Yeah, you heard that right! Our co-host is back for this episode! Olga and I reflect on all that’s happened in the last few years, how we reconnected, and the work we are doing on ourselves, our kiddos, and more! We also talk about some of our favorite episodes we did together. Love you to the moon and back, Olga.

Rehana Morita is a Libyan Japanese immigrant and one of 20 finalists in the Miss Arab USA Pageant. She is joining us to share her journey on this endeavor to inspire other women and girls to be divas! She shares with us how she’s been preparing and how she’s leaning into community to make it happen! We’re rooting for you, Rehana!

Gardenia slid into my DM’s one day, and now we’re super close friends. She supported our last cohort with the Cultural Leadership Fellowship, where our friendship really took off. Gardenia is intentional, kind, generous, and leads everything she does with love. This episode is a dive into who she is as a friend, community member, and mental health advocate. It’s the first episode I've recorded in person since before COVID, and you can definitely hear the excitement–prepare for lots of laughter. Enjoy!

This piece is made up of memories where my anxiety manifested into a persona. I refer to my anxiety as she/her, throughout. This written piece will be featured in Minneapolis at an undocumented art exhibit.

Carlie is deeply driven by a desire to help others, whether she’s volunteering with the Florida Student Power, tutoring students, or creating content for first-generation students on her platform Dreamersuccess_! She is always looking for ways to build resources and apply herself for opportunities across the nation. She migrated to the US from Haiti with her mom in 2018 and has been faced with many difficulties in her life, yet she always attempts to grow and look forward. Prepare to be deeply inspired by Carlie on our new episode.

Let’s go back in time—seven months ago—to my last adventure abroad with the Cultural Leadership Fellowship. In all honesty, recording this was hard. I wrote most of it just days after returning to the U.S., then let it sit in an open tab for months. This journey was filled with laughter, spiritual moments, and heartbreak. Join me as I revisit the moments in Peru and Mexico that moved me.

The LEO podcast and Shot of Truth Podcast presents Undocumented and Unafraid: Protests, Power, and Surveillance an episode unpacking what we are experiencing as immigrant folks in this country. We discuss the real-life impacts of these ongoing immigration policies rooted in dehumanization and exploitation.

People are coming together—learning, organizing, having difficult conversations, and speaking out against daily injustices. As immigrants, we know that staying informed, having resources, and leaning on our community is how we keep moving forward! Tune in to Shot of Truth for a roundtable discussion, co-hosted by Yuriana Garcia, with Alma C., Ronnie J., Jose C., and Priscilla A. We’ll talk about organizing, how we’re taking action to protect our communities, and how we’re navigating these challenges ourselves. Listen on Apple Podcast, Spotify and at shotoftruthpodcast.com.

Carolina joins us with an open heart to discuss healing, embodiment, and creating intentional spaces while honoring self. She talks about her role being a mental health therapist and balancing that with her identity and other aspects of her life. We talk about the harm of isolating yourself and how important it is to be with community right now. Carolina is the Founder of Healing Vibraz, which promotes healing and mental wellness through a social justice and liberation-based perspective that aims to bring a space for individual and collective community healing. Check out this episode on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and our website.

In this episode, I sit down with Cheska Mae Perez to talk about balancing our wants, family needs, responsibilities, and optimism in tough times. We discuss so many things including growing up in poverty and breaking generational cycles, redefining community in 12+ cities, healing, and finding liberation. Cheska’s story is one of resilience, self-discovery, and hope. You won’t want to miss her powerful message to start the year with purpose and connection. Thank you Cheska for your vulnerability and all the things that drive you to be the beautiful person you are.