She Had to Choose Her Career Over Her Parents

As a kid, Olga loved writing and developed a passion for journalism. But her parents, immigrants from the former U.S.S.R., strongly opposed her choices, fearing the financial prospects were slim. Long-standing arguments created a rift in their relationship that grew worse over time—leading her to choose between her calling and her family. In this episode, Juleyka also speaks with a career coach about how feminist women can negotiate and find common ground with our parents.

Featured Expert:

Cynthia Pong is a nationally recognized, award-winning, NYU-trained lawyer turned career coach whose passion is helping women of color realize their ambitious career goals. She also loves partnering with organizations that are truly invested in seeing their employees of color succeed, excel, and thrive. Cynthia’s career advice is frequently cited in press pieces on platforms including The Atlantic, CBS News, Good Morning America, NPR, Refinery29, Fast Company, and HuffPost. In 2019, she was selected as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Career. She has received recognition and awards from the Unfinished Business Initiative and IFundWomen Of Color.In 2021, Cynthia created and launched the Embrace Change Leadership Accelerator, a program for women of color across industries. It was fully funded after 22 days of crowdfunding and 134% funded after one month through a campaign that raised 59 times the average amount raised through crowdfunding. In 2022, Cynthia created and launched the Embrace Change Speakers Bureau, the only speakers bureau dedicated to centering and amplifying the voices of women of color speakers on stages everywhere. You can visit her website here and learn about her book here.

If you loved this episode, be sure to check out She Loves Her Work, Her Parents Don't Get It and Struggling to Become More than a Dutiful Daughter.

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