Finding Our Voices Today

Danielle moved to the U.S. from Jamaica with her family at an impressible and tender age. Listen to her journey as she shares the differences in schools and learning as well as the social challenges that come with being the “new girl”. The realities of trying to fit in as the new person in a new school…as a teenager…can be rough! Have a listen to her story of working as a young banking professional while enrolled in college, and the thrilling plans she has for herself. This self-assured woman has a bright future ahead and the advice she would give herself is something we should all listen to!

Suzie Heiland has been an educator for 30 years in a small school district locted in Northwest CT. She has taught many children during her tenure and she can’t imagine doing anything else than teaching. Join the conversation to learn about her changing district as they welcome more immigrant families into the schools. In her small town, families are finding resources and invaluable support for the children and for themselves which truly makes a difference in their educational and journey to independence.

Mayerli, an engineer, was an au pair in the U.S. for 2+ years dividing her time between Colorado and Connecticut. She traveled quite a bit during her time here but also took every advantage to learn and find pathways to education and creativity serving the community. She was part of the Youth Assembly- a platform founded in 2004 by the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation (FAF), a not-for-profit organization, a unique platform that cultivates a global network of young leaders and changemakers through exchange, education, action and impact, in NYC where she started a project inspired by the global Sustainable Development Goals initiative in the areas of recycling as well as responsible consumption and production. From there, she and a dear friend, started a non-profit program. Listen to find out how she made an incredible impact in the U.S. and in their native country.

Stacia Morris is an energetic corporate professional who has authored Teen Money 101, Teen Money 101 Teacher’s Guide & Teen Money 102 and is the founder of Your Life TREK. She works tirelessly to improve the quality of life for women and families with a focus on financial literacy, financial health & wellness, as well as professional leadership coaching. She holds a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (Accounting) and an MBA from Pace University in New York and a BA from the University of the West Indies. She spent the majority of her career with IBM as a leasing executive and has had diverse experiences working globally. She is deeply committed to service and has created micro enterprises for various non-profits including support for women refugees from Afghanistan,empowering them to be financial contributors to their family’s livelihood through training and community support.

Dr. Jose Mesquita is a Professor of Marketing from Brazil who has been in the U.S. for 6 years. As a visiting research professor at UCONN in Stamford, he has engaged in research and collaborative global partnerships in the academic arena of marketing. Additionally, he has successfully published numerous academic articles as well as an instructional manual for researchers and students titled, Marketing Analytics: Statistical Tools for Marketing and Consumer Behavior Using SPSS. His motivation is to make data analysis more efficient and easier to aggregate for researchers, instructors, and students. He is a dedicated family man and a very proud father of 2 daughters.

Lauren Drazen is a former foreign language teacher and administrator. She embraces her commitment to lifelong learning by engaging in consistent exploration through travel and earnest curiosity, in addition to her love for diverse languages and culture. Listen along and hear how this enthusiastic educator transformed the landscape of foreign language learning in her district and continues to impact the community in dynamic ways.

This episode features Millie who shares her story as she journeyed from Peru to the U.S. in her early 20’s. Arriving with a dream in her mind, and a goal to learn English and build her life, she continues to break down barriers to pave her pathway to career and educational success. She still focuses on learning and improving her English while working on her MBA program and networking for a career in marketing and communications. Her passion to succeed is palpable!

Fernanda Ramos, is our second interview of the podcast and we are thrilled she is sharing her incredible personal story with us. She arrived in the U.S. with a two year old and her husband just a year before COVID, and if quarantining wasn’t hard enough to stay healthy, how do you make friends, expand your language skills, and build a new community during a pandemic? Listen to our podcast to find out how she persevered and kept moving forward to where she is today! From a banking career to real estate in a highly competitive region, she is thriving and has only just begun to scratch the surface!

Nancy Meckel is an experienced instructor of adult learners of English and she is deeply committed to building a culturally responsive community of learners who support and respect one another. Nancy honors and values the previous education, work, and life experience that her students bring to the country. In addition to teaching ESL classes at all levels, she is the founder of American English Guide where she serves the ESL community with themed ESL mini-courses, individual instruction, workplace group classes, and American accent training.

Kelly Ha, LCSW, is a first generation American with an incredible journey rooted in rich family history and perseverance. She has navigated many barriers to achieve personal happiness and professional success. As an LCSW, she is on a mission to create awareness and a cultural shift that will impact generations to come. Listen and learn about her journey! I think you'll all agree, she is just getting started.

This podcast is committed to celebrating the immigrant's journey to the U.S.A. and the process of learning how to navigate a new culture, new language, and finding resources that lead to a happy and independent life. From new arrivals, or those who have been in the country for years, you will hear inspiring interviews with adults and their family members. Additionally, you will hear stories from first-generation Americans as well as non-profit leaders, educators, and volunteers who are deeply committed to making impact. Moving to a new country is a unique and daunting experience that takes courage and trust, but our mission is to include ALL voices, and to provide equitable space and an opportunity for them to be heard and celebrated, as well as to learn from professionals how when we work together, we can effectively support them.