#10 Grief, identity, and reinvention in a foreign land | Fernanda Santos | Brazil → USA

When Fernanda Santos first moved to the U.S., she had a clear plan: study journalism and return to Brazil. But everything changed after a chance encounter at a job fair. She met the love of her life, decided to stay, and built an extraordinary career, becoming the first Brazilian staff writer at The New York Times, contributing to major publications, publishing a book, and now serving as Editor-in-Chief at The 19th News.

But Fernanda's story is not just about professional milestones; it’s also about navigating love, loss, and identity as an immigrant. After losing her husband to cancer, she found herself starting over again - this time as a widow and single mother, raising her daughter, and searching for a new sense of “home” in another country.

In this episode, we talk about how Fernanda rebuilt her life, how she found confidence in her voice, how grief reshaped her story, and how she eventually found love again - without losing herself in the process.

Connect with Fernanda:

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Why the name “Transplants”?

I've always loved the meaning this word can have. To be a transplant is to carry one life while learning to live another.

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Connect with Transplants:

• Follow on IG https://www.instagram.com/transplants.pod

• Substack/newsletter - https://wearetransplants.substack.com/

• Laura's IG https://www.instagram.com/laura_peruchi

• Follow on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@wearetransplants