Podcast celebrates subjects that are inevitably present in the news and conversations: immigration, borders, cultural identity, roots, diversity and the challenges of building a new life thousands of miles away from home. Speaks about the universal truths of migration: family dispersion, cultural heritage, the pursuit of dreams, keeping the faith, and the real meaning of home. Courage, hard-work, patience, family bonds and love are displayed.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Series of episodes follows fictional stories of families from different cultures who tell their immigration experiences to the mija -- daughter in Spanish -- of each family. Family members represent different experiences of immigration and migration. The mija's role is to elevate the voices of different immigrant experiences. Characters often face heartache, nostalgia, the challenges and victories growing up or moving away from home and looking for a brighter future as an immigrant coming to the U.S, but embody perseverance and finding their way. Characters are relatable to listeners who may have immigrated themselves or whose parents or family members have experienced immigration. Each character allows listeners to empathize and begin to understand the emotion, challenge, and victories of immigration and migration.
Educational Value
a lot
Paints a vivid picture of what it's like to be an immigrant in the U.S. Through every family member's story narrated by the mija, the audience learns about different family values and cultural backgrounds, as well as about the complex experience of leaving your country to start a new life abroad while keeping your own traditions alive. It brings awareness to the value of the immigrant experience and highlights appreciation of the little things that are encountered every day. As a multilingual podcast -- offered in English, Spanish, French, Mandarin and Arabic -- Mija offers the opportunity to practice skills or learn more about other languages and diverse cultures.
Diverse Representations
a lot
Mija Podcast is a multilingual podcast, offered in English, Spanish, French, Mandarin and Arabic, making it accessible to many different cultures who can relate to the immigrant experience in different way. Stories are told through several different immigrant experiences -- a Colombian family coming to the U.S., a Chinese family immigrating to France, and an Egyptian family's journey to London. Elements of each culture are embodied in their stories.
Parents need to know that Mija Podcast is inspired by the story of host and creator, Lory Martinez, as the daughter of Colombian immigrants growing up in Queens, New York. Mija, an abbreviation of "my daughter" in Spanish, uses her voice to tell the story of every member of her family in 10-minute episodes and their experience of immigration. Through engaging storytelling, Mija Podcast covers topics that include growing up between two cultures, nostalgia, identity, hope, family dispersion, dreams and the challenges and triumphs of growing up as immigrants. The podcast portrays different versions of the mija each season, with other seasons telling the stories of an Egyptian family migrating to London and a Chinese family immigrating to Paris out in the world. Themes center around empathy, perseverance and courage. The podcast is recorded in English, Spanish, French, Mandarin and Arabic.
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What’s It About?
MIJA PODCAST is an audio drama narrated by host and creator Lory Martinez, a young woman telling the story of how her family members experienced immigration from Colombia to New York City, reflecting on her childhood and the real meaning of home, family and roots. Through each family members' description and life story, this podcast narrates what is shared by many immigrants and their children building a life thousands of miles away from home. Podcast creators and producers realized that there are many forms of mija in the world so they created Season 2 and 3 around other mijas, including the daughter of Chinese immigrants in Paris and a Muslim Egyptian girl growing up in London.The show is available in English, Spanish, French, Mandarin and Arabic.
This podcast is beautiful, compelling, and engaging. Mija Podcast is insightful, relatable and emotional and each season of is a love letter to immigrant families. The stories are real and compelling and can help empathize with listeners who have direct or familial connection to immigration. It also serves as a way for others to understand and empathize with these journeys, by highlighting the true sacrifice and struggle that comes along with leaving your home country. Production is top notch, and sound effects and music add color to the cultural context of each story. The fact that it is multilingual makes it authentic and a wonderful tool for those interested in learning and practicing language skills as well as those who want to listen in their native language.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Mija Podcast reflects on the immigrant experience. Do you or your family have an immigration experience? If so, did the podcast accurately reflect your family's experience? If not, what was something that surprised you about the experience?
What messages of hope are present in the stories of each family member?
What circumstances make people migrate from their countries and how can these experiences contribute to personal growth?
The importance of telling the family stories and everyones' role in writing the family history. What family stories do you currently know? Can you ask other family members to share stories from your families past and of your ancestors? How can you document these stories?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Ana Hanssen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
