In episode 21, the Southern Comfort Podcast crew welcomes, Maria Andrade! A Venezuelan-born political consultant blazing the trail in the American South. From packing her life into two suitcases to founding her firm, Maria shares a riveting story of migration, mentorship, and making space for others. She discusses the challenges of starting over, the nuances of Latino identity in politics, and why she’s betting big on digital. Tune in to hear how community, courage, and creativity are reshaping what leadership looks like below the Mason-Dixon line.

📍01:57 - From Venezuela to Georgia: Maria’s Migration Story
Maria shares her journey immigrating from Venezuela to Aruba to Georgia at just 13, and how her aunt and uncle became her second parents in the U.S.

📍04:27 - Campaigns, Community, and Catching the Political Bug
A college internship throws Maria into her first campaign, where she meets her husband, Rich, and others who help shape her career in politics.

📍11:26 - Starting Her Firm and Filling the Latina Leadership Gap
Maria explains why she stepped into entrepreneurship, the lack of Latina representation in consulting, and the values driving her firm.

📍22:06 - The Power of Digital: Video, Targeting, and Voter Reach
The group discusses the rise of paid and organic digital strategy, why video matters more than ever, and how Maria and Jake keep production in-house.

📍32:14 - Listening Before Labeling: Strategy with Cultural Competency
Maria unpacks why consultants must understand cultural nuance within communities of color—and why lived experience is just as critical as data.

🏆 Mamba Mentality Award
This week’s Mamba Mentality Award goes to Maria Andrade for her courage, resilience, and trailblazing example. From stepping into leadership roles she once doubted she could fill, to launching her firm, Maria’s grit and integrity are an inspiration to the next generation of Latina political leaders.

In Part Two of their conversation with political strategist Ebenezer, Rich and Kevin dive deeper into Ebenezer’s journey through campaigns, mentorship, and his rise to Executive Director of the Georgia House Democratic Caucus. They share raw truths about working in politics as Black men, the financial uncertainty of campaign life, and the power of mentorship in sustaining long-term political careers. Ebenezer reflects on pivotal races, personal sacrifices, and his vision for the future of Georgia politics.

📍 00:00 - Jumping Back In & Introducing Ebenezer’s Story
The crew kicks off Part Two by reintroducing Ebenezer, setting the stage for a conversation about his journey, their bond, and the lessons learned on the campaign trail.

📍 02:29 - The Brutality and Intimacy of Local Races
Ebenezer explains the unique challenges of municipal campaigns where personal relationships and whispers can make or break a candidate, compared to statewide or federal races.

📍 10:34 - Mentorship, Sponsorship, and Entering Political Consulting
Kevin and Rich emphasize that political consulting isn’t learned from textbooks but from mentorship, sponsorship, and relationship-building, with Ebenezer crediting them for teaching him the ropes outside of his PWI degree.

📍 22:20 - Surviving Financial Uncertainty in Political Careers
They discuss the instability of campaign income, off-year struggles, and how mentorship helped Ebenezer navigate periods without paychecks while staying committed to political work.

📍 36:17 - From Campaigns to Leading the Georgia House Democratic Caucus
Ebenezer shares his pride in becoming Executive Director, Georgia’s shifting political landscape, the push for Democratic majority by 2026, and why elevating Southern Democrats is key to reframing the party’s brand.

🐍 Mamba Mentality Award
This episode’s Mamba Mentality Award goes to Ebenezer’s father, for his lifelong example of resilience, faith, and leadership that shaped Ebenezer’s commitment to community. Special recognition also to Ebenezer himself, for pushing through financial and professional uncertainty to build a purposeful political career.

Ebenezer Abelarian joins Rich and Kevin to share his journey as a first-generation Nigerian-American navigating faith, family expectations, Black identity, and politics. From growing up between Bankhead and Mableton to pursuing a career his father never imagined, Eb unpacks the cultural, generational, and professional tensions that shaped his path to becoming a political operative in Georgia.

Topics

📍 00:00 – Introducing Ebenezer Abelarian
Rich and Kevin welcome Ebenezer to the show, highlighting their personal and professional ties, mentorship, and shared campaign war stories.

📍 03:33 – Growing Up Nigerian-American in Georgia
Ebenezer discusses his Yoruba heritage, childhood lessons about respect and culture, and the challenges of navigating African and African-American identities.

📍 09:20 – Religion, Expectations, and Early Career Dreams
They unpack how being a pastor’s son and a first-gen child influenced Eb’s sense of duty, his early dreams of becoming a firefighter, SWAT officer, or president, and how anime inspired his hero mindset.

📍 18:12 – Discovering Politics and Defying Family Norms
Ebenezer explains when he realized politics could be a career, his father’s skepticism rooted in Nigeria’s corruption, and why he persisted with his political science major despite expectations of law, medicine, or ministry.

📍 37:08 – From Intern to Political Operative
He details his first volunteer and paid political roles with the Georgia House Democratic Caucus, working campaigns across rural Georgia, and how a quest for Hillary signs led to meeting Rich—launching years of mentorship and opportunities.

🐍 Mamba Mentality Award
Ebenezer gives his Mamba Award to Rich and Kevin for mentoring him as Black men in politics, while Kevin honors Ebenezer’s father for ultimately supporting his son’s dreams despite initial doubts.