logo
episode-header-image
May 2025
31m 11s

Rigoberta Menchú, Courage in the Form of...

Lingo Mastery Spanish
About this episode

Guatemala has a Nobel prize winner who you've probably never heard of, but she's one of the most incredible cases of a small voice being powerful enough to topple giants: Rigoberta Menchú.

A poor indigenous woman in a nation where belonging to any of those three conditions reduces you to background noise, Rigoberta lost multiple family members in the terrible events of the 36-year Guatemalan Civil War, and knew that she had to speak up if nobody else would.


What followed was a journey of legend, as this woman broke each and every barrier, becoming unstoppable despite the opposition, and eventually leading her to become world-famous and recognized as a true freedom fighter. Discover her story in this week's episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast!

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/3317

Up next
Oct 7
Spain in Free Fall, The New Latin America? (España en Caída Libre, ¿La Nueva Latinoamérica?)
Spain, just like Latin America, has been a popular place to visit and move to as an expat, due to its beautiful beaches, modern cities, and great food. However, also like Latin America, it is affected by corruption, a lack of opportunities, and overall, bad policies that are maki ... Show More
30m 34s
Jun 2025
To Stay or to Go? The Latin American Dilemma (¿Quedarse o Partir? El Dilema Latinoamericano)
Life in Latin America can be stressful or it can be the most comfortable existence you'll ever have - it all depends on how you look at it.In today's DUAL NARRATOR episode and Season 4 finale, we fly over to warm, sunny Cali to join Daniel (a Colombian looking to move to Spain) a ... Show More
33m 13s
May 2025
The Worst Kind of Impunity, The Atrocious Case of Linda Loaiza (La Peor Impunidad, El Atroz Caso de Linda Loaiza)
One of the saddest things about crime in Latin America is that even the worst criminals can benefit from impunity. In the case of Linda Loaiza, this was demonstrated in the most brazen and shameless way possible.Linda was a young woman from the west of Venezuela who moved to the ... Show More
31m 38s
Recommended Episodes
May 2025
'The Interview': Isabel Allende Understands How Fear Changes a Society
At 82, Isabel Allende is one of the world’s most beloved and best-selling Spanish-language authors. Her work has been translated into more than 40 languages, and 80 million copies of her books have been sold around the world. That’s a lot of books.Allende’s newest novel, “My Name ... Show More
42m 1s
Jan 2025
Muniba Mazari: Finding Joy Through Pain - A Mother's Journey to Self-Acceptance | EP 863
Have you listened to the FULL EPISODE yet?"When you accept yourself the way you are, the world recognizes you." - Muniba MazariFrom adopting her son Niall to becoming Pakistan's first wheelchair-bound TV host and model, Muniba Mazari's journey is a testament to the power of refra ... Show More
8m 27s
Oct 2024
72. The Chupacabras 👹 — A Blood-Sucking Monster
🎁 Take YOUR FIRST STEPS IN SPANISH for FREE with Spanish Kickstart — a five-day basics course. 🎃 Have you ever heard of a mysterious creature that sucks all the blood of animals? Meet El Chupacabras, a legendary monster from Latin America that has scared generations. 💀 In this ... Show More
7m 57s
Jun 2023
The Toba Eruption
74,000 years ago, the Earth suffered the greatest natural disaster that it has seen in the last several million years. A supervolcano erupted in what is today the country of Indonesia. In addition to completely changing the Earth’s climate for years, it may have pushed a species ... Show More
13m 17s
Aug 2024
EsF Stories with Carolina Cerezuela
This EsF stories episode is about taking initiative, integrating into a community, and creating sustainable change in the community. Born in Spain, today’s guest has made a long, interesting, and circuitous journey to Mexico, where she currently lives. Her local community has ben ... Show More
31m 7s
Mar 2024
Bonus Episode: How Does a Chicana Activist Find Her Place in History?
In honor of Women’s History Month, we are sharing a special bonus episode featuring Chicana activist and artist Irma Lerma Barbosa. Her legacy will be preserved for years to come in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History Collections. Irma attended college at a time ... Show More
18m 20s
Sep 2024
From great loss, a great freedom, by Isabel Allende
Best-selling author Isabel Allende has led an extraordinary life marked by moments of tragic loss. A coup in her home country of Chile forces her family into exile, and an unexpected illness takes away one of the most important people in her life. And yet, at 80 years old, Isabel ... Show More
42m 29s
Mar 2025
Unapologetic, Unstoppable: 3 Women, 3 Fights
On this International Women’s Day, host Nidhi Sharma goes beyond boardrooms and corporate success stories to bring you the voices of women who have fought against deep-seated prejudices and unimaginable hardships to create change at the grassroots level.   Meet Shaheen Mallik, an ... Show More
31m 51s
Apr 2025
Biographie - George Sand
In this episode, Gaelle talks about a famous French writer from the 19th century: George Sand. And don’t be fooled by the masculine name, as it was a decoy for this female writer to get her place in the very misogynist society of the time. Come and meet this incredible woman who ... Show More
27m 12s
Sep 22
La aventura de la vida, parte 2
On her way to Costa Rica, Sandra was pushed out of a plane and instead landed with a handsome stranger, Gabriel, in the Yucatan peninsula. Gabriel claims he needs Sandra’s help to find the treasure of the Jaguar King. His searching brings them to the ruins of the Mayan city Chich ... Show More
15m 16s