The Haus of Elevation Podcast: Recent Episodes
Brandon Wagner
Meet Zakiyyah Blanzelle (she/her), a community organizer, reiki practitioner, and co-founder of Kismet Honey, a business focused on holistic wellness. We met in college at UC Riverside where Zakiyyah studied sociology, but it was during the pandemic that her company Kismet Honey began to take shape.
Listen as we discuss:
Coming from a big family (3:54)
The synchronistic beginnings of Kismet Honey (12:20)
Her journey to becoming a Reiki master (19:10)
Learn more about Kismet Honey by visiting their website: https://kismethoney.com/ or visiting their Instagram @kismethoney
Subscribe to stay up on future episodes!
Connect with me on Instagram at @HausOfElevation
Music by: Bradley Parsons
Editing by: Christian Logan
Artwork by: Tyler Girdner
Meet Kyle Fowler (he/him) a performer, entrepreneur, and financial coach from St. Louis. We met aboard the Disney Magic but the real magic has been the way he helped shift my relationship to money, budgets, and other "adulting" things.
Listen as we discuss:
The bedding that launched his financial makeover (11:00)
His journey to becoming a financial coach (15:25)
The first steps to tackling the fear of debt (21:55)
Learn more about Kyle's Financial Coaching at: https://www.facebook.com/FinancialFlippers
BOOKS MENTIONED:
The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
Subscribe to stay up on future episodes!
Connect with me on Instagram at @HausOfElevation
Music by: Bradley Parsons
Editing by: Christian Logan
Artwork by: Tyler Girdner
Meet Michael Lunder (he/him) a Minnesota native with a passion for performing and an even bigger heart for helping other people. We met on the Sesame Street LIVE tour but FUN FACT we were at the same audition.
Listen as we discuss:
Michael's forced introduction into singing (4:12)
Michael's experience touring the world with the Young Americans (14:52)
The influence his mother's career as a social worker had on his outlook on life (35:40)
To learn more about the Young Americans, visit their website at: https://yacollege.edu/
Subscribe to stay up on future episodes!
Connect with me on Instagram at @HausOfElevation
Music by: Bradley Parsons
Editing by: Christian Logan
Artwork by: Tyler Girdner
Meet Kimberlee Benton (she/her) a literal glam goddess who is gifted with good looks and good words. We met working at the Disneyland Resort but we both share a bit of DCL history, sadly we never worked on the same contract.
Listen as we discuss:
Differences between Disneyland and Disney Cruise Line (7:30)
Her writing "process" (11:20)
The positives and negatives of being "authentic" (25:03)
This episode is dedicated to Michael Benton (1951-2021)
Subscribe to stay up on future episodes!
Connect with me on Instagram at @HausOfElevation
Music by: Bradley Parsons
Editing by: Christian Logan
Artwork by: Tyler Girdner
Meet Stephanie Solis (she/her) the roller skating, code writing, protestor. We met in college as orientation counselors and were always hanging around the LGBT Resource Center on UC Riverside's campus.
Listen as we discuss:
Her nonprofit aimed to help at-risk high school students (7:12)
Roller Derby 101 (11:52)
Our experiences with imposter syndrome (21:08)
Content Warning: I make a reference to Elliot Page using his deadname, at the time of recording that is the name he used.
Subscribe to stay up on future episodes!
Connect with me on Instagram at @HausOfElevation
Music by: Bradley Parsons
Editing by: Christian Logan
Artwork by: Tyler Girdner
Meet Ryan Harris (he/him) who grew up loving all things PUPPETRY! We met at the Disneyland Resort more than a decade ago, and is since then Ryan has worked for Busch Gardens, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, and Ringling Bros. We were reunited on Sesame Street Live where he served as my company manager.
Listen as we discuss:
Ryan's journey from St. Louis to Los Angeles (7:33)
Experiences while serving on church puppet ministry (20:22)
Allyship and the different ways it surfaces (43:50)
Subscribe to stay up on future episodes!
Connect with me on Instagram at @HausOfElevation
Music by: Bradley Parsons
Editing by: Christian Logan
Artwork by: Tyler Girdner
Meet Sai Sion (he/hymn), podcast host, community organizer, and self-proclaimed professional best friend. We met back in 2017 aboard the Disney Dream where Sai could always be seen with a smile on his face! He definitely put a smile on mine when he pulled out a rose gold karaoke mic and started to interview me in the middle of recording!
Listen as we discuss:
Role models (19:25)
Lessons learned as a behavioral interventionist (26:30)
Sai's full support of #TeamEve in the Garden of Eden (41:05)
**We briefly discuss Steven Universe: Future and if you want to avoid spoilers skip over 13:40-14:00
BOOKS MENTIONED:
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Give his podcast "So You Want To Be A Better Ally" a listen! Currently available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and you can find him on Instagram at @buildabetterally
Subscribe to stay up on future episodes!
Connect with me on Instagram at @HausOfElevation
Music by: Bradley Parsons
Editing by: Christian Logan
Artwork by: Tyler Girdner
Meet Ryan Allen (he/him) my first shipboard manager on Disney Cruise Line! Ryan played a big part in making my first contract so enjoyable and I got the chance to let him know the impact he had while getting to hear more of his journey through the world of themed family entertainment.
Listen as we discuss:
Ryan's first theme park job (7:17)
Growing up queer in Goochland (23:21)
Developing our "hatedar" (30:20)
You can find Ryan on Instagram at @ItsRyanSA
Subscribe to stay up on future episodes!
Connect with me on Instagram at @HausOfElevation
Music by: Bradley Parsons
Editing by: Christian Logan
Artwork by: Tyler Girdner
Meet Whitney Beatty (she/her), a SHE-E-O of multiple businesses in the cannabis industry! We originally crossed paths almost 20 years ago when she was my after school counsellor, so this conversation is a true blast from the past! Whitney has since gone on to have a successful entertainment career, become a parent, and run a luxury brand cannabis container company! Since recording, she has been working to open her upcoming cannabis speakeasy which has received funding from Jay-Z.
Listen as we discuss...
The panic attack that turned her onto medicinal marijuana (9:16)
The origin of her first company Apothecarry (15:15)
The darndest things her kid, Langston, say in public (31:30)
You can find Whitney on Instagram at @TheHighMommy Life
Stay up-to-date on her multiple brands: @TheApothecarry & @JosephineAndBillies
Subscribe to stay up on future episodes!
Connect with me on Instagram at @HausOfElevation
Music by: Bradley Parsons
Editing by: Christian Logan
Artwork by: Tyler Girdner
For my premiere episode, I interviewed my mother Mia Curtis-Taylor (she/her). Aside from working in banking for more than two decades, she is a lover of scrapbooking, baking, and line dancing.
Hear about Mia:
Shielding me from my first experience with racism (15:45)
Reacting to my coming out (22:45)
Being told "I love you, but I don't like you" by her child (31:00)
When Mia, asked to be interviewed I was a little surprised and I think she was too. She opened up a little about her upbringing, thoughts on single motherhood, and peels back the curtain on her personal journey accepting her queer child. Our relationship has had its share of rough edges, but conversations like these are what often help heal old wounds. As uncomfortable as it may be exploring the hard truths of situations and openly discussing them often help us view them in a new light!
Mia's Instagram
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Connect with me on Facebook and Instagram
Music by: Bradley Parsons
Editing by: Christian Logan
Artwork by: Tyler Girdner