The Power in Being Me – Lamia Ziam on Self-Acceptance & Leadership

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📝 Episode Summary

In this episode of Intersecting Voices, host Sonia Perez sits down with Lamia Ziam for a heartfelt, wide-ranging conversation about identity, migration, and finding strength in your intersections. Together, they explore what it means to move across borders—linguistically, culturally, emotionally—and the complexity of building a life far from home while staying connected to where you come from.

Lamia shares how her relationship with religion is deeply personal, why assumptions about motherhood can be harmful, and how she’s navigated career paths not traditionally seen as spaces for women like her. Sonia brings in her own experiences of migration, motherhood, and career to create a rich, layered dialogue between two women who have carved their own paths while staying true to themselves.

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🎧Why You Should Listen to This Episode

This episode isn’t just a story—it’s a mirror for so many of us navigating layered, often invisible challenges. Here’s why it might speak directly to you:

• If you’re a woman in a male-dominated industry, you’ll resonate with how Lamia and I navigate microsexism, being overlooked, or assumed to be the assistant—not the leader.
• If you’re in a leadership role and questioning how much of yourself you can bring to the table, this conversation will remind you that authenticity is strength.
• If you’re an immigrant, you’ll hear honest reflections on the beauty and ache of starting over—new customs, new languages, and the unspoken grief of leaving family behind.
• If you’ve felt pressure around motherhood, whether you’ve chosen not to have children or have faced assumptions about your choices, we talk about the harm behind those questions—and the unseen stories people carry.
• If you’re building your own community in a new place, this episode acknowledges the challenge—and the unexpected beauty—of finding “your people” when you’re far from home.

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👤 About the Guest

Lamia Ziam is a dynamic sales leader originally from Algeria. Her family’s journey took her across Morocco and Canada, in search of greater opportunities for their children. Now based in the UK, Lamia lives with her partner and his daughter, having built a vibrant life while navigating the challenges of immigration, identity, and cultural expectations. As a practicing Muslim woman in a male-dominated industry, Lamia defies stereotypes with grace, honesty, and strength. She brings a deeply personal perspective on family, faith, and career—all while staying grounded in who she is.

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🔗Resources

Lamia Ziam | LinkedIn

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