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Sara Olivia Garcia is a first-generation American with deep family roots from Mexico. At 86 years of age, she has an incredible life story to share with us, and opens up in a deep conversation about how family and career choices can change the trajectory of your life’s path.
Her mother and grandparents fled Mexico during the revolution when Pancho Villa was making it dangerous to stay in their country. They left quickly with only the clothes on their backs and what they could carry in their arms. They settled in El Paso and attempted to build a new life. Their hearts and spirits were broken with the reality of starting over and nothing was quite the same. As Sara Olivia grew up as young girl, she would listen to stories from her grandmother and learn about her Mexican heritage and daydreamed about what life would’ve been like if they hadn’t been forced to leave.
Sara Olivia married and raised 5 children while traveling around the world with her husband who was a U.S. Army Lieutenant. Life in the military and having to move often was not easy for her and the family. When finally feeling empowered to begin college classes as a mature adult, her goals and focus shifted in a new and refreshing way as she engaged in deep critical thinking. Knowledge and learning brought her much joy, and later it created many opportunities for her career pathway.
She holds teaching certifications in regular, special education, and bi-lingual education in Spanish, with her special expertise in the area of children with learning differences. Sara has over 25 years of experience teaching at-risk students in regular and Special Education in Elementary, Middle and High School in Tucson, Arizona, Boston, Massachusetts and the South Bronx, New York. Her teaching experience includes staff development for teachers in low-performing schools, as a National trainer for the Efficacy Institute, Inc., where the mission is to debunk the myth of the social construction of intellectual inferiority among people of color. She also developed and facilitated culturally appropriate education workshops for parents of diverse populations. Her Doctoral work at Fielding Graduate University focused on identifying Indigenous people’s wisdom and worldview on care of planetary resources as part of character education and development.
Sara is a proud mother, grandmother and great grandmother who is actively involved in her family’s lives. -
Nettie Parker Bauman is a passionate, empathetic and tenacious immigration attorney working closely with women, men and their families through the legal process of transitioning to the U.S. from another country. As an independent attorney, she represents asylum-seekers in the U.S. Immigration Courts and at U.S. Asylum Offices. She provides direct counsel and resources that ensure their safety and a smooth transition.
Nettie has a particular passion for domestic violence survivors from other countries.
In addition to her work with immigrants, she is a published author and poet. She has been published in numerous poetry journals and her first book of poetry, “Seagulls at Walmart” was released in 2023. Additionally, her first novel, “Tiny Righteous Acts” was published in early 2020. Her creative works are sparked by the inspiration she feels from her legal work with clients and from growing up in her beloved New Orleans.
She attended college and law school in her hometown of New Orleans and later moved to New York when she met her future husband. She is the proud mother of two boys, a cat, a dog, and a turtle. Nettie is an avid nature lover and finds refuge when hiking on trails near to home. -
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Jesús Reyes arrived from his native country, Mexico, at 17 years old. After a childhood of visiting the U.S. while his father worked as a seasonal migrant worker, he made the decision to move with his older brothers and finish high school in CT. As an ESL student he was challenged with learning English and his classes while working part-time to contribute to rent. As the youngest of ten children, his family’s love and support was at the center of his world and helped with the transition to a new country. As a naturally creative person, it was when he attended community college shortly after high school that he tapped into graphic design and began creating art on his terms. Upon graduation, his portfolio was full of pieces that were gallery quality. He has less time to paint now, but dabbles in photography and graphics, which is why he was contracted to design the logo for the Finding Our Voices Today podcast!
Currently he is working hard as a foreman for a construction company and often assists one of his brothers with his event planning business. When he isn’t working or spending time with family and friends, you can find him teaching his young son everything about soccer and traditional Mexican customs while enjoying life with his beautiful wife, Cynthia. -
Laura Martinez’s journey to the U.S. began eleven years ago when she relocated from her native country, Colombia. She arrived and fell in love with the energy of New York City along with its architecture and diversity. As an au pair in CT, she would spend weekends in the NYC taking in all its glory and learning about American culture. She quickly began building her own English skills and personal confidence, and embarked on a journey as an ESL tutor working with beginner level learners. As a volunteer she focused on service and building community in her classroom relating to students through her own personal experiences as she transitioned to the U.S.
As a woman of deep faith, she tells the story of her experience as a new mother and feeling the the support of her church community, a place where she finds and gives acceptance and love to others. Her passion to help others spills into her everyday life and is the foundation of how she engages and impacts those around her in her family, work and church community. -
Mariana Villarreal is a woman from Colombia who has blazed a trail for herself during her years living in the U.S. After recently graduating from the University of New Haven with her Dental Hygienist degree and certification, she recalls her humble beginnings as an au pair that came with unique challenges and created a difficult transition to the U.S. She began teaching English as a Second Language which satisfied her craving to connect and engage in service. She found her way by building a community and creating bonds, with a larger goal to obtain a degree and career in healthcare. Although the road was difficult and rocky at times, she was motivated to keep moving forward.
With a career in place and distinct goals for the future, she is pleased with her hard work and excited for what lies ahead. -
Ana Alfaro is a Corporate Citizenship Program Manager & Hispanic Media Relations at Eversource Energy. She has over 25 years of diverse experience in various aspects of public, media, and community relations, event management, and television production. In her current position she manages the company’s volunteer engagement opportunities and employee giving programs.
Ana Alfaro is the producer and host of El Show de Analeh, a weekly program on the Univision network and UniMas. Ana describes El Show as “a dream production turned into a successful reality.” Since 2007, the program has informed, empowered, and entertained the diverse Latino community in Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. El Show de Analeh airs Saturdays at 11:00am, Univision’s local channels. The show is produced in partnership with Capital Community College.
Ana is currently a board member for Trinity College Center for Caribbean Studies, Capital Community College Foundation, Charter Oak Cultural Center, Hartford Public Library & Hartford Economic Development Corporation.
Together with a small group of community leaders, she was instrumental in ensuring that the Frog Hollow community will benefit from a new library on Park Street, the heart of the Latino community.
Ana has received many awards, including Junta for Progressive Action, Hispanic Health Council, Madre Latina, Boy Scouts of America, Bright Future Youth Center, Leadership Greater Hartford Polaris, Malta House Wonder Woman and CBM Mujer Imparable.
Ana holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications Media Studies from Post University.
A native of Honduras, Ana is the proud mother of Bobby and Bianca, both of who are half Puerto Rican. Ana's work as journalist and community activist has been in the service of the equal rights of Puerto Ricans and all Latino communities alike. -
Mirtica Aldave moved to the United States from Peru with her family at a very young age. Her parents and their strong family values upheld Peruvian traditions and customs and little did she know, growing up in a bilingual home would shape her entire career. As a bilingual educator and cultural researcher, she has taught in the Hartford School system for many years impacting her students lives. As an advocate for the Latino community, she has applied for and received numerous grants including Fund for Teachers, which she has received twice. Mirtica has traveled extensively engaging in educational research and for her own personal enrichment. Additionally, she works with immigrants teaching English as a Second Language and assists with their pathway to citizenship. In her spare time, she is a dedicated and loving mother, sister, aunt and friend.
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Ballet Folklorico de las Americas (Diana, Paola, & Kelly) are committed to educating their diverse audiences through dance, music and sheer enthusiasm to be with people. These fabulously talented women are sisters from Colombia who arrived at different points in their lives, all with a unique focus, but are committed to teaching and learning all while spreading the beauty of dance as a way to tell stories. When they aren’t dancing or collaborating with their numerous community partners, they are teaching English, running language businesses, and studying for their medical board certification. Their goal to educate through arts is important in our world and engaging the community is their #1 goal.
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Lina Motta is a trailblazer who naturally seeks connections with others and finds arenas for learning on her many travels in the world. Arriving in the U.S. as an au pair from Colombia, she has seized many opportunities in the academic and professional world.
A natural teacher and a lifelong learner, she has tutored English as a second language while promoting social emotional health and building confidence in her students.
As an attendee and winner of the Global Impact Challenge at the United Nations Youth Assembly program for Sustainable Development Goals, she co-founded a nonprofit organization focused on creating learning experiences for youth about essential solutions to heal the planet.
Recently graduating with a Master’s degree in Environmental Management, she is now working for a scientific corporation in Colombia as a chief sustainability officer, collaborating closely with industry leaders on corporate sustainability initiatives. In her free time, she loves yoga and spending time with family and friends. -
Ewurakua Dawson-Amoah is an artist with a rich cultural heritage as the daughter of Ghanaian and St. Lucian immigrants. She grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood, which shaped her approach to storytelling from a very young age. As a twin and the youngest of four siblings, her early choices in high school significantly influenced her path. Today, her passion for social justice and racial equality drives her work as a director, writer, and poet. In 2020, she and her sister Ewuradjoa founded The Melacast Network, a platform connecting BIPOC directors with BIPOC actors and crew. They are deeply committed to impacting and changing what true diversity and inclusion looks like for BIPOC creatives.
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Yelena Klompus came to the U.S. with a purpose. In an effort to keep her family safe and raise her son with better access to healthcare, she has been able to use her academic credentials and professional experience from her native country, Russia, to create impactful library programs in the U.S. As the Manager of Multicultural and English Language Literacy Programs at the Ferguson Library in Stamford, CT, she has been able to connect thousands of immigrants and English language learners to programs and resources that provide a pathway to self-sufficiency. She is empathetic to newcomers but is pragmatic in her approach in pointing people in a direction that helps them build confidence with their English skills and connects them to the community.
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Rajkumari Thakur is from India and has been in the U.S. for 6 years. With an educational background and passion for marketing and business, she pivoted into education and helped with running a school and supervising staff prior to getting married and moving to the U.S. While in the U.S. she has lived on both the east and west coast and has been successful meeting new people and creating a community for her and her family. She is excited for new opportunities that lie ahead for her as she gets ready to reenter the career track. After all this time, she still prioritizes and speaks to her family in India every day.
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Julia Mesquita is from Brazil and has been in the U.S. for 6 years. She is the FINDING OUR VOICES TODAY podcast Social Media Coordinator who designs the weekly interview posts on Tuesday & Saturday that you see on our Instagram and Facebook pages. She is super talented and we are so happy to work with her and have learned so much together.
She is a proud graduate of Norwalk Community College and is currently working as a legal intern and at a job in retail. Her plan is to attend college and pursue a degree in Political Science with the longer term goal of attending law school. Her motivation for this career is deep seated in the experience she and her family have endured. There is no doubt this intelligent and motivated young woman will reach her academic and career goals! -
Marilyn Collins has committed her entire professional career to teaching literacy. Starting at the elementary level while living in VT, she decided to return to her beloved NY and begin working with adult learners. Although she officially retired a year ago in 2023 after a career spanning 40+ years, she continues to teach and mentor adult students. With an expertise in basic literacy, she also has extensive training and experience in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) and has trained and prepared hundreds of tutors while in her role as education and curriculum coordinator. Marilyn continues to make significant impact in many lives and as an avid poetry lover she enjoys teaching writing and reading, and often weaves some of her favorite poets into her lesson planning. All this while being a loving and deeply engaged grandma to her beloved 4 grandchildren.
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Mike Gopinathan, Ph.D., who is from India, is a true energizer bunny working diligently for his family and creating a legacy that has impacted his colleagues and overall community. As he sits on the cusp of retirement, he has enjoyed a successful career as an engineer and manager with Eversource and now will focus on his three international businesses. Mike has had a focused career impacting many in his organization with his talent and expertise along with his commitment to leadership and DEI initiatives. Additionally, his academic career has been equally as impressive as he has earned multiple master’s degrees and most recently his Ph.D. An avid tennis and pickleball player he is a role model of living life to the fullest!
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Mariia Vintoniak is from Ukraine and was a working nurse before she arrived to the U.S. just 6 years ago. She has worked diligently to improve her English and learn more grammar and language skills while raising her two young girls and supporting her family’s needs. Her focus on creating a pathway to work was laser focused as she worked in a Ukrainian daycare and juggled the demands of being a working mother. Later it took a turn to what she feels most passionate about when she completed the certified nurses’ aide training at a local community college in Fairfield County. She was hired instantly and able to put her previous work experience and newly learned training skills to work! For her this is just the beginning, as her goal is to eventually continue with nursing school and keep moving her career forward.
We continue to pray for her family and loved ones in Ukraine. -
Lina Arboleda, law graduate pending for bar admission, has had a long journey to achieve her career goals in the United States. As an attorney in Colombia, coming to the U.S. and finding her way wasn’t always easy or involving a clear pathway. Moving from ESL classes, courses at the local community college, having different jobs not related to her career, to attending law school at Pace University, she has covered a lot of ground. Now, as a staff immigration attorney (working under a supervising attorney) at the Lutheran Social Services in NYC she is instrumental in helping immigrants create their own pathway during a critical time in our nation’s history. Brava!
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Marty Barry has had a career as a Human Resources manager/administrator and also as a controller in the field of finance. He grew up with encouragement to volunteer in the community and has continued to prioritize giving back. He learned German in college and when having to put it to use while working in banking he quickly realized how difficult it was to communicate in everyday life. This resulted in building a deeper understanding and empathy for non-native language speakers living in a new location.
After a recent transition from NY to CT he was looking for a place to connect that would provide him an opportunity to meet people and engage in the community. Listen and learn from Marty as he describes how volunteering has impacted his quality of life! -
Chef Ivan Romero is dynamic. He is laser focused on creating beautiful artistic dishes that are delicious beyond words, and enjoyed by people of all cultures. What you’ll hear most in his interview is his gratitude…for his training, his mentors who believed in him, and how he remembers how challenging it was to get where he is today…how his diligence and commitment paid off.
As Executive Chef and business owner of Rosemary Group, he is eager to share his talents with the next generation of incoming chefs. With a focus on Mexican food, he helps restaurants of all styles revamp menus, enhance training practices, and instill sustainability.
In addition to running his business, consulting with local restaurants, and mentoring/teaching others, he is a proud member of the community making impact everywhere he turns. All this, while being a dedicated father to his son. -
Lana Gifas, Executive Director for Women’s Mentoring Network located in Stamford, CT, is making impact. As a former finance professional she took on the leadership role with this non-profit almost 10 years ago. The agency offers specialized strategic life skills workshops, 1:1 mentoring services, resume and workplace readiness support, along with a food pantry and business clothing closet for their clients. With programs in Stamford and White Plains, NY, they are expanding services into Norwalk and impacting more residents of Fairfield County than ever before. With her dedicated team, they work with the client's entire family, including high schoolers who can take on leadership roles in their Junior Leadership programs. Have a listen to learn more and to be inspired!
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