The Social Butterfly Effect

In the second portion of this conversation, we dive into Kerrie’s professional experience climbing the corporate ladder, her work at Outdoor Afro, and her understanding of allyship in a workspace supported and led by a majority-black team.  Kerrie also advises on finding purpose in your work and navigating working for a company that does not share your values.

In this two-part episode, we talk with first-generation Mien American and Outdoor Afro Operations Director Kerrie Saephanh about how she embraced her own cultural path forward. In the first portion of this conversation, Kerrie shares her grandparent's story of voyaging to America from Laos and her difficult, yet rewarding,  journey embracing her parent's traditional values and cultural background.

Young Vo is an author, illustrator, muralist, artist, animator, and Vietnamese refuge. In this episode, Young shares an inspiring story about his mother living in a refugee camp and how important it was that she passed down her values on perseverance, dedication, and ability to always find the bright side of every challenging situation. In this conversation, we also discuss what it was like to grow up as the “refugee kid”, the true power of storytelling, how to find the best medium to express your story, and Young’s constantly evolving creative journey.

Mimo Halie is a social impact strategist and consultant that helps small businesses, nonprofits, or startups create and/or sustain positive environmental or social impact. What would you do if you realized that “Black” is the only identity people can perceive you as? Through Mimo’s experience moving from Ethiopia to America, she quickly learned that in order to survive she must remain adaptable or risk being defined by others' perceptions of how she should show up in this new world.

Mel spent 12+ years working in higher education designing and delivering leadership training to thousands of students and employees. In the second portion of this interview, we discuss her experience working in higher education during the beginning of the pandemic, systemic racism she experienced in the educational system, and her thoughts on the future of the western educational system.

Mel S. deVivar is the first in her family to graduate from college in the U.S. and is the daughter of immigrant parents from the Philippines. Mel is the Head of Programs at HarnessU and recently left 12+ years of higher education to help equip our younger underrepresented students with the right tools for the future. In this episode, Mel discusses her mission to demystify the job search process for our younger generation First-Gen folks and how we can all help equip our younger underrepresented students with the tools for the future. Mel shares the difficulties faced in higher education for first-generation folks and how she has stepped up to elevate the narratives of those who couldn’t find their voice quite yet.

The Social Butterfly Effect Podcast elevates the narratives of first-gen, second-gen, and diasporic creators and innovators all around the world. This podcast takes a deep dive into topics like - systemic racism in the educational system and workforce, different forms of colonialism faced at a young age, common stereotypes faced as a diaspora, first-gen, or second-gen, and lastly, we share advice on what to do when faced with expectations within a cultural and traditional value system that you may disagree with. By sharing these stories, we will all have the propensity to ripple through time and slowly, but surely, change the existing perceptions within the world. Welcome to The Social Butterfly Effect Experience.

In this welcome trailer, the host of The Social Butterfly Effect, Umbar Kassa introduces this podcast's purpose - The Social Butterfly Effect Podcast elevates the narratives of First-Generation, Second-Generation, and Diasporic creators and innovators all around the world.   The Social Butterfly Effect Podcast debuts on November 8th