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What does it mean to carry home within you when borders shift and communities fracture? Ashley Pena, a Puerto Rican and Dominican trauma-informed wellness coach, opens our debut episode with a sensory journey through her cultural heritage—where the mingled scents of salt air, grilling food, and sunscreen transport her back to beach picnics filled with family, food, and music.

Beyond these warm memories lies a powerful story of healing. Ashley candidly shares how she navigated generational trauma without proper tools or resources, describing the painful contradiction of being expected to show resilience while vulnerability remained taboo. "Healing truly is a miracle and it's revolutionary," she reflects, "especially when there's so much generational trauma in your culture." This profound insight frames healing not merely as personal work but as cultural reclamation and collective liberation.

The conversation weaves through cross-cultural misunderstandings, the importance of finding joy amid hardship, and Ashley's passionate advocacy for equality in all forms. With remarkable clarity, she articulates how systems designed to preserve inequality require both awareness and action. Yet even facing these challenges, Ashley maintains hope by transforming her pain into purpose that supports others.

As we sample the flavors of her heritage through descriptions of pastelón and mangú, Ashley leaves us with a message that resonates far beyond cultural boundaries: "Your voice matters, your story matters, and what you have to offer the world matters." In these words lies the heart of Voices Around the World—the belief that sharing our authentic experiences creates ripples of understanding that can, indeed, change lives.

Subscribe now to join our journey exploring diverse perspectives that illuminate our shared humanity. What voice will you hear next?