Journeys Podcast

Join us as we hear from Téa Ivanovic, the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Immigrant Food, a social enterprise startup that fuses innovative gastronomy and social justice advocacy. In this episode, we hear how Téa first came to the U.S. for tennis, began working in the political field, and has now opened three restaurants with the mission to celebrate immigrants' contributions through food, while being an advocate and platform for educating on behalf of immigrants.

Join us as we hear from Téa Ivanovic, the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Immigrant Food, a social enterprise startup that fuses innovative gastronomy and social justice advocacy. In this episode, we hear how Téa first came to the U.S. for tennis, began working in the political field, and has now opened three restaurants with the mission to celebrate immigrants' contributions through food, while being an advocate and platform for educating on behalf of immigrants.

Join us for the beginning of Season 3, as we follow Sana Salah through her unexpectedly dramatic journey from Kolkata, India, to the US. Sana, who works with the American Red Cross, explores the difference between low-context and high-context communication and the power of courage when talking to strangers. She’s learned firsthand that the willingness to be open and direct can take you incredibly far — even as far as her first Thanksgiving meal, and a meaningful relationship to follow.

Music: Ketsa - Acid Road

Andres Almosny has enough cultural ties to weave an intricate tapestry — born in Argentina to a Venezuelan mother and Argentinian father, raised in the Dominican Republic, and married his Puerto Rican wife before moving to the U.S. in 2022. Being focused is a key part of his approach to making a lifetime of transitions feel sustainable and achievable. As a former sports broadcaster and current development coordinator at Lutheran Social Services, Andres brings a goal-oriented mentality to everything he does. Taking ownership of his identity as an immigrant has kept him in positive spirits with an open mind, and given him a penchant for finding a soccer team wherever he goes.

Music: Ketsa - Acid Road

Anna is a security professional with over 10 years of experience in the government and private sector. She mentors students from her alma mater- American University, as well as Girl Security- a non-profit organization preparing girls, women, and gender minorities for national security careers.

Anna immigrated twice in her life, and is very passionate about cross cultural communication, and supporting immigrants and refugees. In January 2022, she launched AlisAdel www.alisadel.com- a social entrepreneurship venture. In addition to being an aspiring social entrepreneur, Anna is the host of the Immigrant² Podcast. On her podcast Anna provides a safe space for immigrants and refugees to share their journeys, struggles, successes, and advice for other immigrants. In addition, she is partnering with and hosted organizations who work tirelessly to support immigrants and refugees.

Growing up in Poland, Maz Bednarczyk says criticizing one’s own country was almost like a national sport — so they were struck by such a stark sense of American exceptionalism that relies on competitive outlooks and discounting the opinions of outsiders. In reality, they learned, life in the U.S. is complicated, dynamic, and constantly evolving. But that was no problem for Maz, who approaches learning and acclimating to American life with a healthy dose of curiosity.

Marta Bednarczyk (they/them), known to friends and colleagues as Maz, is an expert in intercultural and non-formal education with more than eight years of experience developing and delivering training courses, workshops, and e-learning activities on leadership, human rights, global citizenship, and more.

Listen to the episode to hear their thoughts on combating assumptions with curiosity and compassion.

Music: Ketsa - Acid Road

Krish O’Mara Vignarajah is the President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) — the largest faith-based national nonprofit exclusively dedicated to serving immigrants and refugees. In this episode of Journeys, Krish shares with us her story of how her family came to Maryland from Sri Lanka and her thoughts on the U.S. immigration system.

When you imagine an immigrant journey, do you think of a harrowing trek across borders, or the joy of winning a visa lottery? To Obiekwe Okolo, an immigrant from Lagos, Nigeria, these binary options leave much to be desired. In fact, the vast majority of migrants make their way to new countries on trips that may just seem ordinary at the time. At least that’s how it was when he arrived in the U.S. at age 6, thinking his family trip might just be a vacation. Now an artist and creative director living in D.C., Obiekwe reflects on what it means to have a “normal” immigration story, and how to find a sense of belonging within it.

Keshni was born and raised in an apartheid segregated township in South Africa, she now also considers Washington D.C. home. And after a decade here, she has finally gotten used to Orion being the right way up in the night’s sky. Her stories are influenced by her evolving definition of home and belonging, and the tides of political and social change that move us all.

Kenya Ahuatzi is very happy to live in the U.S. now, where she works as a Spanish teacher and has a vibrant and supportive community of friends. But she hadn’t expected it to be this way. Prior to the move from Mexico, Kenya and her family were really apprehensive about what life in the U.S. might look like, and she’s been pushing back against that narrative of fear ever since.

Music: Ketsa - Acid Road