Fintech Careers

Reflections on National Immigrants Day

On this National Immigrants Day, DailyPay celebrates the remarkable journeys and extraordinary contributions of diverse team members who have made the United States their home. Through enlightening conversations with Rafael Freaner and Lyban Omar, we explore their powerful immigration journeys and discover how these experiences have shaped both their professional path and personal identities within DailyPay. Join us in reading their stories below!

Rafael Freaner, Manager - Frontend Engineering, DailyPay

Rafael Freaner, Manager – Frontend Engineering, DailyPay

Rafael Freaner, Manager – Frontend Engineering at DailyPay

My immigration experience has been a defining force in both my professional journey and personal identity here at DailyPay. Moving to New York City from Mexico in my 20’s was a leap of faith, filled with excitement and a healthy dose of fear.

Early on, I adopted the mindset that I had to consistently go above and beyond to be taken seriously. This translated into a strong work ethic, a willingness to take on new challenges, and a dedication to continuous learning.

Of course, the journey wasn’t without its challenges. There were moments of doubt, feelings of uncertainty, and the ever-present imposter syndrome, which I believe is often amplified for immigrants navigating a new culture and professional landscape. But even in those moments, I drew strength from my roots, from the values instilled in me by my family and teachers in my home country.

Looking back, I realize that my path to success has been a combination of determination, hard work, and good luck – being at the right place at the right time. I’ve learned to embrace challenges, to view setbacks as opportunities for learning, and to celebrate every milestone achieved.

My experience immigrating to the US has deeply shaped who I am, both professionally and personally. It’s given me a unique perspective and a drive to excel that I bring to our team every day.

 

Lyban Omar, Senior Client Support Analyst, DailyPay

Lyban Omar, Senior Client Support Analyst, DailyPay

Lyban Omar, Senior Client Support Analyst, DailyPay

Escaping restlessness and an oncoming civil war. Leaving everything behind to go on a journey, without the slightest idea of the outcome. Trusting the loved ones that grabbed your hand as we traversed halfway across the world, for a better life.

Resiliency kept coming to mind as I articulate my thoughts on the challenges my family and I, who are from BalBala, Djibouti, have faced. Adapting to a brand-new culture that we have never seen. Breaking away at the language barrier as we attempted to find a home to stay at every night. The sheer determination my parents had to overcome these significant challenges because failure, simply wasn’t an option.

This was ingrained into my early childhood and formed me into who I am today. Adapting to changes within an organization, having to make adjustments on a project because a deadline was pushed up or even having your workload increased due to being short-staffed. Being resilient and adapting to changes in the workplace comes naturally because of the challenges of my upbringing.

As immigrants, we must work twice as hard, not just in the workplace but studying different American euphemisms so you can join along with co-worker banter. Learning social norms and queues so that you do not offend anyone. Being able to blend in with everyone else once you walk through that door. I never brought up where I come from because I did not want to differentiate from everyone else, but I learned later in my career, that’s what makes us unique.

I took those qualities that I was raised with growing up and mended it into my own personal identity. I am always willing to assist and help others succeed because there was always someone willing to do so in my time of need. At DailyPay, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) have reached out, such as DailyNoire, to allow me to let my guard down and be unapologetically myself. Even with my own name, I advised people that it’s pronounced “LeBron” without the “r”, meshing the new culture that I now identify with and the old one I was born with. 

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