Introducing a six-part series on The Amiga Mía Talk Show called 'Staying Connected to Latin America' brought to you by Western Union.

In this first episode, Marina shares her rich cultural journey, the significance of drumming, and her efforts to empower women through music and cultural expression. Discover how her Brazilian roots and musical passion shape her identity and community impact.

Marina Da Silva is a Sydney-based Australian multi disciplinary artist and entrepreneur, born to Brazilian parents. Her family have lived since the 80s in Bondi, known to be one of most prominent Brazilian diasporas in Australia.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and guest introduction

01:28 Marina's early memories and cultural influences

04:00 The meaning behind Ile Ilu and its origins

05:16 The TEDx performance and its cultural significance

10:34 The orchestration of Brazilian drums and rhythms

20:13 Language, identity, and cultural connection

27:51 The symbolism of drums as womb of creation

37:15 Instruments and their cultural origins

44:30 The instrument made for Marina

50:23 Studying Afro-Brazilian dance and drumming in Brazil

01:02:16 Future projects and cultural initiatives

01:13:08 Health journey and personal growth

01:15:08 Upcoming cultural and women empowerment projects

01:17:35 The importance of women in cultural and musical spaces

01:21:59 Connecting with Marina online

Resources:

• Marina Da Silva - https://www.instagram.com/marina.da.silva_/
• Ilé Ilu - House of Rhythm - https://www.instagram.com/ileilu/
• Julian Bel Bashir - Instrument Maker - https://www.instagram.com/jbelbashir/
• Samba de Moça - Women's Samba Group - https://www.instagram.com/sambademoca/

• Jerônimo Santos Da Silva book - https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/10000853 - https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/10000853

The ways we stay connected may have changed, but the reasons behind why hasn’t. Sending money is always a welcomed gift to those that mean so much to us. Send money with the Western Union the app to loved ones across Latin America.

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What happens when an accomplished businesswoman decides to step away from what she knows and test herself inside the MasterChef Australia kitchen?

In this ep, I sit down with Peruvian-Australian entrepreneur and MasterChef Australia 2026 contestant Alita Harvey-Rodriguez for an honest conversation about food, family, identity and taking bold risks at every stage of life.

Alita shares how her family’s migrant journey and work ethic shaped the woman she became, why the kitchen has always been a place of creativity and connection, and what finally convinced her to stop treating food as “just” a passion.

In this conversation:

• Growing up between Peruvian, English and Australian cultures
• The family flavours and experiences behind Alita’s love of cooking
• How migrant parents can shape our relationship with success and hard work
• Building a career as a tech entrepreneur and Chief Operating Officer
• Choosing to become a beginner again after achieving professional success
• The application process and reality of entering the MasterChef kitchen
• Cooking under pressure, receiving feedback and trusting your instincts
• The difference between being successful and feeling creatively fulfilled
• Latin representation on Australian television and in the food industry
• Why elimination, rejection or failure cannot be the end of your story
• Alita’s food dreams and what she hopes to create next

Alita’s story is a reminder that you are allowed to be multidimensional. You can be strategic and creative, successful and still hungry for something new. You can honour where you come from while building something the generations before you may never have imagined.

About Alita Harvey-Rodriguez

Alita Harvey-Rodriguez is a Peruvian-Australian entrepreneur, Chief Operating Officer and contestant on Season 18 of MasterChef Australia. After building a successful career across technology, e-commerce and customer experience, she entered the competition to challenge herself and explore the creative ambition that had always existed alongside her business career.

Follow Alita on Instagram: @msalita

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Loved this ep? Send it to someone who needs a reminder that it is never too late to back herself and try something completely new.

Daniel Campos’ World Cup Briefing moves to a new audio-first format as part of the Amiga Mía Talk Show.

In this edition, Daniel provides independent commentary on Third Round Matches, with a focus on Latino and Australian teams. Daniel Campos is a Sydney-born Latin American Football Analyst & Journalist now living in South America.

The first three briefings remain available on the Amiga Mía website www.amigamia.com.au.

Note: this series is independently produced and is not affiliated with or endorsed by FIFA.