Project Ava Presents: Unheard

Blasians is an upcoming dramedy web series created by Amie Darboe, about a group of Black and Asian best friends living in the Bay Area who are navigating the sometimes difficult things woke millennials of color go through. Blasians seeks to dispel misconceptions between Black and Asian communities by putting these relationships front-and-center. Learn about Blasians: https://blasians.tv/ Support Blasians on Kickstarter by 8/11: https://goo.gl/YQBWDh Visit our website: www.projectava.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProjectAva Twitter: @PAUnheard

June is Pride Month and for this episode we're joined by Jax, a transgender photographer based in NYC. Jax shares her experience from being a trans woman and professional events photographer, to covering Pride as a trans woman, and more. Jax's Instagram: @jaxxtheripper_ Jax's Photography: www.jacksonbradyphotography.com Visit our website: www.projectava.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProjectAva Twitter: @PAUnheard

Today we're joined by Thuy Tran, a co-founder of The Rooted Recipes Project, which brings together four culinary artists & experience producers to curate a regenerative afternoon of conversation & storytelling over a shared meal. We discuss microaggressions and appropriation of ethnic food and how food can be healing for first-generation Americans to connect to their roots and family. The Rooted Recipes Project: https://rootedrecipesproject.weebly.com/ Visit our website: www.projectava.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProjectAva Twitter: @PAUnheard

On this episode, we feature Daysha Veronica, a Social Media Influencer over 140k followers, an award-winning writer/director/producer, a passionate performer of poetry, and a lover of dance who currently works for herself as the visionary behind Yes Queen, a lifestyle/entertainment website for women. Prior to creating Yes Queen, Daysha is most well known for being a viral video powerhouse, both in front of and behind the camera, at BuzzFeed. Learn more about Yes Queen at yesqueenlife.com Visit our website: www.projectava.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProjectAva Twitter: @projectavaorg

On this episode, Nicole Hallberg, cost of the Not Each Other podcast and the woman behind the male-female email swap experiment, discusses her experience working while female. Listen to the Not Each Other podcast at noteachother.podbean.com/ Follow Nicole on Twitter at @nickyknacks Visit our website: www.projectava.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProjectAva Twitter: @projectavaorg

On this episode of the podcast James, Mara, and Kimberly sit down with Paul Clifton, a 6th grade teacher from Denver, Colorado’s McGlone Academy and the man behind a student-led podcast, The Voice of Montbello. The Voice of Montbello has had interviews with figures such as American rapper Oddisee and Black Lives Matter 5280's Christina XLimit, to sharing stories from their own families. In this diverse community of Denver, Paul is empowering his students to use their voice to talk about their own lived experiences as they explore topics of racism, police brutality, immigration, and more. The Voice of Montbello: https://soundcloud.com/paul-clifton-635298184 Visit our website: www.projectava.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProjectAva Twitter: @projectavaorg

Recent local elections brought about exciting wins for morality and diversity. In today's episode we speak to the youngest elected City Council Representative in Aurora, Colorado. This 23-year old powerhouse also happens to be a first generation Mexican immigrant with an inspiring story. https://projectava.org/

On this episode of Unheard, we explore feminism in media with Colorado artist Rebecca Berlin who's pop-art style work explores the roles and representation of women in film. Visit our website: www.projectava.org

2017 has been a wild year for social justice. Unheard's hosts James Burge, Mara Waldruff, and Kimberly Ta discuss their own experiences with social justice and how 2017 has shifted their perspectives on social progress in the US. From Trump's inauguration to white supremacist uprisings and what it feels like to play the white people's game. Visit our website: www.projectava.org

In today’s episode of Project Ava Presents: Unheard, Mara Waldruff talks to Jay Conner, Founder and co-host of the Extraordinary Negroes Podcast and a Hollywood television writer. Jay shares his experiences as a Black person in the Hollywood writers room. We discuss the racial disparities within the entertainment industry, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. Visit our website: www.projectava.org

In acknowledgment of Minority Mental Awareness Month, host James Burge interviews photographer Varinia Rodgriquez. In this episode, the two discuss using creativity as an outlet for self-care. Relevant Links: Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, https://www.nami.org/Get-Involved/Awareness-Events/Minority-Mental-Health-Awareness-Month Varinia Rodriguez Online: https://www.variniarodriguez.com/ Project Ava Presents: Unheard is a podcast series that aims to share first-person storytelling commentary on social justice issues today. Twitter is @projectavaorg and Facebook is Project Ava. Visit our website: www.projectava.org

In recognition of May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month as well Mental Health Awareness Month, Kimberly is joined by Vanessa Teck and Nghia Le to break down how patriarchal values in Asian cultures contribute to the high rates of mental illness and depression in our community. Mental Health America, "Asian American/Pacific Islander Communities and Mental Health": http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/issues/asian-americanpacific-islander-communities-and-mental-health National Alliance on Mental Illness, "Asian American Teenage Girls Have Highest Rates of Depression": https://www.nami.org/Press-Media/Press-Releases/2011/Asian-American-Teenage-Girls-Have-Highest-Rates-of#sthash.2F3BL1YU.dpuf Music Credit: Life Is by Cosimo Fogg (201) https://soundcloud.com/cosimo-fogg Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Project Ava Presents: Unheard is a podcast series that aims to share first-person storytelling commentary on social justice issues today. Twitter is @projectavaorg and Facebook is Project Ava. Visit our website: www.projectava.org

In Part 2 of Unheard’s podcast on being transgender in the military, Mara Waldruff speaks with a Specialist in the National Guard. Our interviewee’s experience transitioning from female to male reveals a unique and important perspective of gender in our society. The episode also explores the empty promises made by the Department of Defense in regards to transgender rights and recognition within the military. Music Credit: Bounce Ball by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Source: http://www.twinmusicom.org/song/255/bounce-ball Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org We Always Thought the Future Would Be Kind of Fun by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/darkglow/ Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/ Project Ava Presents: Unheard is a podcast series that aims to share first-person storytelling commentary on social justice issues today. Twitter is @projectavaorg and Facebook is Project Ava. Visit our website: www.projectava.org

In the latest episode of Unheard, Mara Waldruff interviews a transgender female serving in the U.S. Navy as a Nuclear Electrician Mate (or "nuke"). The story includes her experiences as an LGBTQ member of the military and restrictions she has faced transitioning while serving. Music Credit: Gymnopedie No 3 by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100785 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Journey in the New World by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license Source: http://www.twinmusicom.org/song/258/journey-in-the-new-world Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org Project Ava Presents: Unheard is a podcast series that aims to share first-person storytelling commentary on social justice issues today. Twitter is @projectavaorg and Facebook is Project Ava. Visit our website: www.projectava.org

For the second episode of Unheard, host James Burge discusses the impact of relatable images to children of color with guest Donica Snyder. In this episode, they explore the importance of diversity in fairy tales and fictional stories. Listen, as the two discover what happily ever looks like for minorities. Warning: this audio contains explicit language. Music: A Dream is A Wish Your Heart Makes by Al Hoffman, Jerry Livingston, and Mack David A Chinese Odyssey 2 Cinderella : Opening Soundtrack Impossible/It's Possible by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II James & Donica's Twitter: @ mr_burge @ tweetnica Project Ava Presents: Unheard is a podcast series that aims to share first-person storytelling commentary on social justice issues today. Twitter is @projectavaorg and Facebook is Project Ava. Visit our website: www.projectava.org

In this episode Kimberly and Joseph address the results of the 2016 Presidential election as it pertains to Asian Americans. We welcome guests Dan Huynh of AAPI Action, a slack community for AAPIs and allies across the nation to take political action, and Bao-Tram Do a community organizer from Seattle who works with APACEVotes to increase accessibility to civic access and participation for APIA communities. Project Ava Presents: Unheard is a podcast series that aims to share first-person storytelling commentary on social justice issues today. Twitter is @projectavaorg and Facebook is Project Ava. Visit our website: www.projectava.org