CULTURAL STEREOTYPES ARE NOT FUN . We have asked this for ourselves for various aspects of our lives from friendships, relationships, even how we network with others; however, this week we discuss this in light of the potential struggles immigrant women face when establishing themselves in the United States. We share our own struggles being raised in different cultures and how we sought belonging in the United States. Let's dive into this deep convo!

[2:07] Where is Natassia From? Nat shares her cultural roots and where her parents are from

[4:52] Nina, the mixed mutt. Nina dives into what makes up her afro-latina & middle eastern background

[7:25] The struggle of being an immigrant. Nat dives into some of the struggles both her and her family faced moving to the United States which included:

• Getting teased for their accents
• Being bullied
• Feeling like a fraud
• Battling through feelings of shame
• Hiding her cultural background to fit in

[12:22] Facing ridicule. Nina asks Nat to share if she faced ridicule because she was racially different but looked Caucasian

[15:40] Community exclusion. Nat shares her experience in moving to Connecticut and thinking it was a safe haven because of the Brasilian community that was there; however, she faced exclusion within her own cultural community as well

[17:41] Race vs. Appearance. Nina shares how her own father, being Afro-Caribbean but was fair skinned and faced exclusion as well. This same struggle continued for Nina as she didn't know where she could fit in herself.

[22:27] Cultural Stereotypes. Based on their experiences, Nat & Nina share how there are not only stereotypes in America in how cultures perceived to be but also stereotypes within their own cultural communities.

[36:20] Praise Who You Are. Nina and Nat discuss praises of being culturally different and how that has shaped them who they are today and offer some takeaways:

• Being from more than one culture is not a NEGATIVE
• Don't try to fit in a box based on your culture, just don't
• Be more self-aware when you come upon a stereotypical thought of someone's culture (don't judge a book by its cover, lets stop this cycle)
• Don't let anyone shame you for your culture