When the January 2010 earthquake struck Haiti, Marie Yolaine Toms was building a comfortable career at American Express. She chose to answer a different call. In this episode of Zaka Presents: My Journey, host Paul Herman sits down with the Howard University graduate, TEDx speaker, and self described Restorer of Dignity who walked away from corporate security to found Community2Community, a 501c3 rebuilding self sufficient communities across Haiti. Her story is a masterclass in turning heritage into purpose.

Marie Yolaine opens up about the unspoken pressures immigrant families carry, the moment she realized professional success and personal fulfillment are not the same thing, and the money shame and financial trauma she overcame on her way to becoming a coach for financial literacy and freedom. As the force behind Focused Fire, she now teaches others to design the life they deserve, create the income streams they desire, and make the impact they were born for. Whether you are a first generation professional carrying the weight of your family's hopes or someone quietly sensing there has to be more than this, her wisdom will meet you where you are.

Tico Armand opens up about her journey as an immigrant creative, navigating identity, redefining beauty standards in modeling, and using her voice through acting, writing, and her Rewynd podcast. From not seeing herself represented in books to becoming a children’s author shaping the narrative for the next generation, Tico reminds us that representation isn’t given, it’s built.

This conversation goes deeper than career highlights. We talk about purpose, legacy, and the responsibility of uplifting communities especially for young women from underrepresented backgrounds learning to reclaim their voice.

Paul Herman sits down with Ché Ahn, a Korean American immigrant, longtime pastor, global faith leader, and now a candidate for Governor of California. Ché shares his extraordinary journey from immigrating to the U.S. with nothing, to dropping out of high school at 17, battling addiction and homelessness, and ultimately experiencing a life-altering spiritual encounter that redirected his purpose. With raw honesty, he reflects on family conflict, failure, and faith and how those early struggles shaped his compassion for the most vulnerable in society.

After 46 years in ministry and leading a global network of churches across more than 70 nations, Ché opens up about the moment that changed everything: being awakened in the early morning hours and feeling called reluctantly but obediently to run for governor. This episode is a vulnerable, hope-filled conversation about obedience over comfort, leadership forged through adversity, and why an immigrant who once hit rock bottom now believes his calling is to serve California at the highest level.