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Futuro Media announced that it has received a major grant from the Mellon Foundation to support the production of second seasons of the original Pulitzer Prize-winning podcast series“Suave” and“La Brega.”
“We are so honored to receive this grant from the Mellon Foundation that will allow us to continue to shine a light on communities that mainstream media often ignore,” said Maria Hinojosa, president/founder of Futuro Media, and host/executive producer of “Suave.”
“Mellon’s support validates the important and impactful work we do. It recognizes the need to expand on the types of stories that are told, seeing and listening to stories from new angles, with a distinct voice and unique perspectives,” said Hinojosa.
“Suave” follows the story of David Luis ‘Suave’ Gonzalez, a young man re-entering society after serving more than 30 years in prison, and explores incarceration, redemption, and the often unusual relationship between a journalist and a source. The second-season podcast sequel will spotlight the struggles and triumphs of women sentenced to life – women whose stories are rarely shared.
Gonzalez will co-host this second season alongside Maria Hinojosa, opening up the conversation beyond his story and going deep into what it means to give second chances, who deserves them, and who gets to decide. The series will continue to explore the challenges of re-entry and adaptation as Gonzalez goes into his fifth year of freedom and hopes to make more of his dreams come true.
Produced by Futuro Studios and distributed by PRX, the first season has earned more than 800,000 listeners and received a 2021 IDA Documentary Award for Best Multi-Part Audio Documentary and, most recently, a 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Audio Reporting. The second season will be released in 2023.
The dual-language series “La Brega,” co-produced by Futuro Studios and WNYC Studios tells stories about the Puerto Rican experience. Hosted by WNYC’s Alana Casanova-Burgess, the show uses narrative storytelling to touch on themes of history, politics, culture and colonialism. “La Brega” made The New York Times’ The Ten Best Podcasts of 2021 and The Atlantic‘s Top 50 Podcasts of 2021 lists.
The second season will continue to use narrative nonfiction as a lens for deep exploration of Puerto Rico. The series will be released in 2023.