thEMPOWER: Recent Episodes
Maneet Hora and Upeksha Galappaththie
"the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one’s life and claiming one’s rights"
Welcome to the last episode of thEMPOWER for Volume 2! In this episode we shift the focus from how South Asians can support BLM and take the opportunity to learn and discuss about the Indigenous and First Nation Peoples of Australia. We discuss how different governments of Australia have helped close the gap, however, despite their efforts, the Indigenous population of Australia still doesn’t have an equal platform.
In episode we have had the honour of interviewing and talking with Angelica Kross, a new podcaster who is a history and politics enthusiast.
The Frontier War (Podcast mentioned by Angelica):
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-frontier-war/id506564871?i=1000411498039
List of books by Aboriginal Australians:
https://www.cockburnlibraries.com.au/blog/naidoc-week-2019-fifteen-must-read-books-by-aboriginal-australians/
Welcome to the last episode of thEMPOWER for Volume 2! In this episode we shift the focus from how South Asians can support BLM and take the opportunity to learn and discuss about the Indigenous and First Nation Peoples of Australia. We discuss how different governments of Australia have helped close the gap, however, despite their efforts, the Indigenous population of Australia still doesn’t have an equal platform.
In episode we have had the honour of interviewing and talking with Angelica Kross, a new podcaster who is a history and politics enthusiast.
The Frontier War (Podcast mentioned by Angelica):
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-frontier-war/id506564871?i=1000411498039
List of books by Aboriginal Australians:
https://www.cockburnlibraries.com.au/blog/naidoc-week-2019-fifteen-must-read-books-by-aboriginal-australians/
Welcome back! Over the last few weeks Black Lives Matter Movement has seen much needed changes. The way people have unified to support such an important cause speaks volumes about the change made and still left. This episode of thEMPOWER is guide to how we, as South Asians, can be allies to the Black Lives Matter Movement and dissects the internalised discrimination which also still exists in South Asian culture. We hope you enjoy this episode and continue to support the cause. Stay tuned for Part 2!
Below are links of documents you can use to learn and talk to your South Asian friends and family about the importance of Black Lives Matter.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FOlrNav6ieD9e9FBdAa5n7WH1sJgBVR4twDHxboWaT8/edit
https://lettersforblacklives.com/2020/home
Sign this petition for ending colourism in Bollywood and media!
https://www.postforchange.org/
A huge thank you to Gauri for designing our podcast cover. Check out her other artwork on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/gaurixart/?hl=en
We use this episode of thEMPOWER, to discuss the “boys locker room” incident which took place in India. We discuss the details of the case and the reflection of society and our culture that these developments display. We also chat about ways in which we can prevent locker room talk. To wrap it all up, we reflect on conversations with our South Asian friends, which give us hope for a way forward.
Drawing inspiration from the Syrian refugee boy who washed ashore in 2015, we dissect the refugee crisis. In this episode, we discuss policies which are preventing refugees from exercising their rights to seek asylum. We also talk about the biggest refugee camp in South Asia and the growing concern of climate refugees.
We hope you are taking care of yourself and your loved ones during COVID-19. Staying apart keeps us together. Thank you for tuning in!
Welcome back! In the latest episode of thEMPOWER, we dissect the situation of the pandemic in our respective home countries in South Asia. We pull apart the approach the Indian and Sri Lankan government has taken to deal with the situation and also explore the effects of the economic divide that exists within our countries and the rest of the globe.
We hope you enjoy this episode and continue to stay safe and keep others safe around you.
Are we even a podcasting platform if we don’t talk about the coronavirus?
Welcome to another episode of thEMPOWER where we share our take on COVID-19. In this episode, we discuss topics such as racism, politics, crippling healthcare systems and the wage disparity, all the issues that are associated with this tiny virus, which has impacted our lives in big ways.
We hope you enjoy this episode and please take care of your mental and physical health during this time. Also don’t forget to tune into reliable news resources such as the World Health Organisation, for the latest updates on the virus.
Note: The transcript of our podcasts will no longer be available as we have decided to spice it up a little and go from a script-based delivery style to a more discussion-based approach.
This episode has been posted earlier than promised because that’s how pumped we are for you guys to listen to it!
This episode of thEMPOWER SCREAMMSSSS “badass.” From the girls we interview, to the topic we interview them about! So, what are you waiting for? Grab a snack because we, along with hosts of BitterSweet Podcast, are about to spill the tea on Aunt Flo.
Note: The transcript of our podcasts will no longer be available as we have decided to spice it up a little and go from a script-based delivery style to a more discussion-based approach.
We hope you guys enjoy this episode just as much as we enjoyed recording it!
Happy International Women’s Day to all our lovely listeners!
In this episode we are all about celebrating sisterhood, intersectional feminism and the powerful women who have gotten us this far on the road to achieving equality. We have also had the honour of interviewing Na’Imah Bernard Banton, the president of the Women of Colour Society, at the University of Southampton, UK. Through her interview Na’Imah shared her view on society’s journey to achieving equality and what’s yet to come in the near future.
We hope you enjoy this special episode and continue to empower yourself and the millions of women around the world.
Transcript
CONTENT WARNING: This episode of thEMPOWER discusses topics like rape and sexual assault.
In this episode of thEMPOWER we get serious and talk about rape culture. Through our discussion we try and break down the barriers that prevent survivors and victims of rape and sexual assault from reporting their case and also discuss the widespread toxicity of victim-blaming.
Outlined below are some links related to actions and steps you can take if you have ever been subject to sexual assault or if you know someone else and how you can best support them:
https://au.reachout.com/articles/sexual-assault-support
https://www.kch.nhs.uk/Doc/pl%20-%20819.2%20-%20a%20self-help%20guide%20for%20survivors%20of%20rape%20and%20sexual%20assault.pdf
Transcript
In this podcast, we take you on a journey depicting the tale of two girls, one brought up in Australia and one brought up in India. We compare and contrast how different their lives are and we also interview Sharanjit Kaur, a huge advocate for feminism, who lends us her view on intersectional feminism.
Transcript
Hello and welcome back to alas, our last podcast for Volume I and for this year. It’s a short and sweet podcast but definitely worth the listen, as this podcast aims to open your eyes to the concealed and censored world of China.
Reference: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/27/business/china-war-on-fun-earrings-tattoos.html
Today, we talk about culture and most importantly the differences between cultural integration into a Western society and the implications it can lead to, especially within our own community.
Poem:
The stories I have read tell me,
that my heritage is something
to be proud of.
the color of my skin
is the resemblance of dirt;
the very foundation of life.
Ma tells me within this skin
lies all the hardships of all the brown women,
who date back a lifetime.
she tells me wherever I am,
I will find a home.
that will remind me of the dusty villages
where I will find tongues of blade and spice.
But no one has ever told me,
these women in me whose bones ached at the touch
are not welcomed.
This land will tell stories
how people like me wear the label
“brown”
as an insult to all the women in me.
Like their shame,
torn from the hem of my dress.
They refuse to tell the stories,
how our mothers have burned their tongues;
so our names are easier to swallow.
But I do not care for their words
to validate the color of my skin.
For I am not just my skin,
but every woman within
And the stories I write will be my own
Forged from the life of every brown woman known and unknown.
– By Zhrah Aziz
No, not an analysis of a 21 savage song, or a compliation of us doing adlibs because we’re bored. We’re talking fast fashion in episode 6 of thEMPOWER and the nefarious implications our consumer needs create.
Transcript
This week, we’re exploring the South Asian psyche that creates a stigma around mental health.
Here are some South Asian owned and run resources: Chetna is a mental health awareness organization with a strong focus on mental health in Brown culture. They share stories and have IGTV episodes on different topics associated with mental health, which let you know that you are not alone. They also release tips and self-care bingos, which help keep your mental health in check. MySahana is a South Asian American nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about mental health and well-being. Through articles, videos, workshops, and more, they provide education on a number of emotional health-related issues. These range from describing various mental health ailments to offering cultural-specific advice and coping strategies. The Desi Wellbeing Project is a social media project dedicated to celebrating and promoting those people and qualities that cultivate emotional well-being in South Asian communities. Inspired by Humans of New York, the project features everyday South Asians attempting to battle those cultural factors contributing to the mental health crises within Desi communities SAMHIN, short for the “South Asian Mental Health Initiative & Network,” also offers a variety of resources for those struggling with mental health issues. They offer their own directory of mental health professionals that users can search by location, specialty, languages spoken, and more.
TRANSCRIPT: Mind Flourish
This week, we’re getting serious. People’s lives matter. And we’re up in arms about the passivity of this issue.
Here is this week’s transcript
Welcome back to yet another episode of thEMPOWER, where in this podcast, we will talk about the multi-faceted and ever important topic of climate change.
Welcome back to another episode of thEMPOWER. In this podcast we discuss the unfavourable reality of volunteering abroad and the implications of doing so.
Here is the transcript.
Welcome to our very first podcast. In this podcast we will be introducing ourselves, thEMPOWER and talking about hope and why it’s so important not to lose hope in the face of everything that’s happening right now in the world and your own world.
Here are some articles relating to hope in an environmental, political, economic and cultural setting if you would like to check them out!
Article on the Exonerated 5: https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-48609693
Hope in politics: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-31/seesaws-installed-on-either-side-of-us-mexico-border-wall/11371294
Hope in the environment category: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-49151523
Hope in culture: http://www.mystreetsireland.com
Here’s the link to the transcript