Shows
Immigrant SquaredSeason 2 FinaleThank you for joining me on this journey for the past two years! New Exciting projects are coming soon
Happy and Healthy 2025! Cheers
2025-01-0101 minImmigrant SquaredSeason 2- Episode 74- With Every Adversity There Is An OpportunityIn this inspiring episode of The Immigrant Squared Podcast, I chatted with Dr. Katrina, a refugee from Vietnam who escaped communist Vietnam as a baby with her family. From a harrowing journey across the sea to being sponsored by Catholic Charities and settling in the United States, Dr. Katrina shares her remarkable story of resilience and determination.
Now a medical practitioner and bestselling author, Dr. Katrina reflects on:
The challenges of growing up as one of 10 children in a family adapting to a new culture.
Overcoming language barriers and finding her path to medicine.
The importance...
2025-01-0130 minImmigrant SquaredSeason 2- Episode 75- Paradise Lost And Paradise Gained - Latvian Love StoryIn this episode, I had the privilege of speaking with Emily, who shared her family’s remarkable journey as Latvian refugees and their enduring connection to their heritage. Emily’s grandparents were born in Latvia during WWI, as part of the first generation of Latvians under the Russian Empire. They lived through the Soviet and Nazi occupations, with her grandmother actively participating in the Latvian resistance against both regimes. Her grandfather, who operated a train route from Saint Petersburg to Belarus during the war, eventually fled Latvia in a daring escape across the Baltic Sea to Sweden. Her grandmother foll...
2025-01-0130 minImmigrant SquaredSeason 2- Episode 76- From Uzbekistan to the U.S.- Melting Pot Vs. Salad BowlIn this episode of The Immigrant Squared Podcast, I speak with
Kamilla, a leadership coach and speaker who shares her inspiring journey from Uzbekistan to the U.S. Arriving as a 19-year-old student with limited English, Kamilla overcame numerous challenges, including cultural adjustment and
navigating visa issues, to build a successful career. A turning point in her journey came during Drexel University's co-op program, where she secured offers from top companies, reaffirming her belief in the opportunities available in
the U.S. Kamilla reflects on balancing her Uzbek roots with her global mindset and shares invaluable advice for immigrants...
2025-01-0135 minImmigrant SquaredSeason 2 Episode 73- The Kindness Crusader's Journey in MexicoIn this episode, I had the honor of hosting my dear friend and an exceptional security professional, Lee Oughton.
Lee's journey to Mexico City began in 2016 when he moved to work for a British security company. Lee was amazed by the melting pot in Mexico City. His first reaction upon
arriving was, "Are we really in Mexico?". Despite the challenges he faced, Lee embraced the adventure and immersed himself in the local culture.
Lee's home base is in the UK, but his career has taken him across the globe, including living in the US and...
2024-09-2528 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 72- How to Survive Immigration, the Journey from South Africa to CanadaIn this episode, I sit down with Irma, who fled South Africa with just two suitcases due to violence. She shares her journey from the US to Canada and discusses the
emotional and practical challenges of immigration. We dive into her 2023 TEDx talk, where she explored how to survive immigration (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zMHiihyGqI&t=13s), and talk about the impact immigration has on families, as well as the differences between legal and illegal immigration.
Irma passionately believes in the value immigrants bring to their new countries, from their knowledge to their unique experiences...
2024-09-1641 minImmigrant SquaredSeason 2 Episode 71 -Embrace all of you- Don’t try to be too AmericanizedOksana is the youngest of 12 children, and a daughter of Ukrainian refugees. Growing up in Rochester, NY Oksana was immersed into the Ukrainian culture at home but had to
follow the American culture outside. Hence she did not feel like she fit into either.
In college being surrounded by multicultural students helped her understand herself better and that it was ok to be a blend. As she got older she embraced the Ukrainian side more than her siblings. In her mid twenties, she had an opportunity to go to Ukraine and spend time working there.
O...
2024-04-2927 minImmigrant SquaredSeason 2 Episode 70- Kindness Over Judgement- Own Your CultureKamini, a child of Indian immigrants, grew up in a predominantly white community in Connecticut, where she struggled to fit in. Her parents worked hard to provide for their family while striving to maintain a balance between their Indian heritage and the American culture their children were growing up in. They supported Kamini and engaged in difficult conversations when she felt different, which greatly benefited her.
Despite feeling different from her peers who attended church on Sundays, Kamini participated in the family tradition of Sunday prayers at home. As a parent herself, she now encourages her children...
2024-04-0321 minImmigrant SquaredSeason 2 Episode 69- A Family's Journey in the Shadow of the HolocaustDuring these times
when antisemitism is at an all times high worldwide, its important to learn where it all started. In this episode Dr. Vivien Sieber shares her family's struggle during
the Holocaust, which led her to write the book, "Kino and Kinder: A Family's Journey in the Shadow of the Holocaust". The book revolves around Paula Ticho's family, who owned a cinema in Vienna until it was forcibly taken over due to Nazi antisemitism. Faced with threats from Hitler's regime, Paula sends her son Peter to England for safety and becomes a matron caring for Jewish girls evacuated...
2024-03-1724 min2024-03-1701 min2024-03-1601 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 68- Startup Immigrants- When I Miss Austria I Just Book A FlightEric is a visionary entrepreneur whose path led him from Vienna, Austria, to Madrid, Spain, and ultimately to the bustling entrepreneurial landscape of Miami, Florida.
Eric's story unfolds with his pivotal role in expanding a consulting firm, a journey that saw him establishing a branch in his hometown and later replicating this success in the United States. As an entrepreneur at heart, Eric ventured into various side businesses
before taking the leap into full-time entrepreneurship in April 2023.
The podcast delves into the challenges Eric faced, such as navigating the tumultuous job market in Spain in 2011...
2023-12-1824 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 67- Finding AmericanCollin is a documentary photographer, and a child of immigrants. He is also the author of "Finding American- Stories of Immigration from all 50 States". In this thought-provoking discussion, Colin shares the inspiration behind 'Finding American,' offering a glimpse into the research, personal experiences, and encounters that shaped the book. The 2016 Presidential elections in the US, and the rhetoric that came out about immigrants, concerned Colin. He decided to
embark on a journey throughout the US to tell the stories of immigrants.
Our conversation explores the unique perspectives and stories that Colin discovered along the way from i...
2023-12-0535 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 66- The Value of Making Mistakes- Journey of an Exchange Student from AlbaniaMarc grew up in Albania and immigrated to the US when he was 17. Marc came as an exchange student and decided to stay and pursue higher education. After graduating, he got married and worked on several businesses.
Throughout his immigration journey in the US, Marc was on his own and did not have a safety net. At times, he had to sleep outside, he was hungry, and he struggled to combine work with school. He learned the value of making mistakes and learning along
the way.
Marc advises other immigrants not to come to the...
2023-11-2631 min
Immigrant SquaredEpisode 65- Hebrew Series המהגרתנסטיה עלתה לישראל עם אמא שלה ב1993 בהפלגה באודסה שבאוקראינה לנמל חיפה. כחלק מהמאמץ להסתגל, נסטיה שינתה את השם שלה לענת. היום היא לא רק גאה להיות נסטיה, אבל היא גם מדברת עם הילדים שלה ברוסית.
לפני מעל לחצי שנה נסטיה התחילה פרויקט שמתעסק בתרבות פוסט סובייטית בבתים ישראלים. היא מבקרת בבתים של מהגרות מברית המועצות לשעבר ומתעדת דברים שנשארו כמו רהיטים, כלי מטבח וכו׳
אם תרצו להשתתף בפרויקט של
נסטיה צרו איתה קשר דרך האינסטגראם
@ha.mehageret
#המהגרת #משרדהקליטהוהעלייה
#דוראחדוחצי #עוליםחדשים #מהגרתבריבוע
2023-11-1924 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 64- The Fall of Saigon, a Refugee Journey to the USDavid was born and raised in Saigon, Vietnam in the midst of the Vietnam War. All of David's family members were able to flee Saigon to the US before it fell to the communists. He was left behind with his mother and brother. David shared the struggles of living under communist rule in Saigon, the journey on canoes to escape, torture on Thai boats, refugee camps in Malaysia, and eventually arriving in the US.
What helped him feel grounded is staying true to his core value even when trying to fit in to local society. David's advice...
2023-10-2932 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 63- Immigrant Voices From The War- IsraelRony immigrated to Israel from Russia when he was seven years old. He insisted I interview him during the current war in Israel because he needed the distraction. You will hear some pauses as Rony had to run to a bomb shelter in the middle of our interview.
Rony mentioned that growing up as an immigrant in Israel, he chose to blend in with local society but kept the traditions of his culture of origin through music. Today, Rony is an entrepreneur and has several social initiatives to help immigrants. He believes that when you combine the ha...
2023-10-1536 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 62- Advocating for Our Immigrant Parents- Suzy's Journey from ArmeniaSuzy immigrated to the US from Armenia at the age of two. Up until recently, she never thought of herself as an immigrant. Suzy struggled with her sense of belonging between the American and Armenian communities. At times, she was seen as not being American enough or Armenian enough. Now, Suzy embraces both cultures, and she writes poetry about being a multicultural and multilingual child of immigrants.
Check out her poetry and sign up for her newsletter
Instagram: suzyspoet
Substack: You're a Masterpiecehttps://open.substack.com/pub/suzyspoet?r=2hme7f&u...
2023-10-0424 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 61- Fitting in America- The Journey from PakistanAmina came from Pakistan when she was five years old. She struggled to settle down in the US and always felt lost between the two countries. Fellow immigrants Amina met along the way helped her feel comfortable and confident with her identity.
At George Washington University, Amina is part of the Pakistani student association to remain in touch with her culture. Amina thinks that sharing her culture, hospitality, and diversity of ethnic groups and languages in Pakistan, is the best way to combat hatred.
#immigrantsfromPakistan #GWUniveristy #GWuniversityImmigrants #immigrantstories #alisadel #immigrantsquaredpodcast
2023-09-2116 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 60- Immigrant: Courage Required!Golara came to the U.S. 12 years ago on a diversity visa from Iran. Her Masters in Organizational Development at American University helped her understand her journey. She feels at home wherever she goes and embraces her tricultural background. Golara also hosts dinner parties and cooks food from her cultures of origin to feel more
connected and authentic.
Golara authored a book called Immigrant: Courage Required which
follows her on an average day as she goes about her new life and work. But, in truth, this day is anything but normal as we are immersed i...
2023-08-3122 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 59- I Love Making Mistakes - A Refugee's Journey From El Salvador
Rocio came to the US two years ago as a refugee due to political persecution in El Salvador, after already being an asylee in the US many years ago during the civil war in El Salvador.
Rocio has been an entrepreneur her entire life, and now she helps female entrepreneurs advance their businesses in El Salvador. As a refugee in the US, Rocio continues to promote her various businesses, such as coffee, shoe, and candy brands.
Follow the entrepreneurs on
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/yohagosv/
Website
2023-08-2418 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 58- Love Across BordersAnna has covered immigration and refugee stories extensively as a journalist. Throughout her travels, she was struck by the idea of how the papers you hold affect the way that you move through the world. When she moved to Turkey, she fell in love with a Syrian journalist who is now her husband. Together they had to move to Iraq due to immigration issues, and eventually, he was able to get asylum in the UK.
Anna is the author of "Love Across Border," and she gave us a sneak peek into one of the love s...
2023-08-0915 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 57- United Stateless- The Struggles of Stateless Individuals and a Glimpse of HopeAmina and Ekaterina shared their respective stories of statelessness. The struggles stateless individuals face, recent developments in policy in the US, and a glimpse of hope for the future with the Stateless Protection Act and the USCIS announcement.
Amina was born and raised in the US. She shared how gender discrimination in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia led him to struggle with being stateless. Ekaterina is part of an ethnic minority in the former Soviet Union and has struggled with statelessness for over 20 years.
To learn more about United Stateless and re...
2023-08-0224 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 56- Growing Up As A Child Of Syrian ImmigrantsDanya is a child of immigrants from Syria and currently resides in Chicago, Illinois. Danya's parents came to the US to seek a better life, but Danya and her siblings faced bullying. Today, Danya has her own law firm and continues to learn how to own her identity and use it to her advantage. Danya wishes that people were more empathetic toward children of immigrants.
#childofimmigrants #immigrantsfromsyria #immigrantstories #immigrantsquaredpodcast #syrianattorney #alisadel
Connect with Danya on:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/DanyaShakfeh
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danyashakfeh/
2023-07-2817 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 55- Albanian Immigrant Community in BostonMark is a grandchild of Albanian immigrants, and always had a strong connection to his Albanian heritage. He is very proud of his heritage and works to help Albanian both in the US and Albania. Mark founded the
Massachusetts Albanian American Society, which provided resources for the Albanian community and holds cultural events. Five years ago Mark started the Global Albanian Foundation to provide financial help to non profit organizations in Albania and other countries in Europe where Albanians live.
#Albanianimmigrants #AlbaniansintheUS #immigrantstories #immigrantsquaredpodcast #alisadel #immigrantsinBoston
2023-07-1714 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 54- United Help UkraineMaryna was born in Kyiv, Ukraine, and immigrated to the US with only 300$ in her pocket. Despite fulfilling her American dream, she still misses her home country, Ukraine.
Maryna is the President of United Help Ukraine, a non-profit organization that was founded in March 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and the war began.
Over a year after the full-fledged attack on Ukraine started in February 2022, the organization continues to work tirelessly to provide supplies and services to the people of Ukraine.
Please checkout their website and consider donating to their cause, or volunteering with...
2023-07-0931 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 53- One Journey FestivalVanda left Croatia in 1991 during the war and sought refuge in Germany. After she integrated into German society, Vanda joined a political party and became a spokesperson for immigration policy. Helping immigrants and refugees has been top of mind for Vanda, and through networking in Washington DC she met Wendy who has similar goals. Together Vanda and Wendy founded One Journey Festival which is hosted annually on the grounds of the National Cathedral. The festival is a celebration of refugees, its family-friendly, and connects individuals through the common languages of humanity: food, technology, music, arts, and sports.
2023-06-1414 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 52- Immigrant Woman In Executive ProtectionCommunism and instability in Albania led Denida's father to move the family to Greece. Denida shared what kinds of candies she tasted for the first time in Greece, and what brought her to the US. She believes that immigrants should not forget where they came from, and her advice is to integrate the best parts of both cultures.
"If an immigrant girl from a small country like Albania made it to have a company in the US, then you can achieve everything" - Denida Grow
2023-05-3115 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 51- Questioned By People From My Own CultureVeronica came from Peru to the US as a teenager to get a better education. She ended up re-learning English because in Peru she studied British English. Veronica shared why she had to follow her parents' rules in the US even when they were living in Peru, and how she was criticized in the US by people from her own culture.
Additional links to the podcast can be found on our website www.alisadel.com
Follow and check for updates on:
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/alisadel
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com...
2023-05-2427 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 50- Empowering Immigrants to Seek Mental Health Help Despite the StigmasA fellow two time immigrant, Yelena, shares her journey from Moldova to Israel and then to Australia. Why she has a gap in her memory between the ages of 9-11, and how classic Russian movies helped her.
Yelena's experiences with bullying and suicidal ideation led her to write the book "What's Normal Anyway? The Keys to Unlocking Your Mental Well-Being". The book provides tools to seek professional help and tools to become your own psychologist. We discussed bullying and the stigma that some immigrant communities have around seeking mental help. I also shared my personal bullying story...
2023-05-0138 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 49- The Reboot Startup Nation- Helping displaced professionals join the High-Tech industry in IsraelSophia Tupolev-Luz and Ariella Raviv are the Co-founders of The Reboot Startup Nation- A nonprofit organization in Israel helping welcome war-displaced professionals and immigrants into the High-Tech industry.
Ariella grew up in Detroit, Michigan where her American mother and Israeli father lived after they met at a Kibutz in Israel. Ariella met her Israeli husband in the US, and together they moved to Israel for a year and stayed.
Sophia is a three-time immigrant, born in Russia, Immigrated to the US, spent her twenties in Russia, and then immigrated to Israel. Sophia is also helping...
2023-04-0530 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 48- What Does It Mean To Be Stateless?- Humanizing The Journey And Operating From a Position Of PowerMartine was born in Zambia to parents who came from the Democratic Republic of Congo formerly known as Zaire. Martine came on a visitor's visa when she was four years old, and as a teenager she became undocumented. Martine also learned that she was stateless, and spent seven years in deportation proceedings.
Martine wants everyone to be able to connect through immigrants' stories, which is why she wrote her book "Illegal Among Us: A Stateless Woman's Quest for
Citizenship"- a personal account of her journey in the US, being stateless, battling for seven years with immigration...
2023-03-2934 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 47- Discovering Libyan Heritage While Being An Asylee From Egypt In The USYasmin was born in Egypt to a Libyan father and an Egyptian mother. She was five years old when her family sought asylum in the US. Since she was born in Egypt and spoke Egyptian she always thought that she was Egyptian, but coming to the US helped her discover her Libyan heritage.
Yasmin was not welcomed by the Libyan community in the US because she spoke Egyptian and felt that she had to become Libyan quickly in order to be accepted. Yasmin preserves her cultures of origin and teaches her kids through celebrations and cooking the...
2023-03-1523 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 46- Ukraine War a Year Later- Physically Safe but Emotionally HelplessKat came to the US 15 years ago from Eastern Ukraine. Her immigration journey was exciting, but losing her personal and professional network has been the biggest struggle.
Kat shared that the support of friends and colleagues in the US helps her to deal with the feeling of helplessness, being in the US when the majority of her friends and family are in a war zone.
Kat's advice for immigrants is to believe in themselves, educate themselves, and continue to invest in their professional development. Building a reliable support system in the personal and professional worlds...
2023-03-0821 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode- 45 Ukraine War a Year Later- How it Changed the Life of Ukrainians AbroadOn the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine, I had the honor to host a fellow immigrant squared and compatriot from Ukraine to talk about her immigration story and the impact of the war on Ukrainians abroad.
Katya was born in Kyiv, Ukraine and when she was eight years old her family immigrated to France. In 1997 Her family immigrated to the US.
In the suburbs of Paris, there was a diverse population from all over the world, but it was hard and isolating not to have friends who spoke her language and came from...
2023-02-2427 min
Immigrant SquaredBonus Episode- Hebrew Series- למה הפסיכולוגיה הציבורית קורסת ואיך להציל אותהולריה עלתה לישראל בגיל 7 מקייב, אוקראינה ב1996 עם כל המשפחה שלה. כשהיא התחילה את בית הספר, ולריה הבינה מהר מאד שכדי לשרוד היא צריכה ללמוד עברית ולהשתלב עם הקבוצה של הצברים. ולריה הייתה טובה בספורט וזה עזר לה מאד להשתלב בחברה.
ולריה מרגישה שיש חלק גדול ממנה שהרבה שנים היא הייתה צריכה לקבור ולהחביא. היא הייתה מחולקת המון שנים לכמה זהויות, הזהות האוקראינית דוברת רוסית עם החגים אוכל והמנהגים. מצד שני היא גדלה בבית מחולק כי אבא שלה לא יהודי ורוב המשפחה שלו נשארה באוקראינה. לקח לו הרבה שנים למצוא חיבור לארץ.
בצבא בזמן היותה משקי״ת חינוך, ולריה הייתה צריכה ללמד ברוסית חיילים עולים על התרבות הישראלית. החוויה הזאת עזרה לה סוף סוף לשלב הין שתי הזהויות שלה. היום ולריה עובדת כפסיכולוגית
המלחמה באוקראינה שהתחילה לפני שנה ולריה הרגישה שהלב שלה באוקראינה והיא נרתמה לעזור מבחינה מקצועית לאלו שנאלצו לברוח מאוקראינה. דיברנו על איך הגירה כפויה וטראומה של מלחמה משפיעה על אנשים ולמה הפסיכולוגיה הציבורית בארץ קורסת. ולריה מאמינה שאפשר להציל את הפסיכולוגיה הציבורית.
#מלחמהבאוקראינה #עוליםחדשים #פסיכולוגיהציבורית #עמותהלמעןפסיכולוגיהציבורית #עוליםחדשים #דוראחדוחצי
2023-02-2224 minImmigrant SquaredStartup Immigrants-Martin Lomeli-We Just Want to Be Accepted- We Have Alot To GiveMartin was born in Jalisco, Mexico, and immigrated to the US at the age of 3. Martin calls the US home, even though he never understood where he belongs.
For a long time, Martin did not feel comfortable saying that he was an immigrant. Only when DACA came out, Martin started feeling that he can talk about his situation.
It was very important for Martin to express who he really was, and since he could not vote he started volunteering in political campaigns canvassing. While he did canvassing, he realized that by sharing his story he...
2023-02-1529 min
𝑰𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝑴𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏 𝑰𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒕E. 16 Learn through the lows and become stronger𝐁𝐢𝐨 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭Anna is a security professional with over 10 years of experience in the government and private sectors. Outside work, she mentors students from her alma mater- American University, as well as Girl Security- a non-profit organization preparing girls, women, and gender minorities for national security careers. Anna immigrated twice in her life and is very passionate about supporting immigrants and refugees. In January 2022, she launched AlisAdel www.alisadel.com and the Immigrant Squared Podcast. Anna's podcast provides a safe space for immigrants and refugees to share their journeys, struggles, successes, and advice with other immigrants. In addition, Anna is partnering with and hos...
2023-02-1312 min
Immigrant SquaredHebrew Series- Episode 42- דור אחד וחצי-זאת עלייה עם הרבה כוח שצריכה לדברליליה נולדה בסיביר וגרה בקזחסטן . לילה לא ידעה שהיא עולה לארץ , ואחרי ביקור בחופשת קיץ ואירוע משפחתי טרגי, ליליה ואמא שלה נשארו בארץ.
בגיל שמונה לילה הייתה צריכה להיות חזקה בשביל המשפחה שלה ולהתמודד עם קשיים משל עצמה בבית הספר.
למרות הקשיים עם הזהות והרצון לעקור את כל מה שהיה קשור לרוסיה, ההורים של לילה עזרו לה לשמור על השפה והיום היא קוראת הרבה ברוסית.
.היום לילה חוזרת לשורשים שלה ועושה ארוחת נובי גוד עם החברים הישראלים שלה.
כעורכת דין, כשהיא התמודדה למשרה חדשה, אבא שלה חשש שהיא לא תתקבל בגלל שהיא רוסיה. זה גרם לה להבין את הטראומות שעברו מדור לדור, ולמה היא תמיד מרגישה שהיא צריכה לעבוד קשה מאד ולהיות הכי טובה שאפשר.
דיברנו גם על אנטישמיות שהמשפחות שלנו חוו ועל הבחירה של בן זוג מאותו המוצא ואותה הדת או לא. סיפרתי לילה על ההגירה לארה״ב ואיך יהודים אמריקאים מתייחסים פה לישראלים, ואיך ישראלים מתנהגים אחד לשני בחו״ל.
לילה חושבת שצריך לעשות יותר דברים בבתי הספר כדי ללמד על העלייה מברית במועצות לשעבר. לאוכלוסייה כל כך גדולה יש הרבה כוח והיא צריכה לדבר.
אם תרצו לספר את סיפור העלייה שלכם, אשמח מאד לארח אתכם בפודקאסט שלי
תצרו איתי קשר באימייל, דרך האתר שלי, או באינסטגראם
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2023-02-0543 min
Immigrant SquaredStartup Immigrants- Immigrant Food- The Journey From Division 1 College Tennis to a Social Enterprise Food StartupIn this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing a fellow Immigrant Squared, and the Co-Founder and COO of Immigrant Food, Tea Ivanovic.
Tea was born in Belgium to immigrant parents from the former Yugoslavia and came to the US on a tennis scholarship. Tea feels like she is from everywhere but from nowhere at the same time, and calls both Serbia and Belgium home.
Speaking both of her native languages, and cooking family recipes are Tea's ways to preserve her cultures of origin. Tea believes that immigrants are natural entrepreneurs, and the transition to...
2023-01-2724 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 40- Trying to Dodge the DutchMaame immigrated to the Netherlands from Ghana to join her husband. Her immigration challenges began back home when had to take a test in Dutch in order to be able to immigrate. Immigrating to the Netherlands in the winter added to Maame's culture shock, and her feelings of loneliness. One of the biggest challenges she faced was speaking Dutch. She was afraid that if she mispronounce something, people would make fun of her. Befriending her neighbor helped Maame not only to learn Dutch but also build a support system and get help with her baby while she went back...
2023-01-1828 min
Immigrant SquaredEpisode 39- Easy Choices-Hard Life, Hard Choices-Easy LifeElena immigrated from Russia to the US as a teenager with her mother and struggled with getting used to a new culture and norms. Throughout middle school and high school, she tried very hard to fit in, and always felt like an outsider. Joining the swim and softball teams in high school was the turning point when she finally started feeling a sense of community. While studying at Old Dominion University, in Norfolk, VA, Elena met a group of foreign students and realized that it is actually cool to be proud of where you are from. Later in life, w...
2023-01-0538 min
SHIFT with Elena AgarRaising awareness through stories of immigrants (with Anna G)In this episode of Shift, I chat with Anna G - an entrepreneur, podcaster, and security professional. We chat about her work with immigrant communities and youth.
About Anna: Anna is a security professional with over 10 years of experience in the government and private sector. Outside of work, she mentors students from her alma mater- American University, as well as Girl Security- a non-profit organization preparing girls, women, and gender minorities for national security careers.
Anna immigrated twice in her life and is very passionate about supporting immigrants and refugees. In January 2022, she launched AlisAdel www.al...
2023-01-0227 min
Immigrant SquaredEpisode 38- Bonus Hebrew Episode- החיים של עולה חדשה אחרי שאבא התאבדלקראת נובי גוד (השנה האזרחית החדשה) ובדיוק מתי שלובה עלתה לארץ עם משפחתה לפני 32 שנים
היה לי את העונג לארח אותה שוב בפודקאסט שלי והפעם בעברית. לובה סיפרה על מסע ההיגרה של המשפחה שלה מאוקראינה. הקשיים בדרך, והאובדן הגדול איתו היא עדיין מתמודדת- ההתאבדות של אבא שלה.
כיום לובה עוזרת לאנשים אחרים להתמודד עם האובדן דרך כתיבה ויצירות., וזה מאד מרפא גם בשבילה.
לובה בחרה לעבור טיפול בכתיבה כחלק מההתנדבות שלה בעמותת בשביל החיים.
מתוך כל זה נולד ללובה רעיון לסטארטפ למניעת אובדנות. והיא גם סיפרה על פרויקט היזמות שהיא עובדת עליו בתחום הוולנס עם אחותה.
העצה של לובה לעולים ובמיוחד לדור אחד וחצי היא לדבר על הכאב ולהפנים שגם אם אתם מאד מצליחים אבל משהו בפנים עדיין לא מסתדר לכם, זה בסדר ואתם לא לבד
2022-12-3030 min
Immigrant SquaredStartup Immigrants- Limitless Living- Fleeing Kuwait During the Gulf WarAleem was born in Kuwait to a Pakistani family. During the Gulf war, and the Iraqi invasion, his family was forced to flee Kuwait.
Aleem was two years old when his family immigrated to the US. While he watched his parents struggle to adjust to the new life, he was able to integrate into American society and culture much faster.
Aleem believes that it is very important to stay connected to your roots, and wishes he was more fluent in Urdu so he could better understand the family stories his relatives in Pakistan share.
2022-12-2825 min
Immigrant SquaredEpisode 36- Follow Your Own Path, and Truly Believe it- The Journey from Guatemala to Israel and the USDaniel was born and raised in Guatemala and comes from a long lineage of immigrants. Some of his ancestors escaped the holocaust and immigrated to Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, and Nicaragua. When he turned 23, Daniel decided to immigrate to Israel and serve in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). After four years in Israel, he immigrated to the US and is pursuing his studies at NYU. Daniel shared the different struggles between immigrating to Israel vs. the US. In Israel, he had to get acclimated to the language and culture. Coming to the US, Daniel encountered other social barriers such as...
2022-12-2218 min
Immigrant SquaredStartup Immigrants- ExplainDev- The Journey of a Water Polo Athlete to EntrepreneurshipIaneta is the daughter of Samoan immigrants and an immigrant from New Zealand. She grew up to see the beauty of her blended cultures, and at 17 decided to immigrate to the US via a water polo scholarship at Arizona State University.
After graduating, Ianeta's drive to create opportunities for herself and keep growing kept her away from her family in New Zealand, and she experienced loneliness. Ianeta's turning point was when she decided to make a home wherever she was living.
After spending five years working at Intel managing software products and teams, Ianeta embarked...
2022-12-1420 min
Immigrant SquaredStartup Immigrants- Brands Media Group- Your Business Immigrates With YouSharon was born in Paris, and at the age of seven immigrated with her family to Montreal, Canada. She is very thankful to her parents for giving her and her brother a great childhood despite the struggles of immigration. Sharon considers herself a citizen of the world, and has three places she calls home, Paris, Montreal, and now Tel Aviv.
During the pandemic, Sharon started her social media agency by helping friends and family to move their stores online. Her business immigrated with her from Montreal to Paris, and now to Tel Aviv.
Sharon's advice...
2022-12-0620 min
Immigrant SquaredStartup Immigrants-I See You Wellness- The Power of Community in a Capitalistic Society, Don’t Assimilate, Be YourselfMariam immigrated from Morocco in pursuit of her studies. She faced her biggest challenges after college while working in the corporate world in marketing and advertising, as an immigrant and woman of color. Mariam struggled to adjust to a different culture and a way of life.
We discussed how corporations can help immigrants, by being more human, and understanding that there is much more that defines people than just their job . Mariam stressed the importance of not judging people by their accent and letting immigrants bring value to the corporation with their unique perspective.
Mariam also spoke about the power...
2022-11-2824 min
Immigrant SquaredStartup Immigrants- Blackhawke Behavior Science- Helping VCs to Make Unbiased Decisions & Invest More in ImmigrantsNikki is an industrial organizational psychologist and the daughter of Mexican immigrants. During high school, Nikki felt like an outsider due to cultural differences, but her six very resilient aunts and strong mother empowered her to embrace her uniqueness. During her Ph.D. program, Nikki discovered inequities in the Venture Capital field and decided to help VCs to make the right choices based on people's qualifications and not their network. This led her to start an entrepreneurial venture Blackhawke Behavior Science.
The company works with solo founders and startup teams to help them build diverse companies and...
2022-11-2331 min
Immigrant SquaredStartup Immigrants- Coordle- The Journey of a Volleyball Coach to Become a Social Justice Speaker and a Travel App FounderJen was born in Canada, and for the first few years in the US, she was undocumented. Jen never felt like an outsider and thanks to the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 she was able to get her green card.
She spent 15 years as a college volleyball coach and realized that race in sports is not talked about in the way she wanted. So she decided to leave and founded her first company, Jen Fry Talks- a social justice firm that addresses diversity equity conflict, and inclusion.
In May of 2022, Jen started a group...
2022-11-1421 min
Immigrant SquaredStartup Immigrants-TrackMyMoney- What is Your El Dorado ? The Journey of a Child of Immigrants Becoming an Immigrant and EntrepreneurAlexandra is a child of immigrants that escaped a dictatorship in Haiti and started a new life in Canada. Despite having to conform to different household rules than her peers, such as not being able to participate in sleepovers, Alexandra learned resilience and grit from her parents, which she leans into during hard times in her life.
While she had a very good and comfortable life in Canada, Alexandra aspired for a change. A serendipitous moment and a post on LinkedIn led her to move to San Francisco to pursue her American dream. During the pandemic, Alexandra r...
2022-11-0728 min
Immigrant SquaredStartup Immigrants- NBAC- Finding Your Community in an Individualistic Culture, and the Curiosity that Takes Away the Fear of FailureNejat grew up in Eritrea and moved to Ethiopia when she was in high school. She later came to the US to pursue a Master's degree. Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs with eight siblings, the most difficult part of her immigration journey was being away from family. Luckily she found a community among other international students at her university.
Nejat believes that if she is truly going to be fulfilled with her life, whenever she sees something that needs change, she is going to fully participate and make a change. This is the mindset that...
2022-11-0133 min
Immigrant SquaredStartup Immigrants- Dynos- You Have to Try and You Have to Fail, Yet Solve the Problems QuicklyPramod came to the US to pursue a Masters in civil engineering and later transitioned to designing software.
He came across a problem while reading some PDF documents, which got him wondering whether this was the final stage of the digitization of a document. This is where his company Dynos was born with the mission to create a dynamic document that we can interact with. After completing an MBA, Pramod decided that his solution would be most beneficial to teachers. He quit his job and started pursuing his venture on a full-time basis.
As an early-stage startup, it was harder...
2022-10-2524 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 27- Why Every Entrepreneur Should Have a Podcast, and How to Start OneIn September 2022 I had the honor to present at the 2022 DC Startup Week (in Washington DC). My session was titled "Why Every Entrepreneur Should Have a Podcast, and How to Start One". This podcast episode is the original audio from the session (excuse the noise from the audience). Stay tuned for a surprise announcement.
Are you an immigrant entrepreneur? would you like to share your journey and grow your community? reach out via email info@alisadel.com , my website www.alisadel.com, or Instagram @alisadel_ to inquire about being a guest on the podcast.
#startupimmigrant #alis...
2022-10-1718 min
Immigrant SquaredBonus Episode 3- Hebrew Series -כל תלמיד באולפן צריך מורה אחד שיאמין בוליה אוקון היא מורה לעברית באולפנים לעולים חדשים ובת למהגרים מרוסיה שהגיעו לארץ בשנות השביעיים. ליה התחילה ללמד עברית את הסבים שלה מגיל 6
היא תמיד הרגישה חצויה בזהות שלה, הרבה פעמים חברים שלה ילידי הארץ לעגו לה שהיא מסתובבת עם עולים חדשים. היום ליה מאד שלמה עם שתי הזהויות שלה. המטרה של ליה היא לעזור לעולים החדשים להשתלב בחברה ולא רק ללמד אותם עברית.
ליה עובדת על מיזם כדי להביא ישראלים ילידי הארץ לאולפנים בכדי שיעזרו לעולים החדשים לתרגל עברית.
דיברנו על כמה זה חשוב לעזור לעולים להשתלב בחברה אבל גם לשמר על הזהות והתרבות מהבית.
ליה גם סיפרה על ההבדל בין העלים החדשים ב 1990, והעולים שברחו עכשיו מאוקראינה, והיא חושבת שהחברה הישראלית צריכה להראות יותר סבלנות, קבלה , והכלה כלפי העולים החדשים.
2022-10-1131 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 26- Comedy As A Second LanguageSimone is a child of Ethiopian immigrants and a comedian in Washington DC. Growing up he struggled with his identity being Ethiopian at home and American outside. Now as a father, he teaches his child to embrace her multicultural identity. Simone believes that comedy can bring people together across cultures. His new storytelling comedy album is coming out soon where he shares a dating story about how he broke up with a spy.
Follow him on Instagram @Simone_Comedy and stay tuned for updates about his shows in the Washington DC area. https://linktr.ee/simone_comedy
2022-09-2619 min
Immigrant SquaredEpisode 25- How Immigration Can Help You Come To Terms With Your SexualityI had the pleasure of hosting Will, the President and Co-Founder of KAMA DC. KAMA DC is a volunteer-run non-profit organization that allows immigrants in the Washington DC area to share their skills, stories, and experiences.KAMA is based on a model that started in Austria in 2008 to showcase the skills that immigrants bring with them to their new communities.
Will is also an immigrant from the UK. He shared why he resisted the label of immigrant, how he finally embraced it, and why being in the DC area helped him come to terms with his sexuality.
2022-09-1822 min
Immigrant SquaredEpisode 24- Immigration Mindset & How to Manifest SuccessAudrey immigrated from Taiwan to fulfill a lifelong dream to study and live in the US. Her biggest challenges have been her mindset, overcoming the imposter syndrome, and being far away from her support group while going through personal problems.
Getting out of her comfort zone and interacting with locals helped her realize that we are all humans that have the same needs, and we should not be worried about things like our accent. Her advice for other immigrants is to have the courage to stand up for yourself.
Audrey is also passionate about helping...
2022-08-2922 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 23- Escaping LGBTQ Persecution in Papua New Guinea And The Struggles While Finding Refuge in AustraliaManu Kailom sought asylum in Australia after spending time in jail in his home country Papua New Guinea for being a member of the LGBTQ community. Manu shared the struggles he faced being a gay man of color in the LGBTQ refugee and asylum seeker community in Australia. Language barriers, culture shock, and difficulties finding a job and a community, did not stop Manu from becoming successful. Today he runs a program and a community center working with the LGBTQ community of refugees and asylum seekers in Melbourne. The program helped build a bridge the gap between the two communities...
2022-08-2323 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 22- Why Do Immigrants Perceive Themselves As Ghosts? Immigration And Poetry Across CulturesKlarina immigrated to Israel as a teenager, and while she struggled learning Hebrew, studying English became her bridge to the Israeli identity. Klarina managed to interpret her immigrant story in Israel through the writings of American poets. She believes that if you learn a new language you create a new self. Writing poetry in Hebrew helped her to deal with the grief of losing her father. Klarina shared two of her poems with us on the podcast. Klarina also spoke about her PhD in English literature, explaining the complicated relationship between a mother and a daughter across cultures during...
2022-08-1637 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 21- Americans Are Welcomers At Our Core- A Conversation With Anya McMurray, President and COO of Welcome.USI had the honor of hosting the President & COO of Welcome.US Anya McMurray on the podcast. Welcome.US was founded in response to the fall of Kabul in September, 2021. In partnership with the US government, Welcome.US has been helping to resettle over 80 thousand Afghans in the US. They also expanded their help to support Ukrainians who are fleeing the war.
Anya talked about the value and responsibilities that sponsoring a refugee can bring to your life, and her own sponsorship story. We also discussed how immigrants in the US are giving back to the community...
2022-08-0123 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 20- Do You Speak Singlish? The Journey to Johns Hopkins University From SingaporeSuzie migrated to Singapore from China when she was 4.5 years old. Despite experiencing some discrimination, she assimilated by learning Singaporean English-Singlish. Suzie studied abroad in Paris, and Beijing, before arriving to the US. Coming to the US to study at Johns Hopkins University has been the easiest transition for her thus far, although she is still exploring her "US identity". Suzie feels at home wherever she can be herself and feel accepted in the society, she finds comfort by cooking a Singaporean dish once a week.
Checkout some Singaporean recipes she shared with me here
...
2022-07-2622 min
Immigrant SquaredBonus Episode 2- Hebrew Series -ראיונות עם דור 1.5 - קלרינהקלרינה מספרת מה בעצם גרם למשפחה שלה להחליט לעלות לארץ, וכמה קשה ומסוכנת הייתה הדרך לעזוב את אוזבקיסטן.
האנטישמיות שהם התמודדו איתה בדרך לארץ, הקשיים בשנים הראשונות בארץ, ועד כמה המדינה לא הייתה מוכנה מבחינה לוגיסטית לקבל כל כך הרבה עולים.
קלרינה התחילה את החינוך שלה בארץ בבית ספר דתי, ונאלצה להתמודד עם הפער בין החינוך הדתי לחיים המאד חילוניים בבית, והצורך להחביא את הזהות שלה שוב כמו שההורים שלה היו צריכים להחביא את היהדות שלהם באוזבקיסטן. כשקלרינה עברה לבית ספר חילוני היא התחילה להתמודד עם הצקות בגלל שהיא מברית המועצות לשעבר.
מוזיקה וספרות תמיד עזרו לקלרינה להתמודד עם קשיים וכיום היא כותבת סיפורים ושירים.
דיברנו על הבעיות שעדיין קיימות בחברה הישראלית, והבדיחות על עולים מברית המועצות לשעבר שעדיין מאד פוגעות. מה אשפר לעשות כדי לשנות את זה בחברה הישראלית היום מבחינה של חינוך וחקיקה.
2022-07-2153 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 18- Intergenerational Trauma, Mental Health Struggles As a Child of Immigrants, and How We Should Accommodate Immigrants in WorkplacesAmy is a social entrepreneur and a child of Chinese immigrants. At a very young age, she became an interpreter and translator for her parents. Amy shared examples of intergenerational trauma, cultural norms, ,and abuse, which all led her to be strong and outspoken. We discussed mental health issues that immigrants and their children face, and how in many immigrant communities it is taboo to seek help. Our conversation concluded with Amy's advice on accommodating immigrants at work, and self advocacy.
In her business, The Crescendo Group LLC https://www.thecrescendogroupllc.com/Amy works to support, coach...
2022-07-1740 min
Immigrant SquaredBonus Episode- Hebrew Series -ראיונות עם דור 1.5 - אולגהאולגה עלתה לארץ בגיל שש מאזרבייג'ן ב1990.
העלייה שלה התחילה בבני ברק בבית ספר דתי. ההשתלבות מבחינת שפה לא הייתה פשוטה ולאחר מכן בבית ספר חילוני אולגה הייתה צריכה להתמודד עם איומים מאח של חברה שלה וניסיונות לשנות את השם שלה לשם עברי.
בצבא היא הייתה בבסיס חייל אוויר עם המון עולים כמוה וזה פתאום גרם לה לראות את המצב מנקודת מבט שונה.
אולגה ובעלה שניהם עולים לשעבר אבל עם הילדים הם מדברים עברית בבית. אולגה הייתה רוצה שהדור הבא ילמד מהקשיים שההורים שלהם חוו בזמן העלייה וכמה זה עזר להרבה עולים לפתח אישיות חזקה ונתן את היכולת להתמודד עם קשיים. דיברנו גם על הסדרה דור אחד וחצי והדיון שזה העלה בחברה הישראלית. העצה של אולגה למהגרים זה לנסות להשתלב במקום החדש בלי למחוק את הזהות שלהם.
2022-07-0627 min
Immigrant SquaredEpisode 16- The Cultural Brigade- We Don’t Want To Assimilate, We Want To LeadAlex rediscovered her immigration story by writing poems about her immigration experience. When she attended a cinema school and learned script writing, Alex realized that her immigration story is an inspiration and not something to be embarrassed about. That’s how the docuseries Generation 1.5 דור אחד וחצי was born.
Alex believes that to make a marginal group mainstream you have to start by educating others about the group's culture. Her non-profit organization One Million Lobby advocates for the rights of over one million immigrants from the former Soviet Union to Israel who even in 2022 face struggles.
I shared more of my s...
2022-07-0628 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 15- Moscow - NYC- Hong Kong- The Need To Adapt Hits You Like A Freight TrainIlya and I discussed the social and emotional impact of moving from one culture to another, as he shared his immigration story coming to NYC at 17 from Moscow. Ilya also shared the adventure of moving to Hong Kong with his family, and how he teaches his children about his culture of origin through humor. We also discussed the importance of community, and getting to know people based on who they are as humans and not where they came from.
Additional links to the podcast can be found on our website www.alisadel.com
Follow and c...
2022-06-2718 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 14- The Journey from Colombia, and Finding Purpose"When you are speaking to other people about your journey you suddenly realize how much you have accomplished". Jamie shares how her career in International Development allows her to give back to the community she left behind, and how being part of Toastmasters International is contributing to her success.
Check out https://www.toastmasters.org/ to learn more.
#Immigrant² Podcast #immigrantstories #immigrants #unlockyourpotential #alisadel #ToastmastersInternational
@forpodcasters @applepodcast @spotifypodcasts
Additional links to the podcast can be found on our website www.alisadel.com
Follow and check for upd...
2022-06-2027 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 13- Generation 1.5 IsraelI had the honor of hosting Luba Laor. Luba is one of the million immigrants who came to Israel with their family in the early 1990's when the former soviet union fell apart. Her story is featured in a recent docuseries in Israel called generation 1.5. which illustrates several stories of those children who immigrated with their parents in the early 1990's from the former soviet republics to Israel. The documentary opened a very important and long overdue debate in the Israeli society about the struggles that those children from generation 1.5 faced both at home and outside.
Luba was born in...
2022-06-0235 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 12- The Journey to the US, Escaping Gang Violence on a BicycleIn this episode, I had the honor of chatting with victor who escaped gang violence in El Salvador and came to the US on a bicycle to find a better future, and he sure did.
Although the journey from being undocumented to becoming a citizen has not been easy, Victor never lost sight of his dream to become an electrical engineer. Victor discussed the fear and struggles while being undocumented, and how music and learning to play the guitar helped him through difficult times.
Victor's advice to immigrants is to be brave, and not let...
2022-05-0820 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 11- Coptic Citizen of the WorldMina is a human rights lawyer who was born and raised in Cairo, Egypt and moved to the US in his early 20s. As a Coptic in Egypt, he always felt like a second-class citizen.
In the US he has more Jewish friends than Coptic friends, because of the similarities in the cultures. Thanks to help from great American friends, Mina integrated well in the US and feels that he has both the Coptic Egyptian culture and American.
We discussed the religious sectarianism in Egypt, how Copts feel as a minority in Egypt, and everywhere...
2022-05-0124 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 10- The Journey from Argentina to Running a Mexican Restaurant in Colorado - Where is Your Accent From?Betty Artes was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and immigrated to the US at the age of seven. Her family was getting ready to immigrate during the beginning of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and her cousins who already lived in the US suggested they delay the journey. Betty's father, who was briefly arrested during Juan Perón's regime in Argentina said that if there was going to be a nuclear war, it did not matter where they were.
Betty's journey of assimilation included getting used to the weather, food, and language. Not having friends, in the beginning, w...
2022-04-2530 min
The Security Student PodcastCuriosity, Bravery, and Corporate Intelligence with Anna Gorodetsky#003 - A fun conversation with Anna Gorodetsky, Protective Intelligence Manager, fellow podcaster (see link below for her podcast), and mentor to aspiring practitioners. She shared her advice for young professionals interested in corporate intelligence, a one of a kind perspective on what elements prepare someone to be a good analyst, and also the path that led her to where she's at today.Listen to Anna's podcast, IMMIGRANT² and support her work here: https://alisadel.com/If you'd like to get the resources and show notes mentioned in this episode, go to:ht...
2022-04-2242 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 9- Photojournalism and Immigrant Storytelling- What do an Afghan dress and a soccer jersey from Argentina have in common?St. Clair Detrick-Jules is an Author, Photographer, Videographer, and Documentarian. Born and raised in Washington DC to an immigrant father from St Barths and growing up surrounded by immigrants, St. Clair became interested in immigrant stories.
She is currently working on a photojournalism book about immigrants and physical objects they brought with them to the US. She believes that storytelling connects us to humans, and helps us recognize shared humanity. In her book, she is also exploring the idea of home and how it transforms over time. Some of the things St. Clair learned from immigrant stories...
2022-04-1816 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 8- Immigrant Voices from the War- UkraineToday's episode is dedicated to my birthplace Ukraine! To all the brave people who are fighting for their life. I won't go into politics historical analysis or commentary. I want this episode to serve as an encouragement to help Ukraine but also as a reminder, as Albert Einstein once said "The world is a dangerous place to live not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it"
This is the first episode in a series "Immigrant Voices from the War". Let us focus on and respect Ukr...
2022-03-0522 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 7- When Immigrant² meets Immigrant DilemmaAnnick lives in Montreal, Canada, and her podcast "Immigrant Dilemma" focuses on the identity we develop as immigrants.
In this episode, she shared her journey to discover her identity, which is a fusion between the French and English speaking parts of her home country Haiti. Annick shared her struggles with picking a career that did not meet her parent's expectations, and how she chose to view her immigration as a journey and kept an open mind to learn.
Immigration forced her to mature faster, and she wishes she knew that her parents are not going...
2022-02-2132 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 6- Joseph Stalin and Immigration Struggles- The Tale of Tinatin, Part 2This is part two of episode 3 where I interviewed Tinatin Japaridze. To celebrate Tinatin's book Stalin’s Millennials: Nostalgia, Trauma, and Nationalism which is coming out this week on February 15, you will get a sneak peek into the book. The idea to write about Stalin was born as a class paper for Soviet Legacy Seminar at Columbia University, turned into a term paper, and now a book. Since 2016 Tinatin visited the Stalin Museum in Stalin's birth city, Gori, Georgia. Tinatin conducted interviews and took notes for several years because she was genuinely interested to understand why is Stalin so po...
2022-02-1324 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 5- Immigrants in Corporate SecurityI had the pleasure of interviewing a fellow immigrant and woman in security Sonia Knowles. Sonia immigrated from Peru in pursuit of educational opportunities. She assimilated into the American culture by becoming a military spouse. While adapting to the culture of military life she was not able to identify herself as an immigrant, but she found a community.
Years later she started to wonder what it means to be an immigrant. Sonia and I discussed our struggles with our foreign accents, and how we overcame those struggles and found humor in idioms.
As women in...
2022-02-0627 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 4- Growing Up As a Child of Multicultural and Multiracial Immigrants & How Storytelling Humanizes ImmigrantsMaribel Rodriguez is a child of immigrants. She loves her roots and her parents’ countries, Colombia and Puerto Rico. Having been to both countries and growing up in Brooklyn, NY, a melting pot of many cultures, she has a love for people of diverse cultures and walks of life. Her organization Love 4 Immigrants was founded as a graduate capstone project out of the frustration of seeing immigrants being depicted in the media in untruthful and inhumane ways.
Love4Immigrants is a social space for immigrants’ support. It aims to connect immigrants to their communities, as respected, loved, and h...
2022-01-3134 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 3- A Serial Immigrant Finds Comfort and Motivation in Uncertainty and Instability- The Tale of Tinatin, Part 1Tinatin considers herself a serial immigrant. She was born in Georgia (the country), grew up in Russia, moved to London, then New York City, and now she lives in Washington DC. She felt most at home in New York City because she did not have to lose her own identity in order to become a New Yorker. Washington DC feels like a transient place for her, and she finds uncertainty and instability very comforting and motivating. Her biggest struggle as an immigrant was not having a community or circle to tap into right away for support. Tinatin shares why...
2022-01-2323 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 2- Is it harder to immigrate as a teenager? or as a parent?From the midway point between the North and South poles - Quito Ecuador, I had the honor to interview a fellow Immigrant² Dina Dubnitsky. Dina was born in Kazakhstan to a Romanian mother and a Ukrainian father. She is a nurse, a food blogger, a dancer, and a fitness instructor. Dina shared the differences between immigrating as a teenager, and 16 years later immigrating yet again as a parent. She doesn’t feel at home anywhere and prefers to be a citizen of the world.
Dina's advice to immigrants is to be patient, believe in yourself, and never forg...
2022-01-1129 minImmigrant SquaredEpisode 1- Two iconic grandmothers, and three countries. This is my story!
Welcome to my podcast. I invite you to learn my story, what inspired me to start this podcast, and what I hope to accomplish. Do you know any immigrants or kids of immigrants who would like to share their stories? Email me at podcast@alisadel.com
2022-01-0306 minImmigrant SquaredImmigrant² Podcast trailerJoin me on an adventure to help immigrants unlock their full potential.
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