Immigrant Stories | The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants

Welcome to episode 151 of The American Dream in the Eyes of Immigrants Podcast. I am your host, Heidy De La Cruz, and I am on a mission to change the narrative of immigration one immigrant story at a time! Dr. Leslye Salinas shares her journey from Lima, Peru, to the United States and how her immigrant experience inspired her to create spaces of support and opportunity for newcomer families. Today, she is the CEO and founder of La Casa de Jenny, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting newcomer adults in the Bay Area through career development, community resources, and professional support. In this episode, Dr. Leslye reflects on her childhood in Lima, Peru, growing up surrounded by a large extended family before immigrating to the United States at seven years old. She opens up about the cultural shock of adjusting to life in the Bay Area, being placed in ESL classes because of her accent, and experiencing bullying for the way she spoke Spanish. She also shares how those early challenges shaped her resilience, confidence, and passion for education and advocacy. With Love, Heidy Connect with Dr. Leslye Salinas: Website  Instagram Instagram Check out Casa De Jenny Next Event Learn a new language with https://www.italki.com/ App: https://go.italki.com/heidy2604app Use Promo Code: HEIDY for $5 off a purchase of $10 or more in italki credits!!!!!!! But hurry, only valid for the first 50 users!!!!!    Sign up now and join our exclusive community on Substack!!! 💛 Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.    *This podcast is sponsored by  Far From Home Podcast Kaza Law Immigration Barbara Perez Law 360 Immigration Law   For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E Because a podcaster in 6-weeks or less with The V.O.I.C.E. Method Podcast Launch Course! Learn everything from tech, podcast hosting sites, editing, Podcast SEO, and more! Find out more information here. And if you refer a client to me and they sign up for the 1:1 Podcast Launch Strategy, you will receive $50! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to episode 150 of The American Dream in the Eyes of Immigrants Podcast. I am your host, Heidy De La Cruz, and I am on a mission to change the narrative of immigration one immigrant story at a time! Mario Cartaya shares his unique experience of returning to Cuba after 56 years, a journey that helped him recover suppressed childhood memories. This trip was unlike typical immigrant experiences because his subconscious had built a “vault” to protect him from the trauma of leaving Cuba. Upon revisiting familiar places from his youth, such as his homes, school, and parks, he found his memories resurfaced uncorrupted, complete with the original feelings. This regression provided him with insight into his early influences and inner peace, underscoring the importance of knowing one’s past. To prepare for the trip, his mom, who was still alive at the time, gave him pictures and the addresses of their old houses, schools, parks, etc. So he knew where to go. And the fortunate and unfortunate thing is that Cuba has been stuck in 1959, and the buildings look the same! The trip was quite an emotional experience for him and his two friends who went with him. He learned a lot about himself! Mario told me that he actually discovered who he was on that trip! With Love, Heidy   Connect with Mario: Website Book   Learn a new language with https://www.italki.com/ App: https://go.italki.com/heidy2604app Use Promo Code: HEIDY for $5 off a purchase of $10 or more in italki credits!!!!!!! But hurry, only valid for the first 50 users!!!!!    Sign up now and join our exclusive community on Substack!!! 💛 Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.    *This podcast is sponsored by  Far From Home Podcast Kaza Law Immigration Barbara Perez Law 360 Immigration Law   For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E   Because a podcaster in 6-weeks or less with The V.O.I.C.E. Method Podcast Launch Course! Learn everything from tech, podcast hosting sites, editing, Podcast SEO, and more! Find out more information here. And if you refer a client to me and they sign up for the 1:1 Podcast Launch Strategy, you will receive $50! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to episode 149 of The American Dream in the Eyes of Immigrants Podcast. I am your host, Heidy De La Cruz, and I am on a mission to change the narrative of immigration one immigrant story at a time! Karen Munoz shares her journey growing up in Chicago as the daughter of Mexican immigrant parents and how her experiences shaped her passion for helping others heal. Today, Karen is transitioning from a career in law into therapy while also teaching trauma-informed yoga full-time and mentoring first-generation students. In this episode, Karen reflects on her upbringing as the oldest child in a Mexican immigrant household and the responsibilities that came with being firstborn. She opens up about growing up in predominantly white neighborhoods in Chicago while maintaining strong ties to her Mexican culture and language at home. Karen also shares the challenges of navigating her cultural identity both in the United States and in Mexico, and how those experiences shaped her resilience, compassion, and desire to create culturally competent spaces for others. Karen takes us through her journey from working at a law firm and eventually becoming a lawyer representing traumatized individuals to pursuing a master’s degree in counseling psychology. She shares her passion for trauma-informed yoga, mentorship, and supporting first-generation students as they navigate higher education and professional careers. Karen also discusses how her immigrant identity plays a major role in the work she does today and her mission to help others feel seen, supported, and empowered. With Love, Heidy Connect with Karen: Website LinkedIn   Learn a new language with https://www.italki.com/ App: https://go.italki.com/heidy2604app Use Promo Code: HEIDY for $5 off a purchase of $10 or more in italki credits!!!!!!! But hurry, only valid for the first 50 users!!!!!    Sign up now and join our exclusive community on Substack!!! 💛 Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.    *This podcast is sponsored by  Far From Home Podcast Kaza Law Immigration Barbara Perez Law 360 Immigration Law   For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E Because a podcaster in 6-weeks or less with The V.O.I.C.E. Method Podcast Launch Course! Learn everything from tech, podcast hosting sites, editing, Podcast SEO, and more! Find out more information here. And if you refer a client to me and they sign up for the 1:1 Podcast Launch Strategy, you will receive $50! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to episode 148 of The American Dream in the Eyes of Immigrants Podcast. I am your host, Heidy De La Cruz, and I am on a mission to change the narrative of immigration one immigrant story at a time! Vic Martinez shares his personal upbringing, moving from New York to Florida at age four, where he was immersed in a diverse immigrant community. He discusses his parents’ reasons for immigrating from Guatemala and how their journey shaped his understanding of hustle and family values. The narrative highlights the contrasts between his childhood and that of his daughters, reflecting on the evolution of the American Dream and the conscious effort to create a different path for the next generation. This includes his venture into podcast production and video advertising with Brandcrumbs Media. Vic also shares about his most recent trip to Guatemala, where he took his whole family and enjoyed watching his daughters connect with their Guatemalian roots!  Lastly, Vic and I share how our upbringings have shaped our adulthood and parenting. We share what we are doing the same as our parents and what we are intentionally changing.  With Love, Heidy   Connect with Vic: Website Instagram   Learn a new language with https://www.italki.com/ App: https://go.italki.com/heidy2604app Use Promo Code: HEIDY for $5 off a purchase of $10 or more in italki credits!!!!!!! But hurry, only valid for the first 50 users!!!!!    Sign up now and join our exclusive community on Substack!!! 💛 Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.    *This podcast is sponsored by  Far From Home Podcast Kaza Law Immigration Barbara Perez Law 360 Immigration Law For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]   Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E Because a podcaster in 6-weeks or less with The V.O.I.C.E. Method Podcast Launch Course! Learn everything from tech, podcast hosting sites, editing, Podcast SEO, and more! Find out more information here  And if you refer a client to me and they sign up for the 1:1 Podcast Launch Strategy, you will receive $50! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to episode 147 of The American Dream in the Eyes of Immigrants Podcast. I am your host, Heidy De La Cruz, and I am on a mission to change the narrative of immigration one immigrant story at a time! Jenn Chen shares her journey as the daughter of immigrants from Hong Kong, growing up in America while navigating cultural identity, faith, and belonging. Today, she is an author, spiritual director, coach, and companion who helps others embrace their stories and encounter God’s love through every season of life. In this episode, Jenn reflects on her family’s immigration journey and the sacrifices her parents made when they came to the United States in the early 1960s for university studies. She opens up about growing up as one of the few Asian families in a predominantly white community, feeling like an outsider, and navigating the tension between her Chinese heritage and American culture. Jenn also shares how language, faith, and family shaped her resilience and identity. Jenn takes us through her journey from studying bilingual multicultural education and teaching English as a second language to teaching in China, where she met her husband. She shares about her passion for spiritual formation, storytelling, and her book, Dim Sum and Faith, which explores how our stories form our souls and how God meets us even in the difficult and messy parts of life. Jenn also discusses how her immigrant identity continues to shape the work she does today as a spiritual director, coach, and writer. With Love, Heidy Connect with Jenn: Website Instagram Purchase Her Book    Learn a new language with https://www.italki.com/ App: https://go.italki.com/heidy2604app Use Promo Code: HEIDY for $5 off a purchase of $10 or more in italki credits!!!!!!! But hurry, only valid for the first 50 users!!!!!    Sign up now and join our exclusive community on Substack!!! 💛 Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.    *This podcast is sponsored by  Far From Home Podcast Kaza Law Immigration Barbara Perez Law 360 Immigration Law   For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E Because a podcaster in 6-weeks or less with The V.O.I.C.E. Method Podcast Launch Course! Learn everything from tech, podcast hosting sites, editing, Podcast SEO, and more! Find out more information here. And if you refer a client to me and they sign up for the 1:1 Podcast Launch Strategy, you will receive $50! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.