What are the stories we are told and what are the stories we believe? In most newsrooms across the world there is a morning meeting where reporters discuss the most important stories of the day and which ones to put resources into covering. We live in a time where information comes at us fast. It’s hard to take a breath or know what to trust. Knowledge is power, and when you know better you do better. I want to explore the questions we need to be asking, the stories we need to hear and what exactly is the truth.
Video game director Jennifer Estaris talks about how the role of women in the development of games has changed - and where it’s headed.
Jennifer Estaris (she/her) is a game director at ustwo games, a B Corp studio known for Monument Valley and Alba: A Wildlife Adventure. At ustwo games she directed Monument Valley 2's DLC The Lost Forest and is game directing the next Monument Valley. She has worked in the game industry for the past 15 years at SYBO, Nickelodeon, and Disney, among others, and has spoken at a number of conferences (GDC, SXSW, PGC, Gamescom Congress, Women in Games Conference, etc) about social impact in games. Jennifer is an active member of the UN’s Playing for the Planet and the IGDA Climate SIG, and a mom to a lovely 9 year old.
Playing for the Planet
https://playing4theplanet.org/
ustwo games
https://www.ustwogames.co.uk/
Jennifer’s team is hiring! so would love to note that (job openings link here)
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Carla Carlisle fell in love with her son in an instant, but he was placed back with his birth mother and for several years suffered in traumatic situations.
The process led her to write and speak about her work.
In this interview she talks about how everybody can benefit from being trauma informed.
Carla Carlisle is TEDx speaker, multiple award-winning author, trauma expert, and child advocate. A proud boy mom, she has dedicated her life to informing the world about the impact of trauma and how we can excel beyond it. Carla is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She earned her B.A. in sociology from Indiana University. She earned an M.S. in human resources management from American University and another in organizational development from Johns Hopkins University. Carla obtained a graduate certificate in change management from Johns Hopkins University. Recently named TIAA’s Working Mother of the Year (2022), Carla provides keynotes and workshops to support our communities becoming trauma informed. She incorporates her experiences penned in her memoir, Journey to the Son as well her son, JC’s, in My Big Notebookto drive home how to thrive beyond trauma. Her third book, The Compassionate Companion, is a supportive guide for anyone interested in foster care and/or adoption.
For more info:
https://carlaacarlisle.com/
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The legend, the myth, the theory - whatever you want to call it - of Big Foot has captivated our imaginations for generations.
In her new book journalist, podcast host and author Laura Krantz breaks down the science and the myth of the legendary creature for the middle school set (or anyone else who is just curious…)
https://www.foxtopus.ink/wildthing
https://www.npr.org/2022/10/11/1127485114/bigfoot-book-searching-for-sasquatch
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John Dabrowski is co-creator of Local, Eat, Drink, Celebrate, a Pawley’s Island, SC restaurant noted for creating inspired dishes using local sourced ingredients served in an inclusive environment.
That welcoming nature to all people has its detractors.. as Dabrowski talks about in this interview.
https://www.pawleyslocal.com/
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Kelly Dunbar is the Gilder Lehrman American History Teacher of the Year, representing North Carolina.
Kelly Dunbar comes on the show to talk about her area of research and fascination - Black women pioneers in North Carolina right after the American Civil War.
Dunbar’s Research Presentation:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Wgds3aOKSYxvKzQ6m3zW_AgVNmfASurJDAQZiU-6b2c/edit
Must Reads from Dunbar:
Mary Othella Burnette, Lige of the Black Walnut TreeDarwin J. Waters, "Life Beneath the Veneer: The Black Community in Asheville,
North Carolina from 1793 to 1900". (He is an amazing historian and has a radio show called "The Harvey and Waters Show".
Diana Ramey Berry and Kali Nicole Gross, A Black Woman's History of the United StatesSarah Judson, "Civil Rights and Civic Health: African American Women's Public Health Work in Early Twentieth-Century Atlanta" NWSA Journal
https://mountainx.com/arts/midwives-and-doulas-past-and-present-in-wnc/
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It’s well known among people of color, type 2 diabetes runs in our families. Often thought to be due to diet or lack of exercise, now research shows that if your ancestors faced famine or food insecurity you may be at risk.
In this interview Dr. Ananya Banerjee, Assistant Professor and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism (EDIAR) Lead at the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health School of Population and Global Health at McGill University talks about her work in the field. She helped create the South Asian Health Research Hub.
www.southasianhealthresearchhub.com
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Doula and co-founder of SistasCaring4Sistas Cindy McMillan talks about her experience losing an infant in an extreme act of medical neglicance that is too common for Black patients.
Cindy McMillan was born in Chicago, Ill and spent most of her teenage and adulthood in the Sunshine State of Florida. Cindy became a resident of Asheville NC in 2012. She’s an amazing mother of four who has experienced infant loss, trauma, PTSD, and SDOH shortly after the birth of her twin boys in 2002 and the death of her husband in 2018. She is currently a DONA Certified Birth Doula, Lamaze Trained Childbirth Educator, Certified breastfeeding Peer Counselor, Certified North Carolina Peer Support Specialist, Trained Death and Bereavement Doula; Black Maternal Health Advocate and Community Partner as well as the newly appointed Executive Director of Sistas Caring 4 Sistas Community Based Doulas for Social Justice in Asheville NC.
Cindy’s personal experience with loss, traumatic childbirth, and maternal health inequities has made her a strong ally, advocate, and leader among those who advocate and fight for Justice and equality within Black Maternal Health to increase better outcomes through equitable methods of care and support.
The platform afforded through Sistas Caring 4 Sistas, has made inroads for Cindy McMillan to dedicate her birth work journey towards creating policy change, clinical shift, and pathways to successfully support birthing individuals and their families affected by adverse birthing practices and outcomes.
https://www.sistascaring4sistas.org/
https://mountainx.com/arts/midwives-and-doulas-past-and-present-in-wnc/
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Dr. Benjamin Gilmer takes over a rural medical practice, replacing Dr. Vince Gilmer who is serving time for killing his father.
It doesn’t take long for the new Dr. Gilmer to start wondering what happened to the other Dr. Gilmer, what caused him to snap?
In this 3 part look into the case, journalist Charu Kumarhia re-examines her own encounter with Vince Gilmer and Benjamin Gilmer talks about his relationship with a man suffering the effects of Huntingdon’s disease.
More info:
https://benjamingilmer.com
https://www.gofundme.com/f/rescue-vince-gilmer-a-free-man-still-in-prison
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/27/books/review/new-true-crime-books.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/08/06/northam-gilmer-doctors-murder-pardon/
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/492/dr-gilmer-and-mr-hyde
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Dr. Benjamin Gilmer takes over a rural medical practice, replacing Dr. Vince Gilmer who is serving time for killing his father.
It doesn’t take long for the new Dr. Gilmer to start wondering what happened to the other Dr. Gilmer, what caused him to snap?
In this 3 part look into the case, journalist Charu Kumarhia re-examines her own encounter with Vince Gilmer and Benjamin Gilmer talks about his relationship with a man suffering the effects of Huntingdon’s disease.
More info:
https://benjamingilmer.com
https://www.gofundme.com/f/rescue-vince-gilmer-a-free-man-still-in-prison
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/27/books/review/new-true-crime-books.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/08/06/northam-gilmer-doctors-murder-pardon/
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/492/dr-gilmer-and-mr-hyde
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...
Almost two decades ago a young reporter is sent to cover a brutal homicide of a man, detectives suspect his physician son.
In this season premiere Charu Kumarhia remembers that evening and her first impressions of Dr. Vince Gilmer.
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/492/dr-gilmer-and-mr-hyde
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After 9 seasons, 80 plus episodes content creator/writer/journalist/speaker Charu Kumarhia talks about the show going on a hiatus.
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Karen Petersen always knew there was a problem she needed help with, in 2002 she was ready to do something about it.
Growing up with an alcoholic father she was familiar with the disease. Alcohol became a way for her to cope with other anxieties but soon she realized she was addicted.
In this interview she shares her story and how others may be struggling as well.
Petersen wrote this blog post in 2021 about her struggle and success:
https://minndixiemom.wordpress.com/
If you are someone you know needs help with alcohol:
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/treatment-alcohol-problems-finding-and-getting-help
Many people choose not to drink alcohol for various reasons, as a host it’s always nice to have something special for those guests. There is a world of “mocktails” out there but here is a special holiday one created just for The Story with Charu listeners:
Apple Ginger Sparkler:
Blend Sparkling Apple Juice (we used Martinelli’s Brand) with equal parts Ginger Beer (we used CannonBorough)
More juice will make it sweet and more ginger beer will make it tart. You can add club soda or seltzer to add fizz.
We topped this with a dried, candied orange but a piece of crystalized ginger could work too! Check out https://www.instagram.com/thestorywithcharu/?hl=en to take a look at the results.
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Roopa Pai is one of India’s best-known writers for children. The Bangalore-based author has written over 25 books and given countless talks and lectures related to heritage.
Her two most popular books are the award-winning Indian national bestseller “The Gita For Children” and its prequel “The Vedas And Upanishads For Children.”
She recently co-authored fitness evangelist and supermodel Milind Soman’s memoir – “Made In India.”
In this conversation Pai and Kumarhia talk about the spirtual wisdom of ancient India and how to understand it today.
Check out her popular Tedx Talks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMI0j1AJh5Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckaEwJj2A1U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9UvkK2xxr0
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/2939420.Roopa_Pai
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William Dissen is a renowed chef with 3 popular restaurants in North Carolina. He’s also known for his efforts to be sustainable.
In this interview Kumarhia and Dissen talk about the love of food, cultural traditions and how to celebrate Thanksgiving without the myth of its origin.
Find out more about Dissen here:
https://marketplace-restaurant.com/chef-william-dissen
https://haymakerclt.com/team/william-dissen/
https://billydschicken.com/
https://twitter.com/chefbillyd?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
https://www.instagram.com/chefbillyd/?hl=en
Watch William going head to head to Gordon Ramsay here:
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x82m7zf
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Family therapist Ann Dillard has built a following among folks who want to better their parent/child dynamic - no matter the age of the child.
She offers conversation prompts for parents, especially mothers, who are eager to listen and repair generational patterns of trauma and neglect.
In this interview, content creator Charu Kumarhia and Dillard talk about being raised in immigrant households and how to do the work of mending relationships.
Dillard also wrote the Amazon #1 Bestseller Unchain My Legacy and has contributed to several other publications.
You can find more about Dillard and her work here:
Ann Dillard, LMFT, DWCF
Brainspotting Therapist
President, K.I.P. Consulting Services
Therapist . Teen Therapist . Parent Coach . Author . Speaker
Phone: (763)228-9757 Email: KIPConsult@msn.com
IG: @AnnDillard.LMFT
Clubhouse: Anndillardlmft
www.anndillard.com
www.payhip.com/healthyconversations
https://www.facebook.com/AnnDillard.MA.LMFT
Transforming the lives and minds of teens and those who love them
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Ainsle MacLeod is a past life psychic who never wanted to believe in psychics. His path has led him to work with famous clients (he often has a waiting list) and in front of Oprah Winfrey for her Soul Sunday podcast.
In this interview, the second he’s done with creator Charu Kumarhia, the two talk about a soul’s mission and about the general basic stuff that makes up the life of a famous psychic.
https://ainsliemacleod.com/
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Matthew Raiford was winning accolades in the food world, traveling, writing amazing cookbooks, meeting other foodie folks - but something was drawing him back to Georgia.
His family has owned and operated Gilliard Farms in Burnswick, GA for centuries. For context, this is the same part of the southeast where Ahmaud Arbery was brutally killed while jogging, the crime covered up until the public outcry grew to a zenith. Food, culture and activism combine in Raiford’s talents and efforts.
In this interview creator Charu Kumarhia and Raiford talk about their love of history and food.
https://www.chefarmermatthew.com/
https://www.gilliard-farms.com/
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www.charukumarhia.com
Michael Muller was a first grade teacher and a man committed to creating and supporting things of beauty in this world.. then came along a furry little rascal that was full of personality - Mirabelle.
Mirabelle was a Boston Terrier gifted to him, soon she was inspiring him to create children’s books. The Adventures of Mirabelle was born.
In this conversation, Charu Kumarhia and Muller talk about their shared love of the breed and why it was so important to find things of joy over the last few years.
https://www.theadventuresofmirabelle.com/
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Sunya Folayan ventured into something new in 2003. After working as a family and marriage therapist she decided to follow her heart and work as an artist. She especially wanted to explore fabric and processes used across the globe.
In this interview she talks about how keeping these ways alive relates to her work as an activist.
Find out more about Folayan here:
https://www.sunyafolayan.com/
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Yvonne Liu could not stop herself from writing and her best work is when she tells her own story.
She was found on a Hong Kong staircase as a baby and then spent the next several months in an orphanage. A Chinese-American couple adopted her but her childhood was full of emotional and physical abuse.
In 2021 she submitted a brief synopsis of her story to the New York Times Tiny Love Stories section. Even though it was a tiny love story, it captivated many readers.
In our interview Liu talks about the healing power of writing and the impact telling your story can have on others.
Find her on Twitter and Instagram: @yvonneliuwriter
Find out more about her work here:
https://yvonneliuwriter.com/
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eC1Mnv2S3jpRv3WsDy2icVe78Lk90nkN/view?usp=drive_web
https://www.salon.com/2021/09/13/everybody-loves-raymond-anniversary-parental-favorite/
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Earl B. Hunter Jr. started Black Folks Camp Too after years in the RV and outdoor recreation industry. After going on a backpacking trip with friends in 2015, he fell in love with the great outdoors and wondered why more African Americans weren’t out there too. He knew all too well the fears and stigma associated with “the woods” for Black Americans.
His company’s goal is to ensure the woods is a place where all people feel safe and at ease. In this interview host Charu Kumarhia and Hunter talk about their shared love of the woods and how to get more Black folks to camp too.
Find out more:
https://www.blackfolkscamptoo.com/
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Anu Sehgal grew up in India and moved to the United States more than 20 years ago. She realized quickly that keeping one’s language skills strong in the melting pot that is America is hard.
Once she became a mother, the lack of quality and authentic Indian programs and classes became even more evident. Sehgal believes an awareness of one’s heritage, culture and language is key for children to become self-aware and confident individuals.
That’s why she started The Culture Tree, a New York based company that offers language and culture classes for students in the city and across the country. The Culture Tree also partners with organizations and museums to bring South Asian culture and languages to the forefront.
More on Seghal and her company:
http://indiangirlamericanworld.blogspot.com/2017/03/anu-sehgal-famous-fridays.html
https://theculturetree.com/
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On August 4, 1910 these words were said in connection to a statue erected to honor the Confederacy in Cornelius, North Carolina:
“… to love home and its purity, protect from taint the Saxon blood that courses in your veins.”
Complete Speech here:
http://archive.org/details/idealconfederate00burw/mode/2up?view=theater
Confederate statues were erected at a time when Civil War Veterans were dying and when American Blacks were asking to be included in the society they helped build.
The speech above glorifies the Confederate soldier - whom some white southerners believe fought for his state and homeland, and not so much slavery. Historical record indicts that slavery was very much the reason for the Civil War, because the work of the enslaved held up the entire economy of the United States at that time.
For many - Confederate monuments glofiy the cause of white supremacy and downplay the terror many African-Americans faced in the fight for a more equal society (and still do).
111 years after the statue was dedicated, journalist and wrtier Charu Kumarhia attended a demonstartion for its removal and met a young activist Justin Miller.
In this interview they both discuss the event and an interesting development from the night.
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Landon Eustache is a high powered corporate attorney with a soft spot for kids.
Years ago he started doing pro bono work for the Charlotte based Council for Children’s Rights.
The Mecklenburg County based non profit envisions a community committed to standing up, speaking out, and acting to ensure every child’s right to be safe, healthy, and well-educated. The group works across various aspects of society to defend and champion the rights of children to be supported and treated with fairness, compassion, and respect, regardless of personal obstacles.
You can find more about the group here:
https://www.cfcrights.org/
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Charu Kumarhia talks to JT Kaltreider about how the pandemic inspired the edcuator to find a new way to reach children and let them know they matter.
JT Kaltreider, or most famously known as Mister Kay, is an elite early childhood educator with over a decade of experience in the field. He currently is in Drexel University’s Doctorate in Educational Leadership & Management program with a concentration in Global & International education. Mister Kay also received his K-12 Principal Certificate from Drexel and a Master of Education with a specialization in Special Education from The Pennsylvania State University. He dual majored in college and received his Bachelor of Science in Education with a PreK-4th grade teacher certification.JT is a National Marketing Coordinator for the Children’s Media Association and a member of the Diversity Content Committee. He wants all children to feel that they matter and a have a purpose in the world.
Follow this link to find The Mister Kay Show:
https://solo.to/misterkayshow
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www.charukumarhia.com
Michiel Perry is a South Carolina girl who loves all things Southern and stylish. When she started plannng her Charleston wedding and decorating her first home she realized that there was not enough out there about being Black and Southern - even though most African-Americans can trace their roots in the American South.
That spurred her to create the digital lifestyle brand Black Southern Belle. Black Southern Belle has been featured on HGTV, Essence, Black Enterprise, Draper James, Apartment Therapy, Brides, Today, Levo League, AOL Lifestyle Collective, and more. They’ve also done marketing campaigns with Pure Leaf, American Express, Gildan, Walmart, and various Fortune 500 companies.
In this interview Perry talks about how there is more to the American South than meets the eye.
Find more here:
https://blacksouthernbelle.com/about-us-black-southern-belle/
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Most of us did not learn about the story of Robert Smalls, which is shocking when you look at what he accomplished.
In short, Smalls, enslaved in Beaufort, South Carolina is credited with stealing a Confederate ship and delivering it to Union forces in 1862. He went on to serve in the South Carolina legislature and the US House of Representatives. He founded what became the first public education system for all.
In this interview his great, great grandson discusses his life and why we are still working on social justice issues today.
More information:
http://www.afrocentric.me/
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwim9vi-6t3xAhVeRTABHR9EDEAQFjAFegQICBAD&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.africanamericancharleston.com%2Farticles%2Fthe-incredible-life-of-robert-smalls%2F&usg=AOvVaw0YE8XWMhAs8cO-ME1BdHV0
https://yourislandnews.com/great-great-grandson-of-robert-smalls-highlights-day-at-penn-school/
https://www.ocregister.com/2016/03/04/descendant-of-slave-who-stole-rebel-ship-named-head-of-planned-international-african-american-museum/
https://thegrio.com/2013/02/21/the-descendants-robert-smalls-great-great-grandson-says-hes-the-unsung-hero-of-the-civil-war/
https://www.greenvilleonline.com/videos/news/2017/09/18/michael-moore-reflects-great-great-grandfather-robert-smalls/105769670/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6T7ksyhUkw
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Dr. Kanchan Koya is on a mission to demystify spice, food and the way we eat.
The Harvard. trained molecular biologist is also the author of Spice, Spice Baby - 100 receipes for your family table.
Find more about her amazing work here:
https://www.spicespicebaby.com/about/
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www.charukumarhia.com
Tamanna Raisinghani is a software enginneer who has a side hustle of being a spirtualist. From a young age, she found herself asking questions and seeking answers.
Her musings have found an audience online. In this conversation she and journalist Charu Kumarhia talk about their shared history growing up as Hindus and how it relates to spritual understanding.
Here are some of Raisinghani’s articles:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/souls-resonance_b_8427392
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/post_10009_b_8180898
https://indiacurrents.com/decoding-mindfulness/
https://indiacurrents.com/do-you-work-2/
https://indiacurrents.com/unpeeling-the-real-me/
https://indiacurrents.com/an-unusual-whatsapp-rendezvous/
https://medium.com/@t.raisinghani/my-dream-house-a0ee9c544de9
https://medium.com/@t.raisinghani/nothing-out-of-box-about-it-60b63906262a
https://indiacurrents.com/40-life-lessons-on-turning-40/
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/whats-holding-you-back_b_9722152
https://traisinghani.wixsite.com/cupofcoffee/single-post/2018/03/12/impressions-of-a-bumpy-ride
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Victoria Smalls grew up on St. Helena, South Carolina. St. Helena is a barrier island on the coast of of the eastern United States. It’s home to many descendants of slaves brought from Africa to grow rice, sea island cotton and other crops.
In this interview she talks about her Gullah heritage and the famous Penn School set up to educate newly freed slaves.
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Dr. Jennifer Mullan trained as a psychologist but quickly realized that so much of what we call therapy doesn’t get to the root of systematic oppression. That realization led her to start Decolonizing Therapy. In this interview she talks about that work.
Find more here:
https://www.drjennifermullan.com/
Dr. Jennifer Mullan creates spaces for people and organizations to heal. She believes that it is essential to create a dialogue to address how mental health is deeply affected by systemic inequities and the trauma of oppression. Dr. Mullan has earned her Doctorate of Psychology (Psy.D) in Clinical Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies; a Master’s in Counseling & Community Agencies from New York University’s Steinhardt School of Education; and her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and Elementary Education, from New Jersey City University. She notes that her dissertation: “Slavery and the Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma in Inner-City African American Male Youth: From the Cotton Fields to the Concrete Jungle,” has been a primary foundation for her current work in furthering emotional wellness on a larger collective scale for communities of color. Dr. Mullan is currently a full-time Psychologist at New Jersey City University’s Counseling Center, facilitator for the campus LGBTQIA+ Support group, Coordinator of the University’s nationally recognized Peer Education program (Peers Educating Peers). She has almost 15 years of experience in clinical practice, higher education, teaching, and grant writing. She is passionately committed to solidarity work that effectively addresses inequities based on race, gender, class, ability, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Her professional research and clinical interests include complex and intergenerational trauma, group psychotherapy, LGBTQIA wellness, spirituality & mindfulness practices, racism as trauma, healing in therapeutic settings, self-love as a revolutionary act, and the process of decolonizing mental health.
Social Media has been a primary platform for Dr. Mullan’s current work in politicizing therapy and emotional health on a larger collective scale, with over 53K followers on Instagram. In 2019, she founded Decolonizing Therapy, LLC. They seek to create spaces to “call mental health professions IN” (rather than call people out). Dr. Mullan believes it is essential to ask mental health professionals to reassess their education, “whom they are serving? “and begin to question the relatability of the mental health industrial complex to the People they serve. It is her belief that we can tend to our emotional/ mental health AND hold systemic oppression accountable. You can frequently hear Dr. Mullan stating, “Everything is political!” Dr. Mullan also centralizes Historical and Intergenerational Trauma, which she identifies as Ancestral Trauma, at the crux of decolonization work. Through the movement of Decolonizing Therapy, Dr. Mullan can be found providing international keynotes, holding Radicalizing Rage workshops, doing Coaching sessions while un-training mental health professionals and providing Ancestral healing sessions.
Whether on stage or through her writing, Dr. Mullan offers conscious, clear, and authentic dialogue that is a healing interchange of therapy, intersectional awareness, social justice work, and practical interventions that pave a path for her participants to carve out a purposeful life for themselves. She is passionate about helping people and movements define their own healing and resistance to oppression. She loves cats, the ocean, brunch, dancing, and affirmation cards.
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Chef Therese Nelson’s culinary career began in 2004 after graduating summa cum laude from Johnson and Wales University, with degrees in Food Service Management and Culinary Arts. Her training spanned throughout the East Coast, where she worked her way through the kitchens of major hotel groups such as the Hilton, Marriott, Orient Express, and Four Seasons. In 2006, she joined the all-female team of The Get Em' Girl Inc., using her culinary expertise as a recipe consultant for the company's two branded cookbooks, The Get Em' Girl's Guide to the Power of Cuisine and The Get Em Girl's Guide to the Perfect Get Together. She was the food editor for the brand's lifestyle website and the executive chef for the company's in-house boutique catering company.
Her food graced the tables of global brands such as Black Enterprise, Carol's Daughter, BET, MTV, WEEN, Verizon, and RocNation. In 2014 the company dissolved and Thérèse pivoted to the private sector, working as a chef for select clients, writing for publications such as First We Feast, and consulting for catering and restaurant businesses throughout the Tri-State area.
In addition to her culinary life, Thérèse is the founder and culinary curator of Black Culinary History, founded in 2008 as a way to connect Black chefs, preserve Black heritage throughout the African diaspora, promote and share the work of Black food and beverage professionals, and maintain the legacy being constructed by Black chefs for the next generation.
Thérèse is a member of Eta Sigma Delta, Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, Southern Foodways Alliance, Equity At The Table, International Association of Culinary Professionals, National Association of Professional Women, and the Culinary Historians of New York. She’s worked with AFROPUNK and has been featured in the Washington Post, New York Times, and Huffington Post. She is a board member of the Museum of Food and Drink and was one of the first chefs-in-residence for TASTE Cooking. Thérèse is a proud native of Newark, NJ and currently resides in East Harlem, NY where she enjoys being a part of the community's rich and diverse culinary landscape, personally and professionally.
https://www.blackculinaryhistory.com/home
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Natalie Weaver became a sudden advocate for those with facial deformations, the profoundly disabled and the medically fragile when her own daughter (who suffered from all three) was at risk of having medical benefits cut. The journey has taken her to congressional hearings and meetings with other activists around the country.
It has also made her the target of online trolls.
In this interview she talks about becoming a mom to Sophia and finding her voice and purpose thru that bond. Sophia passed away in 2019. While her decade on earth was brief, the impact is profound.
Find out more:
https://www.sophias-voice.com/about-us
https://www.natalieweaver.com/
Grow with Sophia (helping in discussing facial differences with kids):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXO4jnDdXIw
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Moshitadi Lehlomela is a counselor and life coach based in South Africa. She launched Temple Beautiful, a service to help men and women heal their mother wound so they can live their best lives in 2017.
Lehlomela had no idea when she started her work the impact she would have, and the interest from people outside of her own African culture.
The “mother wound” is a theory in psychology that states if a mother is not able to meet the needs of her child - she will create long lasting wounds that often keep getting passed down thru generations. Mother wounds can exist because the mother herself was experiencing great stress at the time of birth and the early childhood years.
Find @thestorywithcharu on Instagram to see pictures of Lehlomela and be linked to her work. These articles and links on the mother wound explain the syndrome more:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/addiction-and-recovery/201910/the-mother-wound
https://www.healthline.com/health/mother-wound
https://www.terricole.com/themotherwound/
https://www.terricole.com/healingthemotherwound/
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Brad Stoehr has always liked helping people, but becoming a kidney donor wasn’t necessarily on the list.
That all changed when he saw a social media post about a high school friend in need of a kidney.
On January 25, 2021 Stoehr gave Petra Herzog (part 1 of this story) a kidney.
The process lead them both to create the non profit Odd Kidneys. In this interview he talks about what in his life lead to the living kidney donation.
Find out more about the group and Type 1 Diabetes here:
https://www.oddkidneys.org/
https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/type-1
Outside of serving Odd Kidneys, Stoehr is the Central Divisional Director for Horizon Investments. His most important job is as a husband and father. He and wife Leslie have two kids, Stella Reese and Miller Patrick.
Stoehr is an avid Clemson fan (class of 2005), he was also the guy inside the school mascot when he was a student there!
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Petra Herzog developed Type 1 Diabetes as a child and has struggled with the harsh effects of this disease for decades.
In 2020 as the Covid pandemic raged across the globe, Herzog was hospitalized because of the effects from the disease. That’s when she found out she’d have to be on dialysis until she could get a kidney transplant.
After months of tests - high school friend Brad Stoehr was approved as a match. On January 25, 2021 Stoehr gave Herzog a kidney. In this interview she talks about how it all happened.
The process led to the creation of a non-profit - Odd Kidneys.
Odd Kidneys helps donors, recipients, and their caregivers navigate through the process of living donation.
Find more about their efforts and Type 1 Diabetes here:
https://www.oddkidneys.org/
https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/type-1
Petra is an alum of Wofford College and University of SC. She earned her Master’s in psychology from Harvard University. Boating is one of her biggest passions and she’s happy to be able to do water activities now that she’s had a transplant. She loves animals, and definitely spoils her French Bulldog, Luna, way too much!
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Annesa Tabassum’s message is a simple one - “just one survivor trying to help the other”. She has turned her story of domestic abuse into a huge social media following on Instagram and TikTok - where she helps others see the way out. Go to @thestorywithcharu on Instagram to be linked.
Some links for more information:
http://www.ncdsv.org/ncd_linksasian.html
https://www.thehotline.org/
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
The best advice the guests of this last season had to offer...
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
In this interview, Isis Bey talks about how to come at the world from a place of power.
More info on the community center she started:
www.harmonyhealthpllc.com
How to support Harmony Health:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/harmony-health-mental-health-fund
https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/a-lot-pain-charlotte-woman-shares-her-journey-surviving-sexual-abuse/QBYLQXZWPFFBTEKHLCPE427JNU/
Bey’s Bio:
Isis Bey is the founder and owner of Harmony Health Therapeutic Services and an Adjunct Professor with multiple Universities. Bey is also an NC Supervisor for Clinical Social Workers and currently completing her credits to supervise LCMHCA's in the future.
Ms. Bey completed her Graduate education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She has over 20 years' experience working with children and families. She is Nationally Certified as an Advanced Level Complex Trauma Clinician, Gang Specialist and Parent Educator.
Her experience in the clinical field includes but is not limited to Crisis Intervention, Assessment, Individual, Groups and Couples Counseling, and Trauma. She also has practice experience using Mindfulness, Somatic Experience, Spiritual Social Work, African Drumming and Dance as a therapeutic tool. Her training/consulting experience includes Advocacy, Ethics, Implicit Bias, Systematic Disparities, Anti-Racism, Group Therapy, Child Welfare, Parent Education, Gang Intervention, Human Trafficking, Domestic and Teen Dating Violence. Ms. Bey has taught courses that include Group Therapy Advanced Practice, Human Behavior in the Social Environment, Interpersonal Skills, Trauma and Social Work Practice, Generalist Social Work Practice, Social Work Ethics, Field Instruction and more.
Ms. Bey offers treatment, training and supervision through an Eclectic Humanistic Approach, which is a person-centered, strengths-based approach. The belief is that the participant is the expert of his or her life experiences. She is a guide and coach in the treatment or learning process, offering tools, feedback, resources, experiental learning, skills and techniques to assist the individual in the healing or learning process, and uses treatment modalities that are trauma-informed and evidence-based. Ms. Bey loves spending time with her family, engaging in community work and traveling.
www.harmonyhealthpllc.com
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Ron Potts grew up in Smithville, a historic Black section of Cornelius, North Carolina. Cornelius is a town north of Charlotte, they share the same county. For decades Smithville was not incorporated into the mostly white town. Right now, it is the largest - still in tact - historic Black community in Mecklenburg County, NC.
Potts went off to college, worked in other parts of the country and even served in the Vietnam war. He came back home and has been an active community activist and organizer.
In this interview he talks about how the last 4 years of life in America felt like no progress was really being made and how he has continued to be active and engaged.
Find more about the Smithville community here:
https://oldtowncornelius.com/smithville-cornelius-nc-history-redevelopment/?fbclid=IwAR3meTewjqxIwL8vamJMnZmcsdZXW0Q3Enqismum46G2wLMsLAkyiXIvGl4
https://www.corneliustoday.com/smithville-community/
https://www.lakenormanpublications.com/articles/celebrating-smithvilles-history/
https://www.corneliustoday.com/wayland-whisnant-potts/
Ron Potts cannot find definitive proof that his people were enslaved at the nearby Potts Plantation, but such a conclusion would be reasonable by most historians’ standard.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potts_Plantation
The famous Nannie Potts of Cornelius was Ron Potts’ sister in law
https://www.wfae.org/local-news/2018-11-16/remembering-nannie-potts-1st-female-and-only-black-mayor-of-cornelius
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Byron Ballard grew up wild and “unchurched” in the mountains of rural western North Carolina. That lack of religious structure allowed her to grow her own spiritual practices - which later she would identify as Paganism/Wicca, a collection of earth based spirtual practices.
Such beliefs manifested around the world with similar ideas. Ballard is a folklorist specializing in the cultural history of the Scotch/Irish who immigrated to the Appalachian mountains.
You can find more about her here:
https://www.myvillagewitch.com/
If you order her latest book from Malaprops you can get a signed copy:
https://www.malaprops.com/book/9780738764535
H. Byron Ballard, BA, MFA, is a western NC native, teacher, folklorist and writer. She has served as a featured speaker and teacher at Sacred Space Conference, Pagan Spirit Gathering, Southeast Wise Women’s Herbal Conference, Glastonbury Goddess Conference, Heartland, Sirius Rising, Starwood, Scottish Pagan Federation Conference, Hexfest and other festivals and conferences. She serves as senior priestess and co-founder of Mother Grove Goddess Temple and the Coalition of Earth Religions/CERES, both in Asheville, NC. She podcasts about Appalachian folkways on “Wyrd Mountain Gals.”
Her essays are featured in several anthologies and she writes a regular column for SageWoman Magazine. Her books include “Staubs and Ditchwater” (2012), the companion volume “Asfidity and Mad-Stones” (2015) “Embracing Willendorf” (2017), “Earth Works: Ceremonies in Tower Time” (2018),“Roots, Branches, and Spirits: the Folkways and Witchery of Appalachia” fromLlewellyn (Feb. 2021) and “Seasons of a Magical Life: a Pagan Path of Living” (Weiser, August 2021). Upcoming: “The Ragged Wound: Tending the Soul of Appalachia” (Smith Bridge Press), “Porch Food: a cookbook from Wyrd Mountain” and a musical adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Dara King, who is Black, grew up in an all consuming white experience.
Her family became active in an evangelical white church when she was a child. She attended several times a week, even going to the church school. Hearing racist interpretations of the Bible and cruel things from other members started to wear thin on King, who (even at a young age) was Black and proud.
In this interview - she talks about the last 4 years in America, what she thinks the future holds and how she has used her business savvy to cultivate a brand of products that help create a brighter future.
You can order Ollies Fizzies (named after her son) here:
https://olliesfizzies.com
Learn more about the book the family wrote together:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mytinytemper/my-tiny-temper-hardcover?ref=project_link
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Patsy Keever is a school teacher turned political servant. She was a county commissioner and state legislator in North Carolina for years.
In 2010 Keever ran for Congress. That year North Carolina’s political districts were so out of whack, her district was redrawn and gerrymandered to the point that she couldn’t vote for herself (even though she had lived in that district for decades).
In 2019 a 3 judge panel would rule that the state’s maps were so gerrymandered that it violated the state’s constitution. Republicans had drawn the maps to benefit the GOP with “surgical precision.”
The process of redistricting is confusing, here are some resources that explain what happened:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/north-carolinas-gop-drawn-map-is-struck-down-as-improper-gerrymander-11567552915 (The Wall Street Journal is a right leaning newspaper specializing in financial/economic reporting.)
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/under-the-dome/article193814154.html
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-north-carolina-gerrymandering/north-carolina-court-strikes-down-state-legislative-map-as-unconstitutional-gerrymander-idUSKCN1VO2MD
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Tom Johnson has had an interesting career. Starting out at a local newspaper in Macon, Georgia to working for President Lyndon B. Johnson to heading up CNN in its early years. (Full bio below)
In this interview - writer Charu Kumarhia talks to Johnson about his career, his thoughts on politics and journalism today - and why everyone should have a dog. Tom Johnson is also candid about his struggles with depression.
Follow @thestorywithcharu on IG for photos from Johnson’s life.
He also shared these tips:
The most important "rules" I was taught in my news career1. GET IT RIGHT! (Aka BE ACCURATE). My first editor at THE MACON TELEGRAPH (Sam Glassman, sports editor)
2. TELL THE TRUTH (Helen Thomas, UPI, on my first day as a White House press officer)
3. DEMAND EXCELLENCE (in yourself and those who work with you). Otis Chandler, publisher of L.A. TIMES
4. BE FAIR! (Ted Turner)
5. NEVER COMPROMISE ON YOUR PRINCIPLES! Integrity is critically needed in all professions! (Bill Moyers)
6. HAVING TWO OR MORE SOURCES DOES NOT ASSURE THAT YOU HAVE THE TRUTH (Cardinal Bernadin story; TAILWIND story; Richard Jewell/Olympic park bomber story---all false)
7. ADMIT MISTAKES. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY! PUBLISH THE CORRECTION WITH SAME VISIBILITY AS INITIAL MISTAKE---NOT IN A CORRECTIONS BOX ON BOTTOM OF PAGE 3.
8. NEVER USE YOUR POWER AS A JOURNALIST IRRESPONSIBLY. The day you protect a family member or a friend from truthful reporting is the day you should resign. Be a watchdog, not an attack dog or a lap dog?
Johnson asked us to share his email - he doesn’t want anyone struggling with mental illness to not get the help they need. It’s: tom.johnson.atl@gmail.com
Johnson retired in 2001 at age 60, after having served as chairman and CEO of CNN, publisher of Los Angeles Times, editor and publisher of The Dallas Times Herald, assistant to President Lyndon B. Johnson, a White House Fellow and a reporter on The Macon (Ga.) Telegraph. He and Edwina divide their time between Georgia and California where their son Wyatt, their daughter Mrs. William (Christa) Shaffer, their son-in-law Bill Shaffer, and their two granddaughters Brynn Shaffer (19) and Julene Shaffer (18) live.
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
As a young child, MacLeod would experience premonitions then be stunned that they would come true. He says he would also see spirits. Later, after years of being an atheist and non believer (and after a rather in your face encounter with a deceased relative at a Borders bookstore) he embraced his talent for communicating with “spirit guides”.
MacLeod embraces the concept of reincarnation - the idea that your soul is born and born again in different ways (an idea prevelant in eastern religions like Hinduism and Buddhism).
In this episode he and Charu Kumarhia discuss why those who consider themselves old souls cannot ignore what happens in the political sphere.
You can find more about MacLeod and his work here:
https://ainsliemacleod.com/
Membership - https://soulworld.com/
Books - https://ainsliemacleod.com/about/books/
Soul World Sunday: http://soulworldsunday.com/
Some favorite blog posts related to the intersection of politics and spirtuality:
https://ainsliemacleod.com/a-few-thoughts-on-the-us-january-2021-insurrection/
https://ainsliemacleod.com/soul-ages-and-politics-the-spiritual-source-of-the-left-right-divide/
https://ainsliemacleod.com/reincarnation-and-politics/
https://ainsliemacleod.com/speaking-your-truth-in-the-age-of-trump/
https://ainsliemacleod.com/trumpenstein/
Also head to @thestorywithcharu on instagram to see pictures of Ainslie MacLeod and link to his profile.
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Brittany Kelly’s family has been part of the Rock Hill, South Carolina community for generations - the good and bad parts of its past.
Rock Hill is the small southern town were civil rights icon and former Georgia congressman John Lewis was beaten and bloodied by members of the KKK.
Kelly returned to her hometown and married another local. In 2018 they opened The Mercantile, a local retailer that sells all sorts of cute goodies - and a dose of history. The store and the Kellys have become a source of activism, organzining and building community. The shop features a community fridge where locals in need can get a meal and will soon take part in a series of dinners where two diametrically opposed diners will sit and talk it out.
While some stores have been closing down due to Covid, The Mercantile has had their best year - a testament to supporting the community you live in.
You can find more about the store here:
https://cdmercantile.com/
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
In this episode writer, speaker and preformer Hannah Hasan talks about how the last part of 2020 is still affecting most of us and how we all go forward from here, especially since we may not be able to find common ground.
Hasan feels one of the most actionable things we can do is find joy in everyday activities and in small random acts that bring joy to others we love.
You can find out more about her here:
https://www.facebook.com/epochtribe/
and on Instagram:
@iamhannahhasan
@epochtribe
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Kelly Rowe was a comic booking emcee and hosting gigs across the country when she met and married the love of her life, Terran Walker. Then they received the news of his cancer diagnosis.
The next several years she dropped out of an extroverted life to help him manage until his death in March of 2019. Rowe who never believed much in spirtual things says she started receiving signs through the process that haven’t stopped. She took up sky diving to help heal her heart and mind and is working on a book about PTSD and healing through extreme sports.
In this interview she shares her story.
See pictures of Kelly Rowe and Terran Walker on Instagram @thestorywithcharu
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Journalist Charu Kumarhia talks about how the lofty goals many of us set at the beginning of each new year might be kept more in check at the start of 2021.
For great mental health care tips Kumarhia recommends:
https://www.nedratawwab.com/
https://www.instagram.com/dr.marielbuque/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/southasiantherapists/?hl=en
https://www.sylvestermcnutt.net/
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Season 5 of The Story with Charu podcast wraps up with the host’s thoughts on the oddest year in most people’s lives.
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Journalist Charu Kumarhia talks to Tammy Gibson who works to fund her travel passion. She uses those travels to educate those who follow her about Black and African culture.
Find out more about Sankofa TravelHer here:
Tammy Gibson, Entrepreneur, Travel Historian & Author
Purchase my book: https://www.sankofatravelher.com/book-honoring-the-legacy
Sankofa TravelHer
Black History Traveler & Blogger
"Black History Is More Than 28 Days"
Website: http://www.sankofatravelher.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SankofaTravelher/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/1BlessedCEO
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammy-gibson/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sankofatravelher/
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Archna Malhotra Becker grew a passion for home cooked, authentic Indian meals into a family business, and then a personal business.
Her restaurant Bhojanic is wildly popular in the Atlanta area - and has grown to include cooking classes, a food truck and other avenues.
Find more about the chef here:
https://www.bhojanic.com/
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Filmmaker, documentarian and friend Frederick Murphy and Charu Kumarhia talked about the killing of George Floyd - here is that conversation.
More information about Murphy’s project- History Before Us can be found here:
https://www.historybeforeus.com/
At History Before Us, we understand the importance of history to our collective humanity and we are committed to collecting and preserving it. We are born from many years of family research and a passion for preserving the oral stories taken from the people before us who were part of certain periods of history. With careful attention to historical events came a burning desire to share the knowledge gained via various modalities of education.
Our goal is to preserve for future generations, these valuable stories, and experiences that will never return. We are committed to making sure that the masses have insight into historical events with the firm belief historical knowledge provides a background for making solid decisions in the future. As the old saying goes, “he who refuses to learn from the past is doomed to repeat it.” History Before Us understands that history is the lens through which we can put our present experiences into perspective. It is the one thing that shows us who we truly are, and how we arrived to our present state of being.
Since 2016, we have played a constant role in the collection and preservation of history while being committed to advocating how history influences the future. We firmly believe not collecting and sharing historical information would be doing a disservice to mankind.
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Filmmaker and amateur historian Frederick Murphy talks about how black and brown people can find peace of mind moving forward after a divisive election.
Find more about Murphy, including a link to his latest documentary here:
https://www.historybeforeus.com/
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Charu talks with Diana Moscoso, a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate (LCMHCA) about how her own experiences in childhood shaped her career choice.
She grew up in Columbia, South American which at the time had a huge problem with narcotics trafficking. She also is a survivor of child abuse.
Moscoso works at Sanctuary Counseling Group. You can find more information about their practice here:
https://www.sanctuarycounselinggroup.org/
More on her therapy work can be found here:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/diana-c-moscoso-davidson-nc/704744
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
What a strange trip it’s been.
In today’s episode actor, writer and novelist J. Shawn Durham and Charu Kumarhia discuss the 2020 election results and what we know thus far.
It’s a lighthearted talk that promises to make you laugh and think.
Check out Durham’s latest work The Great Recession Podcast - more information can be found here:
https://thegreatrecessionpodcast.com/story/
Attention-craving billionaire Richard J. Spade, a man known for “speaking first and thinking later” launches a bid for the U.S. presidency and plays to Americans’ lowest and most base impulses by being crude, racist, sexist and boorish. He wins the office. What happens next is The Great Recession. The Recession, which is usually used to describe economic downturns, will define the downturn and reversal of progressive society. Can our heroes prevent the decline of America while enduring scores of plot twists, turns and (more importantly) jokes? You have to tune in to find out!
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Journalist and writer Charu Kumarhia talks to her sister - Pooja Kumarhia Patel about her efforts to become a mother.
Patel was selected to contribute to this year’s Brown Girl Magazine’s published anthology. She talks openly about her journey thru infertility, miscarraige, losing a son born through an emergency c-section - and the birth of her daughter through a surrogate earlier this year.
More information about the anthology can be found here:
www.browngirlmagazine.com
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Charu and guest Sarah Hosseini talk about what it means to be a good wife and a good daughter how that often tears at one’s inner psyche. They also talk about what it means to break free.
Sarah Hosseini is a writer and speaker. She delivered the powerful Tedx Talk "Not Sorry" about women finding and harnessing their unapologetic voices. She has written reported features and essays published in/on CNN, Harper's Bazaar, The Washington Post, VICE, HuffPost and many more. Sarah is also a journal therapist who helps women gain clarity, identify blocks, and be empowered through guided prompts and 1:1 coaching sessions.http://www.sarahhosseini.com/
CNN, Harper's BAZAAR, The Washington Post, VICE, HuffPost
Instagram @SarahHosseiniWriter
Twitter @SarahHosseiniUS
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Journalist and writer Charu Kumarhia talks to Chavi Khanna Koneru and Olivia Zalecki about their efforts with NCAA Together. The non profit works to create an inclusive democracy built by drawing on the strength of diverse traditions, common values and community togetherness.
Find more information here:
https://ncaatogether.org/
Chavi Khanna KoneruExecutive Director, Chavi@ncaatogether.org
Chavi Khanna Koneru is co-founder and Executive Director of North Carolina Asian Americans Together (NCAAT). Koneru moved to North Carolina in 1989 and has spent the majority of her life living in the state, including attending college and law school locally at the University of North Carolina. This has allowed her to gain a deep, personal understanding of what it means to be AAPI in the South. Additionally, her legal background in voting rights law has given her the opportunity to interpret and enforce laws impacting the AAPI community, including during her time in the Voting Section at the U.S. Department of Justice, where she focused on language access for AAPI voters.
Olivia ZaleckiYouth Engagement Coordinator, Olivia@ncaatogether.org
Olivia grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, and attended North Carolina State University where she double majored in Political Science and Foreign Languages and Literature with a concentration in Mandarin. Olivia’s passion for advocacy started when she had the opportunity to work with various AAPI organizations including the Triangle Asian American Student Conference and OCA National-Asian Pacific American Advocates. Doing so gave her insight into the collective power of community. In her free time, Olivia loves trying all the amazing restaurants the Triangle area has to offer!0p
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www.charukumarhia.com
In today’s show, Charu talks to Gunjani Patel - a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who works with adults, children, couples, and families.
She received post-graduate training at The Village Family Service Center, a community mental health counseling center in Grand Forks, ND, where she worked with adults, couples, families, and children. Trained in both psychodynamic as well as family systems psychotherapy, she worked with families to identify overall family dynamics, including healthy and unhealthy patterns of interacting, roles, various communication styles, boundaries, and power structures. Gunjani was able to help couples and families by building on their existing strengths, raising awareness about their maladaptive patterns, and teaching them new ways of communicating and interacting.
Gunjani has spent several years working with women and children survivors of domestic and sexual abuse at a Community Violence Intervention center where she provided crisis counseling, suicide helpline and support for victims of rape, sexual abuse. Thus giving her exposure to a wide range of social, emotional, and mental health issues from sexual abuse, and domestic abuse, to depression, anxiety, PTSD and C-PTSD which led her to specialize in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing).
Find out more about her practice here:
https://www.lifesynergywellness.com/
@gpatelcounseling on Instagram
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Russ Green is a DC area based comic, writer, husband and father. He’s written for B.E.T. and other publications. His work aims to make us all think and laugh.
Find out more about Green on his Instagram @russ_jokes and here:
http://russjokes.com/
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
In this show Charu speaks to Vandana Pawa. Pawa is a community focused thought leader, writer, and educator whose passion lies in transforming institutions to create equitable spaces for learning, development, and civic participation. In creating these equitable spaces, those with barriers to success have the capacity to thrive in their work. She has held a variety of meaningful roles that have expanded her passion for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Civics focused work, including overseeing the Center for Community Action and Research at Pace University and the CommUNITY Education Program at Indiana University Bloomington, serving as the Scholarship, Leadership, and Advocacy Chair for the Asian Pacific Islander American Network for the American College Personnel Association (ACPA), and serving as a member of the Young Leaders Institute with national organization South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT).
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
In this conversation Charu talks to Willie Jones, a community organizer and ordained minister in the Charlotte area.
In September 2014, Willie M. Jones retired from his position as Senior Vice President and Director of The Community Builders, Inc. (TCB) after nearly 29 years with the organization. Mr. Jones was responsible for new project and program development across 16 states and the District of Columbia. He produced several thousand units of affordable urban housing while at TCB valued at approximately $500,000,000.
During his tenure at TCB, he led teams in securing and deploying six HOPE VI Grants exceeding $25 million. In 2009, Mr. Jones led the project team in winning a $78 million NSP2 award. This funding supported the development of over 1,500 units of housing. Mr. Jones managed the loan program. In 2012, he led another project team in securing nearly $30 million in funding for a revitalization program in Cincinnati, OH.
Mr. Jones has received multiple awards for his work in affordable housing and community economic development, particularly his work against redlining in urban minority neighborhoods. He was one architect behind the creation of the Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation and served as the first community Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Community and Banking Council. Because of this work, he completed a three-year term on the Consumer Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Board. In 2015, Mr. Jones was inducted into the Affordable Housing Finance magazine's Hall of Fame for his contributions to the field of affordable housing.
Mr. Jones moved to the Charlotte, North Carolina area resigning from the Board of Directors of the Urban Edge Housing Corporation after serving four years. He previously was on the boards of two other CDCs serving the Roxbury and North Dorchester neighborhoods of Boston. He was an officer at the Charles Street African Methodist Episcopal Church, where he served as a Senior Steward, board chair of the Pastoral Residency Program (funded by the Lilly Endowment to help new pastors in transitioning from seminary student to full-time pastor), and the Pastor's Advisory Team that led a Chapter 11 Restructuring.
Since retiring, Mr. Jones has focused on strengthening the intersection between the faith community and community economic development. He volunteers as a mentor to recently released African Americans with the Exodus Foundation. He is the Board President of the Zachariah Alexander CDC, an affiliate of St. Paul Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC. He assisted in closing the financing on a 112-unit family and 72-unit elderly affordable housing projects, both in rapidly gentrifying African American neighborhoods. He helped a local Presbyterian church draft an RFP and selecting a development partner to invest $2 million from its capital campaign towards producing affordable housing.
Mr. Jones is a 1974 graduate of Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology concentrating in Urban Planning. Before joining The Community Builders, Inc., he served as an assistant to the Dean at the College of Engineering at Northeastern University. While employed at The Community Builders, he also served on the faculty at Tufts University's Urban and Environmental Policy Program and the MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning's Professional Development Institute. He was a guest lecturer at graduate urban planning programs nationally, at the Urban Land Institute and Harvard's Kennedy and Divinity Schools. In May 2016, he graduated from Hood Theological Seminary with a Masters in Theological Studies (Magna Cum Laude) concentrating in History and Theology. He is an ordained Minister of the Gospel.
Check out Jones’ photo @thestorywithcharu on Instagram
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It’s not just a Game of Thrones reference, breaking chains and cycles that hold our society back is the work of the most brave among us.
As Season 5 of The Story with Charu starts - we talk about what are the things we need to work on ending.
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Periodically I like to talk to my kids about what’s up and their thoughts. It’s a record for them to listen to decades later since they are also living thru history. In this episode they tell me how the summer went, their thoughts on sheltering in place thru Covid-19 and about returning to a virtual school.
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www.charukumarhia.com
Across the country kids are returning to “school” - most in a way none of us are too thrilled about. As the strain of keeping kids focused and still working stresses families - women shoulder most of the burden. Working mother of 4, Jessica Milicevic talks about the mess and stress of motherhood.
Check out her heart felt story here:
https://www.businessinsider.com/type-a-mom-have-it-all-mental-breakdown
And more about her business here:
https://www.mavenmediaclt.com/
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Journalist and writer Charu Kumarhia interviews Joe McGill, the founder of the Slave Dwelling Project.
McGill became interested in spending the night at former slave cabins and dwellings thru his work as a Civil War re-enacter. The work allows him to share the story of his own ancestors before the tales are lost forever. He’s stayed at dozens of slave quarters across the country and aims to represent all of American history to the public.
Find more about the Slave Dwelling Project here:
https://slavedwellingproject.org/
Other articles/work about Joe McGill:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/one-mans-epic-quest-to-visit-every-former-slave-dwelling-in-the-united-states-12080/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoRPRGaJwko
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Journalist Charu Kumarhia talks with Swati Rayasam, an Indian activist based in the San Francisco/Bay Area about the intersection of South Asian identity and support of BLM.
You can find more on Rayasam’s work as a co-coordinator with Alliance of South Asians Taking Action here:
https://www.asata.org/
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Mike Knox has been sitting on his front porch in his small town waving at people for decades. The suburb of Charlotte may be growing, and traffic may be increasing but Knox still tries to sit out and wave hello to drivers going by daily. In this episode he talks about how the global pandemic has affected people and the changes he has seen over the past several years.
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Frederick Murphy, known to those lucky enough to know him “Murph”, calls himself a gatekeeper in capturing, preserving and advocating for history. He’s especially adept at those parts of history most of us don’t know much about...
In this interview (part 2 of a 2) Journalist Charu Kumarhia talks to Murph about how while exploring his own history, he became a documentarian and a filmmaker.
Follow Murph on Instagram: @historybeforeus
www.historybeforeus.com
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Journalist Charu Kumarhia interviews Jessica Boesmiller, a Charlotte, NC resident whose battle with cancer started years ago with a diagnosis of ocular melanoma. Ocular melanoma is a rare cancer that is clustered in the Lake Norman area.
In this interview, Boesmiller talks about how her treatment plans and travel to and from those treatments, has changed due to the global pandemic.
Find more information about Boesmiller here:
https://www.facebook.com/UpdatesonJessica/
For more information about Charu Kumarhia here:
www.charukumarhia.com
Follow @thestorywithcharu on Instagram to find photos of Boesmiller!
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
The Story with Charu is back with all new stories this season - starting with a fresh interview with Pradeep Kumarhia.
I last saw him in late February when we went to Atlanta to see the newest grandchild. Covid-19 was starting to show up across the country and sadly we have not been able to see family in person since then. I wait and worry and sometimes I freak out thinking the worst.
Enjoy this interview with Papa - where we talk about a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Happy Belated Father’s Day to all the dads out there - we love you and we need you.
Be sure to follow @thestorywithcharu for photos of all interviews!
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
A few hours drive north of Charlotte, North Carolina is a quiet place over the crest of a hill, off a gravel road called The Well of Mercy, or by those who are lucky enough to have visited “The Well.”
Started by two Catholic sisters as a place where people could simply sit with their own thoughts and be, The Well feels like the most comfortable home you’ve ever been in.
In this interview, journalist Charu Kumarhia talks to Jane Motsinger, Sandra O’Brien and Sister Donna Marie Vaillancourt about the amazing things that come to be when one can just be still.
More information on The Well of Mercy can be found here:
http://www.wellofmercy.org/
Follow @thestorywithcharu for pictures from The Well.
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Sherry George was a single mom when she launched a paint your own pottery studio. Decades later - it’s a family business! In this interview, she talks to writer Charu Kumarhia about how she used a very unconventional way to fund her venture.
While the studio is adapting to Covid-19, they are offering more online options here: https://www.meg-art.com/
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Frederick Murphy, known to those lucky enough to know him “Murph”, calls himself a gatekeeper in capturing, preserving and advocating for history. He’s especially adept at those parts of history most of us don’t know much about...
In this interview, Journalist Charu Kumarhia talks to Murph about how while exploring his own history, he became a documentarian and a filmmaker.
Follow Murph on Instagram: @historybeforeus
www.historybeforeus.com
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Journalist Charu Kumarhia talks to Dr. Margaret Quinlan about modern motherhood.
Margaret M. Quinlan is an associate professor in the department of communication studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She explores how communication creates, resists and transforms knowledges about bodies. She critiques power structures in order to empower individuals who are marginalized inside and outside of healthcare systems. She authored approximately 40 journal articles, 17 book chapters and co-produced documentaries in a regional Emmy award-winning series. She co-authored You’re Doing It Wrong! Mothering, Media, and Medical Expertise (Rutgers) with Bethany Johnson.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JQ_Research
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JohnsonQuinlanResearch/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnsonquinlanresearch/
Website: https://johnsonquinlanresearch.com
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www.charukumarhia.com
When lawyer Lindsey Williams gave up the pressures of her corporate job to pursue one of her passions (wine) - she had no idea that a global pandemic might cause a disruption. Her small business has had to adapt like so many and shift to online ordering and curbside pickup. In my interview with her she talks about the urban winery concept.
https://davidsonwineco.com/about/#our-wines
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Writer and journalist Charu Kumarhia interviews her daughter, who turns 6 this week about her art and why she wishes her mom would stop putting black barrettes in her hair.
To see some of her art, follow @thestorywithcharu on Instagram
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Charu Kumarhia interviews the Rev. George Slaton. Slaton worked for years as a pastoral counselor in the Presbyterian Church. He hopes during this time of crisis - his fellow Christians will turn to facts and faith instead of fear.
Follow @thestorywithcharu on Instagram to see photos of Slaton.
For more information on Charu see: www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Last minute changes, going with the flow, deciding that an interview with my kids would be a great historical document about the times we are all in. It’s been wild.
A helpful article for us all:
https://hbr.org/2020/03/that-discomfort-youre-feeling-is-grief
Follow @thestorywithcharu on Instagram
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Amanda Brutus-Phillips was always interested in yoga and healing but when her husband died suddenly she fell into her true calling - helping people process death while living fully in the present.
For more information about her work see:
https://holybadassliving.com/
https://www.sacredlifetransitions.com/about
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
This keeps coming back to me as Covid-19 spreads across our nation and we look at what other countries have had to do to control the spread. I am tempted to talk about science and epidomolgy but I’m not a public health scientist or a doctor - I’m a journalist by training - and that makes me a jack of all trades. I know enough to be scared. I’m concerned about what I’m seeing - a lack of organization or awareness. I feel anxious because I know I can only control so much. Here is what I am doing now: Looking at only a select few, non-inflamatory, news sources. See Learn to Discern in Season 1 for more on that. Come back to the present moment and be thankful for 3 things in that very moment. Being grateful is the remedy for a scarcity mindset - nobody is making good decisions when they panic.Trying to remember that other people’s actions and behavior is a symptom of their own issues - and I honestly can’t do anything to help them other than show leadership and courage in my own actions and behavior.
This whole thing has come at a weird time for me. I love being socially and had actually taken a break over the winter months - and now this happens. I actually wrote a family statement to decline social events: That is so kind of you to ask! In order for a quarantine to be effective we must all practice it. This will allow our public health officials and medical doctors/nurses to take care of the upcoming surge of serious cases. Looking at what's happened in other countries (and the lack of organization and acknowledgement on the forefront here) many of us are carrying Corvid-19 and passing it on unknowingly. We've made a decision to keep to ourselves to allow the spread to slow down some.”
Trying to fully understand what’s happening is like taking a picture of a fast moving river and saying “this is the river.” The river is changing every second. Have grace and compassion for the people who work in public health as they try to work with private businesses, government (which has failed on a national level) and schools. Have grace and compassion with those who aren’t taking this seriously. Have grace and compassion for yourself because most of us having never dealt with anything like this. I feel really called to say and remind everyone that all of us are strong and resilient people. We will be inconvenienced for months possibly. We may not have the certainity we want and crave. We will have to be mindful with our resources and grateful for everything we have. We can all show true leadership to our communities by preparing and taking steps now. If nothing else remember that you are strong and you can persevere. I don’t mean in just recovering from this virus - I mean in all the things you may experience in the coming months. Be comfortable being uncomfortable. You are here because your ancestors faced and overcame adversity. Soldier on - we’re all in it together.
Helpful tips for all of us, not just kids:
https://www.additudemag.com/explain-coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-adhd-child/?utm_source=eletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=parent_march_2020&utm_content=031420&goal=0_d9446392d6-3b22401282-296299837
Check yo’self: https://www.factcheck.org/ https://www.snopes.com/
Just the facts ma’am: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
Always be Prepared: https://www.ready.gov/september
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www.charukumarhia.com
I lobbyed early on in my marraige for Indian first names for the kids. I was eager to give them a piece of my heritage, knowing that I had no control over what would remain of that within a few generations. I wanted names that could be pronounced easily and not abbreviated into something “American” sounding. We had considered Akshay for our son, but I was afraid that would become “Shay.” I wanted it to be Indian enough so it would always be a part of them.
In my life the thought of saying my name to somone for the first time always brings up anxiety. In school Charu became “Ch-roo” and I was quick to move on from any tutorials on how to pronounce it. Too often SUCH a big deal is made over how to say it, the person seems unable to move past it. Charu isn’t a hard name to say and it seems to become a weapon used to identify/classify me as “other.” Eager to be accepted but also fiercely proud I never allow any substitution of my name. When I started working as a television reporter I went by my given name. Random viewers would occasionally say “Why didn’t your parents give you a normal name?” Unaware and oblivious.
Resentment over the mirco aggresion continues to build for me. Almost everytime I make an appointment or have to call a customer service line, I go into a canned response when asked my name, “I’ll say it then I’ll spell it.” Sometimes still - awkward conversations with strangers ensue that neither of us have time for.
So I decided to speak up. I had purchased a month of classes at a pricey fitness boutique. The instructor approached me asking if I was new and showing me the equipment. She asked my name, I told her. She became discombobulated and kept saying it, asking again and again if she was saying it correctly. I told her yes and kept trying to move her away from the conversation. I was the only non white person in the class (that I could tell) and was starting to get uncomfortable. I reassured her that it wasn’t a big deal if she got it wrong - but she kept saying it over and over, even drawing another student into the conversation, asking if it was “like charcoal.” I said it one last time “CHA-ROO.” The confusion continued so I finally said “You’re making me uncomfortable.” She said “Oh, oh - I’ll just call you Lisa.” This isn’t the first time the suggestion has been made to give me an anglo name. In college a small town news director told me she’d never hire anyone with “a name like that” to be on air. Certainly some ethnic minorities do decide to adopt another “white” name to avoid conflict.
Charu is my given name, it represents my heritage and I have the privilege of keeping that alive and not being stripped of my roots. That pride has cost me though. It costs me whenever I was not called back for a job interview, anytime I was not promoted in a newsroom, anytime someone seeks to make me an outcast, or anytime that’s the only thing someone chooses to see. Names are so much to us. They are an extension of our ego, identifying us. Parents try to find a unique and uncommon name to set their kids apart. In Hinduism, names are part of a ceremony within the first weeks of birth when the divine is brought in to witness and bless the child. Now we’ve got a plethora of gender neutral names, Becky and Felicia memes and dozens of ways to spell “Kaitlyn” but ethnic names allude us.
Choosing when to navigate and when to surrender is an issue brown and black people struggle with constantly. I did offer the offending instructor and the studio owner a chance to sit down and talk about how I felt. Deep down I knew they did not want to understand where I was coming from, but I wanted to do my part to build a bridge. They turned me down over some excuse. I did my month even going back to that same instructor’s class. She ignored me entirely. The truth is I would have continued taking classes there, but that space isn’t for people named Cha
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www.charukumarhia.com
A grown woman and her dad talk about their love of food, grocery stores and grocery shopping and growing up in India.
Follow @thestorywithcharu on Instagram for pictures of the handsome Dad in this story.
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Charu Kumarhia sits down with psychologist and author Dr. Chasity Adams about the power one’s mind has on everything we do.
https://www.drchasityadams.com/
Follow @thestorywithcharu on Instagram!
Find out more about Charu here:
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Journalist and writer Charu Kumarhia talks to the owner of Main Street Books in Davidson, NC about the ins and outs of running a small business with an iconic history.
Adah Fitzgerald speaks about taking care of the itty bitty details of running her dream book store but also keeping her passion alive for her love of books.
https://www.mainstreetbooksdavidson.com/
https://libro.fm/mainstreetbooks
http://takenote.space/
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Charu Kumarhia sits down with speaker, storyteller and poet Hannah Hasan for one of the most uplifting and interesting conversations you’ll ever listen to. She talks about how she came to her current line of work, being courageous and her faith and growing up as a Black Muslim in a small North Carolina town.
Follow @thestorywithcharu on Instagram to see Hannah Hasan and find out more about her work. Hasan is on IG as @iamhanahhasan.
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Journalist and writer Charu Kumarhia and the award winning memoir author Gilda Morina Syverson had so much fun talking the first time they had to do it all again. In this episode, Syverson talks about an upcoming project in the Charlotte area she’s excited about. See link below for “Seeking Refuge: How Stories Can Save Us”:
https://sensoria.cpcc.edu/event/795/
For more information on Syverson’s work:
https://gildasyverson.com/
And don’t forget to follow The Story with Charu on Instagram @thestorywithcharu
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Charu Kumarhia talks to award winning writer Gilda Morina Syverson about her memoir “My Fathers Daughter.”
The two discuss shared experiences navigating two cultures and the search to find out more about one’s family history.
More information on Syverson can be found at:
https://gildasyverson.com/
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
After an interview cancels and the week goes crazy, Charu Kumarhia’s son steps in to talk about what it’s like to be a newly 8 year old boy.
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www.charukumarhia.com
Journalist and writer Charu Kumarhia interviews her mother, Ruchi, who for some reason decided to drop her voice to just above a whisper. Maybe in an effort to appear demure? One may never know.
Rather than not air the episode, the decision was made to keep it since there are some interesting bits in the story.
The opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by Charu Kumarhia.
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Season 2 of The Story with Charu kicks off with the idea of the New Year’s Resolution and a better way to think of it. Just some of the people offering free content (on youtube or in the form of a podcast, etc.) to help you along (or that I like):
Nedra Glover Tawwab, https://www.nedratawwab.com/
Cait Allison, https://www.caitallison.com/
Terri Cole, https://www.terricole.com/
Donald Currie, https://www.donaldcurrie.com/
There are so many more so I encourage you to search as well!
Also a little gift - my personal “Attack the Day” spotify to inspire and ignite you!
https://open.spotify.com/user/1257402438/playlist/74M7xdhn2Yffe0jS2ofSlo?si=CINGYDUESSy_LAwMn_g6Sw
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
What does a Hindu know about Christianity? Turns out a lot! In this season finale, writer and journalist Charu Kumarhia talks about this special time of year and the hope it can offer all humanity.
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Whether it’s a small group getting together for dinner or a big cocktail it’s that time of year again. We’ve got tips and secrets on hosting no matter what the season! Follow @thestorywithcharu on Instagram and check out charukumarhia.com for more of Charu’s work. Check out this carefully curated playlist to use for your next party:
https://open.spotify.com/user/1257402438/playlist/6zEbxrzOslpbzBexeridXm?si=P4RN4ZEjQLCOTJviQbPklw
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
The last episode in a 3 part series on race and cultural identity in the United States. Out of our differences a strength can emerge if we want it.
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Part 2 of a deep dive on race and identity in America, journalist and writer Charu Kumarhia considers the things we don’t talk about when it comes to race. Follow @thestorywithcharu on Instagram, visit charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
In this first part of a 3 piece series on race and identity in America, Charu Kumarhia looks on her own life. Follow @thestorywithcharu on Instagram!
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
Journalist and writer Charu Kumarhia talks about how she reluctantly got into “camping” and how the Japanese art of Shinrinyoku is something we all need.
Follow @thestorywithcharu on Instagram!
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
So many sources are available to us as readers, viewers and listeners looking for news or any kind of information. Today’s show is all about tips and what to look for when looking at a news story... and in other situations in your life too! Follow @thestorywithcharu on Instagram for the helpful infographics mentioned in this show.
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www.charukumarhia.com
Journalist and writer Charu Kumarhia talks about why she chose to launch the new podcast “The Story With Charu” on Diwali. Diwali is Hindu new year and a great time to start something new. Follow @thestorywithcharu on Instagram or visit www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com
www.charukumarhia.com