Cultura Shock’s Hot Verano Special: Summer, Pride, and Nostalgia

Get ready for a hot new episode of Cultura Shock! Our “Hot Verano Special” is here to make your summer even better. Let’s take a look at what we’ve got lined up for you!

When the temperature goes up, so do the prices! AK and Mike break down why Summer is so expensive. Then, AK heads to West Hollywood to celebrate Pride at the Outloud Music Festival. Mike highlights the groundbreaking work by gay rights icon José Sarria in WYKA, and we reminisce on past summer vacations. ¡Vamos a la playa!

Watch now our “Hot Verano Special” with Cultura Shock

Tune in to the “Hot Verano Special” of Cultura Shock on LATV to catch all this and more. Watch the full episode now on the LATV+ App!

What to expect from the episode?

First off, AK and Mike discussed why summer is so expensive. AK brought up a classic line many of us have heard from our parents: “Hay comida en la casa,” or in this case, “Hay actividades en la casa; go turn on the hose, create a makeshift waterpark.” Mike added a funny twist, on how our parents would remind us to ration water because even that costs money, saying, “Yeah, ‘what waterpark? We got sprinklers at home, let me turn them on… But just for five minutes because el agua también cuesta dinero so you gotta ration that as well.’”

Next, AK headed to West Hollywood to celebrate Pride at the Outloud Music Festival, where the energy was electric with streets blocked off and people celebrating. It was AK’s first time at this festival, and she couldn’t hold back her excitement as she soaked in the vibes and chatted with attendees. She asked one of them if they experienced culture shock after moving from Illinois to West Hollywood, who responded, “There’s a lot of people who actually, like, accept me.” Another attendee described the vibe of West Hollywood as “just gays just trying to do their best,” despite the initial struggle with traffic. They went on to praise the other attendees, adding, “After that, the people I’ve been meeting, everyone’s been so awesome, so cool and just so sweet. And I’m like, okay, period, I love it.”

On another segment of this Summer Special episode, Mike highlighted the groundbreaking work done by gay rights icon José Sarria. Sarria was a trailblazer, becoming the first openly gay candidate to run for public office in the U.S. His impact on queer activism, especially in the Bay Area, was profound and lasting.

Mike notes, “The history of gay rights in America has landmark moments like the Society of Human Rights in Chicago, to the Stonewall Riots in New York, all of which have Black and Latino people fighting at the very core of the movement.” He emphasized Sarria’s role, saying, “Mama José was not only a catalyst for queer activism in the Bay Area that shaped one of America’s most iconic cities as a refuge for queer expression, but also a renowned drag performer that has made a profound impact on drag herstory.”

Finally, AK and Mike reminisced about some of their past summer vacations. Mike recalled a fun yet chaotic experience on a black sand beach in Guatemala, where he had to fend off birds and even had a Twinkie stolen by a monkey. AK helped us visualize the chaotic scene: “Okay, paint the picture- a black sand beach.” Mike continued, “Black sand beach in Guatemala… Young Mike with his papitas. Eating papitas. And all of a sudden just a swarm of birds is like, like on top of me. But you throw stuff, they get their food, and yeah. One time a monkey stole my Twinkie in Guatemala, too. I was eating a little Twinkie and then there was a monkey that was just running around. He got close to me, grabbed my Twinkie and ran away.” AK laughed and added, “So in Guatemala, you can just expect to be attacked by an animal.”

Tune in to the “Hot Verano Special” of Cultura Shock on LATV to catch all this and more. Watch the full episode now on the LATV+ App!