Immigrant Stories | The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants

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From ICE Prosecutor to Humanigration with Attorney Veronica Cardenas - Ep. 140

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 140 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!

Veronica Cardenas, an immigration attorney and the daughter of immigrants from Colombia and Peru, shares how her upbringing and personal experiences shaped her passion for advocating for immigrant communities and helping non-citizens navigate the complex U.S. immigration system.

In this episode, Veronica reflects on growing up in a predominantly Italian-American neighborhood while balancing multiple cultural identities at home. She opens up about the challenges of cultural assimilation, the influence of her parents’ immigrant journeys, and how those experiences fueled her determination to pursue a career in law and advocacy.

Veronica takes us through her professional journey, from working as a prosecutor at the Department of Homeland Security to founding her own law firm. Today, her work focuses on educating and empowering immigrants by providing clear, accessible information about immigration law. Through her webinars, courses, and partnerships, she is committed to helping individuals understand their rights and opportunities within the immigration system.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Veronica Cardenas:

YouTube

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The Emotional Cost of the Immigration Experience with Ingrid Perez - Ep. 139

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 139 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!

Ingrid Perez, an immigration attorney and founder of IBP Immigration Law in Orlando, Florida, shares her journey from Brazil to the United States and how her immigrant experience shaped her path into law and advocacy.

In this episode, Ingrid reflects on her childhood in Brazil, her family’s move to New York in 1994, and the challenges of adapting to life in a new country. She opens up about the cultural adjustments, the determination it took to pursue higher education, and the lessons she learned while navigating unfamiliar systems as she built her future.

Ingrid takes us through her professional journey—from starting her legal career as a public defender to eventually specializing in immigration law and founding her own firm.

Today, she is dedicated to helping immigrants understand the complexities of the legal system and empowering them to advocate for themselves. Through her work, she continues to guide individuals and families as they navigate immigration processes and build their lives in the United States.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Ingrid Perez:

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For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

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From Mexico’s Newsroom, to Tech, to Storyteller. Mariana’s journey to the American Dream - Ep. 138

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 138 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!

Mariana Tinoco Rivera shares her journey from Mexico to the United States, where she now lives in Boston and works as a product manager in tech. From her early career as a journalist in Mexico City to pursuing graduate studies in publishing and writing, Mariana has built a global career that eventually led her to Google.

In this episode, Mariana reflects on her professional and personal transitions—from journalism to tech, and from life in Mexico to navigating corporate America. She opens up about the cultural adjustments she faced, from adapting to colder weather to understanding new workplace expectations and professional norms. Through each transition, she shares how resilience, curiosity, and adaptability shaped her path.

Mariana takes us through her journey from storyteller and journalist to tech professional and community builder. She shares her passion project, Arrival Pod, where she interviews first-generation immigrant women from around the world. Through these conversations, she highlights the shared themes of identity, belonging, and reinvention that connect immigrant experiences across cultures.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Mariana Tinoco Rivera:

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From Venezuela to Canada: A Story of Courage, Identity, and Starting Over - Ep. 137

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 137 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!

Mafe Salazar shares her journey from Venezuela to Canada, where she immigrated 11 years ago. What was meant to be a one-year adventure turned into a permanent move rooted in community, growth, and purpose. Today, Mafe is a podcast producer and host, helping others bring their voices to life.

In this episode, Mafe reflects on leaving Venezuela and navigating cultural adjustments in Canada, from adapting to the cold weather to understanding new social norms. She opens up about the importance of friendship and community in her decision to stay, as well as the reverse culture shock she experienced when visiting Venezuela years later.

Mafe takes us through her professional journey from working in the hospitality and accounting industries to building a business in podcast production. She shares how she launched her own show, From Tourist to Local, pivoted her business to focus fully on podcasting, and embraced entrepreneurship despite burnout and uncertainty. Through it all, she highlights the parallels between immigration and entrepreneurship—both require courage, reinvention, and stepping into a new identity.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Mafe:

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Your support helps cover production costs, ensuring we continue bringing powerful immigrant stories to life. And as a thank you, you'll get exclusive access to:
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Dr. Tiffany Oloke’s Immigrant Story of Resilience, Leadership, and Purpose - Ep. 136

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 136 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!

Dr. Tiffany Oloke shares her journey from Nigeria to the United States, where she has built a multifaceted career in supply chain, academia, and public speaking. Rooted in strong cultural values and shaped by both challenge and empowerment, Dr. Oloke’s story reflects resilience, purpose, and impact.

In this episode, Dr. Oloke reflects on her upbringing in Nigeria and what it meant to grow up as a female child in a culture where gender expectations can shape opportunity. She opens up about the powerful influence of her father, who intentionally empowered her and her sisters to pursue education, leadership, and independence. She also shares the cultural transitions she experienced moving to the U.S. and navigating new systems, expectations, and environments.

Dr. Oloke takes us through her professional journey in corporate America and academia, while also building meaningful platforms of impact. She shares about her podcast, The Chronicles of Choices, where she explores work-life balance, kindness, and family dynamics. She also discusses her nonprofit, Isaiah 117, which supports widows and their children. Through all her work, she emphasizes that true success is measured not by numbers, but by the lives you impact.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Dr. Tiffany Oloke

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If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

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*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

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Yaritza’s Story of Immigration: From Mexico to Florida, Family, and the American Dream - Ep. 135

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 135 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!

Yaritza, a stay-at-home mom and business owner in the construction industry, shares her journey from Mexico to the United States and how her immigration story shaped both her identity and her entrepreneurial path.

In this episode, Yaritza reflects on her early childhood in Mexico, her academic success, and the life-changing move to Florida with her family. She opens up about her first cultural shocks, the challenges of adapting to the American school system, and the emotional weight of navigating life as an undocumented immigrant. She also shares how the introduction of DACA in 2012 impacted her life and future opportunities.

Yaritza takes us through her evolution from student to stay-at-home mom to business owner in the construction industry. She shares how resilience, faith, and perseverance helped her overcome barriers and build something meaningful for her family. Through her story, we see how immigration policies, community support, and personal determination intersect to shape real lives.

With Love, Heidy

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

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Leaving Argentina at 18, Making Six-Figures and Losing It All with Denise - Ep. 134

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Mon, 2 Mar 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 134 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!

Denise, founder of The Brand Mob, shares her inspiring journey from immigrating to the United States from Argentina at 18 years old to building a six-figure branding and marketing business.

In this episode, Denise reflects on leaving Argentina as a teenager, navigating cultural shocks, and adjusting to life in a new country while figuring out who she wanted to become. She opens up about working three jobs when she first arrived, the pressure to succeed, and the resilience it took to build stability from scratch.

Denise takes us through her journey from freelancing in graphic design, web development, and social media marketing to growing The Brand Mob into a six-figure business. She shares the lessons she learned through rebranding, leading a team, and navigating major setbacks—including a failed restaurant investment during the pandemic. Through every challenge, Denise chose to pivot instead of quit, and today she is rebuilding, leading, and aiming for six figures again with greater clarity and confidence. Her immigrant experience continues to shape her work ethic, vision, and drive to help other entrepreneurs grow.

With Love, Heidy

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You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

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From Guyana to Corporate America: Redefining the American Dream with Rebecca Vera Cox- Ep. 133

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 133 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!

Rebecca Vera Cox, an HR executive and founder of Ventura Group, shares her inspiring journey from Guyana to the Cayman Islands and eventually to the United States, where she built a powerful career rooted in adaptability, leadership, and resilience.

In this episode, Rebecca reflects on her upbringing in Guyana, her early professional experiences abroad, and the courage it took to keep moving forward in pursuit of growth. She opens up about the cultural shocks she faced when transitioning to life and work in New York—especially around communication styles, workplace expectations, and navigating professional spaces as an immigrant woman.

Rebecca takes us through her career evolution from gaining international experience to establishing herself as a respected HR leader in the U.S. She shares how earning advanced HR certifications and a master’s degree in HR risk and compliance helped shape her leadership path, and how founding Ventura Group became a way to leverage her global perspective and professional expertise. Her immigrant identity continues to influence how she leads, builds relationships, and creates opportunities for others.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Rebecca Vieira Cox:

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You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

Start your podcast in 6-weeks or less with The V.O.I.C.E. Method Podcast Launch Course! Learn everything from tech, podcast hosting sites, editing, Podcast SEO, and more! Find out more information here. And if you refer a client to me and they sign up for 1:1 Podcast Launch Strategy, you will receive $50!

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Couldn’t be Jewish in Russia and Couldn’t be Russian in the United States - Ep. 132

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 132 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!

Irene Vaksberg shares her powerful journey from immigrating to the United States from the former Soviet Union at just 12 years old to building and rebuilding her life through entrepreneurship, resilience, and purpose-driven work.

In this episode, Irene reflects on growing up Jewish in the former Soviet Union, the discrimination and persecution her family faced, and the sacrifices her parents made to give their children a better future. She opens up about the cultural shock of arriving in the U.S., learning English, navigating reverse discrimination, and adapting to an entirely new way of life after years of scarcity and restriction.

Irene takes us through her journey from dreaming of becoming a hairdresser to building a successful salon business in Rhode Island, honoring her father’s legacy by putting his name in lights, before later moving to Los Angeles for new opportunities. She also shares how a life-altering car accident led her to discover neurological wearable technology, transforming her pain into a new mission to help others struggling with chronic pain and mental health challenges. Through it all, Irene’s immigrant identity and lived experiences continue to fuel her passion for inspiring others.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Irene Vaksberg:

YouTube

Looking for a tax preparer for the 2026 season? Get your taxes done with me and the Dedicated Tax Pros Family! Send me an email for a free estimate: delacruz.dedicatedtaxpros@gmail.com

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

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From Kurdistan to the United States: An Engineer’s Immigrant Journey of Resilience and Reinvention - Ep. 131

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 131 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!

Sairan Aqrawi shares her powerful journey from Northern Iraq to the United States, arriving in 1996 with big dreams, resilience, and determination. With over 30 years of engineering experience, Sairan has transitioned into coaching, helping women monetize their skills and step confidently into their purpose.

In this episode, Sairan reflects on her family background, her upbringing in Northern Iraq, and the realities of immigrating to a new country. She opens up about adapting to American culture, navigating language and cultural barriers, and the challenges of starting over while staying connected to her roots.

Sairan takes us through her journey from a long and successful engineering career to becoming a coach and strategist for women entrepreneurs. She shares her passion for empowering women to grow their businesses, particularly through LinkedIn and strategic visibility, and how her immigrant identity deeply influences her work today.

With Love, Heidy

P.S. Mention this episode and get a free 15-minute consultation with Sairan!

Connect with Sairan Aqrawi:

Looking for a tax preparer for the 2026 season? Get your taxes done with me and the Dedicated Tax Pros Family! Send me an email for a free estimate: delacruz.dedicatedtaxpros@gmail.com

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

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Building Financial Freedom with Arise Financial Coaching - Ep. 130

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 3 Feb 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 130 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!

Nicole Stanley, founder of Arise Financial Coaching, shares her powerful story as a Puerto Rican woman raised in Florida who turned personal financial struggle into a purpose-driven business helping hundreds of families take control of their money.

In this episode, Nicole reflects on her upbringing in a money-conscious Puerto Rican household, the financial stress she witnessed growing up, and how those early experiences shaped her relationship with money. She opens up about getting married at 22 with significant debt, cultural identity challenges, and the mindset shifts that helped her and her husband pay off $30,000 in debt in just 10 months.

Nicole takes us through her journey from initially pursuing a traditional professional path to discovering her passion for financial education and coaching. She shares how her own transformation led her to create Arise Financial Coaching, a business that has served over 600 clients since 2020, offering free workshops and personalized coaching to help people build stability, confidence, and long-term wealth. She also discusses how her immigrant identity and cultural background shape how she approaches money conversations today.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Nicole:

Threads

Looking for a tax preparer for the 2026 season? Get your taxes done with me and the Dedicated Tax Pros Family! Send me an email for a free estimate: delacruz.dedicatedtaxpros@gmail.com

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

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“The American Dream is Engraved in the Constitution” - Ep. 129

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 129 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!

Mohamed Mo Rachadi shares his journey from French Morocco to the United States, arriving in 1970 on a soccer scholarship with limited English and big dreams. Today, Mohammed is a retired academic, author, public speaker, and philanthropist, dedicated to storytelling, education, and community impact.

In this episode, Mohamed reflects on his early life in Morocco, his decision to immigrate, and the challenges he faced adjusting to American culture and language barriers. He opens up about the initial setbacks he encountered as a student, the persistence it took to adapt, and how resilience became the foundation of his success.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Mo:

Speaker Portfolio

Looking for a tax preparer for the 2026 season? Get your taxes done with me and the Dedicated Tax Pros Family! Send me an email for a free estimate: delacruz.dedicatedtaxpros@gmail.com

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

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Navigating Identity, Expectations, and Entrepreneurship as a First-Gen Immigrant - Ep. 128

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 128 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!

Claudia Garcia, a first-generation immigrant and online business coach, shares her journey growing up in Los Banos, California, navigating responsibility at a young age, and ultimately building a business rooted in freedom, mindset, and generational change.

In this episode, Claudia reflects on her childhood as a first-generation daughter, translating for her parents, helping her family navigate systems, and experiencing financial hardship. She opens up about the pressure to succeed, the realities of growing up with limited resources, and how those early experiences shaped her work ethic and desire to create a different future.

Claudia takes us through her transition from the classroom to entrepreneurship, leaving teaching to become an online business coach. She shares how her mission is centered on breaking cycles of burnout, long work hours, and financial instability. Through her coaching programs and her podcast, Breakthrough and Conquer, she empowers others to build successful businesses using mindset shifts, productivity strategies, and intentional action.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Claudia:

Looking for a tax preparer for the 2026 season? Get your taxes done with me and the Dedicated Tax Pros Family! Send me an email for a free estimate: delacruz.dedicatedtaxpros@gmail.com

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

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Unapologetically First Gen with Lesley and Stacy - Ep. 127

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 127 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!

Lesley and Stacy, sisters and first-generation Americans, share their experiences growing up in an immigrant household shaped by their Azorean heritage. From navigating bicultural identities to redefining parenting, mental health, and success, they offer two distinct yet deeply connected perspectives on the first-generation experience.

In this episode, Lesley and Stacy reflect on their upbringing, the influence of an eight-year age gap, and how cultural expectations shaped their roles within the family. They open up about being raised between two cultures, the responsibilities placed on first-generation children, and the differences in parenting styles—highlighting how each sister experienced their childhood in unique ways.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Lesley and Stacy:

***I’m excited to share a trailer for The Grad School Femtoring Podcast, hosted by Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu. This award-winning show supports first-gen BIPOC students and professionals in navigating grad school, careers, and productivity in sustainable, values-aligned ways. Give it a listen and grab Yvette’s free Sustainable Productivity Playbook plus curated podcast playlist here: https://creative-trailblazer-5062.kit.com/29b17bb6a4

Looking for a tax preparer for the 2026 season? Get your taxes done with me and the Dedicated Tax Pros Family! Send me an email for a free estimate: delacruz.dedicatedtaxpros@gmail.com

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

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The Unspoken Truth about Loneliness in Immigration - Ep. 126

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 6 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 126 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!

Valentina Rivera shares her journey as a Colombian immigrant who moved to the United States at just 12 years old, navigating cultural shock, identity shifts, and the emotional complexities of growing up between two worlds. Today, she is also a fellow podcaster and the creator of Doce, a space dedicated to immigrant voices and healing through shared stories.

In this episode, Valentina reflects on her childhood in Colombia, her move to New York, and the challenges of adapting to a new culture at such a young age. She opens up about the loneliness, identity confusion, and mental health struggles that often accompany the immigrant experience, as well as the deep importance of finding community and belonging.

Valentina takes us through her journey into podcasting and storytelling, sharing how Doce was created as a platform for immigrants to feel seen, heard, and less alone. She speaks passionately about the power of storytelling, the role of community in healing, and why creating spaces for candid conversations about immigration matters now more than ever.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Valentina Rivera:

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If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

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Amplifying Underrepresented Voices: George Torres and Siembra Connect’s Mission- Ep. 125

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 125 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!

George Torres, also known as Urban Jibaro, shares his journey as a digital pioneer in the Latino community, from launching Sofrito for Your Soul in 1997 to creating Siembra Connect, a platform dedicated to amplifying creators of color—especially Latinos—across the digital landscape.

In this episode, George reflects on his early work building online spaces long before social media existed, including websites that offered cultural content, email access, and event information for the Latino community. He opens up about growing up between New York and Puerto Rico, the cultural richness of living in diverse communities, and how those experiences shaped his commitment to community-building and storytelling.

George takes us through his evolution as a creator, from founding one of the earliest Latino digital hubs to his ongoing work in environmental justice and community empowerment in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. He shares his passion for sustainable digital spaces, uplifting creators of color, and creating platforms where community, culture, and connection come first.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Urban Jibaro:

Get George’s Book: https://stan.store/siembraconnect/p/reclaiming-your-creativity-after-burnout-workbook

Looking for a tax preparer for the 2026 season? Get your taxes done with me and the Dedicated Tax Pros Family! Send me an email for a free estimate: delacruz.dedicatedtaxpros@gmail.com

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

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Navigating Rejection, Gender Bias, and Building Her Own Path with Relentless Latina - Ep. 124

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 124 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!

Fernanda Soriano shares her journey from Puebla, Mexico, to the United States—opening up about her childhood experiences, her pursuit of independence, and the twists and turns that shaped her path into engineering, project management, and eventually, financial education for Latinas.

In this episode, Fernanda reflects on her upbringing in Mexico, the domestic violence she survived, and the determination that fueled her desire for a different life. She opens up about entering the engineering field, facing gender discrimination, unequal pay, and the challenges of navigating a male-dominated industry. These experiences ultimately led her to shift into project management, where she found more alignment and opportunity.

Fernanda takes us through the creation of Relentless Latina, her platform dedicated to teaching financial literacy and building wealth in the Latina community. She shares her passion for helping women understand money, invest confidently, and break generational cycles. She also discusses her U.S. citizenship journey, the emotional impact of COVID-19 restrictions on seeing her family, and how those moments strengthened her commitment to empowering others.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Fernanda Soriano:

Looking for a tax preparer for the 2026 season? Get your taxes done with me and the Dedicated Tax Pros Family! Send me an email for a free estimate: delacruz.dedicatedtaxpros@gmail.com

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

And if you refer a client to me and they sign up for 1:1 Podcast Launch Coaching, you will receive $50!

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Staying Connected With Our Ancestors With Transformational Coach Wendy Amara - Ep. 123

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 123 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!

Wendy Amara shares her family’s story of immigration from Guatemala, her upbringing in the San Fernando Valley of California, and how her lived experiences shaped her journey into becoming a strategic life and business coach for Latinas.

In this episode, Wendy reflects on her parents’ immigration story, the cultural contrasts between Guatemala and the United States, and the realities of growing up in poverty. She opens up about the influence of her parents’ political views, the challenges of navigating two cultures, and the early experiences that helped her develop a strong sense of identity and purpose.

Wendy takes us through her path from a corporate career to the transformational coaching world. She shares how doing deep inner work and developing self-awareness changed her life, ultimately inspiring her to help others do the same. Today, she leads impactful group coaching programs, a mastermind for Latinas, and hosts her own podcast, Yes, Mujer, Build It, where she helps women tap into Source energy and create the lives they envision.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Wendy Amara:

Looking for a tax preparer for the 2026 season? Get your taxes done with me and the Dedicated Tax Pros Family! Send me an email for a free estimate: delacruz.dedicatedtaxpros@gmail.com

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

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1951 Coffee Company with Doug Hewitt - Ep. 122

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 9 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 122 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!

Doug Hewitt shares his journey from Tennessee to California, his transformative years in China, and how those experiences ultimately inspired him to co-found 1951 Coffee Company, a nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to supporting refugees and immigrants as they rebuild their lives in the United States.

In this episode, Doug reflects on his upbringing, his early fascination with languages, and the cultural shocks he experienced while studying in China. He opens up about the challenges of navigating a new country without speaking the language, the moments that shaped his worldview, and how these experiences sparked his passion for helping newcomers find stability and opportunity in the U.S.

Doug takes us through the creation and growth of 1951 Coffee Company, from its founding in 2015 to its impact today—training over 400 baristas, hiring more than 75 immigrants and refugees, and helping graduates launch their own coffee businesses. He shares how the company’s mission is rooted in empowerment, dignity, and self-determination, and how he continues to be inspired by the resilience and drive of the communities he serves.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Doug:

Looking for a tax preparer for the 2026 season? Get your taxes done with the Dedicated Tax Pros Family and me! Send me an email for a free estimate: delacruz.dedicatedtaxpros@gmail.com

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

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The Power of Community in the Immigrant Experience with Nadine Huggins - Ep. 121

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 2 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 121 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!

Nadine Huggins shares her journey from Trinidad and Tobago to the United States, reflecting on her bicultural upbringing, her family’s move back to the U.S., and the path that led her to her work in immigration law, social work, and immigrant empowerment today.

In this episode, Nadine reflects on her childhood in Trinidad, her family’s values, and the experience of navigating two cultures. She opens up about the challenges of returning to the U.S. in the 1980s, the cultural differences she faced, and the pivotal moments that shaped her understanding of her identity as an immigrant.

Nadine takes us through her journey from working at CUNY Citizenship Now—an Immigration Law Clinic where she witnessed firsthand the struggles immigrants face—to becoming a social worker in a pediatric hospital specializing in oncology and cardiology. She shares her passion for her blog and Instagram platform, where she provides accurate information, support, and community for immigrants navigating complex systems. Her mission is to empower, educate, and uplift immigrants by providing a safe space where they feel seen and supported.

To Nadine, the American Dream means access and opportunity—the ability to build a life filled with possibility despite the barriers, challenges, and systemic issues many immigrants face.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Nadine:

Looking for a tax preparer for the 2026 season? Get your taxes done with me and the Dedicated Tax Pros Family! Send me an email for a free estimate: delacruz.dedicatedtaxpros@gmail.com

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

And if you refer a client to me and they sign up for 1:1 Podcast Launch Coaching, you will receive $50!

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Lonnie’s Immigration Story: Finding Identity, Healing From Loss, and Rebuilding Home - Ep. 120

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 120 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!

Lonnie Mitchell shares her journey from Ireland to the United States, where her family moved in search of better economic opportunities after winning the green card lottery. Today, Lonnie is a life coach who helps women in entrepreneurship and motherhood find inner peace, confidence, and authenticity through self-development and healing.

In this episode, Lonnie reflects on her family’s immigration story, from their early years adapting to American culture to maintaining their strong Irish roots. She opens up about the cultural shocks her family faced, including differences in education, communication styles, and social expectations. Lonnie also shares heartfelt memories of her father, whose hard work and resilience deeply shaped her values and purpose.

Lonnie takes us through her personal healing journey following her father’s passing—a pivotal time that led her to discover her true calling as a life coach. She describes her transition from working as a business analyst to creating Weightless Warrior, a podcast and platform dedicated to helping women release emotional burdens, embrace self-love, and live with purpose.

To Lonnie, the American Dream means having the opportunity to pursue your dreams—both personal and professional—and to create a life rooted in freedom, growth, and authenticity.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Lonnie:

Looking for a tax preparer for the 2026 season? Get your taxes done with me and the Dedicated Tax Pros Family! Send me an email for a free estimate: delacruz.dedicatedtaxpros@gmail.com

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

And if you refer a client to me and they sign up for 1:1 Podcast Launch Coaching, you will receive $50!

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Healing Across Continents: Noor’s Journey Through Immigration, Identity, and Mental Health - Ep. 119

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 119 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!

Noor shares her journey from Yemen to the United States, after living in Saudi Arabia and Norway. She opens up about the cultural and social challenges she faced—from navigating restrictive environments for women to experiencing culture shock as a young immigrant—and how these experiences shaped her strength, independence, and purpose.

In this episode, Noor reflects on her family’s multicultural background and her early years marked by constant relocation. She opens up about the mental and emotional challenges of growing up under strict parental control while adapting to an entirely new culture in America. Noor discusses how these experiences led her to deeply value education, self-awareness, and the freedom to make her own choices.

Noor takes us through her journey from an ambitious student finding her voice to a business owner in digital marketing and sales, empowering others through her work. She shares her passion for self-empowerment and personal growth, and how embracing her immigrant identity has become central to the mission she carries today.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Noor:

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

And if you refer a client to me and they sign up for 1:1 Podcast Launch Coaching, you will receive $50!

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From studying Law in the Dominican Republic to Immigration Attorney in the US - Ep. 118

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 118 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!

Jennifer Quezada shares her inspiring journey from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to becoming a U.S. attorney dedicated to serving the immigrant community.

In this episode, Jennifer reflects on her childhood in the Dominican Republic, her decision to pursue higher education in the United States, and the challenges she faced adjusting to a new culture and legal system. She opens up about the cultural shocks she experienced—from the fast-paced American lifestyle to the differences in community dynamics—and how those experiences strengthened her resilience and determination.

Jennifer takes us through her path from studying law in the Dominican Republic to earning her credentials in the U.S. and establishing her career as an immigration attorney. She shares her passion for helping others navigate the complex immigration system and correcting misconceptions about what the process truly entails.

To Jennifer, the American Dream means having the opportunity to pursue one’s personal dreams in a way that is safe and brings benefit to others.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Attorney Jennifer:

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

And if you refer a client to me and they sign up for 1:1 Podcast Launch Coaching, you will receive $50!

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Art, Motherhood, and Self-Deportation: Yazmin Garcia’s Immigration Story - Ep. 117

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 4 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 117 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!

Yazmin Garcia shares her inspiring journey from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, to building a creative life and business in the United States. Yazmin moved to the U.S. at just two years old and grew up navigating the challenges of immigration, identity, and belonging—all while nurturing a deep love for art and community.

In this episode, Yazmin reflects on her childhood in Mexico, her family’s move to Las Vegas, and the complex process of obtaining residency that deeply shaped her outlook on life. She opens up about leaving the U.S. at seventeen to finalize her residency, her struggles with depression and imposter syndrome, and the healing she found through therapy, creativity, and connection.

Yazmin takes us through her journey from a young woman balancing work, school, and motherhood to becoming the founder of Sagrado Arte Studio, where her artwork—focused on women’s empowerment and mental health—has been featured in the mayor’s museum and at the Mexican Consulate in Las Vegas. She shares how her art has become both a personal outlet and a bridge to uplift her community.

To Yazmin, the American Dream means finding peace, creativity, and community while embracing her identity as a Mexican-American artist and mother.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Yazmin:

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

Website: https://businesscoachingresults.com/

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

And if you refer a client to me and they sign up for 1:1 Podcast Launch Coaching, you will receive $50!

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“From the Border to the Boardroom” - with Griselda Abousleman - Ep. 116

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 116 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!

Griselda Abousleman shares her inspiring journey from growing up in Brownsville, Texas, as the daughter of immigrant parents, to becoming a business advisor, career coach, and author.

In this episode, Griselda reflects on her family’s migration story, the challenges she faced in her early years, and how education became a powerful pathway for her future. She opens up about her time at Stanford, the resilience and optimism that guided her through obstacles, and the role her family’s support played in her success.

Griselda takes us through her journey from student to professional, highlighting her work in supporting women in STEM and her mission to empower others through business coaching. She shares the story behind her book, “From the Border to the Boardroom,” and the lessons she hopes readers take away.

To Griselda, the American Dream means resilience, family, and creating opportunities for others.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Griselda:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/griselda.excellence/

*From the Border to the Boardroom Book

*Affiliate link for the book

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

And if you refer a client to me and they sign up for 1:1 Podcast Launch Coaching, you will receive $50!

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From Taiwan to Brooklyn to Volunteering with Refugees with Jenny Chau - Ep. 115

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 115 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!

Jenny Chau shares her journey from Taiwan to Brooklyn, where she navigated cultural transition, religious conversion, and a calling to serve others.

In this episode, Jenny reflects on her family’s move from rural Taiwan to the diverse neighborhoods of Brooklyn, motivated by her mother’s career aspirations. She opens up about the cultural shock of adapting to a new environment, her path from a career in software consulting to missionary work, and how her faith became the foundation for her life’s mission.

Jenny takes us through her passion for service, highlighting her volunteer work with Bethany Christian Services, where she supported refugee families. She shares her personal connection to the refugee experience through her grandmother’s story and explains how those experiences deepened her commitment to walking alongside others in their transitions.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Jenny:

Contact Your Representative

Donate to Abara

Donate to Orlando Center for Justice

Donate to Bethany Christian Services

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

Website: https://latinatraveller.com/

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

And if you refer a client to me and they sign up for 1:1 Podcast Launch Coaching, you will receive $50!

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The Latina Traveler: First-Gen Latina Living Outside the U.S. with Flavia Cornejo Ep. 114

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 114 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!

Flavia shares her journey as a first-generation Peruvian American, raised in New Jersey, who has built a life abroad while empowering other Latinas to travel.

In this episode, Flavia reflects on her upbringing, the cultural shift of moving from a diverse school to a predominantly white one, and how her frequent visits to Peru kept her connected to her roots. She opens up about the challenges and opportunities of pursuing her master’s degree in Barcelona, her decision to settle in Portugal, and the pivotal experiences that shaped her resilience and passion for travel.

Flavia takes us through her journey from education to creating her travel brand, Latina Traveler, which offers solo and group trips designed specifically for Latinas. She shares why solo travel is so powerful for women, how community is central to her mission, and how her immigrant identity fuels the work she does today.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Flavia Cornejo:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/latinatraveler/

Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/7kTBewgznP0swMF2fEWC6o

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

And if you refer a client to me and they sign up for 1:1 Podcast Launch Coaching, you will receive $50!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Living Child-Free and Founding Latina In Podcasting with Paulette Erato Ep. 113

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 7 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 113 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!

Paulette Erato, host of the La Vida Mas Chevere podcast and founder of Latinas in Podcasting, shares her unique perspective as the daughter of a Mexican mother and Puerto Rican father. Growing up in Los Angeles, Paulette navigated her multicultural background while finding her voice and later made the life-changing decision to move to Puerto Rico with her husband.

In this episode, Paulette reflects on her family’s heritage and how her Mexican and Puerto Rican roots shaped her identity. She opens up about cultural shocks she experienced after moving to Puerto Rico, from navigating healthcare and high taxes to adapting to different systems and how those challenges built resilience and deepened her appreciation for community.

Paulette takes us through her journey from growing up in Los Angeles to building a platform for child-free Latinas with her podcast, La Vida Mas Chevere. She also shares the story behind founding Latinas in Podcasting, a growing community designed to provide support, resources, and collaboration opportunities for Latinas in the podcasting industry. Through both platforms, Paulette is breaking stereotypes, challenging norms, and creating space for authentic voices to thrive.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Paulette:

Latinas In Podcasting Virtual Summit

The virtual summit link is an affiliate link :)

Listen to Paulette’s Mom’s Episode

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From Practicing Law in Colombia to Becoming an Immigration Attorney in the US with Milenia Portillo Ep. 112

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 112 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!

Milena Portillo shares her journey from Colombia to the United States, where she has built a career as an immigration attorney dedicated to helping others navigate the system she once had to adapt to herself.

In this episode, Milena reflects on her family background in Colombia, her early experiences with cultural adaptation, and the challenges she faced adjusting to a new language, community, and legal system. She opens up about the struggles of reestablishing her law career in the U.S., the hurdles of law school and the bar exam, and how those pivotal moments shaped her resilience and determination.

Milena takes us through her journey from practicing law in Colombia to working as a paralegal, then becoming a licensed immigration attorney in the U.S. She shares how she built her boutique law firm in Orlando and Plant City, Florida, the types of cases she specializes in, and why integrity and community connection are at the heart of her work.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Milena Portillo:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abogadadeinmigracion1/

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Multicultural Identity and Faith: Exploring the Book of Ruth with Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young Ep. 111

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 111 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!

Dorina Gilmore-Young shares her story of growing up in a multicultural family in Chicago and how her background continues to shape her work today as a writer, speaker, podcaster, and Bible study author.

In this episode, Dorina reflects on her upbringing in a biracial family with Italian and Filipino roots, and the traditions that kept her grounded in her heritage—from making Italian pastries at Christmas to celebrating Lunar New Year with her Chinese American husband’s family. She opens up about how food, family, and culture helped her embrace her identity and see being multicultural as a true gift.

Dorina takes us through her journey as a journalist and teacher to becoming a full-time writer and Bible study author. She shares about her latest project, Redeemer, a Bible study on the book of Ruth, and how Ruth’s story of loss and redemption resonates deeply with her own experiences of grief and healing. Dorina also offers a glimpse into her upcoming projects, including fiction writing and a new podcast.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young:

Redeemer Bible Study (link is an affiliate link - I may receive a small commission if purchased through this link. Thank you.)

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

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Immigrant Stories: Growing up in a Mixed-Household - Korean & Black with Latasha Ferguson Ep. 110

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 110 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!

Latasha Ferguson shares her story as an Orlando native, mother of four, educator, and entrepreneur who grew up in a culturally diverse military family with a Korean mother and a Black father. Her journey of navigating identity, belonging, and resilience has shaped the work she does today.

In this episode, Latasha reflects on her early experiences growing up on a military base and later moving to a racially divided small town in Florida. She opens up about the challenges of finding her place as a mixed-race child, the impact of early motherhood, and the powerful lessons she learned about perseverance, community, and self-acceptance.

Latasha takes us through her journey from becoming a teacher at just 21 years old to her current role as Director of Instruction, mentoring school leaders. She also shares her entrepreneurial venture, Mahogany Table, a space she founded to support and empower Black women professionals. Her story is one of embracing identity, creating community, and building spaces of belonging.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with LaTasha:

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From The Dirt Road In Brazil to Medical Billing in the US with Janete Teixeira-Parente Ep. 109

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 9 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 109 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!

Janete Teixeira-Parente shares her inspiring journey from a small town in South Brazil to building a new life in the United States.

Janete reflects on her childhood in Brazil, where she faced challenges growing up with an alcoholic father and the tough love that shaped her early years. She opens up about the turning point that inspired her to move to the U.S., being denied a job because she didn’t speak English, and how what began as a one-year plan turned into a lifelong journey of growth and opportunity.

Janete takes us through her journey from navigating cultural and language barriers to establishing her own medical billing company. She also shares about her book, The Dirt Road, which tells her life story and is published in both English and Portuguese. Through her story, Janete highlights resilience, gratitude, and the power of faith, reminding us that the American Dream is not about where you start but who you become along the way.

With Love, Heidy

Buy Janete’s Book:

The Dirt Road - (this is an affiliate link)

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Immigration Law & Social Media: How Attorney Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez Embraces Social Media to Help Clients - Ep. 108

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 2 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 108 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!

Attorney Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez shares her journey as the daughter of Iranian immigrants who grew up in Texas and went on to become an immigration attorney.

Saman reflects on her upbringing in East Texas, where cultural differences and her choice to wear the hijab exposed her to discrimination and racism. She opens up about navigating those challenges, including the impact of 9/11 on her early career, and how those experiences fueled her determination to fight for justice and advocate for immigrant rights.

Saman takes us through her journey from accelerated academics and struggles in law school to eventually founding her own immigration law firm, now known as the US Immigration Law Council. She shares how she built her practice from the ground up, her advocacy through social media, and her passion for educating the public about immigration law. Through her work, she continues to help thousands of clients pursue their American dreams while breaking down misconceptions about immigrants and immigration reform.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Attorney Saman:

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International Living: Embracing Cultural Differences and Finding Your Place With Doreen - Ep. 107

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 107 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!

Doreen Cumberford shares her incredible journey of someone who has lived in eight countries—including Scotland, the United States, Japan, and Saudi Arabia—and is now enjoying life in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

Doreen reflects on her family background and her many moves across the globe. She opens up about the cultural adaptations she’s made, the language skills she’s developed, and the challenges of returning “home” after years of living abroad. These experiences shaped her resilience and her ability to embrace change while staying true to who she is.

Doreen takes us through her journey of becoming a podcaster and author. She shares about her podcast, Nomadic Diaries, her book, Life in the Camel Lane, and her current project, Unsettled, which explores the emotional complexities of repatriation. Through her work, Doreen encourages others to stand out, embrace their uniqueness, and find strength in their immigrant and expatriate experiences.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Doreen:

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https://www.gicelaholguin.com/

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From Deportation to Empowering Latinas to Find Their Strengths with Gicela - Ep. 106

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 106 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!

Gicela Holguin Tangarife shares her moving story of growing up in Colombia, moving to the United States, later immigrating to Canada, and navigating the emotional and legal complexities of her family’s deportation. As a holistically embodied business coach, Gicela integrates her personal journey into her professional mission—helping women grow their businesses by addressing the cultural, social, and emotional layers of entrepreneurship.

Gicela reflects on her early childhood in Colombia, the sacrifices her parents made to create a better future, and the emotional toll of being separated from loved ones, including her grandmother. She shares vivid memories of adapting to life in Houston, experiencing the culture shock of moving to Canada, and the sudden, painful experience of deportation.

Gicela also opens up about life in a halfway house, the unexpected kindness of strangers, and the powerful role of community support in helping immigrants rebuild. She explains how these experiences inspired her to create her unique business method, which blends personal healing with professional growth.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Gicela:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gicelaholguin/

Website:

Free masterclass: Becoming- From Eviction Notice to CEO

https://www.gicelaholguin.com/becoming-from-eviction-notice-to-ceo

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Latina in Law and Embracing Latinidad After Adoption with Heather Reese - Ep. 105

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 105 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!

Heather Reese shares her inspiring story of being adopted from Peru into a Jewish family in the United States and how her identity, upbringing, and determination led her to become a personal injury attorney, model, activist, and content creator in Philadelphia.

In this episode, Heather reflects on her upbringing in Delaware and Pennsylvania, her parents' openness about her Peruvian heritage, and her cultural awakening in seventh grade, when she began to embrace her Latinidad. She also discusses navigating law school as one of the few Latinas, the impact of mentorship on her legal career, and her decision to utilize her platform to create visibility for Latino-owned businesses and professionals.

Heather takes us through her modeling journey, the launch of her Hispanic Heritage Month content series, and how that project has now featured over 50 Latino and Latina businesses. She shares her passion for mentorship, her commitment to community building, and her vision of helping the next generation of Latina women achieve their dreams.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Heather:

Threads

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Make a one-time donation here

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Charlando con Teresa Foster: Immigrant Community Advocate and Educator - Ep. 104

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 5 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 104 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!

Teresa Foster shares her inspiring story of growing up in Mexico, moving to the United States, and dedicating her life to serving the immigrant community. She opens up about her name change from Teresa de Jesus Oviedo Perez to Teresa Foster and how cultural traditions around naming impacted her own journey and the work she now does advising other immigrants.

In this episode, Teresa reflects on her happy childhood in Mexico, her family’s move to Mexico City for better educational opportunities, and the cultural adjustments she faced after moving to the U.S. She talks about learning English, embracing a new culture in California, and eventually becoming a trusted immigration consultant in Napa Valley—helping families navigate complex U.S. immigration systems and reunite with their loved ones.

Teresa also shares her passion for community work, including her role on the Board of Trustees at Queen of the Valley Medical Center, her efforts to make services more accessible for Latino families, and her advocacy for bilingual education and mental health awareness. Through her TV show, Charlando con Teresa Foster (which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary), and her ongoing volunteer work, she uses her voice to educate and uplift the community she loves.

To Teresa, the American Dream is about setting goals, pursuing education, and creating opportunities not just for yourself, but for the generations to come.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Teresa Foster:

Charlando Con Teresa

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My 17-Year Green Card Journey! With Immigration Attorney Daven Ghandi- Ep. 103

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 103 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!

Daven Ghandi is an immigration attorney who immigrated to the United States from Malaysia as a teenager. Daven shares what it was like growing up in Malaysia as a minority, navigating the country’s racial quota system, and how those early experiences shaped his perspective on immigration, advocacy, and justice.

We talk about his journey as an international student, the cultural shocks of moving to Wisconsin, and how he ultimately found a sense of belonging in the fast-paced New York City. Daven walks us through his 17-year journey to obtaining a green card and the complexities of U.S. immigration law—especially during the Trump presidency.

As the founder of Kaza Law, Daven now works with a wide range of clients, helping them find hope, clarity, and empowerment through legal guidance. He also shares his aspirations of starting a family and expanding his firm to reach and uplift even more immigrant voices.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Daven Ghandi:

TikTok
Instagram

YouTube:

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When to Hire a Bookkeeper & Growing up with Jamaican Parents - Ep. 102

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 102 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!

Savohna Reid, a professional bookkeeper and founder of Reid Bookkeeping and Business Solutions, joined me to share what it was like growing up in Massachusetts with a Jamaican father and an American mother, and how their cultural differences shaped her perspective on life, business, and success.

We talk about her visits to Jamaica, the deep sense of community she experiences there, and how it contrasts with the fast-paced culture of the U.S. Savohna offers relatable stories, from shopping at island markets to understanding the immigrant mindset—and how resilience and a strong work ethic are often the foundation of immigrant-owned businesses.

As a bookkeeper working with clients ranging from real estate investors to manufacturers, Savohna provides practical financial advice for business owners, emphasizing the importance of saving receipts and staying on top of financial reports. Her insights are grounded in her passion for helping others stay financially organized, enabling them to grow their businesses with clarity and confidence.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Savohna:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/savohna-reid/

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If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

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*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

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The Immigration Experience from Argentina to Canada with Steph Wharton - Ep. 101

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 101 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!

I sit down with Steph Wharton, a leadership and visibility coach who immigrated to Canada from Argentina with her family. Steph shares her vivid childhood memories of Argentina and the economic instability that pushed her family to seek new opportunities in a different country. From navigating culture shock to overcoming language barriers, Steph opens up about what it really means to start over—and how those experiences shaped the work she does today.

We also discuss her transition from the corporate world to entrepreneurship, how burnout led her to pursue a more meaningful path, and her mission to amplify Latinx voices in the entrepreneurial sphere. Steph is the founder of the Latinx Speaker Directory, a platform designed to increase representation and provide Latina speakers with the visibility they deserve on stages and in leadership roles.

Her story is filled with heart, community, resilience, and a reminder that even in the face of challenge, we have the power to choose how we show up in the world.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Steph Wharton:

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

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*This podcast is sponsored by

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Make a one-time donation here

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Fearing Bravely and Loving Our Neighbors Well with Catherine McNiel- Ep. 100

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 8 Jul 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 100 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!

Catherine McNeil, author of Fearing Bravely, joins me for episode 100! Catherine shares her journey as a writer and a faith-driven advocate for immigrants, and we dive into the powerful themes of her book—what it really means to love our neighbors, even when they’re strangers or perceived as enemies.

Catherine challenges the fear-based narratives that are often in the conversations around immigration. Instead, she calls for a return to compassion, truth, and biblical hospitality. She debunks common myths about immigrants, reminding us that, statistically, immigrant communities are not only peaceful but often safer. Through our conversation, she invites listeners to think deeply about how love, not fear, should be at the center of how we welcome others.

I’ll be honest, her book had me questioning if I, too, am loving my neighbor well.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Catherine:

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

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Overcoming Microaggressions While Navigating Two Cultures with Dr. Lissette Sanchez - Ep. 99

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 1 Jul 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 99 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!

Dr. Lissette Sanchez, a licensed psychologist, speaker, and writer, shares her story of growing up in Los Angeles as the daughter of immigrant parents from Mexico and El Salvador. She reflects on her multicultural upbringing, how her family’s values shaped her, and the cultural blend that defined her identity.

Dr. Sanchez opens up about the emotional and cultural challenges she faced as a first-generation college student, including the feeling of being “othered” while attending college in San Diego. Dr. Sanchez highlights how academic pressures, class differences, and microaggressions affected her mental health—and how she found strength through community and representation.

Dr. Sanchez also talks about the profound impact of visiting Mexico and El Salvador, reconnecting with her roots, and how those experiences deepened her understanding of heritage and belonging. Today, she works to support first-generation professionals and college students, helping them navigate intergenerational trauma, cultural identity, and the impostor phenomenon.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Dr. Lisette Sanchez:

Website: https://www.calatheawellness.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefirstgenpsychologist/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefirstgenpsychologist/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thefirstgenpsychologist

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

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*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

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Yo Quiero Dinero with Jannese Torres - Ep. 98

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 98 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!

Jannese Torres shares her powerful story of growing up as a Puerto Rican in New Jersey and how her identity, upbringing, and ambition led her to become a personal finance educator, content creator, podcaster, and now author of the best-selling book Financially Lit: The Modern Latina’s Guide to Level Up Your Dinero and Become Financially Poderosa.

In this episode, Jannese reflects on what it was like being the eldest daughter in a Puerto Rican household, her parents’ move from the island in search of better opportunities, and the deep responsibility she felt to make their sacrifices worth it. She also opens up about the educational disparities she noticed after entering college and how that fueled her to push even harder.

Jannese takes us through her journey from getting her master’s degree and climbing the corporate ladder to launching her food blog, eventually quitting her six-figure job, and building not one but two successful online businesses. She talks about founding the Yo Quiero Dinero podcast in 2019, writing her book in Puerto Rico during a major life transition, and the mindset shift that helped her break free from the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle.

To Jannese, the American Dream means no longer just surviving—but thriving. It's about becoming the most fully expressed version of yourself in honor of the generations who made your path possible.

With Love, Heidy

P.S. This post contains product affiliate links. I may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links.

Connect with Jannese:

Website: https://yoquierodineropodcast.com

Book: https://financiallylitbook.com

Podcast: Yo Quiero Dinero

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoquierodineropodcast

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

Your support helps cover production costs, ensuring we continue bringing powerful immigrant stories to life. And as a thank you, you'll get exclusive access to:✨ Behind-the-scenes content🎙️ Special Q&A sessions with me🔓 Bonus insights you won’t hear anywhere else!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

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For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

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Growing Up Indian in Philadelphia and Embracing Two Cultures with Mayble- Ep. 97

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 97 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!

Mayble shares her immigrant journey from Kerala, India, to the United States—a journey that began at just five years old when her family relocated to North Carolina in 1993. With deep family ties to the nursing profession and a dream for more opportunities, Maybe’s family moved due to the nursing shortage at the time.

Growing up in Philadelphia, Mayble navigated the duality of Indian traditions and American culture—attending Indian church on weekends and embracing school life with her American peers. She opens up about early identity challenges, like having to explain her South Asian background during childhood, and how her upbringing blended two worlds into one authentic voice.

Today, Mayble is a Family Nurse Practitioner and the proud owner of Emerald Lux Medical Spa in Florida, which she launched in October 2020 during the pandemic. She shares how her journey through biology, nursing, and a love for aesthetics led her to entrepreneurship.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Mayble:

Website: https://www.emeraldluxemedicalspa.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emeraldluxemedicalspa/

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

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The Immigrant Experience Beyond the U.S: Leaving Hong Kong for the UK at 15 - Ep. 96

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 96 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!

Summie shares her immigrant journey from Hong Kong to the United Kingdom, a journey that began when she courageously chose to leave home at the age of 15 to attend boarding school in the UK. With her parents’ support and a close friend by her side, she stepped into a completely new environment that brought both freedom and challenges.

So, yes, this episode isn’t about immigration to the U.S., but it also shows how the United States isn’t the only country people migrate to-as some believe. Summie opens up about the major culture shocks she experienced, the emotional weight of missing family traditions, and the complex identity struggles she faced when returning to Hong Kong. She also shares how her experiences in both the Hong Kong and UK education systems shaped her view on curiosity, confidence, and success.

Lastly, Summie offers a special gift to listeners: a career change workbook, a confidence-building workshop, and a one-hour free coaching consultation. All of this can be found on her website; the link is below.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Summie:

Website: https://www.summieyeung.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/summieyeung/

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From South Africa to the U.S. to Canada with TEDx Speaker Irma Goosen - Ep. 95

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 3 Jun 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 95 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!

Irma Goosen shares her immigrant journey from South Africa to the United States. She talks about growing up in a country filled with racial tension and violence, and the traumatic attack at her daughter’s daycare that pushed her and her family to leave everything behind and seek safety in Houston, Texas.

Irma opens up about the challenges of adapting to American culture, navigating the immigration process, and the emotional toll of starting over from scratch. Today, she uses her experience to empower immigrant youth through coaching—helping them find their voice, gain confidence, and share their own stories.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Irma:

Website: https://www.irmagoosen.com/

TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/5zMHiihyGqI?si=YtvIWQZdRHtjt_Db

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Navigating Immigration, Racism & Entrepreneurship: Webly’s Journey to Success - Ep. 94

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 27 May 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 94 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!

Webley Alfred shares her immigrant journey from Haiti to the United States, achieving a degree from Boston University funded through MIT’s tuition reimbursement program. Webley opens up about the beautiful Haiti of her childhood, the traumatic event that led her to stay in the U.S., and the challenges she faced adjusting to a new culture—especially as a Black immigrant woman.

Lastly, she shares how she helps entrepreneurs confidently launch their offers and reclaim their time.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Webly:

Website: https://weblyalfred.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weblyalfred

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here:

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Reverse Culture Shock with Polly Clover - Ep. 93

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 20 May 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 93 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!

Polly, an SEO writer and consultant, shares her journey from South Carolina to Vietnam and then to the Virgin Islands, highlighting her experiences teaching abroad and starting her business. Today, she shares about her move to Vietnam, which was driven by burnout and boredom as a teacher. This move opened her eyes to different cultures and lifestyles, which led to reverse culture shock upon returning to the US.

Breaking her foot in Vietnam led her to explore remote work. Ultimately, she started her SEO business, assisting businesses with website content and Google visibility. Polly emphasizes the importance of exploring beyond one’s bubble, meeting new people, and creating a business that aligns with personal values and goals.

The American dream, according to Polly, involves recognizing opportunities and working hard to achieve a version of success, which is unique to each individual.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Polly:

Website: https://www.pollycloverwrites.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pollyclover/

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@pollycloverwrites

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

First-Gen Experience - Growing up with Hindu Parents - Ep. 92

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 13 May 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 92 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!

Chai grew up with Indian immigrant parents, and the conversation starts with Chai explaining the patronymic naming system in southern India, where last names reflect lineage through the father’s first name. This system contrasts with the American first-name, last-name structure and highlights the challenges some immigrants face in maintaining their cultural heritage while conforming to new societal norms.

We then talked about the influence of immigrant parents on their children’s upbringing. Chai recounts growing up in a strict Hindu household where traditions and superstitions were heavily enforced. She describes how her mom didn’t care for certain aspects of American culture, such as eating out. This led to internal conflicts and a sense of alienation for Chai.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Chai:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chaitanyabala/

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here

My 6-week course on starting a podcast is perfect for busy moms who have limited time but want to launch a podcast. And it’s perfect for busy women entrepreneurs looking for a different way to market their business that doesn’t involve social media! Find out more information here.

And if you refer a client to the course and they sign up, you will receive $50!

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Living Abroad: How Travel Changed My View of the USA with Tom Kuegler - Ep. 91

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 6 May 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 91 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!

Tom, an American-born writer, shares his experiences living abroad, offering insights into cultural differences and the perception of the American Dream. His journey includes formative experiences in Germany, an extended stay in the Philippines, and current residence in Mexico City.

Listen in as Tom shares how his internship at Disney World led him to move to the Philippines and experience the 2020 lockdown overseas.

With Love, Heidy

P.S. This week, I’m sharing all the pictures from my podcast event with the paid subscribers on Substack and I’m sharing the recap video of the event! Become a paid subscriber for access! :)

Connect with Tom:

Substack: https://substack.com/@tomkuegler?r=1gw4qe&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page

Book: Do Cool Sh*T

If you purchase the book from this link - I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Or make a one-time donation here:

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The First Gen Coach with Carla Santamaria - Ep. 90

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 90 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!

Carla Santamaria is the host of The First Gen Coach Podcast. A podcast for first-generation professionals who are learning to rethink their limiting cultural beliefs and level up their mindsets. Carla is also a career coach, helping women increase their salaries and improve their mindset.

She shares with us her upbringing in Honduras, the culture shocks she experienced when she first moved to South Florida, and how she doubled her salary in under 10 months!

With Love, Heidy

P.S. There is exclusive content from Carla’s interview that didn’t air, which you can hear on Substack! Become a paid subscriber to unlock the full interview! :)

Connect with Carla:

Podcast Episode about Carla leaving Mormon Religion

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

Your support helps cover production costs, ensuring we continue bringing powerful immigrant stories to life. And as a thank you, you'll get exclusive access to:

✨ Behind-the-scenes content

🎙️ Special Q&A sessions with me

🔓 Bonus insights you won’t hear anywhere else!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Make a one-time donation here

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Underwater Waterfall from Mauritius to Canada, to the US with Lazou - Ep. 89

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 89 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!

Today, I sit down with Lazou, a dynamic and passionate artist whose journey from her home country to the U.S. is as powerful as her music. Lazou grew up in Mauritius, although she was born in Canada. She moved back to Canada for college and then eventually moved to the US after a job offer she couldn’t pass up. And if it wasn’t for that job offer, she had no intention of moving to the US.

Lazou shares about starting her podcast, Nuances: Our Asian Stories, her music, and her American Dream.

With Love, Heidy

_________________________________

Connect with LAZOU:

https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

_________________________________

Come join me at the first networking event for the podcast! Let’s celebrate all the success of the podcast while networking with other immigrant business owners, past podcast guests, and podcast listeners! Tickets are only $30!

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

__________________________________

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by

https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Or make a one-time donation here

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From Seoul, South Korea to California with Sun Chung - Ep. 88

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 88 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!

Sun Jung of Hungry Hungry Gopher shares her journey from South Korea to the US, her experiences with cultural adaptation, and her mission to empower others through holistic health and Korean culinary wisdom. Sun shares insights on the importance of rest, cultural influences on health, and finding a sense of belonging.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Sun Chung:

Website: https://hungrygopher.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/HungryGopher

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hungrygopher/

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by SoVerve Marketing Group and Ir Al Sol Swimwear*

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Or make a one-time donation here:

My 6-week course on starting a podcast is perfect for busy moms whose time is limited but who want to launch a podcast. And it’s perfect for booked women entrepreneurs looking for a different way to market their business that doesn’t involve social media! Find out more information here.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Panamanian Pride and The American Dream with Stephanie Rubio Ep. 87

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 8 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 87 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!

Stephanie shares her upbringing in Panama City and the cultural shifts she experienced upon moving to the U.S. at age 11. Even before moving, she was introduced to American culture while attending school on the Howard Air Force Base in Panama after her mother remarried. This helped her with some aspects of American life, but leaving her extended family presented challenges. Stephanie shares about the importance of maintaining family ties for immigrant children and suggests frequent visits to their home country to preserve those relationships.

Stephanie talks about her transitions from various roles in real estate to founding a digital marketing agency specializing in email marketing. Driven by a desire for entrepreneurship and work-life balance, Stephanie launched her agency after careful planning. Her agency offers content and email marketing services.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Stephanie:

Website: https://soverve.com/

Podcast: https://soverve.com/podcast/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanievrubio/

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by SoVerve Marketing Group and Ir Al Sol Swimwear*

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Or make a one-time donation here

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From Vietnam War Refugee to Storytelling Leadership with Sandy Dang Ep. 86

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 1 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 86 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!

Sandy Dang shares her story of fleeing war-torn Vietnam and living in refugee camps, building a successful nonprofit, and being appointed by President Obama. Her journey is a testament to resilience and the power of the human spirit.

One thing that stood out was how she used her experiences to help other refugees and at-risk youth. She turned her challenges into opportunities to make a difference. She shares about public narrative storytelling, a leadership skill she teaches to help people use their authentic stories to inspire and motivate others. It’s all about connecting with people on a deeper level and creating positive change.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Sandy:

Website: https://www.inspireleadershipschool.com/

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by SoVerve Marketing Group and Ir Al Sol Swimwear*

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Or make a one-time donation here:

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Immigrant Survival Guide to Silicon Valley with Carlos Quezada Ep. 85

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 85 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!

Carlos, the VP of Customer Experience and Digital Strategy for Hewlett Packard Enterprise and author of 'The Immigrant Survival Guide to Silicon Valley,' shares his personal and professional journey from Mexico to Silicon Valley, including the challenges and successes of navigating life as an immigrant.

He emphasizes the importance of resilience, adaptability, and the role of community and mentorship in achieving success. All concepts he wrote about in his book. Carlos shares the cultural complexities faced by immigrants and their children, and he provides insights on overcoming these challenges.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Carlos:

Purchase his book

This post contains product affiliate links. I may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of the links.

Join the waitlist for information on the in-person event I’m hosting for the podcast!!

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by SoVerve Marketing Group*

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Or make a one-time donation here

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Growing Up Korean-American and Moving Back to Korea with Rée Ep. 84

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 84 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!

Rée, a second-generation immigrant, shares her experiences growing up in the US with parents from Korea and now living in Korea. She shares about the challenges of not feeling rooted in the US, battling anxiety, and navigating social norms that felt foreign. Lastly, she shares her struggles to communicate how she was struggling growing up. The people around her seemed to understand social norms. However, social norms were challenging for Rée, not just because of her neurodivergence but also because of the way South Korean culture navigates relationships.

Make sure to check out her podcast Homeroomed. It’s a podcast to rethink how we educate and prepare the next generation. Education systems around the world have been adapted from the Prussian system after their revolution. The link is below!

With Love, Heidy

Here is the article I mentioned in the episode.

Connect with Rée:

Join the waitlist for information on the in-person event I’m hosting for the podcast!!

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by SoVerve Marketing Group*

For sponsorship opportunities send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Or make a one-time donation here:

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Power of Storytelling: How Immigrant Voices Shape Perspectives Ep. 83

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 83 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!

Today, host Heidy De La Cruz sits down with guest Rée to discuss the powerful stories shared on The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast. Rée, an avid listener, expresses admiration for the way Heidy blends warmth, insight, and compassion in her storytelling. They explore what inspired Heidy to create a platform that highlights immigrant journeys and the deeper impact of these narratives on fostering understanding and empathy.

As the conversation unfolds, Heidy shares her connection to the immigrant experience and why she is passionate about amplifying these voices. She reflects on the challenges immigrants face, their resilience, and the importance of telling stories that often go unheard. Rée asks insightful questions, leading to a heartfelt discussion about the power of representation and the responsibility of storytellers in shaping public perception.

The episode also touches on the growth of the podcast and Heidy’s vision for its future. She opens up about the lessons she has learned from her guests and the broader impact these stories have had on listeners worldwide. Whether you're an immigrant yourself, a supporter of immigrant rights, or simply someone who values authentic storytelling, this episode offers inspiration, perspective, and a reminder of the strength found in shared experiences.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Heidy:

https://www.instagram.com/criya.co/?hl=en

Join the waitlist for information on the in-person event I’m hosting for the podcast!!

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by SoVerve Marketing Group*

For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Or make a one-time donation here

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Navigating Immigration & Innovation: Criya’s Founder Story Ep. 82

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 4 Mar 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 82 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!

Deb shares her inspiring journey from India, driven by her pursuit of better opportunities in computer science, leading her to study at Carnegie Mellon University. She discusses her career journey, including her internship at Microsoft, employment at PayPal, and her entrepreneurial leap to founding a tech startup, Criya, specializing in AI-driven visual content creation.

Lastly, the episode sheds light on Deb’s struggles with H1B and student visas, emphasizing the common challenges immigrants face in securing green cards and the impact on personal and professional aspirations. She also shares that the average weight time for people from India to get a green card is 25 years, but she shares how she obtained hers in 14 days.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Deboshree Dutta:

Website: https://www.criya.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debduttaofficial/?hl=en

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.

*This podcast is sponsored by SoVerve Marketing Group*

Want to advertise your business & sponsor the podcast? Send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Or you can make a one-time donation here:

Start your podcast with my six-week podcast course! It has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store!

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Vocal Sound Healing with Tatiana Moreno Ep. 81

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 81 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!

Tatiana is a vocal sound healer and was born in Ecuador. She shares that growing up in Educador was a positive experience, but her desire to learn English drew her to move to the US with the Au Pair Program. She completed two years of the program because, after the first year, she didn’t feel that her English was good enough.

She currently resides in North Carolina and works as a vocal sound healer, where she focuses on emotional release and helps her clients find their authentic voice. Her practice involves guiding clients to express emotions through sound, revealing hidden traumas and blockages. Tatiana emphasizes the significance of voice in expressing and navigating emotions, sharing her own journey of overcoming discomfort with her voice to positively impact others by sharing immigrant stories.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Tatiana:

You can now become an official supporter of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast for just $10 a month!

If this podcast has inspired you, moved you, or made you feel seen, this is your chance to be part of its growth. Your support truly makes a difference!

*This podcast is sponsored by SoVerve Marketing Group*

Want to advertise your business & sponsor the podcast? Send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Or make a one-time donation here:

Start your podcast with my six-week podcast course! It has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store!

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Experiencing the Fall of the Berlin Wall With Bibi Ep. 80

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 80 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!

Bibi LeBlanc was born in the American Sector of West Berlin, Germany. She explains in today’s episode people’s reactions when she says that and what that actually means. She owns a marketing agency that creates coloring books for businesses!

Bibi shares her experience of homeschooling her three boys and taking them to Costa Rica so they would learn Spanish. But also a question she was always asked that threw her off guard because she was a homeschooled mom.

And lastly, Bibi was still in Germany when the Berlin Wall was torn down. She shares her powerful testimony of experiencing this magnificent event in world history.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Bibi:

Check out this podcast community on Substack!!

*This podcast is sponsored by SoVerve Marketing Group*

Want to sponsor this podcast? Send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Or you can make a one-time donation here

Start your podcast with my six-week podcast course! It has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store!

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Challenges of Becoming a Plastic Surgeon as an Immigrant with Dr. Mesa Ep. 79

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 06:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 79 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!

Dr. John Mesa was born in Colombia. He shares about moving to Venezuela during the oil boom with his family and living there for a few years before returning to Colombia. From a young age, Dr. Mesa knew he wanted to be a plastic surgeon but knew it had to be in the US. This is because in Colombia, in order to become a doctor, one has to attend a private university, but Dr. Mesa knew his parents couldn’t afford it.

He shares his journey of becoming a board-certified plastic surgeon - a process that should take about 13 years, took him 18 years to complete because of all the hurdles and barriers placed in front of him. But overall, he persevered and didn’t give up!

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Dr. John Mesa:

Check out this podcast community onSubstack!!

*This podcast is sponsored bySoVerve Marketing Group*

Want to sponsor this podcast? Send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Or you can make a one-time donationhere

I volunteer with Bethany Christian Services for their refugee resettlement program. They have a wish list for basic things that families usually need when they arrive in the United States. If you'd like to donate items, the wish list is here.

Start your podcast with my six-week podcast course! It has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at myStan Store!

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The Heart Coach with Rooya - Coming from Afghan Thinking This is Temporary Ep. 78

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 4 Feb 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 78 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!

Rooya was born in Afghanistan and remembers they had electricity at one point, and then they didn’t. During the time that communism was taking over, she remembers if people were caught fleeing or speaking out against communism, they were executed.

She shares their journey, going across the desert for three days and four nights to get to Pakistan at age six. Rooya and her family lived in Pakistan for three years before making it to the US. Once in the US, she had to learn to write, read, and speak English. This was a challenge for her because she was proud of being a good student, but then, at nine, she had to start all over again.

Listen in as Rooya shares her incredible journey of coming to the US - thinking that they would be here for a few years and once things settled back home, they would return.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Rooya Ayubi:

Check out this podcast community on Substack!!

*This podcast is sponsored by SoVerve Marketing Group*

Want to sponsor this podcast? Send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Or you can make a one-time donation here

Start your podcast with my six-week podcast course! It has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store!

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How to Obtain EB1A Green Card AKA Einstein Visa with Ranjeet Ep. 77

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 77 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!

Ranjeet is a coach and mentor who guides professionals into achieving their American Dream by obtaining an EB1A green card (aka Einstein visa) just like he did. He grew up with a journalist mother and a banker father in India. They valued education a great deal, which fueled his passion for learning.

Ranjeet came to the US to complete his second master's degree, so he has one master's degree in India and another here. Listen in as he talks about adapting to living in the US after moving in his 40s and how he helps professionals navigate the EB1A green card process.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Ranjeet Mudholkar:

Forbes Profile

Check out this podcast community on Substack!!

https://substack.com/@theamericandreampodcast

*This podcast is sponsored by SoVerve Marketing Group*

Want to sponsor this podcast? Send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Or you can make a one-time donation here

Start your podcast with my six-week podcast course! It has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This Latina Travels with Bianca Alba Ep. 76

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 76 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!

Today, I bring you the founder and blogger of This Latina Travel - Bianca Alba! Bianca shares about growing up in the DMV area or DC, Maryland, Virginia - which, before this episode, I had no idea was referred to this way. She shares her experience of obtaining a full-ride scholarship to college and thinking as a first-gen Latina, she had to become a doctor but then changed majors and received her master's degree in public health.

Bianca shares about visiting Bolivia for the first time 11 years after moving to the US. She didn’t know Bolivia since she and her mom moved when Bianca was six months old.

And lastly, we talked about how her job granted her the opportunity to move to Puerto Rico, where she currently lives.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Bianca Alba:

Check out this podcast community on Substack!!

*This podcast is sponsored by SoVerve Marketing Group*

Want to sponsor this podcast? Send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Or you can make a one-time donation here

Start your podcast with my six-week podcast course! It has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Master Delegator with Kirsty Yoder Ep. 75

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 75 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!

Today, I spoke with Kristy, the host of The Master Delegator Podcast and owner of a virtual assistant agency. Kristy is from the Philippines, and she moved to the U.S. after meeting her husband on a Christian dating app.

She started her business back home in the Philippines, and she was able to continue her agency after moving. Kristy helps entrepreneurs find virtual assistants to help them within their companies.

She shares her experience of coming to the US on a K1 Visa, aka the fiance visa.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Kristy Yoder:

Check out this podcast community on Substack!!

*This podcast is sponsored by SoVerve Marketing Group*

Want to sponsor this podcast? Send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Or you can make a one-time donation here

Start your podcast with my six-week podcast course! It has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store!

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Amigas Collective Founder - Diana Rubi (Mexico) Ep. 74

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 7 Jan 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 74 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!

Happy New Year! Today is the first episode of 2025 and the new format, where I’m releasing episodes every Tuesday! I’m excited to bring you content on a weekly basis since the show is growing, and I’m so excited for this growth. Also, the podcast is officially sponsored! This past November, I gained the show's first sponsor; their information is below.

Alright, let’s get into the episode. Today’s story is from Diana Rubi. Diana is a creator born in Mexico but raised here in the US. She shares her story of her family’s decision to come to the US and how her dad’s employer sponsored him and the family for residency. Lastly, we talk about her creative endeavors.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Diana Rubi:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amigascollective/

Check out this podcast community on Substack!!

*This podcast is sponsored by SoVerve Marketing Group*

Want to sponsor this podcast? Send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Or you can make a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6E

Start your podcast with my six-week podcast course! It has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

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From Exchange Student to Business Coaching With Dr. Griselda Martinez Ep. 73

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 73 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!

Today, I’m bringing you my conversation with Dr. Griselda Martinez. Dr. Martinez is a business coach for women entrepreneurs and hosts the podcast “Unexpectedly Successful,” where she shares guests’ success stories.

She shared with me about her childhood in Mexico - recounting her freedom of playing outside with her siblings from sunrise to sunset. Dr. Martinez ended up moving to the US as an exchange student following the death of her mother. She goes into detail about the positive relationship she had with her adoptive family in Louisiana. Indeed, a unique experience.

Lastly, after pursuing her doctoral degree in New Mexico, she became a permanent resident after navigating various visas in the US. I truly think you’ll enjoy Dr. Martinez’s heartfelt story.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Dr. Griselda Martinez:

Website: https://www.drgriselda.com/

Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/66x3kimKtCA4dSHE51IOEj?si=83c13781e7354a27

Check out this podcast community on Substack!! There, you can comment on the episodes, interact with other listeners of the show, and receive new episodes right in your inbox!

https://substack.com/@theamericandreampodcast

Sponsorship opportunities are now available for the show. Send me an email, and I will send you the advertisement packages. Thank you.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

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“If I Denounce My Accent” with Sindy F. Ep. 72

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 72 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!

Today, I’m sharing my conversation with author Sindy F., who wrote If I Denounce My Accent. This novel is based on true events, and I finished it on our holiday vacation in the Dominican Republic. There was something different about reading a book about the Dominican culture and experience while being in the Dominican Republic.

Sindy talks about moving from the Dominican Republic to New Jersey at the age of 14 without knowing how to speak English. She shares about her first culture shock and the writing process of her novel. Sindy says the writing process for her was like a love letter to herself. She shares topics that are usually taboo to talk about in the Dominican culture. I’m so excited to share her story with you today.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Sindy:

Website: https://sindyf.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sindyfe_/

Check out this podcast community on Substack!! There, you can comment on the episodes, interact with other listeners of the show, and receive new episodes right in your inbox!

https://substack.com/@theamericandreampodcast

Sponsorship opportunities are now available for the show. Send me an email, and I will send you the advertisement packages. Thank you.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Navigating Different Worlds: Chinese, Vietnamese, Taiwan, and American with Kathy Ep. 71

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 71 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!

Today, I spoke with Kathy, a transformational coach, about her unique experience as a first-generation child of immigrant parents from two different countries. Kathy shares heartfelt stories about her upbringing, cultural identity, and navigating life as an immigrant child.

Kathy’s mother, a Chinese refugee from Vietnam, and her father, originally from Taiwan, met in Connecticut before moving to Morgan Hill, California, to open an American fast-food restaurant.

Kathy opens up about growing up as one of the few Asian families in a predominantly white small town and on the struggle of belonging, both in the U.S. and when visiting her parents’ home countries. She shares anecdotes about her trips to Taiwan, emphasizing the safety, hospitality, and cultural richness she experienced and the challenges of being labeled as "different."

This seems to be a common theme among us who are children of immigrants.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Kathy:

Website: https://www.kathymou.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Kathy.mou/

Check out this podcast community on Substack!! There, you can comment on the episodes, interact with other listeners of the show, and receive new episodes right in your inbox!

https://substack.com/@theamericandreampodcast

Sponsorship opportunities are now available for the show. Send me an email, and I will send you the advertisement packages. Thank you.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Empowered Woman’s Path: Marta’s Journey from Brazil to the US. Ep. 70

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 70 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!

Today’s guest is Marta Spirk, a Brazilian immigrant who moved to the U.S. at 23, nine months after having her triplets. Marta has worked as a freelance court interpreter and is now a visibility strategist and recording artist with two published books and a podcast. Her passion for learning English was fueled by her exposure to music during childhood, which led to various achievements, including singing the national anthem at a Nuggets game.

Upon moving to the U.S., Marta faced cultural differences, particularly around domestic responsibilities, which were different from those in Brazil. Adjusting to these changes proved challenging, highlighting contrasts between American and Brazilian customs. A return visit to Brazil brought mixed emotions as she navigated family dynamics and committed to overcoming challenges in America.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Martha:

Website: https://www.martaspirk.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martaspirk/

Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/16cEQiwSFsB5kTprwCDtRK

Book Review: https://heidydelacruz.com/the-empowered-woman/

Check out this podcast community on Substack!! There, you can comment on the episodes, interact with other listeners of the show, and receive new episodes right in your inbox!

https://substack.com/@theamericandreampodcast

Want to advertise your business or sponsor an episode? Please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Education as a Gateway to Opportunity with Aimee Portes Ep. 69

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 69 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!

Today’s guest is Aimee Portes - who shares her journey of immigrating to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic. Amy reflects on her early life in the Dominican Republic, explaining how financial pressures led her family to move to the U.S. to pursue better educational opportunities. She describes initial culture shocks upon moving, including adjusting to public transportation in winter and adapting to U.S. conveniences.

Amy also shares her unique perspective on the “American Dream,” which initially meant financial independence and stability. For her, buying her first car within months of working marked a major accomplishment because in the Dominican Republic, she would make $300 a month. Today, her dream has evolved into building a successful entrepreneurship career in the holistic anti-aging industry, helping women regain confidence in their appearance and health.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Aimee:

Website: https://aimeeportes.com/freebie/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Aimee_Portes

Check out this podcast community on Substack!! There, you can comment on the episodes, interact with other listeners of the show, and receive new episodes right in your inbox!

https://substack.com/@theamericandreampodcast

Want to advertise your business or sponsor an episode? Please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

“We Have All Been the Others” with Pat Marino Ep. 68

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 68 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!

Today’s guest is Pat Marino, the author of “We Have All Been the Others": Reflections of a First Generation's Daughter on Belonging, Democracy, and a New American Dream.” Pat is a historian and was a high school ESL teacher. In her book, she shares about her grandparents' experiences living in a segregated Chicago. So, for this episode, we talk about her work as an ESL teacher, what she’s learned as a historian, especially in the immigration space, and her research on writing her book.

This episode is full of history, and it’s enriched by Pat’s work and life experiences.

With Love, Heidy

P.S. This post contains product affiliate links. I may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links.

Connect with Pat:

Website: https://patriciamarino.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marino2137/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patriciajmarino/

Check out this podcast community on Substack!! There, you can comment on the episodes, interact with other listeners of the show, and receive new episodes right in your inbox!

https://substack.com/@theamericandreampodcast

Want to advertise your business or sponsor an episode? Please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Building Inclusive Teams: The Journey from an Immigrant to HR Consultant Ep. 67

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 67 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!

Today’s guest is Solveiga Jaskunas, an HR consultant and career coach who shares her journey as an immigrant from Lithuania to the United States. We discuss her childhood under Soviet rule, the challenges she faced adjusting to life in America, and her passion for helping other immigrants professionally.

Solveiga shares how growing up in Soviet-controlled Lithuania shaped her resilience. Despite the hardships, her journey taught her to embrace hope and adaptability, which ultimately helped her succeed in both her personal and professional life in the U.S.

She also stresses the significance of building a support system and not being afraid to seek help. Solveiga highlights how leveraging her network allowed her to overcome the challenges she faced as an immigrant, particularly in finding her first professional job.

As a career coach and HR consultant, Solveiga advocates for diversity in organizations. She believes that immigrants bring unique strengths and perspectives and encourages companies to create more inclusive environments that embrace diverse talents rather than focusing solely on traditional qualifications.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Solveiga:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/solveigajaskunaskazlauskaite/

Check out this podcast community on Substack!! There, you can comment on the episodes, interact with other listeners of the show, and receive new episodes right in your inbox!

https://substack.com/@theamericandreampodcast

Want to advertise your business or sponsor an episode? Please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bridging Borders: A Journey Through Culture, Identity, and Resilience with Soraya Ep. 66

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 8 Oct 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 66 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!

Today’s guest is Soraya Senosier, the host of the Diaspora in Development Podcast. She shares her journey as a Haitian-Canadian growing up in Canada and the cultural impact of the U.S. We talked about societal differences between Canada and the U.S., although as neighboring countries, there are many similarities but more differences. For example, Canada’s cultural mosaic versus the American melting pot highlights the preservation of individual cultural identities.

We also discuss recent negative sentiments toward the Haitian community and reflections on racism and colorism within Caribbean cultures. Lastly, Soraya’s initiative to launch the “Diaspora and Development” podcast addresses the complexities of international development for people of color. It highlights achievements and ongoing challenges like burnout and racism while emphasizing gratitude for the struggles that have enabled a life without fear or persecution in the U.S.

Listen in on this insightful conversation.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Soraya:

Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3VwsfuB626mYx25WIIxORH?si=1cf612e9e7174daf

Check out this podcast community on Substack!! There, you can comment on the episodes, interact with other listeners of the show, and receive new episodes right in your inbox!

https://substack.com/@theamericandreampodcast

Want to advertise your business or sponsor an episode? Please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

My American Dream is Belonging with Prasanta Verma Ep. 65

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 1 Oct 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 65 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!

Today’s guest is Prasanta Verma, the author of Beyond Ethnic Loneliness: The Pain of Marginalization and the Path to Belonging. In this episode, we talk about her family’s decision to move to the US. Prasanta shares that the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 allowed her father to come, but his original plan wasn’t to stay in the US. He was a physician who wanted to work in the US and bring back equipment to India to help their healthcare system better.

Prasanta also shares about growing up as the only Indian immigrant family in a small rural town in Alabama, visiting India for the first time after moving to the US, and the process of writing her first book!

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Prasanta:

Website: https://prasantaverma.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prasantaverma/

Substack: https://prasantaverma.substack.com/embed

Oct 1 is the last day to vote!

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From Bankrupt to Millionaire with Immigration Attorney Hector Quiroga Ep. 64

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 64 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!

Today’s guest is immigration attorney Hector Quiroga. Hector came to the US from Colombia to study English and eventually stayed. He initially was interested in NASA and studied in Texas, but then he moved to Washington and became an attorney. Hector comes from a family of attorneys from back in Colombia so it seems like that was his destiny, but immigration law wasn’t even his first choice.

Hector is also the author of Prove Them Wrong: One Immigrant’s 10-Year Journey from Bankrupt to Millionaire - where he shares his early struggles of becoming a lawyer, going bankrupt, meeting his wife, and overcoming his trauma of sexual abuse.

Listen in to hear his incredible journey!

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Hector:

Website: https://www.abogadoquiroga.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abogadoquiroga/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AbogadoQuiroga

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AbogadoQuiroga

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hectorquiroga/

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I Never Identified as a Child of Immigrant Parents with Evelin Andrade Ep. 63

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 3 Sep 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 63 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!

Today’s guest is Evelin Andrade, founder of Ir Al Sol Swimwear. She shares her story of growing up in Queens, New York, with immigrant Colombian parents. Starting at the age of eight, she and her sisters would spend the summers in Colombia. Evelin shares the first culture shocks she experienced during the summers in Colombia and the great memories of playing soccer in the rain.

In this episode, Evelin shares how she started her Swimwear Ir Al Sol and what inspired her to make these Colombian customwear swimsuits! Listen in!

With Love, Heidy

P.S. Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States, LOL. Thank God for Google! ;)

Connect with Evelin:

Website: https://iralsol.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iralsolswimwear/

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“The Honduran Government Wouldn’t Release My Passport” with Marlen Ep. 62

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 62 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!

Today’s guest is Marlen Lane, a singer/songwriter, blogger, and podcaster. Marlen also sings on her church’s worship team and volunteers with the youth. She shares about growing up in Honduras with a close-knit Christian family and growing up as a PK or Pastors’ Kid.

Marlen met her husband in Honduras while he was on a mission trip. His church visited her church, and he was interested in her first, but she wasn’t at the time.

Eventually, they started dating and were in a long-distance relationship for two and a half years. Once they realized they had to start making the next step in their relationship, they thought about getting married and where to live.

Listen in as Marlen shares about her journey to the US and how a congressman even had to get involved in her immigration process!

With Love, Heidy

P.S. You can listen to my episode on Marlen’s podcast, The Love Well Podcast, here - https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ijuHUULx5MACiJPR0jjvk?si=c2641d32b8e841ef

Connect with Marlen:

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/marlen_sarai

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I Was in a Diverse Bubble With Idrees - Trinidad and Tobago Ep. 61

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 6 Aug 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 61 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!

Today’s guest is Idrees Khan - his parents immigrated from Trinidad and Tobago, and he was born and raised in South Florida. If you know anything about South Florida, you know how culturally diverse it is. Idrees shares the mixture of friends and people he grew up with and thought that the rest of the US was just as diverse. It wasn’t until he got to college that he realized it wasn’t.

Listen in as Idrees shares some history of Trinidad and Tobago and why the Caribbean is so diverse as well and he shares a lot of his parent’s family history. Honestly, I learned a few things about the slavery trade I didn’t know before. Hope you learn something new as well :)

With Love, Heidy

P.S. - Here is the link to the Trini restaurant Idress mentioned in the episode - https://g.co/kgs/EVq6vj2

Connect with Idrees:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drees_03

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatncultures

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatncultures

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THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT! Tell your friends and family!

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Check out this podcast community on Substack!! There, you can comment on the episodes and interact with other listeners of the show!

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

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From Being Told, “You’re not a good writer,” to Publishing Two Books! With Prisca Mojica Rodriguez Ep. 60

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 60 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!

Today’s guest is author Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodriguez. She was born in Nicaragua and moved to the United States with her family in elementary school. She is the founder of Latina Rebels. She studied at Vanderbilt University, earning her Master of Divinity. She’s published two books For Brown Girls with Sharp Edges and Tender Hearts: A Love Letter to Women of Color and Tías and Primas: On Knowing and Loving the Women Who Raise Us.

Listen in as Prisca shares the opportunity her dad received in the US, which is why they moved, growing up in Miami and eventually moving to Nashville for graduate school. And her writing process! Can you believe she was told she wasn’t a good writer, and now she has published TWO BOOKS!? It goes to show that you can’t let ANYONE tell you - you can’t do something!

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Prisca:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/priscadorcas/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/latinarebels/

Website: https://www.priscadorcas.com/

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

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3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and receive each episode right in your inbox!

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Check out this podcast community on Substack!! There, you can comment on the episodes and interact with other listeners of the show!

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Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Don't Give Up Your Home Country's Health Insurance with Maritza Ep. 59

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 59 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!

Today’s guest is Maritza Perez from MP Virtual Assistant. She runs a VA company, but before she started her business, she worked at Disney for about ten years. Maritza was born and raised in Colombia, and she came to the US when her dad’s business partner made a business proposal for him. Her older sister was already living in the US.

Shortly after moving to the US, they discovered that her father had stomach cancer. Listen to Martiza’s story as she tells us about growing up in a strict Catholic family, moving to Alabama as an adult, and how she started her business!

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Maritza:

Website: https://mp-virtualassist.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maritza-perez-982b01205/

Email: MP-VIRTUALASSIST@OUTLOOK.COM

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or YouTube.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and receive each episode right in your inbox!

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Send me an email :)

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ciao Bambino with Dr. Elizabeth Turner Ep. 58

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 2 Jul 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 58 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!

Today’s guest is Dr. Elizabeth Turner, the writer and director of the musical and book Ciao Bambino—a musical about the Italian immigrant experience based in New York City in the 1940s. Dr. Turner grew up in New Hampshire to a large Italian family, and she talks about how keeping culture and tradition was extremely important for her family.

In this episode, Dr. Turner shares about going to Italy and having the opportunity to work over there with Disney, working on a cruise ship, returning to Italy, and working with Nickelodeon! Lastly, she shares about the musical!

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Dr. Turner:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciaobambinomusical/

Website: https://www.ciaobambinothemusical.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ciaobambinomusical

Book: Ciao Bambino https://a.co/d/0bdeKQGP

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or YouTube.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and receive each episode right in your inbox!

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Send me an email :)

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From New York to Paris with Lory Martinez Ep. 57

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 57 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!

Today’s guest is Lory Martinez, the founder of Ochenta Studios, a podcast production studio. Lory grew up in New York to Colombian immigrant parents. She wanted to be an international journalist, and that dream led her to create her podcast production company.

She hosts the Mija Podcast, which started as a fictional audio novela narrated by a young girl who shares her family’s stories. She also interviews other mijas or daughters, and I had the opportunity to be a guest on her show.

Listen in as Lory shares about growing up in a multicultural New York neighborhood and experiencing cultural shocks as a minority in the US when she was in college, going to Colombia in the summer, and how she started her podcast production company.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Lory:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mijapodcast/

Website: https://www.ochentastudio.com/en/home

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or YouTube.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and receive each episode right in your inbox!

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Send me an email :)

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From Jamaica to New York with Stacey Ep. 56

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 56 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!

Today’s guest is Stacey from Batch Pantry. Stacey was born in Jamacia and moved to the US at the age of five. She was raised in New York City but would visit Jamacia frequently in the summer growing up.

Listen in as Stacey talks about starting kindergarten in the US knowing how to do multiplication already, how she stays rooted in her Jamaican culture, why she started her business, Batch Pantry, and what products she sells!

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Stacey:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batchpantry/

Website: https://www.batchpantry.com/

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or YouTube.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and receive each episode right in your inbox!

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Send me an email :)

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From Kenya to Tanzania to US with Dr. Munira Zahabi Ep. 55

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 28 May 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 55 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!

Today’s guest is Dr. Munira Zahabi, who is an entrepreneur, author, mentor, coach, public speaker, and podcaster. Her podcast is called Munira’s Musings. She is also known as The Niche Navigator.

Dr. Zahabi was born in Kenya but married at the age of sixteen and moved to Tanzania. She explains that although Tanzania is a neighboring country of Kenya and they speak Swahili, the culture is different. She experienced different culture shocks in Tanzania and lived there for 15 years before moving to the US.

Listen to her story and hear the process for her and her family to move from Tanzania to the US under the DV1 progrom or the Diversity Visa! I loved how much detail she shared about the process.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Dr. Munira Zahabi:

⁠Facebook⁠: https://www.facebook.com/munira.zahabi/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/muniraz/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/munirazahabi/

Website: https://www.thenichenavigator.com/

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or YouTube.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and receive each episode right in your inbox!

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Send me an email :)

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Honest Immigration with Attorney Erika Cisneros Ep. 54

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 14 May 2024 04:01:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 54 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!

Today’s guest is immigration attorney Erika Cisneros. Erika grew up with an immigrant Mom, but her dad was a fourth-generation Mexican-American. She knew at a young age that she wanted to be an immigration attorney, but she shares about a pivotal moment when that passion for helping the immigration community grew and was her driving force.

When her father woke her up in the middle of the night because a coworker of his got pulled over but was undocumented, the police officer knew her father and called him to see if he could go pick up his coworker's van because if not, he would be placed in jail and eventually deported.

Erika says that although her job is tough and hard work, when she receives approval for her client, she knows that it’s not just her client that she’s helping; it’s also the client’s family and those around them because the majority of them they are the breadwinner in their home.

Listen to episode 54 to learn about the type of cases that Erika works with and her experience visiting Mexico for the first time in college.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Erika:

⁠Facebook⁠: https://www.facebook.com/honestimmi/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HonestImmigration

Website: https://www.honestimmigration.com/

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or YouTube.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and receive each episode right in your inbox!

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Send me an email :)

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From DR to PR to NY and Repeat with Andrea De La Cruz Ep. 53

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 53 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!

Today’s guest is photographer Andrea De La Cruz. She grew up traveling between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Some summers, she would stay with her dad in Puerto Rico, but mainly, she was with her grandparents until her grandmother decided to move her to New York to live with her aunt. Andrea was in New York until her dad decided to move her back to Puerto Rico, where she finished her last two years of high school. Talk about some back and forth!

At the age of 18, she decided to move back to New York and go to college, but that was also a challenge. Listen to the rest of her story and how she finally ended up becoming a photographer.

With Love, Heidy

P.S. Since the recording of this episode, Andrea has moved to Atlanta, but you can still contact her below!

Connect with Andrea:

⁠Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/andrealucia_photography/

Website: https://www.andrealuciaphotography.com/

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or YouTube.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and receive each episode right in your inbox!

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Send me an email :)

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

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An American Immigrant with Johanna Rojas Vann

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 52 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!

Today’s guest is Johanna Rojas Vann, the author of An American Immigrant! Johanna's parents moved to the US in the 1980s, and she was born here. They lived in New York City first and then moved to Maryland, where Johanna primarily grew up.

We talked about the cultural norms her parents kept from Colombia and which ones they adapted from living here. We talked about language and how it’s easier to default to speak in English, and then Johanna shared her experience of listening to her mom’s stories, which inspired her debut novel!

I mentioned my husband’s experience moving from New York to Michigan, and I actually interviewed him and his siblings together - check it out!

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Johanna:

⁠Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/johannarvann/

Website: https://www.johannavann.com/

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or YouTube.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and receive each episode right in your inbox!

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Send me an email :)

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

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From Antigua and Barbuda to New York to Miami with Attorney Anique Samuel

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 2 Apr 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 51 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!

Today’s guest is immigration attorney Anique Samuel. She grew up on the island of Antigua and Barbuda and moved to the United States at age 17 after graduating from high school. Before moving, she had visited because her mom was living here in the States, so adapting to the US was different for her than for other guests.

Anique shares that she knew she wanted to be an attorney in high school, and when she started law school, she wanted to practice corporate law.

Listen to her story on how she actually got into immigration law!

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Anique:

⁠Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/attorneyanique/

Website: https://www.asamuellaw.com/

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or YouTube.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and receive each episode right in your inbox!

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Send me an email :)

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

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"What If We Can't Get Back In?" Traveling with Advance Parole for DACA with Kevin

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 04:01:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 50 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!

Kevin is the host of the Latin American Educational Opportunities Podcast, where he shares his passion for various topics like business, finance, technology, politics, and mental health - that he believes deserve greater attention within the Latin American community, as his website states.

Today, he shares with us his story of growing up as an undocumented immigrant in the US and then a DACA recipient. His family first moved to California, then Denver, and eventually settled in New Jersey.

Kevin also shares about visiting Guatemala for the first time with Advance Parole, which was offered to Daca recipients. That in itself was a risk because had the fear that he and his sister wouldn’t be allowed back into the US.

Lastly, here is the article I mentioned that I wrote about The American Dream.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Kevin:

⁠Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/latinamericaneo/

Website: https://latinamericaneo.org/

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or YouTube.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and receive each episode right in your inbox!

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

https://www.instagram.com/soykimdecena/

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Send me an email :)

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

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Going Digital Before Going Digital Was Popular With Kim

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 49 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!

Today’s guest is Kim Decena from Decena Media, a marketing agency. Kim shares with us her experience growing up in the US with Colombian immigrant parents. She discusses the cultural norms that her parents kept from Colombia and the American norms they adopted. Kim talks about her experience of visiting Colombia for the first time and why she ended up leaving the US eleven years ago!

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Kim:

⁠Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/kimdecenaofficial/

Website: https://decenamedia.com/

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or YouTube.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and receive each episode right in your inbox!

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Send me an email :)

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

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Latinas with Master’s with Christina Rodriguez - (Nicaragua)

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 5 Mar 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 48 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!

Today’s guest is Christina Rodriguez, the founder of Latina’s with Masters. This is a community to inspire, empower, and educate our community and future generation leaders with equitable pathways, academic advancement, and professional growth, as stated on their Facebook page.

In today’s episode, Christina shares her upbringing with immigrant parents from Nicaragua. She is the middle child of three; however, the first one to be born in the United States. Her older brother is seven years older than her, so the responsibilities of translating and helping her parents fell on her, she said; in a sense, she felt like the eldest.

Christina also shares why she started Latinas with Masters. According to Pew Research, Latinas have fueled the growing number of Hispanics with graduate degrees between 1990 and 2021! The percentage of Latinos (both male and female) with graduate degrees increased to 8% since 2021. Hispanic Americans have had the fastest growth in advanced degrees of any major racial or ethnic group.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Christina:

⁠Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/latinaswithmasters/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LatinaswithMasters

Podcast: Latinas with Masters Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/27lp1veTbAXdc42FWzwsoU?si=b38979ef6fae4173

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or YouTube.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and receive each episode right in your inbox!

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Send me an email :)

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

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"From the Age of 11 I Knew I Belonged in the US" with Annie P. Woods (DR)

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 47 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!

Today’s guest is Annie Woods - a coach for immigrants and a public speaker. She also hosts the Substack newsletter, “Homecoming,” where she shares life as an immigrant, a mother, and a human.

Annie shares that her love for books and reading began at the age of eleven. It opened a whole new world for her and the possibility of moving to the US. She says that she never felt like she belonged in the Dominican Republic.

Listen to her story of coming to the US, which Annie says was a journey of healing.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Annie:

⁠Instagram⁠: www.instagram.com/anniepwoods

Website: www.anniepwoods.com

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or YouTube.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and receive each episode right in your inbox!

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Send me an email :)

Want to start your own podcast? – My six-week podcast course has EVERYTHING you need to launch your podcast the simple way - more information at my Stan Store! https://stan.store/heidydelacruz

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Part Two - From Undocumented to US Citizen with Maydelli

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to part two of episode 46 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!

Today, we are finishing Maydelli's story, and in this episode, you'll hear about life after DACA, visiting Mexico, and applying for citizenship!

I’d love to hear what part of the episode stood out to you.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Maydelli:

⁠Instagram⁠: @healingthruselflove @rawlovebymay

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or YouTube.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Please message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Want to start your own podcast? – I want to be your coach! I can help you with a successful podcast launch in just 6 weeks. More information ⁠here⁠.

Also, as a gift for signing up for the podcast newsletter, I'll send you a checklist to get your podcast started and the list of equipment and tools I use!

Lastly, I volunteer with Bethany Christian Services for their refugee resettlement program. They have a wish list for basic things that families usually need when they arrive in the United States. If you'd like to donate items, the wish list is here.

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Part One - From Undocumented to US Citizen with Maydelli

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 6 Feb 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to part one of episode 46 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!

Today’s guest is Maydelli Mendoza, she is a mental health advocate, speaker, podcaster, and transformational life coach! And in today’s episode, she shares very candidly about her experience living undocumented in the United States.

Maydelli grew up in an unstable home in LA, then moved to Utah, where no one looked like her, and even struggled to read.

This episode is so special because Maydelli just became a US citizen this past Friday, February 2nd! What perfect timing! Look at God!

I’d love to hear what part of the episode stood out to you.

Lastly, you can listen to her podcast - Healing Thru Self Love, on Spotify.

With Love, Heidy

P.S. Part two is coming on Monday, February 12th.

Connect with Maydelli:

⁠Instagram⁠: @healingthruselflove @rawlovebymay

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or YouTube.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Please message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Want to start your own podcast? – I want to be your coach! I can help you with a successful podcast launch in just 6 weeks. More information ⁠here⁠.

Also, as a gift for signing up for the podcast newsletter, I'll send you a checklist to get your podcast started and the list of equipment and tools I use!

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From Undocumented to Immigration Attorney with Kelly Dominguez

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 45 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!

Today’s guest is Kelly Dominguez. Kelly is an injury and immigration attorney. She was born in Mexico and lived there until she was about five because after her parents divorced, her mother wasn’t able to make ends meet and saw the United States as an opportunity to better her life and her children’s lives. Her mom left first to get settled, and then she sent for Kelly and her brother. She was five, and he was seven.

She explains how they separated them to cross the border and were reunited in Arizona and then flew to New Jersey to be reunited with their mom. Because Kelly came through the border, she was undocumented. Luckily, she was able to get her legal status, and now she’s an attorney helping others in the immigrant community.

Listen to her incredible story of triumph on episode 45 of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants Podcast!

With Love, Heidy

P.S. Here is the link for the book I mentioned - The Body Keeps The Score.

And the link to more information about the Investor Visa Kelly mentioned.

This post contains product affiliate links. I may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links.

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or YouTube.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Please message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Want to start your own podcast? – I want to be your coach! I can help you with a successful podcast launch in just 6 weeks. More information ⁠here⁠.

Also, as a gift for signing up for the podcast newsletter, I'll send you a checklist to get your podcast started and the list of equipment and tools I use!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What Was Supposed to be 1 Year to Learn English Became 20+ with Ilona (Czech Republic)

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 9 Jan 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 44 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!
Today’s guest is Ilona Phillips. She is an eating disorder specialist. Ilona came from the Czech Republic, and the original plan was to stay for a short while to learn English. Growing up in former Czechoslovakia, Ilona couldn’t learn English until high school, and Western media wasn’t allowed there. Her father used to sneak and listen to the radio from Europe, and her mom would be terrified when he did that.
Ilona came to the United States through the Au Pair program - the nanny visa program. This is also discussed in episode 25 - she stayed with the family in Columbus, Ohio. She first arrived in New York City and said that after a week, she was overwhelmed.
What was supposed to be a year of staying in the United States became studying Psychology in college and eventually Psychotherapy to becoming an eating disorder specialist.
Listen to Ilonia’s journey on episode 44 of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants Podcast.
With Love, Heidy
P.S. At the end of this episode, Ilonia provides a mental health tip, so make sure to listen all the way through! :)

Connect with Ilona:
⁠Instagram⁠: @ilona_phillips
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ilonaphillips
Website: https://www.ilonaphillips.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Re-Writing My Own American Dream With Laura

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 43 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!

Today’s guest is Laura Fortuna. She is a financial coach for immigrants, and she provides educational information about finances in Spanish on Instagram.

Laura was born in the Dominican Republic and moved to Switzerland when she was three years old. She and her mom then moved back to DR, and eventually, she moved to the US Virgin Islands when she was 18 years old. After two years of college in the US Virgin Islands, Laura continued her education in Massachusetts.

She studied accounting and received her master's of science in taxation. This led her to start her own financial coaching business after realizing she had to re-write her American Dream!

Listen to Laura’s story on how she changed her American Dream.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Laura:

⁠Instagram⁠: @thefortunecoach https://www.instagram.com/thefortunecoach

Schedule a consultation with Laura here - https://calendly.com/thefortunecoach/moneydate

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or YouTube.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Please message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Want to start your own podcast? – I want to be your coach! I can help you with a successful podcast launch in just 6 weeks. More information ⁠here⁠.

Also, as a gift for signing up for the podcast newsletter, I'll send you a checklist to get your podcast started and the list of equipment and tools I use!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From Brazil to Cali to Play Tennis with Leticia

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 42 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!

Today’s guest is Leticia Gonzalez Dos Santos! She runs the podcast-producing company Pod Media Lab.

Leticia was born and raised in Brazil she moved to California to learn English and play college tennis. In order for an international student to be accepted into a university in the US, they have to take the TOEFL or Test of English as a Foreign Language, and Leticia didn’t know any English!

She started her education in a junior college for three years to learn English, and then she transferred to a 4-year University in Hawai’i. After graduating, she helped the tennis team with their social media presence, and this experience, along with an internship she did with the local NBC news network in Palm Springs, led her to run Pod Media Lab.

Listen to the rest of her story - available now.

With Love, Heidy

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We Escaped Cuba on a Raft! with Gea Gomez

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 41 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!

Today’s guest is Gea Gomez. She is a realtor and host of the podcast I Got an Accent So What, in which I had the pleasure of being a guest. You can watch my episode on her show here. And she so kindly returned the favor and shared her story of coming to the United States from Cuba in a raft!

Gea and her family escaped Cuba when she was only 10 years old. We start by talking about how her life in Cuba was, as she vividly remembers. Her family decided to leave because life was extremely difficult after the Soviet Union fell, and basic needs in Cuba became difficult to buy.

The trip on the raft was supposed to take only one hour and ended up taking about 14 hours!

Listen to her whole story.

Gea, I cannot wait to read your story in a book!

With Love, Heidy

P.S. Here is the book Solito I mentioned in this episode.

If purchased through this link, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.

Connect with Gea:

⁠Instagram⁠: @GeaGomez

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or YouTube.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Please message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Want to start your own podcast? – I want to be your coach! I can help you with a successful podcast launch in just 6 weeks. More information ⁠here⁠.

Also, as a gift for signing up for the podcast newsletter, I'll send you a checklist to get your podcast started and the list of equipment and tools I use!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the Middle of Grief I Moved to the US with Yara

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 40 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!

Today’s guest is Yara Demarque. She is a finance advisor who immigrated from Brazil because her family wanted to fulfill her sister’s wish of living in the United States after she suddenly died from eating a burger! Not only is that tragic – Yara was also engaged when her family decided to move! What grief Yara went through at such a young age.

Yara starts her story by telling us how unstable her life was in the beginning; her family moved a lot, so she barely ever made friends. So, when people ask her if she misses Brazil, she really doesn’t because her family are all here now.

She didn’t even want to move to the United States in the first place, but once she arrived, she said, “I’m here; might as well make the best of it.”

Listen to her tremendous story of how, in the middle of grief, she changed her whole life and moved to a new country with her family.

Yara, you are incredible! Thank you for sharing your journey!

Thank you for being here.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Yara:

⁠Instagram⁠: @yourfinancegirly

Website: https://www.newyorklife.com/agent/ldemarqueper

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or YouTube.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Please message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Want to start your own podcast? – I want to be your coach! I can help you with a successful podcast launch in just 6 weeks. More information ⁠here⁠.

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I Didn’t Know What a State Was - I Just Wanted to Get to America

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 39 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!

Today’s guest is Ichko Jackson; she is a life coach who specializes in helping women find quality gentlemen to date. She’s been a certified coach since 2020.

Ichko is from Mongolia, and she moved to the United States in 2013. After her mom got into an accident, Ichko had to work, and she was able to save up enough money within a five-year span to move to the United States.

She came to attend graduate school here, and when the agency asked her what state she wanted to attend school in, she didn’t even know what a state was. All she knew was that she wanted to come to the United States. Ichko settled in Seattle, but it wasn’t anything like she imagined it would be because it rained a lot. Eventually, she moved to California.

I love that Ichko shares she intentionally didn’t hang out with the Mongolian community when she first arrived because she wanted to immerse herself in the American culture and learn English. Her thought was that if she hung out with other Mongolians, they wouldn’t speak English, which she needed to learn.

Lastly, Ichko shares how her journey of self-discovery led her to become a coach!

Thank you for being here!

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Ichko:

⁠Instagram⁠: @ichkojackson

Twitter (X): @ichko_batmunkh

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

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5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Please message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Want to start your own podcast? – I want to be your coach! I can help you with a successful podcast launch in just 6 weeks. More information ⁠here⁠.

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Coming as an International Student Was Faster

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 38 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!

Today’s guest is Daniela Diaz; she is a social media manager. Dani helps small business owners with their presence on social media by creating content and helping them manage their accounts. We met at a networking event, and once she told me she was from Venezuela, I asked her if she would be interested in sharing her story.

Dani shares how she came to the United States as an international student. Her grandparents were born in the United States, so they were already US citizens; however, the process for them to sponsor her and get her residency was ten years. The faster way for her to come was as an international student.

Dani is very raw and honest about her struggles during her first two years living here. And she shares details of things she did to get by. Please listen to this story with an empathic and compassionate heart.

Lastly, we end the episode by talking about how she got into being a social media manager. Her aunt owns a jewelry business, and Dani helped her business achieve an online presence. As a result of that, she started to promote this service for herself, and it became her business!

Thank you for being here!

With Love, Heidy

P.S. The app I reference in the episode where you can share passwords with your team is called LastPass.

Connect with Dani:

⁠Instagram⁠: @danicreativemedia -

Website: https://portfoliodanicreativem.my.canva.site/orlando-marketing

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

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5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy@heidydelacruz.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow me on Instagram

Do you or someone you know want to share their immigration story? Please message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Women of Welcome Director Bri Stensrud

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Wed, 4 Oct 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 37 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!

Today’s guest is Bri Stensrud the director of Women of Welcome. And if you’ve listened to any of my episodes you know how much I mention this organization because of the work they are doing within the immigration space. So, being able to interview and get Bri on the show was such an honor for me!

Bri talks about how Women of Welcome got started and why. She also talks about her passion for this work and the work that Women of Welcome in the Southern Border.

Women of Welcome is a non-partisan Christian organization that is dedicated to sharing the whole truth and scriptures in understanding God’s heart for immigrants and refugees. Their mission states: We believe God calls us to a deep love for the vulnerable, the marginalized, and the forgotten. Together we’re on a journey to understand biblical hospitality in an authentic way.

They have videos and bible studies available as resources to help people understand what the Bible says about immigration, how we should approach the issue of immigration as Christ followers, and dive deeper into the word of God.

I’ve completed their Bible Study – What Does the Bible Say About Immigration? And it was impactful and I feel like it was important for me to do because of the work I’m doing with this podcast, so I encourage you to go through it too! The first Bible Study that Women of Welcome published was Ruth and Noemi – which is still available on their website.

Bri, thank you so much for your heart and the work you’re doing. Also, thank you so much for taking the time to share your work with my audience! God Bless you and this organization.

Thank you for being here!

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Bri:

⁠Instagram⁠: @bri.stenz

Instagram: @WomenofWelcome

Facebook Group: Women of Welcome

Facebook Page: Women of Welcome

Website: Womenofwelcome.com

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

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3. Write a review.

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5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HReynoso213@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you or someone you know would like to share their immigration story, please message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Stay up to date with new episode information sent to your email - sign up for the podcast newsletter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

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Become an Immigration Specialist with DOJ Accreditation with Joanne McAfee

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 04:00:42 +0000

Welcome to episode 36 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!

Today’s episode is a little different than usual because instead of speaking to an immigrant, I am speaking with someone who is an immigrant ally and works in the immigration space without being an immigration attorney.

Her name is Joanne McAfee and we connected through the Facebook group Women of Welcome! She had posted that she was partially accredited with the DOJ but was working on getting fully accredited, however, this was the first step. Joanne explained that she is able to service migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers while seeking full accreditation. This, of course, piqued my interest because I had never heard of this program before.

In today’s episode, Joanne explains the process of how she got into becoming accredited, what type of work she does, and the program she did with Villanova University.

I hope this episode is insightful if you are looking to serve in the immigration space without becoming an immigration attorney.

Thank you for being here!

With Love, Heidy

P.S. Here is the article that I referenced in this episode about the countries that take in the most refugees.

Connect with Joanne:
TikTok: @jojospeaks7

Joanne's Bio:
Joanne McAfee Maldonado is a native Delawarean residing on the ceded lands of the Nanticoke (Nan-tee-coke) and Leni Lenape (Lenny Len ah pay) tribes. Joanne traveled to the El Paso/Juarez border in 2019 to find out for herself what was going on. She is married to a Mexican national and was perplexed by the news reports of family separation and the dismantling of the legal asylum system. She worked as an Ambassador for over a year with Women of Welcome but wanted to find a practical way to make an impact in immigrant services. With a new and more educated perspective, she sought out additional education with Villanova University's VIISTA program and became an DOJ Accredited Immigration Law Representative. Joanne continues to advocate for our foreign-born brothers and sisters by educating, raising awareness, and staying in touch with her local elected officials. She remains vigilant concerning the border by following several organizations that have boots on the ground.

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

Share this episode with a friend.
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Write a review.
Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HReynoso213@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you or someone you know would like to share their immigration story, please message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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"I Thought I Was Going for a Few Months and Stayed for Six Years!" with Louie (English)

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 5 Sep 2023 04:00:16 +0000

Welcome to episode 35 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!

Today’s guest is Louie Bischoff from NRT Marketing. She tells us about her experience being overseas in Taiwan – falling in love and bringing her then fiancé over to the United States. Louie went through the whole process of getting her fiancé’s green card or permanent residency status.

The initial plan was to spend a few months with her friend in Taiwan and she ended up spending 6 years! In those six years, she learned the language, adapted to their culture, and lived with her fiancé’s family.

After living in Taiwan for six years, Louie and her partner decided to move to the United States. It was an important conversation and decision they made together weighing the options of where to raise a family and they picked the US.

Louie’s biggest shock while filing paperwork for obtaining permanent residency was the questioning of whether their relationship was legit. Her biggest hurdle was trying to translate the legal documents for her husband and him trying to understand concepts of what the question was trying to ask.

Listen to the rest of her experience!

Thank you for being here!

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Louie:

LinkedIn: Louie Bischoff, MBA

⁠Instagram⁠: @Louie_Bischoff

TikTok: @Louie_Bischoff

Facebook: NRT Marketing

Website: Nrtmarketingsolutions.com

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HReynoso213@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you or someone you know would like to share their immigration story, please message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Stay up to date with new episode information sent to your email - sign up for the podcast newsletter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

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"Gatito Inmeegrante" The Best Immigration Story Ever written by Alfredo (English) (South America)

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 04:00:46 +0000

Welcome to episode 34 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!

Today’s guest is Alfredo Bravo De Rueda, writer of Gatito Inmeegrante screenplay, which he says is the best immigration story ever! He came to the United States from South America at almost 40 years of age.

Alfredo starts the show by sharing that his background is in economics but unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to work in his field. This is more common than not with immigrants. For example, I’ve worked at different doctor’s offices, and at least one medical assistant in each office I’ve worked in was either a doctor or a nurse in their home country and hadn’t been able to get licensed or certified in the United States.

His first culture shock was the language. Alfredo explains that he learned English back in his home country and he could read and write it, however, once he arrived in the States, he realized he had a hard time understanding people. Another common theme with my guests.

One thing I like that he mentioned during our talk was the resources that the US has, for example, the library. And I feel that the Latino community or immigrant community does not use the library as we should. I take my daughter all the time to check out books and I take my son to the story time and toddler time that they have available and I barely see Hispanic people there. And while I’m there, I see all the different classes and activities they have available for the community and I wish that more people would use them.

Do you use your local library? You can send me a message on Instagram with your response.

Thank you for being here!

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Alfredo:

Twitter: @GatitoInmeegran

Alfredo’s Story Gatito Inmeegrante

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify.

3. Write a review.

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5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HReynoso213@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you or someone you know would like to share their immigration story, please message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Stay up to date with new episode information sent to your email - sign up for the podcast newsletter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

If you want to start a podcast – I want to be your coach! I can help you with a successful podcast launch in just 6 weeks. More information here.

And subscribe to The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants YouTube Channel - launching September 2023!

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From Transylvania to Helping People Achieve Their American Dream with Edit (English)

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 8 Aug 2023 04:00:34 +0000

Welcome to episode 33 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!

Today’s guest is Edit Perez, a Real Estate Agent in Central Florida. She tells us today about her journey coming from Romania.

Edit shares that her parents didn’t tell her they were moving when they went on “vacation” to Hungary when she was 15. It wasn’t until they arrived in Austria that they broke the news to her. They had to spend a year in Austria before continuing their journey to the United States.

Once they arrived in Missouri, it was a whole new world. She didn’t speak much because she didn’t know English, so she didn’t make friends; she kept to herself. It wasn’t until she moved to California that she opened up and met her now husband.

Listen to her incredible journey of coming to the United States and how she eventually became a real estate agent. Now, she is helping people achieve their American Dream of homeownership!

Thank you for being here!

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Edit:

⁠Instagram⁠: @lifestyle_realtor_editperez

TikTok: @editperezlifestyle

Website: Realtoredit.com

Phone: 407-986-0868

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HReynoso213@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

https://www.youtube.com/@TheAmericanDreamInTheEyes

If you or someone you know would like to share their immigration story, please message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Be Femme Strong with DACA recipient Diana - (Mexico) (English)

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 04:00:46 +0000

Welcome to episode 32 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!

Today’s guest is Diana, founder of Be Femme Strong. A women’s merch and apparel company that helps women feel bold and confident. And she is also a photographer. Diana shares her story of growing up undocumented in the United States. She is one of the 643,560 DACA recipients living in the United States.

If you’re unfamiliar with DACA – I’ll explain briefly. It is a temporary protection for deportation for undocumented young immigrants. It provides work permit, social security number, and driver’s license for those who qualify, but no path to legal status or citizenship. In order to qualify, recipients had to be younger than 31 on June 15th, 2012, came to the US when they were younger than 16 and lived in the US since 2007.

This temporary protection was issued via executive order by President Obama in 2012 after Congress did not pass the DREAM Act, which would provide legal status to undocumented children. Since 2012 there has been no path forward for these recipients to gain legal status and recipients must renew their application every two years and pay a fee of $495.

Diana grew up not knowing she was undocumented; she believes it was her parent’s way of trying to protect her. It wasn’t until she was 15 when all her friends were getting their permits and starting to drive that her parents told her why she wouldn’t be able to get her permit as well.

She quickly learned that going to college would be a challenge too but that didn’t stop her from studying hard, taking AP classes, and joining the dual-enrollment program in her high school to obtain college credits. Although, she didn’t finish college, she did open up her own business.

Listen to how her husband’s death motivated her to start her own business.

Thank you for being here!

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Diana:

⁠Instagram⁠: @diana.samantha + @befemmestrong

TikTok: @diana.samantha + @befemmestrong

Website: Befemmestrong.com

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HReynoso213@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Instagram⁠: @OurWealthMatters

If you or someone you know would like to share their immigration story, please message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Stay up to date with new episode information sent to your email - sign up for the podcast newsletter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

If you want to start a podcast – I want to be your coach! I can help you with a successful podcast launch in just 6 weeks. More information here.

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"Our Wealth Matters" with Maribel (Mexico) (Spanglish)

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 04:00:26 +0000

Welcome to episode 31 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.

Today’s guest is Maribel from Our Wealth Matters. She has been featured in The New York Times and Next Advisor con Time. Maribel is an immigrant money coach! We connected on Instagram and she educates and coaches immigrants on finances and building wealth!

Maribel shares her story of growing up with immigrant parents – well really an undocumented mom since her dad was deported shortly after she was born. Her and her mom struggled after that to the point that they slept in their car and at friend’s houses from time to time.

Her mom eventually went back to work as a seamstress and her then boyfriend asked if that was what she was going to do all her life. That lit a fire in her to get her income tax preparer license at H&R Block and eventually start her own business.

We talked about her experience visiting Mexico for the first time and all the memories she made during that trip.

Maribel brings up a situation that happens quite frequently, especially to undocumented workers, is that some employers take advantage of their status by either paying them less than minimum wage or not paying them at all. Please know that if you are undocumented or know someone who is undocumented and are in this situation, they still have rights. On episode 8 – I talk an immigration attorney and he mention this as well. Please seek out, an immigration attorney if you or someone you know is in this situation.

The episode ends talking about personal finance and how Maribel’s upbringing was what motivated her to become financially literate and now she educates the immigration community on personal finance and how to build wealth.

And she provides 3 financial tips!!! So, make sure to listen until the end!

I hope you enjoy this episode and that you learn a tip or two or three ;) !

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Maribel:

TikTok: @OurWealthMatters

Website: Ourwealthmatters.com

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or Apple podcast.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HReynoso213@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connected with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you or someone you know would like to share their immigration story, please message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Stay up to date with new episode information sent to your email - sign up for the podcast newsletter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

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Does the American Dream differs? with Vera (Nigeria) (English)

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 04:00:01 +0000

Welcome to episode 30 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.

Today’s guest is Vera from Redeemed Christian Lifestyle. She is a Christian life coach who focuses on helping Christian professionals with their spiritual needs, and she runs a Christian teaching ministry for women.

We talked about her experience as a child of immigrants and some of the challenges she saw her parents face living in a different country. Her parents came from Nigeria, and one of their frustrations when they first arrived was seeing the commercials on TV of how Africa was being portrayed.

Vera gives some facts about Nigeria – like there are over 250 languages spoken in Nigeria alone! People wear Western fashion clothing, except for special occasions; they will wear their traditional Nigerian clothing. And Nigerians have two types of weddings – a traditional wedding and a white wedding.

One common theme with children of immigrants that I’ve noticed is that we battle with the sense of belonging and the conflict of having two different cultures. There is your parent’s culture (from their home country), but then there is the American culture (where we live)—trying to navigate through both causes friction between parents and their kids. However, as we (the children of immigrants) get older and have our own children, we understand our parents and their choices more.

Vera was the first guest I asked how she thinks the American differs between immigrants and native-born Americans, and I would love to know how do you think it differs, if at all? You can respond in the poll at the bottom or send me your answer on Instagram, and I’ll include it in the next episode! :)

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Vera:

Phone: 713-396-0954

⁠Instagram⁠

Redeemedchrisitanlifestyle.org

YouTube

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Share this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or Apple podcast.

3. Write a review.

4. Sign up for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

5. Donate money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠heidy@heidydelacruz.com

Connected with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you or someone you know would like to share their immigration story, please message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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A Just Mission with Mekdes Haddis - (Ethiopia) (English)

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 04:00:39 +0000

Welcome to episode 29 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.

Today’s guest is Mekdes Haddis. She is a speaker, author, business consultant, and coach. Mekdes came from Ethiopia to attend college in the United States. Her parents felt that receiving higher education in the West was the best thing for her. She attended her first year of college in Ethiopia. However, she felt called to ministry and attended a Christian college here.

We talked a bit about her life in Ethiopia when she first arrived in the US – how the roads felt so empty and how she enjoys the freedom of being who she wants to be here. Which is something people don’t get in certain countries. And I want to highlight this because those who have never been outside the US or haven’t talked to someone from a different culture may not understand.

Mekdes explains how the government in Ethiopia assigns careers for the people depending on the 12th-grade assessment results. For example, if your exam shows that you’re strong in math or science, they may assign you to the engineering or the medical field, and if you’re good at history or writing, they might assign you to teaching or business management.

We finish the episode by discussing Mekdes’s book – A Just Mission – Laying Down Power & Embracing Mutuality. You can read my review of the book here. I highly, HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who has gone on mission trips or wants to attend a mission trip to learn more about what we can do right on these mission trips. As promised in the episode, here are all the links to where you can purchase her book.

AMAZON, CHRISTIAN BOOK, BARNES AND NOBLE, IVPRESS.COM

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Mekdes:

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Connected with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Finding Your Purpose With Burcu (Turkey) (English)

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 30 May 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 28 of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants Podcast. I am your host, Heidy De La Cruz where I am on a mission to change the narrative of immigration one immigrant story at a time.

Today's guest is Burcu Onaranel. She is the owner of Joy, LLC, international speaker, and host of The Coffee O’Clock Podcast. In her podcast she shares joy and inspiration with guest from all over the world who have inspirational stories to tell.

Burcu came to the United States from Turkey looking purpose. She had, what people called, "the perfect life" - she had a good career, made good money, had a car, had a degree, yet she wasn't happy. She took a huge risk, quit her job, moved to the United States without knowing English, only searching for her purpose.

Once the pandemic hit, she moved back to Turkey to be with her family during those uncertain times.

Her experience is different from other episodes I've had but I appreciate her experience because she came to the U.S. to find purpose. She wasn't running away from anything, she wasn't struggling in her home country, however, she was brave to move to a whole new country - the country of opportunities, to find her life's true purpose. And in the four years she was here, she founded her company! She now helps other entrepreneurs reach personal and business goals.

In the episode we talk about me being a guest on her podcast and you can listen to it here.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Burcu:

Instagram Email: burcu@joyyburcu.com

The Coffee O’Clock Podcast

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Connected with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Be Open to Learning with Andrea (Ecuador) (English)

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 16 May 2023 04:00:02 +0000

Welcome to episode 27 of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast! I am your host Heidy De La Cruz, and today’s guest is Andrea Rotondo from Liquid Cents Bookkeeping.

Andrea was 16 when her parents decided to move from Ecuador to the United States. Her dad got a great opportunity to take over a business in the US, and her mom always wanted to live here, so it was the perfect time for them; however, Andrea wanted to finish high school with her lifelong friends.

We talked about her experience in adapting to school here in the United States and how the diversity of South Florida was her biggest culture shock because there weren’t people from Ecuador in her community.

Andrea also shares how she became undocumented during the process of her sister petitioning her family (her parents and her). To this day, there is no explanation of what happened, but during this period when she was undocumented, she felt like she needed to be invisible so she wouldn’t get deported. Luckily, per paperwork was able to get fixed, but it affected various aspects of her life, like attending college, not being able to drive, etc.

We finish the episode talking about her business, Liquid Cents Bookkeeping, what she does, who she helps, and how you can connect with her.

Thank you so much for your support; I hope you enjoy this episode and learned something new.

With Love, Heidy

Connect with Andrea

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrearotondo1/

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If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠HReynoso213@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connected with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Chinedu from The Immigrant Investor Show! (Nigeria) (English)

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 2 May 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 26 of The American Dream In The Eyes of Immigrants podcast. I am your host, Heidy De La Cruz and today’s guest is Chinedu Akunne from The Immigrant Investor Show.

His podcast is about highlighting the immigrant hustle, like pains, wins, and lessons, to help motivate those stuck along the way. It’s a monthly podcast that has been heard in over 45 countries. Chinedu and I connected on Instagram after one of my followers shared that she was on his podcast, so I asked him to be on mine!

Chinedu is from Nigeria and came to the United States when he was 17 for college. He’s a licensed pharmacist, real estate investor, short-termrental operator, and podcast host.

Right off the bat, we started talking about names and their meaning, so he gave us the meaning of this name, and he looked up the meaning of mine. So, I want to know, does your name have a specific meaning, and if you know why your parents decided on that name?

Chinedu talks about his experience with boarding school back home in Nigeria, which helped him transition to attending college in the United States because he was already used to not seeing his family often.

We talk about the culture shock he experienced was, how sensitive people are in the United States because growing up in Nigeria, people are more direct, and how the fashion back in 2005 was so different compared to back home going to a British boarding school.

I had such a great time talking to Chinedu and learning about his culture. Let me know if anything stood out to you in this episode or if you learned something new.

With Love, Heidy

P.S. Towards the end of the episode, Chinedu mentions that he writes five things he is grateful for daily; you, too, can practice gratitude with my gratitude journal, available on Amazon. And they are running a sale right now; you can purchase it for $6.02!!

Here is the episode mentioned on The Immigrant Investor Show about investing.

Connect with Chinedu

Instagram - Immigrantinvestorshow

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5. Donating money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please send me an email at ⁠⁠⁠HReynoso213@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠

Connected with ⁠⁠⁠⁠Heidy⁠⁠⁠⁠

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From Brazil to the United States with the Au Pair Program with Rosana (English)

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 04:00:59 +0000

Welcome to episode 25 of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants Podcast. I am your host Heidy De La Cruz, and we are celebrating one year of this podcast this week!!!! The official anniversary is April 19!!!! So, to celebrate, I am doing a $50 gift card giveaway on my Instagram starting tomorrow (April 19 until Friday, April 21, 8 pm EST). Follow me on Instagram for the official rules to enter the giveaway!!!!

Thank you so much for all your support this past year, and I cannot wait to see how far this podcast gets!!! All for God’s glory, Amen!

Alright, let’s get into the episode.

Today I talk with Rosana Acklin – who is from São Paulo, Brazil. And she came to the United States through the Au Pair Program. I’ll be honest, prior to this episode, I had not heard of this program, so I learned a lot with Rosana.

With this program, participants become nannies for the host families; however, there are requirements for both sides and here are a few:

Au Pairs requirements:

1. Must be able to speak English.

2. Between the ages of 18 to 26 years of age.

3. Successfully pass a background check.

4. Training/experience with kids

5. Must have a secondary school degree.

Host family requirement:

1. Provide an appropriate private room.

2. Be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident fluent in English.

3. Pay a weekly minimum stipend based on the program selected.

4. Include the au pair in family meals, outings, and holidays whenever possible.

5. Limit childcare to no more than 10 hours and a maximum of 45 hours per week.

If you would like the complete list of requirements or are interested in the Au Pair Program, please contact an immigration attorney.

We talked about her struggle at the beginning of being away from her family and not having other Brazilians around where she lived. Now, there are more people from Brazil, but when she first moved to Michigan, she didn’t know any.

We also talked about her experience going back home the first time after moving and how she did not miss the business of living in a big city.

I truly enjoyed talking with Rosana about her unique experience of coming to the United States. I learned about the Au Pair Program and am excited to share this knowledge with you all.

Thank you so much for your continuous support, and I hope you enjoy this episode!

With Love, Heidy

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Sharing this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or Apple podcast.

3. Writing a review.

4. Signing up for the ⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠.

5. Donating money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please send me an email at ⁠⁠HReynoso213@gmail.com⁠⁠

Connected with ⁠⁠⁠Heidy⁠⁠⁠

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"Life with Francy" - From Puerto Rico to Maryland with Francy Devarie

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 4 Apr 2023 04:00:31 +0000

Welcome to episode 24 of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast.

Today’s guest is Francy Devarie – the podcast host of “Life With Francy Podcast.” She came to the United States from Puerto Rico when she was 15 after she was married at 14! Yes, this is definitely a story to listen to!

Francy’s story is a story of hardship to triumph and is such an impactful story. It was moving to hear all the things she went through and see how much she’s thriving now. I was on Francy’s podcast sharing about my poetry book and what events led me to write those poems. You can listen to that episode here. And you can purchase the book here – just in time for National Poetry Month!

Thank you for your continuous support! Don’t forget to leave a review on apple podcast or Spotify.

Connect with Francy

Instagram Life With Francy Podcast

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Sharing this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or Apple podcast.

3. Writing a review.

4. Signing up for the ⁠newsletter⁠.

5. Donating money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor an episode, please send me an email at ⁠HReynoso213@gmail.com⁠

With Love, Heidy

Connected with ⁠⁠Heidy⁠⁠

If you or someone you know would like to share their immigration story, please send me a message on ⁠Instagram⁠.

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"Coming to the US From Bosnia to Be a Doctor and Realizing I Had to Repeat Classes" with Marija Dobratic (English)

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 04:00:44 +0000

Welcome to episode 23 of the American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants Podcast! I am your host, Heidy De La Cruz. Today’s guest is Marija Dobratic. She is a life coach and the host of Legacy Stories LIVE Podcast – another podcast elevating immigrant stories, which I had the honor and pleasure of being a guest on.

In today’s episode, we talk about Marija coming to the United States from Bosnia and her wanting to be a doctor, but she quickly found out how different the school system is here and that she had to be pre-med first before going to medical school. We talked about how different the transportation system is in the US compared to Bosnia, where you can walk everywhere. And her experience going back home to visit Bosnia with her family.

If you’d like to connect with Marija, you can follow her on Instagram and TikTok. Make sure to check out her podcast!

Thank you so much for listening to today’s episode!

Here are a few ways you can support this podcast.

1. Sharing this episode with a friend.

2. Subscribe on Spotify or Apple podcast.

3. Writing a review.

4. Signing up for the newsletter.

5. Donating money.

If you’d like to advertise your business or sponsor the show, please send me an email at heidy@heidydelacruz.com

With Love, Heidy

Connected with ⁠Heidy⁠

If you or someone you know would like to share their immigration story, please send me a message on Instagram.

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"Through the Eyes of My Grandmother" with Betsy Sloan

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 7 Mar 2023 05:00:28 +0000

Welcome to episode 22 of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast. I am your host, Heidy De La Cruz. If this is your first time here, welcome; if not, welcome back.

Today’s episode is a little different – this story is about a grandmother, Martha Sherman, who came to the United States before World War I, and it’s told by her granddaughter Betsy!

Martha came from what used to be Russia but is now Ukraine. She fled because she was told to leave her home because she was Jewish. Listen to her incredible journey and all she endured while fleeing to the United States.

Toward the end of the episode, Betsy and I get into a good discussion about immigration and current policies. We both agree that there needs to be a better system in place, and we know that the current system is broken. However, there are things we can do in the meantime while reform happens. The simplest thing is to be kind. We don’t know what people have endured getting here, but now that they are here, let’s be kind.

Ephesians 4:32 (NIV) Be kind and compassionate to one another…

I had the pleasure of meeting Betsy because I was a guest on her show - Chatting with Betsy

Connect with Betsy: LinkedIn Facebook

Connected with Heidy

If you or someone you know would like to share their immigration story, please send me a message on Instagram.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review of the show - this will help the show reach more listeners. Thank you.

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The Ace Candles Founder - Thalia! From PR to US - English

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 05:00:44 +0000

Welcome to Episode 21 of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants Podcast; I am your host, Heidy De La Cruz. Today’s guest is the founder and creator of Ace Candles, Thalia.

Thalia is from Puerto Rico, the youngest of three, and she was nine when her parents decided to move to the United States. Although she knew English before they moved, she was still placed in the ESOL program (English for Speakers of Other Languages), and it took some time for her to adapt to schooling in the US.

We speak about the struggle of being bilingual and bilingual parents. It’s a struggle because sometimes we forget words in one language or we have to translate in our mind what we want to say from Spanish to English and also try to speak to our children in our native language so we don’t lose our culture, but we are more comfortable speaking Spanish.

If you are bilingual – I want to hear if this is something you relate to and how you overcome this.

Thalia gives us an insight into how they lived in the United States for the first two years, all five of them (her, her parents, and two brothers) in her grandparents’ garage, which was turned into a studio. I loved that she says she loved that time with her family because I’m sure others (me) would have resented having to live like that for two years.

We end the episode with Thalia talking about her candle company. Her candles are non-toxic, chemical-free, and smell AMAZING!

Check out Thalia's candle etsy shop here: The Ace Candles

Follow on Instagram

Connected with Heidy

If you or someone you know would like to share their immigration story, please send me a message on Instagram.

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Learning to Unlearn Culture Norms in a New Country with Mariana - Brazil (English)

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 7 Feb 2023 05:00:17 +0000

Welcome to episode 20 of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants. I am your host, Heidy De La Cruz. If this is your first time listening, welcome, and if not, welcome back. I'm so glad you're here today.

In today's episode, I speak with Mariana, who came from São Paulo, Brazil as an adult. She received the opportunity to come to the United States through her employer, which was a dream come true! Even though it was a dream, there was still an adjustment period with learning how to do things in the United States. Even grocery shopping was different for Mariana.

She talked about when she visited Brazil for the first time after moving to the U.S. – it didn't feel like home anymore. She also talks about her biggest struggle in adapting to the culture here is being less affectionate, especially in the workplace. In the Latino culture, it's common to greet others with a hug and a kiss, even at work, but that's not a norm here, so it takes some time to adapt.

My favorite takeaway from this episode is when she mentions that her boyfriend hadn't realized all the opportunities this country has compared to other countries until he started dating her. We are very blessed in this country, spoiled even, but we won't realize it until we talk to others outside our community/culture or visit other countries. The United States has a lot to offer us, and sometimes we take it for granted.

After listening to the episode, let me know your takeaway.

P.S. Shout out to @immigrant.finance for educating immigrants about finances and helping them build their businesses. I mentioned them at the end of the episode because I took their business course! Chem them out!

Connect with Mariana on Instagram!

Connected with Heidy:

https://www.instagram.com/heidy.delacruz13/

If you or someone you know would like to share their immigration story, please send me a message on Instagram.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review of the show - this will help the show reach more listeners. Thank you.

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Orlando Center for Justice Founder Gisselle Martinez - (Colombia) (English)

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 05:00:52 +0000

Welcome to episode 19 of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants Podcast. I am your host, Heidy De La Cruz. Today’s episode is with immigration attorney Gisselle Martinez. She and her family moved to the US from Colombia when she was twelve years old. They first moved to South Florida and then to Iowa, which was a complete culture shock.

The struggles she and her family went through when they first arrived in the US inspired her to become an immigration attorney. Gisselle is one of the founders of the non-profit organization Orlando Center for Justice for immigration.

OCJ serves and represents those who cannot afford private immigration attorneys in Central Florida. They also serve three immigration detention centers in Orlando for kids. These are children who enter the US without a guardian and are placed in these detention centers.

If you want to donate to Orlando Center for Justice, you can do so here.

Connected with Heidy:

https://www.instagram.com/heidy.delacruz13/

If you or someone you know would like to share their immigration story, please send me a message on Instagram.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review of the show - this will help the show reach more listeners. Thank you.

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Be Limitless with Sandra & Noemi - Mexico (English)

hreynoso213@gmail.com (Heidy De La Cruz) — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 05:00:39 +0000

Welcome to episode 18 of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants podcast. This episode is another sibling episode, but this time it’s two sisters, Sandra and Noemi. Their parents came from Mexico and talked about their experience growing up as children of immigrant parents.

They talk about having to help their parents out in the fields picking oranges in the summertime and then helping at their mom’s store on the weekends. It wasn’t until recently that they stopped helping their mom – when she closed her business.

We talked about the challenge of translating for our parents – with customers, important documents, or having to return items LOL.

Another challenge they had growing up as immigrant kids was their parents having to miss sporting events, awards ceremonies, etc. because they were always working.

Just an FYI, this episode was recorded outside at a coffee shop which is why you hear outside noise.

Sandra and Noemi own an online boutique called Limitless Wardrobe Co. Check out the clothes and accessories. The clothes are super cute!

Are you a child of immigrants? If so, what could you relate to – send me a message and let me know.

Connect with Sandra & Noemi: