Dear Gorgeous Podcast

In this episode, Kiana Yabut, Chief Development Officer of Famalao'an Rights, and Happy Tingson, a former Guam resident, join the cohosts to talk about an issue that is sweeping not only the nation but also Guåhan and its communities: abortion access rights for women and birthers. Kiana offers her insight on how the overturn of Roe v Wade may affect Guam as an unincorporated territory of the US and the implications of the lack of these resources on our community. Happy shares her personal experience with having actually to make the choice. Famalao'an Rights is a reproductive justice initiative focused on addressing the need for accessible reproductive healthcare and education in Guam that began in January 2021. The organization is in the process of filing for non-profit status. Get access to additional information and resources by visiting Famalao'an Rights at https://www.instagram.com/famalaoanrights.

We're excited to celebrate Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage month with this sweet interview with Evelyn Cho. Evelyn is studying patisserie and boulangerie in South Korea. G and Akina learn about how this born and raised Guam girl has taken her pandemic hobby to the next level and how she's connecting even more to her Korean roots. Through their discussion of language angst, they're surprised by Evelyn's sweet definition of what home truly means.

To make the end of Women's History month, G and Akina asked their Instagram friends what they thought about the Women's Day theme, ”Breaking the Bias.” Together they explore different themes and read the answers they received.

Listen in as Chelsey Cruz or Guam's Social Progressor graces us with her story. Chelsey is an educator, podcaster, and multimedia creator whose work is dedicated to healing generations through storytelling and sharing her lived experiences. We all have our shares of trauma, and Chelsey reminds us that we are not islands of pain, but rather inheritors of it and subsequently, perpetrators of it as well. Her work teaches us that with the right mindset and education, and with more compassion and love, we all have the ability to change the narratives around our traumas and make a different choice to treat ourselves and our loved ones better. For more of Chelsey's work, please follow her on Instagram and pre-order Healing the Little Me Zine by visiting the link in her bio. TRIGGER WARNING (0:35) What does social progress mean to you? (4:27) What led you to be in a space to have compassion? (6:02) Dealing with rage and emphasis on kindness (8:43) Why is it so hard to talk about our emotions and how much is it rooted in our upbringing? (10:19) Chelsey's personal journey in understanding sexual violence and trauma (13:42) Pain and shame coming from subsequent behaviors after trauma (23:17) How our nervous system plays in (34:01) Chelsey reads Chloe's letter (49:01) Follow us on social: Instagram Facebook Subscribe: Receive Akina's weekly newsletter dedicated to rediscovering the magic in everyday things.

Thanks for listening to another episode of the Dear Gorgeous podcast! Hope you have your favorite beverage in hand because we have a treat for you ☕️ Today, we have two of our previous guests, Beaudy Camacho and Livia Marati joining us for the ultimate WELLNESS check in. As entrepreneurs, so much have changed for both Beaudy and Livia in navigating the ever-changing climate of event planning. Despite the storms of 2020, both gorgeous entrepreneurs have been taking strides in their inner and outer worlds during this period of reflection. In this episode, we celebrate the launch of Beaudy's book, "When Women Heal" which she co-writes with several other women, learn from Livia what it means to be a student again, and explore the driving forces of intuition and ego. ↠ Checking in with Beaudy & Livia since Season 1 (1:15) ↠ How to keep thriving during these uncertain times (3:57) ↠ What do people need the most support with when seeking holistic coaching and wellness retreats? (9:34) ↠ Exploring shadow aspects (11:04) ↠ When Women Heal (22:18) ↠ How to be the student again and strive for personal enrichment (29:33) ↠ Intuition Vs. Ego (35:52) Beaudy is the founder of Fundforte and Beaudy Co. Labs

Buenas guys! Gilayna and Akina are back (later than they planned hehe sorry

We reconnect with OG Gorgeous Guest Synthia Ung, who now resides in New York. There's lots to discuss including the most recent acts of violence posted online from the streets of a place all three of us used to safely roam and call home: San Francisco. Also, listen in for details of our letter campaign!

We are back and cant wait to introduce more gorgeous guests to you. Here's a quick 10-minute update on what's been going on and what we plan on discussing in full-length episodes soon. Grab your favorite drink and catch up with us!

Part 2 of our 3 part Maga'Håga Rising series! Our next #gorgeousguest is Chloe Babauta – writer, editor, and co-founder of Maga'håga Rising.   We were inspired by Chloe’s Youtube video “Let’s talk about Chamoru identity: Diaspora vs. Guam raised Chamorus". While we had the chance to tap into both perspectives of this often discussed topic, we even uncovered several heartfelt gems about the power of unconditional love found in unconventional upbringings. 

Get ready for some #islandgirlmagic! In this episode, we got the chance to sit with the beautiful ladies of Maga'håga Rising – Chloe Babauta and Franceska De Oro. Maga'håga Rising is a small women-owned company based out of Guam and California with the mission to empower, uplift, and future the magic in all of us island women. Tune in as Chloe and Franceska share the humble beginnings of their friendship turned partnership and the foundation of what has now become an empowering movement – #thefutureisfamalaoan

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you gorgeous mamas! On this episode, Gilayna sits with her mom, Aayna, for some heart to heart. Listen in as they talk about their unique relationship and explore topics including growth, forgiveness and acceptance.

We chatted with the founder of Better in Doses, Roxanne Roncal and explored all things that make her platform “psychedelically delicious.” While the mass may believe the topic to be taboo, we agree that psychedelic culture is slowly becoming more mainstream, and it’s influence should be openly talked about. In this episode, hear more about what inspired Roncal’s platform and it’s purest existence. We even explore topics such as love, art, spirituality, synchronicities and our personal favorite, connectedness.

They're back! The girls check-in with one another for the first time (officially) since the first few positive cases of corona virus were confirmed on Guåhan. As new changes are on the horizon with new systems to support the state of emergency, the girls chat about how this will affect their livelihood and say– their dating life?

Our next gorgeous guest is Siobhon McManus: teacher, writer, activist and so much more. Siobhon opens up about the journey that led her to her role in the anticipated opening of Career Tech High Academy Charter School, a new public charter school located in the heart of Agat, Guam, and her recent acceptance into the NDN Changemakers Fellowship with NDN Collective. Join us as we discuss family, the cultural nuances of self-care, education and the importance of teaching our youth what there is to love about their homes.

After several attempts at recording a G&A session, Gilayna and Akina finally sat down in the comfort of G’s blue fiat and circled back to this important question – do we love what we do or is what we're doing dictated by society/culture/friends? In this episode, the girls explore this simple yet powerful reflection and how, if done right, it magnetically attracts specific people, communities, and opportunities into their lives. So tell us, are you doing what you love?

We are excited to have Livia Marati as our first #Season2 gorgeous guest! Livia is a Certified Holistic Health and Wellness Coach (expected March 2020) and the owner of Ina Wellness Collective, a community designed to illuminate the bodies, minds and spirits of Guåhan’s people and it’s visitors. We instantly bonded with Liv over the last several of months, as our very own Gilayna Joy collaborated with Ina Wellness Collective for their launch event that took place on 2/1. Let’s just say Liv’s manifestation techniques and outlook on life is the advice we all need to hear. We had the chance to listen to Liv’s story from point A to B, and how working for a globally known company, Eventbrite, and moving to Amsterdam, were all stepping stones she needed to take in order to get closer to turning her greater dream into a reality. In this clip, Liv is talking about how she knew her fiancé was the one (which is the sweetest story we’ve heard in a while), but her advice can be applied on a multitude of levels. Time to level up loves. Enjoy! Information on Ina Wellness Collective Memberships can be found here.

We’re back! Kicking off season 2 with a G&A session on #medialiteracy! During our break, we had the chance to reflect on our awesome run last season and wanted to bring on journalist and a dear friend of ours, Anumita Kaur, to talk about our responsibilities as both consumers and content creators. We consume content and and share information daily. How conscious are we in doing so?

The last episode of Season 1 is officially here! Dear Gorgeous officially launched seven months ago, and in this last G&A session the girls reflect on the journey thus far. They also answer questions sent in by their listeners and share what’s to come in February 2020. Check it out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and/or Anchor

Our last gorgeous guest for #seasonone is Gillian Goh. Gilly moved from her home country of Singapore to Bali in 2018 and is one of the founding team members of Empire Fit Club Bali. Prior to her current role, Gilly was working in corporate and was a part of the Under Armour Southeast Asia digital marketing team. Fitness, especially Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts has been a huge part of her life in the last couple of years, and regardless of starting what she would consider “late” in the sport, Gilly placed 3rd at the 2016 International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championship in her white belt division, and has won gold at multiple Southeast Asian local and regional competitions. She opens about what it means to find strength in vulnerability, and how losing a loved one to suicide has shaped her outlook in life.

In this week’s G&A sesh, Gilayna and Akina unpack different phases in their lives.  After 10 years, Akina returns to her alma mater to discover how simply life can  come into a full circle, whereas Gilayna dives into the harm of carrying unnecessary baggage into the present. The girls agree that gratitude has been a key component of where they  are in life, and with that, have accepted that they are exactly where they are supposed to be.   They are where their feet stand.    Shout out to @theremotenomad and the Mastermind Tribe for prompting such great discussions.    And why yes, Akina is also aware that it’s ‘stand' and not ‘stands'. She thanks her beer(s) for that.

Our next gorgeous guest is Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero. Lola is the managing editor of the University of Guam Press, an activist for CHamoru self-determination, co-chair of the Independence for Guam Task Force, a writer, a wife and a mother to three adorable boys. In this episode, she shares her secrets behind intention setting, how to find humor even in moments of adversity, and sheds factual knowledge about the decolonization movement on Guåhan.

It's scary talking about what exactly one feels about their body. The girls talk about emotional eating, side comments about their weight, loving their scars and where their opinions of their bodies actually come from (asian beauty standards included). Listen in as the girls unpack what it truly means to build your own opinion about your body, full acceptance, progress and all.

Since high school, Nedine Songeni, a proud Chuukese woman living on Guåhan and a mother of two, has noticed a great divide within Pacific Islander communities. Instead of giving into the adversity, Nedine found her calling and passion in building bridges amongst the Chuukese community and other cultures through her work at Humanities Guåhan. Join us in conversation around cultural identity, growing up away from your homeland and the importance of providing better mirrors for our people to see themselves in literature and media.

In this week’s G&A sesh, Gilayna and Akina discuss the differences between feeling envious versus feeling jealous. They talk about how both emotions have made an appearance in and affected their personal lives and explored what they call "ekgo' culture" and it's existence in their communities.

After airing out their dating grievances in their last episode about “Serial Monogamy," Gilayna and Akina sit down with their friend Tamar Celis who recently got married at the ripe age of 24. The girls in turn explore how early exposure to partnerships influence how they cultivate relationships later in life. Tamar is a CHamoru woman, evangelical Christian, adjunct professor and what makes her so inspiring is her ability to use her intuition in making large life choices.

What does it mean to be a serial monogamist? Well, it’s about to get personal up in here. In this week’s G&A session, Gilayna recalls her vet history with serial monogamy and the girls rehash their dating lives. Listen as they break down the social constructs of the “single girl” stereotype and why you should never delay your self-growth. Find out in this Dear Gorgeous episode. Follow Dear Gorgeous on Instagram @deargorgeousletters

Miss Beaudy Camacho has had many challenges come her way but she’s never let them stop her. From starting her own business, to getting an education, to winning awards and community outreach, this single mother of two explains why it’s important not to hold on to the feeling of being ‘stuck’ in any current circumstance and why it’s important to ‘keep it moving’. She also discussed the CHamoru term ‘na’mase’. Na’mase is the conversational term for ‘na’ma’åse’, a CHamoru term used to express sadness or pity for oneself or another. We discuss the importance of empathy within the CHamoru community and when it’s important to establish boundaries. Beaudy founded an event planning business called Fundforte. Please check out their website https://www.fundforte.com or follow them on Facebook and Instagram @fundforte.

Gilayna and Akina conducted a mid-season check-in by bringing in 7 surprise questions to ask each other. This gave them a chance to reflect on why their partnership has worked, what they need to work on, and share what it takes to have a healthy professional relationship with a friend: to have a belief in the value of one's personal contribution and an overall respect for each other. Akina recently launched multi-media travel platform with some friends called Collective Culture. Show them some love by watching their first episode at www.collective-culture.co.

We got the chance to chat with Manami iijima Martin – professional triathlete, finance whiz, and a prime example of what it means to be a gorgeous resilient woman. In this episode, Manami talks about how she made the decision to go pro after placing 9th WORLDWIDE in her age group during the 2017 Chattanooga Ironman 70.3 triathlon. Although Manami is full Japanese, she was raised predominantly on Guam and humbly shares why she won’t be competing in the 2020 Olympics. She opens up about events in her life that had mentally prepared her to partake in this physically challenging career.

How does one unpack their lineage and liberate their minds? In this week’s G&A session, Gilayna and Akina explore what happened on this particular day exactly 75 years ago, July 21, 1944– the day that marked the end of the Japanese occupation. Akina shares the stories of her family’s CHamoru and Japanese lineage prior to the occupation, while Gilayna explores how our island’s water resource is at stake unless we do something now.

The Fijian journalist and filmmaker by trade migrated to Australia as a child after the abolishment of the “White Australian Policy” in the ’60s. This policy aimed to forbid people of non-European ethnic origins – Pacific Islanders and Asians – from immigrating to Australia.⠀⠀As a child, Valerie explains how she endured racism and unanswered questions about her identity. Hear about the work she’s done with remote Aboriginal communities and how she’s realized that her ancestral relations have guided and continue to guide her through life’s ever-changing landscape.

Gilayna and Akina talk about dealing with negative tendencies and energies including their own.

In celebration of PRIDE MONTH our next Gorgeous guest is LGBTQ author from the Philippines, Brigitte Bautista!Brigitte is the author of “Don’t Tell My Mother,” “You, Me, U.S.” and one of the featured authors in the anthology, “Start Here”. In this episode, Brigitte shares her experience writing "Don't Tell My Mother," and how an LGBTQ author such as herself has published romance FF novels in a prominently religious community. As a powerhouse of words, Brigitte shares the freedom she has as a writer to create happy endings.

Limiting beliefs tend to hold us back in our lives and its about time to say sayonara to them! We get it, it’s easier said than done.⠀⠀Gilayna & Akina talk about their existing limiting beliefs and some of their origin stories. We’re all a work in progress, and the first step is acknowledging what those beliefs are; the second step is knowing you can always change them.⠀

In this episode, Catherine Payne, A woman who has reached Everest heights in the academic world, expresses the equally important need to have emotional and social intelligence.  She also discusses how she has overcome her own insecurities as a mixed-race writer, why she chooses to write children's books, and shares publishing tips for aspiring authors.

In this week's G&A Sesh, Gilayna and Akina swap travel stories and tales of the unknown. Learn about how Gilayna used Google Translate to order laxatives in Vietnam and what made Akina ball into a corner and cry in Rome.

We sat down with the on-air host, Shanice Poe, as she talked about how singing "Zombie" by The Cranberries in front of a bar full of strangers kicked off her radio career and how her recently discovered Non-Epileptic Seizure Disorder has pushed her to redefine her independence.  Through her funny anecdotes and extremely evident grit, she proves that even the strongest people experience fear and emotional instability.

What does it mean to feel abundant? It's more than just money - it's also about time, energy and mindset.  Gilayna and Akina discuss their own definitions of abundance, explore the Law of Attraction and share tips that can offer clarity in defining abundance for oneself.

Our next gorgeous guest is Synthia Ung! Synthia gets real about her experience moving to Vietnam for a year, what it means to own your vulnerability, and shares Kat's "Dear Gorgeous" letter with us.

Inspired by Mother's Day, Gilayna and Akina chat about putting themselves in their mother's shoes, "mothering themselves" and fig newtons.

Kat is a CHamoru Caucasian woman raised on Guåhan, yoga instructor, mother, mentor, and an advocate for all things good for the body and soul. In this episode she talks about yoga as a major tool that can be used to build self-awareness and other ways to aid anyone through big life changes.

Gilayna and Akina discuss the origin of Dear Gorgeous, what motivated them to start it and what you can expect .