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.
Frank Wu joins us to discuss growing up Asian American in very-white suburban Detroit. He shares the chilling impact of the 1982 Detroit murder of Vincent Chin on the Asian-American community. Finally, he calls for strengthened coalition building across the diverse Asian populations of the U.S.
Amer Ahmed grew up in the United States in the awkward brown immigrant space between black and white. Hear how one Muslim boy's diverse upbringing influenced a career of bridging differences and teaching others to work more inclusively.
Mohammad "Mo" Ehsani came to the U.S. in the 1970s to study technology. After a distinguished career as professor of civil engineering, he is off to tackle some of the world's biggest problems. An indefatigable engineer with the wrap on very important solutions!
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.
Born in Jordan to Palestinian refugees, Amer Zahr moved to the United States as a child and grew up as a member of a "suspicious" minority outside Philadelphia, PA. In his conversation with Alan, he talks about the discrimination against Arabs in the U.S. and how they need more representation on the national census. Billed as America's "funniest and smartest Arab," Amer shares with us one of his stand-up comedy routines in our What's So Funny? segment.
Susan Im rejoins Alan in the studio, this time to talk about growing up second-generation Korean American in rural Michigan. She shares her newfound awareness of race, racism, and her own ethnic identity, which solidifies after the bludgeoning murder of Vincent Chin, a Chinese American mistaken for Japanese by unemployed auto workers in the 1970s.
Antoine Dubeauclard, Renaissance man, moved in his childhood with his family to the United States. There, he learned to speak fluently his third language (English), graduated from college (University of Michigan), and started a thriving business (Media Genesis) in Metro Detroit. In his spare time, Antoine brews craft beer in his home, does paintings on wood, and creates photography in black and white. He shares with Alan his thoughts on creativity and culture.
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.
