In the summer of 2023, an estimated 125 immigrant newcomers, primarily from Venezuela, arrived in the Town of Carbondale. Since then the town, in collaboration with several organizations and individuals, has been working to address these people’s basic needs and help connect them to resources in our community.
At VOICES, we believe in the power of sharing our stories to connect, uplift, unite, and ultimately feel less alone. Therefore, we sat down with three Venezuelan newcomers for a conversation from the heart as a way to get to know their personalities, their tastes, music, and culture.
The conversations were recorded in Spanish and translated into English. During the first half of the episode you will hear the English translation. The second half is the original Spanish recordings. We invite you to listen to the men in their own voice and let the humor, the love, flavors, traditions, and places that shaped them wash over you as we welcome them into our community.
Today’s episode features the voices of Argenis Marquez, Benigno José Ricardo, and Ricardo Urbina. Also featured are the voices of interviewer, Angélica Breña, as well as English interpretation by Julian Nihill, Omar Sarabia, and Lucas De Cesco. Finally, thank you to Brooke Coon, Dede Osborn, and Pat Goudvis for the support in making this special feature of VOICES Radio Hour a reality. Featured musical selections in this episode are traditional Venezuelan music beloved by our storytellers ranging from Llaneros to la Gaita to the music of Carnaval.