What does it mean to navigate identity when your childhood spans continents and cultures? In this profound conversation, Asees sits down with Antoinette Aku Quarshie, Dean of Students at a New York Independent School, who brings over 30 years of experience working with young adolescents during their crucial identity-forming years.

Born to a Grenadian mother and Ghanian father, Antoinette was raised between the UK, Grenada, Ghana, and the United States. Her unique third culture background, combined with her extensive work developing curriculum in Afghanistan, Kenya, Botswana, and South Africa, offers invaluable insights into helping young people not just survive, but truly thrive during their formative years.

Key themes explored:

• How moving between countries teaches you to quickly learn cultural codes and adapt
• Why the "in-betweenness" of middle school mirrors the third culture kid experience
• The difference between being vulnerable and hiding parts of yourself
• How deep listening becomes a superpower for connection across cultures
• Why resilience means teaching kids they're "so much more than any mistake they'll ever make"
• The importance of finding your "signposts" when navigating multiple identities
• How temporary experiences can hold profound value and meaning
• Why living fearlessly means not being afraid to take up space

Antoinette shares deeply personal stories, including a transformative near-death experience and her decade-long journey with Buddhist meditation, that shaped her understanding of impermanence and connection. Her wisdom on helping parents listen to their multicultural children and creating emotional safety nets offers practical guidance for families navigating complex identities.

Whether you're a third culture kid, raising globally mobile children, or working with young people from diverse backgrounds, this episode provides both validation and actionable strategies for embracing the beautiful complexity of multicultural identity.

About Antoinette Aku Quarshie: Dean of Students at a New York Independent School with over 30 years of experience in education. Born to a Grenadian mother and Ghanian father, she has collaborated with educators to develop curriculum in Afghanistan, Kenya, Botswana, and South Africa, bringing a truly global perspective to youth development.

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