The First Gen Madrina

Dear First Gens, We have made it to the final episode of our theme Culture as a First Gen! It has been amazing to be able to speak with two special guests to discuss what culture means to them and why culture is relevant to us as first gens. If you haven't tuned in, go and check out episodes 75-77! In this episode, Sara shares specifically what culture means to her. As a social worker, she al...

Dear First Gens,  In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest Nessa Cartagena to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, Culture as a First Gen! Since a young age, Nessa always knew she had a passion for educating her community about finances. She made it her mission to narrow the financial literacy gap between the top 1% and minority groups. Sin...

Dear First Gens,  In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest La'Tonya Reese Miles to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, Culture as a First Gen! As a first-generation college graduate and thought leader in higher education, La'Tonya "LT" Rease Miles, Ph. D. has been instrumental in establishing successful programs for fir...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, Sara introduces a brand new topic to The First Gen Madrina podcast, Culture as a First Gen! In this new season, Sara discusses all things culture and how it impacts us as a first gens. We get into conversations about what culture means to us, how pop culture and being a first gen is related, and how culture can have an impact on our well-being! Stay tuned to find...

Dear First Gens, We have made it to the final episode of The First Gen Madrina's theme for the month, First-Gen Immigration Journey. In this episode, Sara shares with us her first-gen immigration journey and how that has impacted the person that she is today. Sara's family immigrated from Cuba in the late 60s/early 70s. She shares how it feels to be a first-generation Cuban-American, and...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest Dr. Felecia Russell to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme First-Gen Immigration Journey! Dr. Felecia Russell is the Director of the Higher Ed Immigration Portal at the Presidents’ Alliance for Higher Education and Immigration, and author of the groundbreaking book, Amplifying Black...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest Nathi Narciso to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, First-Gen Immigration Journey! Nathi is your new self-love bestie and the inspiring founder of Gostosa Energy, a vibrant self-love community dedicated to empowering women from all walks of life. As a 1.5 generation immigrant from...

Dear First Gens,  In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest Nora Alwah to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme first-gen immigration journey! Nora is a TEDx speaker, somatic psychotherapist, recognized mental health advocate, acclaimed educator with over 15 years of experience, and soon-to-be author. She empowers individuals living with margi...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, Sara introduces a brand new theme for the month, First-Gen Immigration Journey. Sara shares with us the impact that the first-generation immigration journey has on us as first gens and how it is an important part of our stories. She also reminds us to come back for the final episode to learn more about her own family's immigration journey and the impact it ha...

Dear First Gens,  Here is a bonus episode for you all! Earlier this month, I attended the COE's Trio Conference in NYC and was able to interview 3 Trio professionals! We discussed topics such as the first-gen identity, mental health and how they support their students. Check it out! Supporting You On Your Journey,  Sara, The First Gen Madrina

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara wraps up the season with a new episode of The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, The Power of Community as a First Gen! In this episode, Sara goes over the different communities that she has been a part of and how they have helped her. Sara believes that community is everything, and you cannot do it...

Dear First Gens,  In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest Jennifer Troya Biggers to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, The Power of Community as a First Gen! Jennifer Troya Biggers, better know at Jenny, is a proud first-gener. She is of Ecuadorian and Honduran descent. She is a working mom with many endeavors. In her career, she is dedi...

Dear First Gens,  In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest Kisha Zullo to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, The Power of Community as a First Gen.  Kisha is a dynamic entrepreneur and a dedicated women empowerment leader. As a Certified Meeting Professional with over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, she has excelled in...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, Sara introduces a brand new theme for the month, The Power of Community as a First Gen. Sara shares with us the different reasons why community is so important for personal and professional development. Here are some positives that a community can give: 1. Sense of Belonging 2. Potential Job Opportunities /Mentorship Opportunities 3. Generate Leads for a Business...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest Alejandra Carbajal to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, Boundaries as a First Gen! Alejandra is passionate about supporting first gens through upward mobility by resource sharing and thought partnering. She brings in her experience of working in Career Readiness roles for the past...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest Valeria Garcia to The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, Boundaries as a First Gen! Valeria is a passionate advocate for equity and inclusion in higher education. Valeria has over a decade of experience developing identity-based programs and support services for marginalized students a...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara joins us for a new episode of The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, Boundaries as a First Gen! In this first episode for our theme, Sara details the different types of boundaries that may come up for first gens and why it may be difficult to implement them. She also shares what boundaries look like...

Dear First Gens, Today we are featuring a special guest for a new segment of the podcast called  Cafecito with the First Gen. This segment will feature first-gen authors who have written books that discuss the first-generation experience. Alejandra Campoverdi is a nationally recognized women's health advocate, founder, producer, and former White House aide to President Obama. She produced and...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara wraps up the season with a new episode of The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, Defying Expectations as a First Gen! In this episode, Sara discusses specifically how Defying Expectations/Defying the Norm looks like for her. As a teaser, Sara discusses moving out of her home state, choosing a stigmat...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest Mayra Rosas to a new episode of The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, Defying Expectations as a First Gen! Mayra Rosas is a writer, speaker, and passionate connection builder whose contagious energy and powerful story are sure to inspire you. A proud native of South Central Los Angele...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest Bianca Alba to a new episode of The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, Defying Expectations as a First Gen! Bianca Alba is a proud Latina and first-generation college graduate. She was born in the heart of South America in Cochabamba, Bolivia and is the oldest of four sisters. Bianca h...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest Dominique O' Gorman to a new episode of The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, Defying Expectations as a First Gen! Dominique is a Medium, psychic, and Death Worker. She has been connecting her clients of this world, to loved ones on the other side, most of her life. With clients...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, Sara introduces a brand new theme for the month, Defying the Norm or Defying Expectations as a First Gen. Sara discusses the different ways that first gens may have to defy expectations or defy the norm. Growing up, we may have a list of expectations that have been placed on us. As we get older, we may choose to not subscribe to these expectations and some challen...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara wraps up the month with a new episode of The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, Pivoting as a First Gen! In the first episode for this season, Sara shares with us the different ways that first gens can make pivots in their lives. In this episode, she dives deep into what pivoting means specifically f...

Dear First Gens, In this episode, host Sara welcomes guest Kathleen Ribeiro to a new episode of The First Gen Madrina Podcast! This gives us a brand new episode for this month's theme, Pivoting as a First Gen! Kathleen is a business systems operations tech. Her journey began when she decided that her 9-5 job was no longer fulfilling. Through trial and error, she honed her skills and discovere...