Bruno Lozano is the former mayor of Del Rio, a man whose journey from growing up gay on the border to leading his city is nothing short of remarkable. Bruno’s story goes against a deeply rooted machismo culture, a fight to embrace his identity in a town bound by tradition. But that’s only the beginning. 

As mayor, Bruno faced one of the largest humanitarian crises on U.S. soil when nearly 15,000 Haitian migrants gathered beneath the international bridge, seeking asylum. He was thrust into the eye of the immigration storm, only to feel betrayed by his own political party. 

After his term ended, his life took a dramatic turn with an arrest for drunk driving, a story he’s now using to shed light on the very specific kind of trauma that border living can inflict on communities. 
Bruno pulls no punches as he opens up what really went down when the world was watching. 

00:00 Introduction to Border Kids
01:15 Meet Bruno Lozano: From Mayor to Advocate
02:11 Bruno's Current Endeavors and PTSD Awareness
04:06 The Hidden Trauma of Border Life
08:39 Bruno's Arrest and Path to Recovery
16:15 The Journey to Becoming Mayor
21:26 Challenging Machismo Culture
23:35 Cultural Influences and Personal Interests
24:13 Challenges of Growing Up Gay
26:00 Navigating Identity and Community
26:59 Bilingualism and Cultural Intelligence
28:17 Love for Del Rio and Tejano Culture
31:58 Misunderstandings About the Border
34:28 Migration and Political Challenges
43:08 Importance of Sharing Border Stories
45:30 Closing Remarks and Personal Reflections


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/border-kids--6311904/support.