Letters Across Time: Immigrant Stories of Courage, Belonging & Career Resilience

What does it mean to start over in a new country — and how do we find belonging while building a thriving career?

In this special episode of the Thrive Careers Podcast, Ola shares Letters Across Time — a live radio reenactment originally broadcast on Trent Radio for the Peter Robinson Bicentennial.

Through the voice of Brigid, an Irish settler in 1825, and Ola’s own journey as a newcomer in 2025, this story explores the timeless courage it takes to begin again. You’ll hear themes of immigrant resilience, career adaptation, and finding community that still resonate today.

Plus, stay tuned for a behind-the-scenes conversation on storytelling, identity, and how newcomers can own their stories to thrive in new environments and careers.

✨ Whether you’ve been here for generations or you just arrived yesterday, your story matters — and it’s worth celebrating.

🔗 Don’t forget to subscribe to the show, follow me on social media, and download your free Career Clarity Playbook at www.thrivecareersconsulting.ca.

Transcript

Letters Across Time: A Radio Reenactment

Originally aired on Trent Radio, CFFF 92.7 FM, Peterborough (Nogojiawanong), during the Peter Robinson Bicentennial Radio Project Day.

🎙️ Opening

Host (Eddie Sweeney):
You’re listening to Trent Radio on CFFF 92.7 FM. Today’s programming is all about the 200th anniversary of the Peter Robinson emigration program and local history.

I’m Eddie Sweeney, Programming and Volunteer Support Coordinator here at Trent Radio. I hope you’ve enjoyed the shows since this morning. Right now, I have a special guest in the studio. Would you like to introduce yourself?

Ola:
My name is Olajumoke Fatoki, but everyone here calls me Ola. I’m so excited to be here.

Host:
Ola actually came across this event through one of our posters in a coffee shop — proof that QR codes really do work! She’s going to share a creative project with us today. Ola, are you ready?

Ola:
Yes, I am.

✉️ Letters Across Time (Performance)

Ola:
Hello, Peterborough. Today I’m presenting Letters Across Time: A Radio Reenactment in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the Peter Robinson emigration.

I’ll take you back to 1825, when an Irish woman settled here and wrote a letter about her new life. Two centuries later, I arrived in Peterborough and began to wonder what has changed. This is her letter — and my response.

Brigid’s Letter (1825):
Dear Stranger,
We arrived only two weeks ago, sent from Cork to this new colony with promises of land and a fresh beginning. They call this place Peterborough.

The land is wild, the winters harsher than any we knew back home. We’ve been given tools but no instructions. Seeds, but no guarantee. I miss my mother’s bread, the fiddles, even the soft rain that once dampened our hopes.

Still, something about this soil urges us to try and try again. If you too have come from far away, know that you are not the first to feel unready, unseen, or unknown. But perhaps, like us, you will plant roots that grow stronger each season.

Hold fast. There is a future here, even if we cannot yet see it.
 Yours in hope, Brigid — April 12, 1825, Peterborough Settlement

Ola’s Letter (2025):
Dear Brigid,
Your words found me nearly two centuries later, on this same land — now a city alive with lights, languages, and layers of history.

I arrived not by ship, but by faith and a plane ticket filled with more questions than answers. The systems were confusing, and my voice didn’t always seem to fit. But I found a community center that reminded me of home. Slowly, I felt less alone.

Like you, I miss family, food, and festivals. I miss the comfort of not having to explain where I’m from or why English is my first language. But I’ve learned that starting over isn’t about erasing where we came from. It’s about honoring it and building something new.

You survived, Brigid — and in some way, I am surviving because you did. Our stories may differ, but we share the same thread: the courage to begin again.
 With gratitude, Ola — Newcomer, Dreamer, Storyteller, 2025

Ola (closing):
As Brigid reminds us — the courage to begin again is timeless. Two centuries apart, but the heart of our stories remains the same. Whether you’ve been here for generations or just arrived yesterday, your story is now part of Peterborough’s story. And that is worth celebrating.

Thank you for listening.

🎤 Conversation After the Reading

Host:
That was wonderful. Did you write this just for today, or was it something you’d been working on?

Ola:
It was always an idea in my mind, but seeing Trent Radio’s call brought it to life. I pulled sketches together, did some research on the 1825 emigration, and shaped it into these letters.

Host:
You signed off as a “storyteller.” What does that mean for you?

Ola:
I’m a career storyteller. I help newcomers and immigrants own their stories, integrate into their new environments, and make better career choices. Storytelling isn’t just writing — it’s how we build belonging.

Host:
That comes through beautifully. And I noticed you chose letters as your format. Why?

Ola:
It stems from my love of voice acting. I recently took a masterclass where we practiced embodying different characters and voices. I wanted to bring that alive here — shifting between Brigid in 1825 and myself in 2025.

Host:
You did it so well. Slow, clear, engaging — that’s rare for someone new to radio.

Ola:
Thank you.

Host:
Would you consider doing a show at Trent Radio in the fall?

Ola:
Yes — I’d love to focus on career development for newcomers. That’s my passion. I’m still figuring out the format — solo, interviews, or panels — but I’d love to share strategies for thriving in new work environments.

Host:
That would be fantastic. We’re actually planning workshops with the New Canadians Centre to encourage more newcomers to join radio. I think your story could inspire others to step into this space.

Ola:
That would be amazing. I know so many people with stories and skills — they just don’t know opportunities like this exist.

🎙️ Closing

Host:
Ola, thank you for sharing Letters Across Time and your story with us today. It was inspiring.

Ola:
Thank you. It was a joy to be here.