Love Letters To Immigrants

In this episode of Love Letters to Immigrants, Elizabeth Garvish sits down with immigration attorney and law firm founder Jimmy Lai to talk about the courage, uncertainty, and persistence that shaped his journey from Taiwan to Oklahoma. Jimmy shares what it was like to spend a decade in the United States on a student visa, face repeated rejection in the job market, and ultimately create his own opportunity by launching a law firm through the E-2 investor visa. What began as a necessity quickly became a mission to build a business grounded in empathy, service, and opportunity. Their conversation explores immigration, entrepreneurship, identity, and the emotional complexity of building a life in a country that does not always make immigrants feel welcome. Jimmy also reflects on practicing law with empathy, growing a values-driven firm, and why believing in yourself matters most on the hardest days. Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:00 Meet Jimmy Lai 02:00 From Taiwan to Oklahoma 03:00 Visa barriers and job rejections 05:14 Why Jimmy chose the E-2 visa 07:12 Family support and sacrifice 09:23 Preparing for the E-2 interview 10:21 Starting a law firm from the ground up 12:30 Learning law and business at once 13:49 Early struggles and shifting mindset 15:34 Growth through abundance thinking 16:30 What immigrants really contribute 18:00 LinkedIn, visibility, and personal brand 20:30 Building a values-driven team 21:00 Boundaries, burnout, and lawyering differently 23:12 Leading with empathy 25:48 Success, happiness, and identity 28:15 Immigration uncertainty under policy shifts 30:30 What home means now 33:08 Vulnerability as connection 35:30 A love letter to immigrants 37:20 Closing Resources If this episode inspired you, explore organizations working to support immigrant communities and expand opportunity. https://organizingokies.org/projects https://linktr.ee/mplsmutualaid

In this episode, Elizabeth sits down with entrepreneur and attorney Alex Gertsburg to explore his journey from Soviet-era Moldova to the United States at just four years old. Alex shares what it meant for his parents to leave everything behind during a brief emigration window for Jewish families in 1979, arriving in Cleveland with nothing but courage and determination. From growing up feeling different to building a successful legal and entrepreneurial career, he reflects on resilience, identity, and the quiet strength immigrant families carry. Together, they discuss assimilation, imposter syndrome, naturalization, America’s shifting immigration climate, and why protecting your confidence may be the most important survival skill of all. This episode is a reminder that immigration is not a headline. It is a human story. Resources I Am an Immigranthttps://iamimmigrant.comA storytelling and advocacy platform amplifying immigrant voices. National Immigration Law Centerhttps://www.nilc.orgAdvances and defends the rights of low-income immigrants through policy and legal advocacy. National Immigration Forumhttps://immigrationforum.orgPromotes inclusive immigration policy and public education initiatives. ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Projecthttps://www.aclu.org/issues/immigrants-rightsProtects immigrants’ civil liberties through litigation and advocacy. Freedom for Immigrantshttps://www.freedomforimmigrants.orgAdvocates to end immigration detention and supports people in detention. Georgia Asylum and Immigration Networkhttps://www.immigrationadvocates.org/nonprofit/volunteer/organization.392822-Georgia_Asylum_Immigration_NetworkProvides free immigration legal services and support for immigrant survivors in Georgia. Timecode Chapters 00:00 Introduction and shifting from fear to love02:35 Leaving Moldova during Soviet-era emigration05:00 Starting over in Cleveland08:00 Growing up feeling different13:30 Immigrant parent sacrifice and hustle18:30 The current immigration climate22:00 Immigration law as transformational work24:30 The ripple effect of saving one life29:45 Naturalization and becoming American34:00 History, pendulum swings, and hope36:30 A love letter to immigrant children40:20 Closing reflections

In this episode of Love Letters to Immigrants, Elizabeth Garvish sits down with Oleg Karakash, a Ukrainian immigrant who has been sharing his family’s journey across borders with honesty, warmth, and remarkable perspective. After leaving Ukraine with his wife and two daughters, Oleg reflects on what it means to rebuild life from scratch, arriving in the United States with very little and learning to trust both community and uncertainty. He talks about the people who showed up when his family needed help most, the challenge of navigating temporary immigration status, and the emotional weight of not knowing what comes next. Throughout the conversation, Oleg returns to the idea of gratitude, not just for moments of safety or success, but for loss, disruption, and change. He shares how redefining home as a state of being rather than a physical place has given his family freedom and resilience as they continue to move forward. The episode closes with a Love Letter to an Immigrant, offering encouragement to anyone facing an uncertain future and reminding listeners that even the hardest chapters can open new doors. Chapters 00:00 Immigration is a human story 01:00 Meet Oleg Karkarash 02:33 Leaving Ukraine and choosing safety 05:29 Arriving in the US through Uniting for Ukraine 06:38 Finding community and support in Iowa 09:55 Acts of kindness that made survival possible 12:25 Gratitude as a way of life 16:23 Redefining the meaning of home 20:19 Freedom, perspective, and choice 23:51 Letting life unfold across borders 26:44 A love letter to an immigrant 30:31 Turning empathy into action Resources If this episode resonated with you and you want to turn empathy into action, check out Minneapolis Mutual Aid, a community-based support offering direct aid, resources, and solidarity for immigrants and marginalized communities.

Welcome to the first episode of Love Letters to Immigrants, a storytelling podcast centered on the human side of immigration. Host Elizabeth Garvish sits down with award-winning TV and film producer and entrepreneur Jenny Feterovich, who immigrated to the United States from the Soviet Union as a teenager through Operation Exodus. Jenny shares what it was like to leave home at 13, grow up in the Midwest, navigate discrimination, and take on adult responsibilities far too early. Together, Elizabeth and Jenny explore how immigration reshapes family dynamics, why immigrants are not “addicted to certainty,” and how agility, humility, and courage can become lifelong strengths. The episode closes with a deeply moving Love Letter to an Immigrant, written for the hardest days, when the journey feels unbearable. Chapters 00:00 Immigration is a human story 01:00 Meet Jenny Feterovich 02:46 Leaving the Soviet Union and Operation Exodus 06:53 Arriving in America at 14 08:59 Growing up too fast as an immigrant 12:03 Lessons that shaped Jenny’s life 16:07 Fear, politics, and belonging 25:09 Moments of kindness that mattered 28:57 A love letter to an immigrant 33:36 Turning empathy into action Resources If this episode resonated with you and you want to turn empathy into action, check out ⁠Minneapolis Mutual Aid⁠, a community-based support offering direct aid, resources, and solidarity for immigrants and marginalized communities.