Today’s (September 16) new episode of NPR’s "Latino USA" explores the traditions surrounding quinceañeras—massive transitional rituals for many teenage girls across the Latinx diaspora—and asks whether or not they can be empowering for young Latinas.

"As women, we live in a society that privileges men," says a commentator in the episode trailer above. "It’s a patriarchal society, and then you live in this anti-Mexican environment. So those two things combined, how do you make sense of your life when you look at your body and you know you’re a Mexican and a girl?" 

The episode follows Hailey Alexis, a young woman from California, as she and her family plan her epic celebration. It also features interviews with families debating whether or not to host the often-expensive occasion. 

Listen to the new episode here.