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.

New online customers get a great rate and $0 transfer fee* on their first online transfer. *FX Gains apply.

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.

In this episode of the Amiga Mía Talk Show, Colombian filmmaker Juan Carvajal shares the story behind La Salsa Vive, the documentary he spent almost eight years bringing to the screen.

Born in Cali, Colombia, Juan travelled through Cuba, Puerto Rico, New York and Colombia to document the people, sounds and communities that shaped salsa into a global cultural force.

The conversation explores how salsa has created belonging, opportunity and hope for young people living through poverty, violence and limited opportunities. In many communities, dance and music have offered another path forward and, in some cases, helped save lives.

Juan also speaks about interviewing salsa icons including Rubén Blades and Willie Rosario, taking the film on a year long international tour and watching audiences across the world connect with its message.

This conversation covers:

• The roots of salsa across the Caribbean, New York and Colombia
• Salsa as a source of identity, resilience and community
• The eight year journey behind La Salsa Vive
• Juan’s encounters with some of salsa’s most influential figures
• How salsa continues to connect communities across generations and borders

Juan Carvajal is a filmmaker from Cali, Colombia, and the director of La Salsa Vive. His work celebrates the artists, histories and communities that continue to carry salsa around the world.

Subscribe to Amiga Mía for Latin and Hispanic culture, entertainment and stories from Australia to the world or checkout the website www.amigamia.com.au.

Meet la chica de la mitad del mundo.

Ecuadorian-Australian singer-songwriter Dayaní joins Michelle on The Amiga Mía Talk Show for a heartfelt conversation about migration, music, identity and finding your way back to yourself.

Born in Guayaquil, Ecuador and raised in Australia, Dayaní opens up about growing up between cultures, family sacrifice, belonging, releasing Spanish-language music in Australia, and the inspiration behind her new single Alma.

She also reflects on building community within Australia’s Latin music scene, working with collaborators in Ecuador, and why representation matters for the next generation of Latin artists.

Released during the FIFA World Cup 2026 season, Alma is a powerful reminder that hope, courage and determination can take us further than we imagine.

In this episode:

• Dayaní’s journey from Ecuador to Australia
• Growing up between cultures
• Family, migration and belonging
• Building a Latin music career in Australia
• The making of Alma
• Ecuadorian culture and community
• Representation and visibility
• The future of Latin music in Australia

Alma is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Music and all major platforms.You can also watch the official music video on Dayaní's YouTube channel.

Follow Dayaní on social media: @dayanibaby

Read the full feature article at www.amigamia.com.au

Pull up a chair and follow The Amiga Mía Talk Show for more conversations celebrating Latin American culture, community, creativity and stories from across Australia and beyond.

In this episode, I chat with Luján De Felice, Paraguayan-born marketer, entrepreneur and Latin community advocate based in Melbourne, Australia. We discuss the evolution of AI and the impacts on the global Latin community, connections between Paraguay and Australia, including the upcoming World Cup game and her love story with her Partner Owen, an Aussie , who travelled to Paraguay and they later both moved to Australia.

Luján: https://lujandefelice.com/

Content warning: This episode contains a discussion of assault including a minor.

Meet Brazilian Australian actor Will Santana and Venezuelan Australian actor William Blanco Medina, who have been casted as Hench men, Brazilian thugs in the new comedy-action Hollywood film called Balls Up by Mark Wahlberg.

This movie was partly filmed in Queensland, Australia and the casting included many Latin & Brazilian Australian extras.

Welcome to Australia’s first media outlet that celebrates Latin & Hispanic entertainment and cultura. Proudly female-founded in 2017. ⁠www.amigamia.com.au⁠

#ballsup #actioncomedy #latinaustralian #venezuelanaustralian #brazilianaustralian #ballsupmovie #latinoactors #brazilianactors

In this ep we chat all things cultural heritage of Puerto Rico, the significance of Latin music, and the powerful impact of Benito's DtMF concerts in Australia through the perspective of Monica, a Nuyorican (New Yorker with Puerto Rican/Cuban heritage) traveller. Plus insights on identity, gentrification, and cultural appreciation.

Guest name: Monica, You Wanna Do What

Instagram: @soy_amigamia

Welcome to Australia’s first media outlet that celebrates Latin & Hispanic entertainment and cultura. Proudly female-founded in 2017. www.amigamia.com.au

Resources

• DtMF Official Website
• Puerto Rican Cultural Heritage
• Gentrification and Cultural Preservation Studies
• First Nations Land Acknowledgment in Australia