Hi, I’m Omar, the founder and CEO of Kinnect. This blog is part of the From Omar series, where I share my reflections on family, relationships, and connection. These aren't clean-cut lessons or tidy takeaways — they’re raw thoughts that I’m still working through myself.
There’s a lot of pride in being the one who “goes beyond.” For many of us, especially those from immigrant families, Latino families, or any family where "doing better than your parents" is more than a suggestion — it’s a mandate.
That pride is layered with love, hope, and belief in your potential. Your family pours into you so you can do more, be more, and have more. And when you do, it feels good. It feels like everything they hoped for is coming true.
But no one really talks about what happens next.
When you’re the first to achieve something, you also step into new spaces that are completely different from home. These new spaces aren’t just physical — they’re mental, cultural, and emotional spaces too. You’re navigating new interests, experiences, and relationships that your family might not fully understand. And while that’s not always a bad thing, it can feel isolating.
For me, I’ve had to learn how to hold space for two parts of myself — the person I was raised to be, and the person I’m becoming. And sometimes, those two parts of me don’t fit neatly together.
The very success our families push us toward is also the thing that pulls us further away from them.
What distance actually looks like
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