Breaking the Traditional Path: Journey of Identity and Belonging with Santee - Ep. 164

Welcome to episode 164 of The American Dream in the Eyes of Immigrants Podcast. I am your host, Heidy De La Cruz, and I am on a mission to change the narrative of immigration one immigrant story at a time!Santee shares her journey from growing up in Jamaica to moving to the United States at six years old and learning how to navigate a completely new culture, school system, and way of life. Today, she is a singer, writer, podcast host, and creative who has chosen to build a life around faith, purpose, and following a path that looks different from the traditional expectations she grew up with.In this episode, Santee reflects on her childhood in Jamaica, growing up primarily with her mother while her father lived and worked in the United States as he went through the naturalization process. She opens up about arriving in Georgia with the expectation that America would feel like paradise, only to experience culture shock, bullying because of her accent, differences in education and discipline, and the challenge of finding where she belonged.Santee takes us through her experience navigating school and college as an immigrant child whose parents were educated but unfamiliar with the American education system. She shares the pressure she felt to make her parents’ sacrifices worth it, the expectations surrounding college and traditional careers, and the moment she realized she needed to choose a path that aligned with her own purpose rather than simply following what was expected of her. With Love, Heidy Connect with Santee:Instagram Sign up now and join our exclusive community on Substack!!! 💛Check out the full list of different ways you can support the podcast.  *This podcast is sponsored by Far From Home PodcastKaza Law ImmigrationBarbara Perez Law360 Immigration Law For sponsorship opportunities, send an email to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] a one-time donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=2C3JDALUGTS6EReady to start a podcast similar to this one? I created the framework - The V.O.I.C.E. Method to help you become a podcaster in 6 weeks or less! This framework is straightforward, no guessing what comes next, and no overwhelm! This course covers everything from podcast hosting sites and editing software to podcast SEO, equipment, and more! Buy the course for only $197 here.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.