Café con José: Closing 2025
Mi gente, If this year had a soundtrack, it would be full of shifts. Songs you didn’t expect to love. Pauses that taught you to listen. And maybe a few … Continue reading Café con José: Closing 2025
Author: josemartinews1
The History of Hispanic Heritage Month: Why Our Stories Matter
Every year from September 15 to October 15, the United States celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month — a time to recognize the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors … Continue reading The History of Hispanic Heritage Month: Why Our Stories Matter
Café con José: The American Dream, Alive and Bilingual
Today, on the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month, I’m holding on to a moment that reminded me why I write, why I tell stories, and why I believe in the … Continue reading Café con José: The American Dream, Alive and Bilingual
It’s Real: My First Book Is Coming
My debut memoir is finally taking shape.
Your English is Great, But… is a story about language, loss, and finding your voice in between.
The official page is now live!
Your English is Great, But…
I didn’t just translate my words.
I translated my grief.
My ambition.
My silence.
This book lives in that in-between—between Spanish and English, between loss and voice.
Between who I was… and who I’m finally ready to become.
Café con José: The Questions I Ask Myself After Every Interview
Every interview leaves me with something: a quote, a story — and a set of questions.
Not for the person I just spoke to, but for myself.
Did I listen deeply enough? Did I handle their pain with care?
This week on Café con José, I’m pulling back the curtain.
Café con José : A Pope from the South. And the woman who taught me faith
In this edition of Café con José, I reflect on what his legacy meant to my abuela, to my faith, and to the quiet power of being seen by someone who speaks your language — in every sense.
Café con José: Gayle, Katy, and the Celebrity Space Flight That Has Everyone Talking
When Gayle King and Katy Perry went to space, headlines called it historic. But real representation goes beyond photo ops. In this edition of Café con José, I reflect on space tourism, visibility, and the trailblazers in STEM who rarely get the spotlight — but deserve far more than a seat.
Café con José: Flames at the Governor’s Mansion, A Wake-Up Call for Us All
In this week’s Café con José, we break down what happened outside the Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion — and why stories like this deserve more than a headline. The facts, the context, and the questions we should be asking.
Café con José: When the News Hurts, the Community Heals
This week, Reading felt smaller.
Not because the city changed, but because the grief was shared. A tragic explosion that could’ve been prevented. A shooting that shook another block. And the death of a merengue legend remembered with candles, flags, and music. In the middle of it all, our community kept showing up—with memory, with presence, with love.
Café con José: Rubby Pérez and the Heartbreak of Santo Domingo’s Jet Set
What was meant to be a night of merengue and celebration turned into a national tragedy. Jet Set — a place known for joy, music, and comunidad — became the site of heartbreak. Among those lost was Rubby Pérez, a voice we all grew up with. My heart is with the Dominican people — aquí y allá — as we mourn this unimaginable loss, together.
Café con José: The Call That Changed Everything
Five years ago, a phone call changed everything. In the middle of a normal workday during the pandemic, I lost my father—and began a journey through grief, memory, and legacy. This week’s Café con José is about what we leave unfinished… and the stories we carry forward.
José Martínez 