In this episode, we sit down with Los Angeles-based writer and culture journalist Astrid Kayembe to explore how identity, community, and lived experience shape the stories she tells.

Growing up in South Central Los Angeles with Belizean and Congolese roots, Astrid reflects on how culture shows up in fashion, food, music, and everyday life across the city. We talk about her work documenting L.A. culture and subcultures, highlighting Caribbean and Belizean food spots, style, and the people that make the city feel alive, including her L.A. Times piece on the culture of waiting in lines in Los Angeles and what those spaces reveal about community and connection. From storytelling and representation to creating work rooted in personal experience, this conversation centers on the beauty of documenting the places and cultures that raise us.

Astrid Kayembe journey: https://www.instagram.com/astrid.kayembe/

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Central American Voices Team:

Founder & Host:

Alejandra Quiroz ⁠https://www.instagram.com/aalquiroz/⁠

Producers:

Brenda Hernández ⁠https://www.instagram.com/_lifeintechnicolor/⁠

Lizette Castro ⁠https://www.instagram.com/albarnliz/⁠

Associate Producer:

Jacqueline Ayala ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jacqueline_ayala/⁠

Editor:

Karina Ramos Villalobos ⁠https://www.instagram.com/kyrv4life/⁠

Social Media: Graciela María Campos

⁠https://www.instagram.com/romcomprincess/⁠ | ⁠https://www.instagram.com/brytideas/⁠