OYE Podcast
Meet the Voices of OYE’s Community
Celebrating the journeys, experiences, and aspirations of the next generation of Oaxaca
The OYE Podcast was created to highlight young graduates of Centro de Esperanza Infantil, in partnership with Oaxaca Youth Empowerment. Through honest conversations and personal stories, graduates share their journeys, experiences, dreams, and the paths they are creating for themselves. Each episode is an opportunity to listen, connect, and celebrate the voices of Oaxaca’s young people.
Life, Death, and Medicine in Rural Oaxaca: Johana Esmeralda's Story | OYE Podcast, Chapter 1
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Johana shares what it was like to leave home in Oaxaca City to study nearly five hours away, the gender bias she faced during her medical training, the shortage of supplies and medical staff in Oaxaca's underserved communities, and the story of a patient who changed forever the way she sees medicine — and life. She also opens up about her passion for emergency medicine, her plans to specialize, and the message she'd give to every girl and young woman who dreams of a career like this one.
She also opens up about her passion for emergency medicine, her plans to specialize, and the message she'd give to every girl and young woman who dreams of a career like this one.
Art, Grief, and Resistance: Marisol's Story | OYE Podcast, Chapter 2
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Marisol talks about her art series on grief, inspired by the moth's life cycle as a pre-Hispanic symbol; the difference between "art" and "craft" and how that distinction devalues the work of many Oaxacan artisans; the censorship she's witnessed against street art and printmaking in Oaxaca; and the challenges she's faced as a woman in an art world historically dominated by men.
She also shares her passion for teaching art workshops to kids at Centro de Esperanza Infantil, and the message she'd give to any young person looking to explore their creative side.
She Wasn't Supposed to Belong Here: Salmai's Story | OYE Podcast, Chapter 3
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Salmai talks about the doubt and exclusion she faced from classmates who didn't think she belonged in architecture; the psychological support that helped her push through it; her fascination with capsule buildings in Korea and Japan and the machines now being used to build houses; and her dream of designing a different kind of school, one built around joy instead of routine.
She also shares the message she'd give to any young woman thinking about studying architecture: be brave, it's not impossible.
From No Internet to Software Engineer: Jose's Story | OYE Podcast, Chapter 4
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Jose talks about growing up without economic privilege and commuting nearly an hour each way to study in Zimatlán de Álvarez; the moment his curiosity for tech took off, from taking apart PlayStation controllers to asking how the internet actually works; building a custom software system during his internship at a hotel in Huatulco; and the digital divide he witnessed firsthand in rural Oaxaca, where people run real businesses without ever owning a phone or having internet access. He also shares his take on artificial intelligence as a tool rather than a threat, and the message he'd give to anyone who thinks their circumstances make success impossible.
The Patient Nobody Came For: Sara & Danna's Story | OYE Podcast, Chapter 5
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They talk about what it was like to leave home and move away to study; the patient who taught Sara what nursing really means, after being abandoned by his own family; the six-year-old boy Danna cared for after a near-fatal accident, and the moment a doctor said there was nothing more to do; the reality of Oaxaca's nursing shortage, where one nurse is often responsible for five or more patients at once; and the moments of joy that reminded them why they chose this career.
They also share the message they'd give to their younger selves, and why staying human matters more than any technical skill.
This wraps up Season 1 — five graduates, five stories of what's possible with the right support.
Thank you for following along. Every graduate you've met exists because of the ongoing support behind this program.
Oaxaca Youth Empowerment, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.
Our Tax ID is: 35-1988669