Gio Iacono (he/him) reflects on growing up as the child of immigrants and the layered experience of cultural identity, belonging and self-definition.

He speaks about privilege, intergenerational influence, reconnecting with ancestral roots, and the courage it takes to move through different cultural worlds.

This episode is a thoughtful conversation about identity, loneliness, and what it means to honour where you come from while continuing to define yourself.

Episode hosted and recorded by Forouz Salari (she/her) in Jan. 2026 - edited & mixed by Miranda Ramnarayan (she/her).

Guest Bio:

Gio Iacono (he/him) is an assistant professor at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work: https://ssw.uconn.edu/person/gio-iacono-phd/

He completed his Masters and PhD at the University of Toronto.

He identifies as a white, queer, cisgender man and is a first-generation university graduate, who immigrated to the USA from Canada.

He has worked as a psychotherapist, clinical social worker, educator, community organizer, and researcher in a variety of health and community-based settings, for over 15 years.

His community organizing and advocacy work have primarily focused on diverse LGBTQIA+ communities.