EP 123: Respect Isn’t Universal — Code Switching, Identity & Leadership with Dr. Julie Pham
In this episode of Thriving in Intersectionality, host Dr. Lola Adeyemo sits down with Dr. Julie Pham to explore how identity, lived experience, and leadership are shaped across cultures, systems, and personal history.
Julie shares her journey as a Vietnamese-born refugee raised in the United States, and how that experience continues to shape how she understands belonging, communication, and opportunity in the workplace.
Through her story, we explore the intersection of refugee identity, culture, and leadership—and how these layers influence the way professionals navigate environments that are not always designed with them in mind.
This conversation also introduces a powerful shift in how we think about migration through the lens of “push and pull” factors, offering a deeper understanding of how and why people move—and how those experiences show up in the workplace.
Julie also reframes code-switching as strategic communication, and shares insights from her work on the “Seven Forms of Respect,” highlighting how respect is not universally defined—but shaped by lived experience.
🎧 What You’ll Hear in This Episode
- The difference between refugee and broader immigrant experiences
- “Push vs. pull” factors and how they shape identity and opportunity
- How code-switching can function as strategic communication
- Why success should be defined by how it feels—not just how it looks
- The importance of asking for help in career growth
- Managing energy vs. managing time
- Why respect is experienced differently across identities and cultures
👤 About the Guest
Julie Pham is a Cambridge-trained social scientist, TEDx speaker, and founder of CuriosityBased. She works with organizations to build stronger workplace cultures through curiosity, communication, and a deeper understanding of respect.
Her TEDx talk: Curiosity as a Practice
Video Resource: 15-min overview on 7 Forms of Respect
🎙️ About the Podcast
Thriving in Intersectionality explores how identity, lived experience, and leadership intersect in today’s workplace—helping professionals move from navigating systems to shaping them.
⭐ If This Episode Resonated
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