Imperfect Paradise: Trading in the American Dream for the Mexican Dream

California Love

LAist Studios

Music

4.5 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 6 July 2025

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

For decades, there’s been a persistent story about Mexican immigrants crossing the border for a better life in the United States. But there’s a new trend emerging: Mexicans and Mexican Americans, disillusioned with American politics, moving to Mexico for a more fulfilling life. In the second episode of a three-part collaboration with Latino USA, Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido and Latino USA’s Maria Hinojosa sit down with a Mexican American creative who moved to Mexico, as well as a Mexico City native, to discuss the “Mexican Dream.”

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hey, it's Jacob Margolis. I'd like you to stop what you're doing and ask yourself, where is my
0:05.0	emergency kit? If you don't have a good answer, then I highly recommend visiting preppy.com
0:10.2	slash LAist for a free emergency kit with any purchase over $100. That's preppy, P-R-E-P-P-I-com
0:19.5	slash LAist.
0:22.4	Hi, this is Larry Mantel.
0:26.1	This year marks the 40th anniversary of my program air talk.
0:31.2	On the show, we've discussed the biggest topics and events of the day from earthquakes to elections.
0:36.0	Please join me for the biggest conversation in Southern California for 40 years.
0:43.5	For decades now, there's been this persisting narrative from Mexican immigrants and even family members that every opportunity for higher education, jobs, a better life, those things could only be found
0:49.9	in the United States and not in Mexico.
0:53.3	My whole life I grew up.
0:54.7	Mexico doesn't have any opportunities.
0:56.3	Mexico doesn't set you up to be successful.
0:58.9	And Mexico, blah, blah, blah.
1:01.3	But I've noticed that that's been changing.
1:04.2	People who have lived in the United States for much of their lives are now talking about
1:08.6	moving back to Mexico.
1:10.2	And that's a big shift from even 10 or 15 years ago.
1:14.3	And oh my God, was I wrong?
1:16.3	I finished high school here.
1:18.0	I went to university here.
1:19.6	I got great jobs, great paying jobs.
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 15 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from LAist Studios, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of LAist Studios and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.