Grad School Femtoring: Inclusive Grad School Stories, Personal Development, and Productivity Tips for First-Gen BIPOCs

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring podcast, I introduce you to the concept of the four types of luck: “blind” luck or what I call luck from privilege, luck from motion, luck from awareness, and luck from uniqueness. By understanding these types of luck, you can position yourself to create more opportunities rather than just waiting for luck to happen. I provide actionable tips and encour...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, I speak with Maceo Nafisah Cabrera Estévez, a writer, book coach, editor, and co-founder of the Muslim Writer Salon. We discuss the realities of exploring creative writing programs as BIPOC writers and what it means to thrive both within and outside of those institutional spaces. Maceo shares her personal journey, from struggling through grad s...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, I offer a mid-year reflection and share both the challenges and lessons I’ve learned along the way. Join me as I share how I've navigated through a very hard year and what I've learned about sustainable success, not just in business but also in life. I'll reflect on my experiences, system refinements, and how I've tailored my services to better...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, I explore how to redefine productivity to overcome burnout, especially for first-gen, BIPOC, and neurodivergent individuals. I share insights on the root causes of burnout and emphasize the importance of aligning your work with core values, managing your energy, practicing self-compassion, and engaging in community care. I also provide actionab...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring podcast, I chat with Rhonda Kahn, a speaker, coach, and consultant specializing in amplifying the unique voices of leaders and teams. We address the importance of owning your story and how to communicate both intentionally and powerfully. Rhonda shares her journey from a speech-language pathologist to an actor and then a public speaking coach. She also...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring podcast, I address the significance of visibility without hustle for first-generation, BIPOC, neurodivergent, and nontraditional students. I explain why visibility matters for career advancement and community building, debunk common myths about visibility, and provide practical strategies for increasing visibility without having to hustle your way there...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, I address the urgent topic of what's been going on with the ongoing ICE raids in Los Angeles and how we can support first-gen college and grad students who have been impacted. I discuss the emotional and logistical challenges these students face, such as avoiding campus, caregiving responsibilities, and financial insecurity. I also share practi...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring podcast, I am joined by my co-author, Dr. Miroslava Chávez-García, to celebrate the first anniversary of our book, Is Grad School For Me?: Demystifying the Application Process for First-Gen BIPOC Students (UC Press). We discuss our collaborative writing process, the impact the book has had over the past year, and our reflections on what made the partner...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, I discuss the invaluable skill of pitching yourself to create your own opportunities. If you’ve ever wondered how people suddenly have access to great opportunities, odds are they may be pitching themselves for that. Today you’ll learn exactly how to pitch yourself and you'll discover different scenarios where you might want to pitch yourself,...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, I am joined by Yvonne Armenta, a public speaking consultant and founder of Latina Presente, to discuss public speaking as a form of advocacy. We discuss the way public speaking can be a powerful advocacy tool for first-gen, Latina, and introverted individuals. Yvonne shares her personal journey from being a tech professional to becoming a publi...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring podcast, I answer one of the most common questions that comes up when applying to graduate school, how do I find the right grad programs for me? I share essential factors to consider when choosing a grad program, emphasizing five core dimensions of program fit: academic fit, funding, identity-affirming environment, accessibility and energy needs, and pe...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, I address the common struggles many of us face with starting and ending our workday effectively. I discuss the importance of transitions to move from work mode to rest mode and vice versa. Drawing from a recent coaching session, I share practical opening and closing rituals that can enhance your productivity and work-life balance. You’ll learn...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring podcast, I discuss the financial challenges that first-gen, BIPOC, and low-income graduate students often face, particularly those who find themselves unable to graduate because they owe money to their university. I share strategies on how to become a “squeaky wheel” to access discretionary or emergency funds, highlight the importance of building a supp...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, I sit down with Dra. Aurora Chang to discuss her journey from being an undocumented immigrant to becoming hyper-documentated. We delve into her experiences in academia, the concept of hyper-documentation, and how she now supports marginalized scholars in their writing. Dra. Aurora shares insights into the emotional and psychological costs of ov...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, I discuss action-oriented executive functioning skills to help you move from thinking to doing. This is part two of a special mini-series where I share practical strategies for task execution. I cover three key skill areas: task initiation and planning (your ability to begin tasks and map out necessary steps), organization and time management (...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, I discuss essential executive functioning skills for mastering your mental workspace. They include: working memory (your brain's capacity to temporarily hold and manipulate information), attention control (sustaining focus while filtering distractions), cognitive flexibility (adapting to changes), and metacognition (thinking about your thinking...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring podcast, I offer a deep dive into the graduate school application process, answering all of your questions from planning your application timeline to securing strong recommendation letters and even funding your education. I also share insights on finding the right program, crafting standout application materials, and preparing for life in grad school. T...

In this episode, I interview Dianni Hall, a queer solo budget backpacker and second-generation Latina, who has lived a nomadic lifestyle for nearly six years. She shares her journey from nearly pursuing grad school with an offer in hand to living a nomadic lifestyle, offering practical tips on budget-friendly travel, freelancing, and embracing one's full identity. We also explore the importance of...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, I share eight flexible time management strategies for individuals who want to move beyond time blocking. They include task batching by energy levels, priority-based to-do lists, adaptive timers, and more. This episode aims to offer practical alternatives for better managing your time and increasing productivity while acknowledging individual ne...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, I help you overcome writer’s block by addressing common writing challenges faced by grad students and early career professionals. I then share several tailored strategies based on different learning styles—visual, auditory, read/write, and kinesthetic—to help you get unstuck in your writing process. From mind mapping and voice recordings to jou...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring podcast, I discuss the importance of creating a mentorship map, especially for first gen, BIPOC, and neurodivergent grad students, postdocs, and early career professionals. I introduce the concept of a mentorship map, which is a visual tool that helps document and categorize your mentorship support system. I explain how to create your own map, share exa...

In this episode, we welcome back Dr. La'Tonya “LT” Rease Miles to discuss her new memoir, Smart Girl: A First-Gen Origin Story. We cover all kinds of topics from impactful moments in LT’s youth, to  influential women in her family, and even the importance of integrating personal passions into academic life. She also shares how her story challenges traditional first-gen narratives and how intention...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, I share ten acts of community care that you can get done in ten minutes or less. These small but meaningful actions are meant to serve as examples of practical ways to show love and support to your greater community, even when you have a busy schedule or feel like you have no time.  If you liked what you heard, check out episode 210 on micro ac...

In this episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, we address the topic of being an anti-ableist advocate in higher education with our guest Janelle Johnson, a licensed marriage and family therapist, doctoral candidate, neurodiversity researcher, and DEIA consultant. Janelle shares her personal journey navigating higher education as a multiply neurodivergent, disabled, Black woman, and explains...

In this episode, I share my personal experience of turning down my dream master's program due to funding issues and provide comprehensive guidance on securing funding for master's programs. From internal scholarships within your department to external fellowships and creative freelance opportunities, I cover various strategies to make your graduate education financially manageable. Additionally, I...