PODCAST · society
Brown Enough
by Christopher Rivas
What is the role of Brownness in a Black/white world? That's the question Dominican-Colombian-American actor, author and storyteller Christopher Rivas has been navigating his whole life. Listen as Chris discusses identity, careers, and taking up space with other Brown activists, creators and change-makers. Brown Enough is the stories between Black and white.Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the feed to find Rubirosa, a ten-part documentary series about Porfirio Rubirosa, the Dominican diplomat, playboy, and international polo champion who was the inspiration for James Bond. The show tells the true story of Rubi’s incredible and complicated life and Chris learns what it can teach him about love, success, family, Hollywood, code-switching, white-washing, and the roller coaster of finding himself in a world not made for Brown folks like him.
Episodes
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People of The West, Part 2
This is part 2 of me sitting down with the People of The West team of filmmakers and Pechanga tribal members. It is one of our more important episodes to date. Enjoy.
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People of The West part 1, wi'áaşal mukát
This week I got to hang with the creators of the beautiful and important documentary People of The West. But before we got into the studio they gave me a tour of their lands, reservation, and I got the honor of meeting wi'áaşal mukát - The 1500 year old Great Oak.
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Quietest Room On Earth
This week we chat with Emma Orfield as I head out to Minneapolis to visit the the anechoic chamber at Orfield Laboratories. It is Guinness World Record-holding room that absorbs 99.99% of sound and measures down to –24.9 decibels. As an avid meditator, I have always wanted to visit this place and...
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Engaged Liberation
This week is a sampling of something going on in the Substack universe, where I host and write for the page, Engaged Liberation. I wrote and explore all things liberation, and I'd say we are in serious need of it right now. On my page, I interview other substackers doing incredible things, so…
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Brown N Proud
This week we chat with Carlos Guzman, the founder, CEO & Creative director of Brown N Proud. A dope clothing brand or as he likes to say, "this is a movement for our people, a movement that will endure for ages to come." Enjoy the beautiful Brown genius and pride in this episode.
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Illegally Yours w/ Rafael Agustin
Rafael is all heart and genius. He's a prolific writer and thinker, and on the front lines fighting to bring justice to so many injustices. Enjoy this honest, fun and candid convo.
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Rebirth w/ Jade Catta-Preta
Jade is hilarious, wise and beautiful - yes - but also courageous. I love this chat because it inspired me and still inspires me to take risks and listen to my hearts calling. This is a powerful conversation on trusting oneself and putting one foot in front of the other.
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Power Couple: Sandy Hernandez, Ben DeJesus, y Casa Noho!
I am not kidding, this is the most power of power couples! It's inspiring and motivating and beautiful to see. They are also my first couple on the show. We get into art making, but mainly, community building - which is what these two are all about. Enjoy!
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BackBone & Consistency w/ Fariha Róisín
“People can envision the end of the world, before they can envision the end of capitalism, why do you think that is!?” This was too short of a conversation. You are going to love every bit of this. This is originally from my Substack - Engaged Liberation. You will be lit up by it. Make sure to...
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Two Lands w/ Andrea Londo
Andrea Londo is an actress among many things, but I brought her into the studio to chat Two Lands Films! Two Lands, which is what so many of us listening embody. This is the body of culture expereince, many lands and speaking many tongues. I loved this convo. Enjoy.
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Boat Baby w/ Vicky Nguyen
Vicky Nguyen is the author of Boat Baby, a memoir about the NBC News anchor's journey from being a refugee from communist Vietnam to becoming a successful journalist in America, detailing her family's perilous escape by boat, their struggles to adapt, and her unique upbringing with unconventional...
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Brown Excellence w/ Julio Macias
Welcome back to season 4! On this episode of Brown Enough, I have the pleasure of sitting down with the one and only Julio Macias. A incredible actor, activist, and change maker, who wears his Brownness proudly and powerfully. Enjoy.
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You Mean Bad Bunny
This is a Bonus Episode from a talk I gave at a UNIDOS conference. I shared a story that starts with a misname - “Big Bunny” - and opens into something much deeper: what it means to be seen, unseen, and still essential in America. This talk explores how Latino communities have long powered this...
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CHIRLA — Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights
CHIRLA — the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights — is an organization that has been at the forefront of immigrant justice, advocacy, and community empowerment for decades. This isn’t just about policy, it’s about people. About families, futures, and the fundamental right to belong. We talk…
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For All The Corporate Baddies With Maritza Contreras
Today we're sitting with Maritza Contreras — community organizer, storyteller, and force of nature. Her work centers joy, justice, and belonging, reminding us that healing is a collective act. This one’s about home, building your very own board of directors and so much more!
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God in Public with Johnny Sibilly
Today on Brown Enough we're with Johnny Sibilly — actor, advocate, and full-spectrum joy dealer. You might know him from Pose, Hacks, or Queer as Folk, but Johnny’s real superpower is how boldly he shows up as himself. We talk about confidence, vulnerability, speaking God in public, chosen…
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Immigrantly with Saadia Khan
Today we're joined by Saadia Khan — founder and CEO of Immigrantly Media. Saadia is building one of the most vital media platforms for immigrant voices today, creating space for stories that are often ignored, flattened, or misunderstood. We talk all about narrative power, nuance, representation,...
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Live with Hella Latina
We’re sharing a special crossover episode with Odalys Jasmine, journalist, host, and the voice behind Hella Latina. This conversation comes from a live panel where we gathered in real time to talk culture, identity, visibility, and what it means to claim space unapologetically as Latinas in…
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Life Kit IRL with Marielle Segarra
Today we're hanging with Marielle Segarra — journalist, editor, and the host of NPR’s Life Kit. Marielle has a gift for asking the questions we all carry quietly: how do we take care of ourselves, make better decisions, and live with a little more clarity in an overwhelming world. We talk about...
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Mind Your Money with Yanely Espinal
Today we're joined by Yanely Espinal - also known as Ms. Be Helpful - financial educator, advocate, and author of Mind Your Money. Yanely is on a mission to make financial literacy clear, compassionate, and actually useful, especially for communities that were never taught the rules of the game.…
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Long Winter Nights Bonus Episode
Today we are sharing 3 short terrific and spooky tales I had the pleasure of voicing from a horror fiction podcast called, Long Winter Nights. Ps. This story is a work of horror fiction and may be triggering for some viewers. For a full list of content warnings, please visit longwinternights.com...
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Death, Kung Fu, and Courage with Jorge R. Gutierrez
Today we're with Jorge R. Gutiérrez - the visionary animator, filmmaker, and storyteller behind The Book of Life, Maya and the Three, and some of the most vibrant, soulful worlds in contemporary animation. Jorge doesn’t just make art, he makes myth. He takes our stories, our ancestors, our jokes,...
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Stories, Science, & Healing x Books That Shape Us
For all my mental health advocates, therapists and those bing therapized! This is a bonus episode from a podcast called, Books That Shape Us: Stories, Science, & Healing - I had the pleasure of chatting with the host about Brown Enough as a theraputic model.
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Craft, Community and Legacy with Gina Torres
Today we're joined by the incomparable Gina Torres - an icon of stage and screen whose presence has shaped entire worlds. From Firefly to Suits, to 9-1-1, Gina has made a career of playing roles with strength, grace, and depth, roles she often had to fight for long before the industry knew what…
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Refuge In The Soil with Lopez Urban Farms
Today on Brown Enough, we’re at Lopez Urban Farms with Bianca Ustrell-Friend - better known as Farmer Bianca, and community organizer Nathaly Moreno. Together, and with many others, they are building a refuge. A place where mutual aid isn’t theory - it’s tomatoes, shade, compost, care, and a...
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The Group Chat, But Make It Revolutionary with Maytha, Nina & Farah in Conversation
Today on Brown Enough, we’re doing something special — a roundtable with three powerhouse women whose minds and hearts shape culture in ways you can feel. I’m joined by Maytha Alhassen, Nina Hosseinzadeh, and Farah Fezz for a conversation about story, identity, community, and the work of…
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The Audacity of Art with Reza Farazmand aka Poorly Drawn Lines
Today on Brown Enough, I’m joined by Reza Farazmand, the creator of Poorly Drawn Lines, a comic that’s equal parts funny, tender, and existential. Reza has been making art online for over a decade, turning simple sketches into an entire universe of talking animals, awkward humans, and cosmic…
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Tarot, Magic, and Stars with Moon Chola
Moon Chola is an astrologer, tarot reader, and cosmic guide. Their work lives at the intersection of intuition and ancestry, blending ancient wisdom with the realities of modern life. We talk about the wounded healer, the stars, self-trust, and how reading the sky can help us better understand...
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Your Move with Terry Hu
Today we sit down with Terry Hu - actor, artist, chess player! We talk about self-worth, identity, the theater, and what it means to build a life outside of performance. It’s a conversation about presence, purpose, and the beauty of just being.
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Zen Commuter x Brown Enough - Bonus Episode
This week, a bonus episode featuring me as the guest. I recently sat down with Zen Commuter to talk about meditation, presence, and what it means to live a mindful life in the middle of chaos. As an avid meditator and Dharma practitioner, I wanted to share this conversation with our Brown Enough...
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Ten Toes Down with Aida Rodríguez
The one and only Aida Rodríguez, comedian, writer, and truth-teller. Aida’s comedy is fearless and full of heart, weaving stories of family, culture, and survival into punchlines that cut deep. We talk about where humor meets healing, and what it means to speak truth in a world that would rather...
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Love, Language & Leaps of Faith with Stephanie Arcila
Today on Brown Enough, I’m joined by actress Stephanie Arcila, a storyteller who’s mastered the art of betting on herself. From telenovelas to Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, to Fire Country, Stephanie brings heart, humor, and courage to everything she does. We talk self-care, language, love,...
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The Altar Within with Juliet Diaz
Today we sit down with a friend, mentor, best selling author, the person I call when I need a ritual or limpia, and brilliant spark of life, Juliet Diaz, the author of The Altar Within, and other amazing reads. We chat communal liberation, solitude, how words are spells in your mouth, how our...
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Closer to Self with Vico Ortiz
Welcome back for season 3!! Today we are chatting with the incomparable Vico Ortiz — actor, activist, drag king, and joyful disruptor. From swashbuckling on screen to breaking binaries in life, Vico is redefining what it means to take up space with authenticity, be radically honest, have…
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Betting on Ourselves w/ Jessica Marie Garcia
This week, the one and only Jessica Marie Garcia, known for her role as Jasmine in Netflix's "On My Block," plus many more - shares her journey, awakenings, big questions, and mission. We chat the wisdom of motherhood, parenting, the importance of authenticity in storytelling, and her experiences...
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Virgo and Double Leo Walk into a Bar w/ Curly Velasquez
Curly Velasquez is that rare kind of soul who reminds us that showing up as your full self — curls, corazón, cultura and all — is not just powerful, it's necessary. He’s joy wrapped in vulnerability, tradition blended with transformation, and he's been helping so many of us see ourselves with a...
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Uncovering Secrets w/ Ariel Viera
Ariel Vera is a Peabody Winner and digital creator with a unique vision and style. Using his channel URBANIST he uncovers the secrets of our cities. He has 1.6M total followers interested in his uncoverings! In this episode we chat history and urbanism, and how their secrets, stories, and...
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Hopeful For Love w/ Necar Zadegan
Necar Zadegan is a force of love and joy. A polyglot, an artist, and an overall joy to be around. In this episode we chat being artist, how we got here, treating every moment like it's our last, and mainly we just laugh. Enjoy xo
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Generational Wealth w/ Pamela Zapata
Pamela Zapata is the founder and CEO of Society 18. She is a talent manager disrupting industries, and helping her clients achieve generational wealth. She is a consultant and Forbes Next 1000 Honoree. And every time we link up we get into the real real! This is a beautiful conversation but…
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Choose an Alternate Lifestyle with Melissa Lozada-Oliva
Melissa Lozada-Oliva is a Guatelombian (Guatemalan-Colombian) American writer. Her book Candelaria was named one of the best books of 2023 by VOGUE and USA Today. Her work explores the intersections of Latina identity, feminism, hair removal & what it means to belong. In this incredible convo we...
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You are The Obstacle w/ Anirudh Pisharody
This week we are connecting with the one and only Anirudh Pisharody, an Indian American actor from Fox's 911 and Never Have I Ever. We chat all about craft, acting, being role models, taking risks, and being our biggest obstacles! It's a beautiful episode. Enjoy!
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Sex Ed Without Shame with Mariah Caudillo
Mariah Caudillo is the brilliant sex educator behind SexEdFiles, whose motto is simple but revolutionary: “Shame-free, inclusive, and quality sex ed—let’s learn together.” From unlearning the myths we grew up with to understanding why real sex education is about so much more than just sex, Mariah...
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The Art of Making What Doesn't Exist… Exist with Pooja Tripathi
In this episode of Brown Enough, comedian Pooja Tripathi joins usfor a deep (and hilarious) dive into creativity, art, humor, coffee culture, and all things New York. Her BK Coffee Shop videos have racked up millions of views and a feature in The New York Times. Pooja has mastered the fine line...
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You Might Also Like: Story Collider
Are we shaped more by nature or nurture? It’s a question science has wrestled with for years. In todays bonus episode, yours truly, Christopher Rivas is on the The Story Collider Podcast, he is diving into family histories to uncover how the past continues to shape the present. Don’t miss this...
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Tech is a Baddie & The Dreamers Playbook: Dellara on Liberation & Manifestation
In this electrifying conversation, Dellara breaks down how technology is a tool for liberation, the power of abundance over scarcity, and why confidence is the foundation for creating a better world. She dives into her book The Dreamer’s Playbook, discussing strategies for hacking the education...
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You Might Also Like" Las Paleteras
This is a bonus episode from our friends over at Las Paleteras. Las Paleteras is a fun, energetic, and mindful podcast hosted by Cesar Camacho, Ana Sheila, and Jose Richard Aviles (Nalgona), all three queer Latinx artists. Las Paleteras Podcast centers the lived experience while also engaging…
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Lights, Camera, Revolution with Alexis Garcia & Mariana Da Silva
What does it take to create meaningful change in an industry that still resists it? How do we reclaim our narratives? In this episode of Brown Enough, we dive in with Alexis Garcia and Mariana Da Silva, two visionary storytellers reshaping Hollywood from the ground up. Alexis and Mariana are...
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Running with the Pack: Lessons from Rancho Luna Lobos
What does it mean to live in harmony with nature? In this episode of Brown Enough, we head to the snow-covered trails of Utah to go dog sledding with Dana and Fernando, the founders of Rancho Luna Lobos. More than just a sled dog sanctuary, Rancho Luna Lobos is a way of life—rooted in respect,...
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Book Clubs & Risk Taking with Jeanell English!
Jeanell English is the co-founder of Elizabeth and Minnie, a new publishing company that is lifting voices and lifting stories. A community first independent publisher giving power and IP to underrepresented communities and creators. In this episode we chat books, art, risk taking and how book...
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Free Speech, Censorship, Persecution & Justice at City of Asylum!
Today we speak with two artists from City of Asylum - the world's largest sanctuary for artists in exile, facing political persecution. Exiled artists receive financial and medical support for their families and free housing. A safe space to keep being artists. Founded in 2004 by Henry Reese and...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
What is the role of Brownness in a Black/white world? That's the question Dominican-Colombian-American actor, author and storyteller Christopher Rivas has been navigating his whole life. Listen as Chris discusses identity, careers, and taking up space with other Brown activists, creators and change-makers. Brown Enough is the stories between Black and white.Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the feed to find Rubirosa, a ten-part documentary series about Porfirio Rubirosa, the Dominican diplomat, playboy, and international polo champion who was the inspiration for James Bond. The show tells the true story of Rubi’s incredible and complicated life and Chris learns what it can teach him about love, success, family, Hollywood, code-switching, white-washing, and the roller coaster of finding himself in a world not made for Brown folks like him.
HOSTED BY
Christopher Rivas
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Brown Enough have?
Brown Enough currently has 114 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Brown Enough about?
What is the role of Brownness in a Black/white world? That's the question Dominican-Colombian-American actor, author and storyteller Christopher Rivas has been navigating his whole life. Listen as Chris discusses identity, careers, and taking up space with other Brown activists, creators and...
How often does Brown Enough release new episodes?
Brown Enough publishes regularly with 114 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Brown Enough?
You can listen to Brown Enough on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Brown Enough?
Brown Enough is created and hosted by Christopher Rivas.
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