Young Culture: Recent Episodes
Young Culture
Welcome to Young Culture, where young adults from all backgrounds and experiences share their ideas and opinions!
This week's episode is the final episode of the Young Culture podcast and it was a pleasure to speak to Kirtsen Schmidtke to discuss the importance of creativity. In this episode we discuss:
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Kirsten's career development and what she learned in each role
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Using creativity to discover your personal and career interests
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Creating space for all of your passion to co-exist.
Learn more about Kirsten and her work at: @kirstenschmidtke @klassquared & Creative Connection Network
Take a look at YCP content at: @youngculturepodcast & youngculturepodcast.com
This week's episode features Matt Waraich, one of the co-founders of the Treno app, which allows young athletes the opportunity to virtually receive feedback from professional athletes and coaches. In this episode we discuss:
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The development of Treno
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Advice for pursuing a career in the tech industry
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Supporting youth in the community with innovative services
Learn more about Treno at: @mytrenoapp & mytreno.com
Keep up with YCP content at: @youngculturepodcast & youngculturepodcast.com
This week's episode features Max Rivest, CEO's and founder of @drinkwize. Max and his team are passionate about producing products that are health conscious and offer equitable solutions to the ongoing crisis of coffee production around the world. In this episode we discuss:
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Max's relationship with caffeine and previous coffee overdose
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Producing Wize Coffee Leaf
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Mixed messages about drinks in the media and how to make conscious decisions with what we consume
Learn more about Wize Coffee Leaf at: @drinkwize & drinkwize.com
Keep up with YCP contact at: @youngculturepodcast & youngculturepodcast.com
This week's episode features Melissa, a psychotherapist who is passionate about supporting Gen Z and Millennials in the Latinx community. In this episode we discuss:
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Melissa's inspiration for becoming a psychotherapist
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The importance of cultural representation in therapy
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Advice to others who want to advocate for mental health in their community
Learn more about Melissa's practice at: @mmbhealing & mmbempoweredhealing.com
Keep up with YCP content at: @youngculturepodcast & youngculturepodcast.com
This week's episode features Joss Richard, the CEO and Founder of Margot Community. Margot Community is a platform to connect women with appropriate mentors and aims to normalize the concept of being compensated for one's knowledge. In this episode we discuss:
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The creation of Margot Community
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Current gaps in mentorship
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Navigating paid services during the social media era
Learn more about Margot community at: @margotcommunity & margotcommunity.com
Keep up with YCP content at: @youngculturepodcast & youngculturepodcast.com
This week's episode features Summan Kandola, the founder of XO & Hustle, project lead at Self Hired and part of the team at Dank Mart. Summan has a passion for supporting others, especially women of colour to find strength in the self and shine in their hustles. In this episode we discuss:
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The creation of XO & Hustle and the Mindfulness Deck
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Safety in spiritual spaces
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Toxic Hustle Culture
Find more about XO & Hustle at: @xoandhustle & xoandhustle.com
Keep up with YCP content at: @youngculturepodcast & youngculturepodcast.com
This week's episode features Emily Feng, a filmmaker in New York. Emily is passionate about sharing stories of culturally diverse experiences, including her recent short films sharing the stories of two individuals in Cuba. In this episode we discuss:
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Exploring a career in film as a person of colour
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Cultivating empathy and cultural awareness with film
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Filming Tao Qi & Carlitos in Cuba
Learn more about Emily's work at: emily-feng.com
Keep up with YCP content at: @youngculturepodcast & youngculturepodcast.com
This week's episode features Galicia Gordon, the founder of Leading Learners, a one-stop resource with educational tools and financial aid for high school students. In this episode we discuss:
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Creating an educational resource for students while being a student
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The importance of inclusivity with scholarships
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Advice for others who want to create resources and don't know how to start
Learn more about Leading Learners at: @leadlearners & leadlearners.ca
Keep up with YCP content at: @youngculturepodcast & youngculturepodcast.com
This week's episode features Julie Bruns, an actor, producer, writer and director in the film industry. Julie started out as an actor and realized that she wanted more experience in her industry, so she decided to take charge of her growth and give herself experiences where she can try out new roles and continue to progress in her career. In this episode we discuss:
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Her passion for film
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Imposter syndrome in the film industry
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Taking up space in the director role as a woman
You can find more about Julie and her work at: @julie.bruns
Keep up with YCP content at: @youngculturepodcast & youngculturepodcast.com
This week's episode features Carissa Bootsma and Saskia Van Eyk, two friends who started a business together called Backdrop Blooms. In this episode, we discuss:
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The creation of Backdrop Blooms
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Starting a business during a pandemic
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The technical side of running a business
Learn more about Backdrop Blooms at: www.backdropblooms.com & @backdrop.blooms
Follow YCP content at: www.youngculturepodcast.com & @youngculturepodcast
This week's episode features Shaina Nand, from Calgary, AB. Shaina has a platform called 'Cooking with Shaina', where she shares her passion of cooking with tasty recipes and information. In this episode we discuss:
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The creation of 'Cooking with Shaina'
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How to make the holidays fun with cooking
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Tips for cooking at home
You can find Shaina at: @cookingwithshaina & cookingwithshaina.com
Follow more YCP content: @youngculturepodcast & youngculturepodcast.com
This week's episode features Tana Espino, a relationship coach from Los Angeles. Tana specializes in helping women with codependency and anxiety in relationships. In this episode we discuss:
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Being Codependent vs. Being Empathic
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How boundary setting looks different in an immigrant household
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Tips for addressing codependent and anxious patterns
You can find more on Tana at: @loves.hustle & loveshustle.com
Follow YCP content at: @youngculturepodcast & youngculturepodcast.com
This week's episode features Gabriela Garcia, a social entrepreneur who has created multiple initiatives that serve her community. In this episode we discuss:
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Her personal experiences and the gaps she noticed in the community
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The importance of cultural representation and creation of 'Charlas'
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Storytelling to bring awareness to Mental health and the ongoing work with 'Audacious'
Follow Gabriela and her work at:
@gabrielaa37, @charlas.ca, @audacious.untoldstories
Keep up with YCP content:
@youngculturepodcast & youngculturepodcast.com
This week's episode features Everett Bumstead, a filmmaker and tree planter. In this episode we discuss:
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His current project: One Million Trees
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His Journey as a tree planter
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The documentary making process
Documentary Link: One Million Trees
Follow Everett and his team on: @selfhired & @whateverett.takes
Keep up with YCP content: @youngculturepodcast & youngculturepodcast.com
This week' episode includes Dallas Barnes, the founder and CEO of Reya Health. Reya Health helps women with their birth control journey by offering knowledge, support and empowering women to advocate for themselves. In this episode we discuss:
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Reya Health's mission
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How to advocate for your health care journey
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Myths of birth control and answering listener's questions
You can find more on Reya Health at: @reyahealth & reyahealth.ca
Keep up with YCP contact at: @youngculturepodcast & youngculturepodcast.com
Mason Bendigo from Little Rock, Arkansas joins us this week to talk about the effects of social media. Mason is also a podcaster, he created and hosts the Breathin' Air podcast. In this episode we discuss:
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The creation of the Breathin' Air podcast
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The Social Dilemma Documentary
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Tips and tricks for healthy social media use
You can find Mason at: @breathinairpodcast
Keep up with YCP content at: @youngculturepodcast & youngculturepodast.com
Michelle Kwok is the co-founder of FLIK, a community where female founders are connected with women who are looking for apprenticeship opportunities around the world. In this episode we discuss:
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Creating the FLIK community
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Women stepping into their power around the world
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How men can be a part of the movement and support women in their economic journey
You can find more on FLIK at: @weareflik & weareflik.com
Keep up with YCP Content: @youngculturepodcast & youngculturepodcast.com
Kyle Meagher is an actor and artist from Ottawa, ON. Kyle has many projects in both industries, which include a role in 'Anne With an E' on Netflix and a visual album called 'Beats in a Bagel Shop'.
In this episode we discuss:
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Kyle's journey in acting and music
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How Kyle balances two careers
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The present and future of the acting and music industry now that we're settling into a new normal
You can find Kyle at: @thekylemeagher, kylemeagher.com & Spotify Music
Keep up with YCP content: @youngculturepodcast & youngculturepodcast.com
Garica Bola is a skin educator based out of Vancouver, BC. Garica's passion for skin started at a young age when she was on the quest to finding solutions for her own skin concerns. Fast forward to now and she is enjoying her career of helping others with their skin journey.
In this episode we discuss:
1.Garica's career
2.How skin education differed cross culturally and why this was problematic
3.Why Skin care is different for men and women
4.Answering questions from YCP listeners
You can find Garica at: @garicabola & @gares.skincare
Keep up with YCP content: @youngculturepodcast
This week’s episode features Areena, the host of the Self-love Lounge podcast, student and mentor. In this episode we discuss: her experiences of feeling different and unaccepted, what needs to change for today’s youth, and the value of mentorship.
This week’s episode features the crew from the JNA Podcast, Justin, Nathan & Alex. In this episode we discuss: podcasting life, friendships & future goals.
This week’s episode features Parween, a millennial money coach who is passionate about empowering marginalized communities with their financial potential. In this episode we discuss: internalizations from our childhood and how it affects our values with money, what financial literacy looks like in a minority household, resources and tips for money management.
This week’s episode features Angeza, the creator and host of ‘How Did You Learn to do That?’ podcast. In this episode we discuss: why she started her podcast, important tips for exploring your passions, her personal story with growth and understand her life’s purpose.
This week’s episode features Paul, a Christian Hip-hop artist. In this episode we discuss: how his music career started in church, his relationship with religion and his newest EP ‘Deeper Things’.
This week’s episode features Smiely, who gracefully integrated her passion of sustainability into her work in the film industry. In this episode we discuss: why she became passionate about sustainability, how she incorporated sustainability into her work with film production and how she is using her knowledge to educate and inspire others to live a more sustainable life.
This week’s episode features Taya Marquis, a signer/songwriter from Toronto, ON. In this episode we discuss: her journey in the music industry, how to be a leader when executing your vision and goals and why you should use your platform for important causes.
This week’s episode features Mo, a digital marketing strategist and Gabriel, a mentor for at-risk youth. In this episode, we discuss personal experiences with racism, why it’s important to focus on the economy when trying to understand racism and finding solutions, and the hopes and dreams for future generations and the community.
This week’s episode features Meenakshi, the creator of ‘mamauntoldthoughts’, ‘the lotus movement’ and co-creator of ‘coloursofmama’. In this episode we discuss: parenthood, representation for ethnic communities, and mental health for South Asian families.
This week’s episode features Wade, the creator of ‘ItzProgressJ’ from Chesapeake, Virginia. In this episode we discuss: overcoming adversity and challenges, creating micro-content and the importance of networking.
This week’s episode features Alissa, a vocal producer and sound engineer who is currently working at the Spotify Studios in Los Angeles. In this episode we discuss: her journey with music and working at Spotify, what it’s like to be a female in the music industry and how to keep busy during the pandemic.
This week’s episode feature’s Joss, who is passionate about socially responsible investing and wealth management. In this episode we discuss: socially responsible investing, the scarcity mindset, and the art of storytelling.
This week’s episode feature’s Sunny, a life coach who specializes in emotional well-being. In this episode we discuss: how to acknowledge our emotions, how our emotions play an important role when interacting with others, and how to understand and create our own beliefs and values system.
This week’s episode features Samantha. Samantha created a platform called ‘GoldenGhrl’ where she helps others with strengthening their employability skills. In this week’s episode we discuss how to create a strong presence in the workplace, building a collaborative relationship between employee and management and understanding employee rights.
This week’s episode features Manisha from Vancouver, BC. In this week’s episode we discuss Manisha’s personal growth with writing, her involvement in the writing community and being an ambassador for future mental health initiatives.
This week’s episode features Kendall, from Evening Birds. In this episode, we discuss how he is handling the changes with Covid-19, how these changes are impacting the music industry, what the creative process is like for artists and his personal journey with music.
This week’s episode features Krish, a kinesiologist from Abbotsford, BC. Krish owns his own clinic, Kin Consulting and offers vast knowledge on the mind and body. In this episode, we talk about how to take the leap in turning your passions into a business, how technology is impacting our social engagement and some more deep diving into psychological processes affecting our age group.
This week’s episode features Dr. Janelle Louis from Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Louis is a naturopathic doctor who specializes in childhood trauma and how in manifests into other mental and physical conditions throughout one’s life. In this episode we discuss: what childhood trauma looks like, what are the common conditions it manifests into and what we can do to help ourselves if we experienced adversity as a child.
This week's episode features Navi from Vancouver, BC. Navi is the creator of the online platform "Uncaged by Navi". In this episode, we discuss her inspiration behind creating the platform, why having safe spaces is important and what she's learned with this space and the creative community.
This week’s episode features Priya from Sacramento, California. Priya is a life coach, mother and a publisher of a gratitude journal. Priya once felt like she was at an all time low because of her relationship troubles while being a new mom. She found light in focusing on her self care, which gave her the push to turn things around and create a promising life for her and her son.
This week’s episode features Kelsey, a clairvoyant/medium from Dallas, Texas. Take a listen to this episode to hear about how she uses her gifts to help others with their trauma and health, how she keeps a healthy balance between two worlds and advice for anyone who wants to get a reading done.
Marvin Ryles, founder of the FAM (fashion, art, & music) sits with young culture this week to talk about his experiences in these industries. Marvin started out as a hip hop artist in Jersey City and went on to doing media coverage and writing for brands in fashion, art and music. Take a listen to this episode to hear about his experiences as an artist, advice he gives to young and new artists and his views on creative culture in Vancouver.
This week’s episode features JP Padda. JP is a psychiatrist specializing in addictions, an actor and a new dad. Take a listen to this episode to hear about his insight in these areas and how he tries to have a healthy balance in his life.
Warning: this episode discusses aspects of sexual abuse. This week’s episode features Ashely Aoki. Ashley experienced abuse during her teenage years, which affected how she navigated her life in the years to follow. Later on, Ashley decided to work through her trauma and turn her negative experiences into a positive by becoming a life coach and sharing her experiences to help others.
Welcome to Season 2 of Young Culture! This week's episode is short one by myself to start off this new and exciting season. I share a little bit about myself and what you can expect in the episodes to come.
Part two of the roundtable discussion on being a first generation Canadian, living in an immigrant household and being a young immigrant in Canada.
In part one of a first round table discussion, we have Michael, Nadine, Simmi, Akilaa and Putra talking about their experiences of living as an immigrant family and also being a newcomer in Canada. One thing to note about this discussion: it doesn’t matter what cultural background you come from, we all have common experiences we can relate to.
Trigger warning: the following episode discusses aspects of suicide completion, and the impacts suicide can have on close family members. Please be non-judgmental, open minded and supportive as talking about such a sensitive topic takes a lot of courage and strength to do so. Harvinder joins Young Culture this week to share his inspiring story. From birth he was faced with challenges due to mental health struggles in his family. Being a child living in India it was difficult to process these traumatic events in a way that would help him heal. Even though there were many barriers hindering his mental and emotional health, he found outlets to help himself and now he is ready to share his experiences and pass on what he has learned in his journey!
I sat down with Anjali, a very driven young individual who is getting it done! Anjali has successfully created many products and services such as her organization Youth Helping Youth. She was also the youngest recipient of the Top 25 under 25 Surrey Board of Trade Award. Take a listen to this episode to hear about her journey being a young entrepreneur, how she overcomes ageism on a regular basis and why she thinks it’s valuable to have youth mentoring other youth.
If you are a Canadian citizen you know that we have a federal election coming up next week! (October 21 to be exact!) There was a time in my life where I thought I didn't need to vote because my one vote had no value. It really wouldn't make a difference if I didn't go in to vote. Unfortunately when one person has that mindset, there's a whole trail of other people who will feel the same. I wanted to do this epsiode in the hopes of showing those who are undecided to vote that your vote does count towards a decision that impacts the entire country.
Allison, Kim and Samantha joins us this week to talk about why voting is important, what your vote impacts, and success stories of young voters in the past! A great point these ladies made in this episode: if you can't find it in you to vote for yourself, do it for the ones who don't get the option to vote.
A few months ago I had a listener send in a question about the fear of failure. I briefly answered their question on my IG story but the question had me thinking a little more. I think it’s a concept that’s very prevalent with the young adult group and I thought Zuri Vankevich would be a great person to talk to about this topic! Zuri has accomplished many projects in his young adult years from keynote speaking to marketing and creating a vlog. Take a listen to this episode to hear how he overcomes the fear of failure in his life.
This week’s episode features Vishal Gill, a local financial advisor. Vishal helps us understand what it means to be financially healthy, debunk any money myths, how to save and invest and a few more questions submitted by the listeners as well!
Ben joins us this week to talk about his childhood experiences of working towards becoming a professional athlete. He was close to making his dreams a reality but his life ended up taking a different path where he was able to take components of what he loved doing and turning into a career of bodybuilding and personal training!
This week’s bonus episode features Arjun Panesar, a young individual who is passionate about Men’s mental health. Arjun uses performing arts and dance as a medium to create more conversations about this important cause!
Adrian and I connected at a local event he was hosting. One thing that really stuck out to me about him was how he made others feel comfortable being on stage and sharing their gifts. Not too long ago, Adrian underwent a kidney transplant and having this immense life experience helped him to see what he wanted out of his life and the impact he wants to make in this world.
D Fretter joins us this week to talk about his latest project, his EP ‘Chapter One’. D shares his inspiration behind the songs, what it’s like being a musician, his hopes for the music scene in Vancouver and advice about putting yourself out there!
Part 2 of the Beedie Luminaries episode! Take a listen to 3 more, bright, talented and passionate recipients of the Beedie Luminaries scholarship. They discuss what needs to be improved with the current school system, their future goals and how to apply for financial support.
This week we have a special two part series with some of my youngest guests, who are filled with so much grit, passion and inspiration. They belong to the group of recipients who were awarded a Beedie Luminaries scholarship. Beedie Luminaries offers scholarships to those who face barriers to accessing financial resources for their post secondary education. The great thing about this scholarship program is that they look beyond academic merit to assess the potential recipients. Take a listen to this episode to hear about their future goals, what they learned throughout this process and valuable advice to share with others who might be in a similar situation.
A bonus episode for this week includes talking to Sandeep, the author of “The Habits that Define Us”. Sandeep’s book is intended for us young adults who are grinding to make our dreams come true and need some guidance on how to do in the most efficient and beneficial way. Listen to this episode to get some tips and tricks to help you out with improving your lifestyle!
A beautiful soul inside and out! I met Tatiana in the earlier stages of this podcast and she has been a saving grace for me. Before meeting her, I didn’t know the first thing about how to market this podcast and thanks to her digital marketing business, she has taught me sooo much about the methods to the madness of social media. Before finding her love for marketing, Tatiana has lived an extensive life filled with big learning lessons from her childhood to making a big move from Russia as a teenager. In these experiences, she learned more about herself and how to cope with her mental health. Now she combines both of her passions with social media and mental health to advocate for this very important topic.
Maureen joins us this week to talk about all of the amazing things she's up to from being a dental hygienist to shaking up the gender norms and everything in between. Take a listen to this episode to hear about her experiences working with Sunny's Bridal and Vancouver Fashion Week, her views on gender equality and how she tries to level the playing field in her life. Bonus content is her giving some useful information about dental work and our teeth (tbh I was shocked for days!).
Michael returns to talk about his newly released book 'Bow and Arrow'. He talks about having the courage to live out his passions of writing a book and not letting past circumstances scare him away from making things happen! Michael will be having a meet and greet this coming weekend,(Saturday, August 17 at Prado Cafe in Surrey, BC) make sure to check it out and support local artists in the community who are doing some amazing work.
On Part 2 of the ‘Live Your Best Life’ series, we have James Boston from @talkingwellbeing sharing the tips and tricks of meditation and how it can help with your wellbeing. James comes with great perspectives on meditation, which will definitely inspire you to give it a try. We also get into manifesting and some Q+A’s from the Young Culture team. Make sure you check out the talkingwellbeing platform and listen to what others from around the world have to say about wellbeing.
Nick joins Young Culture this week to talk about his family's business @ajigourmetproducts. His family moved here from Colombia when he was 7 years old. After many social interactions within the community, they decided to bring a piece of their culture from home and share it on a larger scale with their sauce products. Take a listen to this episode to hear more about their journey from moving to Canada to where they are now, what it's like to work with family and some insight about starting your own business.
In this week’s episode, Harpreet talks about her strong relationship with writing. She started her writing in her younger days and as she got older, she became confident in owning her calling. Now she shares her beautiful poetry with others at events, in school and her social media. Take a listen to this episode and you’ll get so hear some of her work and why she believes writing is important for everyone.
Stephen Covic joins us today to talk about his experiences with working in a digital space. We discuss the process, misconceptions and important advice for anyone who is interested incorporating social media into their projects.
The first instalment of the ‘Live Your Best Life’ series includes a health & fitness Q+A with James and Denis, two local personal trainers. They discuss various topics such as: diet trends, effective workouts, and how to get started with fitness.
I had the pleasure of talking to Arshdeep about his business and the philosophies behind it. Arshdeep incorporates mindfulness and spirituality in high performance training with the young athletes he works with. Arshdeep has some great insight and lessons for the young generation. One thing we definitely can agree with, you gotta get your minds right before everything else.
Rochelle talks about her current projects including her organization Campweempower and a published book! The coolest part about her journey as a Social entrepreneur is that it started when she was 15 (what?!). She didn’t let the concept of “you’re too young for such things” get in the away of pursuing her dreams of being a positive impact for youth. Rochelle is a great inspiration for those of you who have big dreams but are scared because of x y or z. I’m sure you’ll feel different after listening to this episode.
James, a personal trainer at a local studio joins us to answer some of my burning health and fitness questions. James comes with tons of knowledge and is passionate about giving others as much valuable information and details as possible to help others live a happy, healthy and confident life!
Munny joins us this week to talk about his experiences as a youth worker and how he used this phase in his career to transition into social work. He also shares his views on being a male in this field, how he’s learned to tackle constructive criticism and taking care of himself emotionally while working in a hospital.
Vaish talks about her journey with life coaching and how she decided to start her own life coaching business because she wanted to help and guide others to be the most confident version they can be! Check out Vaish’s podcast on Anchor as well called ‘EmpowerMe’.
This week’s episode features a hilarious person, Michael! Michael talks to us about his projects (he’s a published author!), love for film and arts and his views on current events that are currently taking place.
Raman joins us to talk about using art forms, such as spoken word to help her heal with her day to day challenges. In doing so, she discovered a powerful way to live, which is to “be love”.
One of my closest friends, Valerie, talks about her journey of being pregnant at 19 and a mother by 20. Entering motherhood is hard for anyone, but for her it was especially hard because of the events that followed. Her relationship with the father ended shortly after, which created other hardships. Valerie let’s us know it’s okay to not be okay and with the love of your support system, you can overcome anything.
Summin and Balraj talk about their journey of creating an organization and fighting for an important cause. Please visit www.lumensociety.com to see the amazing work they’re doing to advocate for invisible illnesses and the challenges that come with it.
Dacious shares his experiences moving to a new country as a teenager and using community engagement as a tool to help him connect with others. He also shares some upcoming projects in the hopes of getting support from organizations within the community.
Simmi shares her experiences of living with her younger brother, who was diagnosed with cancer. Living through this was even more difficult for her and her family because of the traditional Indian values in terms of emotional well being. Instead of being bitter with how her family dealt with the situation, she used this experience to be better. She chose to explore her culture, challenge these ideologies and create amazing initiatives to help her community heal.
Shilpa talks about her upcoming teaching practicum in Uganda and shares her fundraising goals to help out primary students in need of school supplies.
Alisha talks about her experiences with external factors affecting her confidence. Even though she had her struggles in high school, she took control of what was going on around her and used the power of knowledge as a tool to be the best version of herself!
In this episode, I talk more about my past, my insecurities and how I chose to turn my life around instead of letting my past define me.
Akilaa joins in on the conversation this week by sharing her experiences of moving out at a young age, which is considered to be a taboo in her culture. She shares what life was like living with immigrant parents and how her relationship improved with her family after breaking cultural norms.
We are back with Putra to talk more about his experiences with finding out about his adoption and how he dealt with it.
This episode features the first guest, Putra! Putra moved to Canada from Indonesia on a student visa. He faced many challenges during his adjustment period. Instead of letting these challenges get the best of him, he used it as a tool for empowerment and is now sharing his story with everyone in the hopes to reach out to others who may be experiencing similar circumstances.
Welcome to Young Culture! You are listening to the first episode, where I will be introducing myself, how this podcast started, what my hopes are for this podcast and how you can be on an episode. Hope you like it and there will lots more to come!