In this season finale of Unapologetically First Gen, we sit down with Lesley’s mother-in-law, Soledad Boyd, for an intimate and unfiltered conversation about coming out later in life, navigating Black and queer identity, and what it really means to live unapologetically.

We talk about:

• What it was like to come out in her 50s after raising three kids
• Queerness in a white male–dominated LGBTQ+ scene
• Pride vs. corporate pride
• Blackness, visibility, and generational unlearning
• Why her grandkids won’t grow up with the same shame she carried
• And the joy (and challenge) of dating as a queer woman in Boston

This one is layered, funny, heartbreaking, and beautifully honest. A powerful end to the season and the perfect listen for Pride Month and Juneteenth.

Check out Queer Kids Stuff here: https://youtube.com/@queerkidstuff?feature=shared

🎧 Catch up on the season & subscribe to be the first to hear when we’re back this fall. 

Thanks for listening and supporting the show! Don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review if you enjoy the show. It really helps us grow.  We’ll see you in the fall! 

In this episode, we’re joined by a very special guest—our cousin, Romeu Bairos, a Portuguese musician, actor, and performer known for traditional Azorean music. 

We talk about:

• His time on the Portuguese version of The Voice
• Why singing in your natural accent is a big deal
• Reconnecting with long-lost cousins and finding home in Boston
• Pissing off MAGA aunties at Portuguese festivals
• His acting career and upcoming movie based on a banned communist novel
• And yes, why capitalism is the cows’ worst enemy

We also get into deeper themes around nationalism, safety as an immigrant in the U.S., and what it means to speak out even when it feels risky.

This one’s heavy and hilarious. 

Check out Romeu’s music here:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6H3GT3ggWowSo4R8LkGPP0?si=eJcGFCLJTFikvig_5TJXTg

If you are being affected by ICE:

If you or someone you know is facing immigration enforcement, the ACLU has multilingual guides on how to respond and protect your rights.

https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights

Join the Conversation:

Got episode ideas or stories to share? Join the Patreon to stay in the loop for Season 2. http://patreon.com/UnapologeticallyFirstGenPodcast

Thanks for listening and supporting the show! Don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review if you enjoy the show. It really helps us grow. 

In this heartfelt, slightly chaotic, and very first-gen episode, Stacy and Lesley reflect on their first season of Unapologetically First Gen—what they’ve learned, how podcasting has unexpectedly deepened their connection with family, and the feedback that’s made them cry (in a good way). What starts as a light episode takes a powerful turn as they dive into the emotional weight of being first-generation, growing up as unofficial translators, and the fear immigrant communities are facing today.

From childhood memories and moon cycle superstitions to the heartbreak of ICE raids and political uncertainty, this episode is a raw blend of vulnerability, cultural commentary, and cousin-fueled love.

In this episode, they talk about:

• How podcasting has helped them stay connected to their 40+ cousins
• The technical and emotional lessons learned this season
• How feedback from listeners—especially family—has shaped their motivation
• Navigating fear, dual citizenship, and immigrant identity in the current political climate
• Setting boundaries while still being deeply tied to family roles
• The importance of grassroots community action in the face of systemic threats

Resource Mentioned:

If you or someone you know is facing immigration enforcement, the ACLU has multilingual guides on how to respond and protect your rights.

https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights

Join the Conversation:

Got episode ideas or stories to share? Join the Patreon to stay in the loop for Season 2. http://patreon.com/UnapologeticallyFirstGenPodcast

Thanks for listening and supporting the show! Don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review if you enjoy the show. It really helps us grow. 

In this episode of Unapologetically First Gen, we’re talking about relationships—and specifically what it’s like to grow up in a culture where marriage is expected early, only to end up married to Americans in very different ways.

Lesley shares a personal story most people don’t know: she got married at 18 to a Portuguese boy—and divorced by 20. We talk about the pressure to settle down young, the gender roles we grew up with, and the kind of relationships we saw modeled in our community.

We also reflect on how marrying outside our culture has forced us (and our partners) to navigate everything from family dynamics to food, language, and privilege. There’s some humor, some heart, and a whole lot of cultural unpacking in this one.

🎧 Tune in to hear us talk about:

– Getting married young and the aftermath

– Why we didn’t end up with Portuguese guys

– Mental load, masculinity, and growing alongside your partner

– The joy (and chaos) of blending families and traditions

If you enjoy the podcast, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review.

💬 Got your own story about being first gen or marrying across cultures? Share it with us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/UnapologeticallyFirstGenPodcast

Connect with us on Instagram and Threads: @stacybragacopy and @StreamlineWithLesley

This week, Lesley & Stacy are diving into the cultural quirks and beliefs that stuck with us long after childhood - aka, all the superstitions we inherited (and maybe still follow). From the iconic Portuguese rooster to the deep-rooted fear of catching a cold from… wet hair?? Yep, we’re unpacking it all.

We talk:

• The legend behind the Galo de Barcelos 🐓
• Why wearing a jacket became a moral obligation
• The war on wet hair and cold feet
• House shoes, slipper politics, and crumb-related trauma
• And the mysterious "needle test" that “predicts” how many kids you’ll have

Sprinkled in, of course, are a few chaotic kid stories, cultural call-outs, and laughs about how these things still lowkey run our lives. Come for the folk tales, stay for the barefoot confessions.

Share your cultural superstitions with us over on Patreon: http://patreon.com/UnapologeticallyFirstGenPodcast

📲 Connect with us on Social Media: 

• Instagram and Threads: @stacybragacopy and @StreamlineWithLesley
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/UnapologeticallyFirstGenPodcast

Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Thank you for tuning in, and as always, we appreciate your support! ❤️

In this episode of Unapologetically First Gen, we sit down with our friend Isaac Lungu who shares what it’s been like to move through the world as a perpetual immigrant—from Botswana to several U.S. states, and now Canada.

Isaac talks about the layers of identity he’s had to navigate as someone who grew up African, became “Black” in America, and now raises his kid in a third culture. We explore how systemic issues—from racism to healthcare to capitalism—intertwine with personal experience, and what it means to stay rooted when home is constantly shifting.

If you enjoy the podcast, subscribe and leave us a review. 

💬 Got your own story about being first gen? Share it with us over on Patreon: http://patreon.com/UnapologeticallyFirstGenPodcast

Thank you for tuning in, and as always, we appreciate your support! ❤️

In the second half of their conversation on hustle culture, Lesley and Stacy go deeper into what it actually looks like to unlearn the first-gen overachiever mindset in real life.

From letting the dishes sit in the sink to resisting the urge to say yes to every opportunity, this episode unpacks the guilt that comes with rest—and the intentional choices it takes to create a slower, values-aligned life.

You’ll hear stories about:

• Homework protests and raising readers
• 
  
• How burnout sneaks into even your hobbies (hi, Goodreads pressure)
• 
  
• What grandma taught us about radical rest
• 
  
• Learning to say no without apologizing
• 
  
• Why “you can have it all” isn’t the problem—it’s the timeline that’s a lie
• 
  

If you’ve ever felt like you're doing everything but still not enough, this episode is a reminder: your worth isn’t measured by your productivity.

💬 Got your own story about unlearning hustle? Share it with us over on Patreon: http://patreon.com/UnapologeticallyFirstGenPodcast

Follow & Support Us:

Ideas for Unapologetically First Gen come from sisterly conversation and caffeine. Buy us a cup of coffee by joining our Patreon. 

📲 Connect with us on Social Media: 

• Instagram and Threads: @stacybragacopy and @StreamlineWithLesley
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/UnapologeticallyFirstGenPodcast

Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Thank you for tuning in, and as always, we appreciate your support! ❤️

In this two-part series, Stacy and Lesley dive deep into the first gen overachiever syndrome—also known as hustle culture, survival mode, or doing-the-most disorder. In part one, they reflect on their college years packed with jobs, volunteer work, and academic overload, and trace those habits back to childhood expectations around rest, success, and self-worth.

They also unpack how that hustle mentality shows up in parenting, housekeeping, and even reading for fun (yes, really). You’ll hear about generational shifts—from grandma’s “let the dishes sit” mindset to breaking up with the myth of “having it all at the same time.”

Whether you're currently in burnout or just trying to untangle your worth from your to-do list, this episode offers a funny, heartfelt, and unfiltered look at how hustle sneaks into every corner of life—and what it looks like to start letting go.

💬 Got your own story about unlearning hustle? Share it with us over on Patreon: http://patreon.com/UnapologeticallyFirstGenPodcast

Follow & Support Us:

Ideas for Unapologetically First Gen come from sisterly conversation and caffeine. Buy us a cup of coffee by joining our Patreon. 

📲 Connect with us on Social Media: 

• Instagram and Threads: @stacybragacopy and @StreamlineWithLesley
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/UnapologeticallyFirstGenPodcast

Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Thank you for tuning in, and as always, we appreciate your support! ❤️

This week on Unapologetically First Gen, we’re diving into the funny, frustrating, and sometimes embarrassing moments that come with being bilingual.

From accidentally telling people we're "constipated" when we mean congested to struggling with vocabulary around politics, shaving cream, or whether it’s a cup or a glass of water… this episode is for anyone who’s ever had a word get stuck between two languages.

We also talk about the cultural weight of language—how it shows up in our dreams, how it shapes who we feel fluent with, and why describing our work in Portuguese sometimes feels impossible.

💬 Join the convo: Share your sticky language situations on our Patreon: http://patreon.com/UnapologeticallyFirstGenPodcast

Follow & Support Us:

Ideas for Unapologetically First Gen come from sisterly conversation and caffeine. Buy us a cup of coffee by joining our Patreon. 

Connect with us on Social Media: 

• Instagram and Threads: @stacybragacopy and @StreamlineWithLesley
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/UnapologeticallyFirstGenPodcast

Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Thank you for tuning in, and as always, we appreciate your support! ❤️

This week, we’re talking malasadas, sweetbread, and soup that could bring you to tears. But like most of our episodes — it’s not really about the food. It’s about memory, identity, and what gets passed down.

We reflect on what it means to preserve cultural traditions when you’ve moved away from the language, the religion, or the neighborhood that shaped them. From our mother’s baking to finding joy in overpriced cereal, this episode is full of stories that will hit home for any first-gen kid trying to keep their culture alive — one recipe (or failed veggie burger) at a time.

You can find Chocopic, biscoitos, and Portuguese cheese here:l https://shopportuguese.com 

Follow & Support Us:

Ideas for Unapologetically First Gen come from sisterly conversation and caffeine. Buy us a cup of coffee by joining our Patreon. 

Connect with us on Social Media: 

• Instagram and Threads: @stacybragacopy and @StreamlineWithLesley
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/UnapologeticallyFirstGenPodcast

Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Thank you for tuning in, and as always, we appreciate your support! ❤️