This episode is a powerful exploration of the immigrant experience in America, through the lens of author and speaker Simone W. Johnson. She shares insights from her book Decoding America and opens up about the emotional, psychological, and social challenges immigrants face while trying to “belong” in places that often reject them—even among those who look like them. Simone and Idongesit dive into cultural fragmentation, code switching, and how trauma, racism, and colonialism continue to divide communities.

They also unpack what true community means, the dangers of unchecked bias, and how immigrants can both protect themselves and contribute to collective healing. With raw honesty and deep wisdom, this episode calls all of us—immigrants and citizens alike—to do the work of unlearning, reconnecting, and building bridges across cultural lines.

#immigrantexperience #diasporaunity #decolonizeyourmind #codeSwitching #blackcommunityhealing

➤ EPISODE LINKS:

 https://thebridgeconcepts.org/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtWGXHad4QSaQ_v7at2ds6g

https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonewjohnson/

https://www.tiktok.com/@theimmigrantexperience

➤ CHAPTERS:

00:00 – Welcome and introduction to Simone 01:25 – Why Simone wrote “Decoding America” 03:31 – The weight of belonging and assimilation 04:48 – Finding your community in a foreign land 06:45 – The dangers of assuming cultural acceptance 08:29 – Code switching and lack of solidarity 14:42 – Religion, colonialism, and mental division 17:09 – Diaspora disunity and social infighting 20:16 – The power of unlearning mental slavery 24:36 – How immigrants unknowingly perpetuate bias 33:05 – The immigrant’s responsibility to educate 39:01 – Delayed gratification and cultural values 44:13 – Misconceptions around immigrants and opportunity 47:15 – A call to heal, unify, and reclaim narrative

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