The First Gen Madrina

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest, Emanuel Anzules, to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand-new episode for this month's theme, Pride as a First Gen! Emanuel was born and raised in Lima, Peru, and immigrated to the U.S. in 1993, at the age of 7, to join his parents and sister. He attended school in New Jersey and graduated from Rutgers University in 20...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest, Naty Diaz, to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand-new episode for this month's theme, Mental Health as a First Gen! Today we have a new special guest for this month's theme Mental Health as a First Gen. This is a little different than what we usually do, but we are really excited for you all to tune in! This wee...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest, Erica Priscilla Sandoval, to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand-new episode for this month's theme, Mental Health as a First Gen! Erica is a passionate licensed clinical therapist dedicated to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Erica holds a Post Master’s in Clinical Adolescent Psychology and a Master’...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest, Dr. Paul Rivera, to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand-new episode for this month's theme, Mental Health as a First Gen! Dr. Rivera holds a PhD in Economics from University of Southern California and a BS from Texas A&M. He has been recognized globally as a strategist, speaker, facilitator, and dynamic educator....

Dear First Gens, In this episode of The First Gen Madrina Podcast , host Sara Diaz dives into May's theme: Mental Health as a First Gen .  In this heartfelt and powerful episode, we dive deep into why mental health matters—especially for first-gen, BIPOC, and immigrant communities. Host Sara explores how mental health is more than just a trending topic—it’s about education, compassion, and ac...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara wraps up this season of The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand-new episode for this month's theme, Celebrating Neurodiversity as a First Gen! In this episode, Sara shares more information about neurodiversity and shares resources that supports the community. Sara also reminds everyone that this is not meant to diagnose or be therapeuti...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest, Felicitas Nungaray, to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand-new episode for this month's theme, Celebrating Neurodiversity as a First Gen! Felicitas is a 1st Gen. Neurodivergent coach, and a Licensed Psychotherapist based in California. Feli has served as the Neurodiversity Social Skills Facilitator in Higher Educatio...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest, Isaac Akinde, to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand-new episode for this month's theme, Celebrating Neurodiversity as a First Gen! Isaac Akinde is an ADHD coach, qualified teacher and passionate advocate for neurodiversity. With a unique perspective as someone who was diagnosed with ADHD and Dyslexia as an adult, Is...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest, Victoria Charrington Chavez, to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand-new episode for this month's theme, Celebrating Neurodiversity as a First Gen! Victoria is a celebrated storyteller, TEDx speaker, and expert branding strategist blending creativity, communication, and community into powerful narratives. As founder o...

Dear First Gens, In this episode of The First Gen Madrina Podcast , host Sara Diaz dives into April's theme: Celebrating Neurodiversity as a First Gen .  In this episode of the podcast, Sara shares the importance of bringing awareness to neurodiversity and what this means as a first gen. This season, we will interview 3 guests that will share their stories of celebrating neurodiversity as a f...

Dear First Gens, In this episode of The First Gen Madrina Podcast , host Sara Diaz dives into March's theme: Supporting First Gens .  This week we feature special guests, Hannah Roza and Jenna Maurer from Aspire Institute. Aspire Institute is a nonprofit organization which was co-founded in 2017 by Harvard Business School professors. Their mission is to prepare low-income, first-generation un...

Dear First Gens, In this episode of The First Gen Madrina Podcast , host Sara Diaz dives into March's theme: Supporting First Gens .  This week we feature special guests, Anthony and Emily Surratt of First Gen Society. The National Leadership Society of First-Generation College Students, (FirstGen Society), is a national social organization dedicated specifically to first generation college s...

Dear First Gens,  In this episode of The First Gen Madrina Podcast , host Sara Diaz dives into March's theme: Supporting First Gens .  This week we feature special guest, Dr. Stephanie Bannister, VP of First Gen Forward Network. FirstGen Forward is the premier source of evidence-based practices, professional development, and knowledge creation for the higher education community to advance the...

Dear First Gens, In this episode of The First Gen Madrina Podcast , host Sara Diaz dives into March's theme: Supporting First Gens .  In this episode of The First Gen Madrina Podcast , we’re spotlighting organizations that empower first-gen students and professionals. With recent funding threats, it’s more important than ever to advocate for these essential programs. We’ll discuss common firs...

Dear First Gens, Welcome to the final episode of this month's theme on Advocacy as a First Gen! In this episode of The First Gen Madrina Podcast , I reflect on my personal journey with advocacy as a first-generation professional. I dive into the cultural and historical barriers many first-gens face when learning to advocate for themselves, while offering relatable anecdotes and insights. I sh...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest, Kristine Leslie, to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, Advocating as a First Gen! Kristine Leslie is a multiply neurodivergent Strategy and Development Consultant who offers support in creative capacity building to communities and organizations as Chief Transformation Officer of I...

Dear First Gens,  In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest, Alondra Canizal Hsu, to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, Advocating as a First Gen! Immigrating to the Midwest from Mexico at the age of 6, Alondra always understood the vehicle to the American Dream to be hard work and higher education, but she quickly realized that as an immi...

Dear First Gens, In this episode of The First Gen Madrina Podcast , host Sara Diaz dives into February’s theme: Advocating as a First Gen . Advocacy is a vital skill for navigating systems not built with us in mind, yet it’s often overlooked in our community. Key Highlights: ✨ Advocating for Yourself : Why it’s essential to prioritize your needs, set boundaries, and use your voice. Advocacy is no...

Dear First Gens, Welcome to the final episode of The First Gen Madrina podcast for this month's theme, First Gen Forward: Intention Setting for the New Year ! In this reflective and empowering episode, we explore the difference between goals and intentions and why setting intentions can help create alignment and purpose in your life. I share my three powerful intentions for 2025—prioritizing...

Dear First Gens,  In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest, Dr. Esther Zeledon, to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, First Gen Forward: Intention Setting for the New Year! Dr. Esther Zeledon, a Latina immigrant and former diplomat turned award-winning author, global speaker, and coach, has collaborated with global leaders to address comp...

Dear First Gens,  In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest, Chitra Rochlani, to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, First Gen Forward: Intention Setting for the New Year! Chitra Rochlani is a Professional Speaker, Intuitive Coach, and Best-selling Author of The Warrior Mindset. She inspires professionals and organizations to redefine succe...

Dear First Gens,  In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest, Tanesha Halstead, to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, First Gen Forward: Intention Setting for the New Year! Tanesha Halstead, a Business Tech Strategist, Coach, and Course Creator, simplifies administrative tasks for small business owners using tech solutions. With 15+ years i...

Dear First Gens, Welcome to 2025 and the first episode of The First Gen Madrina podcast! We’re kicking off the new year with our theme for the month: First Gen Forward: Intention Setting for the New Year! In this episode, we dive deep into the power of setting intentions—how they differ from resolutions and why they’re vital for first-gens navigating personal growth, family expectations, and ambit...

Dear First Gens, We have made it to the final episode of 2024! In this episode, I share two additional and powerful reflections from my year. I talk about my journey of finding my dream job and stepping into a career path where I feel valued and inspired. I also open up about the priceless gift of time, recounting how moving to Florida to care for my grandmother has deepened my appreciation of tim...

Dear First Gens, We have made it to the final season of 2024 for The First Gen Madrina Podcast. In this special December episode, I reflect on the impactful lessons learned throughout 2024. From embracing abundance and managing scarcity mindset to stepping out of my comfort zone with calculated risks, I share my journey of personal growth and self-discovery. Tune in to hear these insightful reflec...