Jeyca Maldonado

Where are you based and what do you do?

I'm based out of the Twin Cities. I work as a temporary assistant producer for the talk shows at Minnesota Public Radio. I'm also the creator and producer of the Tuesdays with Lazerbeak podcast and Trouble Children podcast.

A piece of yours (in any medium!) that you would like to share?

I produced an episode of Terrible, Thanks for Asking along with the help of Hans Buetow. The story deals with immigration in a way that makes it personal and real to people who don't have to worry about their citizenship. Telling this story and having people want to help out was incredibly moving.

What draws you to storytelling?

I have always loved reading because by the end of a story you find some meaning to events that might otherwise feel random and disjointed. Telling stories helps me make sense of a world full of experiences that aren't my own. It allows me to think about what life could've been like if I was born as someone else. It builds empathy and I think that's the biggest thing to me. I think it's really hard to deny someone's humanity when you hear their own voice telling their story.

What’s playing on your radio/audio streaming service right now?

I've been catching up on a lot of Radio Ambulante. That show is so well done and having it in Spanish is so special. I also just finished Dr. Death which I found so insanely gripping. I binged it so quickly.

Hard-at-work-on-a-project snack of choice?

I want to say something healthy like apples or grapes, but it's most likely candy. I love sour Skittles and Kit-Kats.