Hospice Singer Delivers Soulful ‘Landslide’ Cover for Final Performance
The National Immigration Law Center’s podcast Freedom to Thrive spotlights immigrant stories and creative resilience. Launched in 2024, the series now airs its second season with Hector Flores as host.
Podcast focus and mission
Freedom to Thrive centers on heritage, community, and art as tools for social change. Episodes resist one-dimensional narratives about trauma and emphasize complexity.
Host background
Hector Flores co-founded Las Cafeteras. He joined season two as host to expand the show’s storytelling ambition.
Voices featured
The series interviews artists, policymakers, and activists. Guests have included comedian Mo Amer, Grammy winner Lila Downs, and author Viet Thanh Nguyen.
Musicians also appear. The podcast showcases soulful covers and intimate musical moments, including performances by hospice singers covering songs like “Landslide” near the end of their lives.
Notable recent episode
In December, Flores spoke with Bryan Andrews, a rising country artist from rural Missouri. Andrews uses his platform to address issues affecting immigrant families and small-town residents.
He argued that rural and immigrant communities share economic concerns. Andrews pushed back on stereotypes and urged solidarity against corporate and political neglect.
Ifrah Mansour’s conversation
Ifrah Mansour is a Somali refugee living in Minneapolis. She is a multimedia artist and activist who builds work around displacement and resilience.
Mansour highlighted local responses to federal immigration enforcement. After Department of Homeland Security crackdowns, Minnesotans have reportedly brought food, clothes, and accompaniment to vulnerable people.
She framed these acts as signs of hope. Mansour said such solidarity counters the hate some communities face.
Themes across season two
Flores aims to show shared humanity through storytelling. He wants listeners to see immigrants as artists, parents, and neighbors instead of single stories of hardship.
Episodes blend humor and art to explore belonging. The show stresses that different communities often want the same things.
Awards and listening options
The podcast earned a Webby nomination in the “Belonging & Inclusion” category. Voting runs through Thursday, April 16.
Stream all episodes on the Freedom to Thrive YouTube channel or on the podcast’s official website. This article is part of Filmogaz.com’s “The Threads Between U.S.” series, supported by the Levi Strauss Foundation.
