Ruben In The Center
by Cloudcast
The extremes have it all wrong. Naturally. On every issue, they only see half the picture. The ideologues always lead to a dead-end. You need to travel the middle of the road. That’s where the action is — in the center. On the basketball court, the chessboard, or the boxing ring, the center is where you want to be. Now more than ever, our country needs to be centered. While other journalists lurch to the right or left, nationally syndicated columnist Ruben Navarrette keeps it one hundred by writing — and fighting — in the center. Here’s your host, Ruben Navarrette
Episodes
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EP 158 | Marcela Aviles Davidson
Host Ruben Navarrette has a timely and entertaining conversation with his friend and fellow Harvard graduate Marcela Davison Avilés. A Stanford-educated lawyer-turned-filmmaker Marcela grew up in Southern Arizona -- specifically Nogales and Tucson -- where her family has deep roots. She spent…
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EP 157 | Arnold Torres, Policy Analyst, Political Commentator & Spanish-language Radio Host
Host Ruben Navarrette has a timely and critically important conversation with his old friend of nearly 40 years, Arnold Torres, a Sacramento CA-based policy analyst, political commentator & Spanish-language radio host. As a lifelong observer of politics and immigration -- and the politics of the...
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EP 156 | Roman Navarrette, son of Ruben G. Navarrette Sr.
In this special episode, host Ruben Navarrette has a very personal and heartfelt conversation with his brother, entertainment marketing specialist Roman Navarrette. The two talk about their father, Ruben G. Navarrette Sr., who passed away on Dec. 7 at the age of 84. They dissect a life that...
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EP 155 | Mark Madrid, CEO & Founder of Breakthrough Mavens, LLC & former Associate Administrator of U.S. Small Business Administration
Host Ruben Navarrette has an interesting and wide-ranging conversation with Mark Madrid, an Austin TX-based author, consultant and expert on business excellence, entrepreneurship, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. The two talk about the challenges and opportunities facing Latino-owned...
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EP 154 | Rene Alegria, media executive, cultural innovator and digital media entrepreneur
Host Ruben Navarrette has a great conversation with Rene Alegria, the Atlanta-based Chief Innovation Officer at Neuvo Network. The former president and CEO of MundoNow, and founding CEO of Mamiverse Media, Alegria also guided the launch of the groundbreaking Latino podcast network, Oyenos Audio....
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EP 153 | Pedro Rios, Director of the U.S.-Mexico Border Program for the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
Host Ruben Navarrette has a great conversation with Pedro Rios, who -- like him -- has been intimately acquainted with the immigration issue for more than 30 years. The San Diego native, and graduate of the University of San Diego, is the director of the U.S.-Mexico Border Program for the…
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EP 152 | Esther Valdez Clayton, San Diego-based Immigration Attorney
Host Ruben Navarrette has a great conversation with Esther Valdez Clayton, a San Diego-based Mexican American immigration attorney and evangelical Christian who is also a pro-Trump Republican. The two discuss the ICE raids and the reasons for the drop in Latino support for President Trump. They...
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EP 151 | Elsa Sevilla, documentary filmmaker, host of public television "Historic Places w/Elsa Sevilla" and author
Host Ruben Navarrette has a great conversation with Elsa Sevilla, Tijuana-born television journalist and host of the KPBS documentary series, “Historic Places w/ Elsa Sevilla.” She is also a San Diego-based filmmaker, professional speaker and author of the recently published book “Camera Ready:...
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EP 150 | Alfredo Estrada, Publisher of Austin TX-based Latino Magazine. Lawyer and Novelist.
Host Ruben Navarrette has a candid and far-reaching conversation with his old friend, Alfredo Estrada, the Harvard-educated trailblazing magazine publisher and chronicler of the experience of U.S. Latinos over the last four decades. They talk about how President Donald Trump's war on immigrants…
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EP 149 | Mike Madrid -- Republican Political Consultant, Co-Host of "The Latino Vote" Podcast & Author
Host Ruben Navarrette has a spirited conversation with Sacramento CA-based GOP Political Consultant Mike Madrid, Co-Founder of The Lincoln Project, Co-Host of "The Latino Vote" Podcast & Author of "The Latino Century: How America's Largest Minority Is Transforming Democracy." The two Mexican...
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EP 148 | Dr. Jose Angel Gutierrez, JD/PhD
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews his old friend, Dr. Jose Angel Gutierrez, a retired professor of political science at University of Texas at Arlington, a former civil rights attorney, and the author of more than 30 books on history, politics, race and culture. Gutierrez was a young activist in…
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EP 147 | Dr. Kristina Lopez, PhD -- Professor of Social Work, Arizona State University School of Social Work
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews Dr. Kristina Lopez, PhD, Professor of Social Work. A graduate of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor with a degree in social work and psychology, Lopez explores disparities in early diagnosis and subsequent treatment of underserved children and their families...
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EP 146 | Dr. Ron Granieri -- Professor of History & Templeton Education Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews his old friend and former Harvard classmate, Dr. Ronald J. Granieri who is a history professor at the United States Army War College, as well as a Templeton Education Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Given that Dr. Granieri's speciality is European...
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EP 145 | Rev. Samuel Rodriguez -- Pastor, Author, Filmmaker and President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews his friend and spirtual adviser Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, one of the nation's most prominent Latino evangelical leaders. They discuss faith, social activism and impactful storytelling. They also talk about the moral soul of America, which seems to be hurting at the...
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EP 144 | Marisa Calderon, CEO of Prosperity Now, and Bob Friedman, founder of Prosperity Now
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews Marisa Calderon, CEO of Prosperity Now, and Bob Friedman, the organization's founder. They discuss social activism, racial justice, and prosperity for all. They also talk about what the political parties have done right and wrong over the years, and how...
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EP 143 | Chris Salcedo, Newsmax-TV Host & Radio Talk Show Host
Host Ruben Navarrette has a great conversation with his old friend, Chris Salcedo, a fellow professional communicator and broadcaster who traded living in California for Texas about the same time that Navarrette did the opposite. The two talk about politics, MAGA, the turbulent state of media…
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EP 142 | Emiliano Limon, Veterano Radio Producer & Podcast Developer
Host Ruben Navarrette has a great conversation with his old friend, Emiliano Limon, about the new media and what went wrong with the old media. They talk about Limon's long career in talk radio and how that medium changed America -- and then went off the rails. They also discuss broadcast media…
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EP 141 | Michael Fisher, Former Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol
Host Ruben Navarrette has a great conversation with his old friend, and former Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, Michael Fisher. They discuss immigration enforcement policy, and the most effective methods of securing the nearly 2000-mile long border between the United States and Mexico. They also...
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EP 140 | Tavis Smiley, author/radio host/media entrepreneur
Host Ruben Navarrette has a great conversation with Tavis Smiley, his old friend of 30 years and former LA radio co-host. They talk about Smiley's new book, which offers a fresh look at a project he started two decades ago -- "The Covenant With Black America, 20 Years Later." They address the...
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EP 139 | Lupita Castañeda-Liles & Maria Soco Castañeda, Ph.D
Host Ruben Navarrette has a great conversation with powerhouse mother-daughter team, Lupita Castañeda-Liles & Maria Soco Castañeda about their lives, their partnership, and their shared passion for their exciting social media platform, "Becoming Mujeres: Translating Cultural Expectations Into...
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EP 138 | Dr. Max Cuevas, CEO of Clinicas de Salud del Valle de Salinas
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews Dr. Max Cuevas, CEO of Clinicas de Salud del Valle de Salinas, a string of non-profit and low-cost medical clinics sprinkled throughout the central coast and Salinas valley. They talk about the lack of health care insurance coverage, the high cost of health care,...
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EP 137 | Neal Griffin, Wisconsin-based novelist, reporter and retired law enforcement officer
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews his friend, Neal Griffin, about the retired police lieutenant's latest career enhancement -- going from peace officer to crime novelist to beat reporter for a local Wisconsin newspaper. They talk about storytelling, journalism, politics and the state of modern-day...
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EP 136 | Arnold Torres, Sacramento-based policy analyst, Spanish-language radio host, and political commentator
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews his longtime friend, Arnold Torres, about the state of American politics, the various challenges facing the country's 62 million Latinos, and the dangerous times in which we live now that Donald Trump has promised mass deportations of undocumented immigrants…
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EP 135 | Bob Harrison, Director of Command College, Researcher for RAND Corporation, former police chief and co-host of a podcast
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews his friend, Bob Harrison, director of Command College, researcher for RAND Corporation and former police chief in three different California cities. They discuss policing in the modern era, the recent round of protests on university campuses and what the public...
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EP 134 | Martin Mares, Founder and Executive Director of the Ivy League Project; Parlier Unified School Board Member
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews his longtime friend, Martin Mares, founder and executive director of the Ivy League Project -- a unique leadership initiative that has taken thousands of high school students from migrant and working-class backgrounds to visit Ivy League and other selective...
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EP 133 | Ray Suarez, author; radio/podcast/TV host; former senior correspondent for the PBS Newshour
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews his friend, veterano Latino journalist Ray Suarez, about his new book on immigration, "We Are Home: Becoming American In The 21st Century." Touching on history and politics, they discuss all that immigrants from all over the world give to the United States, and…
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EP 132 | Melissa Vela Williamson, San Antonio-based Public Relations Specialist and author
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews his friend, Melissa Vela Williamson, a San Antonio-based public relations specialist. She is the author of “Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Need to Know.” They discuss the science of communications, the Latino community, and how to get America...
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EP 131 | Dr. Yasmin Davidds, CEO & Founder of the Dr. Yasmin Davidds Leadership Institute
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews Dr. Yasmin Davidds, a Los Angeles-based organizational psychologist with additional certification in emotional intelligence. A popular speaker, negotiating specialist, and expert on women and leadership, Davidds is the author of several books including, most...
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EP 130 | Veronica Navarrette, Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP), Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT), Montessori-trained Teacher
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews Veronica Navarrette -- his Mexican-born wife, and better 7/8 -- about her long career helping kids on the margins as a bilingual Montessori-trained, certified academic language therapist, dyslexia specialist and speech & language pathologist.
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EP 129 | David Telisman, communications and marketing specialist, founder and CEO of David Telisman Communications, LLC
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews David Telisman -- his cousin through marriage -- about branding, messaging, and storytelling about issues ranging from mental health awareness to the experience of being Jewish in America post Oct 7.
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EP 128 | Jean Twenge, PhD, Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University and Author
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews fellow Generation X'er Jean Twenge, PhD -- a renowned national expert, speaker, and consultant on the generations -- about some of what she has learned over 30 years of looking at generational differences, her new book, and what it's like to be a Gen X'er raising...
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EP 127 | Julio Ricardo Varela, writer, journalist, founder of LatinoRebels.com and MSNBC Opinion Columnist
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews Julio Ricardo Varela -- a Harvard-educated Latino journalist, with roots in Puerto Rico -- about the media, politics, the Latino community and the issues surrounding the resignation of Harvard President Claudine Gay.
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EP 126 | Jeff Hall, Sam Taylor, and Tania Ruedas-Ortiz from "Our National Conversation" -- a digital media organization run by Generation Z
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews Jeff Hall, Sam Taylor, and Tania Ruedas-Ortiz from "Our National Conversation" -- a new digital media organization run by Generation Z that aims to fix what's broken in the Fourth Estate and get Americans talking in a civilized way.
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EP 125 | Nely Galan, independent TV producer/former TV network executive/podcast host/author
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews Nely Galan -- a Latina powerhouse who he first met 29 years ago, and whose remarkable life and career he has followed ever since. Born in Cuba, Galan arrived in the United States at age 5. She's been striving and achieving ever since. As a TV producer, network...
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EP 124 | Wendy Patrick, attorney, TV commentator, speaker and author
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews his friend, Wendy Patrick -- a prosecutor, TV commentator, speaker and author -- about the topic of her new book: how to use the Bible's teachings to make better choices in life, love and friendship.
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EP 123 | Russell Contreras, Race & Justice Reporter for Axios.com
Host Ruben Navarrette has a conversation with his friend, veteran reporter Russell Contreras about how he sees digital media. race, justice, Latino culture, politics and journalism from his unique perch -- Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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EP 122 | Jimmy Sengenberger, Denver-based radio host and columnist for the Denver Gazette
Host Ruben Navarrette has a conversation with his friend, Jimmy Sengenberger about his experience as a veteran of talk radio and the world view it gives him as a young independent-minded conservative who prefers Reagan to Trump.
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EP 121 | Angel Mendez, corporate board member and former c-suite executive
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews his friend, Angel Mendez, a member of several boards and former c-suite Silicon Valley tech executive about his unique upbringing as a Cuban raised in Puerto Rico, how corporate America sees Latinos, and the various opportunities that lie ahead for both.
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EP 120 | Kristina Lopez, PhD, Associate Professor of Social Work, Arizona State University
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews Dr. Kristina Lopez, a trained psychologist based in Arizona who specializes in autism, especially in Latino and other at-risk children.
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EP 119 | Julia Clasby, Lieutenant, Seal Beach Police Department & "Cop Mom"
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews cop mom & police lieutenant Julia Clasby about the challenges of juggling the separate worlds of law enforcement and motherhood.
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EP 118 | Alberto Gonzales, Former U.S. Attorney General
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews his friend, Al Gonzales, the dean of the Belmont University School of Law and former U.S. Attorney General about the crisis on the U.S.-Mexico border, the legal back-and-forth over Title 42, and whether Donald Trump is likely to be indicted by current Attorney...
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EP 117 | Rudy Carrasco, Program Director, MJ Murdock Charitable Trust
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews his longtime friend, Rudy Carrasco, about racking up a lifetime of achievements, succeeding against the odds, following God's path, and using charitable giving to make a difference in people's lives.
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EP 116 | Linda Lopez, PhD in Policy and Political Science & CEO of Impact Strategies
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews Dr. Linda Lopez, CEO of Impact Strategies, a consulting firm providing advice to foundations, government and corporate sector on social and economic investments. She is a former Associate Dean at USC, former Chief of the Office of Immigrant Affairs for the City of...
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EP 115 | Kathy Murillo Cano, aka "The Crafty Chica"; entrepreneur, author, speaker, creator and successful self-made brand
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews his longtime friend, and former co-worker at the Arizona Republic, Kathy Murillo Cano, aka "The Crafty Chica" about personal branding, building a successful business and her lifelong love affair with creativity and glitter.
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EP 114 | Arnold Torres, California-based policy analyst and political consultant
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews his friend Arnold Torres about the 2022 midterm elections, the future of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a leading Democrat, and what happened with the Latino vote.
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EP 113 | Carlos Sanchez, Texas-based journalist, editor and commentator
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews his friend Carlos Sanchez about the path forward from the 2022 midterm elections and what the future may hold for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, one of the nation's most prominent Republican elected officials.
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EP 112 | Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews his longtime friend, Rep. Joaquin Castro D-Texas, about the lack of Latino representation in media and Hollywood and the Latino vote in the 2022 midterm elections.
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Episode 111 | Enrique Morones, Activist, CEO/Founder of Gente Unida, & Author of "The Power of One: The Story of The Border Angels"
Host Ruben Navarrette interviews his friend and compadre, Enrique Morones, about the San Diego's advocate's quest to change the name of the Texas Rangers and about the Latino vote in the 2022 midterm elections.
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Episode 110 | How Mexicans & Italians Got To Be Paisanos | Rick Amato
Host Ruben Navarrette talks with his friend, Rick Amato, a longtime San Diego-based conservative TV/radio/podcast host about his upbringing in Pittsburgh, his early work in finance, his Italian-American heritage, and the lessons learned from his decades of media work. Guest: Rick Amato, Media...
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Episode 109 | The Power of Resilience | Jesse Leon
Host Ruben Navarrette catches up with his grad school friend, Jesse Leon, about his incredible life, surviving trauma and perseverance -- and hears all about his powerful new memoir, "I'm Not Broken" (Penguin/Random House). Guest: Jesse Leon, Social Policy Consultant & Author of "I'm Not Broken"
About this show
The extremes have it all wrong. Naturally. On every issue, they only see half the picture.
The ideologues always lead to a dead-end. You need to travel the middle of the road.
That’s where the action is — in the center. On the basketball court, the chessboard, or the boxing ring, the center is where you want to be.
Now more than ever, our country needs to be centered. While other journalists lurch to the right or left, nationally syndicated columnist Ruben Navarrette keeps it one hundred by writing — and fighting — in the center.
Here’s your host, Ruben Navarrette
Hosted by
Cloudcast