In this episode of Hope and Possibilities, I share a personal reflection on what's unfolding in the United States—and why it feels both shocking and familiar to me.
I spent nearly 18 years in global financial services, 16 of them working closely with American clients, many based in Minnesota. That experience gave me an inside view of how U.S. systems shape people's daily lives—and where those systems quietly fail. Long before today's headlines, I began making deliberate choices to reduce American exposure in my work and center my career in Canada and other global contexts where values aligned more closely with mine.
This episode isn't about blame. It's about perspective. I speak with deep respect for Americans—their decency, humor, and care—and with clarity about a hard truth: lasting change can only come from within. External voices have limits. Ownership matters.
Drawing on professional experience, historical training, and family history shaped by wartime Europe, I reflect on why nostalgia is such a powerful force, why democratic pressure often looks uncomfortable, and why other countries are quietly recalibrating their relationship with the U.S.
This is a reflection, not a prescription—an invitation to think more honestly about responsibility, leadership, and what it takes to shape what comes next.
00:00 – Why this moment feels personal
Why I chose to talk about this now
02:05 – My American work life
Nearly 18 years in financial services, 16 with U.S. clients—many in Minnesota
05:15 – Working across values gaps
What you learn when you avoid "safe" topics like healthcare, labor law, and maternity leave
09:10 – 2016 as a turning point
Healthcare rollbacks, medical hardship calls, and knowing when work becomes untenable
13:30 – History as an early warning system
How family history and studying history shaped my perspective
17:00 – A deliberate shift
Why I chose, ten years ago, to reduce American exposure in my career
21:15 – Canadians opting out quietly
Travel, consumption, culture, and economic consequences
24:50 – Why change must come from Americans
The limits of external critique and the necessity of internal advocacy
29:00 – Protest, boycott, and democracy
Why discomfort is often the price of democratic pressure
33:20 – Respect without nostalgia
Holding affection for Americans while refusing to romanticize systems
37:10 – The long arc of change
Why the Canada–U.S. relationship has been shifting for longer than most realize
40:45 – Closing reflection
What the future depends on—and who must shape it
