Arrivals: Stories from first-generation immigrant women

Arrivals Media
  • 5.0 (3)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Moving to a new country is so much more than what we typically see or talk about. "Arrivals" features first-generation immigrant women sharing their stories of starting from scratch. Discover honest conversations about the tension between where we come from, where we are going, why we stay, and how it expands our lives.

  1. 5D AGO

    From Nomad Life to the U.S. Suburbs: Identity Shifts, Motherhood, and the Art of Community

    In this episode,  Laís de Oliveira, a community builder, business strategist, and author, discusses the reality of navigating major life transitions. Laís writes about community, belonging, economic agency, and the courage it takes to build a life and a livelihood on your own terms. As the author of Hacking Communities and a community-led growth strategist, Laís has spent 15 years building movements across four continents, from startup ecosystems in Kuala Lumpur to gig driver communities in Florida. She is currently a fractional GTM executive and the founder of Nest and North, a platform for creative leaders navigating identity shifts. She is also a mother of two, a former law school dropout, and a collector of extraordinary twists and turns. Resources & Links: Book: Hacking Communities Hacking Communities Laís Substack Nest & North

    55 min

  2. MAR 18

    A Colombian-American living in Paris: The art of entrepreneurship and the 'Colombiano No Se Vara' spirit

    Lory Martinez is a Colombian-American creative and entrepreneur who transformed her upbringing in Queens, New York, into a decade-long career in Paris. Lory is the founder of Studio Ochenta, where she led multilingual podcast production in over 20 languages. We discuss her recent transition from media executive to the launch of Maraviya, a consulting service designed to help immigrant and multicultural founders scale their businesses. Lory highlights the importance of cultural identity, the challenges of motherhood, and her commitment to empowering women entrepreneurs. She also reflects on her family's immigration stories, the value of perseverance, and the unique perspectives that immigrant experiences bring to the table. Connect with Lory: Maraviya Lory’s Substack: Read her latest here Studio Ochenta

    41 min

  3. MAR 18

    Trailer: Season 2

    A look into what's coming. New episodes coming every week!

    1 min

  4. TRAILER

    Trailer

    Welcome to Arrivals.

    1 min
  5. From the Philippines to LA: Carren Jao on a Life Shaped by Storytelling

    12/01/2025

    From the Philippines to LA: Carren Jao on a Life Shaped by Storytelling

    In this episode, Carren Jao, an Emmy-nominated content leader, award-winning children’s book author, and the founder of Red Thread Consulting, shares how she built a career across journalism, public media, and creative strategy. Her work has been recognized by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the Los Angeles Press Club, the Asian American Journalists Association, and more. A storyteller who grew up in a Chinese Filipino community, Carren shares how she rebuilt her life and career from Manila to Los Angeles. We talk about the threads that connect her work and the power of stories to make sense of who we are across cultures. She also talks about her two forthcoming children’s books: Shape of Love, inspired by the Filipino balikbayan box tradition, and Maya Breaks It Down, a STEM-forward story that blends breakdancing with the principles of coding. Connect and know more about Carren here:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/carren-jao/ https://www.instagram.com/carrenjao/ https://bsky.app/profile/carrenjao.bsky.social

    43 min
  6. Immigrant-turned-leader: Krish Vignarajah on Empathy, Policy, and Community for Refugees

    11/13/2025

    Immigrant-turned-leader: Krish Vignarajah on Empathy, Policy, and Community for Refugees

    Krish O’Mara Vignarajah’s voice doesn’t just inform, it uplifts. As President and CEO of Global Refuge, she shares her journey as a baby fleeing Sri Lanka’s civil war with her parents, and how that experience shaped her path toward becoming one of the most influential leaders in refugee advocacy today. Krish has committed her career to public service because she knows how differently life could have turned out. She previously served in the Obama White House as Policy Director for First Lady Michelle Obama and at the State Department as Senior Advisor under Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of State John Kerry. In this episode, she shares her focus and how she is leading Global Refuge through one of the most challenging moments in modern migration. She also discusses why empathy, storytelling, and community action are crucial tools for shaping policy and protecting the rights of newcomers. - Watch Krish’s TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnnwhQl4mEA&t=180s - Support Global Refuge: https://www.globalrefuge.org

    18 min
  7. From Brazil to Montreal: Alessandra Alvarenga on learning to live, not just survive

    11/06/2025

    From Brazil to Montreal: Alessandra Alvarenga on learning to live, not just survive

    In this episode, Ale Alvarenga shares her story from growing up in Brazil to building a new life in Montreal. She opens up about what it means to start over in a new country, rebuild a sense of home, and stay close to faith and community while far from family and friends. She talks about growing up as a pastor’s daughter, studying in the U.S., and choosing Canada with her husband Ale also reflects on living with bipolar disorder and ADHD, and how she’s learned to spot her own patterns, build routines, and find balance.  A book that helped her on that path is Empowering Books for Women with ADHD, by Estelle Rose. It’s an honest, thoughtful conversation about finding home and learning to live, not just survive. In this episode, we cover:  Childhood and Early Moves in BrazilDecision to Move to the USReturning to Brazil and Its ChallengesThe Move to Canada and New BeginningsCommunity and Cultural Integration in MontrealNavigating Immigration and Education in CanadaTransitioning to a Career in CybersecurityMental Health Journey: Bipolar Disorder and ADHDFinding Joy and New Habits in Life

    49 min
  8. From Iran to New York: Atash Yaghmaian's story of survival and dissociative identity disorder

    10/13/2025

    From Iran to New York: Atash Yaghmaian's story of survival and dissociative identity disorder

    Iranian-American therapist, writer, and activist Atash Yaghmaian joins Arrivals to discuss her debut memoir, My Name Means Fire. Set during the Iranian Revolution and the eight-year Iran–Iraq War, Atash shares a story of survival through sexual abuse, a mother’s superstitious rituals, and the brutality of war. The conversation moves between her outer life and her interior world, where color-named parts speak, offering a rare, compassionate look at living with dissociative identity disorder (DID). We discuss stigma, how writing helped recover memories, leaving Iran at nineteen, and building a life in New York. Pre-order the book here: My Name Means Fire

    48 min
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3 Ratings

About

Moving to a new country is so much more than what we typically see or talk about. "Arrivals" features first-generation immigrant women sharing their stories of starting from scratch. Discover honest conversations about the tension between where we come from, where we are going, why we stay, and how it expands our lives.

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