What It’s Like To Be Here

In this episode of What It’s Like To Be Here, I’m joined by actor, producer, director, creator, mama, wife, and my hermana del alma, Wendy Mateo.
What began as a writing assignment turned into a lasting friendship rooted in Latinidad and shared experience. Wendy reflects on what brought her to Chicago, how the city became home, and how her creative eye for storytelling evolved along the way.
We also talk about her understanding of the universe, alignment, and a full-circle moment in her journey: directing the upcoming stage production of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, playing at the Goodman Theater.Follow Wendy and Teatro Vista for more.
 
Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/whatitsliketobeherepod/ 
And on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WhatItsLikeToBeHere 
Don’t forget to subscribe, comment and like the podcast! Find it wherever you get your podcasts! 
APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-its-like-to-be-here/id1848903390 
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4pVo7MzDRo2hzoYJX8Hnjx 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CliqueCommunications/podcasts
Podcast Page: https://whatitsliketobehere.podbean.com/ 

In this episode, I sit down with photographer and entrepreneur Abel Arciniega to talk about photography, Chicago, and what it really takes to build a business off your art. Abel shares his journey working city events, collaborating with organizations like the Chicago Fire, and photographing Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias at his record-breaking Dodger Stadium shows. We get into consistency, growth, and trusting your creative path.
Follow Abel @tequilagraphics on Instagram 
Connect with Clique Communications:📧 Email: CliqueCommunications@gmail.com📸 Instagram: @clique_communications📘 Facebook: Clique

Find out what the podcast is all about. 
 
Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/whatitsliketobeherepod/ 
And on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WhatItsLikeToBeHere 
Don’t forget to subscribe, comment and like the podcast! Find it wherever you get your podcasts! 
APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-its-like-to-be-here/id1848903390 
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4pVo7MzDRo2hzoYJX8Hnjx 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CliqueCommunications/podcasts
Podcast Page: https://whatitsliketobehere.podbean.com/

In this episode, I sit down with Vanessa Torres, Associate Director at The Miracle Center on Chicago’s northwest side. We talk about growing up in Chicago, meeting at the University of Illinois, and how community has shaped our paths — especially as we realized corporate America wasn’t built for people like us. We also reflect on turning 40, redefining success, and building spaces rooted in connection.
 
Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/whatitsliketobeherepod/ 
And on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WhatItsLikeToBeHere 
Don’t forget to subscribe, comment and like the podcast! Find it wherever you get your podcasts! 
APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-its-like-to-be-here/id1848903390 
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4pVo7MzDRo2hzoYJX8Hnjx 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CliqueCommunications/podcasts
Podcast Page: https://whatitsliketobehere.podbean.com/ 

In this episode, I sit down with Adrian Rosado, a Chicago-raised entrepreneur now based in Puerto Rico. Adrian has built programs and immersive experiences for first-generation college students, from local workshops to international experiences in locations like Puerto Rico, China, and the Philippines.
We talk about what it’s been like to grow a mission-driven business, the importance of consistency, and taking time to be grateful for where you are. Adrian also shares his family’s migration from Puerto Rico, growing up on Chicago’s north side, and how those experiences continue to shape where he’s spending his time and energy now.
 
Connect with Clique Communications:📧 Email: CliqueCommunications@gmail.com📸 Instagram: @clique_communications📘 Facebook: Clique Website: https://cliquecommunications.wordpress.com/what-its-like-to-be-here/

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

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 

 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/ 

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/ 
 

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/