For today’s episode, Duo’s Film Club has a cult classic from Cuba, Fresa y chocolate, which broke barriers in the world of cinema. It tells the story of two unlikely friends and sends a powerful message of acceptance and diversity, while showcasing Cuba’s amazing culture and the warmth of its people.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3UWB0g8.

Today Duo’s Film Club is featuring an animated film for the whole family. It’s Coco, a vibrant tale about traditions like el Día de los Muertos, mariachi music, and the importance of family. Join our host Martina Castro and guest Mauricio García as we explore this Oscar-winning treasure of Mexican culture. 

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/49OyaxX.

Ever since he was a kid, Rafa Millan-Garcia got through tough times by getting on his bike and pedaling alone for miles. But after one very long bike ride took him 1,700 miles from his home in Mexico City to Colorado, this nomad found a community that he never wanted to leave.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3N8eOef.

A young Mexican man discovers that he can use rap as a tool to help save his native language. But can he convince a new generation to love this new form of rap, too?

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3rdEUCb.

Dr. Magaly Blas trades the security of a city hospital job for a post in the Amazon, where she serves pregnant women who don't have access to modern healthcare. But when Magaly discovers that she, too, is pregnant, her work takes on a whole new level of meaning.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3rpove9.

Alejandro Méndez's new boss, café-owner Federico Bolanos, is obsessed with one thing: training Alejandro to compete in the world's toughest barista competition. But can a country like El Salvador hold its own against prevailing champions like Australia and the United States? Federico is convinced they can — and inspires Alejandro to believe the same.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/34q7WFO.

In 1973, 16-year-old Víctor Yáñez travels from his home in Chile to the former USSR to study agriculture. But when a military coup strikes at home, he's stranded in Communist Russia…for the rest of his life.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3KYKYX1.

Growing up in a house without books, Ana Sicilia always dreamed of having her own library. Years later, after teaching a writing workshop in a nearby prison, her dream would come true — just not in the way she'd imagined.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3HjElMO.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with new episodes starting  July 2, 2020. Listen to the trailer now!

In this special episode, we answer your most burning questions about the Duolingo Spanish Podcast! Listen as host and executive producer Martina Castro takes you behind the scenes of this one-of-a-kind podcast — with a little help from some friends. And for those listeners who asked about starting your own podcast (there were a lot of you!), Martina recommends these resources: transom.org, training.npr.org, and googlecp.prx.org.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3AOaklH.

As the child of adoptive parents in 1980s Argentina, Tatiana Sfiligoy knew her family situation was unique. But it would be another decade before she uncovered the truth about what happened to her biological parents — including the role her country played in their disappearance.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3GaUqmF.

Like many others around the world, Spanish speakers on both sides of the Atlantic have responded to the coronavirus pandemic with exceptional acts of courage and kindness. In this special episode, we’ll hear stories of people who have stepped up to serve their communities with creativity, ingenuity, and solidarity. We dedicate this episode to the global community of front line workers who have worked tirelessly to keep others safe.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3GaOR7C.

In El Salvador, waist loom weaving is a revered craft, historically undertaken by women—until Ronald Vega had to take over the job from his sick mother, becoming the first man in his family, and his country, to practice this ancestral technique.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/34n4Jqy.

Juan Pablo grew up fascinated with bullfighting, a tradition in his home country of Spain. But when he discovers recorte — the art of bull dodging — he sees it as a thrilling, more humane alternative. He throws himself into the dangerous sport, risking his life every time he faces a bull.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/40PKwml.

After an impressive career of cooking in some of the world's best restaurants, Marco Quelca decided to dedicate his life to bringing gourmet cooking to lower income communities in his native Bolivia, pioneering a new kind of performance art: high-end street cooking.
A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3gaozb9.

As a child, Dr. Linda Valencia was fascinated by her grandmother, a traditional healer in Guatemala. But after choosing a different path and becoming a medical doctor, Linda realized that she could integrate the best parts of her grandmother's practices into modern medicine, in order to transform healthcare across Guatemala.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/34nHuwe.

When María Elena Paz moved to a plot of land on the outskirts of Mexico City, she was shocked to find no water, electricity, or roads. She and her neighbors weren't even supposed to live in the ecologically protected zone. But María Elena was ready to move mountains to show her community that the power to improve their living conditions was in their hands.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3HhswXx.

Francisco Sanclemente is on the verge of professional soccer success when a serious illness leaves him wheelchair-bound. Without the use of his legs, he's forced to redefine what it means to be an athlete.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3L2yY74.

In 1961, 15-year-old Norma Guillard left her family behind and ventured into rural Cuba as part of a nationwide campaign to teach people how to read. Her eight-month journey would culminate in a historic accomplishment for her country—and give Norma an opportunity to leave poverty behind.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3udCR2K.

For 30 years, Ana Larriel struggled with her weight and her body image. Until she decided her body wasn't what needed to change. The cultural perspective she had grown up with was what needed changing.
A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3rg9zPl.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with new episodes starting March 26, 2020. Listen to the trailer now!

A Spanish fashion designer works hard to give her autistic son every opportunity—then discovers that he has a special talent and makes him her business partner.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3Hu1ZpG.

A young Puerto Rican man takes a dish from his homeland and creates a global food sensation. But when Hurricane Maria hits, he finds a new way of using food to help the island he loves.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3HmCUgv.

Yola grew up watching her grandfather make mezcal. When he died, she took up the mantle. But how would she transform her grandfather’s hobby into a mezcal for the masses?

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/344bPjP.

Photographer Aldo Gracia shows us why the leafy, relaxed enclave of La Condesa has become the canine capital of Mexico City.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3SJQhjf.

Rodrigo Pacheco worked in some of the world's best restaurants, but he never truly felt like the chef he aspired to be until he found himself far from the culinary scene on the Ecuadorian coast. That's where his quest to build a 100% sustainable restaurant began.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/34q8iw8.

Working as a nurse in Venezuela during the worst economic crisis in the country's history, Fabiola Molero is used to seeing hardship. But when she and her team saw a photo of a girl suffering from extreme malnutrition on a nearby island, they knew the crisis had reached a tipping point.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3AV3iMc.

Eréndira Sánchez is a young skydiving apprentice in Mexico when a world-famous skydiver offers her a chance to train at his facility in the U.S. But after a tragic accident, Eréndira is forced to choose between a life of freedom in the sky or one of safety on the ground.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3LaQZ39.

In 1980s Quibdó, a rural, Afro Colombian city, homophobia was a part of everyday life. But when Erlin Mena found the courage to put on heels and dance in drag, he helped create a thriving queer community that endures to this day.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/32MCbWZ.

Growing up as the daughter of a mariachi, Mireya Ramos learned early on that mariachi was a male-dominated world. But after moving to New York City, Mireya decided to challenge tradition and create an all-female mariachi group, opening doors for other musicians and redefining the genre.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3s98VCg.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with new episodes starting Thursday, December 12. Listen to the trailer now!

It took Vincenzo Bruno years to fully embrace his trans identity. But the moment he did, he became a fierce advocate for other LGBTIQ Costa Ricans, helping to launch a campaign that would end up altering the course of Costa Rican history.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3gcN9Il.

In May 2019, twenty Paraguayan soccer players traveled from their hometown to Asunción, the nation’s capital, to play the most important game of their lives. Led by their captain, José Elías Argaña, they were the first indigenous team to qualify to Paraguay’s national soccer league.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3AOyCMg.

In 1970, in a country polarized by cold-war politics, Jorge Gómez organized an outdoor music festival. But what he expected to be a peaceful gathering turned into a life-defining moment that would become an enduring myth in his country.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3s8KogC.

Mexican tenor Javier Camarena discovered he wanted to sing Opera the first time he heard it. His passion for singing Opera lead him to test his strengths and determination over and over.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3oel0Fd.

The giant Galápagos tortoise is one of the most endangered animals in the world, and Lonesome George was the last of his particular species when he met conservationist Washington Tapia. They would go on to develop a bond that would inspire Washington to dedicate his life to protecting the tortoises of the Galápagos.

A transcript of this episode is available at podcast.duolingo.com.

All her life, Cirle Tatis Ariza had been taught to think her curly hair was something to hide. But after years of harsh chemical treatments, Cirle learned to love her hair, and taught other women to do the same.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3reXj1m.

Ever since she was a little girl, Carmen Félix knew she wanted to work on something related to space. So she defied cultural expectations, became one of the first Mexican scientists to work for NASA, and helped create and participate in some of the first simulations of missions to Mars.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/35tJ5Bi.

Fernando Laposse is a Mexican designer with a particular obsession: corn. It’s an obsession that began in his childhood and would lead him to create a project that would not only help save the diversity of native corn in Mexico, but also revive a small farming town that was about to disappear.

Aa transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3IN0D9O.

Tatiana Calderón is the only female driver in Formula 2 racing, and she’s poised to make it to the top: Formula 1. In her career, she’s had to overcome many obstacles of a sport built by and for men–but now, she’s leading a revolution to go even further, and  adapt racing cars’ design to the female body.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3HiUhyQ.

The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is back with new episodes starting Thursday, August 15. Listen to the trailer now!

Since he was a kid, Tito Vargas has dreamt of having his own coffee plantation. It’s a dream his parents tried very hard to dissuade him from pursuing because they knew first-hand the uncertainty and hardship of the coffee trade. But Tito persisted, and he too would learn of the ups and downs of life as a coffee farmer, until he found a solution that had been right under his nose that whole time. 

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3ufzl85.

When Danilo Manzano came out to his family, they didn't accept his sexuality and asked him to hide it from the world. But a key friendship would inspire Danilo to not only embrace his identity publicly, but to become an outspoken activist for LGBTQ rights in Ecuador.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3GiRRPn.

Andrés Ruzo grew up listening to his grandfather tell a story about a river with boiling waters in the Amazon. When he later became a scientist specializing in geothermal energy, he set a goal for himself: to go deep into the jungle and find that river.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3rer8Px.

Carlos Marroquín has always been an inventor. But he wasn’t putting that talent to much use in his native Guatemala until he saw a rare sight  on the road that stopped him in his tracks: bicycles. That turning point led Carlos to transform the lives of many farmers and towns through his bicycle-inspired inventions, or as he calls them, bicimáquinas.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3GdeQeB.

Héctor Vergara escaped dictatorship in Chile in the 1970s and fled to Europe, where he landed in the restaurant industry. There he discovered a passion and talent for wine that led him to become the first Master Sommelier from Latin America. But his biggest impact on the world wouldn’t take place until he found his way back home, where no one even knew what a sommelier was.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3s4e9PK.

In Perú, writer Marco Avilés and his dog Piji were inseparable. But when Marco decided they should pursue better lives in the United States, and Marco found himself working for a top chef, their bond and sense of adventure would be tested in ways he had never imagined.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3QGLYnz.

The giant Galápagos tortoise is one of the most endangered animals in the world, and Lonesome George was the last of his particular species when he met conservationist Washington Tapia. They would go on to develop a bond that would inspire Washington to dedicate his life to protecting the tortoises of the Galápagos.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3GafQ3e.

Laura Ortiz thought she could change the lives of children in Colombia’s most remote region by giving them books. But a trip there teaches her that she was the one who had much to learn from those communities.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3gcU5p2.

Would you build a company based on trust? That’s what social entrepreneur Marcela Torres set out to do when she launched her Mexico City-based startup that paid young people to learn to code. No one believed she could do it, until she did.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3repZYi.