From Panama to Pastoral Leadership: Dr. Renaldo White’s Journey of Faith, Culture & Resilience (Ep. 196) - Part 1
The Immigrant Experience in America (TIEIA)
Release Date: 10/08/2025
Mental Health of Immigrants | Neither Here Nor There (Episode 218) - Part 3
The Immigrant Experience in America (TIEIA)
In this powerful episode of The Immigrant Experience in America, Simone W. Johnson sits down with Dr. Leide Porcu, psychotherapist, psychoanalyst, and author of Neither Here Nor There: A Guide for Immigrants and the Therapists Who Walk With Them. Drawing from her own lived experience as an immigrant and decades of clinical practice, Dr. Porcu unpacks the emotional and psychological realities many immigrants carry but rarely name, identity fragmentation, suppressed distress, and multilayered grief. This conversation explores why immigrants often feel unseen in their mourning, how cultural...
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Mental Health of Immigrants | Neither Here Nor There (Episode 217) - Part 2
The Immigrant Experience in America (TIEIA)
In this powerful episode of The Immigrant Experience in America, Simone W. Johnson sits down with Dr. Leide Porcu, psychotherapist, psychoanalyst, and author of Neither Here Nor There: A Guide for Immigrants and the Therapists Who Walk With Them. Drawing from her own lived experience as an immigrant and decades of clinical practice, Dr. Porcu unpacks the emotional and psychological realities many immigrants carry but rarely name, identity fragmentation, suppressed distress, and multilayered grief. This conversation explores why immigrants often feel unseen in their mourning, how cultural...
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Mental Health of Immigrants | Neither Here Nor There (Episode 216) - Part 1
The Immigrant Experience in America (TIEIA)
In this powerful episode of The Immigrant Experience in America, Simone W. Johnson sits down with Dr. Leide Porcu, psychotherapist, psychoanalyst, and author of Neither Here Nor There: A Guide for Immigrants and the Therapists Who Walk With Them. Drawing from her own lived experience as an immigrant and decades of clinical practice, Dr. Porcu unpacks the emotional and psychological realities many immigrants carry but rarely name, identity fragmentation, suppressed distress, and multilayered grief. This conversation explores why immigrants often feel unseen in their mourning, how cultural...
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Leaving Everything Behind | A Child's Perspective on Cuban-American Journey (Episode 215) - Part 3
The Immigrant Experience in America (TIEIA)
In this conversation, Dr. Sam Rodriguez Morheim, respected periodontist and author, reflects on his family’s Cuban American journey through the eyes of a child. In 1962, following the rise of the Castro regime, his family was forced to leave Cuba, abandoning their professions, possessions, and sense of certainty for an unknown future. Growing up in Brooklyn, Dr. Morheim shares how displacement, resilience, and memory shaped his identity and worldview. This episode explores migration not as a political talking point, but as a deeply human experience marked by loss, adaptation, and quiet...
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Leaving Everything Behind | A Child's Perspective on Cuban-American Journey (Episode 214) - Part 2
The Immigrant Experience in America (TIEIA)
In this conversation, Dr. Sam Rodriguez Morheim, respected periodontist and author, reflects on his family’s Cuban American journey through the eyes of a child. In 1962, following the rise of the Castro regime, his family was forced to leave Cuba, abandoning their professions, possessions, and sense of certainty for an unknown future. Growing up in Brooklyn, Dr. Morheim shares how displacement, resilience, and memory shaped his identity and worldview. This episode explores migration not as a political talking point, but as a deeply human experience marked by loss, adaptation, and quiet...
info_outline
Leaving Everything Behind | A Child's Perspective on Cuban-American Journey (Episode 213) - Part 1
The Immigrant Experience in America (TIEIA)
In this conversation, Dr. Sam Rodriguez Morheim, respected periodontist and author, reflects on his family’s Cuban American journey through the eyes of a child. In 1962, following the rise of the Castro regime, his family was forced to leave Cuba, abandoning their professions, possessions, and sense of certainty for an unknown future. Growing up in Brooklyn, Dr. Morheim shares how displacement, resilience, and memory shaped his identity and worldview. This episode explores migration not as a political talking point, but as a deeply human experience marked by loss, adaptation, and quiet...
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Antiblackness & The Stories of Authentic Allies: What True Allyship looks Like In Immigrant Journey (Episode 212) Part 3
The Immigrant Experience in America (TIEIA)
Dr Mazella Fuller is back to share her story. It bridges every system immigrants encounter: education, healthcare, and the daily coded rules that shape belonging. As co-editor of "Antiblackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies: Lived Experiences in the Fight Against Institutionalized Racism,” she has curated voices that map the realities of navigating and confronting explicit and subtle bias in America’s institutions. Her earlier book, "Treating Black Women with Eating Disorders: A Clinician’s Guide,” broke new ground by highlighting how race and migration intersect in mental...
info_outline
Antiblackness & The Stories of Authentic Allies: What True Allyship looks Like In Immigrant Journey (Episode 211) Part 2
The Immigrant Experience in America (TIEIA)
Dr Mazella Fuller is back to share her story. It bridges every system immigrants encounter: education, healthcare, and the daily coded rules that shape belonging. As co-editor of "Antiblackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies: Lived Experiences in the Fight Against Institutionalized Racism,” she has curated voices that map the realities of navigating and confronting explicit and subtle bias in America’s institutions. Her earlier book, "Treating Black Women with Eating Disorders: A Clinician’s Guide,” broke new ground by highlighting how race and migration intersect in mental...
info_outline
Antiblackness & The Stories of Authentic Allies: What True Allyship looks Like In Immigrant Journey (Episode 210) Part 1
The Immigrant Experience in America (TIEIA)
Today's episode is with Dr Mazella Fuller. Her story bridges every system immigrants encounter: education, healthcare, and the daily coded rules that shape belonging. As co-editor of "Antiblackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies: Lived Experiences in the Fight Against Institutionalized Racism,” she has curated voices that map the realities of navigating and confronting explicit and subtle bias in America’s institutions. Her earlier book, "Treating Black Women with Eating Disorders: A Clinician’s Guide,” broke new ground by highlighting how race and migration intersect in mental...
info_outline
Discovering Your Identity: A Rebirth From Interracial Struggle (Episode 209) Part 2
The Immigrant Experience in America (TIEIA)
Urmi Hossain, a Bengali-Italian living in Montreal returned to share her immigration experience as well as my story of being a Third Culture Kid (TCK). Urmi is a blogger, YouTuber, self-published author, speaker, a female mentor, and advocate for women’s empowerment. She is also the social media lead for Women in Leadership and campaign manager for Femme Influence. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Immigrant Experience in America Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3OmWxJZ Official Site:...
info_outlineIn this episode of The Immigrant Experience in America, host Simone W. Johnson-Smith talks with Dr. Reynaldo White—a Panamanian-born pastor, educator and author now living in Alabama. Dr. White recounts his childhood in extreme poverty near the Panama Canal, his family’s move to Miami when his father joined the U.S. Army, and the adjustments he faced learning English and finding his identity in America.
They discuss how his Ph.D. in educational leadership opened doors and how his students encouraged him to write his childhood stories, which evolved into a series of books in English and Spanish. Those books not only preserve immigrant narratives but also fund a school for former child addicts in Nairobi, Kenya. Dr. White shares the challenges of pastoring in Alabama’s racially divided culture, the leadership gap he sees in his community, and the joys and trials of raising two adopted sons with severe autism.
Throughout the conversation, he speaks candidly about being labeled “not Latino enough,” the importance of parental involvement and structure, and his enduring love for Panama. The episode concludes with a reminder to join in part 2 and a call to support the podcast’s “human library” of immigrant stories.
Guest Bio
Dr. Reynaldo White is a Panamanian American pastor, educator and author of more than fifteen books. Born near the Panama Canal, he immigrated to Miami as a child when his father joined the U.S. Army. He holds a Ph.D. in educational leadership and teaches English Language Learners in Alabama. Dr. White uses his bilingual books—starting with Raise: A Transcontinental Tale from Panama to the U.S.—to promote literacy and fund educational initiatives in Kenya. He and his wife, Jennifer, are community leaders, advocates for immigrants and parents of several children, including two adopted sons with autism.
Key Takeaways
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Cultural complexity in Alabama: Serving as a pastor in the South means navigating a social landscape that often reduces people to “black” or “white,” leaving little room for diverse identities. Dr. White sees a need for leadership and community building.
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From stories to books: Encouraged by his students, Dr. White wrote about his childhood in Panama and his journey to the U.S., leading to a series of books in English and Spanish. He also creates children’s books from chapters of his memoirs.
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Books as social impact: Proceeds from his books fund a school in Nairobi, Kenya, for former child addicts; six of its graduates are now in medical school and two in law school.
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Educational leadership: His doctorate enabled him to enter spaces often closed to Afro‑Latinos and informed his work supporting English Language Learners across Alabama.
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Parenting special‑needs children: Raising two adopted sons with severe autism taught Dr. White the value of discipline and consistency. Both sons have exceeded expectations, with one earning significant scholarships and another gaining high test scores in the Marines.
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Identity and pride: Dr. White identifies as both Black and Hispanic; he pushes back against assumptions that he cannot be both and finds pride in his Panamanian heritage.
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Love for Panama: Though he moved for better opportunities, he describes Panama as a beautiful country with a unique mix of cultures, remarkable natural beauty and significant economic inequality.
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The Immigrant Experience in America
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Disclaimer: The Immigrant Experience in America podcast is produced in my personal capacity. The views and opinions shared by me and my guests are our own and do not reflect the views, policies, or positions of the U.S. government or USCIS.
Please note: I do not provide immigration legal services or case-specific guidance. My work focuses on cultural adjustment, financial empowerment, and personal growth.