Immigrant Stories | The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants

Welcome to episode 172 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! Zina Wilde is a Greek actress, writer, filmmaker, and entrepreneur who was born in London and raised in Greece. At just 17 years old, she left Greece on her own and moved to New York City to pursue her dream of becoming an actor. Today, Zina continues her creative work while also bringing people together through retreats around the world centered on community, connection, creativity, culture, and meaningful experiences. In this episode, Zina reflects on growing up in Greece surrounded by family, friendships, food, community, and a slower pace of life. She shares her experience attending both private and public schools, learning multiple languages, and ultimately realizing that if she wanted to seriously pursue acting, she would need to leave Greece. With no internet to guide her through the process, Zina had to figure out American college applications, recommendation letters, and the entire admissions system largely on her own before eventually making her way to NYU. With Love, Heidy Connect with Zina Wilde: Website Instagram 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 Barbara Perez Law 360 Immigration Law SoVerve Marketing Group Stephanie Rubio is the Owner-Founder of SoVerve Marketing Group, a boutique email marketing agency serving small businesses since 2016. With 25+ years of experience, she builds bilingual email and SMS campaigns that earn attention and deliver results. A proud Latina entrepreneur, she helps women of color grow through email marketing. Contact Stephanie at https://soverve.com/heidy. For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E Ready to start a podcast similar to this one? I created the framework - The V.O.I.C.E. Method to help you become a podcaster in 6 weeks or less! This framework is straightforward, no guessing what comes next, and no overwhelm! This course covers everything from podcast hosting sites and editing software to podcast SEO, equipment, and more! Buy the course for only $197 here. 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 171 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! Jamile Moraes Pellicer is a Brazilian immigrant and immigration attorney based in South Florida. She came to the United States from Brazil at 13, without speaking English, and had to navigate a new country, school system, and immigration journey. Today, Jamile owns 360 Immigration Law, where she leads a team of 20 employees and helps immigrants navigate the legal system and pursue their own American Dream. In this episode, Jamile reflects on growing up in a close-knit family in Brazil before her parents moved their family to South Florida. She opens up about starting school in the U.S. without knowing English, finding community among other immigrant students, and eventually excelling academically. Despite graduating near the top of her high school class, her immigration status prevented her from accessing scholarships and in-state tuition. Determined to continue her education, Jamile attended community college, worked to pay for classes herself, and took as many courses as she could afford until she eventually received her green card. With Love, Heidy Connect with Attorney Jamile Mares Pellicer: Website: Instagram 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 Barbara Perez Law 360 Immigration Law SoVerve Marketing Group Stephanie Rubio is the Owner-Founder of SoVerve Marketing Group, a boutique email marketing agency serving small businesses since 2016. With 25+ years of experience, she builds bilingual email and SMS campaigns that earn attention and deliver results. A proud Latina entrepreneur, she helps women of color grow through email marketing. Contact Stephanie at https://soverve.com/heidy. For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E Ready to start a podcast similar to this one? I created the framework - The V.O.I.C.E. Method to help you become a podcaster in 6 weeks or less! This framework is straightforward, no guessing what comes next, and no overwhelm! This course covers everything from podcast hosting sites and editing software to podcast SEO, equipment, and more! Buy the course for only $197 here. 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 170 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! Graciela Franco is a Latina immigrant, entrepreneur, mom, and founder of GFM Brands Agency. Born in Durango, Mexico, Graciela came to the United States with her family when she was four years old and grew up in Colorado. After spending much of her life undocumented and later becoming a DACA recipient, she built her career from the ground up and eventually discovered her passion for branding, marketing, and entrepreneurship. In this episode, Graciela reflects on growing up undocumented in the United States and how her immigration status affected experiences many of her peers could take for granted. She opens up about watching friends get their driver's licenses and discuss college plans while knowing those opportunities weren't as easily accessible to her. Graciela also shares what it was like keeping her immigration status private, hearing classmates debate immigration without knowing she was undocumented, and growing up understanding that she had to be extremely careful because even one mistake could have serious consequences. With Love, Heidy Connect with Graciela: Instagram 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 Barbara Perez Law 360 Immigration Law SoVerve Marketing Group Stephanie Rubio is the Owner-Founder of SoVerve Marketing Group, a boutique email marketing agency serving small businesses since 2016. With 25+ years of experience, she builds bilingual email and SMS campaigns that earn attention and deliver results. A proud Latina entrepreneur, she helps women of color grow through email marketing. Contact Stephanie at https://soverve.com/heidy. For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E Ready to start a podcast similar to this one? I created the framework - The V.O.I.C.E. Method to help you become a podcaster in 6 weeks or less! This framework is straightforward, no guessing what comes next, and no overwhelm! This course covers everything from podcast hosting sites and editing software to podcast SEO, equipment, and more! Buy the course for only $197 here. 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 169 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! Sonia Daccarett shares her journey from growing up Jewish and Arab in Colombia to moving to the United States at 18 for college, never expecting that she would eventually make this country her home. Today, after a 25-year career in corporate communications, Sonia is primarily a writer and the author of The Roots of the Guava Tree: Growing Up Jewish and Arab in Colombia. In this episode, Sonia reflects on her diverse and complicated family history and the experiences that shaped her identity. Her paternal grandparents were Christian Palestinians who came to Colombia from Ottoman-era Bethlehem, while her maternal grandparents were Jewish immigrants who fled antisemitism in Europe during the 1930s. Sonia opens up about being raised in Cali, Colombia, by parents who decided to raise their children without religious labels, and how that decision left her navigating questions about identity, belonging, and culture. She also reflects on growing up during a period of violence and instability in Colombia and how returning to those memories as an adult gave her a new appreciation for the courage and sacrifices of her parents and grandparents. With Love, Heidy Connect with Sonia Daccarett: https://www.soniadaccarett.com/ https://www.instagram.com/sdaccarett_author/ 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 Barbara Perez Law 360 Immigration Law SoVerve Marketing Group Stephanie Rubio is the Owner-Founder of SoVerve Marketing Group, a boutique email marketing agency serving small businesses since 2016. With 25+ years of experience, she builds bilingual email and SMS campaigns that earn attention and deliver results. A proud Latina entrepreneur, she helps women of color grow through email marketing. Contact Stephanie at https://soverve.com/heidy. For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E Ready to start a podcast similar to this one? I created the framework - The V.O.I.C.E. Method to help you become a podcaster in 6 weeks or less! This framework is straightforward, no guessing what comes next, and no overwhelm! This course covers everything from podcast hosting sites and editing software to podcast SEO, equipment, and more! Buy the course for only $197 here. 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 168 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! Gita Rai shares her experience growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area as the eldest daughter of immigrant parents from India. Today, she is a licensed marriage and family therapist who specializes in anxiety, life transitions, and acculturative stress, helping people navigate the emotional challenges that can come with immigrating to a new country or growing up as the child of immigrants. In this episode, Gita reflects on her family’s journey from India to the United States, beginning with her father’s arrival in the late 1960s to pursue his education. She opens up about growing up in a traditional Indian household, maintaining her family’s Hindu faith and cultural values while navigating American culture, and carrying the responsibilities that often come with being the eldest daughter of immigrant parents. Gita also shares memories from her visits to India and how witnessing both hardship and a strong sense of community shaped her perspective on life, connection, and finding meaning through difficult circumstances. With Love, Heidy Connect with Gita Rai: https://therapywithgita.com/ 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 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 Ready to start a podcast similar to this one? I created the framework - The V.O.I.C.E. Method to help you become a podcaster in 6 weeks or less! This framework is straightforward, no guessing what comes next, and no overwhelm! This course covers everything from podcast hosting sites and editing software to podcast SEO, equipment, and more! Buy the course for only $197 here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.