What if the biggest risk isn't starting over, but staying where you are?

What if the biggest risk isn't starting over, but staying where you are?

In this episode of Love Letters to Immigrants, Elizabeth Garvish sits down with renowned futurist, entrepreneur, author, and technology executive Cathy Hackl to explore the power of reinvention. Born in Costa Rica and raised across multiple countries because of her father's diplomatic career, Cathy shares how an international upbringing shaped her resilience, curiosity, and willingness to embrace change. From Emmy-nominated journalist to public relations executive, from international speaker to one of the world's leading voices in emerging technology, Cathy's career is a testament to what can happen when you're willing to walk into the unknown. Together, Elizabeth and Cathy discuss immigration, identity, entrepreneurship, motherhood, gaming, artificial intelligence, and why some of life's greatest opportunities begin with a leap of faith. Whether you're starting over in a new country, changing careers, or simply wondering what's next, this conversation is a reminder that reinvention isn't something to fear. It may be exactly where your greatest purpose is waiting. Chapters 00:00 – Immigration is a human story 01:04 – Meet Cathy Hackl 04:09 – Growing up between Costa Rica and the United States 06:14 – From journalist to tech futurist 07:48 – Finding the courage to reinvent yourself 11:00 – Motherhood, Spain, and discovering technology 14:20 – The moment everything changed 18:04 – Raising kids in a digital world 20:06 – What does home mean? 22:09 – Reinvention as a lifelong journey 24:17 – Cathy's love letter to immigrants 26:33 – Where to find Cathy 27:09 – Closing reflections Resources & Links * Cathy Hackl: https://www.cathyhackl.com [https://www.cathyhackl.com/] * Cathy Hackl on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathyhackl [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathyhackl] * HIAS: https://www.hias.org [https://www.hias.org/] * National Immigration Forum: https://immigrationforum.org [https://immigrationforum.org/] * National Immigration Law Center (NILC): https://www.nilc.org [https://www.nilc.org/] * I Am An Immigrant: https://www.iamanimmigrant.com [https://www.iamanimmigrant.com/] * Garvish Immigration Law Group: https://www.garvish.com [https://www.garvish.com/] If this conversation resonated with you, consider supporting organizations that empower immigrants, refugees, and entrepreneurs building new lives around the world. Sometimes the most extraordinary journeys begin with the courage to start over.

Between Two Worlds: Identity, Ambition, and Belonging with Roman Zelichenko

What happens when an immigrant child grows up to help shape the future of immigration? In this episode of Love Letters to Immigrants, Elizabeth Garvish sits down with Roman Zelichenko, entrepreneur, former immigration attorney, and founder of LaborLess and GMI Rocket. Roman shares his family's journey from the former Soviet Union to the United States as Jewish refugees, arriving in America after spending time stateless and rebuilding their lives from the ground up. Together, Elizabeth and Roman explore the realities of growing up between cultures, the sacrifices immigrant parents make for their children, and how those experiences shape identity, purpose, and ambition. They also discuss entrepreneurship, creativity, navigating uncertainty, and why community remains one of the most powerful forces in any immigrant's journey. This conversation is a reminder that while immigration systems may change, the courage to begin again and the power of human connection remain constant. Chapters 00:00 – Immigration is a human story 02:30 – Meet Roman Zelichenko 03:20 – Leaving the Soviet Union and arriving in America 05:30 – Starting over as a young immigrant family 07:30 – Building careers and opportunities in a new country 09:30 – From immigration attorney to entrepreneur 11:30 – The idea behind LaborLess 16:00 – Building businesses in the immigration space 19:30 – Creativity, entrepreneurship, and finding your strengths 22:00 – Letting go of certainty 24:30 – What improv taught Roman about fear and resilience 27:00 – Immigration, courage, and choosing love over fear 29:00 – Building community and connection 30:30 – Roman's love letter to immigrants 33:12 – Closing reflections * HIAS — https://www.hias.org [https://www.hias.org/] * National Immigration Forum — https://immigrationforum.org [https://immigrationforum.org/] * I Am An Immigrant — https://www.iamanimmigrant.com [https://www.iamanimmigrant.com/] * National Immigration Law Center (NILC) — https://www.nilc.org [https://www.nilc.org/] * Garvish Immigration Law Group — https://www.garvish.com [https://www.garvish.com/] If this conversation resonated with you, consider supporting organizations that assist refugees, immigrants, and families navigating the immigration system. Every immigrant story begins with courage, but no one builds a new life alone.

What Does it Mean to Build a Life Between Two Countries?

In this episode of Love Letters to Immigrants, Elizabeth Garvish sits down with immigration attorney Natalia Munoz to talk about identity, belonging, motherhood, purpose, and the emotional realities of building a life far from home. Natalia shares her journey from Colombia to the United States, the unexpected twists that kept her here, and how her own immigration experience ultimately led her to a career helping others navigate the system. Together, Elizabeth and Natalia reflect on fear, resilience, practicing law with love, and the power immigrants bring to this country every single day. This episode is a reminder that home can exist in more than one place, and that beginning again is one of the bravest things a person can do. Chapters 00:00 – Immigration as a human story 01:15 – Natalia’s journey from Colombia to the U.S. 03:35 – Finding purpose in immigration law 04:30 – Motherhood, work, and career shifts 07:03 – Growing up in Colombia 10:55 – Helping immigrants through difficult systems 12:13 – Student visas and sponsorship challenges 14:30 – H-1B setbacks and immigration uncertainty 16:30 – Green cards, advanced parole, and citizenship 19:15 – Practicing law with love 20:23 – Expecting miracles in immigration cases 23:42 – Why immigrant attorneys understand differently 24:39 – Defining home between two countries 26:30 – Natalia’s love letter to immigrants 28:38 – Closing reflections Resources & Links If this episode resonated with you, consider supporting organizations that advocate for immigrant families, legal access, and human rights in immigrant communities. Learn more about the work discussed in this episode through Garvish Immigration Law Group. [https://goimmigrationlaw.com/]

Finding Strength Within the Journey, with Ati Williams

What if everything you needed to start over was already within you? In this episode of Love Letters to Immigrants, Elizabeth Garvish sits down with entrepreneur and Emmy award winner Ati Williams to explore the resilience, uncertainty, and growth that come with building a life across borders. Ati shares her journey from Nairobi, Kenya to Canada and eventually the United States, navigating student visas, sponsorship challenges, and the emotional weight of leaving home at a young age. Along the way, she reflects on the grit it takes to move forward without certainty and how that experience shaped her into the person she is today. This conversation goes beyond immigration logistics and into something deeper. Together, they explore identity, self-trust, and the idea that while systems and circumstances may shift, your value and potential remain constant. At its core, this episode is a reminder that even in the most uncertain moments, you already have everything you need to begin again. Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:00 Meet Ati Williams 02:06 Leaving Kenya and choosing a new path 03:47 Adjusting to life in Canada 04:42 Moving to the U.S. and navigating visas 05:30 Building a life and career in America 06:10 How immigration shaped resilience 07:35 Empathy and perspective as an immigrant 08:30 Facing fear, uncertainty, and misinformation 10:09 Owning your value beyond a passport 10:34 Building a career and unexpected opportunities 12:00 Lessons from interviewing and entrepreneurship 13:51 Balancing heart and logic in business 15:00 Letting life unfold and personal transformation 16:33 Becoming more of who you are 17:30 Expectations, identity, and redefining success 19:39 Listening inward instead of external pressure 20:13 Travel, perspective, and raising global citizens 21:25 The emotional weight of the immigration process 22:33 Proving worth and reclaiming identity 23:57 Choosing citizenship and protecting family 24:30 Redefining the idea of home 26:27 A love letter to immigrants 28:00 Closing Resources If this episode inspired you, explore organizations working to support immigrant communities and expand opportunity. https://mutualaidla.org/

Finding Home in the In-Between

What happens when you choose to see immigration not as a system, but as a human story? In this episode of Love Letters to Immigrants, Elizabeth Garvish sits down with Allison Ponsford Ricker to explore the deeply personal side of immigration, one shaped by resilience, identity, and the courage to keep moving forward. Allison shares her journey with honesty and clarity, offering a window into the emotional realities that often go unseen. From navigating uncertainty to redefining what belonging looks like, her story is a powerful reminder that immigration is not just about paperwork, it is about people. Together, they reflect on the strength it takes to build a life in a new place, the importance of being seen and heard, and how small moments of connection can create lasting impact. At its core, this conversation is about empathy, perspective, and the idea that when we truly listen to one another, we begin to change the narrative. Resources If this episode inspired you, there are meaningful ways to support immigrant communities and turn empathy into action. Eastside Immigrant Families Mutual Aid Fund  [https://fundraise.givesmart.com/form/9CDtLw?vid=1pqkqm] Support Street Vendors impacted by ICE raids [https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-street-vendors-impacted-by-ice-raids?attribution_id=sl:2d290dfa-3196-4c90-a4e4-1a572df9e126&lang=en_US&ts=1750096093&utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&utm_content=amp13_c-amp14_t2-amp15_t3&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link&v=amp14_t2&fbclid=PAQ0xDSwK9UtBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABp5VILxC0LQBcmEI7P0Ih2hM-cG1muXXvm_fzuCEyDZAN1Cf7L64IgZEC8n_S_aem_n92roQIInRGj6PGSrBQLTA]