GTRI: Global Talent Belongs Here!

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How does a state like Michigan keep its talented university graduates who are from overseas? How do Michigan-educated international students hook up with employers for internships and eventual employment? Feel Like You Belong welcomes Jeff Towns, Executive Director of Michigan’s Global Talent Retention Initiative (GTRI) along with Trinidad-born Yasha Nath, a Michigan college grad with the kinds of skills the state is clamoring for. Encouraging news for international students who want to stay in the state after graduation as well as for U.S. employers looking to navigate the unfamiliar waters of hiring foreign-born employees.

GTRI website: http://www.migtri.org/

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Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.

Emily Lee: Asian. American. Philosopher. Mom.

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Growing up in South Korea, Guam, and the Bronx gave Emily S. Lee a close-up chance to reflect on race and identity. We were lucky to catch up with her while she was on speaking tour in the Midwest, and she shared with us her thoughts on immigration, sexism, racism, and motherhood. Her book, Living Alterities, is available from SUNY Press.

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Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.

Erick Picardo: Afro-Caribbean Artist for Peace

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Drug violence forced Erick Picardo to leave his successful art studio in the Dominican Republic and seek a better life in a "freedom country," the United States. Today, this renowned Michigan painter celebrates his Afro-Caribbean heritage on canvas and in his drumming group. Listen as he talks about his special anti-violence, pro-peace marathon mural project.

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Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.

Amal Berry: Comfortable in Her Own Skin

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While all the white kids' moms sent bologna on Wonderbread to school, Amal Berry's mom packed her "weird" stuff like hummus and kibbeh. Finally, the proud day came: she opened her lunch, saw the coveted white bread sandwich, and took a bite...it was terrible. It turns out her native Lebanese cuisine was not only better tasting, it was healthy too!  Berry joins Alan to talk about growing up ethnic and how that informs her daily life...as a parent and the chief diversity officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.     

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Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.

Special Edition: Talking with the Writer and Cast of "Elvira" -- a Play about Undocumented Immigration

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Actor/playwright Jessica Carmona was inspired about the real-life story of U.S. immigrant Elvira Arellano.  Arellano was an undocumented woman living and working in the United States until ICE officers arrested her and threatened to separate her from her son, a U.S. citizen by birth.  In this series of interviews, FLYB hears from Carmona and her four actors while in town from New York for a one-time performance at Grand Valley State University. We talk to Carmona's sister Jennica (Puerto Rico), Linda Obasi (Nigeria), Eduardo Leáñez (Venezuela), and Daniela Thome (Chile) about their roles in the play and what this production has taught them about the human side of immigration.

View the full, individual interviews here:

Jessica Carmona -- Jennica Carmona -- Daniela Thome -- Linda Obasi -- Eduardo Leáñez

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Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.

Luna Atamian: Champion of Entrepreneurship

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Polyglot Luna Atamian has many passions. Armenia, Uruguay, and France – the lands of her heritage. Opera – the art form that gives her solace and energy, whether singing or listening. Immigrant entrepreneurship – the life force that fosters creativity and dynamic companies. And New York City – her adopted city-nation and symbol of what multicultural paradise can look like.  Join us as we talk about the spirit she shares with FWD.us founders Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates.  An inspiring look at what can happen when one embraces life across the oceans and into one's dreams!

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Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.

Michele Clark: Brazilian Dreamweaver

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When Michele Clark managed an antique store in Brazil, she didn't imagine that the American customer looking to furnish a restored country mansion would someday become her husband. Today, this transplanted Brazilian keeps one eye on the couple's South American B&B and the other on their Lake Michigan gift shop.  Join the conversation to learn about jeitinho brasileiro (the Brazilian art of wiggle room) and a unique form of grass that glows like gold and lasts for centuries.

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Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.

Kashmir Singh: Lifelong Learner

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What does an Indian farmer do when his son takes a job in the United States? If you're 60-year-old Kashmir Singh, you move along with him, take the bus to daily English lessons, and then study for a driver's license in your new second language. After that, because you've worked all your life, you look for any job you can find to feel productive, ultimately becoming the prize employee at the local car wash. As old dogs, can we learn new tricks? One delightfully plucky immigrant demonstrates yes, we can!

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Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.

Roberto Torres: The Humble Leader

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Roberto Torres stands tall in the community and not just because he wears cowboy boots and a ten-gallon hat. This humble campesino child learned to fight for his dignity in Anglo schools. He went on to become an avid reader, U.S. Marine, and community organizer. Through the great recession of 2007, he led economic development activities in northern Ohio until being selected executive director of the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan. The two proudest possessions in his office? A pickle hamper and a construction helmet. Find out why in this inspiring interview with Roberto Torres.

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Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.

Karen Phillippi: Michigan Office for New Americans

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How does Michigan attract and keep top talent? The state government believes it is done by making immigrants feel welcome to live and work there. Alan talks with Karen Phillippi, Deputy Director for Michigan's Office for New Americans, about such initiatives.

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Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.

Mónica Robles: The Elegant Tomboy

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Growing up in Mexico, Mónica Robles pestered her father to give her things he said were "only for boys." Persistence paid off, and she did learn to ride motorcycles and pilot private planes. Today, Mónica takes that same feisty mindset to every endeavor she takes on, from community leadership to international marketing. Don't miss this personal story of pluck and charm: from Mexico with love!

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Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.

Benjamin Amponsah: Intercontinental Bridge Builder

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As a youth in West Africa, Benjamin Kofi Amponsah always knew he wanted to study in the United States.  What he couldn't have envisioned was falling in love with and marrying an American, then settling into her hometown, the father of two Ghanaian-American children.  Along the way, he earned two college degrees and became an international liaison between his adopted city and the Ga District of his native Ghana. Benjamin talks with Alan of his love for two cultures and the patience needed to straddle both.

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Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.

Special Edition: Meeting the Sikhs

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On a cold blustery winter Friday, Feel Like You Belong made a road trip to the Sikh gurdwara (temple) in Ada, Michigan. The members of the Sikh Society of West Michigan greeted us warmly and staged a special worship service with instrumental music and singing--even though their normal worship falls on Sunday. Afterwards, we were treated to a delicious lunch and gracious conversation in their dining hall. Join us for a special edition when we talk with temple priest Bhai Baljeet Singh and temple member Veenu Suri. In a later installment, we will share an absolutely charming interview with octogenarian temple member Kashmir Singh.

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Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.

Phillip Nguyen: From Rags to Riches

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Orphaned at a young age, Phillip Nguyen spent his youth in Vietnam bouncing between the streets of homelessness and the occasional care of any relative who would take him in. At age 18, he landed in a refugee camp with a third-grade education and an uncertain future. How did this child of war time become a business owner and civic leader in a mid-sized American city? Join us for a touching story of pluck, hard work, and a little spiritual intervention.

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Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.

Juan Daniel Castro: Leader of the Band

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When the Mexican peso devalued, Juan Daniel Castro found he owed more money than he earned. So, he did what any optimist would do: summoned his courage, applied for a visa, and moved to the U.S. Twenty years later, he is an American citizen, the leader of a salsa band, and an advocate for healthcare in the Latino community.

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Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.

Praveen Shanbhag: The Name Coach

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Praveen Shanbhag is a smart guy with a PhD in Philosophy. Like most philosophers, he spends time asking good questions. Questions like, "Why can't universities (who employ really smart people) correctly pronounce the names of their students at graduation ceremonies?"

Praveen Shanbhag is a smart guy with a PhD in Philosophy. Like most philosophers, he spends time asking good questions. Questions like, "why can't universities (who employ really smart people) pronounce the names of their students correctly at graduation ceremonies?" Unlike most philosophers, Praveen went beyond asking; this son of Indian immigrants started a company to help us get each other's names right. We have a name for that: Genius!

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Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.