Hola Cultura’s best English-language stories of 2021

By hola | Published December 30, 2021 | No Comments

Hola Cultura published 77 stories this year, including 30 stories by our S.P.E.L. storytelling program that brings together young people between the ages of 16 and 25 and adult fellows and volunteers.

Here’s our selection of the best stories produced by S.P.E.L. in 2021.

Afro-Latina writer Rosalyn Lake Montero on her identity and writing

An interview with D.C. writer Rosalyn Lake Montero on becoming a writer and how her Afro-Latina identity centers her work and life

Desanguashington band performing while crowd dances

How the DeSanguashington band built a following for its Colombian-infused music and won critical acclaim

Our reporting on COVID-19 included this story with two friends of Hola Cultura who participated in vaccine trials and shared advice and insights about what to know before you get vaccinated

Person in ballerina outfit surrounded by pink balloons

How D.C. artist Carolina Mayorga convened a multidisciplinary group of artists who shared their “artidotes” amid the pandemic

Lilo Gonzalez receiving a COVID-19 vaccination

An Interview with D.C. musical maestro Lilo González, as part of our series on how local artists have coped with the pandemic

Male and female dancing in front of crowd

Our Afro-Latino Experience story team on the backlash against the Hollywood movie, In The Heights, for its lack of Afro-Latinos in key roles

Zoomed out picture of Washington D.C. map

Hola Cultura’s first investigative reporting project culminated in a three-part series on the District’s heat islands. We co-published the series in English with the Washington City Paper, and published the three stories in Spanish and four interactive maps of the District here on the Hola Cultura site.

Our interview and review with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ricardo Chavira focuses on his new memoir, “We were always Here”

The Smithsonian needs volunteers for the first Latino gallery on the National Mall.

The Smithsonian is looking for volunteers for its first ever Latino gallery on the National Mall. Find out how to apply.

Publicity image for the zarzuela Zavala-Zavala set at the U.S. border

A Georgetown professor has written a new opera that takes on the topic of family separation at the Mexico-U.S. border and will premiere at the Kennedy Center next year. The production team is looking for a child singer to join the cast.

Hola Cultura interviews founder Alberto Roblest about his new book, “Against the Wall,” published by Arte Público Press in 2021.

We interviewed with Hola Cultura’s founder Alberto Roblest about his new book of short stories, “Against the Wall,” just published by Arte Público Press.