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Alexandra Castro is an immigrant from Colombia that is an entrepreneurial trailblazer. Arriving to the U.S. was nothing short of a challenge but Alexandra was a chef with a plan. After running her family pizza restaurant in Colombia, she also managed a high-end restaurant in Montreal, which laid the foundational training and experience she needed to launch herself forward. Since returning to the U.S., she focuses on her culinary career and building her business. As the owner and founder of Everything Dough, LLC, she spends her time designing and making pizzas for weekly farmers markets, private catering events, special order sales, and of course, for private or corporate gatherings that truly pull a community together.
In addition to being a pizza chef, she is a proficient baker creating specialty baked goodies, teaching cooking classes for adults and youth, and creating content for her thriving social media platforms. While building her culinary empire she is equally as focused on creating new friendships and spending time with her loving husband and family. -
Cynthia Alvarez is a first generation Mexican American who grew up in a multigenerational household and is deeply proud of her family history. She exudes gratitude for the choices and sacrifices her parents and grandparents made for their growing family. She talks intimately how her grandparents impacted her values and self-esteem and how her family is still influential to her life decisions.
As a young mother of a son, she is committed to raising him in a similar setting surrounded by multigenerational family members, along with her loving husband, Jesús.
Cynthia is an alumnae from Bentley University who quickly created a network of friends who were diverse and supportive and continue to be closely connected. Her collegiate experience helped form her position on diversity, equity and inclusion. Cynthia’s work post-graduation was immensely satisfying as she worked with adult learners learning English as a Second Language. Often the only team member who could speak fluently to students in their native language, building trust and easing their concerns, she created a safe haven where adult students knew they would be supported as she researched resources on their behalf. She is passionate about fostering safe communities for our immigrant neighbors, friends and loved ones. -
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Julie Faryniarz is the Executive Director for Greenwich Alliance for Education and has much to share about the fabulous initiatives and programs they have for the youth in Greenwich, CT.
Over the last 18 years they have worked collaboratively and in partnership with the Greenwich Public Schools and its teachers as the local education foundation to drive innovation, opportunity and access in learning to empower all students to achieve academic, personal and professional success. They fund innovation to elevate achievement and inclusion for all Greenwich public school students resulting in creativity and personalized learning. With programs like Tuning In To Music and their Reaching Out Grants available to teachers to utilize to expand learning opportunities to enhance their curriculum, they are a nonprofit to learn from! Their funding to implement the international AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination) program in the Greenwich schools has made the possibility of college attainable to hundreds of students by teaching essential academic and executive functioning skills to close gaps and raise achievement. Julie and her AVID SUCCESS Program Director, Trish Rohr, have presented their work and programming for these first-gen college going students at AVID national conferences.
They are on the cusp of the 1 million dollar mark in college scholarship giving and are seeing full circle moments as alumni return to volunteer, donate and help current students leverage professional internship opportunities.
Greenwich Alliance for Education is a registered 501C3 and is reliant on funding to continue their impactful programs. -
Nancy Meckel is back again in season 2 for another interview and we couldn’t be more pleased about this!
An experienced instructor of English as a Second Language and accent coach to adults, and founder/owner of American English Guide, Nancy brings her years of expertise, experience, dedication and passion for language to our conversation.
In this episode Nancy and I will explore her belief in the importance of LISTENING, why it is one of the key skills for active and engaged communication. We’ll talk about strategies and skills to develop the ability to truly listen and about the indispensable part listening plays in connecting people across cultures.
We live in a diverse society where the abilities of listening for the speaker’s meaning and speaking comprehensibly are key to each of us finding our voice. -
Judy Betz is a first-generation American whose parents immigrated from Italy. Her father came on a boat from Italy as a stowaway after paying $1,000 while her mother came through Ellis Island. Her parents didn’t know each other while living in their native country but met later in the U.S., fell in love, started their life together, and fully immersed in the American culture. You’ll hear the amazing story of how her father attained his U.S. citizenship and served in WWII as an American soldier.
Judy graduated college with a degree in Elementary Education and a master’s degree in Early Childhood education. After a short stint in the classroom she became an owner/administrator of The Purchase Children’s Center where she spent her entire career as a compassionate and committed educator. Later in her career she became an ESL tutor working with adult learners and continues serving this community of students. Her teaching and interactions with the adult learners in her classroom often has her thinking of her mother and father. In her retirement, she enjoys teaching ESL, traveling, and having fun with her grandchildren. -
Conor Barbieri is having the experience of a lifetime. He is currently in Nepal serving in the Peace Corps and is teaching English as a Second Language in an elementary school. With full immersion into a new culture and daily living, he is making impact with young learners while bringing technology and 21st century tools into their curriculum. Through his creative lesson planning and commitment to developing their young minds, he has successfully written grants that bring students’ learning into a new dimension.
As a alumni of George Washington University, Conor was looking for a challenge and way to give back that would be substantial and impactful. He trained for teaching ESL in the U.S. with beginner level adults newly arrived from Afghanistan. He feels this prepared him well for his Peace Corps duty.
He is half-way through his 27 month commitment and continues to enjoy his host family, while making significant impact within the school community. -
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. -
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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