is you can't even make up this ship, right, you can't make up the ship that these women went through whips, chains, electric rocks, but don't give no, can calm down, get a lot worse. They're taking up still are family in a way, you know way it's like we are keeping them alive. You know

that he wasn't in vain. Like a lot of people can look at this, you know, look at the story and it's like, oh, look they spoke up and they're dead, and I'm like, but they're not. Look at the way that we're getting to tell this story. Look at the opportunities that we have so that our youth gets to grow up having that inspiration, understanding that that's what it's like, and being proud, being really proud of what it was

then and what it is now. You know, the movement soon became a political force to be reckoned with them now because of her, women like us don't have to be afraid anymore right now. And this is Dominicano. I am very proud to introduce minutes, the daughter of two of our heroes, Minerva. Yes, yes, you heard that right, that is me New She's still alive and well and working as a politician and an activist in the Dominican Republic.

Not surprising, She and a show runner writer directors Maria cal had a conversation about the journey towards bringing this story to life in this medium. I trust how's mydea? He's good, thank you? Meaning so, um, let's talk a little bit about the process. I remember I called you and and it was my birthday and you didn't know it was my birthday, see, and you told me come to my office and I arrived at your office and you gave me a book. Uh and that book is

Mariana Dede Sick. And that was a birthday gift, but it was it was also a great gift for me to learn more about about Meno and Manolo, and you really wanted to point out that love story that me Nero Minolo had. I miss you more than anything. I've read your last letter so many times. I know it by heart, and I think you can really you can really see that in the book. You can really understand

these characters. It was very good for us writers, for me and Mary cast Jans too, to really get to know in a in a different level, not only the the movements, what they thought their ideas, but how they think, how they felt uh and and that intimacy that they had, and how the struggles they had as a relationship, and and like in a way that human side that you can really see it in in in everything they did.

They're telling people to watch out for us doctor Manuelo Tabares, whoso has recently married La rou the Red commun And it is also said that there is a baby. What the hell is this? That bastard wants to isolate us from everyone, but he won't. I won't let it happen, Mina. They were really human to I think that was really important for us, and that's why I called you back and I told you, I think we need to include the book. I think the book is important, and I

think we need to include you. You need to be a character in in in this in this story quite a gift because that's a really true lost story. And it's not a love traditionally come on love love story. It's a love story between two and between a country

read and between the future. And it's about fighting for a better work and being um able to give everything, even even the UH their own lives, in order to UH to build a work, a different work, a onee where people do not have to to suffer what they suffered. People that do not that are not going to be per sicking. I am thinking of them and every new generation after them. They need to be protected from this terrible regime that killed their grandfather. Remember they did that

to puppy, to all of us. So you tell me, mommy, what's best to think about myself or to think about the future for my children and their country. I want to talk to you guys a little bit about Maria Caral showrunner, writer, director. He's one of the most important Dominican filmmakers working today. He has directed over seven feature films and his movie would Peckers was the first film out of Santo Domingo to screen at the Sundance Film

Festival in two thousand and seventeen. Meno so gracefully let Jose and co writer Mary Castelliano fictionalize her life and create a character who is passing this story on to the next generation. You speak for them, Okay. If I closed my eyes, I can't imagine the cries, the anguish, that despair. What I need is that you are able to capture the spirit, uh, and that you are respectful

with it. It. Yes, we we had that into account when me and Mary were writing, and that's why we we did a lot of meetings with you, and and also we we used many of the testimonies. The Day's book also very inspirational, uh. And we we really wanted to be really faithful to the history and to what actually happened, so we took very few creative licenses. There's another thing that it's very uh that talks about the

character of my mother. She was in prison, and and she was in the letters she said all the time, like bring me, please, bring me, bring me constantly said yes, So Clay Clay, did did you bring those cigarettes? On the modeling clay see, because I need to do something while I am. I'm here, you know, these days are endless days, and and she had no one single picture of me, So she started sculpting my face from her memory. Mommy was spent the next few months inside herself sculpting

the memory she had of me, of my face. It's surprising how very much alike to a picture of me at that age is this sculpt that she did. So what that story tells me is first how much she loved me, how present she had me. It's just like you know, not as you would tend to think that. Well, she preferred to fight, and she forgot about no, no, no me, no, I want me thank Okay, yes that's a key g She had me in her mind and

solely my father. Uh when when she did what she did because it was her responsibility, it was her commitment. She had no option but two fight for a better work. Look at what he's doing to us, Look at what he's doing to us. I don't want me to to grow up in fear. I want them to have a full life. Better. Their own hardships had one good result. It made them focus again on the revolutionary ideals, and so they began to plan. I was honored to bring her to life in this way. Actually, in the show,

Adela is played by my actual niece, Gabriel Stein. Just a little fun fact for you guys. They meant so much to me to pass along this story to the younger generation in my family. You know what you are Mariposa too, and so are you. Mavie. There, Hey, podcast listeners, We'll be right back with more interviews in just a sec. Stick around it. We got it. We got it is about reconnecting the dots for people now, and not from a victimized perspective, because I think that's the thing everybody.

You know, we're all played in this big play of life, right, and so we get to have a chance to be vessels for a message, a bigger message for me obviously, and you can you know, I have my messages of love, of uniting or like I've always been like, how can I tell stories that make people really resonate with not just what happened, but what can come a bit? You know, you know, I get really deep sometimes I get it,

but that it's important to me because I do. I feel like you've really provided me with a an opportunity to really retell the story in the most authentic way. You allowed me to have freedom to really, you know, collaborate with you on something that to me meant the world, and it means the world to a lot of the Dominican community. And along with Mikulta and and and I Heart and Julia from School of Humans came into this project and I cannot tell you eva like just changed everything.

We were able to just really attack it from a place of sound like, what do Dominican people sound like? What is our country sound like? What do our fight sound like? What does our laughter sound like? How do we relate to each other? And we did it all in a very specific way to talk about our people because you know, and I think that's a huge thing.

I'm so excited to and partner with Joannie on this because just like just like the media and sisters who weren't afraid to challenge decades of oppression, uh and and lead a revolution, you know, Danny and I aren't afraid to you know, tackle our industry with representation. And we're like, here we go, get ready for the revolution. Kill me and I will lift my arms ever stronger even from the grave. What an honor it was to work with you. The Ray is an incredible actress. Wow, Um, I have

worked with duty before. It's very rare that you have Dominicans in Los Angeles, and she's been my powerhouse here in l A, someone that I turned to. No one better than Julie Ray is as our So I mean, a room full of Dominicans is like nothing you've ever seen, you know. So it's it's not a joke, it's a show off. Somebody's teasing somebody else, making you laugh, and you feel at home immediately. You know. Once somebody threw in a a hole O go and yoka. Okay. It

was a legacy and the Spanish it was on. So we figured out how to throw it in there, and whenever we had to pull it out, who somebody did an incredible joke, was like, let's do another one. But you know, I think one of the more powerful scenes was um when we got we had to sing the national anthems Ye, she's being arrested, um, and it was I was like, oh my god, I don't know the whole thing. I don't know. You can't silence us our country's anthem. Says we have a right to be three

come on me by one of us, So damn. But it's almost a yeah it is, and it isn't re education of US Dominicans and American Dominicans. And you know, I'm I'm American born, American educated, I mean dominicanized by my family because my first generation, I mean for me. And one of the reasons why I really wanted to tell this story, it's not just because, Okay, the meat of our sisters was something that I grew up with, but really I knew firsthand the effect that he had

on our people. And I was born in them, and I am born in Dominican Republic, and I stayed there till I was ten years old. And I would come from a family full of women, like I'm one of three girls, my mom is one of ten. My grandmother had ten girls, two boys, and so the meat about story was something that was very prevalent and alive in my home. And so this is something that going to school in Dominican Republic is the first thing that you

really start learning about UM. But I also saw there their impact within the women in my family because Dominican Republic, if you know, the country is um in a lot of ways, very male dominant and still till this day, very male dominant, and so coming from a family full of strong women, this was something that I grew up

being inspired by my father. I remember him telling us stories about, you know, being outside and not being able like if thru he was making his rounds, you wouldn't even you weren't able to even be outside and chew gum because he found it disrespectful. So if he was out there speaking and you were chewing gum, they would like shoot you right then there. So imagine growing up in a time that that was a reality. Um. He made me have to grow into having a little more

understanding from my father, and he's much books. I'm one of four girls, so I I I identify and I appreciate what you're saying. And you know, very anti Trugistas. My parents they experienced him in their youth and uh. And then of course it's part of the lord. Every time you brought up civil rights in the States, you know, my mom had to, you know, give me a little schooling of what she knew about. Oh no, but in Santo Domingo, there was the meta our sisters, you know, no,

you don't know. It's like what happened. And and to echo what you were saying, the misogyny. So many women in the households so few men, and they have virtually no power because of the patriarchy, the times, all of that stuff. And like a middle class young women, like the metra our sisters going ahead and exercising their right to educate themselves, um creates a problem in a nation that's mostly women or has mostly daughters. I know where

this is going. Yes, I still think it's not a good idea for you to leave home to study law. Thanks for your advice, and thank you for the car. I really appreciate it. But I'm a meta. But I'll remember I set my mind on going to college, Poppy, and I'm going right, all right, I'll be safe, Poppy. Don't worry so much. You know, I have a son and a daughter, and I think of my daughter when i'm when I'm doing this work, and I'm thinking of what she you know, how we would resonate with her.

But I also think of my son, and I think of, you know, what his future with women would be like. Whatever it is, you know, it's just as a friend, as a partner, and you know, instilling that like love, admiration, respect for women in these young men is something that our nation needs. And I think creating an army of history around our children that that reminds them that they exist and being the example to our children that, uh, they can realize themselves as a result of people before us,

and being scared is not new. It's okay to be angry, and it's okay to take action, do you know what I mean? However, that looks for you, um um, that they're not alone, that they're you know, what we've been

looking for. What brought us all into the business, you, Julia, you Dania, is that we're looking for someone who looks like us, who sounds like us, who is like us, but you know, through a different journey and experience, representation and representation of these universal themes comes in every shape, color, size, gender, and I think that's an important message to get across.

But we have a lot of like intellectual, really smart educated business women who are actors in this room, you know, so that take in terms of the the class and the weight of these women really really uh, it's not something you can't you have to edit down or change because that's where we're all from, which is to your point, what the real talent is essential and talented people who often don't get the opportunity to shine in this way, let alone tell their story. We'll be right back with

more interviews in Justice Sect. Stick around. Did we record that? Okay? Next? I am very excited for you guys to hear from these beautiful Dominican strong women. Gravio, Charlene Let. They had a conversation with our producer and Julia Chris Gaunt know what bout. Yeah, it's beautiful. It's even makes me my eyes here, Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean it's a Dominican story led by females. You know, it's being represented and it feels good. You know, I saw Judy, I saw

Heivy Keith. They Judy started way before us and trying to break through. Yes, and the fact that she represents me, that my character. It's amazing because what what it entitles. It's like her history and you know they were met about rags. She's nearly ready and the fact that she did it was so so much soul because she wasn't. She wasn't just their scenery and made a good actor. It was personal for me. It's very important. I told

her this. She was the first Dominican actress I ever saw on screen and in a TV show when she was doing scrips and I would watch her every day and I didn't know she was Dominican. She just felt like family. I felt represented through her, and so many years after, you know, it just feels very full circle because she inspired me to be an actress. Whether she knew it or not, each of us individually had never given up in the industry. We have never given up

on our country. We have never given up on the pride of saying Dominican in Hollywood and Dominican in Miami and Dominican in Latin America during the world. So I think he has to do a lot with that, with with carrying our heritage and culture towards a story and linked to our own journey as creative people, and it's our story told by us and US Dominican talents in Hollywood. We have suffered so much and because for Hollywood, for the United States, we are who speak ste Spanish or

one flag, but we have different cultures. Of course, it's amazing, which is the beauty of the Latino. But as America. I tell you, I felt very proud in that room when all of us speaking Spanish and you and Virginia were the producers in the table. They had to just listen to what we're saying and take our our advice because we know better about our culture. To me, and I was like, yeah, all this is another level something never happened when gona help its going. It is so hard,

I mean, wow, but kudos. It is very important to know that bad as women like Dania Ramiers, Eva Longoria and Eugenia and you that represent a bigger platform that bad as women are telling the story as bad as women, and Hi are bad as women, you know. Like that to me is like okay, about time. Thank congratulations, thank you for trusting relieving in us. Yes, so it was you made it easy. Look at it. Where are we in a in a room right now? Right It's called

Sisters of the Underground. So they were underground paving their way. It's exactly what we're doing now. Look at the building next to us in Netflix offices. It's like the underground, you know. So we were like here doing a raw, doing a real because like yeah, really is rare nowadays. So this is a very real, rare project, and nothing goes the way we plan, but we plan our way, we still make it. Yes, that's quite the thing that best makes me about these women, these sisters, was the

bravery and the these ordinary women. I mean they were they were obviously extraordinary, but really if you look at their lives, they were three women, They had a husband, they had a job, they worked in the house. My hope is that it inspires people to see, wow, these three women became an inspiration for many. I mean, they

were affectionately called Las Mariposa, the butterflies. Um. You know, they earned this um martyr status, and they were normal everyday people who wanted to see a difference in their country. That's all they want. They wanted to make a difference in their country. So I hope that people see this and see what's happening in our country now and go, wait, I could participate in a bigger way. Yes, But these

women did. They started the downfall of trukil Uh. You know, over time they became the real threat to his regime, and they garnered national international attention and they put pressure on the government and go, if you look at if those three women can do it, in a in a in a place that has had true fascist dictatorship, I mean true fascist dictatorship. I think sometimes in the United States we sit back and we're like, we're such a great democracy and it's fine, and it's like, no, you

have to pay attention. You have to pay attention. And I think, you know, political and social movements are fueled by everyday people in our country, and so I hope people look at this and pay attention to what's happening in our country to make sure that we never become that right, and that not only that you have the power to make sure we never become that. I truly

do believe that change is inspired, not demanded. Bringing this show into fruition is my attempt to inspire the kind of change that I believe is needed in order to form a world that I want my children to grow up in. I am committed to shedding light on the pieces of history that have had a positive impact on the state of our current civilization. I want to thank you all so much for listening. It really does mean the world. Thank you. Oh My mom's from Dominican Republic,

who's don to you. She's my aunt and I love her very much. I love you very much, thank you, thank you for sharing your love, your talent, and you are Amiraba. You are if I ever o one AK. Sisters of the Underground is a production of School of Humans in conjunction with I Heeart Medias, Michael Tura Network and Unbelievable Entertainment, with co executive producers Eva Longoria and Dania Ramirez, showrunner and director j Maria Abra. The series

was written by Jose Maria Carrel and Mary Castellanos. Story by Dania Ramirez and Jose Maria Cabral. Lead producer and story editor Julia Chrisco Associate producer and first a d Andrew Harmon, Production manager Daisy Church, Script supervisor Sarah Montague, Recording engineer Clay Hillenburg, Post production supervisor Jeremy Gilbertson at Tune Welders in Atlanta. Sound design, mixing and mastering by Harper W. Harris, Assembly editing by Liam Marie Puffenberger. Jason

Shannon composed our score, music editor Spenser Willis. Music licensing by Serio Marte, Lolaurenz A Louts at Big Sync Music and Natalie Brady at Texture Music. Marketing and design by

Jasmine Miheia and Claudia Marti Corena. Our Incredible cast includes Dania Ramirez as Minotavares Miraval, our narrator, Julie Regues as Minerva Miraval, Jane Santos as Dona Chia Miraval, Celinez t Ribio as Deve Miraval, Charlene Chaule as Maria Presa Miraval, Acarriendo es Patria Miraval, Serio Carlo Es, Manolo Tavaris, and the radio announcer Pemki Malera Es Trujillo, Ector anibal As,

Johnny Abs, Cabrila Stein as Adela. Additional cast includes juan Ja Alex Lynn Word, Jacqueline Calderon, Vido Mico Urrivez, Silvio Martinez, Ryan Parija, Darius de la Cruz, Marco Parra, and Daniel Lujan.

Additional executive producers include Jossan, Maria Cabra, Mary Castellanos, Gessel Bances, Virginia Prasca, L. C. Crowley, Brandon bar Special thanks to Doug Boum and abou so far at I Heart Media Special thanks to Minoavaris Miravan, daughter of Minerva and Manolo, who is a politician and activist in the Dominican Republic. She also published the book of letters that we quote throughout the series. It's called Maniana Escribo Travis. Check out

our show notes for more details. If you enjoy the podcast, help us get the word out by leaving a review on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. It really helps. Thanks. School of Humans.