Best Mo Goldman Podcasts (2025)

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 37: Patent Attorney Babak Akhlaghi and Immigration Attorney Amy Maldonado 1:05:44

1d ago1:05:44

1:05:44

Send us a text Babak Akhlaghi has waited well over a decade to finally see his brother, Kaveh, arrive in the United States. The wait has been excruciating, unnecessary and a prime example of how the U.S. immigration system fails the best and brightest. Kaveh Akhlaghi is a renowned architect based in Iran who has seen his ability to get a work visa …

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 36: Former MLB pitcher and current color commentator Rodrigo López 1:05:33

15d ago1:05:33

1:05:33

Send us a text Rodrigo López grew up in Mexico during an era when Fernandomania spread across the country. López was one of a generation of Mexican children who emulated the late Fernando Valenzuela, an all-time great pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Inspired by Valenzuela's success and fame, Rodrigo became a pitcher and eventually made his way…

1
Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 35- Human Rights Organizer Aly Wane 1:13:14

1M ago1:13:14

1:13:14

Send us a text Originally hailing from Senegal, Aly Wane came to the United States with a diplomatic visa at the tender age of 9-years-old. His mother hoped that the United States would provide him with an excellent education and future opportunities. Eventually on a student visa, Aly received two educations: 1) An education through academia and 2)…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 34- Immigration Attorney & "Renaissance Man" David Asser 1:07:26

1M ago1:07:26

1:07:26

Send us a text David Asser is a jack of all trades. A man of many talents and skills. He has been a comedian, an actor, a television and film producer/director/writer, an attorney, and even the Press Secretary and Spokesperson of the Justice Department of The Netherlands in The Hague and as an International Policy Advisor for the Dutch Immigration …

1
Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 33- Entrepreneur Akash Desai and Attorney Danielle Rizzo 1:04:14

1M ago1:04:14

1:04:14

Send us a text Akash Desai immigrated to the United States, but that process was not overly difficult in comparison to his struggles to retain high-skilled foreign workers in this country. Akash is the Co-CEO of CyFlare, a fast-growing cybersecurity solutions company based in West Seneca, New York. In this episode, Akash speaks about the trials and…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 32- Legal Scholar Professor Ilya Somin 46:45

2M ago46:45

46:45

Send us a text Professor Ilya Somin from George Mason University emigrated as a refugee from the former Soviet Union to the United States with his parents in 1979. The family was assisted in this move by the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society and were resettled in Westport, Connecticut. The Somin family eventually settled in Lexington, Massachusetts. Aft…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 31- Somali Refugee and Entrepreneur Sahra Hirsi 43:30

2M ago43:30

43:30

Send us a text Sahra Hirsi was exiled from her native Somalia in the early 1990's. She lived in a refugee camp in Kenya for around 15 years before finally resettling in the United States. She arrived in Tucson, Arizona with a new lease on life and was provided support from wonderful advocates such as Barbara Eiswerth and the Ishkashitaa Refugee Net…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 30: Multidisciplinary Artist Safwat Saleem 1:06:52

3M ago1:06:52

1:06:52

Send us a text Safwat Saleem joins me in this episode to talk about his journey from Pakistan to the United States and how immigrant themes are prevalent in his artwork. Safwat is a multidisciplinary artist with a key focus on cultural loss resulting from assimilation. As described on his website, "Safwat’s body of work weaves together themes of pr…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 29: Immigration & Civil Rights Attorney Ira Kurzban 1:24:44

3M ago1:24:44

1:24:44

Send us a text Ira Kurzban's last name has become synonymous with the field of immigration law. He published the first edition of the Kurzban's Immigration Law Sourcebook in 1990 and it quickly became one of the most respected treatises on U.S. immigration law. Nineteen editions later, the book is universally used by private immigration lawyers, go…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 28: Part 2 of Dr. Goldman's Family Therapy with siblings Alejandra Pablos & Jesus Magaña 58:19

3M ago58:19

58:19

Send us a text THIS IS PART 2 OF A 2-PART AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL EPISODE In this final part of our discussion, we delve more into the loving bond between Alejandra and Jesus and how her deportation case made it even stronger. Life is complicated. One thing that we know is nobody's perfect (besides Donald Trump). Alejandra Pablos learned the hard way …

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 27: Dr. Goldman's Family Therapy with siblings Alejandra Pablos & Jesus Magaña 1:05:57

3M ago1:05:57

1:05:57

Send us a text Life is complicated. One thing that we know is nobody's perfect (besides Donald Trump). Alejandra Pablos learned the hard way after being detained for two years at the Eloy Detention Center and she's hoping for a second chance. While Ale was born on side of the border and her brother, Jesus Magaña was born on the other side. Jesus, a…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 26: Attorney and Human Rights Advocate Mark Shmueli 1:19:04

4M ago1:19:04

1:19:04

Send us a text Mark Shmueli lets his compassion propel his desire to help other humans. He has been in the trenches assisting immigrants for over twenty years and been outspoken regarding xenophobic policies that directly hurt the U.S. immigrant population and others trying to reach our shores. Mark has been the representative of the Maryland State…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 25- Political and Legal Geographer Austin Kocher 1:09:15

4M ago1:09:15

1:09:15

Send us a text Anyone who wants the facts on immigration controls, policing and border enforcement must follow/subscribe to Dr. Austin Kocher on social media and through his writings on Substack. He is a must follow! His research and data has been widely cited to and noted in both academic and media publications. Dr. Kocher is a geographer and Assi…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 24: Douglas Rivlin, Important Longtime Voice for Immigration Reform 1:06:22

4M ago1:06:22

1:06:22

Send us a text He may have recently retired but you haven't heard the last of Douglas "Doug" Rivlin when it comes to progressive U.S. immigration policies and advocacy. For over thirty years, Doug has been an important voice for the immigrant community. After getting his start in the immigrant rights domain, along with Frank Sharry, as the Director…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 23: Colorado State Rep. and Trailblazer Naquetta Ricks 53:43

4M ago53:43

53:43

Send us a text Colorado state representative Naquetta Ricks' immigrant story has been a primary influence in her decision to enter the political arena. Rep. Ricks is the first African immigrant to be elected to the Colorado General Assembly, and the first Liberian American to be elected to any state legislature. At 13 years old she was forced to fl…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 22: Myles Traphagen, Borderlands Program Coordinator for the Wildlands Network 1:09:58

4M ago1:09:58

1:09:58

Send us a text Myles Traphagen is the ultimate champion for migrant rights: for insects, animals and humans. He is a recognized advocate for the conservation and protection of our ecology in the face of human-created devastation. Myles is consistently cited to and quoted by numerous media organizations when it comes to the negative impact of the bo…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 21: Elhadj Ndoye, Founder of the non-profit "The Forgotten Children" 1:21:53

5M ago1:21:53

1:21:53

Send us a text Ehadj (El) Ndoye embodies the phrase "giving back". He immigrated from Senegal as a student and found a permanent home and community in Tucson, Arizona. However, El never forgot his roots and in 2010 he founded "The Forgotten Children", a non-profit geared towards helping the street children (talibè) in Senegal by achieving goals of …

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 20: A Festivus Celebration! 51:33

5M ago51:33

51:33

Send us a text The 1st Annual Immigration Condemnation Awards. In this episode I review some of the most ridiculous stories about our government in 2024 from immigration lawyers. At the conclusion, I name a winner of the most absurd story. Let's air our grievances on this December 23rd and never forget that Festivus is for the rest of us!!…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 19: Andrew Fels & Natalie Cadwalader-Schultheis About Enforced Disappearances 1:10:26

5M ago1:10:26

1:10:26

Send us a text Andrew Fels and Natalie Cadwalader-Schultheis are human rights attorneys who bring a voice to the voiceless. Through litigation and research they are exposing the U.S. government's violations of international law and unlawful use of inhumane policies that force migrants into situations where they disappear and/or die. Natalie and And…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 18: Filmmaker and Advocate Samantha “Sam” Ramirez-Herrera 52:38

5M ago52:38

52:38

Send us a text Imagine being separated from family in your native country for 30 years. No ability to visit them and return to the U.S. Samantha “Sam” Ramirez-Herrera lived this and finally got the opportunity to visit her native land and family thanks to a special travel permit called "advance parole". As a filmmaker, the DACA recipient and immigr…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 17: Immigration Policy Expert David J. Bier 45:06

6M ago45:06

45:06

Send us a text At a time where disinformation runs rampant throughout the United States, David Bier is a source of the truth when it comes to the immigration system. He provides a wealth of data through his research and his publications have been widely cited to. David is the director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute and has testified b…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 16: Apple Logo Creator and Chicano Artist Carlos Pérez David (part 2 of 2) 57:45

6M ago57:45

57:45

Send us a text Part 2 of 2 of my interview with Carlos Pérez David. Carlos created one of the world's most iconic logos: the Apple logo. As an immigrant from Mexico, Carlos has also become a recognized Chicano artist who has been influenced by artists of the Mexican, Chicano and Indigenous art movements. He is a community activist and this is repre…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 16: Apple Logo Creator and Chicano Artist Carlos Pérez David (part 1 of 2) 1:01:58

6M ago1:01:58

1:01:58

Send us a text You may not know Carlos Pérez David, but you definitely have seen the fruits of his labor. In 1977, while working for marketing firm Regis McKenna, Carlos created one of the world's most iconic logos: the Apple logo. As an immigrant from Mexico, Carlos has also become a recognized Chicano artist who has been influenced by artists of …

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 15: Holocaust Survivor Sidney "Sevek" Finkel and his daughter, Ruth Finkel Wade 57:27

6M ago57:27

57:27

Send us a text Sidney "Sevek" Finkel refused to die in the Holocaust and he refuses to let his story of survival and the terrors of the genocide disappear. He authored a memoir "The Boy Who Refused to Die" and has told his story to thousands, including over 300 different schools. His daughter, Ruth Finkel Wade, has also made certain that his story …

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 14: Attorney and TikTok Sensation Zayed Al-Sayyed 56:25

6M ago56:25

56:25

Send us a text Zayed (aka "theZlawyer") learned about the complexities in our immigration system as a child when he helped his father attempt to naturalize and become a U.S. citizen. As an adult, that dream was finally realized by his father with Zayed as his lawyer. Zayed is now a lawyer based in Phoenix and part of his law practice focuses on imm…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 13: Houston Astros Spanish Play-By-Play Broadcaster Francisco Romero 1:05:48

6M ago1:05:48

1:05:48

Send us a text Francisco Romero has been a significant part of the generational change we have seen in Spanish radio sports broadcasting. Growing up in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, and speaking very little English, he never envisioned that his life's journey would take him from our neighboring country to now calling play-by-play for the Houston Astros.…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 12: Ana Valenzuela, Co-Founder of ScholarshipsA-Z 56:43

6M ago56:43

56:43

Send us a text Ana Valenzuela wanted to solve a big problem. She completed high school and struggled to afford higher education due to her undocumented status. Attending Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona she realized that this issue impacted dozens of other students. With limited resources available and undaunted by this problem, Ana co-fou…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 11: Immigration Attorney/Bar Owner/Construction Biz Owner Neena Dutta 1:11:26

7M ago1:11:26

1:11:26

Send us a text Neena Dutta is a Jill of all trades. She is an immigrant from the United Kingdom who found herself on a F-1 student visa going to college in the middle of nowhere, U.S.A. This began a journey where she attended law school, became an immigration lawyer, got her green card and U.S. citizenship, invested in a successful bar and now is a…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 10: Juan Escalante 1:10:39

7M ago1:10:39

1:10:39

Send us a text Juan Escalante personifies "self-preservation." He has had to overcome many obstacles throughout his life and he has persevered, primarily due to his own advocacy. Juan came to the United States from Venezuela with his family following the election of Hugo Chavez. Unfortunately, poor legal advice by an attorney left his family withou…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 9: Immigration Attorney Steven Brown 57:26

7M ago57:26

57:26

Send us a text Immigration Attorney Steven Brown loves the work he does. This motivates him to zealously advocate on behalf of his clientele, which consists of primarily employers, investors and individuals seeking employment-based immigration opportunities. Steven grew up in Virginia and became enamored with Texas where he has settled down and hel…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 8: Chef Nico Lopez from Mercado Little Spain and his immigration lawyer Ava Benach 1:01:25

7M ago1:01:25

1:01:25

Send us a text Chef Nicolás Lopez's name has become synonymous with top Spanish cuisine. He oversees all culinary operations at Mercado Little Spain, a 35,000 sq ft Spanish food hall (with three full-service restaurants, bars, numerous other food and retail kiosks) in New York City. He is a protégé of Chef José Andrés and works with the world renow…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 7: Immigration Lawyers Jodi Goodwin & Chuck Kuck 54:51

8M ago54:51

54:51

Send us a text When they went to law school, Jodi Goodwin and Chuck Kuck didn't realize their destinies and life's work would be helping immigrants and becoming two of the top lawyers in this complicated field of law. They join me to discuss their journey to becoming immigration lawyers, what motivates them to keep fighting the good fight, some of …

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Immigration Ain't East Ep. 6: Ahmad Wakili, Afghan Judge gets Asylum! 1:00:45

8M ago1:00:45

1:00:45

Send us a text Ahmad Wakili was a judge in Afghanistan who sentenced Taliban members at Bagram Air Base. He fled for his life after the withdrawal of the United States military in August 2021. Fortunate enough to get on a plane, he sought refuge in the United States but faced a lengthy separation from his wife and newborn daughter. Did they finally…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 5: Jenn Budd, Border Patrol Agent Turned Immigrant Rights Activist 1:00:58

8M ago1:00:58

1:00:58

Send us a text Jenn Budd went from high-ranking Border Patrol Agent to immigrant rights activist. Her odyssey didn’t come without life-altering experiences including the survival of horrific hazing, sexual harassment and a sexual assault while serving in the Border Patrol. This episode delves into Jenn’s survival from mental health struggles that s…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 4: Cynthia Magallanes, From DACA to US Citizen 57:30

9M ago57:30

57:30

Send us a text Cynthia Magallanes is a survivor. Plain and simple. She was brought into the U.S. as a four-year-old. Cynthia went from being an undocumented child to gaining DACA status and then her green card and, ultimately, U.S. citizenship. She became a naturalized citizen on June 14, 2024. Cynthia uses her own experience with childhood sexual …

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 3: Simba Rusita (Burundi) Awaits Asylum Interview 1:02:52

9M ago1:02:52

1:02:52

Send us a text Simba Rusita grew up in Burundi and survived numerous coup d'états. After receiving a his bachelor degree from The University of London South Bank University, he went back to Burundi to try and help to economically develop his native land. However, after the last coup attempt, he finally fled for his life and came to the United State…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 2: Sgt Talib Abdoulaye and Attorney Beth Boyer 50:07

9M ago50:07

50:07

Send us a text Sgt. Talib Abdoulaye came to the U.S. as a refugee from Chad when he was 12 years old. Over a decade later, as a Sargent in the U.S. Army, he returned to adopt his five half-siblings (all minors) after the untimely passing of his mother during childbirth. Bringing them to the U.S. was complicated and, thankfully, a pro bono lawyer na…

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Immigration Ain't Easy Ep. 1- Erick Lastarria 40:10

9M ago40:10

40:10

Send us a text Erick Lastarria is an immigrant from Lima, Peru who arrived in the U.S. in September 1997 at 18 years old. After a long journey, he is getting close to finally achieving his American dream. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Richard Hartwell.By Mo Goldman

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The Future of Cities: Michael Allegretti and Shonte Eldridge 23:26

3+ y ago23:26

23:26

Host Amy Koonin Taylor hands over the reins of the show to Michael Allegretti, Rubicon’s Chief Strategy Officer, as he interviews Shonte Eldridge, Amazon Web Service’s former Executive Government Advisor. Engaging because of their rapport, inspiring because of their shared experiences and knowledge, and timely because of the lasting effects of the …

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Chow Down: EZ-CHOW's Founder Mo Sloan 17:27

3+ y ago17:27

17:27

Kentucky startup EZ-Chow is changing the Louisville landscape with their flexible, innovative, "EZ" to use technology. The tech is perfect for restaurants looking to integrate online ordering with point-of-sale systems and digital marketing. Host Amy Koonin Taylor sits down with EZ-Chow founder and Kentucky native Mo Sloan to reflect on his unique …

4y ago30:45

30:45

Host Amy Koonin Taylor is joined by one of the fiercest food waste warriors yet, Pulp Pantry CEO Kaitlin Mogentale. Addictive chips are made from upcycled fruit and veggie pulp, giving second life to many superfoods. What started as an innovative idea on her college campus has quickly turned into a pantry staple for health-conscious and eco-conscio…

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Mo Goldman Podcasts

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