In part 2 of Tim Z. Hernandez’s conversation with activist Olga Talamante, The Story Keeper on Words on a Wire revisits her harrowing arrest and imprisonment during Argentina’s Dirty War. Olga reflects on the brutality she endured—torture, isolation, and the constant threat of death—and the grassroots freedom campaign that blossomed thousands of miles away. She recounts how her parents, community organizers, students, labor groups, and elected officials united across borders to demand her release, ultimately forcing the U.S. State Department to intervene.
Olga also offers profound insights into resilience, community, and the cultural foundations that helped her survive trauma and return to a life of activism. She shares how family, music, movement work, and her mother’s fierce love shaped her spirit, and why maintaining tenderness—especially in the face of cruelty—is a radical, necessary act.
Additional information
- For more information about Olga Talamante you can visit: chicanalatina.org/people/olga-talamante/
- You can also visit her social media:
- Instagram: @olgatalamante
- Facebook: @olga.talamante
Originally aired on December 7, 2025
