What It’s Like To Be Here

Ep. 7: Art, Activism & Ancestry | Norma Rios-Sierra

In this episode, I talk with my friend and longtime creative collaborator, Norma Rios-Sierra — an artist, community organizer, and Chicago School Board member. We discuss her journey through Día de los Muertos art, including her altar at The Field Museum, and the impact of collective activism in our communities. It’s a conversation about art, ancestry, and building power together.
 
Source links:
https://wgntv.com/daytime-chicago/dia-de-los-muertos-traditions/ 
https://www.cpsboe.org/about/bios/2037 
https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/chicago-school-board/norma-rios-sierra-appointed-board-member-district
Connect with me! 
📧 Email: CliqueCommunications@gmail.com📸 Instagram: @clique_communications📘 Facebook: Clique

Ep. 6: Poetry, Place and Purpose | Noel Perez-White

In this episode of What It’s Like to Be Here, I sit down with my cousin, Noel Perez-White — a native Chicagoan, writer, poet, and mother whose life is deeply intertwined with the city she calls home. We talk about what Chicago means to her, and how it shaped her.
Noel also opens up about her experience as a teacher today — the challenges, the joys, and the complex realities facing educators in this moment. From classroom stories to poetic insights, this conversation explores the intersections of art, place, and purpose.
Join us as we explore Chicago through Noel’s eyes and hear what it’s like to live, write, and teach in a city that never stops shaping the people who love it.
 
Connect with Kiki:📧 Email: CliqueCommunications@gmail.com📸 Instagram: @clique_communications📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CliqueCommunications 

Ep. 5: Heritage, Language & Justice | Dr. Anita Ramirez

 In Part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Anita Ramirez, we talk about life on Chicago’s SE Side, raising bilingual kids, and keeping both her Mexican heritage and her husband’s Guatemalan traditions alive. Anita shares how speaking Spanish helps her connect with parents and why she sees her students as a rising wave of justice seekers through engineering.
Connect with Clique Communications:
📧 Email: CliqueCommunications@gmail.com
📸 Instagram: @clique_communications
📘 Facebook: Clique
Website: https://cliquecommunications.wordpress.com/what-its-like-to-be-here/ 

Ep. 4: Engineering Her Own Story | Dr. Anita Ramirez

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Anita Ramirez to talk about her path into engineering — from studying mechanical engineering at UIC to becoming a community college professor. We get into how she almost pursued music, how she found her way into STEM, and the “what, where, and why” of her journey. Part 2 drops in two weeks.
Connect with Clique Communications:
📧 Email: CliqueCommunications@gmail.com
📸 Instagram: @clique_communications
📘 Facebook: Clique
https://cliquecommunications.wordpress.com/what-its-like-to-be-here/ 
 

Ep. 3: The Ultra Creative | Roho Garcia

I sit down with my longtime creative partner Roho, an Ultra Creative from Joliet, Illinois. He’s a teacher, DJ, muralist, painter, and filmmaker currently working on his film Dibujo. We talk about our years with EXPO Collective, his passion for reading, creating safe spaces for his students, and how creativity drives his work and life. Follow him on Instagram at @RohoArte.
Connect with Clique Communications:
📧 Email: CliqueCommunications@gmail.com
📸 Instagram: @clique_communications
📘 Facebook: CliqueWeb: https://cliquecommunications.wordpress.com/what-its-like-to-be-here/

Ep. 2: Rooted in La Villita | Lau Vee

I talk with Lau Vee, a Creative from Little Village (La Villita), about the art that defines her neighborhood and how she found her place as a Creative Director. We also dive into her deep roots in the community — as a Scout Leader, volunteer, and resident — and how family and creativity shape her life. It’s a personal and heartfelt conversation with someone I’ve known and admired for years.
 
Connect with Clique Communications:
📧 Email: CliqueCommunications@gmail.com
📸 Instagram: @clique_communications
📘 Facebook: Clique
Website: https://cliquecommunications.wordpress.com/what-its-like-to-be-here/

Ep. 1: So Tell Me… What It's Like to Be Here

In this first episode, I sit down with my sister Caroline to talk about why I created this podcast — to share our stories as Latinos, as creatives, as community members — and why it matters now more than ever. We talk about storytelling, identity, and what I hope this space becomes: a place for honest, heartfelt conversations that reflect who we are and where we come from.
 
Connect with Clique Communications:
📧 Email: CliqueCommunications@gmail.com
📸 Instagram: @clique_communications
📘 Facebook: Clique
Website: https://cliquecommunications.wordpress.com/what-its-like-to-be-here/