An Immigrant’s Life

Allan Matudio, a visual artist, was born and raised in Côte-des-Neiges (Manila of Montreal), to Filipino immigrant parents. Growing up, he experienced two contrasting environments - one where he felt embraced by the Filipino community, while the other subjected him to microaggressions and racism by his classmates in his predominantly white private school. 

Driven by a deep passion for science and a keen interest in solving puzzles, he decided to pursue a career in chemical engineering. Alongside his work as a scientist and research technician, his unquenchable thirst for knowledge led him to embark on the study of art illustration, and now jewelry making. 

In this episode we also discussed: 

•   How a group of immigrants enters particular professional fields 
•   His technical approach to his art 
•   AI art 
•   His opinion about tourism in the Philippines 

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🔻Connect with Allan🔻  

Website: https://www.allanmatudio.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allanmatudio 

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Growing up in Byaroza, Belarus, sports were a big part of Kseniya Poznyak’s childhood. Starting with basketball, she later found her calling in volleyball due to limited opportunities in her small town. Despite initial doubts, she embraced the sport and excelled, leading her to Azerbaijan and opening doors to a world of exploration.    

Competing across Europe and the Philippines, Kseniya's love for volleyball eventually took her to Canada, where she found a new purpose in mental health advocacy for athletes. After retiring, she is courageously grappling with the mental and physical adjustments of returning to a "normal life".     

In our inspiring chat, she also opened up about the emotional journey of supporting her child through untapped potential and finding solace in their unique path. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kseiskse 

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Raeland Mendoza is a creative director, was raised in the non-diverse suburbs of Edmonton. However, thanks to his open-minded parents and a passion for basketball, he managed to create the diverse community he yearned for. Through this community, he also gained access to various subcultures such as fashion and music, which he easily fell in love with. His love for fashion stemmed from his family background, as his ancestors were immigrant textile artisans. Inspired by this passion, he collaborated with others to establish the art collective known as "I'll Call You Tomorrow."

In this episode, we discussed the concept of what is good fashion, the positive and negative impacts of "fast fashion," and how the "immigrant mentality" influences the second generation of immigrants. 

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🔻Connect with Rae🔻  

Website: https://www.illcallyoutomorrow.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raelandmendoza 

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After two amazing years in London, Aziza Yussupova, the photographer behind @anvrvn.ph, found out she was expecting. Concerned about language barriers during her pregnancy, Aziza and her family decided to move back to Kazakhstan, where they could consult doctors in their native language and be closer to their extended family. 

Raised to embrace both freedom and heritage, Aziza navigates the challenges of raising her kids in two cultures, while honoring her family's sacrifices. As a young parent, she treasures the little joys of motherhood, capturing precious family memories through her photography.   

At the age of 16, her parents gifted her a camera, sparking a lifelong passion for photography. Now, she uses her lens to preserve those special moments.   

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📸Connect with Aziza📸 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anvrvn.ph 

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Born and raised in the vibrant city of Lagos, Nigeria, Lola Oduwole of “Afro Edmontonian” is a proud firstborn of a Nigerian family. Her parents always had high expectations from her, urging her to be the role model for her siblings, and bear the weight of the "Black Tax." A responsibility she embraced with open arms. 

While She had a thriving career in Lagos, destiny called her to Edmonton, Canada. It wasn't an easy decision, but she knew it was the right path for her family. Arriving in a new land, she took up a "survival job" to make ends meet while tirelessly searching for a role that would truly showcase her abilities. 

Little did she know that fate had a lesson in store for her. Networking became her superpower, opening doors to opportunities she couldn't have imagined. Through networking, she found her purpose—a purpose that resonates deeply with me as a Nigerian mom raising Canadian children. 

Navigating the challenges of being an immigrant mother in a foreign land has its share of hurdles. Yet, she rises above them, embracing the beauty of this multicultural journey. And that's exactly why she decided to create her IG page— to help people embrace a fulfilling life in Edmonton. 

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🔻 Connect with Lola🔻  

Email: [email protected] 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afroedmontonian 

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Saloni Jain , a Digital Marketing Specialist/Content Creator, made the bold choice to move from India to Ottawa, Canada, despite having lived a privileged life.  

In this episode, we highlight her struggles during her initial days as an international student in Canada. We also delve into her wild first days trying to look for a place to stay, her journey of adapting from the bustling city of Mumbai to the seemingly dull city of Ottawa. Additionally, we discuss the remarkable kindness displayed by people when one is in need, her decision to start an Instagram account aimed at providing guidance to international students and fellow immigrants, and the daunting task of making her account stand out amidst the crowd. 

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🔻Connect with Saloni🔻  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saloniii_jaiin 

Email: [email protected] 

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A multidisciplinary artist from Montreal, Johnny F. Kim is ethnically Cambodian yet has a Jewish middle name, which creates confusion to people he meets.   

He appeared on the podcast to discuss his upbringing in the Montreal projects, where he was exposed to a diverse neighborhood where racism was regrettably accepted as a sign of affection. Additionally, we discussed how his parents' "generational trauma" had an impact on him, the benefits and difficulties of being a single parent, his podcast "Weird Feelings," using exercise to manage anger issues, and his relentless efforts to spread his Cambodian culture through his clothing line "Uneducated Kids." 

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🔻 Connect with Johnny🔻  

Website: https://shotbyjfk.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shotbyjfk 

Weird Feelings: http://bitly.ws/JXJe 

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After experiencing burnout and frustration with the state of American healthcare as a nurse, Geleen, owner of “Shop Halo Halo”  turned to baking to relieve stress and found solace in recreating traditional Filipino treats. As she shared her creations with friends and family, word quickly spread about her delectable desserts. Soon enough, Geleen's hobby turned into a full-fledged business venture. 

However, despite the success of Shop Halo Halo, Geleen's journey wasn't without its challenges. She had a difficult relationship with her parents growing up because they wanted her to pursue the more stable career. She also struggled with her identity as a Filipina-American. 

In her spare time, Geleen volunteers for the Foundation for Philippine Progress and collaborates with other powerful women as a founding member of Gabriala Portland.

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Gofundme: https://www.gofundme.com/f/halohalo-bakeryfund 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shop_halo_halo 

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Natalia Galicza, a journalist for Deseret Magazine, who has been making waves in the industry with her thought-provoking articles. Born and raised in South Florida to Hungarian and Brazilian parents, Natalia now resides in Utah for work. She recently joined our podcast to talk about her article "Freedom, just north of hope," which delves into the struggles Haitian immigrants face while living in the Dominican Republic, trying to escape the ongoing violence in Haiti. During the interview, we discussed various aspects of journalism, from ideation to publishing. Natalia shared her experiences on how she came up with the idea for the article and what it took to bring it to life. We also talked about the future of journalism and how AI writing could pose a threat or become a boon for journalists. We spoke at length about her writing process and how she manages to keep her content authentic and engaging. Lastly, we touched upon the growing menace of fake news which she shared some valuable insights on spotting fake news and verifying sources. 

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🔻 Connect with Natalia🔻  

Email: [email protected] 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GaliczaNatalia 

“Freedom, just north of hope” Article’s Link: http://bitly.ws/HKLE 

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I am excited to share with you the story of AP Nguyen, a talented choreographer and creative director born and raised in Montreal. Despite having suffering from Imposter syndrome and having old parents who were conservative at first, he pursued his dream of becoming a full-time dancer. 

He is grateful for their support, as Asian parents usually have high expectations of their children taking care of them. The pandemic affected him personally and the dance culture in Montreal. However, he found solace in directing his personal dance videos, which allowed him to express himself creatively. His unique style of choreography dance led him to work for TVA's “Revolution”.  

In this episode, we discussed dance, AP's philosophy on it, as well as his aspirations for himself and the dancing community. 

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🔻 Connect with AP🔻  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ap.ngu 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AP.nguyen 

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