Growing up with a Jewish Mom and a Christian Palestinian Dad in Colombia with Sonia Daccarett - Ep. 169

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.