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.