The Roamers Podcast

Uli is the romantic partner of one of my colleagues. He runs the day-to-day operations of his family business, but on his spare time enjoys watching basketball, listening to music, and having a good time with his family and friends. He is also the only member of his family who was born in the U.S. Growing up as the only “documented” member of his Mexican immigrant family, Uli witnessed how immigration dynamics affected his parents and his siblings. In this episode, he shares the reasons behind his parents’ decision to emigrate, the stress this decision placed especially on his mom, and the obstacle put in front of his siblings. The topics of this episode include: - Mexican migration patterns - The stages of migration experience - Legal violence experienced by immigrants and their first generation children - Caging effect or being trapped in the U.S. due to immigration laws Check http://www.roamerspodcast.com for more details.

I met Ale, a 27-year old Mexican-American resident of Chicago, through salsa dancing a little bit over two years ago. We have enjoyed a close friendship through inside jokes, heavy conversation and endless hours of trivial gossiping. For the first episode of the Roamers Podcast, I sat down with Ale at a cafe in West Loop Chicago to hear how she and her husband had to endure years of separation and unpredictability when encountering the US immigration system. The topics of this episode include: - Immigration status and being an “undocumented” immigrant - Familial ties and related restrictive U.S. policies - Predatory legal practices - Confusion, loss, uncertainty, depression and overall mental health Check http://www.roamerspodcast.com for more details.

In this episode, I introduce you the Roamers Podcast and tell you the story behind this project. For more information: www.roamerspodcast.com