La Brega
by Futuro Media
La Brega tells stories of the Puerto Rican experience. The critically acclaimed podcast La Brega is back! Recognized by the The New York Times, The New Yorker and The Atlantic as one of the best podcasts of the year in its prior seasons and named as an Apple Podcasts Essential, La Brega has cemented itself as podcast canon. For three seasons, audiences have demanded one thing of La Brega: more episodes! Now, the team is meeting that demand, returning with a more permanent format. For three weeks out of each month, host Alana Casanova-Burgess and the La Brega team will bring listeners fascinating stories about Puerto Rican identity, from historical deep-dives to joyful conversations with some of the most creative artists and thinkers of today. La Brega is la plaza central– a place where people come to learn the latest, laugh, and to dream together about the future. Whether you’re Puerto Rican or not, La Brega brings you the
Episodes
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Una conversación con Angelo Colina
En este episodio de La Brega, una conversación con el comediante venezolano Angelo Colina. Desde que Angelo decidió hace unos años dedicarse a la comedia en español, Puerto Rico se ha convertido en una de sus plazas más importantes. Tanto, que recientemente filmó su especial de “stand-up” en el...
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The Sounds We Could Lose With Esencia
In August, the Puerto Rican government issued preliminary approvals for Esencia, a controversial $2.7 billion project in Cabo Rojo. This proposed luxury complex includes a private beach club, golf courses, and upscale residences and hotels. But experts, from scientists to government agencies and...
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Los sonidos que podríamos perder con Esencia
En agosto, el gobierno de Puerto Rico aprobó permisos preliminares para un controversial proyecto multimillonario en Cabo Rojo conocido como Esencia. El complejo exclusivo incluiría un club de playa privado, campos de golf, hoteles y residencias de lujo. Pero expertos —desde científicos a grupos...
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La Brega Is Back!
La Brega is back, and we’re here to stay! After three seasons, the show has established itself as a town square where people come to hear stories, laugh, and dream together. We’ll continue bringing you fascinating stories about our history and identity, important reports about the latest issues…
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¡La Brega está de vuelta!
¡La Brega está de vuelta y estamos aquí para quedarnos! Durante tres temporadas nos convertimos en una plaza pública donde nos juntamos a escuchar historias, reír y soñar juntos. Y ahora volvemos para seguir compartiendo historias fascinantes sobre la puertorriqueñidad, reportajes sobre los retos...
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NEW PODCAST ALERT: Reaching Out
Hailed by Ira Glass as the “best new show I’ve heard in years,” and winner of the Audio Memoir Award of the Tribeca Film Festival, Reaching Out is a story about fathers, sons, and the distance between them. The story begins on the eve of twin brothers’ Sayre and Connor’s 30th birthday, when they...
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NEW PODCAST ALERT: Muy Excited with Maria Garcia
Maria was watching the Benito Bowl when an unexpected artist came on: the one and only Ricky Martin. He sang one of Bad Bunny’s most political, anti-colonial anthems. Maria knew this was a touchstone moment — the artist who most represented the 90’s Latin Boom wasn’t performing to a white…
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Our Thing: The Birth of Salsa in Nueva York (hosted by Rosie Perez)
The 1960s brings social and political change to the world and to New York City, where a young Johnny Pacheco keeps people dancing with his orchestra and charanga music. The Dominican musician is also going through a divorce and his lawyer, Jerry Masucci, happens to be a fan of Johnny’s music. The...
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The First Time The Men’s World Cup Came to the U.S.A.
The Men’s World Cup is coming to our continent – and to this country. So we’re using this huge event to dive deep into what soccer means in the United States with a new podcast called “American Futbol.” We hear from immigrants all across the country for whom soccer is a touchstone, but who’ve…
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My Futuro is Impactful: Our Projects for 2026
It’s been a time of growth at Futuro – we’ve been breaking news and bringing rigorous in-depth journalism at Latino USA, creating ambitious podcasts at Futuro Studios, and sharing some awesome behind the scenes moments and stories at Futuro+ with our subscribers. In this week's special episode,...
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TRAILER DROP: Our Thing — The Birth of Salsa in Nueva York (hosted by Rosie Perez)
A new podcast from Futuro is coming to you soon! In 1964, an Italian-American ex-cop and a Dominican musician in New York City opened “the Motown of Salsa,” Fania Records. Artists like Héctor Lavoe, Willie Colón, Celia Cruz and La Lupe made the label hip, rebellious, sexy and political all at…
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Donde el Mar Se Enciende (Buenas noches, Cráneo)
Hoy les traemos un episodio de nuestros amigos de Buenas noches, Cráneo. Esta noche viajamos a una bahía de Puerto Rico donde el agua brilla en la oscuridad. Junto a Alana Casanova-Burgess, anfitriona de La Brega, vivimos una aventura asombrosa sobre la bioluminiscencia, los peces que dejan…
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A look at the human toll of the construction of the Panama Canal
This week, we’re sharing an episode from our friends at Code Switch. President Donald Trump says he wants the U.S. to take back control of the Panama Canal. The Canal has been dubbed the greatest engineering feat in human history. It's also (perhaps less favorably) been called the greatest…
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Un vampiro entre nosotros
Hoy les traemos un episodio especial desde Puerto Rico de nuestros amigos de Radio Ambulante, quienes se encuentran en plena publicación de su temporada 15. En marzo de 1975, el pequeño pueblo de Moca, en Puerto Rico, vio cómo se perturbaba su tranquilidad con la aparición de decenas de animales...
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BONUS: Boricuas on the Ice
You’ve seen the Instagram posts and the headlines of Puerto Rican campeones in all kinds of arenas. For this special bonus episode we talk to Camila Lamerre Estevez, an athlete who competed on the Puerto Rican women’s ice hockey team. We share Camila’s story, how she turned into a young hockey...
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8. Tengo a Puerto Rico en mi corazón
Los Young Lords surgieron en los 60 en Chicago como una ganga callejera, pero evolucionaron y se convirtieron en una organización política que llegó a otras ciudades, como Nueva York y Filadelfia. En su mayoría, eran jóvenes boricuas de la diáspora, que se organizaron y educaron a su comunidad...
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8. I Have Puerto Rico in My Heart
In the late 1960s, the Young Lords emerged from a Chicago gang and became a political organization mainly made up of Puerto Ricans in the diaspora. Some had never been to Puerto Rico, some spoke little Spanish – but they all claimed Puerto Rico. Many of these young Boricuas were hungry for…
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7. Madera de campeón: el futuro del béisbol boricua
El dominio de Puerto Rico en el beisbol es más que conocido, pero hay quienes piensan que la pelota boricua ya vio sus mejores días. Y algunos responsabilizan de su declive a una decisión de Major League Baseball de 1990, cuando obligó a los peloteros boricuas a pasar por el sorteo de novatos…
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7. The Stuff of Champions: The Future of Puerto Rican Baseball
Puerto Rico has been a baseball powerhouse. For decades, we operated as our own country, under the same rules as nations like the Dominican Republic. Players could be signed to professional teams as young as 16. Then in 1990, Major League Baseball changed the rules to include Puerto Rico in its...
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6. Tres minutos para Puerto Rico
Por décadas, políticos y activistas boricuas han depuesto ante el Comité de Descolonización de la ONU durante su vista anual sobre Puerto Rico. La mayoría de los deponentes favorece la independencia, pero, recientemente, los pro estadidad se han organizado para aumentar su presencia ante un foro...
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6. Three Minutes for Puerto Rico
For decades, Puerto Ricans from different political persuasions have gone to the United Nations in New York to speak about the decolonization of Puerto Rico. Most have advocated for independence. But recently, statehood supporters have also spoken before the UN. And for decades, their advocacy…
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5. La importancia de ser Mr. Mundo
En Puerto Rico, los concursos de belleza son una obsesión nacional que entusiasma al público como cualquier competencia deportiva. Y, en 2024, ocurrió algo que expandió la huella boricua en estos certámenes: Míster Puerto Rico ganó por primera vez Míster Mundo. Danny Mejía nunca había participado...
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5. Wearing Puerto Rico On Your Sash
Puerto Rico has a reputation as a beauty queen mecca, the pageant scene is treated as seriously as any competitive sport in the archipelago. And in 2024, the scope of Puerto Rican dominance in the world of beauty pageants expanded even further: for the first time, Mister Puerto Rico became Mister...
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4. Isabel González vs. Estados Unidos
En 1902, Isabel González llegó a Ellis Island sola, con 11 dólares en el bolsillo y embarazada. La detuvieron, como a tantos otros, por ser “extranjera” y porque consideraron que podría ser “una carga para el Estado”. Pero ella peleó por su derecho de quedarse en el país que había invadido su...
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4. Isabel González v. United States
In 1902, Isabel González arrived in Ellis Island, pregnant, alone and with only $11.00 in her pocket. She – like others before her – was detained for being an "alien" and at risk of becoming a "burden" on the state. But Isabel took her fight to the courts, defending her right to stay in the…
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3. Las banderas de Alberto Mercado
En plena Guerra Fría, el presidente estadounidense Jimmy Carter llama al boicot de los Juegos Olímpicos Moscú 1980 y en Puerto Rico se debate qué significa eso para la participación de los deportistas locales. Pero un joven boxeador llamado Alberto Mercado no tiene dudas: no habrá boicot ni...
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3. The Many Flags of Alberto Mercado
It was 1980, and the Olympics were to be held in Moscow against the backdrop of the Cold War. When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, President Jimmy Carter called for a boycott of the games, leaving Puerto Rican athletes uncertain of their participation. But Alberto Mercado and two other…
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2. Nuestro cuatro (o por qué nos hace llorar)
Cuando el cuatrista Luis Sanz se presentó en un estudio para una grabación misteriosa, no imaginó que terminaría tocando un solo de cuatro en “Lo que le pasó a Hawaii”, la canción de Bad Bunny que habla sobre los peligros de la estadidad. Las instrucciones de Benito fueron simples, pero…
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2. Our Cuatro (And Why It Makes Us Cry)
When the musician Luís Sanz showed up for a mystery recording session last year, he didn’t know that he’d be playing a cuatro solo for “Lo que le paso a Hawaii,” a lament about the dangers of statehood. Benito’s instruction was simple yet heart-wrenching: “play the cuatro as though it’s bleeding...
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1. ¿Quién nos representa?
A horas de que llegara el rey de España a Puerto Rico en enero de 2022, el país se despertó con una sorpresa: la estatua de Juan Ponce de León en el Viejo San Juan estaba tirada en el piso. Ese día, el pasado y presente colonial de Puerto Rico se entrelazaron de manera evidente, y muchos se...
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1. Who represents us?
It was January 24, 2022. The King of Spain was coming to Puerto Rico. But everyone woke up to some unexpected news: the statue of the Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León in Old San Juan had been toppled. When the mayor promised to restore it that same day, it raised big questions: Who…
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Tercera temporada: Campeonas y campeones de Puerto Rico
¡La Brega regresa! Esta temporada, contamos las historias de personas y símbolos que representan a Puerto Rico. Y nos preguntamos: ¿Quién defiende a Puerto Rico? ¿Qué podemos aprender sobre la puertorriqueñidad al conocer sus historias? Disponible el 3 de febrero. Want to support our independent...
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Season 3: Puerto Rico’s Champions
La Brega is back! This season, we’re telling the stories of the people and symbols that represent Puerto Rico. We’re asking: who champions Puerto Rico? And what can we learn about Puerto Ricanness through their stories? Listen February 3. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+…
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This Giving Tuesday, Futuro reflects back on 2025
It’s been quite the year, for the United States and for Futuro Media. At Latino USA, we’re bringing you in-depth reporting from the front lines. At Futuro Studios, we’re developing ground-breaking shows like La Brega Season 3, which is set to premiere early next year. In this special Giving…
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Sneak Peek: How we make La Brega
We have a sneak peek of our latest bonus episode for Futuro+ members. Alana and OG La Brega producer Ezequiel Rodríguez Andino break down how they make the show in two languages – something rarely done in podcasting. Plus, hear never before heard audio. Want to support our independent journalism?...
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Big News from La Brega
Wepa! We’ve got big news for you: La Brega is back, directly from Futuro Studios! We’re in production right now on a third season and it’ll hit your headphones soon. In the meantime, we have a hint on what’s coming this season. So hit play to find out! Want to support our independent journalism?...
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¡Buenas noticias de La Brega!
¡Wepa! Te traemos buenas noticias: ¡Regresa La Brega! Y llega directamente desde Futuro Studios. Estamos produciendo la tercera temporada, que podrás escuchar muy pronto. Pero, mientras, te dejamos algunas pistas de por dónde irán los nuevos episodios. ¡Dale play, pa que te enteres! Want to…
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Bonus Track — Songs for the Future of Puerto Rico
Una notita: This episode is in Spanglish. This season, we explored songs that tell the complicated, beautiful story of Puerto Rico. We wanted to bring that exploration into the present moment, so we called up some of the most innovative Puerto Rican artists making music today and we gave them a...
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8. “Olas y Arenas” — The Beaches Belong to the People
Puerto Rico’s beautiful beaches are an integral part of Puerto Rican life. They form a ring of pleasure that encircles the whole island — an escape valve. And they’re one of the few places that are truly public. At least, that’s what the law says. Yet in practice, that stretch of land where the...
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8. “Olas y arenas” — las playas son del pueblo
Las hermosas playas de Puerto Rico son una parte integral de la vida puertorriqueña. Las costas forman un anillo de placer que rodea toda la isla, una válvula de escape. Y son uno de los pocos espacios que son verdaderamente públicos. Al menos, eso es lo que dice la ley. En la práctica, sin...
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7. "Vamos Pa’ Plaza" — The Center of Everything
Plaza Las Americas is not any mall — going there, “Pa Plaza,” is a quintessential boricua experience. Young people experience first dates; old people gather and enjoy the air conditioning; you can renew your passport, get vaccinated, and buy an electric car in a single visit. The Pope even gave...
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7. "Vamos pa’ Plaza" — el centro de todo
Plaza Las Américas no es un centro comercial cualquiera: ir allí, "pa’ Plaza", es una experiencia muy boricua l. Los jóvenes viven sus primeras citas; las personas mayores se reúnen y disfrutan del aire acondicionado; puedes renovar tu pasaporte, vacunarte y comprar un automóvil eléctrico en una...
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6. “Boricua en la Luna” — The Moon’s Distance
“Boricua En La Luna” is a classic anthem about a young man born outside Puerto Rico, who dreams of going back to his parents’ home but never does. Based on a poem written by Juan Antonio Corretjer, the song vividly evokes themes of displacement and connection. And it asserts that Puertoricanness...
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6. “Boricua en la luna” — la distancia de la luna
“Boricua en la luna” es un himno clásico sobre un joven nacido fuera de Puerto Rico, que sueña con volver a la casa de sus padres pero nunca lo hace. La canción, que está basada en un poema escrito por Juan Antonio Corretjer, evoca vívidamente temas de desplazamiento y conexión. Y afirma que la...
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5. “Las Caras Lindas (De Mi Gente Negra)” — An Ode to Blackness
Catalino Curet Alonso (known as Don Tite) penned some 2,000 songs during his life — and around 200 were massive hits across Latin America. “Las Caras Lindas (De Mi Gente Negra)” is undeniably personal. Tite, who passed away in 2003, was proud to be an “Antillano of visibly African heritage.”…
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5. “Las caras lindas (de mi gente negra)” — una oda a la negrura
Catalino Curet Alonso (a menudo llamado Don Tite) escribió unas 2000 canciones durante su vida, y alrededor de 200 fueron grandes éxitos en Latinoamérica. “Las caras lindas (de mi gente negra)” es innegablemente personal. Tite, que falleció en 2003, estaba orgulloso de ser un “Antillano de…
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4. "I Wonder if I Take You Home" — Freedom in Freestyle
Created on the streets by young Nuyoricans in the mid-1980s, freestyle music became the soundtrack for the lives of second-generation Puerto Ricans. Hip-hop and pop, Latin Caribbean rhythms and instruments — it all came together in freestyle. The sound was ubiquitous in New York, and later in...
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4. “I Wonder if I Take You Home” — La libertad en el freestyle
Creada en las calles por jóvenes nuyoricans en la mitad de los ochenta, la música freestyle se convirtió en el sonido y la historia de los puertorriqueños de segunda generación. La fusión entre el hip-hop y el pop con los ritmos e instrumentos latino-caribeños dieron como resultado la música...
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3. “Suavemente” — The Merengue War
At the end of the 1990s merengue ruled supreme on the radio and television in Puerto Rico. Elvis Crespo’s “Suavemente” is perhaps the most famous example — a bonafide hit that helped popularize the genre all over the world. But how did this Puerto Rican hit become the most recognizable merengue...
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3. “Suavemente” — La guerra del merengue
En Puerto Rico, a finales de los noventa el merengue reinaba en la radio y en la televisión. "Suavemente" de Elvis Crespo es quizás el ejemplo más famoso de ese momento — un verdadero éxito que ayudó a popularizar el género en todo el mundo. Pero, ¿cómo esta canción puertorriqueña se convirtió en...
About this show
La Brega tells stories of the Puerto Rican experience.
The critically acclaimed podcast La Brega is back! Recognized by the The New York Times, The New Yorker and The Atlantic as one of the best podcasts of the year in its prior seasons and named as an Apple Podcasts Essential, La Brega has cemented itself as podcast canon. For three seasons, audiences have demanded one thing of La Brega: more episodes! Now, the team is meeting that demand, returning with a more permanent format. For three weeks out of each month, host Alana Casanova-Burgess and the La Brega team will bring listeners fascinating stories about Puerto Rican identity, from historical deep-dives to joyful conversations with some of the most creative artists and thinkers of today. La Brega is la plaza central– a place where people come to learn the latest, laugh, and to dream together about the future. Whether you’re Puerto Rican or not, La Brega brings you the
Hosted by
Futuro Media