In this episode of Not an Alien, Lizania recounts her immigration journey from the Dominican Republic to the United States. Although full of love for her country and her culture, she felt somewhat stifled by social conservatism as a child, and always dreamt of moving to New York City. A scholarship enabled her to attend college in Philadelphia, and after overcoming significant culture shock and finding her footing in the U.S., she has since fulfilled her dream, and has been living and working in New York for a number of years as a designer in the fashion and technology industries. Full of keen observations and remarkable generosity, Lizania’s interview touches on her feelings of “privilege” at being able to go through a legal immigration process – which itself, has been taxing, expensive, and professionally challenging, as she has spent nearly a decade navigating the complexities of working in the U.S., first on an H-1B, and now an O artist’s visa – in view of the stark realities faced by those immigrants who do not enjoy the privilege of being documented, as well as on her sympathy for the displaced Americans who feel “left behind” in the era of corporate globalization and neoliberalism. A voice of warmth and sanity, Lizania’s is one you won’t want to miss.
Not an Alien 