Welcome back everybody to another episode of The Defying All Odds Podcast!In this episode, we have the honor of speaking with Sarafina Belafonte, a rising senior at Columbia University majoring in Neuroscience who is a singer, dancer, and actress. Coming from New York City, Sarafina, who is also the granddaughter of the late Harry Belafonte, represents a deeply integrated journey wherein her dedication to rigorous academic pursuits seamlessly complements her ardent love for the performing arts, all while respecting a celebrated family legacy.Outside the laboratory walls, Sarafina's cultural heritage—and that rooted in her grandparents, who were music teachers in Denmark and danced professionally with Katherine Dunham and with her mother, a singer and theater producer—strongly influenced her understanding of herself. She openly navigates the complexities of being biracial and a woman responsible for preserving significant Civil Rights heritage. In addition, she speaks at length with great sadness regarding the loss of her grandfather, Harry Belafonte, and the legacy dedication her family undertook to preserve and build upon his Black heritage in the midst of efforts to erase it. This determination manifested in the formation of the Belafonte Family Foundation in 2019 and represents an embodiment of a multi-generational effort to ensure equitable access and opportunity to historically disenfranchised communities. Sarafina's great involvement in the foundation speaks to her own commitment to social justice and to ensuring proper recognition of her grandfather's legacy and heritage. Her boundless energy seems to be echoed in her active career in the performing arts. She expresses her deep love of musical theater with abounding passion and has recently released her first single, "Wandering Eye," along with promises of more musical projects in the near future. We also learn of her exhilarating experiences with Columbia's Varsity Show, itself whimsically called the "longest running show on Broadway" for its all-student-written and all-student-performed material satirizing college life. Sarafina outlines the unique challenges and considerable personal growth involved in the constantly evolving script of the production, laying stress on a key tenet for successful living: the capacity for adaptation while subordinating ego to facilitate creative adaptability. This ongoing search to overcome boundaries and to become masterful across a variety of disciplines exemplifies her animating commitment to both her scientific and artistic pursuits, demonstrating that by virtue of determination and courage, one may master multiple fields.Sarafina Belafonte’s journey is just unfolding! Stay tuned for what's next!🔔 Don't forget to like, comment, share, and subscribe for more inspiring stories! 🔔Sarafina BelafonteEmail: sarafinabelafonte@gmail.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarafinabelafonte/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sarafinabelafonteYouTube: @sarafinabelafonte9826 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarafina-belafonte-975824234/overlay/contact-info/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3JNKDciyMlDoOGY7vG2BuK?si=Ow8qvzMaQwCGUNO8RwqZCQApple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sarafina-belafonte/1786115570Belafonte Family Foundationhttps://www.belafontefamilyfoundation.org/As always, thank you for listening in and be sure to check out The Defying All Odds Podcast On YouTube, Spotify, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and contact us via email. LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/thedefyingalloddspodcast