On today's episode we discuss the case of Vanessa Guillén, a 20-year-old Latina soldier whose disappearance and death at Fort Hood in 2020 led to national outrage, widespread protests, and a reckoning within the U.S. military. Vanessa’s story is not only a true crime case; it is a story about silence, fear, and the systems that failed to protect her. We walk through the timeline of her disappearance, the investigation that followed, and the shocking details that came to light. We also discuss the allegations of harassment she shared with her family before her death, and the broader culture within the military that has left many service members feeling unsafe or unheard. Most importantly, we reflect on the impact of her case: how her family, especially her sister Lupe Guillén, transformed grief into advocacy, pushing for accountability and reform through what became known as the I Am Vanessa Guillén Act.
This episode is handled with care and respect for Vanessa, her family, and all those who have experienced similar injustices.

Watch Edward's free online webinar: "How Full-Text Search Can Find Latin American Genealogy"
https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/how-full-text-search-can-uncover-latin-american-genealogy

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Please visit Edward's blogs! Let's keep this family research going:
http://ruedafingerhut.blogspot.com
https://geneticfunhouse.blogspot.com

Know Your Rights Trainings and Legal Service Agencies
National:
● Trainings for immigrant educators, students and parents – https://www.immschools.org/
● Free or low-cost immigration legal services -- https://www.immigrationlawhelp.org/
● For Dreamers - Legal Services - Cornell Law School –https://sites.lawschool.cornell.edu/path2papers/about/

CA:
● CA Immigration Legal Service Agencies (Bay Area) –https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/legaldirectory/search?zip=95126&x=0&y=0
● Legal services for immigrants - https://www.pangealegal.org/
● Trainings and Resources - Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) - https://www.ilrc.org/
● California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) Resources – https://info.ccsa.org/safe-spaces

DC:
● DC Immigration Legal Service Agencies –https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/legaldirectory/search?state=DC

TN:
● TN Immigration Legal Service Agencies – https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/legaldirectory/search?state=TN
● NICE - National International Center for Empowerment – https://www.empowernashville.org/
● TNJFON - Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors -- https://www.tnjfon.org/

WI:
● Milwaukee Immigration Legal Service Agencies -https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/legaldirectory/search?state=WI

Rediscovering Latinidad is an independent podcast. This show is hosted by Briar Rose, Edward, y Jellissa and is engineered by Matthew Sambolin. Cover art designed by George Colon.

Visit our website at www.RediscoveringLatinidad.com. If you would like to reach out, please email us at RediscoveringLatinidad@gmail.com, or leave us a voicemail at 646-470-9824.

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