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In this episode, I’m chatting with Dapo Bankole, a project manager and founder of Mentorfy. His viral TEDx talk, “The Hidden Struggles and Triumphs of Immigrant Professionals in Canada,” is painfully relevant to loads of immigrants looking to settle in Canada.
My primary reason for interviewing Dapo on the podcast was to learn the story behind his TEDx talk.
The version that includes the number of times he choked up in tears during rehearsals. The version where he describes a 19-year dream that started before he’d even applied for immigration. The version where he describes the day his family had to decide between gas and food.
The one where he gets moody, irate, and flares up at the small things.
Dapo and I dig into:
The moment he realized the struggle of the Canadian immigrant professional is systemic
The day his Nigerian credit card saved him at a Canadian ATM
Starting his podcast (The Immigrant Life) to sort out the mess in his own head
Building Mentorfy to connect immigrant professionals with mentors who get it
The one thing he’d do differently if he were to start over
Dozie’s Notes
A few things that stuck with me as I listened through this week’s conversation:
We MUST STOP glorifying immigrant resilience. Resilience has become a benchmark against which we measure suffering. The question we need to answer is whether immigrants have to go through all that madness to settle into Canada.
The story you tell yourself is one of your biggest struggles. It can be tempting to start calling yourself a failure, questioning your skill set, and wondering if you’re worth anything. But, as I’ve told everyone I speak to when they are struggling through this phase, it’s a moment, not who you are. Please don’t make it your identity. I know this is easier said than done. But try not to.
Official Links
✅ Connect with Dapo Bankole on LinkedIn
✅ Watch his viral TEDx talk
✅ Subscribe to The Immigrant Life
✅ Check out Mentorfy
One Ask
If you found this story helpful, please consider sharing it with one immigrant you know.
