For people of Caribbean heritage, immigration is central to our identity and experience.
An immigrant’s decision to uproot their lives in search of greener pastures comes with the knowing that they will face significant challenges along the way. Yet, it’s not until they’ve arrived most realize how much they have underestimated the challenges before them. These challenges range from adjustments to the culture and the weather, finding work, experiencing isolation – whether geographical or disconnection from the people – and finding a long term place to live.
Caribbean communities in the diaspora are brimming with inspiring immigrants who have gone through incredible hardships to arrive where they are today – bravely struggling against difficult odds and unflinchingly pursuing their dreams.
Over the past nine years, the various guests on the Carry On Friends podcast have shared their immigration stories. The stories are deeply personal and each immigrant’s journey is unique, but they also have a shared origin: courage.
Here are a few memorable Caribbean American immigration stories from podcast guests who exemplify courage, strength of character, and resilience.
Jackie Glenn
Jackie Glenn shared her journey from Jamaica to the Midwest as a nanny, and the challenges she encountered while working her way up the corporate ladder. One challenge she faced in corporate America was the initial stigma associated with her accent. Instead of allowing that to stop her, she transformed it into a unique brand differentiator that propelled her forward. Today, Jackie is the author of Lift As I Climb – An Immigrant Girl’s Journey Through Corporate America, her instructional biography of how she employed her ten self-created gems throughout her journey to Vice President & Chief Diversity officer at Dell EMC. Jackie is now the founder and CEO of Glenn Diversity Inclusion & HR Solutions.
Ingrid Murray
Ingrid Murray is a Jamaican native who isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. On the podcast, she shared her very unique immigration story of coming to the US to find her daughter who had been kidnapped. The effort to get her child back caused her to leave behind her other children in Jamaica. Though life has presented her with many challenges, she continues to not only persevere in the midst of adversity, but thrive. Today, Ingrid is an award-winning businesswoman and the CEO of Prospect Cleaning Service, which under her leadership, has grown into a seven-figure company. In 2022, the Prospect Cleaning Service was named one of the Fastest Growing Private Companies in America.
Dominic Christopher
Dominic Christopher, who is originally from Jamaica, shared his struggles of coming to the US on a student visa and later losing his status for some time. During this time he was unable to get internships or opportunities aligned with accounting – his major in school. He found himself having to work at a car wash and other places. Today, Dominic is the co-founder of Deh Abroad – an organization that provides resources and disseminates vital information to the Caribbean-American community to propel growth and productivity. As a result of the lack of opportunities given to him as a student, Dominic decided to create opportunities for other Caribbean students in the US by providing invaluable internship opportunities and networking platforms, bridging the gap between education and practical work experience.
Dr. Donna Barrett
Jamaican born, Dr Donna Barrett shared her journey of immigrating to America with only a dream, overcoming obstacles and achieving success. She is a best-selling author, a philanthropist and the founder of a real estate company. She spoke candidly about the trials she faced when venturing into the real estate industry and how the 2007 market crash tested her resolve. Despite the challenges, she persevered, pivoted her business strategy, and found new opportunities that eventually led to substantial success. Dr. Barrett credits her belief in God first and herself second for helping her to overcome the obstacles she faced.
Nelli Patrick
Nelli Patrick is a Grenadian professional makeup artist and beauty expert that has overcome considerable odds to build a successful career. Nelli legally came to America for college, but soon after became an undocumented immigrant. Nelli talked about her experiences of homelessness and shame, and how she learned to release the shame and adjusted her attitude in the face of challenges. Nelli worked her way from being a nanny to a beauty expert and professional makeup artist who takes pride in creating beauty that speaks to the essence of Black women and Black girls. Nelli now has the privilege of teaching other well-respected makeup artists and her work has been featured in Essence, MTV, BET, among many others. Her most notable achievement was an Apple partnership in 2019 for Black History Month.
Jette Stubbs
Jette Stubbs is a Bahamian Canadian career and business coach who has navigated the treacherous waters of the job market to achieve remarkable success. Her experience after graduating from a university in Canada was not unlike the experience many other Caribbean student immigrants have faced. She had 90 days to find a job in Canada or go back to the Bahamas. She tells the story of her challenges in finding a job within that period, and what led her to go from 0% to 70% response rate to her job applications. However, Jette also shared with listeners her experience with workplace racism. One in particular where a boss would use a buzzer whenever she spoke with her accent. As a young professional, battling against discrimination was scary and intimidating, but she was able to get support that helped her triumph over a toxic supervisor.
The power of sharing immigrant stories
Sharing the challenges faced during the arrival, acclimation, assimilation and integration phases is crucial as it serves to educate and prepare future generations for their journeys. These stories offer practical insights and emotional support to those embarking on similar paths. For the children born to immigrants in the new country, these stories foster a sense of pride in their heritage and a deeper understanding of the perseverance and sacrifices made.
The guests’ journeys to the United States or Canada, marked by adversity and struggle, highlight the incredible strength of character and resilience that define the immigrant experience. By sharing these stories, we gain a better appreciation and understanding of the challenges faced by immigrants in pursuit of their dreams.
As Caribbean Americans, we owe a debt of gratitude to those who came before us, paving the way for future generations to achieve even greater success.
