Medina is an entrepreneur with not one but two amazing businesses! Medina Citi is a multi-media design haus and Equal Space is a co-working space that offers support to multi-cultural, LGBTQA, and women-own startups and ventures. Medina shares a powerful testimony with us of his struggles with his intersecting identities and how he works hard every day to be his authentic self. We get into a powerful discussion on the importance of therapy when it comes to identity. You don't want to miss this one!

Dear First Gens, identity is a loaded and complicated topic, but hey, we have to talk about it! In this episode, Sara is joined by previous guest turned co-host, Anyelina Diaz to exchange stories of identities. They discuss the challenges, how they have navigated the ups and downs, and how they manage the anxiety that comes up. They get real about being bullied, outcasted and shamed for our identity. Tune in to hear about how they manage it all in the end! This was definitely a raw episode for them!

Dear First Gens, You ever go back and read a page in your diary and realize there's more to say? Or perhaps your perspective on that reflection has changed? We started Season 5 with some deeply vulnerable 2022 reflections. But as the season went on and our lives continued to evolve we wanted to share some additional after thoughts. Listen in as we explore the themes of self-discovery, forgiveness, support, and trusting the timing of your life. 🌼💪 And of course, we always get real about how the first gen identity shows up in our journey.

Dear First Gens,From her personal milestones to navigating the challenges of being a first-gen student, Alondra shares her journey with honesty and resilience. 🌟 Join us as we dive into Alondra's inspiring story on this week's episode. This incredible woman broke barriers by becoming the first in her family to graduate college and earn a master's degree. 🎓💪She will captivate you with her courage to follow her dreams, on her terms and dedication to uplift other first gens through her career & passion project. Indeed, the epitome of being "La Primera" pero no la ultimata. Don't miss out on this incredible conversation!Tune in now! 🎙️✨Rooting for You Always,Anyelis & Sara

Dear First Gens,We're thrilled to introduce you to another phenomenal first-gen trailblazer who has navigated a juicy journey throughout her career in higher education. Meet Anyelina, better known as Angie Diaz, a warm and welcoming force of nature. Her story will captivate you from start to finish! Join us as we delve into her remarkable milestones, rooted in her Dominican immigrant background, the challenges of being a first-gen college student, and her journey to becoming a proud homeowner. She has overcome countless obstacles, continuously pushing boundaries in her management role, all while championing the first-gen community. Don't miss out on this empowering episode!Cheering you On,Anyelis & Sara

Dear First Gens,As first gens, we often feel like the pressure of making our family's sacrifices worthwhile.  That can sometimes lead to pursuing life and career paths to fulfill their dreams, not ours.  In this episode, Christina Singh shares her journey of cultivating the COURAGE to her own path.  From leaving her home town of Florida to the BIG APPLE to pivoting out of the healthcare into finance.  Christina talks about how she found herself "selling the dream back" to her parents and realized that making the proud was simply about being happy.Tune in to this episode for a refreshing perspective on the first gen journey!Cheering You On,Anyelis & Sara

Dear First Gens,If you've ever experienced "Imposter Syndrome" you DO NOT want to miss this episode! Dr. Nicole Pulliam offers a mind blowing reframe that will change how you experience that feeling of "not enough" based on extensive research that she's done AND her own experiences being the first in her family to earn a bachelor's, master's, phD as well as one of few professors of color.  Dr. Pulliam admits that "Imposter Syndrome kept me small" and shares her journey to reclaiming her power and that feeling of being "REAL and WORTHY." Tune in for her inspiring story and learn about the business she's launching to empower women of color in leadership roles.Cheering You On,Anyelis & Sara

Dear First Gens, We are so excited to share with you all the story of Sara's first supervisor in Social Work and now dear friend. Michelle shares with us how after almost 20 years in Social Work, she decided to pursue her passion and become a professional organizer! Listen in to hear how Michelle navigates this new transition in her life and help her create a catchy name for her business. Send us a DM if you have any suggestions, and we will post her information soon! Wishing You Well, Sara and Anyelis

Dear First Gens, What do you do when you've checked all the boxes to make your parents proud, reached high levels of achievement early into your dream career, and yet find yourself wanting something different? Our first guest of this season (and dear friend), Andres "Andy" Acebo shares how he made an unthinkable pivot that led to becoming the newly appointed interim-President of New Jersey City University. Cheering You On, Anyelis & Sara

Dear First Gens, For most of our lives, we make life choices with direction, guidance and approval of our family. So what happens when you decide to start living for YOU? Find out what led Sara to take a leap and how she's navigating her family's reactions along with these big life transitions at once. If you've been your family's keeper, the glue, the go to person, you will resonate with Sara's journey and perhaps feel inspired to take your own leaps. Cheering You On, Anyelis & Sara

Dear First Gens, Welcome to Season 5! In the spirit of vulnerability and sharing from a place of healing, this season we're bringing you reflections of a point in time. Think of it as opening up a diary to a previous entry and you get to share the wisdom that came from that experience.In this episode, co-host Anyelis shares how 2022 started off as a really hard year for her, dealt with three very life altering transitions at once, feeling like her world had fallen apart.  She vulnerable shares that she felt depressed, angry & betrayed, AND grateful that she had the tools to work through this low point (thank you therapy & shadow coaching).A year later, Anyelis is happy to have risen from those deep lows. "Sometimes when things fall apart, they're actually falling together."Cheering You On the Journey,Anyelis & Sara 

Dear First Gens,All season we've talked to current college students about their experience and in this final episode of the season, we bring you Juliana, who graduated this year with her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling! Julian openly shares a journey that not many speak about which is the first gen graduate school journey and shares the jarring difference from undergrad, what no one told her to prepare for and the sacrifices made along the way.  Juliana, an immigrant from Colombia, also talks about how she's navigating choosing a career (mental health therapist) that her family doesn't understand and encourages us to set a critical tool; tune in to learn from this incredible first gen grad who is making a tremendous impact in our communities.Cheering on All First Gen Students & Grads,Anyelis & Sara

Dear First Gens, This episode with Ralph, a first gen college student in his junior year at Saint Peter's University will pull at your heartstrings. Ralph shares his journey of being born in Haiti, migrating to the USA as a 7yr old & adapting to a new culture. With an incredible sense of self, maturity & vulnerability Ralph opens up about how the loss of his mother keeps him grounded in the present moment, his father's hard work inspires him to achieve greatness, needing to take a gap year during the 2020 Global Pandemic to reflect on his purpose & so much more. You've been warned - have the tissues handy! :) Celebrating All First Gen College Students, Anyelis & Sara

Dear First Gens, Most of our episodes are from first gens who share their college experience in retrospect. In this special episode, we hear from Nicholas Marshalls who started his first year at NJIT this Fall 2022! Tune into to hear Nick share the influence of his parents, the experiences of the NJIT EOP Summer Program and the impact college has had in his life thus far. Cheering On All First Gen College Students, Anyelis & Sara

Dear First Gens,This Season we're highlighting the stories of current first generation college students.  In this episode, we hear from Rachel Perez, a Cuban immigrant and the 2020 Cuban American Alliance for Leadership Education Scholar.  Though Rachel almost didn't go to college, getting accepted into Rutgers made her feel like she someone saw her potential and sparked a fire to be that first gen trailblazer.  Rachel shares the reality of how the journey is full of highs and lows, while inspiring us through her community building actions to keep lifting as we climb.  Celebrating the First Gen College Student Journey,Anyelis & Sara

Dear First Gens, Welcome to Season 4 of Diary of the First Gen Journey! November 8th is National First Generation College Celebration Day, honor the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965. The Higher Education Act (“HEA”) emerged out of President Lyndon B. Johnson's War on Poverty. On this day colleges and universities celebrate the success of first-generation college students, faculty, and staff. We know first how earning a college degree opens doors of opportunity and access. On this episode, we kick-off the season by sharing a little more about our college experience and encourage current students to be open to receiving help and learn about the resources available to help you navigate the journey. Celebrating All First Gen Students, Anyelis & Sara

Dear First Gens,In this final episode of Season 3, Sara interviews her co-host Anyelis & her life partner, Jose! This episode is full of wisdom, vulnerability & banter from two immigrant kids, products of single mothers &  the Hudson County, NJ community.  Throughout 25yrs, Anyelis & Jose have been classmates, friends, romantic partners & divine mirrors who have been an integral part of each other's entrepreneurial journey.  They openly share how doing inner work has helped them grow individually, get closer together as a couple & manifest pronoia! And in the process, Sara receives extra motivation from friends who've supported her entrepreneur journey. Listen to the very end for a fun moment! :) Jose Espinoza is the Chief Patient Advocate at BookedMD, a patient advocacy platform for the underserved & under represented AND Founder of Move the Needle, a business incubator that brings together artists, creatives, entrepreneurs & investors through engaging activations.Embracing the Unknown With You,Anyelis & Sara

Dear First Gens, If you've ever wondered how people work full-time jobs AND manage businesses & projects, you'll want to tune into this episode with Choua & Dana, two of the three co-founders of CaliNDana!  Choua & Dana are first-gen, Asian women from Michigan, who followed the corporate career path which led them to the Big Apple and eventually down the path of pursuing entrepreneurship.  Their journey started with solving a problem - cute & comfy jeans for curvy, petite women under 5'3! In the process of building a brand, they have figured out how to develop products that are environmentally sustainable, empower other AAPI creatives to grow through ACE pop-up events, and help women in shelters. Their personal & business journeys are simply inspiring!Choua has an MBA and has had a wonderful corporate career - from food service operations to marketing in CPG, for big brands!  So many of her experiences and skills transfer to her role at CaliNDana.Dana is a designer with extensive experiences at major brands; all CaliNDana products are designed by her!Check out their amazing products: CaliNDana Website & InstagramSupport Creatives & Entrepreneurs like Choua & Dana at the next ACE POP UP.Cheering You On,Anyelis & Sara

Dear First Gens,You see the 10K+ Instagram account, filled with beautiful, award-winning photography and think - wow this a successful business! And then you see their personal accounts filled with heart-warming family moments (parents of 3 including twin girls!) & breathtaking travel landscapes and think - they are living the dream! Well, Richard & Andrea are definitely a power couple who have designed their dream life AND the journey to get there is just how you may imagine it - full of hard work, dedication, sacrifices & a life changing finance book on their honeymoon!  Richard, born in the US to Cuban immigrant parents who were entrepreneurs, was the first to earn a bachelor's degree and work a corporate profession which he left to pursue a photography business.  Andrea, migrated from Argentina in her teen years, having to work extra hard to learn English & finish school, pursue her passion for make up.  The way they've supported each other's businesses throughout the journey will leave you feeling extra mush & motivated.Check out Richard & Andrea's multiple businesses & their travel adventures:RichardBFlores PhotographyMrsAndreaFlores Make Up ArtistAnRtraveltheWorld With Love,Anyelis & Sara 

Dear First Gens,Welcome to Season 3 of the Diary of the First Gen Journey! We decided to make this season a little more interesting by speaking with 2 guests at a time AND focusing on first-gen entrepreneurs!In this first episode, Anyelis & Sara share their respective journeys & how they've intertwined. Anyelis, talks about how her mom's entrepreneurial journey made her consciously pursue a more "safe & secure" path which led to college, grad school & decade in Corporate HR.  Surprisingly, she never thought she'd pursue entrepreneurship full-time and vulnerably shares how the Covid-19 Pandemic changes so much of her perspective.  Sara, who similarly pursued degrees & licensure to become a Social Worker, shares a heartwarming story about how she attended a webinar led by Anyelis that inspired her to explore entrepreneurship.  That exploration led to the birth of this podcast when Sara approached Anyelis about the idea which naturally aligned. Tune in to hear about how we navigate the rollercoaster of building businesses as first-gens!Anyelis is the Founder of Propel On Purpose Coaching which provides workshops, keynote remarks, group & 1:1 Coaching that empowers first-gen students and professionals to grow in their career.Sara is the Founder of the First Gen Madrina which provides mental health coaching for first-gen students.Excited for You to Tune Into Season 3,Anyelis & Sara

Dear First-Gens, When you come from a marginalized community, you don't realize that many of the challenges we face as first-gens come from the lack of resources, access & opportunity.  Charles Williamson, a classically trained Opera singer who has performed in Grammy Award winning shows like the MET's Porgy & Bess, shares how his rise to this point of his success feels almost like a miracle given his humble upbringing.  Because he grew up in the projects of Passaic, NJ where his childhood musical training came from church and the music program at public school, Charles often felt like an imposter when he was pursuing his undergrad then masters in music.  Eventually he realized that the things he didn't know where due to not having had that education & training earlier on in life. Nonetheless, he persevered!  This is the longest episode so far because our conversation with Charles was too juicy to end! Tune in & listen through until the end to feel inspired & motivated to value your feelings, trust your intuition and pursue your dreams! Applauding Your Dreams, Anyelis, Sara & Charles

Dear First-Gens, When you're the first in your family in this country to go to college, you recognize the challenges that come along with being first, and then realize being first-gen means a lifetime of FIRSTS. In this episode, Viviana Zambrano, a leader in higher education programs for first-gen college students, walks us through some of her firsts from navigating college to career related things like your 401K. Viv credits much of her personal success & the inspiration to serve other first-gens to the incredible mentors she's had along her journey. She also shares beautiful reflections around how her ability to "propel on purpose" and pursue a career that brings her consistent meaning & joy. Cheering You On, Anyelis, Sara & Viv

Dear First-Gens, You are in for a fabulous treat with this conversation about intersectional identities with Eduardo Placer, the Story Doula who empowers women to share their stories & amplify their voice with authentic power! Eduardo isn't just a public speaking coach and founder of Fearless Communicators, he's an incredible story teller! Listen in how his imposter syndrome is tied to him being a gay man in a homophobic world, how his family & community privilege give him confidence, and how to do the work to break generational traumas grounded in survival mode. Eduardo eloquently shares that there's no room in scarcity, provide some great tips on how to ground into our bodies as a tool to powerfully shift away from that sense of lack toward fearing less, and how pride is the antidote & act of rebellion. Proudly & Fearlessly Yours, Anyelis, Sara & Eduardo

Dear First Gens, Welcome to Season 2, where we talk about how first-gens experience scarcity mindset & imposter syndrome in different ways, and more importantly how shift to growth mindset and courageously navigate the journey!  In this episode, your hosts, Anyelis & Sara, share stories of how Scarcity Mindset has shown up for them in their career & finances. Anyelis shares how once she was able to work through her imposter syndrome and saw "proof" that she could make bold career moves, her corporate career growth fast-tracked & she earned the most money! Sara shares how scarcity mindset creeps in as she's navigating different career moves and how being aware of triggers, seeking support & aligning with mentors has helped her grow. This episode feels like a happy hour conversation with a good, good girlfriend; tune in with your cafecito or cocktail!  Encouraging You to Do It Scared, Anyelis & Sara

Dear First Gens,There are aspects of the journey, especially the pressure of succeeding and making those who sacrificed so much for us proud, that can trigger anxiety under normal circumstances. Imagine being the wife of a Nurse during the global pandemic, going through a pregnancy, becoming a first-time mom, and then going back to work (still in a pandemic) without childcare? Well, on this page of the diary, Maia Esteves, shares how she made some courageous moves to ensure her & her family's well-being. May is Mental Health Awareness Month so we wanted to have this open, honest and vulnerable conversation about topics that we are still told to deal with privately. At DFGJ, we believe that in sharing them publicly, we uplift each other and we know Maia's story will encourage you along your journey! Excited to share Maia's Journey with You, Anyelis & Sara P.S. Lets continue to support our first-gen college students! America Needs You's mission is to empower the economic mobility of low-income, first generation college students. Learn more about becoming a Mentor Coach or attending their fun upcoming fundraisers.

Dear First-Gens,In our first interview, Adam San Miguel, the founder of the Cuban American Alliance for Leadership & Education, Co-Owner of Cortaditos Coffee Shop, and Client Director at Google - shares how he's harnessed pressure, perfectionism & pride to pave his first-gen journey. And has impacted many people as a result!Excited to Share Adam's Journey with You, Anyelis & Sara P.S. You can support our CAALE Scholars by attending our super fun fundraising gala on July 14th or donate to the organizing HERE.

Dear First Gens, We get a little deeper into our respective experiences of being First-Gen! Anyelis shares how going to college was the first time she became hyper aware of privilege, while Sara talks about the culture shock of that same experience.  They both talk imposter syndrome, the pressure of figuring it out "on your own" as first-gens, the "faking it until you make it" persona and so much more! Excited to Share the Journey with You, Anyelis & Sara