On this episode of Not Just NYCTalking I am joined by federal officer, movie producer and MMA fighter Will Collazo. We discuss privilege, identity, the LGBT community, our Latino roots and much more.
Just an average guy from New York City and his friends all over the world talking about anything and everything. Commentary on current events, film, food, fitness, social issues and much more!
Inquires and media: arodomus@gmail.com
Come with me on a trip to one of THE, if not THE greatest heartbreak I have ever suffered.
Gentrification has been a challenge in our communities for as long as I can remember. Take a ride through the Bronx and look around. We get into a conversation about Williamsburg and the ongoing tensions around development, displacement and the renaming of historic streets.
We discuss some of the Puerto Rican leaders and how the United States has treated them over the decades, briefly touching on the legacies of Pedro Albizu Campos and Oscar Lopez.
Next up, we explore our Latino identity as light skinned Puerto Ricans and the complexities that come with that experience. This is a heavy topic that could easily be an entire podcast on its own. I share with Will how attending Capicu events has helped me reconnect with my culture.
We then move into a conversation about the LGBT community, including some personal experiences that gave me a greater appreciation for the challenges our LGBT brothers and sisters face every day. These are important conversations and we should always aim to educate and open minds rather than close them.
During the episode, we spend some time discussing a story about a man who intervened to protect a child from an abuser. That leads us into a broader conversation about how society addresses those who harm children. I feel strongly that anyone who hurts a child should face serious consequences.
Someone at the gym once told me that women are inferior to men based on religious text. So I put a simple question to Will: are women equal to men? He answered correctly. Lol.
To close out this extra long episode, we talk about the experience of filming “Theatre of Horror” and what went into making it.
This was a great conversation with a good friend. He will definitely be back on soon!