In this powerful episode of Labyrinth of the First Gen, we meet Jeannine, founder of WakaWaka Dance Academy in Lille, France, the city’s largest Afro-diasporic dance school. Born in Cameroon and raised in France, Jeannine shares her journey as a first-generation entrepreneur, leaving her 9-to-5 job to create a space where diaspora voices and young Black and mixed-race girls can reclaim pride, joy, and cultural identity & belonging through movement.

We explore her entrepreneurship journey, the realities of living in a “colorblind” France, building community through dance, and how cultural spaces can serve as tools of resistance, resilience, and healing — a true example of how immigrant stories inspire creative impact.

🕰️ Timestamps:
00:03:00 — Quitting her 9-to-5 for purpose
00:05:40 — Why she started a dance school
00:07:20 — Building a business rooted in identity
00:08:00 — Dance as pride and personal power
00:11:00 — Finding purpose through movement
00:12:15 — Living in France as a Black woman
00:15:00 — The paradox of racism in France
00:18:25 — Her message to Black girls: Joy is your birthright
00:19:20 — The meaning of WakaWaka, inspired by Cameroon

🌍 Keywords:
#AfroDiaspora #BlackInFrance #CulturalPreservation #DanceEmpowerment #FirstGenStories #AfroFrench #WakaWakaDance #BlackGirlsDance #JeannineWakaWaka #LabyrinthPodcast #RoutesAndRoots

📩 Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and follow us on YouTube @LabyrinthMap for behind-the-scenes, global stories, and travel reflections.

In this episode of Labyrinth of the First Gen, we sit down with the Electronic Sound Collective, a genre-defying music group born from NYC’s immigrant roots. These first-generation artists blend diasporic rhythms, Afro-Latin influences, and electronic sounds to create music that is both healing and revolutionary.

From playing underground shows during uncertain times to intentionally creating music for peace, the Collective shares how their migration stories, cultural heritage, and life in New York City shape their identity & belonging, artistry, and entrepreneurship journey as a collective.

“We play for peace very intentionally… to not only play for peace but to create peace within ourselves. Because if we're at peace, then the frequency that we push out is automatically of peace.”—Manifest, Electronic Sound Collective

Whether you’re into global fusion, immigrant stories, or exploring how music builds cultural bridges, this episode dives deep into the power of sound as resistance, healing, and connection.

🎶 Topics include:

• First-gen and immigrant identity in music

• How NYC influences artistic reinvention

• Building a music collective as a first-generation entrepreneurship journey

• Using sound to foster community, belonging, and diaspora connection

• For more information on Electronic Sound Collective, visit

  Instagram@ESCNY23 or Email Electricsound68@gmail.com

  
  

Discover the transformative story of Ingrid Hu Dahl—educator, queer artist, and author of Sun Shining on Morning Snow. In this powerful episode of Labyrinth of the First Gen, Ingrid shares her journey as a first-generation, mixed-race daughter raised in a bilingual home, navigating identity & belonging, grief, and cultural healing.

🎸 From her days as a touring musician to founding Rock ’n’ Roll Camp for Girls, Ingrid shares her entrepreneurship journey and how diaspora voices and storytelling shape resilience, purpose, and community impact.

🌀 Topics include:

• Queer and multiracial identity in first-gen families

• Memoir writing as a tool for healing and legacy

• Community building through youth empowerment

• Grief, ancestral memory, and reclaiming strength

💬 “Always be curious about people’s stories, their legacies, and their journeys.” — Ingrid Hu Dahl

Tune in for an intimate, honest conversation exploring immigrant stories, creativity, and the power of embracing your roots while building your own path as a first-generation creator.

Episode Chapters

00:00 Intro to Ingrid Hu Dahl

00:0021 Episode Overview

00:02:00 Who Is Ingrid?

00:04:55 Growing Up Multiracial

00:08:17 Memoir as Resistance

00:12:00 Founding Rock Camp for Girls

00:17:50 Grief & Cultural Healing

00:22:14 Honoring Ancestral Stories

00:25:16 Queer and First-Gen Identity

00:28:11 Where to connect with Ingrid

00:28:57 Resources & Takeaways

00:29:20 Episode Wrap Up

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  ✨ Tune in and let Ingrid’s voice guide you toward honoring both your roots and the path you’re charting ahead.

  
  

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