Stuck In-Between: How to Defy Cultural Labels and Define Yourself (without all those rules), with Urmi Hossain

“I never felt I was Bengali enough. I never felt I was Italian enough…And because of that, I struggled to find my cultural identity”. Urmi Hossain is Italian by birth, and Bengali by blood, but there’s always been friction between those two identities. Born and raised in Italy to immigrant parents from Bangladesh, Urmi grew up at the center of a clash between Italian culture, strict Muslim parenting, and a society that wanted to categorize her one way or another. You know that tendency we all sometimes have where we want to define someone's cultural identity with one convenient, hyphenated label? Well, it's not always that simple. And on this episode, Urmi explains why it can also be a real problem. She tells us about her ongoing journey of breaking out of a single cultural box and how her writing and mentoring helps others do the same. Urmi talks about the push and pull of being raised in a country where cultural diversity is not the norm, and how it took her many years and a move to a new country to find her confidence, leadership skills, and self-awareness. In her book Discovering Your Identity: A rebirth from interracial struggle, Urmi explores the delicate balance of cultural self-discovery and her journey toward owning her own identity. Now she mentors young women of all cultures, in business and finance, helping them push their careers forward and embrace their power. About the Show The Breakout is the hit podcast hosted by human resources and change experts Dr. Keri Ohlrich and Kelly Guenther. The founders of Abbracci Group, a results-driven coaching, HR Management and consulting firm, Keri and Kelly are laser-focused on getting the best out of people. They launched The Breakout in early 2023 to find the best stories and advice on busting boundaries and making change, and since then the show has charted #1 in self-improvement, #1 in education, and #7 in all podcasts. Join Keri and Kelly on The Breakout as they get advice and insights from change experts, and learn from people who have really done it how you can dive into personal growth, increase self confidence, and move your life into bold new territory. Each episode comes with lessons on living courageously, with topics on self-help, leadership, personal development, building success, setting personal boundaries, growing your confidence, overcoming self doubt, and knowing your self worth. From huge transformations to quiet shifts, The Breakout highlights why every change matters. At Abbracci Group, Keri and Kelly offer a four-step coaching process to help you increase your self-awareness, break out of expectations, and live life on your terms.  Learn more at abbraccigroup.com. Keri and Kelly’s new book Whatever the Hell You Want – An Escape Plan to Break Out of Life’s Little Boxes and Live Free From Expectations, is available for pre-order now! Dr. Keri Ohlrich’s book The Way of the HR Warrior is available now. Connect with Dr. Keri Ohlrich and Kelly Guenther The Breakout on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thebreakoutpod/ Abbracci Group website https://abbraccigroup.com/podcast/ The Breakout Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thebreakoutpodcast/ Abbracci Group LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/abbraccigroup/ The Breakout on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@thebreakoutpodcast About Urmi Hossain Urmi Hossain is Bengali by blood and Italian by birth. She works in the financial services industry in Canada, where she is currently residing. She is an author, blogger, speaker, polyglot, and mentor. Her first book is, Discovering Your Identity: A rebirth from interracial struggle. Urmi is an advocate of women's empowerment and very passionate about teaching and mentoring other girls and women. She is part of the organization called Women In Leadership for the Victoria Chapter in Canada as the social media lead. Urmi enjoys being a promoter of self-investing and personal development. In her free time, she enjoys reading books and boxing. Connect with Urmi Urmi on LinkedIn Urmi’s book, Discovering Your Identity Urmi’s Blog Urmi’s YouTube channel Urmi’s Instagram