Storytellers of Color: Deshaciendo Nudos — language is power

On this episode of Storytellers of Color, host Rossana Longo-Better is in conversation with Leticia Abajo Torrijos, founder of Deshaciendo Nudos, an educator, interpreter, life coach, and longtime community connector who has worked alongside Spanish-speaking and immigrant families in Boulder County since the late 1990s.

At the heart of this conversation is a simple but powerful idea: listening — truly listening — is an act of care.

“For me, listening is not about responding,” Leticia says. “It’s about understanding.”

Drawing from her own journey as an immigrant and decades of community-based work, Leticia reflects on the role of language in shaping dignity, trust, and belonging, especially in moments of transition, stress, and decision-making. She explains why interpretation is not just about words, but about context, culture, and humanity.

“When people speak in their own language, you hear the nuance, the tone, the history, the lineage,” she says. “That’s where empathy begins.”

Throughout the episode, Leticia shares how immigrant families have long carried deep intelligence, even when formal education was out of reach and how today’s younger generations are stepping into leadership, civic life, and political spaces with clarity and confidence.

“We don’t all need to be on the same page,” she says. “There can be many pages in one book.”

The conversation also touches on identity, accent, and the power of bilingualism. Leticia reminds us that having an accent is not a weakness; it’s evidence of another language, another world, another way of knowing.

Looking ahead to the new year, Leticia discusses her current work through talleres de escritura terapeútica, creating intentional spaces for reflection, communication, and personal clarity. This helps people loosen the knots they carry and move forward with purpose.

“You don’t change the world without starting with yourself,” she says.

This episode is a reminder that language is power, listening builds bridges, and community resilience is rooted in dignity and connection.