Education
CTW009 We Are All Immigrants with Marlena Baraf Born and raised in Panama, Marlena Baraf immigrated to the United States as a teenager in high school and became an American citizen during her 30s. After pledging her allegiance to the country she adopted as her own, she became a published author, book editor, interior designer, and a loving mother. Her work has been seen in several publications including the HuffPost and Read 650. She is the author of several essays about immigration, including the Soy/Somos (I am/ We are) series, as well as a recently published memoir, At the Narrow Waist of the World. Marlena joins me today to share her experience as an American immigrant and the message she hopes to convey through her writing. We discuss the different cultures that compose our country and society and how, at the end of the day, we are all immigrants in America. We discuss the common threads between American nationals and American immigrants. We also discuss the challenges that many American immigrants face in today’s political environment and how embracing the differences in our culture not only enriches our lives but also makes us better people. “We live very narrowly if we are not exposed to people who are different. So there is no question that we are enriched.” - Marlena Baraf This week on Coffee Table Wisdom: Marlena’s journey to America and why she decided to move to America on her own The common thread between American nationals and American immigrants The message she wants to convey through her book and essays The challenges many immigrant communities currently face in today’s political environment Why fear is the root cause of many people’s behaviors and beliefs about immigrants How embracing differences in our culture and society enriches our world How our immigration policies have evolved and how today’s policies could be improved to give new immigrants better opportunities to fulfill their dreams Connect with Marlena Baraf: Marlena Baraf’s website At the Narrow Waist of the World Soy/Somos (I am/We are) Facebook Twitter Instagram Join the Revolution! Thanks for tuning into the Coffee Table Wisdom podcast - the show that enlightens your body, mind, and spirit through ideas and musings from the worlds of health, psychology, spirituality, and art. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to the show and leave your honest review. Join the Revolution in Positive Aging by sharing your favorite episodes on social media. Don’t forget to visit my website and follow my Facebook Page for even more inspiring ideas and musings on positive aging.