Immigration MIC

Hear reactions from former Immigration MIC guests Eliana Fernandez, Alejandro Flores, and Damaris!

In this episode, I read my new article which brings together my experience with Immigration MIC, my friend's passing due to COVID-19 due to the federal government's response, and the Black lives being lost as part of a systemic pattern.

Stay safe everyone.

Welcome David Silva Ossa, co-founder of Techqueria (the nonprofit that serves the largest community of Latinx in Tech) to the Immigration MIC Podcast!

[Update: Techqueria’s fundraising campaign to support undocumented families has closed at the 50K mark, but you can still donate to support the organization, or support the other campaigns on the original donation page]

In this episode, David talks to me about: how he’s been holding up in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, his personal story growing up in Santiago De Cali, Colombia at a time when Cali was one of the most dangerous cities to live in, while trying to discover his own place in society (4:31), his background in activism inspired by his Jewish faith and his status as an undocumented immigrant (16:20), his journey into the tech world originating with a computer in his mother’s office, and learning how to modify/ program, and culminated with him joining a startup in 2012 in Colombia and moving to Silicon Valley the following year (19:00), the beginnings of Techqueria and the development of the organization as a network, which has chapters in eight cities (23:50), the fundraiser and the longer term goals and vision to support undocumented communities affected by COVID-19 (26:03), and some closing forward-looking words of inspiration (31:15)

Welcome to the Season 5 premiere of Immigration MIC! We’re kicking off Episode 101 with Paula Chirinos from the 100th Episode, and it’s the full interview you’ve been waiting for.

In this episode Paula talks about:

Her experience being a part of the 100th Episode, and how she came to be a part of the event.

Being a DACA recipient from Peru, and growing up in New Rochelle unaware of her immigration status until just a few years ago.

Her experience working as a writer and facilitator with Herstory Writers Workshop on Long Island, and the influence Erica Duncan has had on her storytelling.

How the 2016 Election was a life changing year for her, and her take on the national dialogue since.

Her ambitions to work in global marketing, and looking forward to graduating this year and fulfilling her “purpose”.

*Also included: a bonus interview with Dina Radeljas (Assistant Professor At Mohawk Community College in Utica, NY) by Jordan Sher, author of “Our Neighbors, Their Voices” – the interview is about Dina’s story about her family escaping Bosnia in 1993 fleeing the genocide being perpetrated by the Serbian government against Muslims. Dina tells of the path she and her family took that eventually led to the safety and opportunity they found in America.