National Immigration Law Center Freedom to Thrive Podcast

Ep. #210 Oaxaca To Minneapolis (ft. Lila Downs)

Join us as we wrap up Season 2 of the Freedom To Thrive: Resistance, Justice and Resilience podcast, featuring Grammy Award–winning artist Lila Downs. Host Hector Flores talks with Lila about music, her Indigenous roots, migration, and resistance. From Oaxaca to Minnesota, Lila reflects on identity, ancestry, and her new album Cambias Mi Mundo (You Change My World), which includes a collaboration with rapper Snow Tha Product. Later in the episode, Hector is joined by Kica Matos, President of NILC, who breaks down how immigrant rights are being used to undermine our democracy and fuel the rise of authoritarianism, and what we can do to stop it.

Ep. #209 Somali Solidarity (ft. Ifrah Mansour)

Today, award-winning Somali multimedia artist Ifrah Mansour joins our host Hector Flores for a thoughtful conversation about life in Minneapolis during these challenging times. Ifrah reflects on how the community has rallied together to support and protect their Somali neighbors. From surviving civil war and displacement to creating art that shelters memory and healing, Ifrah shares how culture, storytelling, and care help communities live bravely and without fear.

Ep. #208 Laughing is a Survival Skill (ft. TJ)

Host Hector Flores is joined by comedian TJ (Tanael Joachim) for a conversation about comedy, immigration, and resilience. TJ reflects on growing up Haitian in America and how humor became both a coping mechanism and a tool for resistance. This episode reminds us that storytelling and laughter can build solidarity, inspire resistance, and fuel hope.

Ep. #207 Own Your Story (ft. Viet Thanh Nguyen)

Storytelling is essential for survival. In this episode, host Hector Flores sits down with Pulitzer Prize–winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen to explore refugeedom, trauma, identity, humor, and the power of narrative in the fight against authoritarianism. From the refugee experience to the dangers of “authenticity,” Viet challenges us to tell better stories not just about ourselves, but about who we stand up for.

Ep. #206 Courage is Contagious (ft. Dread Scott)

In this episode of Freedom to Thrive : Resistance, Justice and Resilience, host Hector Flores is joined by  world-renowned artist and activist Dread Scott . Together, they discuss his work challenging white supremacy, censorship, immigration raids, and state violence. Dread Scott reminds us that courage is contagious and art can help lead us fight.