When Chula G walked into a bar two years ago, she didn’t expect to walk out with a new best friend — or a podcast.
When Ransom walked into that same bar, she thought she’d just be meeting her friend's new girlfriend. But as the conversation — and a bit of alcohol — flowed, the two realized they were a perfect fit.
“Immediately, we were best friends,” says Chula. “We just grew into our own family.”
When the podcast, Aque Yo Mando, was first starting out, the two struggled to find their footing. They had to learn to get comfortable on camera, making sure they were funny — but still appealing to everyone. The biggest obstacle though, was finding an identity for the podcast.
“We wanted to create a hub for Denver,” Chula says. “We wanted to create a podcast that got to all these different communities. And who better to do it than two women of color who are really funny?”
Over the last two years, that’s exactly what they’ve done. Most episodes feature interviews with different Denverites, discussing everything from plastic surgery to parties to sex to weed. Although the comedy flows throughout, they’re not afraid to touch on tougher topics, like toxic relationships, crime and friendship struggles.
As their platform has grown, they’ve been able to reach more people, spreading Denver’s stories throughout the city.
“You think that no one is listening to you,” adds Ransom, "but you’d be surprised who’s really tuning in.”
As two Latina women, Chula and Ransom's culture is a point of pride that they hope to represent through the podcast. “I love being able to make connections with people who aren’t actually here (in Denver), but our culture brings us all together,” says Chula. “It’s a very big collective.”
“I’m very proud of my culture,” Ransom adds. “Me and Chula, we started with nothing. (I have ) these independent women who have taught me so much in life, it just taught me to just keep going.”
Chula and Ransom have kept going, even through the awkward pauses that came with early podcasting and the many technical difficulties along the way. They wanted Aque Yo Mando to be a space for everyone to share their stories, which the two women have been working to create from the start.
“This is a safe place,” says Ransom. “We tell people, if you don't want to talk about something, we don’t have to. You can speak willingly here. You're not being forced.”
Creating this environment on the podcast helps interviewees share stories that are difficult to tell while still staying comfortable and entertaining.
“I think people love that as well,” adds Ransom. “At first, people come in shy, and then at the end of the pod, they're like, ‘Yo, I really feel good here.’”
Since its conception, the podcast has been home to a wide variety of stories, as varied as Denver itself. As they continue to create new episodes, Chula and Ransom want to keep reaching more and more people and bringing Denver together.
“I want to talk to everybody,” says Chula. “That's my biggest thing. I want to touch a lot of lives. We have so many different interviewees, and we're all coaching somebody's life. I think that's the biggest accomplishment out of all of this.”
The podcast’s name itself reflects the driving force behind the podcast: being the ones in charge of the mic. Chula and Ransom have created a platform to share it, but it is ultimately their home.
“Aque yo mando is a Spanish phrase,” says Chula, “and it means, 'Here, I run shit. Here, I’m boss.' That’s a big part of our message.”
In a world with an ever-growing library of podcasts to choose from, Aque Yo Mando focuses on authenticity and community building to help it stand out, cementing itself as an important part of Denver.
“We're really just unfiltered,” says Chula. “We talk about everything, and I think that's cool because you might not like this part, but you love this part. It's engaging and it's authentic.”
You can find “Aque Yo Mando” on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
