Jake Beniflah: The Stress of Acculturating
/"Would you do it all over again if you could choose?" an adult son asks his dying father. Jake Beniflah talks of immigration, personal sacrifice, and the stress of acculturating to a place far from home.
sharing the life stories of immigrants, expatriates, and refugees to the United States
Feel Like You Belong TV is your source for real stories about the real people we call migrants. They may be the seasonal workers who traverse the country picking our daily produce.* They may be the expatriates who come on temporary assignment for their multinational companies. Or they may be the intrepid** souls who have committed to calling these United States their new homeland.
People have been migrating since time immemorial.*** They have moved for safety from earthquakes and drought. From war and disease. From persecution and economic hardship. They have the same characteristics as our immigrant forebears who gave up the familiarity and comfort of home in order to take risks and build a better life.
Join us here every week with these heroic storytellers and learn about what it is that still makes America a destination for entrepreneurs and risk-takers. The people who moved themselves and their families across deserts and oceans. People who add to each new generation’s vibrancy**** and can-do spirit. Welcome to Feel Like You Belong.
"Would you do it all over again if you could choose?" an adult son asks his dying father. Jake Beniflah talks of immigration, personal sacrifice, and the stress of acculturating to a place far from home.
The needs of the Hispanic immigrant community are varied and often urgent. Services in demand run the gamut from nutrition education to job mentoring, legal counsel, language services, and domestic violence counseling. Sara Proaño speaks proudly of the rich resource that is the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan.
Being born in the former Soviet Union of Jewish ancestry did not make life easy for families like the Kabachenkos. Add to that the world's largest nuclear meltdown, and the situation is ripe for an entire family to flee their native Ukraine to seek asylum in the United States. Growing up between two cultures, young Max wasn't sure where he belonged. And then in 2001, the Twin Towers came down, and an immigrant teen was clear what he had to do: enlist in the U.S. Army and stand up for his adopted country. Max Kabachenko talks with Alan about culture, belonging, and the price of citizenship.
After moving to the U.S. from Nigeria, Nkechy Ezeh battled the relentless snows of her adopted Michigan and the seeming coldness of the American don't-just-drop-in culture. However, a far greater shock awaited her: learning that despite its wealth of knowledge about early childhood development, Americans weren't applying it to educate the children of our most marginalized families. Listen as an award-winning educator talks about equity in education and her brainchild, the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative.
Having lived on three continents, Jack Mangala is eminently qualified to talk about the politics and practicalities of global migration. Born in the Democratic Rep. of Congo, Jack earned his PhD in Belgium before moving to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he teaches political science. He talks with Alan about the challenges and opportunities when large numbers of people pick up and go somewhere else.
Kaushik Nag knows a thing or two about global workforce development. Working for Amway Corporation, Nag leads Talent Acquisition, Employee Benefits and Global Change Management functions in the multinational arena. He is also actively involved in building regional talent strategies for West Michigan. What's one critical element of that development? After seeking out highly qualified professionals from around the world, a major challenge is how to retain them. From Calcutta, India to Grand Rapids, Michigan, this human resources leader shares his observations on creating a sense of belonging.
This week's guest can be described as a builder of bridges and breaker of barriers. With one foot planted firmly on each side of the world's longest international boundary, Gail Harrison is a dual US-Canadian citizen. And she uses that broad outlook to inform her daily work, where she is the executive director of the Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance. [Parental Warning: May not be suitable for younger children.]
Whether you're from Africa, the Middle East, or Eastern Europe, nothing says "home" more than finding the foods that give you comfort. Enter Jordanian-born Khalid Karadsheh, co-owner of Mediterranean Island grocery in southeast Grand Rapids. For two decades, Khalid has provided thousands of imported foodstuffs to his diverse and growing clientele. He talks with Alan about his love of food, pride in his Arab roots, and affection for his adopted American homeland.
Which Michigan school is the first in the state to offer a college major in translation and interpretation? It's not U of M. It's not MSU. It's plucky little Aquinas College! Prof. of French Michel Pichot tells how this is a huge employment opportunity for undergraduates in the liberal arts.
Murari Suvedi came to the United States with little money but big dreams. Along with a wife and two small sons, he brought with him the core qualities of immigrants: a desire to learn and the ability to persevere. Fast forward several decades: has the "investment" in this Nepali family "paid off"? You be the judge. Join Alan as you listen to this father and son's heart-warming story of hard work and success!
How do workers move themselves across borders and oceans? Simple, according to German expats Brigitte and Michael Merk. Stay curious. Don't compare; accept the differences. Enjoy every moment. Accept that adjustment isn't immediate. Be open. Try new things. Get out of your comfort zone.
At seven years of age, when the bullets came flying and people said, "Run!" Augustin Nsabimana ran. As he and family members fled the advancing troops of the RPF, this Rwandan youth saw what no child should see: decapitated and decomposing bodies of the sick, the slow, and the unlucky. Underneath it all was the terror that bespoke his family's flight: Run! Run, or you could be next. In this story of loss and redemption, grown-up "Auggie" tells of the national chaos that was 1994 Rwanda and the parting words of his brother, which became the title for his book, "See You In Heaven."
From the mountains of Argentina to the lakeshore of Michigan, Jorge Rodriguez knows one profound truth: your body is not fit unless your mind and spirit are also aligned. A lifelong practitioner of health and wellbeing, Dr. Jorge Rodriquez has trained celebrities like Brad Pitt and everyday citizens of his newfound hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. In this deeply touching interview, Jorge talks about his own challenges with health and the surprising generosity of others.
Mira Krishnan knows a thing or two about otherness. She grew up in mostly-white neighborhoods of Michigan, the child of Tamil Indian immigrants. After college, she directed her professional skills from engineering and neuropsychology to helping families with autistic children. As a transgender citizen, she uses her speaking and advocacy skills to speak on LGBT issues. With such a broad range of life experiences, Mira is profoundly qualified to talk about community and the meaning of belonging.
Why do Americans fear foreigners? Author Deepa Iyer, herself an immigrant from India, talks about Islamophobia, racial anxiety, and "othering" following the attacks of September 11, 2001. She shares stories from her new book, We Too Sing America: South Asian, Arab, Muslim, and Sikh Immigrants Shape Our Multiracial Future.
When do our cultural perceptions become deceptions? Whenever we let stereotypes and unfounded assumptions take over our thought processes. Interculturalist Joe Lurie talks about five decades of global learning––from observations as well as personal missteps. He shares some of the wisdom from his new book and offers tips for immigrants who want to succeed in the U.S. workplace.
An immigrant child, Ana Ramirez-Saenz was raised in West Michigan by a single mom who worked long hours in a pickle factory. During her days at MBA school and at work in the banking industry, she saw first hand the lack of diversity in leadership and its cost on morale and the bottom line. Today, as President of La Fuente Consulting, she guides companies towards more inclusive practices and more powerful decision making. An exclusive chat with an insightful leader.
Love of an American made her move to the United States. Love of food from her Brazilian homeland made her enter local cooking contests. And an entrepreneurial spirit made her a baker of the tasty pão de queijo, a staple of her childhood and reason for her growing business. Love and a Brazilian oven in Kalamazoo, Michigan!
With a vision of something better for their children's futures, Elisa Perez-Arellano's parents did what countless others have done before: immigrated to the United States, a land of opportunity. They stressed traditional Mexican values: hard work, family, and staying in school. Those values paid off. Today, Perez-Arellano is a college graduate--with a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Social Work--working tirelessly to support those she preceded on the journey: immigrants without insurance, without a knowledge of the system, and those without hope. Her after-hours advocacy extends to supporting the Latino LGBT community as it looks to overcome stigmas and stereotypes. An inspirational woman with the wellbeing of her adopted community in her heart!
David Alvarez grew up on the thin slice of rock between earth, sky, and sea called Gibraltar. With a view of the dying vestiges of British colonialism in his own life, he launched on a career of researching and telling about that provocative legacy in other lands. He chats with us about S. Africa, Palestine, and Healing Children of Conflict.
Feel Like You Belong is a sometimes serious, sometimes funny, always “touch-your-heart” real conversation about fitting into the American culture. It introduces guests who have made the immigrant journey to the United States. The stories–of both struggle and success–will help newcomers feel more confident in sharing their opinions and expertise, more likely to want to stay in the U.S., be more productive in their jobs, and fully invest in their communities.