Karen Vasquez O'Donnell was born and raised in El Salvador, and moved to the United States at 13 years old with her family. In this episode, she talks about her childhood living in a rural pueblito in El Salvador to her first U.S. embassy visit to navigating and overcoming new challenges in Pennsylvania. Karen's upbringing is one many immigrants in our community experience. She grew up in El Salvador away from her parents while they worked in the United States—an experience that made her the tough jefa she is today. Connect with Karen @karenvasquezodonnell on Instagram and find her on Facebook. You can also check out her children's book, Pepe and Pako Cross-Country Adventure, published in both Spanish and English. Big love to my partner/sponsor, RisOn. RisOn is an interactive weekly space created by two first-gen Latinos with the intention to mindfully unburden, introspect, connect, and belong. As a Hella Latin@ listener, you get a free one-month membership. Stick around at the end of the episode for more details. For updates on Hella Latin@ episodes, follow me @OdalysJasmine on Twitter, @ohjaaaasmine on Instagram and connect with me on LinkedIn. More at odalysjasmine.com

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