Season 4

We interviewed Wendy from Spanish Sin Pena is an exciting new program that is giving people the opportunity to learn Spanish without shame.

Show Notes

SHOW NOTES

Season 4 | Episode 2

More Than Rice and Beans Podcast®

Meet Wendy Ramirez, Reclaiming Spanish Without Shame (Spanish Sin Pena)

Episode Description:

Fewer than a quarter of third generation Latinx in the U.S. speak Spanish, but Wendy Ramirez is on a mission to change that. In this episode, Tania and Miguel are joined by the founder and CEO of Spanish Sin Pena (Spanish Without Shame), Wendy Ramirez. The trio breaks down the stigma and barriers that keep many Latinx people from learning their first language, talks about how connecting through language learning creates deep community and empathy, and discusses Sin Pena’s ongoing advocacy work for hurricane-damaged Puerto Rico. If you’ve ever considered learning Spanish or are trying to connect with an indigenous language of your own, you don’t want to miss this episode!

Highlights:

Tania and Miguel are joined by the founder and CEO of Spanish San Pena, Wendy Ramirez.

• Wendy’s journey of learning her first language as an adult and how it inspired the creation of Spanish Sin Pena
• A look at some of the shared experiences non-Spanish speaking Latinx live through.
• How taking a trip to a Spanish-speaking country could change your life.
• What it’s like to learn a language in a safe community vs. a typical course.
• How food and language are interwoven in the Latinx community.
• Wendy’s advocacy work for Puerto Rico and what her experience volunteering there has taught her.
• How Spanish serves as both a barrier and a bridge between different cultures.

About the guest:

Wendy Ramirez is the founder and CEO of Spanish Sin Pena (Spanish Without Shame), a language learning school dedicated to creating a safe, inclusive space for individuals with Latin American heritage to feel confident about speaking Spanish. As a native of East LA with cultural ties to Mexico and El Salvador, Wendy experienced the bizarre phenomenon of growing up with Spanish-speaking parents but not learning the language herself. After graduating from Loyola Law School and working for years in Washington, DC, and throughout Latin America on advocacy projects, Wendy launched Spanish Sin Pena to empower people to reclaim their first language. Wendy is also the host of the Spanish Sin Pena podcast.

Links:

• Visit our webpage: https://coquithechef.com/podcast/
• Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/morethanriceandbeans
• Check out our cooking classes: https://coquithechef.com/
• Support our show here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/morethanriceandbeans/support

Follow Wendy Ramirez

• Spanish Sin Pena: https://www.spanishsinpena.com/
• Volunteer Relief Fund for Puerto Rico: https://www.gofundme.com/f/volunteer-relief-fund-for-puerto-rico?utm_campaign=p_cf%20share-flow-1&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer

Download Show Notes

Transcript