HUMANE RIGHTS
Season 1
Episode 4 — Grace Porras at the Super Bowl
Grace Porras: First of all, being from The Bay, loving Benito, loving what he represents. Loving his music. We are Team Benito all day. All day! So, that that was — I just was elated of the fact that I would be able to be even a small part of it.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Well, Benito Bowl.
Grace Porras: Benito Bowl!
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Let's go. Let it catch on.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I'm Dr. Akilah Cadet Cadet and this is Humane Rights, a show that flips the traditional talk show on its head. This isn't about debate. It's about dialogue. Each episode, I invite guests from different walks of life to unpack the messy, beautiful realities of being human. Welcome to Humane Rights, where being human is the ultimate act of resistance.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Hi, Grace Porras.
Grace Porras: Hi.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: You said something really important to me today, which is — you are running on fumes, and I said, "your fumes fuel fires of change."
Grace Porras: Yes. And the reason for that is we're sitting here after last night. "Make it Bay" today, screaming for "GOAT" — Steph Curry's new movie with Unanimous Media. So you had a wonderful, beautiful event last night.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Thank you. And also there was this up and coming person named Bad Bunny who had a little show. Where 128 million people tuned in, for the Super Bowl. And you were part of that.
Grace Porras: Yes.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: So you were with two GOATs — running on fumes with two GOATs. So I would love for you to tell folks, one, what you're wearing. Just do a little image description, because you look great. But just tell us how you're feeling with these two incredible back to back events.
Grace Porras: Yes. So I'll start with my image description. I am wearing a Black — listen, I'm the worst with the image description.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Thank you, like it's not Black. You're wearing a tartan oversize double breasted blazer.
Grace Porras: Thank you very much. With an oversize T-shirt that celebrates Latina heritage, which I love. "No me quiero ir de aqui." It's a "Debi tirar mas fotos" T-shirt that I actually got at the residency in Puerto Rico when I went this summer. I just realized what it says. It's the song.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Wait, the song is so important because it was at the end. It was at the end of the performance. But you're wearing a boot cut flare jeans, and an incredible Black stacked heel — has, like, a cowboy toe but it's like a fusion boot, which I love. And then for me, I'm wearing my Colin Kaepernick jersey because we're talking Super Bowl vibes — so it's a Black jersey, with white number seven on it. Vintage jeans that have been upcycled by Asaad Bruno, a local designer here, striped socks and Simkhai shoes with a gold heel. And striped socks are because I'm a referee when it comes to why the NFL is problematic.
Grace Porras: Yes. Yes, but not when Bad Bunny was there.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: And so take us to that moment when you found out that you would be part of the team managing the talent of Bad Bunny.
Grace Porras: Well, I didn't know the what of it all, but I knew that I'd be there, and I was thrilled in general, because — first of all, being from The Bay, loving Benito, loving what he represents. Loving his music. Also, being in a relationship with a Puerto Rican man means that by default, we are Team Benito all day. So, that that was — I just was elated of the fact that I would be able to be even a small part of it.
You know, back in 2022, I did a documentary around the making of the LA halftime show. So I got to be a fly on the wall making a documentary about, you know, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent and their process, and just seeing, like, all of the pieces and the intricacies that went into making that show — like, super respect for Jesse Collins and all of his team because they do amazing work. But really, what I love about the way that the halftime show is set up is that the artist has a lot of creative liberty. They get to make whatever show they want to make.
And so I knew when the Super Bowl was coming to The Bay that I had to be a part of that production in some capacity. Now this is before I knew it was Bad Bunny, and then Bad Bunny was announced and I was like, oh, the cards are all folding in the right place. So when I got the call that I'd be able to be a part of the production, I was — you know, I didn't have any questions. I was like, where do you need me? When do you need me? I will be there.
So it wasn't until later, once I was already on board on site, that I knew that I'd be working with his tour musicians that I adored from when I saw them at the residency in Puerto Rico. So for me, I was like an admirer of their craft, of their talent, and now I'm able to sort of shepherd them through this process and be there for them. And that was awesome, to say the least.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: You know, some of you may or may not know, Grace Porras is the executive producer on this show. On Humane Rights, so I just got — you know, we're in a meeting. Grace Porras is like, I'm just going to be out of the office. I'll be on vacation. Is actually what you said. And so here I am thinking the whole time like, finally, you're getting some rest. You worked so hard, only to find out you did not get any rest. No. But your cup was filled by this incredible experience.
And so when you were able to witness something so incredible, so great, so powerful for people like us with our intersectionality — also for your Boo, right? What does that mean to you?
Grace Porras: It was — I mean, I think the representation — I knew that it would be a spectacle. Let me just start there. I knew it would be some type of show. You know, like, I didn't know what the messaging was going to be. But when I started to see the creative unfold, I realized that he was speaking for every single person that hasn't had a voice on that stage. And so for me, it was like I took my role so seriously, even if it was just a little role in this humongous production. I took my role so seriously because I knew how important it was for everybody to be able to show up, to be their authentic self, so that other people could see them and see themselves.
So, I mean, I just — I'm in awe of the talent that was represented on that stage, on that turf. And also just really grateful for the representation behind the camera too, you know, being able to be there. I got to work alongside my sister. She's my producing partner and we do a lot of work together.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: They're wonderful.
Grace Porras: Thank you.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I feel very complete now, officially meeting your sister.
Grace Porras: Not to be confused — we do look a lot alike; we are not twins. And, you know, just being able to be there and to, like, have moments where we realize, like, our culture is about to be on full display, you know?
And I just remember — I'll tell you a story. I remember a moment in a rehearsal where no phones are allowed. Obviously, this is very, you know, closely monitored by the NFL. And all of the musicians were just sitting around waiting for the next run to go, and all of a sudden they broke out into music, like all of them with their instruments, folks singing, folks dancing. We're in the stands at Levi's Stadium, and we're all just present and, like, having a blast. And you know, it lives so deep in my memory now.
But it just felt like — I don't know any other Super Bowl halftime performer that has ever had a band that broke out into song in between rehearsals and, like, got the entire cast of the show going. And that is the energy. Like, I remember those moments in my house growing up, and I remember those moments with my family growing up. And so to see that in this magnitude was like, whoa, people are about to find out.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. I mean, so for me, I'm Haitian. My dad had a conga drum. These are sounds that are part of our childhood.
Grace Porras: Yup.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: So to hear them and see them on this international stage is profound. For me personally, as soon as I saw sugar cane and a plantation, I was like, I — this is for me.
Grace Porras: Yeah.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I immediately got up off the couch and did what we do, which is dance.
Grace Porras: Yup. Right?
Dr. Akilah Cadet: And what people don't realize about what Bad Bunny did is that there's now conversation and dialog and reminder of how important Haiti is to ending a lot of colonization and enslavement, and Black and Latine cultures, communities and countries.
Grace Porras: Yeah. Which I really, really loved. Seeing that — I think that is most important, that I don't think people really fully understand, and use that so beautifully, is that the artist has control of the story they want to present. And he chose to say, we're going to start at the plantations. We're going to move into how we've built our own industry. We're going to tell you about our culture and where we have gone and what we do. We're going to see complexion representation because Afro Latinas are just as important.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah.
Grace Porras: You know, anyone who is Afro Latine — having that all come together along with, oh yeah, we don't have a power grid, because even though Ricky Martin came here and sang about how y'all took Hawaii — we don't have that. And also, if you don't know, the last time Donald Trump did anything with Puerto Rico, he threw paper towels. We didn't have power. And so it's not just that Bad Bunny went up unassisted on power lines —
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Very much unassisted.
Grace Porras: He did his own stunts. It was telling the story of how even though you have tried to oppress us over and over again, we have colonization that has tried to oppress us over and over again — we have persevered. We still have our culture. We still play dominoes. We wear our gold jewelry that we both have on right now. We both have on our names. And this is part of our cultura, this is part of our culture.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. This is part of you know who we are, which I love. But my absolute favorite part was when all the flags came out.
Grace Porras: That's my favorite part. I cried multiple times. I did too. The first time I saw it, the last time I saw it. And then I had to play it back again because I was like, he said Ayiti. He said Haiti. In there, which was a big deal.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: But he also said all the other countries, yeah, of people who are also oppressed, people who are in the Americas. And so we have DtMF at the end.
Grace Porras: Yeah.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: And people were probably expecting it to be a longer song.
Grace Porras: Yeah.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: That song means, take pictures — of these memories.
Grace Porras: Yeah. Don't forget me. Tell people you love them.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. And that is literally what's happening in real time. It was a very meta meta moment. Yes, that people are going to fully, fully get.
Grace Porras: Yeah. They're not gonna fully get that unless you have been oppressed. Yeah. I don't give a shit about him wearing Zara. I care about the fact that Bad Bunny, and his oppressed self — because even though he's a millionaire in his ten years, he's found a way to be on a Super Bowl stage. And there's artists who will never get to do that.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. And the NFL is very problematic. Again, I want a Black jersey right now. The NFL is trash. They are racist. The NFL is akin to enslavement in this country. It's very, very problematic. But we got something that is reminding us about humanity. We're here on Humane Rights. It's about humanity. And people were seen that day.
Grace Porras: Yeah. I was seen that day.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: You were seen that day. Yeah. And I have more pride because even though you did a very good job of your NDA —
Grace Porras: Yeah. Yes I did.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I have more pride because I know someone who I admire and care for was part of that team. And never say you're a little part of anything, because it could always be a white guy.
Grace Porras: And it wasn't.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: 100%. It was you.
Grace Porras: 100%.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. I want to say thank you for that. Gracias. But thank you. You know, for doing that. And thank you for continually finding a way to motivate and inspire people. Thank you for saying, as soon as you knew the Super Bowl was going to be here, you were going to be part of it.
Grace Porras: Yeah.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: And thank you to the universe that you got to be part of something that was — that will — is, and will always be profound, which is the Bad Bunny halftime.
Grace Porras: Well, Benito Bowl.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Benito Bowl! Let's go. Let it catch on.
Grace Porras: Absolutely. I mean, it's just — I think that we haven't quite realized what the impact is going to be. I think similarly like the Residencia in Puerto Rico, and then like everything that Amazon did for the live stream and what they will continue to do — like I think Benito has a way of holding people's feet to the fire and saying like, oh no, we're not going to put limits to the way that we're going to help our people, right? Like, I'm going to kick open every single door that I can, and I'm going to do it in the most humble way.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. You know, I think my favorite thing about him is that, like, he's super grateful for every single person that touches anything that he does. And that translates across the board. Right?
Grace Porras: I see what you did there. You know, when Bad Bunny was like, yeah, English is not my first language and was not America's either — I was like, okay! Thank you very much. But I mean, when you're talking about the Residencia, it's estimated that he brought $200 to $300 million —
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah.
Grace Porras: — to Puerto Rico. That's more than what America —
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah.
Grace Porras: — is doing for the territory they have, literally.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Right. Yeah. And he's doing that. He doesn't have to, but he continually does that.
Grace Porras: Yup.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I cannot wait for Donald Trump to go. Period.
Grace Porras: Period. Right!
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Right? Exactly. And to go wherever he goes. Honestly, you know, there's a lot of talk about capitalism with the NFL, and Bad Bunny, and all these other things. But the truth of the matter is, we need the folks like Bad Bunny because we don't have a government that wants to take care of its people. Right. So then it's up to millionaires and billionaires and those of influence and power to do something differently. At the cost of multiple things.
Grace Porras: Yeah. To be there for people. And so moving forward, there will be people in the industry who may be mad at Bad Bunny for whatever reason.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Totally.
Grace Porras: But it doesn't matter because he's reminding people of the importance of collective power.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. We tuned in. We showed up for him. People didn't want to have a Super Bowl. They want to have the Benito Bowl.
Grace Porras: Yeah. They wanted to go to the game to watch him. They spent money and the industry in The Bay Area for him. They were happy to see him. But more importantly, again, back to the flags — there are people right now who are waving their flag —
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Totally. You know, with more confidence and more pride.
Grace Porras: Yeah. They were seen on a stage that has chosen to not see them, whether they viewed it as America, whether they viewed it as the Super Bowl, the NFL, or what — they were able to have recognition.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. When that's so hard for us to get. Totally. I love — okay, I told you before this that I haven't really been on the internet since because I don't want to read anything. I'm just soaking still. I'm bringing in the reality.
Grace Porras: Yeah, yes. But I love it. I love it because you are my trusted source. But one thing that I have seen is all of, like, the reactions of different, like, families in their living rooms when he says their country. And that, like, resonates so much with me because I — I mean, it happens so often where Nicaragua is forgotten, and it's just like it's the biggest country in Central America. But somehow it's always, like, not the country people say. So when he says — and he's riffing the names live.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. I saw it at rehearsal several times in different orders, so I know it's live.
Grace Porras: And so for him to be able to, like, remember every single country and not flub — for me, I was like, wow, like, you really care. You care about this message, you care about it. You care about us up and down. And I think that one day people will actually realize what that means.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Oh, yeah. But for now it's ours. And we love it.
Grace Porras: Yeah, yeah. We love it immensely. If anyone wanted to know how I reacted — there is a story on my Instagram of me dancing. I got to go look at it. It's going to upset so many people because I'm disabled and I can't have joy or dance. But I —
Dr. Akilah Cadet: You know, I'm so glad you have that. It's in the shoulders. It's in the hips.
Grace Porras: Yes. I can't wait to see that.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: No, definitely. And so what did you do to celebrate yourself?
Grace Porras: I — okay, well, we talked about when we started this that I have had no break because I went straight from Benito Bowl to the GOAT screening.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: The movie you never saw.
Grace Porras: Yeah. The movie I never saw, that I cannot wait to see. So I haven't, like, had a moment or a beat to actually celebrate. But I definitely, you know, working with my sister — every single ride to work and from work is a celebration. So, you know, just basking in the moment, being present through all of it — I think those things have helped me just, like, realize my power and celebrate that. But I will be doing something very luxurious for myself this weekend.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I want to plus-a-million that luxurious thing for yourself. Rest is an important part. I love how you're saying, like, adding to my power as an Emmy winner —
Grace Porras: Oh, you know. To more, to more of that power.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I'm like, for all that you've been able to do these back to back things — Steph Curry, GOAT, was also a wonderful way to celebrate The Bay.
Grace Porras: Totally. Right? I know. Steph is a transplant here but he has claimed The Bay as his home.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. Which I really, really appreciate. And to see him grow and evolve as a cartoon character now — but he has multiple kids and it's a way for his kids to connect to him, and, yeah, a lot of his fans also have kids too. And so to be at Grand Lake Theater, which is an icon in its own regard, and know that Sam and Grace Porras put on this incredible event — and my mom was like, who invited you? I'm like, Sam and Grace Porras, Mom. It's there, see you on the screen? That's them. They did that. And Steph Curry is right over there.
But no, I mean it's beautiful. I don't know how to thank you enough for making sure that The Bay is seen and heard and that The Bay continually gets its creative industry, its storytelling, its big screen, its Benito Bowl, so that we can be seen and heard. And I look forward to the next thing we collaborate on, because we have this — but whatever the next thing will be, it will be great.
Grace Porras: I just work to get to your level, but I —
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Not at all! I want to get to your level and it's going to be great. I don't know what level that is because you are rising as we speak. So I'm just trying to catch up and stay on —
Grace Porras: Well, you know, Beyoncé and I are in a friendly competition? So — not so much. She's winning right now.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Watch out though.
Grace Porras: Well, enjoy your luxurious weekend.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Thank you. I appreciate you so much. Thank you for coming back.
Grace Porras: Yes, I'm so excited. I'm so glad that we could talk about this because — I mean, just to put a button on the the Make it Bay and Stephen Curry stuff — for Unanimous and Sony and Stephen and Eric Payton, it was super important that whatever they did locally was rooted locally. And so just as, you know, partners — as Make it Bay and Unanimous are partners in the work that we're doing for infrastructure-building in The Bay — is equally as important as them, you know, giving us an opportunity to be visible to a whole group of folks that otherwise probably would not be paying attention to the work that we're doing.
So intentionality is my word of the year. And I really feel like it's being reflected in every part of my life — not just in my personal, but in my career and everything. The star athlete GOAT — the movie — is a woman.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yes. It's Gabrielle Union.
Grace Porras: Yes. It's not a guy. Which — she has Bay roots. Gabrielle Union has Bay roots. She doesn't claim it, but we claim her.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. You know, absolutely. Well, celebrate yourself.
Grace Porras: Thank you. I really appreciate your time.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Thank you.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Big love and gratitude to our guests for showing up with truth, humor, and of course, humanity. If this conversation moved you, you got to like it. You got to share it. You have to talk about it, bring it into your circle, spaces and places, because that's how change multiplies. You can catch more episodes wherever you get your podcasts, and watch the full series produced by social media and me on the social media YouTube channel. Now, what is that YouTube channel? What you need to subscribe to so you can get more of this. But until next time — stay curious. Find your joy, and keep being amazing.