Have you ever "code switched"? What is "code switching"? Dr. Liza Talusan has made a career of helping individuals and organizations build their skills in areas of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and leadership. As a Filipina-American woman, Liza remembers growing up in a "sea of White people", where oftentimes her peers marginalized her for being one of the few People of Color in the town. Her life split into two worlds: acting as "White Liza" during the week and celebrating her Filipina culture on the weekends. This dual identity is practiced by more People of Color than you may realize. While code switching sounds like a super power where individuals can blend into multiple cultures, side effects may include losing connection to one's culture, loss of self-esteem, and lack of belonging in the world. Check out Liza's New book: The Identity-Conscious Educator: Building Habits and Skills for a More Inclusive School --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/erlinda-delacruz2/message

Season Finale: Rayana Grace celebrated her Black heritage as a child. However, she learned not very many other people grew up in the same way. In her young adult life, Rayana challenged many others' limited viewpoints on race, culture and identity. She is proud of her racial identity and never compromised her pride. How can we emulate such strength in our own lives? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/erlinda-delacruz2/message

Rodniel J. Pecson, a physical therapy assistant student, talks about how he could transform his Filipino-American identity in order to "survive" different environments. Rodniel explores how growing up in a diverse community and attending a predominantly white college challenged his identity. But through therapy, he learned that he did not need to change. Instead, he learned where the real value of identity came from. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/erlinda-delacruz2/message

Lilly Nguyen, co-host of I Speak Engrish! podcast, has been a racialized person her whole life! Even though she is very proud of her Vietnamese culture, she struggled to find positive representations of Vietnamese women. Instead, she discovered that many viewed her identity through a fetishized or submissive lens of Vietnamese women. So how does someone challenge these perceptions and maybe even change them? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/erlinda-delacruz2/message

Unlearning toxic ideals from racism and discrimination can be a lifelong process. Josh Manlove, a Ph.D. candidate and the managing editor for an academic journal at the IUPUI School of Education, shares his journey from his aversion to his Asian-American heritage to his acceptance of his mixed cultural background. From an early age, Josh was made to feel other and marginalized for the way he looked. But by taking an academic approach to his identity, Josh learned there is a lot of love about himself. Now he can pass on those positive, valuable lessons to his children. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/erlinda-delacruz2/message

Maria Mauricio, finance director for the non-profit Professional Filipino American Youth (PFAY), brings up a very important question: To assimilate or not to assimilate? Maria grew up in America with Filipino parents, which meant sometimes cultural expectations clashed with American life. But Maria wondered if she could ever "blend in" as a Filipina or as an American when oftentimes she was made to feel "other" in both cultures. "Blending in" should not mean diminishing any part of your identity, but rather bringing multiple factors together to create your unique identity and being proud of all parts of you. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/erlinda-delacruz2/message

"Where are you from?" "Where are you REALLY from?" "What are you?" For Sharon Jiae Kim, Executive Director of the nonprofit Mustard Seed Generation, these are common questions she is asked as a third culture person. Third culture individuals grow up in a different culture than that of their parents. Sharon's parents are Korean, but she grew up in Paraguay, Spain, and China, but now lives in America. Having such a unique cultural experience brings about not only an open mindedness to race and diversity but also a challenge to find a sense of belonging. So maybe the real question that needs to be asked is "Where do you call home?" and what home really means. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/erlinda-delacruz2/message

Nnemoma Chukwumerije, Co-Founder of The Be Consultancy, dives deep into the importance of accepting ALL names. Even if a name sounds foreign or difficult to pronounce, the effort made to understand those names can be the difference between making someone feel welcomed or marginalized. Nnemoma goes through her experience with how others have encountered her Nigerian name, her locs, and appearance. Can an individual proudly represent their culture in the U.S. without judgement or discrimination? What perceptions tie in with our name or appearance in the eyes of our fellow Americans? W: www.thebeconsultancy.com IG: @the.be.consultancy --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/erlinda-delacruz2/message

Juliette personally experienced how it takes a village to raise a child. Her tightknit Haitian neighborhood in North Cambridge taught her important lessons about family, community, natural hair beauty and more. But she also knew her childhood differed from the "American way" (sleepovers and discipline tactics, for example). Listen to how those childhood moments form her view on race, diversity, and inclusion. Bonus: Get some helpful tips on how to style natural hair! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/erlinda-delacruz2/message

Solidarity stems from a discovery of commonalities with those of different backgrounds. Maggie Brennan thoughtfully processes today's racial injustices through her frame of lens as an Irish-American. She explains how her ancestors also dealt with oppression and exclusion as U.S. immigrants. That understanding of her ancestral history has helped her find a commonality with those who are being oppressed today in the U.S. Even if we are not personally impacted by today's forms of oppression due to privilege, how can we still be an ally to those persecuted? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/erlinda-delacruz2/message