[WLHA 008]: We Live Here! | Junior Lara | Auténtico Podcast Originator and the Work for Future Generations

Today, Gabriela and Alejandro take us back to our roots with Junior Lara. In 2018, Junior and Gabriela started “Auténtico Podcast”, now in its partnership form with St. Louis Public Radio as what you now enjoy as “We Live Here Auténtico!”

What does living Auténtico mean to you?

Being bold enough to be yourself, whoever you are meant to be, accents and all, like in my case. But never letting go that sense of community which is so important in our “Latino-ness. Being bold enough to take feedback, use the thing that would apply or make sense and never losing yourself or completely change who you are.

Junior Lara

About Junior

Junior Lara is Senior Manager of Client Engagement in the healthcare industry, has served as president of a corporate Toastmaster club and is fluent in English, Spanish and French. Junior serves on the board of the BALSA Foundation as Business Director helping first time entrepreneurs perfect their pitches.

In this episode of We Live Here Auténtico, we go on a journey to self-acceptance and connection with Auténtico podcast cofounder, Junior Lara.

Junior and Gabriela founded Autentico podcast so they could talk to business owners and Latino professionals about their journeys and lessons learned with the hope to inspire each other and fill the need they saw in St. Louis.

Listen to what it took to for Junior to grow from the Dominican Republic to what it means for him to see the vision now!

Plus, a celebration of life of trailblazer, Minerva Lopez Montaigne. Minerva was an advocate for the Hispanic Community in St. Louis, namely, residents and business owners of Cherokee Street.  She was a business owner and worked hard to keep the traditions and culture of Mexico alive and well in St. Louis.