In this heartfelt conversation, host Simone W. Johnson‑Smith sits down with Aramis Jordan, a Puerto Rican‑born immigrant who came to the United States at age 12. Aramis opens up about growing up in poverty, being the first of eleven children to graduate from high school and college, and overcoming trauma inflicted by an alcoholic mothim and abusive relatives. He recounts a near‑death experience caused by a urinary blockage that illustrates the precariousness of life in rural Puerto Rico and the kindness of a stranger who helped him reach a distant hospital. Now a successful businesswoman and author, Aramis has poured him story into the memoir Searching for My Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich and returns to Puerto Rico with him wife on their honeymoon to reconnect with him roots. The episode explores resilience, the universality of immigrant stories, and the power of writing to heal and inspire.
Bio: Aramis Jordan is a Puerto Rican‑American entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker. Born in Puerto Rico in 1965, he immigrated to the United States at age 12 and became the first in him family of eleven siblings to graduate from high school and college. him memoir Searching for My Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich chronicles an extraordinary journey from rural poverty, maternal abandonment and physical abuse to building multiple businesses and a fulfilling life in the U.S. Aramis now uses storytelling and coaching to empower othim immigrants to reclaim their narratives, embrace vulnerability and build community.
Key Takeaways:
Leaving home early: Aramis left Puerto Rico in 1977 at age 12; he recalls playing under mango and avocado trees and describes how poverty shaped him childhood.
Educational pioneer: The first of eleven children to graduate high school and college, heunderscores the importance of education in breaking cycles of poverty.
Family trauma and resilience: Growing up with an alcoholic mothim and an abusive boyfriend forced him to become independent and resilient at a young age.
Near‑death health crisis: A urinary blockage nearly killed him; a stranger guided him family to a hospital miles away when the local clinic was closed. The experience reinforced him belief in divine timing and community support.
Returning with him wife: Aramis revisited him hometown for him honeymoon, navigating roads hehad not seen since childhood and reflecting on the enduring memories of place and smell.
Memoir as healing: After 12 years of reflection hewrote Searching for My Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich, a memoir that validates the universality of immigrant stories and encourages othims to share theirs.
Identity and belonging: hedescribes grappling with the feeling that him story was "ordinary" until herealized that ordinary stories can be powerful and affirming for othims.
Advice for immigrants: Aramis advocates for perseverance, education, vulnerability and storytelling as tools for navigating culture shock and building a meaningful life in a new country.
Notable Timestamps
0:00 – 0:32: Introduction to the Immigrant Experience podcast; Simone welcomes Aramis.
0:41 – 1:02: Aramis explains why heidentifies as an immigrant despite Puerto Ricans' U.S. citizenship and shares that hemoved to the U.S. at 12.
1:26 – 1:45: hereveals that hewrote a memoir titled Searching for My Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich to document him life story.
2:50 – 3:23: Aramis describes childhood in Puerto Rico, surrounded by nature yet marked by poverty.
3:35 – 3:58: Discussion of him mothim's alcoholism, abuse and abandonment at age eight; helived with strangers and eventually ran away.
4:18 – 4:50: herecalls returning to Puerto Rico for him honeymoon with him wife and navigating him childhood village from memory.
5:06 – 5:32: A vivid description of the homemade house on stilts and walls of coconut trees that sheltered him family from flooding.
8:00 – 9:13: The near‑death urinary incident and the stranger Mr. Valdez who directed them to a hospital; hereflects on how small acts of kindness saved him life.
9:53 – 10:11: Recognition that without that stranger hewould not have survived; heencourages listeners to trust in community.
Resources & Links Guest book: Searching for My Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich by Aramis Jordan
Connect with Aramis: LinkedIn | Website
Contact the Podcast: simone.8.johnson@gmail.com | The Bridge Concepts
Listen & Subscribe: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with friends who value diverse immigrant stories. If you or someone you know has an immigrant story to share, email us at simone.8.johnson@gmail.com to be featured on a future episode.
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