Today we’d like to introduce you to Loren Lacruz.
Hi Loren, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Hi! My name is Loren Lacruz and I am an undergraduate student at Washington University pursuing a double major in Political Science and Psychology, as well as the host of the True Shh Podcast. I wanted to start a podcast in 2020 where I would talk about the boarding school experience as a young Latina from New York City and show glimpses of the BIPOC experience at PWIs. In the midst of college applications and COVID limitations, I never went through with the idea, but was still fascinated by what I could do with a platform like a podcast.
In 2022, I wanted to find a passion project for myself. Something that I could water and nurture outside of school that would be public-facing and help me engage in my community. Despite being busy as a summer corporate paralegal at the best law firm in the country that summer, I desperately wanted to start something of my own. A close friend helped me reconsider my podcast idea, and ever since, True Shh was born.
At that point, I was still unsure about what I wanted to discuss on this podcast. I no longer wanted to limit myself within the confines of talking about boarding school, especially as a rising sophomore at WashU. Regardless, I knew that I was prone to having insightful conversations, both with myself and others, about a plethora of topics. I understood that what was being spoken about was not important to me; rather, it was the people that I featured on the show.
I can make anyone feel seen. I see patterns in people. I see them in myself. I see them in my family. I see them in the system. I see them across political lines, religious bounds, and systematic dynamics. I have always been a bridge between people. I tend to be the devil’s advocate in most situations because I understand that a story has three sides: two opposing opinions and the truth. I strive to be keen about noticing my biases and projections, and I think there is a lot of truth that gets lost in translation between people, groups, and ideas. I hope that the True Shh Podcast brings more light to the truth in all people and stories.
Today, the True Shh Podcast is where I produce podcast videos of my conversations with entrepreneurs, artists, creatives, students, innovators, and everyone in between. Every conversation is a safe space for guests to share their goals, ideas, beliefs, and aspirations. With time, True Shh is meant to be a platform where hidden gems and inspiring people can gain momentum into the eyes of a more mainstream audience.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
We live in a system that causes its people to become complacent because of how impossible everything seems. When all odds are against you, it is time to prove yourself. Coal becomes a diamond when placed under the utmost pressure.
Around December 2022, I took a hiatus from producing podcast content for over 5 months. I had been taking 20 college credits, working two on-campus jobs, and struggling with issues at home. Unfortunately, I felt very alone, and it seemed almost impossible to create a community when I barely felt myself fitting in one.
Social media could be a much better place. Scrolling and seeing people gain accolades and maintain a seamless routine forced me to put a lot of pressure on myself. I always saw myself as someone who could achieve everything and anything I wanted, and the past 6 months stripped me of this confidence. It took a lot of meditation and reframing of how I saw my work to get back into the swing of things. I realized that I was the only person and thing stopping me, so I changed how I went about any of my passions. Monetizing your goals and hobbies drains them of their, and your, pure potential, which is exactly what happened to me. I finally decided to take matters back into my own hands and take control of what was already mine. I am excited to be back and show the world the many conversations I am proud of being a part of.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might need to become more familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I record podcast episodes of conversations with entrepreneurs, artists and creatives, students, and anyone in between. I set myself apart from other podcast creators because I can create and find connections between the experiences of others and my own lived reality. My podcast show reflects me because it is mutable, self-aware, and secure. Being secure in myself and my goals allows me to pour into others’ interests and embrace them as if they were mine own. From the beginning, I have refused to have a niche for my show because I never knew what I might be interested in next. Limiting myself was not going to be an option. Consequently, I plan to continue cultivating a safe and communicative space in which guests and friends feel comfortable sharing their stories with me, and by extension, with the world.
We love surprises, fun facts, and incredible stories. Can you share something that might surprise us?
Making it to where I am now has been challenging. I have walked through many doors that were not meant for me to walk through, and that is due to my practical and emotional intelligence. As a first-generation Venezuelan American girl raised in New York City and its public school system, you would not expect me to have occupied the spaces that I have. I attended a prestigious preparatory school in New England where I should have lost myself and my “New Yorkerness” or my “Latinidad,” but I did not. I kept my Bred 1s on my feet from the first week of my first year there until my last week as a Senior. I became a stellar code switcher but avoided enabling my ability as much as possible. I do the same thing here at Washington University in St. Louis. I am a New Yorker by heart, and as much as I can claim my spot in this city (STL), I integrate who I am and where I am from into all of my relationships and connections. The day that I stop representing where I am from is the day that I lose myself. Overall, though, I think I am naturally unpredictable, which means nothing should ever be too surprising about me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/lorenlacruz
- Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/trueshhpodcast/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loren-lacruz/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@trueshh
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OJvFgnVnempTPwa36tPzC?si=9dcb8adcf3b84e19
