Welcomes Designed By Krish O'Mara Vignarajah

In this episode of Designed By, host Joanna Peña-Bickley sits down with Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, President & CEO of Global Refuge, for an inspiring and thought-provoking conversation. Krish shares her incredible journey to America, navigating the transition into a new community, and how her experiences shaped her into the leader she is today.

Krish delves into her time working alongside the 44th First Lady and her journey running for office, sharing the lessons she learned along the way. She offers unique insights into the complexities of the asylum seeker system, the loud but often untrue narratives surrounding immigration, and the crucial differences between sponsors and advisors in her path towards a better future.

Throughout the episode, Krish speaks passionately about the hope she sees for the future, her commitment to creating a more compassionate and just world for those seeking refuge, and how her political aspirations have informed her leadership. This is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of leadership, social justice, and the human stories behind immigration. 

#DesignedBy #Immigration #SocialJustice #Leadership #KrishOMaraVignarajah #GlobalRefuge

Chapters

• 0:00 Donate
• 0:20 intro Quote
• 0:40 Episode Intro
• 1:25 Where her story begins
• 4:20 Transition into her new community
• 6:35 Learn English/Assimilate
• 9:25 The Journey of Public Service
• 22:06 Working with the 44th First Lady
• 27:03 Commercial Break
• 28:45 Back from Commercial
• 29:10 Sponsors VS. Advisors
• 31:50 Running for Office
• 34:45 Lessons learned in the Process
• 36:31 Its not a loss, its a lesson
• 39:27 what’s driving/inspiring you in your current role
• 43:43 The Untrue and Loud Narrative of Immigration
• 50:54 The asylum Seeker System
• 53:08 The Hope for the Future
• 56:10 Post-Episode Banter
• 1:01:31 Episode Credits