Meeting With Americans

From Failed Tennis Player To A New Life: The Venezuelan Immigrant Who Rebuilt His Self-Worth | Meeting With Americans with Ernesto Farinas

Nesto Farinas is a Venezuelan immigrant, former tennis player, and acro yoga instructor who moved to the United States to pursue his dream of becoming a professional athlete. On Meeting With Americans, he opens up about failing in tennis, rebuilding his confidence from scratch, and realizing how much of his self-worth was tied to validation from women. We talk about: ▪️Growing up in Venezuela and chasing a professional tennis career ▪️Moving to the United States to pursue his dream ▪️What happened after tennis didn't work out ▪️Why he tied his self-worth to women ▪️The difference between validation and real confidence ▪️What he believes actually creates happiness and fulfillment 00:00 Intro 02:33 Leaving Venezuela And Chasing A Bigger Dream 03:10 Growing Up In Venezuela 04:33 Failing As A Professional Tennis Player 06:44 Living With Insecurity And Being Bullied 12:04 His Family, His Mother And Life In Caracas 14:55 Training Like A Pro — And Struggling Every Day 17:44 Why Venezuela Felt Like "Everyone For Themselves" 19:53 Why America Felt Different 22:21 Money, Happiness And The Pursuit Of Freedom 23:53 "This Is What Love Feels Like" 27:07 The American Dream And Starting Over 29:57 Why Bali Changed His Life 34:05 How He Discovered Acro Yoga 38:26 Turning Acro Into A New Identity 41:36 Building Retreats And Making It A Business 43:30 Tying His Self-Worth To Women 46:14 Comedy, Confidence And Facing Fear 50:19 Immigration, Trump And The Broken Political System 01:01:40 Comparing America, Europe And Southeast Asia 01:04:07 Social Media, Comparison And Financial Pressure 01:06:14 Traveling Latin America And Taking Risks 01:10:05 Why People Should Stop Waiting To Live 01:11:42 Learning Not To Get Too Attached

From Sexual Assault To Questioning Everything: The Pastor's Daughter Who Was Told It Was Her Fault | Meeting With Americans with Emily Birmingham

Emily Birmingham is the daughter of a pastor who grew up between the United States, Turkey, and South Korea — surrounded by faith, structure, and strong beliefs about life. On Meeting With Americans, she opens up about losing her sense of direction in her early twenties, the experiences that shaped her identity, and the moment she was told it was her fault after a sexual assault. We talk about: ▪️Growing up in a religious household and moving across different cultures ▪️How she slowly lost herself in her early twenties without realizing it ▪️The moment her therapist asked, "what were you wearing?" ▪️Why she believed for years that God was punishing her ▪️Her perspective on American culture, success, and chasing fulfillment ▪️What she believes about purpose, faith, and what happens after we die 00:00 Intro 01:50 Growing Up Between Cultures And Never Feeling Settled 03:13 Her First Real Exposure To "American Culture" 06:25 What It Feels Like To Never Have A Real Home 09:14 Finding A "Chosen Family" 13:17 Growing Up As A Pastor's Daughter 14:18 Why She Actually Believes In God 19:08 What She Thinks The Purpose Of Life Really Is 21:25 Why Americans Chase The Wrong Things 26:56 The Real Meaning Of The "American Dream" 30:24 Social Media, Cancel Culture And Losing Ourselves 34:46 How She Slowly Lost Herself In Her 20s 39:41 The Moment That Changed Everything 42:54 "What Were You Wearing?" 43:41 Why She Thought God Was Punishing Her 45:21 The Truth About Faith, Guilt And Shame 47:47 Why Money Doesn't Actually Change Your Life 50:37 Do You Need Money To Enjoy Life? 53:03 Talking Politics Without Hating Each Other 55:27 What Makes Her Who She Is Today 58:00 Why She Believes In Making People Happy 01:01:38 Her Vision For The Future 01:02:20 What She Believes Happens After We Die

From Hit-And-Run Survivor To A Second Life: The Immigrant Who Woke Up To $333K In Hospital Bills | Meeting With Americans with Valerie Pableo

Valerie Pableo is a Filipino-American nursing student, creative, and hit-and-run survivor who came to the United States as an immigrant child. On Meeting With Americans, she opens up about the DNA test that changed her identity, the car accident that nearly killed her, and the $333,000 hospital bill that followed. We talk about: ▪️Growing up as an immigrant child in America and feeling the pressure to make that opportunity count ▪️Finding out through a DNA test that her father wasn't her biological dad ▪️Being hit by a car in Atlanta and nearly losing her life ▪️Waking up to $333,000 in hospital bills without insurance ▪️Her boyfriend cheating while she was still recovering ▪️The message she has for anyone going through the hardest moment of their life 00:00 Intro 02:20 Growing Up Between Two Worlds 04:17 The DNA Test That Changed Her Identity 08:17 "He Was Afraid I'd Leave Him" 10:36 Chasing The American Dream 12:17 Meeting Her Real Family For The First Time 15:15 "Do I Even Belong Here?" 19:16 The Pressure To Make It In America 21:52 Leaving Everything Behind At 19 25:10 Choosing Stability Over Dreams 26:27 "This Was My Most Vulnerable Moment" 26:56 Hit By A Car — And Left To Die 29:12 Waking Up With No Insurance 30:40 "I Knew It Was A Bad Idea" 33:15 The Decision She Regrets Most 34:42 He Cheated While She Couldn't Walk 36:17 Strangers Who Helped Save Her Life 40:02 Watching Her Own Near-Death Moment 43:15 $333K In Hospital Bills — And No Answers 47:14 "I Was Given A Second Life" 59:34 What's Broken In America 01:12:14 "It's Not Always Going To Be Like This"

From Love & Hip Hop To Sex Therapist: The Reality TV Star Who Faced Abuse In Her Marriage | Meeting With Americans with Karlie Redd

Karlie Redd is a reality TV star, entrepreneur, and licensed sex therapist best known for her role on Love & Hip Hop Atlanta. On Meeting With Americans, she opens up about the reality behind fame, her public divorce, and why she believes discipline matters more than talent. We talk about: ▪️Why going through a divorce is even harder when everything becomes public ▪️The relationship she thought she would have — and why it turned out differently ▪️How she deals with constant judgment from people who don't know her story ▪️The emotional pressure of being watched, criticized, and talked about online ▪️How she turned her personal experiences into a way to help other women ▪️What it really takes to stay strong when your life is under a microscope 00:00 Intro 02:20 Living Life As Karlie Redd — Always Being Watched 03:12 Using Her Platform To Help Others 04:14 "My Life Is Like A Microscope" 05:10 Going Viral For Every Move She Makes 06:22 The Pressure Of Living In The Public Eye 07:45 "I Wanted A Marriage With No Abuse" 08:30 Turning Her Pain Into Purpose 10:23 "I'm Going To Be A Star" — And Becoming It 11:06 The Hollywood Lifestyle That Distracted Her 12:11 Becoming The Head Of Her Family 13:04 Providing For Her Parents — And The Pressure That Comes With It 15:34 "I'm Not Satisfied — I Want More" 16:20 What The American Dream Means To Her 20:09 Being A Mother While Living In Public 22:35 Wanting Another Child — And Feeling Time Pressure 29:20 From Reality TV To Sex Therapist — Reinventing Herself 31:07 Why So Many Women Struggle With Intimacy 36:34 "Drama Sells" — The Truth About Reality TV 44:27 Leadership, Business And Treating People Right

From Rock Bottom To Running For Governor: The Gay War Veteran Who Turned Against Trump | Meeting With Americans with Ken Yasger

Ken Yasger is a gay war veteran, recovering alcoholic, and Republican candidate running for Governor of Georgia. On Meeting With Americans, he opens up about the darkest night of his life, his struggle with addiction and mental health, and why he ultimately turned against Donald Trump. We talk about: ▪️The moment Ken nearly ended his life — and what stopped him ▪️Why he criticizes both Democrats and Republicans ▪️What he believes is broken in modern political leadership ▪️His personal battle with alcohol addiction and mental health ▪️What it means to be a gay conservative Christian in America ▪️Why he still believes the American Dream is alive 00:00 Intro 02:18 What The American Dream Means To A Combat Veteran 02:55 Four Deployments, Front Lines And A Life Between War And Restaurants 05:03 The Parents Who Kept Him From Losing Everything 05:58 Watching 9/11 As A Child — The Moment He Chose The Army 07:17 The Tattoo That Represents A Life He Nearly Ended 08:02 Alcohol Addiction, DUIs And Hitting Absolute Rock Bottom 08:38 The Night He Tried To Take His Own Life 11:29 Why He Now Feels Responsible To Help Strangers 13:06 Running For Governor Without Money Or Party Support 14:12 Why He Says Donald Trump Changed — And Why He Turned Against Him 18:06 Patriotism, Identity And What Being American Means To Him 20:45 Why He Thinks Most Americans Are Exhausted By Politics 22:58 Afghanistan, The Taliban And A Story He Can't Forget 25:08 Gun Laws vs Mental Health — What He Thinks The Real Crisis Is 28:38 Getting Sober, Relapsing And Starting Again 32:33 Growing Up In A Military Family With Little Money 34:16 Eliminating Income Tax And Legalizing Marijuana — His Economic Plan 41:18 Immigration Raids And Why He Calls Them "Un-American" 47:10 Challenging His Own Party — And Not Being Afraid To Lose 52:34 Being Openly Gay In A Special Forces Unit 01:01:12 The Faith He Believes Saved His Life