In this episode of the Intersectionality Lab Podcast, our team comes together for an open and honest conversation about an often-overlooked aspect of migration: the relationship between nature and the immigrant experience.
Drawing from our own journeys as immigrant women building lives in Portugal, we explore how natural environments shape our sense of belonging, identity, and well-being. From searching for landscapes that remind us of home to navigating unfamiliar outdoor spaces, we reflect on the ways nature can offer comfort, connection, and continuity during periods of transition.
Our discussion touches on the barriers many immigrant women face in accessing nature, including cultural expectations, safety concerns, and questions of accessibility. We also examine how Portugal’s natural environment influences our experiences of settlement and adaptation, and why the ability to connect with nature can be so important in feeling at home.
Whether experienced in solitude as a place of refuge and reflection, or shared with others as a space for community and connection, nature plays different roles in each of our lives. Together, we unpack how our childhood experiences, cultural backgrounds, and memories of home continue to shape the ways we engage with the natural world today.
This deeply personal episode explores how nature can both bridge and reveal the complexities of immigration, offering insight into the emotional landscapes that accompany the journey of building a new home.
Additional resources
The hidden life of trees (book, 2017 & documentary, 2020) – Peter Wohlleben (author) & Jörg Adolph (director) https://www.imdb.com/video/vi2705309721/
Into the wild (book, 1996 & movie, 2007) – Jon Krakauer (author); Sean Penn (director) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0758758/
The way (movie, 2010) – Emilio Estevez (director) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1441912/
Delhi-6 (movie, 2009) – Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra (director) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1043451
