The Amiga Mía Talk Show

Michelle sits down with Nicole and Jes, the Melbourne-based Colombian-Australian founders of Andina Entertainment, for a deeply personal conversation about the devastating earthquake in Colombia.With family and roots in Cali and Pereira, they share the anxiety of trying to reach loved ones, the emotional toll of witnessing the disaster from Australia, and powerful stories of resilience and solidarity from affected communities.They also discuss their Melbourne fundraiser on 6 September—an event bringing the community together through live music, DJs, local markets and messages of hope. All profits will support earthquake-relief efforts assisting communities in Chocó and Buenaventura.This episode is about grief, culture, community and the collective effort required to rebuild because recovery is a marathon, not a sprint.

At 17, Karoll Pinzon left Bucaramanga, Colombia, and travelled across the world to become an exchange student in Australia. What followed were months of homesickness, culture shock and struggling to understand Australian English but also the beginning of a new life in Melbourne.In Ep# 49 of the Amiga Mia Talk Show and Part 2 of the Staying Connected with Latin America series, brought to you by Western Union. We chat all things reflection on migration, motherhood, language and belonging.Karoll shares how she went from creating a WhatsApp support group for Hispanic families to founding The Familia Hub, a trusted Spanish-language platform helping migrant families navigate life in Australia. She also takes us behind the scenes of her national guide to childcare centres, schools and learning programs that teach Spanish.Content note: This conversation includes discussion of domestic and family violence.Connect with Karoll:Website: https://www.thefamiliahub.comInstagram, Facebook and YouTube: @thefamiliahubThe Spanish Schools in Australia resource: https://buymeacoffee.com/thefamiliahub/e/559548The ways we stay connected may have changed, but the reasons behind why hasn’t. Sending money is always a welcomed gift to those that mean so much to us. Send money with the Western Union the app to loved ones across Latin America. New online customers get a great rate and $0 transfer fee* on their first online transfer. *FX Gains apply.Episode 49 | Staying Connected with Latin America, Part 2

What does it really mean to grow up Latino in Australia living between cultures, languages and different ideas of home?In this ep, host Michelle sits down with Mía Agraviador @porquenolosdosgirl and Baz @LifebyBaz for a candid conversation that goes beyond viral moments and travel highlight reels.Mía grew up in Sydney across Costa Rican, Honduran, Filipino and Australian cultures. She became one of Australia’s most recognisable faces at just six years old through the iconic “¿Por qué no los dos?” advertisement.Baz was born in Chile and raised in Australia before choosing to return to Santiago as an adult. Through his travel and cultural content, he shares what it means to reconnect with a country you inherited while navigating life between Chile and Australia.Together, they unpack:• Growing up between multiple cultures• Feeling “Latino enough” and cultural gatekeeping• Language, accents and belonging• Being widely seen without feeling genuinely known• Solo travel, loneliness and personal growth• Returning to your roots and redefining home• The realities that don’t make it onto the highlight reelIt’s an honest conversation about identity without neat boxes—and the freedom to choose Australia and Latin America, visibility and privacy, independence and community.Recorded at DM Podcast Studios in Woolloomooloo, Sydney.Subscribe to Amiga Mía for more conversations celebrating Latino culture, identity and community in Australia.

Introducing a six-part series on The Amiga Mía Talk Show called 'Staying Connected to Latin America' brought to you by Western Union.In this first episode, Marina shares her rich cultural journey, the significance of drumming, and her efforts to empower women through music and cultural expression. Discover how her Brazilian roots and musical passion shape her identity and community impact.Marina Da Silva is a Sydney-based Australian multi disciplinary artist and entrepreneur, born to Brazilian parents. Her family have lived since the 80s in Bondi, known to be one of most prominent Brazilian diasporas in Australia. Chapters00:00 Introduction and guest introduction01:28 Marina's early memories and cultural influences04:00 The meaning behind Ile Ilu and its origins05:16 The TEDx performance and its cultural significance10:34 The orchestration of Brazilian drums and rhythms20:13 Language, identity, and cultural connection27:51 The symbolism of drums as womb of creation37:15 Instruments and their cultural origins44:30 The instrument made for Marina50:23 Studying Afro-Brazilian dance and drumming in Brazil01:02:16 Future projects and cultural initiatives01:13:08 Health journey and personal growth01:15:08 Upcoming cultural and women empowerment projects01:17:35 The importance of women in cultural and musical spaces01:21:59 Connecting with Marina onlineResources: Marina Da Silva - https://www.instagram.com/marina.da.silva_/Ilé Ilu - House of Rhythm - https://www.instagram.com/ileilu/Julian Bel Bashir - Instrument Maker - https://www.instagram.com/jbelbashir/Samba de Moça - Women's Samba Group - https://www.instagram.com/sambademoca/Jerônimo Santos Da Silva book - https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/10000853 - https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/10000853The ways we stay connected may have changed, but the reasons behind why hasn’t. Sending money is always a welcomed gift to those that mean so much to us. Send money with the Western Union the app to loved ones across Latin America. New online customers get a great rate and $0 transfer fee* on their first online transfer. *FX Gains apply.

In this World Cup Special ep, Daniel Campos delivers a knockout round World Cup wrap with a strong focus on Latin American nations and Australia, while also reflecting on the scale and energy of the tournament across the United States, Mexico and Canada.Daniel opens with the atmosphere around the competition, from major crowd numbers to the way the World Cup continues to bring people together across borders, generations and football cultures.From there, he gets into the fútbol.Brazil’s 2-1 win over Japan comes under the microscope, with Daniel pointing to Casemiro’s leadership, Brazil’s attacking quality and the sense that, for all the talent on the pitch, there is still work to do if this side wants to go all the way.Paraguay’s result against Germany is framed as one of the stories of the round, built on discipline, courage and belief. Daniel highlights a performance that showed exactly why Paraguay remain such a dangerous side when the pressure rises.Mexico’s win over Ecuador gets major attention, with Daniel describing it as a complete performance in front of home support. Sharp movement, confidence on the ball and real conviction in front of goal had Mexico looking very hard to stop.Argentina’s path through raises a different set of questions. Daniel looks at the continued reliance on Lionel Messi, the defensive vulnerability that still lingers and the need for sharper balance if Argentina are to keep moving deep into the tournament.There is also reflection on Australia’s loss to Egypt, a difficult result that closes this chapter for the Socceroos while also speaking to the intensity and fine margins of knockout football.To close, Daniel turns to Colombia’s win over Ghana, praising the side’s tactical order, pressing structure and standout individual performances in a display that kept Colombia’s campaign alive and serious.Across the episode, the bigger takeaway is clear: the Latin American sides are bringing quality, nerve and personality to this World Cup, but the knockout stage has no room for complacency. Ni un poquito.

What happens when an accomplished businesswoman decides to step away from what she knows and test herself inside the MasterChef Australia kitchen?In this ep, I sit down with Peruvian-Australian entrepreneur and MasterChef Australia 2026 contestant Alita Harvey-Rodriguez for an honest conversation about food, family, identity and taking bold risks at every stage of life.Alita shares how her family’s migrant journey and work ethic shaped the woman she became, why the kitchen has always been a place of creativity and connection, and what finally convinced her to stop treating food as “just” a passion.In this conversation:• Growing up between Peruvian, English and Australian cultures• The family flavours and experiences behind Alita’s love of cooking• How migrant parents can shape our relationship with success and hard work• Building a career as a tech entrepreneur and Chief Operating Officer• Choosing to become a beginner again after achieving professional success• The application process and reality of entering the MasterChef kitchen• Cooking under pressure, receiving feedback and trusting your instincts• The difference between being successful and feeling creatively fulfilled• Latin representation on Australian television and in the food industry• Why elimination, rejection or failure cannot be the end of your story• Alita’s food dreams and what she hopes to create nextAlita’s story is a reminder that you are allowed to be multidimensional. You can be strategic and creative, successful and still hungry for something new. You can honour where you come from while building something the generations before you may never have imagined.About Alita Harvey-RodriguezAlita Harvey-Rodriguez is a Peruvian-Australian entrepreneur, Chief Operating Officer and contestant on Season 18 of MasterChef Australia. After building a successful career across technology, e-commerce and customer experience, she entered the competition to challenge herself and explore the creative ambition that had always existed alongside her business career.Follow Alita on Instagram: @msalitaFollow Amiga Mía and join the conversation. Loved this ep? Send it to someone who needs a reminder that it is never too late to back herself and try something completely new.

Daniel Campos’ World Cup Briefing moves to a new audio-first format as part of the Amiga Mía Talk Show. In this edition, Daniel provides independent commentary on Third Round Matches, with a focus on Latino and Australian teams. Daniel Campos is a Sydney-born Latin American Football Analyst & Journalist now living in South America.The first three briefings remain available on the Amiga Mía website www.amigamia.com.au. Note: this series is independently produced and is not affiliated with or endorsed by FIFA.

In this episode of the Amiga Mía Talk Show, Colombian filmmaker Juan Carvajal shares the story behind La Salsa Vive, the documentary he spent almost eight years bringing to the screen.Born in Cali, Colombia, Juan travelled through Cuba, Puerto Rico, New York and Colombia to document the people, sounds and communities that shaped salsa into a global cultural force.The conversation explores how salsa has created belonging, opportunity and hope for young people living through poverty, violence and limited opportunities. In many communities, dance and music have offered another path forward and, in some cases, helped save lives.Juan also speaks about interviewing salsa icons including Rubén Blades and Willie Rosario, taking the film on a year long international tour and watching audiences across the world connect with its message.This conversation covers:• The roots of salsa across the Caribbean, New York and Colombia• Salsa as a source of identity, resilience and community• The eight year journey behind La Salsa Vive• Juan’s encounters with some of salsa’s most influential figures• How salsa continues to connect communities across generations and bordersJuan Carvajal is a filmmaker from Cali, Colombia, and the director of La Salsa Vive. His work celebrates the artists, histories and communities that continue to carry salsa around the world.Subscribe to Amiga Mía for Latin and Hispanic culture, entertainment and stories from Australia to the world or checkout the website www.amigamia.com.au.

Meet la chica de la mitad del mundo.Ecuadorian-Australian singer-songwriter Dayaní joins Michelle on The Amiga Mía Talk Show for a heartfelt conversation about migration, music, identity and finding your way back to yourself.Born in Guayaquil, Ecuador and raised in Australia, Dayaní opens up about growing up between cultures, family sacrifice, belonging, releasing Spanish-language music in Australia, and the inspiration behind her new single Alma.She also reflects on building community within Australia’s Latin music scene, working with collaborators in Ecuador, and why representation matters for the next generation of Latin artists.Released during the FIFA World Cup 2026 season, Alma is a powerful reminder that hope, courage and determination can take us further than we imagine.In this episode:• Dayaní’s journey from Ecuador to Australia• Growing up between cultures• Family, migration and belonging• Building a Latin music career in Australia• The making of Alma• Ecuadorian culture and community• Representation and visibility• The future of Latin music in AustraliaAlma is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Music and all major platforms.You can also watch the official music video on Dayaní's YouTube channel.Follow Dayaní on social media: @dayanibabyRead the full feature article at www.amigamia.com.auPull up a chair and follow The Amiga Mía Talk Show for more conversations celebrating Latin American culture, community, creativity and stories from across Australia and beyond.

In this episode, I chat with Luján De Felice, Paraguayan-born marketer, entrepreneur and Latin community advocate based in Melbourne, Australia. We discuss the evolution of AI and the impacts on the global Latin community, connections between Paraguay and Australia, including the upcoming World Cup game and her love story with her Partner Owen, an Aussie , who travelled to Paraguay and they later both moved to Australia. Luján: https://lujandefelice.com/Content warning: This episode contains a discussion of assault including a minor.