Looking Deep with Kareem Mortimer: Recent Episodes
Kareem Mortimer
Looking Deep is a podcast hosted by award-winning filmmaker Kareem J. Mortimer where he explores the lives of ordinary people who make extraordinary life choices. Each interview is candid, transparent, and illuminating in the hopes that the listening audience receives a breakthrough for themselves. Mortimer explores many subjects, including surrogacy, sex work, activism, and religion. Each episode is followed by an aftershow where Mortimer and co-host Julia Woolley Chatwin dissect the discussion and share their takeaways. New episodes are released every Tuesday beginning February 2nd, 2021!
Erin Greene is a Bahamian human rights activist. She is considered a leading advocate for LGBT rights in the Bahamas, having been described as "arguably the country’s most outspoken LGBT activist. Greene is a longtime advocate for human rights, including for women, immigrants, and the incarcerated, but particularly for LGBT Bahamians. She began her work as an activist in earnest in the late 1990s and early 2000s, helping organize the first Pride event in the country in 2001 In 2000, she joined the Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA), becoming its Bahamas representative in 2002 and eventually becoming regional chairperson. When the Rainbow Alliance of the Bahamas coalesced in 2003, Greene became the organization's spokesperson, eventually serving as the group's president before it shut down in 2008.
Meet Alexus D’Marco, a human rights defender and a self-identified transwoman living in the Bahamas. She has a love for helping others through her advocacy work in the Caribbean region for marginalized groups like the LGBTI community.
In this episode, Alexus shares her gender identity journey that started as a child and how she navigated it to find her true self. She talks about the discrimination challenges that trans people in the Caribbean region are still facing today.
Listen in to learn why trans and intersex people need to be recognized and afforded their basic human rights.
Episode Timeline:
- [0:52] Get to know Alexus and her passion for human rights defending.
- [1:43] She talks about her self-identity journey and the challenges she faced with family and society.
- [4:17] The difference between sexual orientation and gender identity.
- [6:27] How trans people are discriminated against within the LGBTI community and how that’s changing in the Bahamas.
- [7:53] Alexus struggles as a conflicted teenager and how she navigated that to become a better adult.
- [10:04] Why she decided to advocate for the human rights of other trans and intersex people in the Caribbean region.
- [12:18] The importance of social justice to protect the LGBTI people against the Gay Panic Defense.
- [14:15] The progress they’re making towards gender identity recognition in the Bahamas.
- [15:07] The discrimination that trans people go through at the workplace, which leads them to still live below the poverty line.
- [16:03] Alexus’ goals of seeing trans people being recognized without discrimination.
Relevant Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexus-d-marco-809303102/
Do Not Be Afraid of Standing Out as An Individual!
Meet Tanicia Pratt, a poet, a writer, a performance artist, and a lover of learning. She is the face of courage; she embodies a woman who isn’t afraid to walk alone if it feels right.
In this episode, Tanicia shares her journey of how she transitioned from a Jehovah’s Witness believer to a Muslim. She explains the peace she found in Islam and everything in it that isn’t what is said to the world. Tanicia also describes how judgment on her choices led to isolation and how she became firm to stand on her own.
Listen in to learn the power of focusing on yourself and walking in what you believe is the right thing.
Episode Timeline:
- [0:27] Intro
- [1:10] Who is Tanicia Pratt
- [2:44] The curious childhood of Tanicia, doubting her Christian faith, and converting to Islam.
- [7:44] The beginning of isolation and trying to find her true self.
- [13:45] She describes her different interpretation of being Muslim.
- [16:40] The power of accepting and loving each other in the community without judgment.
- [19:17] How to serve yourself without fear of standing out.
Relevant Links:
Website: https://www.taniciapratt.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nefernici/
Meet Jodi Hardy, a mother, a wife, and the surrogate mother to our two beautiful kids. Jodi is a woman who knows how to give with love, and in a way she cannot be repaid.
In this episode, Jodi shares her very interesting story as an adopted child who was purposely born to be given to her parents. Inspired by her own story, Jodi became aware that she wanted to help others become parents through surrogacy.
Listen to the episode and hear Jodi explain her experience carrying and giving birth to our son and daughter.
Episode Timeline:
- [0:28] Intro
- [1:37] Jodi’s background as an adopted child and how she dealt with it.
- [3:37] She narrates the interesting story of her biological parents.
- [8:21] How Jodi got called to my and my partner’s story and help us become parents.
- [12:09] How the implantation of an embryo happens for surrogacy.
- [12:57] She explains her experience carrying and giving birth to children who were not hers.
- [18:38] Jodi describes why she doesn’t think she will continue surrogating babies.
Relevant Links:
Create Fertility: https://www.createivf.com/
Men Having Babies: https://www.menhavingbabies.org/
Canadian Fertility Consultants: https://fertilityconsultants.ca/
The Career History of Jamie Donnelly
Meet Jamie Donnelly, an accomplished actress that I worked with, in my Cargo feature film. She has always had a passion for performing since the age of 10.
In this episode, Jamie talks about her acting career that spans decades from Hollywood to working with creative independent filmmakers. She shares how she became an acting coach at some point in her career due to her supportive nature and ability to bring out the best in performers.
Listen in to learn the importance of valuing relationships with the people you relate with at the workplace.
Episode Timeline:
- [0:27] Intro
- [1:27] Jamie’s experience playing Violet in my feature film, Cargo.
- [3:39] She narrates her passion for performing, which she discovered at 10 years old.
- [5:35] How Jamie values relationships with those she works with and with her audience.
- [10:29] The experience Jamie had in the movie Grease and how astonished she was that the movie became so big.
- [17:17] Why she enjoys working with creative independent filmmakers as opposed to Hollywood TV shows.
Relevant Links : Cargo Trailer- https://cutt.ly/4kN51Sf
Meet Dr. Tracy, she has a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology and teaches the same at a local University. She has a TikTok account where she talks about all things Coronavirus.
In this part 2 episode with Dr. Tracy, she addresses the PCR testing controversy and the meaning of the efficacy of a vaccine. She also elaborates on the new Coronavirus strains in the UK and South Africa.
Listen in to learn about the process of the COVID-19 vaccine development and why you shouldn’t be afraid of it.
Episode Timeline:
- [0:44] Dr. Tracy explains the difference between virus infection and exposure to the virus.
- [3:17] When is a COVID-19 negative test negative and a positive test positive? Dr. Tracy elaborates on the PCR tests controversy.
- [5:19] Understanding what efficacy of a vaccine means and how a vaccine works, which is triggering the immune system without causing disease.
- [9:34] Why the process of the Coronavirus vaccine development happened so quickly.
- [12:20] Why there are new Coronavirus strains and the percent to which the vaccine is likely to protect.
- [15:21] Dr. Tracy explains her disappointments and her hopes moving forward.
- [16:39] Why she decided to use the TikTok platform to help people understand the Coronavirus dynamic.
- [18:18] Why the anti-vaccine campaigns work by manipulating our brains through fear.
Relevant Links:
Check Out Her TikTok: @scitimewithtracy
Meet Dr. Tracy, she has a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology and teaches the same at a local University. She has a TikTok account where she talks about all things Coronavirus.
In this episode which is part 1 with Dr. Tracy, she talks about the origin of Coronavirus, how it’s transmitted, and why lockdowns happen? She explains in detail why the theory that Coronavirus was artificially made in a lab is simply not true.
Listen in to learn how the immune system works and why you cannot simply boost your immune system.
Episode Timeline:
- [1:25] Get to know Dr. Tracy and her background in microbiology and immunology.
- [1:56] Understanding Coronaviruses- symptomatic and asymptomatic infections.
- [3:20] How viruses jump from animals to humans and from humans to humans in the case of Coronavirus.
- [5:31] Evidence to prove that Coronavirus is an animal virus and not made in the lab.
- [8:18] Why slowing down the spread of the virus led to lockdowns.
- [10:48] Why it is not wise to let Coronavirus run free for people to gain immunity.
- [12:29] How Coronavirus is transmitted through respiratory droplets.
- [13:53] Understanding why a mask is not primarily to protect you, but everyone else.
- [18:15] Dr. Tracy explains why you can’t boost your immune system and the dangers of an overactive immune system.
- [21:48] Understanding the reasons why different immune systems react differently to infections.
Relevant Links:
Check Out Her TikTok: @scitimewithtracy
Meet Christian Patrick, he describes himself as an actor, producer, sailor, and travel addict. Christian has lived a life of experiences and has never been afraid to push his boundaries especially with his sexual life.
In this episode, Christian opens up about his background as a pansexual which he wasn’t afraid to experiment with. He narrates how he found a community that he could open up and relate with, plus finding the BDS&M life.
Listen in to learn a few lessons from Christian on how to live your life the way you want without fear or guilt.
Episode Timeline:
- [0:29] Intro
- [1:26] Christian shares his history and sexual background.
- [3:43] He explains the qualities that attract him to people who want more out of life.
- [4:57] Understanding BDS&M which deals with the fighter flight instinct.
- [7:33] He narrates how he found a community of sex workers who helped him open up about his life.
- [14:24] Getting involved with social work plus finding the BDS&M life.
- [16:51] Why he has never felt guilty about his sexuality and being a sex worker.
Relevant Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masteravery/
Meet Billy Roberts, a man who mirrors a movie I’d made about a white Bahamian fisherman who smuggled people to the US to pay off debts. However, Billy smuggled Haitian people to the US to make extra income but ended up caught and placed in prison. Quite an interesting story, isn’t it?
In this episode, you get a front-row seat to Billy’s story from wanting the better only to get the worst. He shares his experience in the US prison system and the differences between US law and Bahamian law.
Don’t miss this episode to learn a few life lessons as displayed by Billy’s story!
Stay tuned for the aftershow with Kareem and Julia immediately following the episode.
Episode Timeline:
- [0:28] Intro
- [1:26] Billy describes growing up in Hatchet Bay and Nassau.
- [2:36] He narrates how and why he started smuggling Haitians to the Florida coast.
- [6:52] The poorly planned trip that got him arrested, and his US prison experience.
- [13:22] How he was transferred from the US prison to the Bahamas, where he was released afterward.
- [17:13] The process of getting his life back together.
We remain at an impasse when we talk at people rather than talk to people. Where we judge harshly before we take the time to bear witness.
Looking Deep is a weekly podcast of 20 minute intensely personal interviews hosted by Film Director Kareem Mortimer with a wide array of individuals who have made bold choices and lead interesting lives.
A ten-minute aftershow is hosted by Kareem Mortimer and Julia Chatwin where they dissect the most riveting points from the main podcast.
Looking Deep finding deeper truth about ourselves by seeing the humanity in others.