In this episode, my colleague grapples with finding connection and belonging in the U.S.—alone, without family. He longs for Guatemala, especially the loved ones he left behind, and begins to regret his decision to come. As the saying goes, ‘You are the company you keep,’ and when he falls in with the wrong crowd, one mistake nearly costs him his life. But in that moment of crisis, he finds a turning point—one that will change everything.
In this episode, my colleague shares his journey of attempting to enter the U.S. at just 18 years old—guided by a coyote. He recounts, in vivid detail, the many failed attempts and the risks he faced at the border. But crossing was only the beginning. After finally making it to the U.S., he reunites with his mother for the first time in 13 years—only to find that their long-awaited moment is not what either had imagined. The journey to freedom hasn’t ended. It has just begun.
This deeply personal and difficult story captures my colleague’s journey from growing up in a Guatemalan junkyard to building a new life in the U.S. After hearing his story, I understand why he works so hard and fights for every inch in life. His resilience, determination, and unbreakable spirit are a testament to the power of perseverance.
Damai was only ten years old when his mother died. His father was overwhelmed caring for his two younger siblings, so Damai left his childhood home—a mud hut with a straw roof in the hills of Nepal. He set off alone in search of work, shelter, and food. Alone. Hungry. Without guidance or comfort, he became a dishwasher in a tea house for five cents a month, sleeping where strangers let him, surviving moment to moment. At age ten!
This episode traces the extraordinary life of a boy who became an adult far too soon. From being sent to school in Nepal by kindhearted European tourists who noticed this young boy living alone on the streets to working as a Sherpa to Everest Base Camp in his twenties, to receiving a fiancé visa from an American woman he spent two weeks with on the mountain. From one impossible moment to the next. One chance encounter to the next shepherded Damai to building a new life in the United States. Damai’s story is one of unimaginable hardship, surprising kindness from strangers, and unbelievable grit.
Now a father to a college graduate, he reflects on a life without role models, love, or safety—and the steady peace he continues to seek with that absence.
In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode, Sean sits down with Rankin, a Filipino-American biotech professional and former entomologist, to explore what it means to belong, connect, and follow your gut—both inside and outside the workplace. From growing up between cultures, to studying invasive ants in Australia, to navigating disconnection in post-COVID America, Rankin shares how identity, friendship vs friends, and deep self-reflection have shaped his journey. Together, he and Sean reflect on the courage it takes to be real in corporate America, and why, in an age of AI, human connection is more vital than ever.
In this honest and powerful conversation, Sean—a process chemist at Gilead—shares her experience growing up as the child of Taiwanese immigrants. From a young age, she felt unseen in her own home: a tomboy who loved skateboarding and climbing, but who was handed frilly, feminine clothes by a mother trying to mold her into the “ideal” Chinese daughter.
Through therapy with her mom as an adult, Sean began to break the cycle of generational trauma. She set boundaries, showed her parents who she truly is, and learned that love remains—even when expectations aren’t met.
Sean opens up about the pressures growing up in a culture that prizes docility, whiteness, thinness, and perfection. She reflects on body image, beauty standards, sometimes being underestimated as a woman in science, and finding her voice in spaces that often overlook women—especially Asian women.
She also shares touching stories of her bond with her grandmother, her evolving relationship with cultural identity, and how she’s finally learning to feel at home in her own skin. One powerful moment: wearing a traditional Asian dress for her city hall wedding—something she wouldn’t have done five years ago
In this powerful interview, a Salvadoran immigrant shares his extraordinary journey—growing up amid a brutal civil war and rebuilding his life after arriving in the U.S. alone at age 18 in 1989. Taken by the government twice as a teenager, he describes living in a constant state of alert. Soldiers patrolled every corner. Guerrilla fighters disguised themselves as civilians. At one point, he was held hostage in his own home by armed rebels, who forced him to dig escape tunnels through the walls to neighboring houses.
Despite years of trauma that lingered in dreams and flashbacks, he held onto a future-oriented mindset. He began working at Gilead cleaning laboratory beakers and flasks. It was there that life began to shift: a scientist he befriended encouraged him to invest in company stock—eventually allowing him to buy a home.
His story is one of resilience, survival instinct, and quiet inner strength. Calm, grounded, and always willing to help others, rather than channeling his past into bitterness, he channeled it into caring—for himself and those around him.
In this episode, my colleague Ken—an SVP who has been at Gilead for 37-years—opens up about his personal and professional journey. Some might feel intimidated by people in leadership but this episode highlights that many of us, independent of our job title, grapple with similar struggles, dreams, and motivations.
Ken shares his story which includes losing three father figures over the course of his life. As a father himself, one of his greatest challenges has been supporting his daughter through her experience with depression. This hit home with me as my mother’s depression played a pivotal role in my childhood and spilled over into my adult relationships and experiences.
Through it all, Ken reminds me that growth, connection, and resilience aren’t determined by your job title—they’re part of being human.
Prior to this interview, my colleague said he’d never participate in the podcast. But something shifted. In this episode, he shares what pulled him toward the mic—and the powerful story he’s rarely told: growing up without a father, and the quiet strength that shaped him.
His vulnerability caught me off guard. I teared up, had to pause, and found myself wondering why this conversation hit me so deeply.
I’m beginning to realize Raw and Real is about more than just connecting with colleagues to make work more enjoyable. These conversations have become a space for reflection, healing, and growth for those who not only participate, but for those who listen. I’m curious to see how these conversations continue to evolve for us all.
My colleague Nick describes his childhood in England as deeply intertwined with his church community—his father was the pastor, and he played the organ. That tight-knit community felt like family. But when he moved to the U.S. to broaden his career in chemistry, he missed his childhood connections. This emotional distance grew heavier when his mother was diagnosed with cancer. Feeling helpless from afar, everything changed when he flew home and saw her illness up close. In this episode, Nick reflects on the challenges of managing family ties across continents, and why creating meaningful connection—wherever we are—is essential to feeling rooted and whole.
In this episode, my colleague describes growing up in the Ivory Coast in a STEM-oriented family who deeply valued education and achievement. She describes being raised with a strong sense of pride, possibility- what could be referred to as ‘Black excellence.’
In this episode, she shares her journey of coming to America for college and reflects on the cultural differences she experienced between African and African American communities. This conversation opened my eyes to the complexity and diversity within the global Black experience and how the concept of excellence can be shaped by context, history, and place.
I feel fortunate to have engaged in such a thoughtful and sensitive conversation about race, culture, and identity with a coworker—especially in a work setting, where these conversations are rare.
Astrid’s journey highlights the complexities of achieving the American Dream—while she has found academic and professional success, her relationship with her mother remains shaped by cultural expectations and generational differences. Her story underscores the tension between assimilation and tradition, the sacrifices made by immigrant families, and the deep desire for connection despite differing worldviews. Ultimately, Astrid’s experience reflects a broader narrative of identity, belonging, and the challenges of bridging two cultures while staying true to oneself.
This is the story of a boy growing up under the weight of shame for being gay—constantly battling the natural urge to embrace his true self. Societal expectations, enforced by the rigid hand of the church, only deepened his internal struggle, making the burden of secrecy even heavier.
Coming out was not easy. It was filled with fear and uncertainty, especially when meeting new people or facing family. The shame ran deep, and it took years—until college—for my colleague to fully accept and be at peace with who he is. Even then, he felt the need to soften the revelation, framing his identity in a way that aligned with society’s expectations of “normal.”
He intentionally mentioned having a boyfriend, not to share a personal truth, rather as a way to counter the stereotype of gay men being promiscuous. His world revolved around managing how others perceived his truth.
But perhaps the most ironic and climactic part of his story? His own father had secrets too. You’ll have to listen to hear the big reveal!
Why I'm Doing This Experiment and Why It Matters to Me
Starting a podcast has been a journey full of self-doubt and questioning. I’ve spent so much time wondering if I should even take this step. There's this constant internal battle: What if no one listens? What if my voice doesn’t resonate? I’ve struggled with the fear of putting myself out there, and the vulnerability that comes with it. But I’ve come to realize that this experiment isn’t just about launching a podcast; it’s about overcoming that fear and finally pushing myself to do something that’s important to me.
