Is home the place we are born, or the refuge we find? Can it be both? In this episode of Immigrant Conversations, we explore the meaning of "home" and discuss the challenges faced by refugees, including misconceptions about their experiences. Dr. Diya Abdo, a second-generation Palestinian refugee, shares her powerful story of migration and how she transformed her personal journey into advocacy for displaced communities.

Key Topics in This Episode:

>Dr. Abdo’s Migration Journey as a second-generation Palestinian refugee born in Jordan and her eventual move to the U.S. as a graduate student.
>The displacement of her parents from Palestine, their struggles as refugees in Jordan, and how their story shaped Dr. Abdo’s perspective on migration.
>The evolving concept of home—what does it truly mean to belong?
The challenges faced by refugees today, including the impact of global crises on refugee resettlement and integration.
>The mission of Every Campus A Refuge (ECAR)—Dr. Abdo’s nonprofit that helps college campuses host refugee families, fostering cultural integration and community support.
>How storytelling and advocacy can help reshape perceptions of refugees and empower displaced communities.

Bio: 
Dr. Diya Abdo is the Lincoln Financial Professor of English at Guilford College and the founding Director of Every Campus A Refuge. A second-generation Palestinian refugee born and raised in Jordan, Dr. Abdo’s teaching, research, and scholarship focus on Arab women writers and Arab and Islamic feminisms as well as refugee and immigrant issues. Her book AMERICAN REFUGE: True Stories of the Refugee Experience, was selected by the North Carolina Humanities as a North Carolina 2024 Reads Book and by Alamance Public Libraries as the Alamance Reads Book 2024. In 2015, inspired by Pope Francis' call on every European parish to host one refugee family, Dr. Abdo founded Every Campus A Refuge (ECAR), which advocates for housing refugee families on college and university campus grounds and supporting them in their resettlement. The flagship chapter at Guilford College is now one of many ECAR campuses across the nation which have collectively hosted over 600 refugees and supported their inclusion in local communities. Dr. Abdo designed the minor Forced Migration and Resettlement Studies at Guilford College where students learn about refugee issues and receive credit for hosting refugees on campus and supporting them in their resettlement. Dr. Abdo is the recipient of the Emerson Collective Fellowship (2024), the J.M. Kaplan Fund’s Innovation Prize (2021), Campus Compact’s Thomas Ehrlich Civically Engaged Faculty Award (2019), Gulf South Summit’s Outstanding Service-Learning Collaboration in Higher Education Award (2017), and The Washington Center’s Civic Engagement in Higher Education Award (2017). Dr. Abdo sits on the Boards of Refugee Council USA and The Community Sponsorship Hub.
Email Dr.Abdo: Abdod@guilford.edu
Learn more about Every Campus is a Refuge: www.everycampusarefuge.net

Where Is Home? Exploring Identity & Belonging with Dr. Diya Abdo

In this special Mother’s Day episode of Immigrant Conversations, host Mehran sits down with Marcela Rada Trujillo and Kerstin Kirchsteiger— two inspiring immigrant professionals and mothers — for an honest fireside chat about the realities of raising children in a new country.

We explore the unexpected freedoms of parenting outside cultural norms, the heartbreak of raising kids far from extended family, and the emotional toll of navigating motherhood in intercultural relationships .


While immigrant mothers carry a huge burden at the moment, in the spirit of Mother’s Day, this episode is a celebration: of strength, resilience, and beauty in reclaiming your story.

Grab your cup of tea
Plus, Mehran shares a personal resource that’s helped her reconnect with herself — a journal created by a second-generation immigrant mom, linked in the show notes.

✍Visit thedivineselfbyjosieanderson.com/journal to grab your copy today. https://thedivineselfbyjosieanderson.com/journal/

Marcela Bio:
I  was originally from Colombia. I studied engineering and moved to the Netherlands to do my masters in Management of Technology. I work full time, have two little kids, and I’m married.

Kerstin Bio and Contact info:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kkirchsteiger/
FB:https://www.instagram.com/kerstin_kirchsteiger/
https://www.facebook.com/kkirchsteiger/
www.kerstinkirchsteiger.com
Kerstin Kirchsteiger, Ph.D. is a Scientist turned Executive Coach for ambitious women who want to build a wildly successful career and make the impact they desire WITHOUT burning out. She is a GENOS-certified Emotional Intelligence practitioner and ICF-ACC-certified executive coach.

Kerstin has been coaching emerging and seasoned female leaders to unlock their full potential and prepare them for the next step in their careers while integrating the demands of work and life.

In her Consulting, she focuses on Leadership development specifically on Emotional Intelligence and the interpersonal sphere. She is passionate about equipping leaders with research-backed, proven tools that make their jobs more enjoyable and impactful, leading to higher performance and improved talent attraction and retention.

She has worked with international clients from Leaders Lounge Australia, Thermo Fisher, Boeing Leadership Network, Quidel, Exelixis, Aprio, and Elemis.
When Kerstin is not working with clients, you can find her mountain biking or enjoying the outdoors with her family.

Motherhood and Migration with Marcela Rada Trujillo & Kerstin Kirchsteiger

Welcome to Immigrant Conversations, the podcast that brings you inspiring stories from immigrants who have turned challenges into triumphs. Join Mehran Sorourian, a Middle Eastern immigrant woman as she dives deep into the experiences of first-generation and diaspora individuals, exploring their unique journeys, cultural identities, and the hurdles they’ve overcome. We discuss everything from immigrant entrepreneurship, cross cultural experiences, as well as the dark side of migration such as isolation, bias, and more. We aim to provide a platform for voices that often go unheard and aim to bring people closer together.
Join us as we explore topics ranging from immigrant entrepreneurship, first-generation struggles, and cross-cultural experiences to the impact of immigration policies and advocacy. Whether you are an immigrant, a descendant of immigrants, or simply interested in compelling human stories, "Immigrant Conversations" offers a unique perspective on the immigrant experience.
Tune in to discover how individuals from diverse backgrounds overcome obstacles, achieve success, and enrich our communities with their unique perspectives and talents. Subscribe now to "Immigrant Conversations" on your favorite podcast platform, and be inspired by the extraordinary journeys of those who have built new lives from the ground up.

New tracks tagged #migration journey