In this episode of Thriving in Intersectionality, host Dr. Lola Adeyemo sits down with Dr. Julie Pham to explore how identity, lived experience, and leadership are shaped across cultures, systems, and personal history.

Julie shares her journey as a Vietnamese-born refugee raised in the United States, and how that experience continues to shape how she understands belonging, communication, and opportunity in the workplace.

Through her story, we explore the intersection of refugee identity, culture, and leadership—and how these layers influence the way professionals navigate environments that are not always designed with them in mind.

This conversation also introduces a powerful shift in how we think about migration through the lens of “push and pull” factors, offering a deeper understanding of how and why people move—and how those experiences show up in the workplace.

Julie also reframes code-switching as strategic communication, and shares insights from her work on the “Seven Forms of Respect,” highlighting how respect is not universally defined—but shaped by lived experience.

Julie Pham is a Cambridge-trained social scientist, TEDx speaker, and founder of CuriosityBased. She works with organizations to build stronger workplace cultures through curiosity, communication, and a deeper understanding of respect.

Her TEDx talk: Curiosity as a Practice

Video Resource: 15-min overview on 7 Forms of Respect

Thriving in Intersectionality explores how identity, lived experience, and leadership intersect in today’s workplace—helping professionals move from navigating systems to shaping them.

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