We recently connected with Nikki Rajan and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Nikki thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

As a high schooler, I see things a lot differently than most adults at my school do, and something I saw that repetitively occurred was exclusion. My upbringing was in a diverse neighborhood with various cultures. However, since some people were not as fortunate to be surrounded by such a community, they were unaware of the struggles new people faced in America, and were less open-minded. This trend continued in my high school. My school is different in the way that they host many more refugees, migrants, and newer students to the area, which is incredibly unique and explains our diversity. During my first years in school, I began to see the first-hand difficulties of immigrants in public education. When I had discussions with English teachers on how standardized testing and a lack of resources allows for bigger disparities for this minority, I realized that there are a multitude of issues that newcomers face when adjusting to our school. I resonated even deeper with the cause because of the fact that my parents were once newcomers as well and from their stories, I understood the issues newcomers still face today on a deeper level. From these conversations and meaningful discussions, I started to realize how many students could benefit from a resource that helps them feel more included and supported. These collective observations motivated me to create Newcomer Narratives because to unite the community, we needed to learn to include people from all backgrounds.
I always felt that community was the backbone of a person. I grew up with the idea that family is everything and my parents taught me that we must support one another to become the best versions of ourselves. As I carry this essential part of me throughout my life, I hope that Newcomer Narratives encourages others to engage and learn from one another to grow as people as well.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Young people are sometimes put in this corner where they feel that they should just focus on academics and personal life, and I think this can often lead to less motivation in starting their own initiatives. I think it is really important that we give youth a platform to feel more supported in standing up for what they believe in and taking action. I felt this way too before I started Newcomer Narratives, but I took inspiration from my teachers and supporters at school when decided to start with something small to build impact. It is definitely a little scary to put yourself and your values out there, but I have learned that it is worth it, especially because there will be people who will encourage and support you through your journey. This is the wonderful thing about pursuing your passions; no matter if it’s with two or twenty people, you are still making an impact.
Newcomer Narratives is an organization that means more to me than community service; it actively uplifts and brings members together. I started this organization with just a podcast to see if it was something that was really going to help my community. Once I started to really connect with newcomers in my area, I realized that there is so much more that needs to be done. Now, as we look to build a broader team and network, and expand to other locations, I am hoping that more people understand the importance of preserving and understanding their community everywhere.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

When I started to build my cultural knowledge and go on a journey of understanding my community better, I began to realize the importance of sharing our stories. I knew that the lessons learned from overcoming cultural repression or dealing with common struggles were worth sharing with others. As someone who likes to immerse themselves in their community, I knew that my goal was to educate and help others feel included and supported in their lives. When you are in a new place surrounded by things you lack knowledge of, it can be difficult to feel belonging and reach your goals. I wanted to provide advice and information that people could leverage to feel more comfortable in a new place and understand the processes in America. I also wanted to ensure that Newcomer Narratives uplifted the youth facing these issues and could show that they have the ability to incite change, regardless of how young they are.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

No matter what you are planning or doing, you are going to need help at some point. I think I looked at starting Newcomer Narratives with the perspective that I knew what my goals were and I was going to be able to start it on my own, but I inevitably received help from peers and teachers to turn my vision into reality. I think the best way to find resources is to identify people who have experience in your field and contact them. There will always be someone that is willing to help and I think that it is so important to utilize the connections you already have to not only improve your organization or business but also build your credibility and support. I would also like to add that you should never feel scared to reach out! More often than not, people are willing to help and will appreciate your initiative.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://newcomernarratives.com
• Youtube: NewcomerNarratives
• Other: Spotify: NewcomerNarratives