“This Is Me”: Danielle Rosario on Cultural Identity, Fitness & Mental Health

T is for Transformation

Alex Coloreo

Self-improvement, Health & Fitness, Mental Health, Education

4.9 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 11 August 2025

⏱️ 34 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode of T Is for Transformation, Shaun T sits down with Danielle Rosario to explore the intersection of cultural identity, fitness, and mental health. Born in New York with deep Latino roots and raised in Minnesota, Danielle shares the complexities of growing up as a white-presenting Puerto Rican woman—facing cultural disconnection, colorism, and identity stigma both within and outside her community. Danielle opens up about navigating judgment from family and peers, overcoming trauma, and reclaiming her mental and physical health. From losing over 100 pounds to confronting an eating disorder and finding power through therapy, her journey is a powerful reminder that transformation starts from within. This raw, honest conversation tackles race, body image, emotional resilience, and what it truly means to be seen—and accepted—for who you are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome back to Tea is for Transformation.
0:10.0	I'm your host Sean T.
0:12.0	And today we are exploring the power of embracing one's cultural roots in the face of adversity.
0:20.0	Born in New York, with deep Latino roots,
0:22.3	Danielle Rosario navigated the complexities
0:25.5	of cultural identity and the stigma's
0:28.0	surrounding mental health.
0:29.9	Listen, I know firsthand, I have been told
0:33.1	throughout my health and wellness journey
0:35.1	from people in my family that I was getting too skinny when I was only trying to better myself and my health and wellness journey from people in my family that I was getting too skinny
0:37.8	when I was only trying to better myself and my health.
0:41.8	So join us as we uncover how Danielle turned her struggles into strains using fitness
0:48.3	and mental health awareness to carve a path to a stronger self despite others.
0:55.0	Here's a listen and to Danielle's story.
0:58.0	My name is Danielle. I'm from Arizona, sunny Arizona.
1:01.0	My geographic changes, starting from New York and my Latino culture, has always been with me.
1:08.0	I guess I'll say it that way.
1:10.0	Moving very young at the age of about six to Minnesota,
1:14.1	my parents did that to have a better life for me as a child.
1:17.6	I'm glad they did that.
1:18.6	At the same time, there's different challenges that came with that.
1:21.6	Coming to Minnesota, I got a lot of that, a lot of names,
	...

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