Ep. 12 - Mariela and Melvin's Story

In this episode, Jess shares her story of intersection of growing up as a second and third generation Mexican-American. Jessica Galván is a passionate writer, editor, storyteller and advocate whose cultural roots run deep as a daughter and granddaughter to Mexican immigrants. Her mission of amplifying diverse voices to reveal the beauty of God’s creation extends to her work as a content writer for World Relief and Editorial Director for Chasing Justice. She is also a freelance writer and editor for a variety of clients in publishing, most recently Penguin Random House, where she champions for more varied Latino stories to fill our bookshelves.  Originally from Chicago, Jess currently resides in the Houston, TX area and when she isn’t wordsmithing for the pursuit of faith and justice, she is spending time with her husband and their 3 children.

Join us in this heartfelt episode as we sit down with sisters, Eunice Hernandez and Glenia Torres, two remarkable women with unique immigration stories and shared experiences of navigating blended families. Eunice, a second-generation immigrant, and Glenia, a first-generation immigrant, reflect on their struggles with identity and acceptance amidst the complexities of family dynamics and cultural shifts. They share how their faith and resilience led them on a path of redemption, turning years of separation into a story of reconciliation and restoration. From initial hardships to finding purpose and love, Eunice and Glenia offer profound insights on forgiveness, rebuilding relationships, and embracing the transformative power of familial love and faith.

Join us for this week's conversation with Heidy de La Cruz, podcaster, certified coach, and writer, as she delves into her experiences as a first-generation Dominican American and shares her family's remarkable journey from the Dominican Republic to the United States. Tune in as Heidy opens up about her podcast, "The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants," where she provides a platform for immigrants to share their inspiring stories. Don't miss out on this insightful discussion filled with personal anecdotes and life lessons.

Join us this week as we dive into a profound conversation with Ivette Valdez, a second-generation Mexican-American and daughter of immigrants. Ivette shares her compelling journey of navigating the intersection of her Mexican heritage and American identity, all while finding God's presence in every twist and turn. From the heart of California's Central Valley, where she resides and serves as an Executive and Teaching Pastor of CDA Poplar, Ivette brings a perspective steeped in the rich tapestry of immigrant life. As a Co-Founder and Chief Storyteller of Latinas Loving Jesus, she's dedicated to nurturing connections and discipleship among women. Tune in as Ivette passionately shares her faith journey, empowering others to embrace their full cultural and spiritual identity as God intended.

Our guest this week is Jessica Collazo, whose journey and story can be traced back from Puerto Rico to the US. Join us as Jess shares about the impact her parents' decision to move from Puerto Rico had on her and her family's life. Through her vulnerable reflections, Jess reveals how this pivotal moment opened doors to opportunities that she may never have encountered otherwise.

Embarking on a transformative journey from Haiti to the USA, Alex's story epitomizes resilience and unwavering faith. Despite facing the daunting challenge of three visa denials, he remained steadfast in his trust in God's plan.  One year later, amidst uncertainty, Alex courageously returned and was finally granted approval. Alex shares the intricacies of his immigrant experience—the joys, the sorrows, and the undeniable beauty found within the hardships. Today, his journey stands as a testament to what the power of faith and trust in God can produce in us.

In this episode, we talked with Mariela and Melvin and they shared their individual and joint journeys of immigration. Mariela (pronounced Mary-ela), originally from Limón, Costa Rica, and Melvin, raised in La Ceiba, Honduras, are united in their journey to navigate life together, supporting each other's aspirations. Both were awarded the 2016 @globalugrad scholarship by their respective countries. Mariela pursued degrees in health and social sciences (Physical Therapy and Social Work), while Melvin developed his passion in the engineering field (Mechanical and Electrical Engineering).  Melvin co-founded @guala.hn, inspired by his experiences, whereas Mariela has led and co-developed numerous projects that integrate social, mental, and physical well-being, including her pivotal support during the early stages of Guala. Together, Mariela and Melvin are committed to dedicating their weaknesses, challenges, strengths, and talents to fulfilling God's plan, wherever they may call home.

In this week's episode, Joël shares his story of immigrating to the US from the Ivory Coast, in West Africa. Joël tells us his journey of dealing with many delays in his process of immigration and yet how God placed specific people on his path to support him through it all! His story is a reminder of God's provision in the midst of uncertainty and setbacks!

Angelica's story moving from Colombia, came with a long journey of discovering her worth and identity as an immigrant, as well as a crash course in understanding other immigration stories and more. We are so honored to get to talk with Angelica and glean from her story in this episode! She shares incredible wisdom and grace-filled challenges. A little about Angelica: Angelica Acosta Garnett was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia. She immigrated to the United States when she was 17 years old and has firsthand experience of what it is like to be an immigrant in this country. Angelica holds bachelor’s degrees in history and religion and a graduate degree in social studies education from the University of Florida. She has worked as a US government teacher, Communities in Schools site coordinator, immigration law paralegal and continues to work as an interpreter/translator in Charlotte, NC. She currently also serves at ABARA, an NGO at the US/MEX border, where she manages the Asylum Narrative Translation Project. Angelica also works as a trainer, teaching workshops and equipping groups and organizations that desire to better understand their immigrant neighbors and create culturally relevant programs and services. Angelica has been married to Tyler for 13 years and they have three children. They live in Charlotte, NC and are members of Warehouse 242 a presbyterian church where Angelica is an elder. Angelica feels led to engage in conversations about the border out of her compassion and calling, and she loves being able to merge her teaching, immigration and government knowledge with her passion for advocacy and community engagement.

Ligia (pronounced Lee-hee-ya) was born in Antigua, Guatemala and has lived in both Canada and the United States. She is a dedicated wife, mother, Ministry Leader, and Pastor, as well as the founder and Director of ANEW Women’s Ministry, which is devoted to building community, and fostering connection while pointing women to Jesus. Join us in this powerful episode, where Ligia shares her story of being brought across the border from Guatemala to the US when she was 1 year old. She walks us through her story of immigration and shares boldly about the goodness and faithfulness of God! Ligia shares wisdom that you won't want to miss.