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What happens when a first generation is told “you’re not Jamaican” in one but never fully seen as American either?

In this episode, I explore Lens 6 of the Caribbean Diaspora Experience Model (CDEM): "You're Not Either Or, You're Both And". Through stories from podcast guests, family experiences, and observations over more than a decade of podcasting, I unpack the emotional complexity of Caribbean identity in the diaspora for first generation Caribbean Americans.

This conversation explores what it means to navigate layered identities when your heritage, upbringing, geography, and community experiences don’t always align neatly. From being called a “Yankee” by family members to reconnecting with culture later in adulthood, this episode validates the experiences of people who have spent years trying to prove they are “Caribbean enough.”

The episode also explores:

• Why some immigrant parents distanced their children from culture
• The role of fear, assimilation, and survival in shaping identity
• Why accents and language don’t determine belonging
• The emotional impact of cultural gatekeeping
• How Caribbean identity evolves across generations

At the heart of this episode is a reminder: you do not have to choose between identities. You can be Caribbean and American. Jamaican and Canadian. Guyanese and Brooklyn-born. Identity is layered, lived, and evolving.

Resources Mentioned

• Caribbean Diaspora Experience Model (CDEM)
• Previous Lens Episodes:
  • Lens 1: Where You Start Shapes the Journey
  • Lens 2: Where You Live + What You Seek = How You Connect
  • Lens 3: Cultural Anchors Keep Us Rooted
  • Lens 4: Your Identity Will Shift
  • Lens 5: Culture Influences How We Show Up At Work

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