First Gen Journey Podcast was started as a way of offering hope and support to first generation ("First Gen") college students and professionals. So much of the information we receive as First Gen college students is focused on the struggles and obstacles of the process but there is beauty and strength that also comes with the First Gen journey.
As Dr. Hernandez progressed through the various stages of life (school, career, marriage, friendship, parenting, losing loved ones, etc.), she noticed how different her experience was from that of her parents. College may have ended but the process of being First Gen hadn't. Dr. Hernandez commiserated with friends and family about the generational, class, and identity conflicts she experienced with family members who didn't have the experience of college or a career/professional identity. Additionally, there was the experience of having different values, priorities, and challenges than her professional colleagues. The more Dr. Hernandez talked about these issues with friends, the more she realized the need for community, discussion, and awareness of these experiences and thought a podcast would be the perfect venue.
First Gen Journey features interviews with first generation college students and professionals of various backgrounds and careers. Guests discuss their own experiences in both their personal and professional lives and share how they have achieved success in their own right.