Karen Alcantara joins Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to share her journey from self-proclaimed “Ghetto Girl” to emotional support worker. Drawing on her teenage experience with gang life, Karen speaks candidly about the seduction of belonging, the search for community, and what was missing for her growing up.
One of twelve siblings and the daughter of an immigrant mother from the Dominican Republic, Karen reflects on the strength and pain woven through generations of her family’s experience with poverty. That foundation led her to a career supporting some of Vancouver’s most vulnerable people – working on the Downtown East Side, helping survivors of sexual assault at the WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre, and serving on an advisory committee for a UN women’s initiative to create safer cities.
Karen’s story is one of resilience shaped by hardship and redirected into purpose. Her conversation with Cindy is a reminder of the value of human connection, and of what becomes possible when we choose to remember the humanity in each other. Tune in to hear Karen’s full story of transformation, community, and resilience.
The Resilience Project is a Vancouver Island podcast hosted by counsellor Cindy Thompson, featuring conversations with authors, health professionals, community leaders and everyday people whose stories of resilience, healing and personal growth offer hope, encouragement and practical life lessons. The Resilience Project is part of The PULSE Podcast Community.
The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: thepulsecommunity.ca
Cindy Thompson’s website: cindythompsoncounselling.ca
You’ll find all episodes of the PULSE Community Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok and YouTube.
Episode Sponsor: Tablet Pharmacy
Check out Skookum Kid’s Stories with downloadable colouring pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and YouTube.
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Check out the Vancouver Island Podcast Directory: The Vancouver Island Podcast Directory is a free public resource curated by The PULSE Community, helping listeners discover podcasts produced on Vancouver Island and the surrounding coastal islands.
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