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A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Host Miko Lee celebrates AAPINH Month by interviewing Filmmakers: Sara Kambe Holland, Alleluiah Panis, and Kyle Casey Chu, also known as Panda Dulce. We also cover a bunch of AAPINH month events happening throughout the Bay Area.   Calendar of Events Community Calendar May 3 2-6pm Daly City AAPI Fest celebrating local Asian American & Pacific Islander culture in Daly City and the Greater San Francisco Bay Area     May 10 10am-12pm PT Our Heritage 5K 2025  a FREE, family-friendly 5K fun walk/run honoring the rich history and contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in San Francisco. This scenic route winds through the heart of the city, passing by over 16+ historic AAPI landmarks—featuring goodies, resources, and fun facts about its cultural significance. Expect cheer stations, photo ops, sweet treats, and entertainment along the route to keep the energy high! May 10th is also AAPI Mental Health Day! The Our Wellness Festival, will celebrate mental health, community, and joy. The festival will feature family-friendly activities, carnival-style games, music, dancing, wellness resources, and more! May 23 at 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm Asian American and Pacific Islander LGBTQ2S+ Mixer NJAHS Peace Gallery 1684 Post Street, San Francisco Children's Fairyland in Oakland, and Stanford's Asian American studies department host a series of events throughout the month that we will post in the show notes for you to check out.  Bay Area Public Libraries AAPI Month Oakland public libraries feature reading lists for all ages, a grab and grow seedling kit and events like watermelon kimchi making!San Francisco Public Libraries There will be events for all ages at Library locations throughout the City, including free author talks, book clubs, film screenings, crafts, food programs and musical and dance performances. San Jose Public libraries host a series of events with a highlights being Tapa Cloth making on May 6 and Vegan Filipino Cooking with Astig Vegan on May 7 Berkeley public libraries   CAAMFest 2025 United States of Asian America Through June 1    Transcript: Filmmakers Exploring Boundaries   Opening: [00:00:00] Apex Express Asian Pacific expression. Community and cultural coverage, music and calendar, new visions and voices, coming to you with an Asian Pacific Islander point of view. It's time to get on board the Apex Express.   Ayame Keane-Lee: [00:00:57] Welcome to Apex Express and happy Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Even though the Trump administration has eliminated recognizing cultural heritage months, we are still celebrating diversity and inclusion. Here at Apex Express and KPFA, we believe in lifting up people's voices. And tonight on Apex Express, we are focusing on Asian American filmmakers exploring boundaries. Host Mika Lee talks with filmmakers, creators, writers Sarah Kambe Holland, Alleluiah Panis, and Kyle Casey Chu, also known as Panda Dulce. Join us on Apex Express.    Miko Lee: [00:01:51] Welcome, Sarah Kambe Holland, the amazing young filmmaker, writer, director, here to talk about your very first film, egghead and Twinkie. Welcome to Apex Express.    Sarah Kambe Holland: [00:02:04] Thanks so much for having me.   Miko Lee: [00:02:06] So first I'm gonna start with a personal question, which is an adaptation from the amazing poet Chinaka Hodges. And my first question is, who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you?    Sarah Kambe Holland: [00:02:19] Oh wow. What a great question. , I think that I represent my family and my heritage. I'm mixed, so I'm half Japanese and half British. I grew up partially in Japan and partially in the States. I feel like those experiences, my family, they make up who I am and the stories that I wanna tell.   Miko Lee: [00:02:41] And what legacy do you carry with you?    Sarah Kambe Holland: [00:02:45] I think the legacy of my family, my grandparents on both sides have overcome so much, and, , they're a big inspiration to me. Funny enough, my grandparents play kind of a secret role in this film. My grandparents on my mom's side were incarcerated in the Japanese American camps. My grandmom, my British side overcame a lot of adversity as well in her life. , I think that's the legacy that I carry.    Miko Lee: [00:03:09] Thank you. Tell me a little more, what secret role do your grandparents play in the film?    Sarah Kambe Holland: [00:03:14] all my grandparents have always been very supportive of, my art and my filmmaking. But my grandparents on my mom's side, they passed away ahead of the making of this film. And I inherited my grandfather's car. And that car is the car in the movie that, Egghead Twinkie drive cross country. So I like to think that this is their way of supporting me. I think that they would get a kick out of the fact that their car is like a main character in the film,    Miko Lee: [00:03:41] literally carrying you on your journey. I had so much fun watching the film. Can you share with our audience a little bit about what the film is about and what inspired you to create this?    Sarah Kambe Holland: [00:03:52] So the film is called Egghead and Twinkie, and it's about this mixed Asian teenage lesbian named Twinkie who's coming out and her best friend Egghead, who unfortunately is in love with her and she does not feel the same. , and they end up going on this cross country road trip to meet Twinkie Online love interest IRL for the very first time. So it's kind of like a buddy comedy road trip movie. Coming of age queer story, , and it's one that's very personal to me, I think is a mixed Asian queer person. This was a story I was drawn to tell because it was a story that I didn't really see on screen when I was growing up.   Miko Lee: [00:04:30] Can you talk to me a little bit more about the use of the name Twinkie, which for many folks in the A API community is seen as a slur, and I know she talks about it a little in the film, but can you share more how you came up with that?    Sarah Kambe Holland: [00:04:44] Yes, it's a very nuanced thing and it's something I was kind of nervous to tackle, especially like in a comedy film. , but really with the creation of Twinkie's character, , I feel like she's going on this journey to embrace herself as a lesbian, as a gay woman, but then also I think that she's searching for herself as a mixed Asian person. I feel like within the Asian American community, if you're raised here in the US or if you're mixed or if you're adopted, I think that there can be this feeling of not feeling Asian enough. I think the word Twinkie was something that was kind of weaponized against her. Like, oh, you know, you're not Asian enough, you're a Twinkie. And her way of coping with that is to kind of reclaim that word and kind of own that. As her own name.    Miko Lee: [00:05:31] Thank you so much for sharing. I read online that this is the very first feature film to be crowdfunded on TikTok. Can you talk a little bit about, I know your background is in as a social media creator. Can you talk about that journey from social media creator to filmmaker?    Sarah Kambe Holland: [00:05:51] Yes. Yeah. TikTok and social media was such a big part of getting this film made. Uh, so for myself, yeah. I was a YouTuber before I was a filmmaker. I should be clear, I wasn't like PewDiePie or anything like that. I had like 40,000 followers. Um, but for me at that time when I was like 15, 16, that felt like the whole world. Um, and I think that YouTube was really my first introduction to. Storytelling, but also to making friends with people through the internet. And that ended up being a really big influence on this film because Twinkie is traveling cross country to meet a girl that she meets online. And I think that that is such a common story nowadays. Like people make friends online all the time. Um, and the ways that we find love and community has changed.Because of the internet. Um, so it felt very appropriate that we turned to TikTok turned to social media as a means to raise money for this film. Uh, we did a whole targeted crowdfunding campaign on TikTok and we raised over $20,000 from a lot of strangers that I will never meet, but I owe a lot of thanks to.   Miko Lee: [00:06:53] So now that the film has been going out to different festivals and being screened at different places, have any of those that participated in the crowdfund, have you met any of those kind of anonymous supporters?    Sarah Kambe Holland: [00:07:05] Yes. And that was crazy. it was awesome. We screened it over 40 festivals all around the world. Our international premiere was at the British Film Institute in London. And it was at that screening that someone raised their hand during the q and a and they were like, I just wanted you to know that I backed your movie, uh, and I found you on TikTok. And that just blew my mind that someone on the other side of the world, you know, had donated whatever, you know, 10, 20 bucks to making this thing a reality.   Miko Lee: [00:07:31] Oh, I love that when the anonymous becomes real like a person in front of you that you can actually meet. How fun. I'm wondering if your use of animation is, , been influenced by your social media background.    Sarah Kambe Holland: [00:07:45] Not really. Actually. I think the animation part of this film is just because I'm a total nerd. I really love animation, I love comics. And so that kind of bled into Twinkies character. You know, she loves comics, she wants to be an animator. And, uh, I think I've always been interested in the idea of combining 2D animation with live action footage. I feel like that's something that we see a lot in like children's movies or, um.Music videos, but it's not something that you really see in like, feature films all that often. So I was kind of excited to explore that, and it was a really fun collaboration with myself and our lead animator, Dylan Ello, who did most of the animations in the movie.   Miko Lee: [00:08:28] Oh, thank you for that. I, I, it was very delightful. Um, I'm wondering, because we're, our world right now is incredibly complicated and so conflicted. How do you feel filmmaking can make a difference?    Sarah Kambe Holland: [00:08:44] I feel like art is more important now than ever because I see even in just this film's journey how art literature and movies, it can change people's minds and they don't even realize that their minds are changing.I think especially with this film, 'cause it's so lighthearted and funny and silly, you'd be like, oh, it's just, you know, a good laugh and that's it. But, but not really. I've seen this film. Open doors and open conversations. And I think that that's really my hope is that maybe, you know, parents who have a queer kid and they're not sure what to do about it, maybe they'll watch this film and they'll be able to talk to their kid about things that maybe they're afraid to talk about. I think that art really has the power to, to change people's minds.    Miko Lee: [00:09:29] Have you experienced that with somebody that has actually seen your film, that you've had a conversation with them where they walked away, changed from seeing it?    Sarah Kambe Holland: [00:09:38] Well, on a very personal level, um, my parents, uh, are conservative and I think when I first came out to them, it was an adjustment for sure. Um, I. When I initially kind of pitched the idea of Egghead and Twinkie to them years, years ago, uh, as a short film, they were confused. They were like, why do you wanna make this film about being gay? Like, why do you have to make everything about being gay? And that's not really what it was. I just wanted to tell this story.  And it's been such an amazing journey to see my parents like fully embrace this movie. Like they are egghead and Twinkie biggest fans. They might love this movie more than me. Uh, so that has been really amazing to be able to kind of talk to them about queer issues in my identity through the making of this movie.   Miko Lee: [00:10:24] I love that. So let our audience know how they can see your film, egghead and Twinkie.    Sarah Kambe Holland: [00:10:31] So Egg and Twinkie is coming out on streaming platforms on April 29th. It'll be on Apple tv, Amazon Prime, uh, any video on demand streaming platform in North America.    Miko Lee: [00:10:43] Yay. And Sarah, what are you working on next?    Sarah Kambe Holland: [00:10:46] Oh boy, have a big question. Uh, I have a few screenplays in the works, one of which is a time traveling lesbian rom-com. So, uh, I'm waiting for when I get the big bucks so I can make my first period piece.    Miko Lee: [00:10:59] Love it. Sounds fun. , thank you so much for sharing with us. It was such a delight to see your film and I look forward to seeing more of your work.   Sarah Kambe Holland: [00:11:08] Thanks so much for having me, Miko. This was great.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:11:11] Listen to Kushimoto Bushi by Minyo crusaders, a Japanese cumbia band    MUSIC   Welcome back. This is the Powerleegirls on apex express, and that was Kushimoto Bushi by Minyo Crusaders    Miko Lee: [00:15:24] Welcome, Alleluia Panis, the Executive Director of Kularts to Apex Express.    Alleluia Panis: [00:15:30] Thank you. I'm so honored to be here.    Miko Lee: [00:15:34] I wanna talk with you about your film, but first I wanna start with a personal question, which is an adaptation from the amazing poet Chinaka Hodges. And that is, who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you?   Alleluia Panis: [00:15:49] Wow, that's deep who are my people? My people is my community. And so it is here in, in the diaspora, Filipino Americans, Asian Americans, and folks of color. And then of course the indigenous people in the Philippines. . What I carry with me and continues to inspire me on the daily is the knowing that we have been here for a long time. Our ancestors have survived eons of whether it's, good times and bad times. And so that keeps me going.   Miko Lee: [00:16:28] Thank you so much for sharing. you have been working in the field for a long time. You're really, , a trailblazer in terms of putting Filipino arts on the map and really lifting up the culture. Can you talk about your new film Memories of Mindanao, where that came from, what it's all about?   Alleluia Panis: [00:16:49] Is a leg of, , Tribo tour, which began in 2002. But actually inspired by my first trip to, , then the wild and being with in 1989 , and, , basically traveling and. Setting myself and my, my, my music and dance company at the time to just be with indigenous people. ,and how profoundly that particular experience really impacted me. For years I've been wanting to like, how can I bring this? Experience or share the experience with other diasporic folks. Fortunately I was able to connect with Carlo Abeo in the Philippines, who's been my tour manager, in 2001. And then in 2002 we embarked on the first, Tribo tour.   Miko Lee: [00:17:50] So this was an effort to really share this powerful kind of artistic travel journey with more folks. Is that right?    Alleluia Panis: [00:17:57] Yes. And it's actually beyond artistic. It's really about recognizing something deeper, right? Because our history of colonization is pretty intense. 500 years and or is it 400 years? Give or take, a century. And so there are a lot of things that had been co-opted. It has been erased, it has been gaslit. And fortunately, I feel like within the culture of the archipelago, there are, and even those. That are, of the, what is considered the colonized people or the Christianized people. there are practices that exist today that might have a different name, um, or but actually is indigenous and so, and only. Could I say that because I was able to really experience and be with folks and, uh, and it's years, you know, it's years of kind of like assessing and looking at you know, different, uh, practices. And so that is so I don't know. It's beyond gratifying. It's connecting. I mean, it seems so cliche. It's connecting with something so deep, you know, it's like connecting to, you know, to Mother Earth in, in that way our, our Mama Ocean. And recognizing yourself that, that you are bigger and have, and has agency, you know, in terms of just. What you are connected to, uh, what we are connected to. Um, and so it's, it's it, of course within the cultural practices, which is artistic practices that we see that connection.    Miko Lee: [00:19:40] You were looking at, the impact of colonization and how arts and culture has really spoke to that or fought back against that in the Philippines. Can you talk about bringing that over to our colonized United States and how you see that playing out?    Alleluia Panis: [00:19:58] Well, I think first of all as, um, as folks of color. And as former subjects of the United States, you know, 40 years of the US and still, still, um, you know, in some ways kind of soft power over the people of the Archipelago. It's, it's really, um, first and foremost knowing or getting that sense of connection and confidence and, um, self-identity. That leads, that would lead us to create, um, in the diaspora. And so what, what this pro with this project, this particular program does and, and I continue to prove it with so many folks, is that it's really. Kind of finding yourself, I mean, that, that seems so cliche and knowing your place in the world and how you are connected so deeply despite all the, you know, like all the brainwashing that you don't know anything. Everything is, uh, you know, everything that, that, that, um, that exists in terms of the cultural practices of the arch of the people of the archipelago are borrowed or, or, um. Basically borrowed or taken from another culture, um, really kind of diminishes that, that colonized thinking. And so I think the power of it is finding your stepping into your own power in this way. Um, and, and, um, you know, it is also not just the current, like in, in once lifetime do you get that abuse or trauma, but it's also all the. You know, the, the, the inheritance from our, you know, from our parents, from our grandparents, right? Great. Passed down the generation and, um, oftentimes construed as the real deal, unt true. And so, aside from the form. Aside from, um, the practices, because this trip is really a little, is is focused more on not learning or like, you know, we don't go to learn like dance music or. Weaving or, you know, design or anything like that. Yes, that happens. We do, we do have workshops, but you know, it's not like it's, it's more like opening the ice of each, you know, individual. I. To the, to the, the whole, the whole thing. What, what is the, the presence of nature is, are they water people? Well, how does the water impact the cultural practices and therefore the artistic practices, um, and understanding sort of like, oh, they, they do that kind of steps with the, you know, flat feet or whatever. Because the sound of the bamboo slats is just. Amazing, you know, uh, under their feet. And so it's not so much that I'm gonna learn, you know, x, y, Z dance or x, y, z music, music or gongs, or, but it's more like w. Through those practices, how do we see the people, how do they mirror our own existence? And what, what we can remember really is remembering, um, what my, what, what we have forgotten or what we know it's true, but we're not sure. So I dunno if I'm answering your question. It's a roundabout response.    Miko Lee:[00:23:26]  I feel like you're talking about how we step into our ancestral wisdom and power.    Alleluia Panis: [00:23:33] Correct.    Miko Lee: [00:23:33] And I'm wondering if you can expand on that,, to talk a little bit more about this time of oligarchy we are living in, which is really built in colonization. How do we both as artists use our superpowers to fight back against that and then encourage other people? How do we use our artist beings to encourage other people to fight back against the world that we're living in right now?  Alleluia Panis: [00:24:00] One of the most powerful impact on me , in experiencing, indigenous practices and culture is the practice of spirituality, the rituals, the ceremonies. There's one specific ceremony from Ana as a magana on ceremony, um, that really, It was just such a profound experience in opening up, my senses and my sense of connection to something larger than this. And, and the EPO and, um, there's several, um. Ritual practices with different names. It's basically similar, uh, practice, uh, is the connection to the five elements and the basic, um, um, and fundamental elements of life. You know, water, earth, wind, fire, and the darkness. The, there's a transcendence. Um. And that that discovery is a, or that connection, um, is something that's, it sounds really woo woo, right? I mean, um, but it really becomes kind of a, a, an experience, an embodiment experience, a belief in your own kind of intuition, your gut feeling. My, uh, my. Um, response, you know, to it, a physical response. And, um, that, that's become like a, a guide for, for everything that I do. And so, um, to me that that is the grounding that, um, has allowed me to continue the work that that. That I've been doing, continue living, period. And so it's really, I think the, a matter of really kind of like, knowing yourself, it just sounds all so cliche, you know? And, and, the power of, Really understanding that you have or I have a depth of connection, that I can draw from in terms of energy and spirit and love, that is beyond kind of the physical, but also the physical. And so for me, that sense of knowing. Is what is allowing me to continue doing what I do despite all the, you know, challenges and difficulties and, you know, the insanity of these times or any time. and having kind of that grounding, I mean, you, you, the, the, clarity, is everything. it allows me to. follow what seems to be the correct route to wherever I was going. it doesn't mean that it's, it's, I'm, I'm not working on it, you know, but I'm also not, not pushing in a way that, you know, I'm, I'm gonna make you believe in me and I'll, you know, like, sort of like, I will tell you what is the right thing and, and, and I will make you, um, agree with me. It, it's, it's not that. Um, I is, I dunno. Is that making any sense? Do you have any other,    Miko Lee: [00:27:24] you totally make sense to me. I'm wondering how people can find out how, how can people find out more about your film and about all of your work?    Alleluia Panis: [00:27:34] Oh, sure. people can find out about, my work and the film through, um, the website. It's, uh, KulArts SF dot org and, most of, if not all of my work, uh, and the work of others, are actually on there. There's a lot of information there. the, the film is gonna be shown at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific, film Festival May 3rd at, uh, a MC. Eight or 14 or is it in, Monterey Park and, folks can actually just find that information on our website as well.    Miko Lee: [00:28:13] And what would you like audience to walk away from your film with an understanding of?   Alleluia Panis: [00:28:21] I want the audience to feel the. Power of being there in TT T is the southernness most islands of, of the Philippines. And, not too many people actually go there. If you have seen the Sam Baja, um, you know, divers, uh, where they can dive for, I think they can stay from five to 15 minutes underwater without any, you know, oxygen or assistance. These are, these are the people who, who, uh, these islands belong to. and as usual, their, you know, their live livelihood is being challenged by everything that's happening in the world. And what the, the film itself, itself, is really trying to put, put the audience within the, you know, like the, I guess the, the shoe of the there and how, you know, their experiences. there's not a lot of explanation to it because we really want it to be a more visceral experience. for the audience,    Miko Lee: [00:29:22] is there anything else you'd like to share with us?    Alleluia Panis: [00:29:26] Let's keep on going. Let's, you know, we, we all, we all need to be in community to uplift each other and keep hope alive.    Miko Lee: [00:29:38] Thank you so much for joining us today and sharing a little bit more about your film and about your work and your connection to the ancestors and the need to move forward.   Alleluia Panis: [00:29:47] Appreciate you. Thank you, Miko.   Miko Lee: [00:29:51] Welcome Kyle Casey, Chu, also known as Panda Dulce to Apex Express.    Kyle Casey Chu: [00:29:57] Hi so much for having me.    Miko Lee: [00:29:59] We're so happy to have you back here, onto Apex Express Land and you have a bunch of new things happening, not just a new film, but also a new book. First off, I'm gonna just start with a personal question, which I ask everyone. Who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you?    Kyle Casey Chu: [00:30:16] Ooh, that's a juicy one. Um, my people, I would say my people are the weirdos and the art freaks of the world. Uh, queer and trans people, Asian Americans, queer and trans Asian Americans, people of color, people from the Bay Area. Um, people who have noticed the boxes that they're in and are pushing the walls and the boundaries of that. I feel like these are the people who really inspire me the most. In terms of the legacy I bring, I am a fourth generation Chinese American, uh, queer and trans femme person living in the San Francisco Bay area where I was born and raised.   Miko Lee: [00:30:56] Thanks so much for sharing. , first let's start with just finding out more about your film, which was based on a true story called After What Happened at the Library. This was a national story, I remember hearing about it, but for folks that don't know, can you describe the real incident that inspired the film?    Kyle Casey Chu: [00:31:14] So, I'm one of the founders of Drag Story Hour, which is exactly what it sounds like., drag queens reading stories to, , children and their families and libraries, bookstores and schools. In 2022, I took a gig in Pride Month at San Lorenzo Public Library, , where I was doing a drag story hour and the Proud Boys stormed in. They called me a tranny, a groomer and an it. They wore shirts saying, kill your local pedophile and I had to retreat to the back and lock myself in the back room. They scoured the premises looking for me. , the authorities showed up and didn't get any of their names or information, um, and just. Dispersed them. And after the incident, I came back to the reading room where the children and families were there, but shaken and I completed the reading.    Miko Lee: [00:32:05] Incredibly traumatic. What happened after that in real life?    Kyle Casey Chu: [00:32:10] It's funny that you, uh, because the short film is called After What Happened at the Library, uh, for a reason because I feel like it's natural as social creatures for humans to focus on the incident itself. We want to approach people with empathy and we want to, really put ourselves in their shoes, uh, to kind of be there as a support for them. What I wasn't prepared for was the gauntlet of media attention, how people would be coming out of the woodwork to ask me about the situation. They would send gushing praise, hate mail, death threats, love letters, care packages, and this wave of attention. Almost added to the overwhelm of the experience and the fact that I had suddenly become a figure and a lightning rod in a culture war when I just wanted to read a book in a library. 'cause that's what I was doing. Um, and not only this, but in the coverage of the event. Because the authorities were so slow to act on this and only started investigating it as a hate crime after it blew up on Instagram and they suddenly felt the heat of media attention. Um, I felt the, my only recourse was to go to the media and was to talk, and especially as a writer and a storyteller, I felt I needed to kind of sound the alarm because it was pride month.  This was the first, this was the inciting incident of a national, even international anti-D drag wave of right wing extremism. Um, it was a couple days later that the oath keepers were found planning some kind of resistance, like violent insurrection in before Ohio Pride. And so I would talk to these journalists and. I felt in the beginning I trusted them because, you know, I trusted that they wanted to get the word out, that they had the same intentions that I did in protecting my people. And what I found instead was that they kind of almost, they tried to elicit the most emotional response from me, which often involved asking me to relive the most excruciating aspects of that time and that experience. So I had to go back and revisit it over and over again. And when the stories actually came out, I'd found that my story was edited to suit another preconceived formula that they had already pitched a certain idea for how the story was would go. That painted me as this static monolithic victim. And they would just plug in one tearful soundbite and the rest of the story, they could just say whatever they wanted with.And there's a certain violence in that. There's a certain. Greater injustice to going through something like that, number one. But number two, telling your story and having that be distorted to suit other political aims or to, you know, buttress a call for public safety. And that specific dynamic of the direct aftermath of notoriety is what the short film gets at.   Miko Lee: [00:35:11] Oh so you're taking back your own story.    Kyle Casey Chu: [00:35:14] Absolutely. So after what happened at the library, the short film is a very much a radical reclamation of my own voice and my own story. Um, prying it back from the hands of the media and telling it on my own terms.    Miko Lee: [00:35:26] Thank you for that. And how has it been received   Kyle Casey Chu: [00:35:29] So far it's been received very well. The short film World premiered at Florida Film Festival in Orlando. Received a special jury prize for courageous voice in a time of great need, which is incredible. It's our first screening and we already got an award, which is so exciting. It just screened at SF Film on April 23rd as part of the shorts block. SF film is an Academy Award qualifying festival, and it is going to screen again at Can Fest, one of my favorite local festivals, the world's largest Asian and Asian American film showcase it's screening on Friday, May 9th at Kabuki and tickets are on sale.   Miko Lee: [00:36:11] Thank you for that. And can you tell us about your new book? This is very exciting. You have a coming of age story, the Queen Bees of Tybee County. Can you tell us about your book?   Kyle Casey Chu: [00:36:22] Absolutely. When it rains, it pours in creative worlds. I had a lot of irons on the fire and it just so happened that all of them were exhibiting or debuting or hitting shelves in the same week of April, which is last week. The Queen Bees of Tybee County is my debut novel. It's middle grade, so for ages eight through 12, though like a Pixar movie, it's for all ages really. Um, and it is a hopeful drag coming out story about a queer Chinese American seventh grade basketball star. Derek Chan, who is unceremoniously shipped off to his grandma Claudia's in rural Georgia, and she is volunteering for a local pageant. And so he. Explores his queer identity and his love for drag via Southern pageant culture.    Miko Lee: [00:37:09] Ooh, do we see a film of this in the future?    Kyle Casey Chu: [00:37:12] Actually, Queen Bees of Tybee County was optioned by Lambert Productions, which put on the Hardy Boys on Hulu. So it is on its way to becoming a TV show if every, if all the stars align, it'll be on TVs in the uk. Fingers and toes crossed for that.    Miko Lee: [00:37:27] Amazing. I'm looking forward to that. Can we pull ourselves out a little bit and talk about the times that we're living in right now and how artists use our super powers to fight back against the oligarchy that we're living in?    Kyle Casey Chu: [00:37:43] We all know, or perhaps should know that the beginnings of fascism involve suppressing intellectuals and artistic voices, increasing police presence and trying to maintain a stiff and consistent lid on the voices of the people. And so this type of suppression is happening right now. There are book bans across the country. , there are state and federal efforts legislatively to curtail the rights of trans kids and trans athletes, and Intellectuals, diplomats and scholars are all being expelled or suppressed, and I think something that I've learned is that, and it sounds really cheesy, but that quote is so real where it's like being brave isn't the absence of fear, but it's doing things in spite of it. I know it feels very scary to speak out right now, but now is the exact time to speak out because any. Ground that is seated cannot be taken back. And so holding of the line by way of protest, by way of publication, by way of dissenting is how we crack this. The armor of fascism.    Miko Lee: [00:38:55] And can you talk a little bit about the moment of joy or celebrating joy within the context of the strife that we're living in? I bring that up because , you've given me much joy as part of the rice rocketts and a lot of the work that you do. So I wonder if you could just talk about what does joy mean in the moment like this?    Kyle Casey Chu: [00:39:16] Yeah. I think. I have a background in social work and one of the first things that we learned is this is hard work. It is hard to always start on your back foot and to have to argue your own humanity and justify your existence as an artist or as a person. I found myself doing that when coverage of the library incident was happening and. One of the things that they tell you is the way that you do your best work and the way that you best serve your communities is by keeping your own self afloat. And what this means is maintaining a balance. When you have hard work, you also need to reward yourself. You also need to take care of yourself. And I don't think it's enough to just say self-care. You need to expose yourself, and you need to fully embrace the full spectrum of human emotion, which necessarily includes joy. And so. After completing such an intense project, like after what happened at the library, I knew that I needed to engage in something that was hopeful and that really struck the cord of why community is so vital and important, and why social support is integral to all of us thriving. And so the Queen Bees of Tubby County, I was told by a reviewer, and this is my favorite review, they said that it's like Chapel R'S Pink Pony Club. If it were a book. Um, and I'm going with that 'cause I love that. But this story is really just about hope. It's about friendship, it's about, it's about dancing towards the future we want. And I don't think it is enough for us to react. I don't think it's enough for us to strike down. Terrible and horrifying regimes. We also must have a vision for the future that includes ourselves thriving and enjoying ourselves. And I think a part of that practice for me is making art and scaffolding a vision for the future that is positive.    Miko Lee: [00:41:20] And what would you like people to walk away from after either reading your book or seeing your short film?   Kyle Casey Chu: [00:41:29] I think after seeing the short film. What this gets at is whenever there's a flashpoint of a culture war and it's localized on one person, whenever a culture war is personified in one singular person, like for example, ma Moon kil. There's only so much of his life that we get to see, and it's through the headlines and this viral moment of like a flash on the pan. And I want people to realize that the way that you interact with these people in that fleeting moment is going to stick with them long after this moment of notoriety passes. And. To be conscientious and aware of what impact you're bringing to that person because it may just be a moment or a blip in your feed, but the impact is enduring for the person who's living it. And I also want us to be critical of how we consume trauma and violence in the media, and to ask ourselves if. We really, truly need to get all the details if we really, truly need to be put, put that victim in the position of reliving their experience just so we can relive it for a moment. Whereas they will have to relive it for the rest of their lives. And I think survivor narratives and victim narratives are way more messy and complicated and sometimes funny than people give it credit for or realize. And to realize that when you are reading something. That is just one dimension in one shade. Uh, yeah. So that was a lot, sorry. But, um, the other thing is for the Queen Bees of Tybee County. And the reason why I wanted to end on that is because it's uplifting is as dark as the world can be. It can also be as dazzling and bright and hopeful, and that the future that we are fighting for is worth fighting for. And we need to remind ourselves of that. Especially in times like these, and I know it might seem counterintuitive for us to celebrate or to be around each other when it feels earth shatteringly bleak, but it is essential to our survival, and don't be afraid to embrace that.   Miko Lee: [00:44:00] Kyle, thank you so much. Kyle, Casey Chu, thank you so much for joining us on Apex Express. I encourage people to check the film out and the book out and we appreciate chatting with you.    Kyle Casey Chu: [00:44:11] Thanks so much.    Ayame Keane-Lee: [00:44:14] Kyle's film will be showcased at Cam Fest, the nation's largest showcase for new Asian American and Asian films, which runs from May 8th to 11th in San Francisco at a time when it feels particularly fraught to express stories from communities of color. Cam is doing what we've done for over 40 years, sharing films from Asian America to a wide array of audiences. It says, Cam's, director of programs, Dawn Young. Watching these stories in a theater full of friends and neighbors is an opportunity to laugh and cry, and ultimately to celebrate human experiences that transcend bounds. This year's festival will return to the A MC Kabuki in San Francisco's Japan town for opening night, and a total of four days of screenings in the historic neighborhood that is undergoing its own resurgence with new restaurants, cafes, and boutiques, highlighting both traditional and youth oriented culture. The Roxy Theater will also host three days of screenings. Cam Fest continues to strengthen ties with other local arts institutions with the Asian Art Museum hosting the Cam Fest gala. Following the opening night film on Thursday May 8th and SF M Om a opening the Phyllis Wa Theater for Mother's Day programming on Sunday, May 10th. Turning a lens on history, whether it's the end of the Vietnam War or the trailblazing women in the Bay Area, offers a chance to reconsider the stories through which we come to understand ourselves. Says Cam Fest program Manager Del Holton, ranging from intimate narratives of family and memory to experimental work that bends the conventions of storytelling. These films illuminate the many perspectives of Asian America.    CAAM Fest 2025 wraps up on Mother's Day with dedicated events that highlight strength and visionary artistry of Asian American women. You can also catch my sister Jalena Keane-Lee's film Standing Above the Clouds at 5:00 PM at the Kabuki. Honoring Mothering also includes celebrating the nurturing of community and pioneering of aesthetics. Cam's final day reflects on the contributions of Asian American women's work while looking to the future of storytelling. Another major multimedia arts, dance and music festival to check out is the annual United States of Asian America which runs through June 1st at venues around the Bay Area. This year's theme Critical Refuge asks us to reflect on our journey as immigrants, refugees, and generations of descendants and or mixed raced people in the diaspora as we seek necessary sanctuary within ourselves and in our communities in times of unrest and uncertainty. The festival will honor a API Arts and Culture, reflecting on where we have been, where we are now, and what our collective future holds, while acknowledging our roots as immigrants, refugees, and mixed race descendants. Also check out the 42nd annual Himalayan Fair in Berkeley's Live Oak Park happening May 17th and 18th. There will be Himalayan Food, handicrafts, music, and Dance. There are so many events happening in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Check out our show notes for links to all the wheelchair accessible events In addition to the films we featured tonight, camp Fest and United States of Asian America, there is also May 3rd, two to 6:00 PM daily city AAPI fest celebrating local Asian American and Pacific Islander culture in daily city in the greater San Francisco Bay area.    May 10th, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM Our heritage, 5K 2025. A free family friendly, 5K fun walk slash run. Honoring the rich history and contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in San Francisco. This scenic route winds through the heart of the city. Passing by over 16 plus historic A API Landmarks featuring goodies, resources, and fun facts about its cultural significance. Expect cheer stations, photo ops, sweet treats, and entertainment along the route to keep the energy high. May 10th is also a API Mental Health Day. The Our Wellness Festival will celebrate mental health, community and joy. The festival will feature family friendly activities, carnival style games, music, dancing, wellness resources, and more. May 23rd at 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM Asian American and Pacific Islander, LGBT Q2 s plus Mixer, NJAHS, peace Gallery 1684 Post Street in San Francisco. Children's Fairyland in Oakland and Stanford's Asian American Studies apartment will also host a series of events throughout the month that we will post in the show notes for you to check out in Bay Area Public Library News. Oakland Public Libraries feature reading lists for all ages, a grab and grow seedling kit and events like Watermelon Kimchi making. San Francisco Public Libraries will have events for all ages at library locations throughout the city, including free author talks, book clubs, film screenings, crafts, food programs, and musical and dance performances. Highlights for adults include the launch of Corky Lee's Asian America at the main library on May 23rd. The new book features over 200 breathtaking photos celebrating the history and cultural impact of the Asian American Social Justice movement. We've covered Corky Lee's work in multiple previous Apex episodes.    Additionally, four members of the Asian American Journalist Association, AAJA, who cover the Asian American and Pacific Islander News beat will discuss how authentic local reporting happens, important stories they've reported recently, and how having reporters dedicated to the BEAT impacts the A API community on May 8th, moderated by the interim president of the AAJA-SF Bay Area chapter Harry Mock. The panel features Ko Lyn Chang from the San Francisco Chronicle, Han Lee from the San Francisco Standard, and Ravi Kapoor, CEO of Dia, TV on May 25th. The library partners with the Chinese Cultural Center of San Francisco to welcome Curtis Chin, author of everything I Learned, I learned in a Chinese restaurant for a book talk and library popup. For youth on May 25th, join June Jo Lee Food ethnographer and award-winning children's book author for a kimchi demo. Read aloud and krautchy making activity. Experience a read aloud of New Picture Storybooks for Children and participate in a drawing workshop on comics with illustrators mini fan and Sophie Dialo on May 23rd at Excelsior Branch Library. Katie Kwan, who has been featured on Apex dives into the world of comics and zines through the lens of an Asian American artist and educator, and teaches the community how to make their own comics and zines at multiple locations throughout May. San Jose Public Libraries host a series of events with highlights being top of cloth making on May 6th and vegan Filipino cooking with Aztec Vegan on May 7th. Once again, happy Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month from us at Apex Express. Please do checkout CAAM Fest. May 8th through 11th in San Francisco. If you get the chance and you'll be able to see Kyle's film. As well as many other incredible AAPI, histories and stories. You can check out all of that community calendar info in our show notes, as well as information on all of the guests you heard from tonight.   Miko Lee: [00:51:55] Please check out our website, kpfa.org to find out more about our show tonight. We think all of you listeners out there. Keep resisting, keep organizing, keep creating and sharing your visions with the world because your voices are important. APEX Express is created by Miko Lee, Jalena Keane-Lee, Preeti Mangala Shekar, Anuj Vaidya, Swati Rayasam, Aisa Villarosa, Estella Owoimaha-Church, Gabriel Tangloao, Cheryl Truong and Ayame Keane-Lee.        The post APEX Express – 5.1.25 – Filmmakers Exploring Boundaries appeared first on KPFA.

In this episode of the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, host Sherrod DeGrippo is joined by Lauren Proehl, Sydney Marrone, and Jamie Williams to dig into the THOR Collective — a fresh, community-driven initiative bringing modern energy to threat intel.  The group discusses the ongoing tension where developers focus on user-friendly design while security professionals aim to break things to prevent malicious use. They also dive into the THOR Collective, a community-driven initiative with open-source projects like Hearth and their twice-weekly Substack newsletter, Dispatch, which combines research, memes, and real-world lessons to uplift the InfoSec community. The conversation touches on the challenges of security, the disconnect between the public and understanding risks, and the need for more user-friendly, AI-driven security solutions that cater to various skill levels. In this episode you'll learn:      The value of consistently publishing high-quality content How the THOR Collective addresses this issue through innovative and digestible content The importance of making complex InfoSec topics approachable for different experience levels Some questions we ask:       What's going on with the rise in toll scam text messages? Why has social engineering remained such a successful tactic for threat actors? How does THOR Collective welcome new voices in InfoSec, and why is this crucial in today's security landscape? Resources:  View Lauren Proehl on LinkedIn View Sydney Marrone on LinkedIn  View Jamie Williams on LinkedIn  View Sherrod DeGrippo on LinkedIn  THOR Collective Related Microsoft Podcasts:                   Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson The BlueHat Podcast Uncovering Hidden Risks     Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts  Get the latest threat intelligence insights and guidance at Microsoft Security Insider The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of N2K media network. 

Dispersed for Unity

Preacher: Michael Foster, Text: Genesis 11:10-31

Zechariah chapter 14 brings to a conclusion the final prophetic message concerning Jerusalem, the Jewish people and the nations as the prophet's book comes to a close.Beginning with 13:6 through the end of Zechariah's book, the prophet provides us with a summary of end-time events:First, he draws our attention to the rejection of Messiah which will result in his death (13:7a). Ultimately, Messiah's death is orchestrated by God Himself and is for the purpose of providing Israel with the atonement for sin (12:10; 13:1).Second, the nation of Israel will be dispersed (13:7b). This passage is first applied to the scattering of Yeshua's disciples in anticipation of the dispersion of the entire nation (Matthew 26:31; 23:37-39).Third, the prophet looks into the distant future from his day and mentions a period referred to as "the time of Jacob's trouble" (13:8-9; Jeremiah 30:7). This is the tribulation period that is spoken of in great detail in the book of Revelation.Fourth, the attempt by the false messiah to destroy the Jewish people will come to a head in the battle for Jerusalem (14:1-2). The prophet describes the devastation of the city and the near annihilation of God's people Israel.Link to download Zechariah chart: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BkFtNcDKe32mzcqZGek_HXqXlVUVEO7C/view?usp=sharingYouTube: https://youtube.com/live/HqJBHwPKdVcSend us a text

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Matt Slick Live (Live Broadcast of 01-03-2025) is a production of the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry (CARM). Matt answers questions on topics such as: The Bible, Apologetics, Theology, World Religions, Atheism, and other issues! You can also email questions to Matt using: info@carm.org, Put "Radio Show Question" in the Subject line! Answers will be discussed in a future show. Topics Include: Matt Talks about Discussions in Chat Rooms/ How are Tithes and Offerings to be Dispersed in The Church/ Should a Pastor be Able to Own Church Property/ Issues of Pastors and Their Paid Wages/ How to Deal with a Shut-In Spouse/ The Sabbath Day and Seventh Day Adventism/ January 3, 2025

Matt Slick Live (Live Broadcast of 01-03-2025) is a production of the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry (CARM). Matt answers questions on topics such as: The Bible, Apologetics, Theology, World Religions, Atheism, and other issues! You can also email questions to Matt using: info@carm.org, Put "Radio Show Question" in the Subject line! Answers will be discussed in a future show. Topics Include: Matt Talks about Discussions in Chat Rooms/ How are Tithes and Offerings to be Dispersed in The Church/ Should a Pastor be Able to Own Church Property/ Issues of Pastors and Their Paid Wages/ How to Deal with a Shut-In Spouse/ The Sabbath Day and Seventh Day Adventism/ January 3, 2025

Matt Slick Live (Live Broadcast of 01-03-2025) is a production of the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry (CARM). Matt answers questions on topics such as: The Bible, Apologetics, Theology, World Religions, Atheism, and other issues! You can also email questions to Matt using: info@carm.org, Put "Radio Show Question" in the Subject line! Answers will be discussed in a future show. Topics Include: Matt Talks about Discussions in Chat Rooms/ How are Tithes and Offerings to be Dispersed in The Church/ Should a Pastor be Able to Own Church Property/ Issues of Pastors and Their Paid Wages/ How to Deal with a Shut-In Spouse/ The Sabbath Day and Seventh Day Adventism/ January 3, 2025

Sermon preached on 12/22/2024 by Joshua Ashwill on Genesis 10:11-9.

Imagine living far from home, surrounded by people who don't understand your culture, your faith, or your struggles. Every day feels like a battle to remain faithful while navigating pressure to compromise. Can you imagine that? I can! To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: — James 1:1 James opens his letter with a greeting to "the twelve tribes in the Dispersion." These are Jewish converts (now Christians) who have been scattered across the land, originating from persecution following Stephen's death (Acts 8:1). Many of these new believers ran from Jerusalem to escape hostility, only to encounter new challenges in foreign lands. They were strangers in hostile environments, wrestling with poverty, discrimination, and the daily grind of trying to live out their faith in a world that opposed them. But James doesn't just acknowledge and empathize with their situation—he equips and empowers them to live in their situation. This little letter that got passed on from group to group addresses all the practical issues believers were encountering, like trials (James 1:2-4), temptation (1:13-15), talk (3:1-12), and treasure (2:1-9; 5:1-6). At the core, James is calling them to a faith that works itself out in everyday life—one that is not merely thought about but lived out through daily action. I think many believers today can relate to the cultural challenges the Dispersion faced. We live, attend school, and work in cultures that oppose our values and beliefs. Brothers and sisters, we are swimming against the tide. The tide is strong, and for some of us, it is getting stronger. Like the Dispersion, there are some of you who feel scared, scattered, or secluded. However, as you will read in this letter, James's response to them is sympathetic but strong: "It's time to grow up." This message is so relevant to our time. You can complain about the challenges of our culture or bring about change. You do this by being light in the darkness. You live it out. You are the Dispersion—shine where you're scattered. #FaithInAction, #ShineInTheDarkness, #LiveTheGospel Ask This: Where do you feel scattered or out of place in your faith? How are you living out your faith daily? What challenges in your culture test your commitment to Christ? How can you shine as light in your current environment? Do This: Shine where you are scattered. Pray This: Father, help me live out my faith with courage and integrity, even when the world is against me. Strengthen me to be a light, reflecting Your love and truth wherever I am. Amen. Play This: Shine A Light.

Diving into the shadow sex scandal putting equatorial guinea on the map. — (1:27) New formats for the pod / send in questions for episode #200 — (5:15) The African gov't official sex tapes scandal — (12:51) He's a smooth criminal 9 — (27:09) Sexual blind conservatism in African culture — (36:26) Freakoffs is the douchiest DJ name / sexual narcissism  — (40:15) Dispersed mass triangulation in 9s — (46:43) 3w2 DJ roast segment — (56:37) The delusions we create and uphold to avoid reality / attachment nostalgia  — (1:11:17) Knowing the monster within — (1:15:55) Maladaptive self-subversion and sx instinct edge-seeking — (1:21:19) Big Hormone SP segment — (1:29:55) The orange man is 2-1 Social  Donate to support the show: https://paypal.me/bighormone venmo - @bighormone The Pain of the Blindspot seminar with John & Alexandra https://www.theenneagramschool.com/painoftheblindspot Find out what flavor of toxic you are 9w19w88w99w81w99w89w16w76w79w19w86w59w89w19w86w76w79w8 https://www.enneagrammer.com/ Alexandra's astrology-enneagram readings and trash tv gossip: https://www.saturnruled9.com Josh and John's 6-part class on the centers of intelligence and object relations: https://www.theenneagramschool.com/developmental-centers Only morons still don't have John's instinct book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578784971/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_VZ3VZVEG0M1RY42AWN2T You're a bread person if you only have one copy of DG's Trifix Booklet once: https://www.enneagrammer.com/store/trifix-venn-booklet-david-gray Call the BHE hotline with your questions at (323) 696-0647. Or you can also email bhepodcast@gmail.com or DM us with a pre-recorded voice message

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/hypnosis-and-relaxation-sound-therapy9715/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The Cortes Island Community Foundation recently announced that it is giving $105,000 to four of Cortes Island's essential non-profit organizations. The Cortes Island Food Bank will receive $40,000, Whaletown Community Club - $22,000, Island Death Care Society - $26,400 and  Support Our Seniors $16,600. This money came from the BC Government's Community Prosperity Fund, which is intended to help local communities address poverty reduction and social inclusion. In today's interview Christina McWilliam, Co-Chair of the Community Foundation and a member of the granting jury, and Andrea Fisher, Operations Manager of the Foundation, tell us the story behind this grant and why these four organizations were chosen.

Rev Gordon Matheson preaches on John 20:19-31

Tim and Kevin talk about how bureaucracies can become self perpetuating and find reasons to grow beyond their mission. Dispersed costs and concentrated benefits make regulation reform hard The do-something mentality may be one of the most destructive forces in politics. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/afreesolution/support

In this episode, I wanted to talk directly to all of you out there that have done some KOA or state park campground camping, but are wanting to get more remote while exploring and finding your own dispersed spots. If you want to know the difference, what you'll need, and the pros and cons of each, this is the episode for you. Check out the full thing for all the info! As I mentioned, here are some links to some of the gear I've used before if you need something to get started. If you need a good all around hammock with a built in bug net and rainfly, I've used this one for about 3 years and it's been great: https://amzn.to/3Tdn3cd For an inexpensive tent that's quick to deploy and inexpensive, here's a decent option: https://amzn.to/4g49dTd Here's a $50 cot that gets you up off the ground and folds down pretty easily: https://amzn.to/3Xu1QgM For a good, but not hundreds of dollar sleeping bag, Kelty makes good stuff: https://amzn.to/4g7cP6U I've got two pillows that I love and they're about the same price so I'll link both here- Luno Pillow: https://amzn.to/3Z3MksT Hest Pillow: https://amzn.to/4dLS5A1 A huge thanks to my featured partners: ICECO Fridges (the best fridges for the money, hands down-Use code ALLTHINGSOVERLANDING for 12% off your order):  https://icecofreezer.com/ALLTHINGSOVERLANDING Openroad 4x4 (my favorite roof top tent and winches. Great quality for a budget price!):  https://openroad4wd.com?aff=47 Moon Fab Awning (super flexible, non-permanently mounted awnings for all kinds of applications. This link will take you to more info on how I have it set up on my 3rd gen Frontier):  https://moonfab.com/pages/experts/jason-fletcher Kenda Tires (my favorite tires for the last 10 years):  http://bit.ly/3YSwrlh Northology Adventures (sign up for their FREE monthly magazine and check out their events!):  https://bit.ly/3jvJG7J Click here to join the Patreon community for exclusive content and access to the Discord channel:  https://www.patreon.com/allthingsoverlanding Click here to get a patches or stickers:  https://allthingsoverlanding.com/shop/ For a full list of my gear, check out this page for quick reference links:  https://allthingsoverlanding.com/gear/ Looking for budget light bars, rock lights, and LED strips for your rig? Check out Nilight and use code ATO for 5% off! https://bit.ly/3vuhN8F For more great content and info, you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or search for All Things Overlanding on all the major podcast channels! Facebook:  https://bit.ly/34pYsXv Instagram:  https://bit.ly/34pYS01 TikTok:  https://bit.ly/3BWJbzJ YouTube:  https://bit.ly/3cV5ZBb Newbie Overlander Facebook Group:  https://bit.ly/3b7RNos

Yellowstone National Park offers incredible opportunities for free camping. Whether you're seeking privacy, scenery, or a budget-friendly way to explore, this guide will cover the best spots for camping along with practical tips for a safe and enjoyable stay. Show notes: https://thefaiolas.com/129

Today we explore three methods for staying nights in your van - as well as dive into WHEN each method might be necessary. Learning how, when and where to camp on the road is essential in happily and safely living from your van.So let's dive into it, shall we? As always, we'll also take listener questions at the end… which include: What are some good camping meals? Which cryptic would you bring in the. Can with you for a co/host travel buddy for an episode? What's the most beautiful campsite you've been to? 

Mother Miriam Live - June 25, 2024 First and Second Letter of St. Peter (How to live in a persecuted time) As a possible convert from Islam to Catholicism, can you help me understand the divinity of Jesus? Why didn't any other pope take the name Peter? Is watching horror movies detrimental to my spiritual health? Why is your favorite book of the Bible?

There's one guy who thinks Governor Walz hasn't done enough to react to a pair of legislative auditor reports that were made public last week.Find out more from Blois Olson on The Morning Take with Vineeta Sawkar on the WCCO Morning News. 

Anita Bonita has the evening's top stories from the WCBS newsroom.

Workforce planning is a massive juggling act at any time. But throw into the mix a dispersed workforce of thousands that needs to scale up and down swiftly and literal life or death situations and the challenge seems neigh on impossible. Fire & Rescue NSW have taken steps to streamline and optimise their workforce planning initiatives in recent years in a bid to best manage the task. We chat to Jeremy Fewtrell, Commissioner with Fire and Rescue NSW to learn how the power of leadership, Diversity and Equity initiatives, and a navigation of workplace culture is helping to ensure the agency is ready for - literally - anything. Jeremy Fewtrell, Commissioner with Fire and Rescue NSW For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co  

PacifiCorp's boat-in dispersed campsites located on Yale and Swift reservoirs are now open for 2024 reservations for the summer season – a new opportunity for visitors to the Lewis River area. https://tinyurl.com/9m4fzmb6 #PacifiCorp #BoatInDispersedCampsites #YaleReservoir #SwiftReservoir #2024Reservations #SummerSeason #LewisRiverArea #WildernessTypeCampingExperience #AccessibleByBoat #Ariel #ClarkCountyWa #ClarkCountyNews #ClarkCountyToday

If you're a displaced worker and you're looking for work, save money on your monthly bills with Recession Resister! Find out more at: https://recessionresister.com/ Recession Resister City: Portland Address: 11923 NE Sumner St Website: https://recessionresister.com Email: support@recessionresister.com

8am Hour 3 - The guys talk about the numerous targets the Bills will have on offense this year and the potential to add more in the draft this offseason. 

2/25/24: ACLU of Mass.' Carol Rose: abortion & SCOTUS. Sec. of Housing & Livable Communities, Ed Augustus: in Nh'pton & Amherst today. Amilcar Shabazz & Pat Ononibaku: Amherst ARPA funds unfairly dispersed. Rich Michelson w/ amazing poet and Smithie, Jessica Jacobs. Megan Zinn w/ Jenny Hansel & Shoshana Marchansa on "Dreams So Fleeting."

In this episode, we read about the dispersion of Israel, yet Judah remaining, and not being taken captive by Assyria.

Pastor Garrison GreeneTEXT: Genesis 10:1-11:9BIG IDEA: When humanity seeks to make themselves preeminent, God comes down to hand out fitting punishment.OUTLINE: 1. Run From the Spirit of Babel 2. Remember the God Who Comes Down 3. Rejoice in the Reversal of BabelRESOURCES: ESV Study Bible; Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible's Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture by Christopher Watkin; Reformed Expository Commentary: Genesis by Richard Phillips; Preaching the Word: Genesis by Kent Hughes; Christian Standard Commentary: Genesis 1-11 by Kenneth Matthews; Welwyn Commentary Series: Genesis - The Book of Origins by Philip Eveson

We recap Real Housewives of Potomac S8 Ep 12, Vanderpump Rules S11 Ep 2, Real Housewives of Beverley Hills S13 Ep 15 and Real Housewives of Miami S6 Ep 15. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we hear from Sophia Fisher of the Times-Independent. We cover new city construction projects, speculative mining activity at the Yellow Cat Mine, a new documentary about a local base jumper who took his first jump after a severe injury, and an op-ed about what really happened with the re-zoning process for the property now under construction down Kane Creek Boulevard. //Dispersed parking, Kane Creek Boulevard projects ready to go https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/dispersed-parking-kane-creek-boulevard-projects-ready-to-go/ //Could Yellow Cat mining district spring back to life? https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/could-the-yellow-cat-mining-district-spring-back-to-life/ //Ian Mitcharch takes flight after severe paragliding accident https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/ian-mitchard-takes-flight-after-severe-paragliding-accident/ //Kane Creek was supposed to be a 10-acre campground https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/former-commissioner-kane-creek-was-supposed-to-be-a-10-acre-campground/

In this Partnering Leadership episode, host Mahan Tavakoli has an expansive dialogue on leadership and the future of work with serial entrepreneur and tech optimist Andy Tryba. As a 19x founder and CEO, Andy currently leads private equity firm Ionic Partners and two of its high-growth acquisitions, Gigster and Sparkrock. Andy previously built and led software juggernaut Think3, acquiring and optimizing 12 SaaS companies. He also founded one of the world's largest online talent marketplaces, Crossover, which grew to over $500 million in revenue before its acquisition.In addition, Andy served as an advisor to President Obama on spurring job creation and competitiveness. Key Insights and Actionable Takeaways: Learn Andy's tactics for optimizing asynchronous decision-making in remote environmentsHear Andy's perspective on the "human cloud" future of work and economic opportunityUnderstand why Andy sees global remote hiring as a gamechanger most companies fail to utilizeLearn why hybrid work models are often "the worst of both worlds" Discover Andy's approach to acquiring and scaling companies through private equityFind out why reading classics on relating well to people is an unexpected Andy leadership habit Get Andy's optimistic view that AI will augment rather than replace most knowledge worker rolesConnect with Andy TrybaAndy Tryba on X Andy Tryba LinkedIn Connect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – Ryunosuke Satoro, “Individually, we are one drop.  Together, we are an ocean.'”  Recently, have you read any articles about new leadership skills needed to succeed?  Leadership skills like agility, empathy, respectful communication, listening to employees, and more.  As I reflect, leaders from around the globe are waking up to what true leadership should have been all along and that we have been blindly using the model used throughout corporate cultures, at least during my 40-year career.  I believe that not having a tangible and duplicatable leadership culture will cost organizations millions of dollars in lost productivity and, ultimately, lost revenue. So, what is a great model to follow?  I'm glad you asked!   Watch it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oTF2xqZ0Tiw   About Kevin Hancock:  Kevin is the managing owner and chairman of one of America's oldest family businesses, an award-winning author, and a nationally recognized public speaker.  Hancock Lumber is a nine-time recipient of the ‘Best Places to Work in Maine' award.   Kevin has three books published: Not For Sale: Finding Center in the Land of Crazy Horse The Seventh Power: One CEO's Journey into the Business of Shared Leadership 48 Whispers from Pine Ridge and the Northern Plains   Kevin also partners with the executive coaching firm SSCA to provide senior management training programs around shared leadership, dispersed power, and deep employee engagement. Kevin is a frequent visitor to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota and an advocate of strengthening the voices of all individuals—within a company or a community —through listening, empowering, and shared leadership.    How to Get in Touch With Kevin Hancock:  Website:   https://thebusinessofsharedleadership.com/ Books:  https://www.thebusinessofsharedleadership.com/resources/books/ Leadership Program:  https://www.thebusinessofsharedleadership.com/about/workshop/ Stalk me online! LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/conniewhitman Download Free Communication Style Assessment: https://whitmanassoc.com/csa/    Subscribe to the Changing the Sales Game Podcast on webtalkradio.com, your favorite podcast streaming service or YouTube.  New episodes post every week - listen to Connie dive into new sales and business topics or problems you may have in your business.

- Illegal immigration and criminal activity in the US. (0:03) - Taxation, representation, and election integrity in Colorado. (4:47) - Colorado election interference and immigration. (17:57) - Immigrant transportation and politics. (35:57) - Texas' immigration policies and payment to bus riders. (40:14) - Immigrant buses and smuggling. (48:34) - Transporting migrants from Texas to various cities in the US. (52:13) - Trump's immigration policies and potential bounty contracts. (1:10:01) - Immigration and border security. (1:21:39) - Immigration and deportation policies. (1:24:59) - Potential political and economic turmoil in the US. (1:41:43) - The alleged plan to replace Americans with migrants and AI. (1:48:31) - Health and wellness products and their benefits. (1:59:07) For more updates, visit: http://www.brighteon.com/channel/hrreport NaturalNews videos would not be possible without you, as always we remain passionately dedicated to our mission of educating people all over the world on the subject of natural healing remedies and personal liberty (food freedom, medical freedom, the freedom of speech, etc.). Together, we're helping create a better world, with more honest food labeling, reduced chemical contamination, the avoidance of toxic heavy metals and vastly increased scientific transparency. ▶️ Every dollar you spend at the Health Ranger Store goes toward helping us achieve important science and content goals for humanity: https://www.healthrangerstore.com/ ▶️ Sign Up For Our Newsletter: https://www.naturalnews.com/Readerregistration.html ▶️ Brighteon: https://www.brighteon.com/channels/hrreport ▶️ Join Our Social Network: https://brighteon.social/@HealthRanger ▶️ Check In Stock Products at: https://PrepWithMike.com

This episode isn't just about the adventure; it's about the positive effects Overlanding and dispersed camping can have on your mental well-being. Discover how the road less traveled can lead to greater mental resilience and a more positive mindset. Overlanding teaches adaptability and resourcefulness, enhancing your ability to navigate life's challenges and making otherwise annoying or even daunting tasks seem easy to overcome. When you've camped in negative temps, sitting at a kids football game in the 30's and 40's will be a breeze. Hear stories of how Overlanding and overcoming obstacles in dispersed camping can help you in your everyday life to be tougher and even a better person. #Overlanding #DispersedCamping #MentalResilience #Adventure #ExploreNature #MindfulLiving #OutdoorLife #PositiveImpact A huge thanks to my featured partners: Kenda Tires (my favorite tires):  http://bit.ly/3YSwrlh REDARC (all kinds of trick power management solutions):  https://bit.ly/3rt1ZiB Northology Adventures (Sign up for their FREE monthly magazine and check out their events!):  https://bit.ly/3iww7Ue Click here to join the Patreon community for exclusive content and access to the Discord channel:  https://www.patreon.com/allthingsoverlanding Click here to get a patches or stickers:  https://allthingsoverlanding.com/shop/ For a full list of my gear, check out this page for quick reference links:  https://allthingsoverlanding.com/gear/ Looking for budget light bars, rock lights, and LED strips for your rig? Check out Nilight and use code ATO for 5% off! https://bit.ly/3vuhN8F For more great content and info, you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or search for All Things Overlanding on all the major podcast channels! Facebook:  https://bit.ly/34pYsXv Instagram:  https://bit.ly/34pYS01 TikTok:  https://bit.ly/3BWJbzJ YouTube:  https://bit.ly/3cV5ZBb Newbie Overlander Facebook Group:  https://bit.ly/3b7RNos

In this episode, I'm going to talk through some tips for rookie mistakes (that I've made multiple times) and how to avoid them. So, if you're newer to Overlanding or dispersed camping, there should be some good info here for you. And, if you've been doing it for a while, you may get a chuckle out of my mistakes also. I'll cover topics like erring on the side of caution when Overlanding (especially when solo), being prepared and bringing enough and the right recovery gear, and the importance of researching and paying attention to trails, signs, and whether you're on a legal trail or not. So, if you want to learn more, check out the full episode! A huge thanks to my featured partners: Kenda Tires (my favorite tires):  http://bit.ly/3YSwrlh REDARC (all kinds of trick power management solutions):  https://bit.ly/3rt1ZiB Northology Adventures (Sign up for their FREE monthly magazine and check out their events!):  https://bit.ly/3iww7Ue Click here to join the Patreon community for exclusive content and access to the Discord channel:  https://www.patreon.com/allthingsoverlanding Click here to get a patches or stickers:  https://allthingsoverlanding.com/shop/ For a full list of my gear, check out this page for quick reference links:  https://allthingsoverlanding.com/gear/ Looking for budget light bars, rock lights, and LED strips for your rig? Check out Nilight and use code ATO for 5% off! https://bit.ly/3vuhN8F For more great content and info, you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or search for All Things Overlanding on all the major podcast channels! Facebook:  https://bit.ly/34pYsXv Instagram:  https://bit.ly/34pYS01 TikTok:  https://bit.ly/3BWJbzJ YouTube:  https://bit.ly/3cV5ZBb Newbie Overlander Facebook Group:  https://bit.ly/3b7RNos

Topic 1: Dismantled and DispersedThe City of Toronto, aided by Police, evicted an encampment community in the Kensington Market area of the city from a tiny parkette outside a church that welcomed them. The excuses used by the City and local Councilor Diane Saxe don't fly with our hosts or housing advocates.Topic 2: Prisoner Exchanges but no PeaceWe give updates on the release of hostages and prisoners, and a short term truce that is anything but. Those updates, plus a look at just how many children are imprisoned by Israel, what their conditions are and what generally puts them there. All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: PatreonFollow us on InstagramResources: Save the Children ReportAl Jazeera: Who Were the Palestinian Prisoners?Israel-Hamas war live: Third group of captives released as Hamas seeks to extend truce | The IndependentDiana Chan McNally in Toronto Star: The federal government must adhere to its human rights obligationsSantiago Helou Quintero's Op-Ed in Humber News: Encampment Evictions are Violent Colonial DisplacementThe Grind TO: Kensington Encampment Eviction

Will Horvath from PermacultureApprentice.com joins to discuss Permaculture Type 1 Errors - in your design and implementation that you regret. Type 1 errors cost you money, time, and decreased return or increased effort.Some of the Type 1 errors that we discuss:Install a pond in the wrong location.Using the STUN method on grafted apple trees and most of them fail.Put a garden in poor sun exposure or a frost pocket in a valley.Locating your home, buildings, or access road in a potential flood zone,Dispersed or spread out home or infrastructure - buildings too far apart, too etc. far way from water, etc.Episode website: https://thrivingthefuture.com/permaculture-apprenticeVisit Will Horvath's Permaculture Apprentice site - He has articles and classes on how to assess land and your permaculture property, design your food forest, layout swales on contour, and much more.Want to Create a Food Forest and Grow 3-5X More Food?

0:01 Why camouflage is like a rhizome.The complexity of camouflage and abstraction.Why camouflage is a better survival strategy.2:44 The servant as master.How to become low like water and remain powerful.Master as servant - martyr. 5:16 The boss who tries to also be your best friend.The parent who guilts you. Undermined core self: camouflage needed for shame concealment. 6:56 The ubiquity of repetition and mass media.The ubiquity of marilyn monroe as a sex symbol. (Andy Warhol)Society normalization disperses desire: at once object and landscape. 9:18 Desire has become decentralized and dispersedMimetic desire has become decentralized and mimetically dispersed. The role of libido in camouflaging.12:13 The decentralization of the self.Camouflage through subject, context, confusion or dispersal at scale.Decentralization of self: the self or desire as a rhizome.14:45 Disguise is the facade that shelters the self, but also enables psychopathic killers. The digital world lacks trust, artificial intelligence, and the travails of insecurity.Crowdsourcing wikipedia is a battleground.16:57 We no longer trust the image.The attention economy and the loss of trust.The destabilization of America, 19:28 Do you still have the power to focus or just act?Focus is the only thing that can determine who we are.Hunker down and live dangerously. 

I recently went on a winter dispersed camping trip and the main comment I saw on pictures and videos was "how can you have fun with temps that cold" or "I love camping, but not when it's that cold." So, I wanted to run down a list of some helpful tips that can not only help you survive winter camping, but even make it fun and enjoyable. Stay tuned until the end for some cheats and tips to really take your winter camping to the next level. Here are the products I mentioned in the video if it helps! Cheap diesel heater (all in one): https://amzn.to/3YUf4Ba Cheap diesel heater that you can build into a box or your rig: https://amzn.to/3XJxDaa 0 degree sleeping bag I use: https://amzn.to/3I3iw5E Hot Hands hand warmers: https://amzn.to/3S5Chya The headlamp I use: https://amzn.to/3k6r1oB Ecoflow River 700 (portable battery for running diesel heater, fridge, or tons of charging): https://amzn.to/3KgL924 Want to listen to the podcast without commercials? Consider subscribing! https://anchor.fm/allthingsoverlanding/subscribe A huge thanks to my featured partners: MOORE Expo 2023. Get your tickets here (and use code ALLTHINGSO10 to get 10% off your tickets!): https://bit.ly/3qewnxB Aventuron. A great option for all your Overlanding and outdoor gear in one place: http://bit.ly/3FhNIN7 REDARC (all kinds of trick power management solutions): https://bit.ly/3rt1ZiB Otzi Gear (Awesome fire pits and mounting solutions): https://bit.ly/3zzqEGC Rugged Bound Supply Co (my roof top tent, awnings, and more): https://bit.ly/3eyphi9 Northology Adventures (Sign up for their FREE monthly magazine and check out their events!): https://bit.ly/3iww7Ue Click here to join the Patreon community for exclusive content and access to the Discord channel: https://www.patreon.com/allthingsoverlanding Click here to get a patch or sticker: https://bit.ly/3jxj7iw For a full list of my gear, check out this page for quick reference links: https://allthingsoverlanding.com/gear/ Looking for budget light bars, rock lights, and LED strips for your rig? Check out Nilight and use code ATO for 5% off! https://bit.ly/3vuhN8F For more great content and info, you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or search for All Things Overlanding on all the major podcast channels! Facebook: https://bit.ly/34pYsXv Instagram: https://bit.ly/34pYS01 TikTok: https://bit.ly/3BWJbzJ YouTube: https://bit.ly/3cV5ZBb Newbie Overlander Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/3b7RNos

Tune into the 7th Question Stretch for the best camping stories and tips! See how you stacked up against the Chloee Hardness Test. Whether you've only set up a tent in the living room or you're listening to us from the backcountry, you're bound to learn something from this week's episode! Seth and Chloee once again host this week's Travelin' Trivia Episode. To keep up with their latest travels, follow @travel_down_wander on Instagram. Each question and answer provided on Travelin' Trivia is researched and referenced from reputable sources throughout the industry. That is not to say mistakes aren't made. If you notice an error while listening, please bring it to their attention and the correction will be provided in a coming episode! Listener Feedback Form (scroll to the bottom of the home page) To learn more about each topic discussed in this week's Travelin' Trivia episode visit the reference below. Question 1: Ahhhh you've finally made it, you breathe in the wonderful smells... Question 2: Dispersed camping on public lands operated by the BLM... Question 3: In this question, I'll list off 4 camping “best practices”... Question 4: Name this outdoor organization that focuses on educating people rather than... Question 5: Camping is a practice all cultures have shared at one time or another,... Question 6: Is camping a “culture” I would have to argue that is it... Question 7: You've done your research and you're finalizing your pack..... Question 8: While overall goals for individual campers vary, we all want to be at least somewhat... Question 9: 4-season tents are the best option for camping in all seasons of the year... Question 10: What country was the first to popularize recreational camping?... Bonus Question: An article posted on Outdoorsy.com in 2020 took a deep dive into public data... Join us next week for San Francisco Trivial! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/seth-malcolm7/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/seth-malcolm7/support

Dispersed camping on Superior National Forest is something the U.S. Forest Service has encouraged as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness continues to draw more people during the peak of summer. In this episode, podcast co-host Joe Friedrichs travels with The Great Josh Dix to a remote lake on the edge of the wilderness. Pursuing brook trout in and around the wilderness formed a theme for October for Friedrichs and fellow co-host Matthew Baxley. The two of them worked together to find brookies, while Baxley also traveled with longtime Cook County resident Buck Benson to find fish and adventure near the BWCA.

Outdoor hospitality is a fast-growing market, especially with the growing desire for unique stays and experiences. However, it's still a fragmented industry and there's work to be done to meet the demand.   The Dyrt aims to provide a solution to the 70M Americans looking for outdoor destinations. Founder Sarah Smith joins us to talk about creating a platform that offers reliable camping and RVing information online and the need to move the fragmented outdoor hospitality industry into a more consolidated one. She also shares how she's grown the company through connecting with the community, how they are putting properties in front of their 30M visitors, and gives her take on the trends in the space.     [00:01 - 07:23] The Outdoor Boom Sarah on why they founded The Dyrt There is a huge opportunity in the outdoor hospitality space, and RV camping is on the rise. A lot of people who are working from the road need the reliability of an RV resort   [07:24 - 20:12] Making Camping and RVing Easier and More Accessible The Dyrt is a platform where users can find campgrounds and RV resorts to stay at for free. Amassing 30M visitors They don't charge commissions from campground and RV park owners Creating the platform Even though Sarah has no technology background, they were able to innovate by working with the right people Integration with other PMS Important question entrepreneurs must ask themselves: are you solving a real problem or are you just doing this for fun? How they leveraged the community to crowdsource photos and reviews Using incentives to encourage contributions What's next for The Dyrt: expansion to other countries, the opportunities in the Glamping market   [20:13 - 22:15] Closing Segment Sarah's advice: Keep looking forward Reach out to Sarah!  Links Below Final Words Tweetable Quotes   “It seems like a no-brainer because all we hear about is it's so hard to find a place to go camp or I wish there are more places.” - Sarah Smith   “If you're doing any sort of startup, it's really important to understand if are you solving something that needs to be solved, or are you just doing something that sounds fun?” - Sarah Smith   “Bringing this fragmented industry of camping and RV into one area is really what we want to do.” - Sarah Smith -----------------------------------------------------------------------------   Connect with Sarah through The Dyrt website. See if your property is already listed at thedyrt.com/claim.   Connect with me:   I love helping others place money outside of traditional investments that both diversify a strategy and provide solid predictable returns.     Facebook   LinkedIn   Like, subscribe, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or whatever platform you listen on.  Thank you for tuning in!   Email me → sam@brickeninvestmentgroup.com Want to read the full show notes of the episode? Check it out below: [00:00:00] Sarah Smith: I'm really excited to be the top-ranked camping and RV out there in the app store. So if anything, I'm proof that you don't need a background necessarily if you have a passion and you hire the right people. [00:00:24] Sam Wilson: Thank you to everyone who is a dedicated listener to the How to Scale Commercial Real Estate podcast. Just want to give you a heads up that today, we had some audio issues on actually three or four episodes that we recorded in a row. They were such good episodes and the guests were so kind of course, to share their time and insight with us that I couldn't ask them to rerecord it. So we're going to go ahead and publish these episodes. I am aware of it. The audio is not what I like to put out, but running a daily show at some point in time, we're going to run into a hiccup along the way. And today is one of those days where I get to share my mistakes and hiccups right along with you. But again, it's a great episode. You can hear the guest a lot better than you can hear me. And it's just part of what it is that we do. Nevertheless, here it is. Thanks so much for tuning in. Certainly appreciate it.  [00:01:07] Sam Wilson: Sarah Smith is the founder of The Dyrt, which is the number one app for camping, with the most active online camping community. Sarah and her husband, The Dyrt CEO Kevin Long, were avid campers who struggle to find campground information online. So they started The Dyrt, that's spelled D Y R T, which I think is a really cool name. Sarah, welcome to the show.  [00:01:26] Sarah Smith: Thank you, Sam. Very happy to be here.  [00:01:29] Sam Wilson: Hey, the pleasure's mine. Sarah, there are three questions I ask every guest who comes to the show: in 90 seconds or less, can you tell me where did you start? Where are you now? And how did you get there?  [00:01:37] Sarah Smith: Sure. Sure. I started as a camper who was very frustrated because I couldn't find reliable information about camping online. So created The Dyrt, which now is the most active online community of campers out there, including RVers. And we have crowdsourced over 4 million photos reviews and tips of campgrounds over the past several years that we've been doing this. We've recently expanded our focus onto bookings. It was kind of a natural evolution of going from focusing on campers finding campgrounds to campers booking campgrounds. So we've done that in a way that really supports campground owners and RV park owners by offering commission-free bookings. So campground owners keep their full nightly rate when campers book through The Dyrt. And we're really excited about kind of expanding this whole thing. And it really, you know, we kind of got to this point, as you may have heard, I don't know if you're a camper, but camping and RV really boomed in the pandemic. Didn't really know if that was just going to be a blip or if it would stick around and indeed it stuck around. And 2021 was even busier than 2020 as far as camping and 2022 is turning out to be so as well. So, really excited that more people are getting outside and happy to have a platform where we can help them. [00:03:08] Sam Wilson: Outdoor hospitality has absolutely exploded. That's been one of the transitions that we've made actually is out of multifamily, even some other assets, and started buying RV resorts this year, just because of it. And said, Hey, you know what? There is a huge opportunity here. And what we have found, I just want to kind of compliment what you're saying, by what we have found is the price difference. You know, the number of people buying RVs, the prices of the RV resorts have not kept up with the influx of people buying actually RV. We can still find value inside of the RV resort acquisition space. I love what you were saying there about how it's not just a fad. You know, it's been several years now that the outdoor hospitality space continues to grow. Can you give some kind of background information as to why you think that is?  [00:03:54] Sarah Smith: Sure. It's amazing. We saw 8 million new Americans go camping last year, never camped before. And so it's a big new thing. And a lot of those people were trying RVing. And if you think about the sort of investment you need to put into RVing as a camper, you need to buy an RV. That's not cheap. You need to buy equipment. None of this is cheap, even if you're a tent camper, it's an investment. So once you make that investment and once you've camped or RV'd for the first time, and you kind of break the barrier and understand how it works. And if you don't know, if you didn't grow up doing it, it's like a big mystery to you. It's like, I don't know what RV to buy. I don't know what tent to buy. So once I think you break through that, it becomes something that you understand how to do, you realize it's easy to do other than back in an RV into a spot, that's never easy to do. And yeah. I just think it's going to continue to blossom.  [00:04:49] Sam Wilson: Absolutely. I like that idea where you said that, you know, once you kind of broke into the space, I mean, you bought the tent, you got a sleeping bag, you got your marshmallow sticks, you've got whatever all the stuff is, your coffee pot, you're going to put on the fire, you name it, I mean, you're well invested into equipment and time and thinking through all the things that you're going to get in order to go out and partake in this hobby. And so it's not typically just a one-off, use it once and then move on type of thing.  [00:05:15] Sarah Smith: Totally. You know, we did a camping report last year. We surveyed our users and other campers out there. RVing is the fastest growing type of camping right now. And you're absolutely right. I always say I should go into, I should buy campgrounds and RV parks, which I'm sure a lot of you have. And a lot of your listeners are interested in that. And as someone who's not in that side of it, not in the real estate side of it, but providing a platform for you all to put your RV resort or your campground. It seems like a no-brainer because all we hear about is it's so hard to find a place to go camp. I wish there are more places.  [00:05:54] Sam Wilson: Right. And a lot of our investors are saying the same thing. You know, a lot of our investors own RVs. They travel around, especially around the Southeast. And they're saying the same thing. They're like good grief. And of course, we're buying RV resorts. We're not buying just one-off RV parks in the middle of the country, you know, fly over state. So we're buying RV resorts and those are especially hard, especially hard right now to get into, I mean, months in advance. [00:06:16] Sarah Smith: Right. You know, what's interesting is my husband and I, we bought a sprinter van and we spent six months last year on the road. And we're normally more like we camp in the middle of nowhere or like national forests. We're definitely not normally in an RV resort, but we were working full time while we were on the road. So we stayed, for the first time ever, in RV resorts, because we knew we could have reliable electricity, we could, you know, have showers and there are so many more people who are working from the road who need that reliability, who are going to turn to places like RV resorts and they didn't use to. [00:06:55] Sam Wilson: Right, right. Yeah. That's absolutely awesome. I'm glad to kind of get, of course, you know, we've compiled a lot of kind of industry research before we ever went long in the space. We said, okay, let's do our homework. Let's make sure this is not a fad. And we came to the same conclusion, but it's also nice just to hear from other people in the industry, especially you running a platform to say, Hey, look, this is not just a fad. This has, you know, this has legs, and it doesn't seem like it's going away anytime soon. Sarah, here's a question I have for you. One of the things that you had mentioned early on was that you had originally started off making a site where you could get reviews or could find open sites, things like that. And now you've made it possible where campgrounds, RV parks, RV resorts can post their platforms or their listings on your platform and have commission-free booking. I'm really curious as a RV resort owner, how in the world does that work, and how do you monetize?  [00:07:49] Sarah Smith: Yeah, that's a great question. Well, the first thing to understand about The Dyrt is we make money through our subscription that campers pay for. So The Dyrt is totally free for users to use, but if they want some additional tools and some additional discounts, like not paying fees themselves on bookings, then they pay a $36 a year fee. That's how much it costs and that's how we make money. And that is how we are focused on making money. So we do not need to make commissions off campgrounds and we are really excited to support them and help them get in front of our 30 million visitors who come to our site every year, looking for places to camp. You know, campers don't always know exactly what they're looking for. So they search North Carolina and they search around an area and zoom in and look at what's on The Dyrt and they find something. And once they do, they want to book it and they can book it right on The Dyrt. We do not charge any sort of commission to campground owners or RV park owners. And honestly, there's a good chance your RV park is already listed on The Dyrt. We have users adding places all the time that we then verify and make sure are accurate. But I've gone to different RV resort conferences where I've talked to owners and found their listing on The Dyrt that they didn't know about. They had six five-star reviews, raving reviews about how great their place was and they didn't even know it. So it's very easy, yeah, to go to TheDyrt.com/claim, search for your property, see if it's already on The Dyrt, and if it is, claim it. And then we go through a very easy process to help you set up, you know, all your information, make sure it's accurate. We also, we partner with PMS's, you know, booking software out there. So if you're using a booking software, there's a chance it'll integrate with us as well, so that it will disperse your information onto our platform. And you don't actually have to do much for that. And then you are, like I said, getting in front of the 30 million people who are coming to our site to find a place to camp and RV. [00:10:08] Sam Wilson: Right. Yeah. I mean, that's one of the innovations that we, and it's not even an innovation really, but it's one of those things that we've seen in the outdoor hospitality space at large is the lack of dynamic pricing the space. Now I know this maybe not, doesn't necessarily pertain to you, but I think it ties well into the fact that these two softwares, a lot of these softwares can integrate because the resort we just bought last Friday, today is the 26th, on Friday, we bought a resort. The same price was to same in a book an RV site was on April 4th as it was on July 4th. And for those of us who are, you know, listening to this you're going, wait that doesn't make any sense at all, like July 4th, the busiest week into the year. But we're seeing this a lot in the outdoor hospitality space because it's mom and pop owned, a lot of it. They just, it's easy to remember that, well, right, 49 bucks a night or 59, whatever. It's 99. I don't know. Made up numbers. But you know, for us just bringing simple dynamic pricing to the table. So you can answer the question I have for you. How does our prices get translated over to your guys' platform? Who going to actually see what that daily price is today 'cause our price has change, like the airlines, Airbnb, et cetera, on a daily basis?  [00:11:17] Sarah Smith: Exactly. Yeah, you integrate through these systems. You know, we have everything from RV resorts to people who have private land and they just have one little site that they want to put on The Dyrt, you know, more like a Airbnb-type situation, but for the outdoors. And they can do all this directly on through our backend portal where they can go in and set their pricing and everything themselves. So you can do it either ways, either through a system or just, you know, through The Dyrt yourself. So we try to be accommodating to all sorts of, types of places to stay. [00:11:52] Sam Wilson: Now tell me this. Do you have a background in software development? Is this just your first foray into something and it was really cool, you had a great idea and then you just made it happen?  [00:12:03] Sarah Smith: Yeah, that's a great question. My background is actually in international education. I had never done anything like this before in my life. Being a tech founder is a little bit intimidating and I think I was like 46 when I started it, you know? No, I must have been 43 'cause I'm 53 now. And it was 10 years ago. So in the past 10 years, we've raised $24 million from investors, but we have a staff of about 50 people now. So we've, you know, come a long way since we were just me and a contractor. Really excited to be the top-ranked, camping and RV out there in the app store. So if anything, I'm proof that you don't need a background, necessarily if you have a passion and you hire the right people.  [00:12:46] Sam Wilson: Yeah, that's really cool. Let's talk about the scaling side of your business. I mean, that's one explosive growth, but how did you, to market and grow your company, like, what would you feel were the top two or three effective strategies that you used that took you guys to the top of all these platforms?  [00:13:04] Sarah Smith: Yeah, that's a great question. First of all, if you're doing any sort of startup, it's really important to understand, are you solving something that needs to be solved, or are you just doing something that sounds fun? So are you actually solving a problem? And as a camper, I did a lot of research to make sure that this was indeed a problem. For this 70 million Americans who camp and RV, finding a place to camp online was super painful. Having a consolidated place to find them and then book them, super painful. And then the other thing we did is we really leveraged our community because The Dyrt is all about having photos, reviews, and tips from users. And if you don't have that, it's just an empty shell of a directory. No better than what used to make me so frustrated. So we had to learn how to incentivize people because it's not easy to ask someone to come to your website, sign up, leave reviews, leave photos. That's a lot to ask of people, right? So we gamified the whole thing and worked with different outdoor brands so that, you know, you do a review of a campground in Tennessee, you get three points for the review, five points for the photo, 10 points for the video. There's a leaderboard for Tennessee, you're competing with other people. And then at the end of the month, the top reviewer would win a prize from one of the outdoor brands that we partnered with. And then we would start over the next month. And we've done that for years and years and years, and that's really helped us get our platform to where it is now, where, you know, we have someone buying The Dyrt PRO, the upgraded part of The Dyrt, every couple minutes, you know. It's really phenomenal to see a little idea spark into something like this. [00:14:48] Sam Wilson: Right, right. What, And there's so many platforms like this. I mean, the hotel industry has had it for, you know, a pretty long time. I'm subscriber to, like, AllTrails. I think AllTrails.Com is one of the, you know, it's all the hiking trails across the country, but it's like, oh my gosh, we're going to go out in the park, like, well, what's the best route? What are the best days? What are the sites like? I mean, you don't know, looking at a cellphone map. Okay, can I get from a, to B in the same time 'cause that's maybe a six mile trail, but that six miles may take me 14 hours too because it's 9,000 feet of elevation game, whatever it is. But the problem, you know, and I wonder just how many other things like this have yet to be solved. You know, you guys have found a unique niche and I think what you said there was really great, are you solving a problem? And clearly, this is an absolute problem. What are some other things that you look to the future and say, OK, cool, you know, we've been able to allow people to find open sites, open RV resorts will now allow them to book online. What's the next big thing you guys are looking to tackle?  [00:15:48] Sarah Smith: Well, I mean, a more short term, we really, you know, we've kind of historically been known as a rating and review site, you know, more like Yelp. And we want to be known more as bookings.com for camping. We want to be the consolidated place where you go to find camping and RV and to book it. So, you know, kind of like what happened with the hotels? You know, I don't know, 20 years ago when it was also fragmented. So bringing this fragmented industry of camping and RV into one area is really what we want to do. And once we've done that successfully in the United States, of course, we'd like to expand to other countries.  [00:16:29] Sam Wilson: Gotcha. Oh, that's really, really cool. I love that. I love that. What are some innovations, I guess, that you're seeing, or are you seeing any innovations in the RV resort, RV park, camping space? Or maybe we didn't have 10, 15 years ago outside of, you know, accessing information like that. [00:16:47] Sarah Smith: Oh my gosh. Yes. I mean, we just did an award thing on The Dyrt called The Glampys and we chose the best glamping sites in the US. So I think glamping has become such a big thing. And it's really interesting to see, you know, our V parks and our V resorts starting to have a couple of sites that are kind of set aside for like a tiny home that has a theme of like, it's the outdoor bear theme or it's the sailing theme or something, make it a little more special. And I think there's something to be said for doing these glamping type sites, adding those to an RV resort that really, really make it more interesting to a wider range of type of people who are out there camping. [00:17:40] Sam Wilson: Yeah. And do you think that, I guess that's a question, 'cause a resort we bought in May, part of the plan is adding glamping sites to it? Do you think that'll stick around or is that a fad?  [00:17:52] Sarah Smith: I think it will stick around. Personally, when I think of camping, like I said, I'm more of a dispersed in the middle of the woods sort of camper, but there is something so special about going to stay in a caboose in the middle of the woods in Northern Minnesota. I mean, it's so fun and unique and I don't think it's going to go anywhere. I just think it didn't really exist before. And now that, that, that whole market has opened up. I think people love it and they're going to keep doing it.  [00:18:20] Sam Wilson: Yeah, even on a national level, we've moved as a society into a more experienced-based, I guess, more experienced-based society. So we want to get out and touch and feel. It's not so much necessarily, you know, all packaged up and neat and tidy. It's like, oh, Hey, let's go experience the environment, but maybe we can go experience the environment in a place where there still might be, you know, air conditioner in the corner in our dirt or whatever it is. So we're not necessarily sweating out with the mosquitoes, but yet we can get right outside if we want to our glamping site, whatever it is. Yeah. But certainly, bring some fun to the experience. That's really, really cool. I love what you guys are doing. You guys are making outdoor hospitality accessible for people. You're making it easy to find sites. You're making it easy to reviews and, you know, really just bringing innovation into space if hasn't, I guess probably seen it in a long time. So this is absolutely awesome. What are some other things that you think about when you look at this space you love to share with our listeners, you guys are working on or that you know, you just see in the industry as a whole? [00:19:21] Sam Wilson: Well, I just really, you know, we've seen a lot of people doing different sorts of camping in the report that we just did last year. And I'm a good example. I was only a tent camper. And then I bought a camper that I towed behind in my car. And now we have a van. You see more and more people doing new sorts of camping and exploring different ways of camping, like glamping or dispersed camping in the middle of the national forest. Even, you know, larger RVs can do that. If they know where they're going. So, you know, it's really fun to see people having open minds to the different sources of camping that they can do, even if they've only done it one certain way their entire lives.  [00:20:01] Sam Wilson: Yeah, I think that's really cool. Dispersed camping is loads of fun. Anytime you can get off the grid, get off somewhere in the middle of nowhere and set up and make it your campsite, I think that's loads of fun. Sarah, I've really enjoyed having you come on today. Thank you for breaking down. Kind of what you see in the industry where you see it going, what you guys are doing to innovate. Is there anything that you would do differently that you would tell yourself if you could?  [00:20:25] Sarah Smith: Oh my goodness. How much time do you have?  [00:20:29] Sam Wilson: As much as you want to give.  [00:20:30] Sarah Smith: Yeah, no, I mean, you always look back in hindsight and think I should have done that differently. The thing I always encourage people to do is look forward. And when you do look backward, think of how far you've come. It's always easy to look, oh, I should have done that differently. I wish I would've done that. But look at how far you've come. If you're a property owner and you now own two properties instead of zero properties, that's awesome. If you start a tech company and you now have 30 million visitors instead of one, that's awesome. So be positive in that sense.  [00:21:02] Sam Wilson: I love that. I love that. Look how far you've come. Yeah. 30 million visitors a year is a substantial number of people coming to TheDyrt.com. That is absolutely awesome. Sarah, if our listeners want to get in touch with you or learn more about you. What is the best way to do that?  [00:21:16] Sarah Smith: Well, that's a great question. I would love to encourage people to check out The Dyrt and see if their campground or RV resort is already listed at TheDyrt.com/claim, that's T H E D Y R T.com slash claim. And you know, it's a hundred percent free. It's just a little effort to get it set up, but you know, 30 million people are coming there looking for camping and RV resorts. So I encourage people to make sure their property is listed.  [00:21:44] Sam Wilson: Absolutely. Absolutely. Sarah, thank you again for your time today. I do certainly appreciate it.  [00:21:48] Sarah Smith: Thank you, Sam.