Podcasts about Jamaican

OutliersOutliers Full Book Introduction In every time period, there exist some "outliers" who possess exceptional abilities and achieve extraordinary feats. It is commonly believed that their success is attributed to personal factors, that they are either gifted or simply work much harder than the average person. However, this book uncovers the real secret to their success. They do not rely purely on their talent or hard work to achieve success; rather, their success is influenced by innate strengths, acquired opportunities, and cultural backgrounds. Author : Malcolm GladwellMalcolm Gladwell is a Canadian author of Jamaican and English descent. In 2005, he was included in the TIME 100 Most Influential People list. In addition to this, Gladwell has been hailed as “a 21st-century Peter Drucker” by Fast Company. The New York Times described his influence on social thought as “the Gladwell Effect.” He is known for his books The Tipping Point, Blink, Talking To Strangers, and David and Goliath. Each of these books made a splash in the world of non-fiction literature. You can use our APP to find the bookeys for each of these titles. Overview | Chapter 1Hi, welcome to Bookey. Today, we will unlock the book Outliers: The Story of Success. In every era, we can find "outliers" who possess exceptional skills and achieve extraordinary feats. They become a symbol of that era, and their extraordinary performances are recorded in history books. It is commonly believed that their success is attributable to personal factors, that they are either gifted or work significantly harder than the average person. For example, we believe that due to Albert Einstein's superior IQ, he was able to become one of the world's greatest physicists. Similarly, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart practiced for 10,000 hours to compose the classic work Piano Concerto No. 9. On the surface, it seems that having a high IQ and undertaking strenuous efforts will lead to success, but this book tells us that they did not rely purely on their talent or hard work to achieve success; their success was influenced by innate strengths, acquired opportunities, and cultural backgrounds. In other words, social and cultural factors gave them an edge over ordinary people. Furthermore, these strengths may be amplified under the effect of a virtuous circle, thus allowing them to outrank ordinary people in competition. So, in addition to their internal factors—superb talent and hard work—we also need to focus on the external factors that contributed to their success: hidden advantages, opportunities, and cultural influences. The author tells us that without these external factors, even someone who has a higher IQ than Einstein is still likely to fall into mediocrity. By thinking out of the box, this book leads us towards more profound opportunities for success. Also, it gives us another way to interpret factors for success. In this bookey, we'll discuss the book in three parts: Part One: Innate strengths Part Two: Acquired opportunities Part Three: Cultural legacies

LaVar calls out Ja Morant for not understanding his privilege. The Old P, Petros Papadakis weighs in on the Lakers loss and gives a Jamaican history lesson not to be missed. Plus, the weekly edition of the BQ News.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on 2 Pros and a Cup of Joe, the Nuggets take game 1 of the Western Conference Finals but the guys think the Lakers can win the series as long as AD cancels out Jokic. LaVar calls out Ja Morant for not understanding his privilege and the Old P, Petros Papadakis weighs in on the Lakers loss and gives a Jamaican history lesson not to be missed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Triple F Podcast is a podcast where South Florida stand up comics Josh Francis, Matt Ross, and Jeff Dolezal join together to talk about stand up comedy, addiction and recovery, military service, and marriage. Social Medias: www.instagram.com/triplefpod www.instagram.com/mattrosscomic www.instagram.com/joshfranciscomedy www.instagram.com/jeffydcomedy Jamaican Massage Comedy Podcast - Florida Podcast - South Florida - Cumtown - JRE - YMH - Tim Dillion Show - TAFS - Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast - Bad Friends In this podcast we also talk about other words that would probably get people to listen, for example - did you know that Triple F Podcast is a new comedy podcast? That's right! If you are looking for a NEW COMEDY PODCAST or a funny comedy podcast look no further. What's that? Funny? Comedy? Jokes? Other things people may search? Military? Recovery? Marriage? Nice.  CARS VEHICLE TRUCKS MOTORCYCLES TRIPLE F

SPECS GONZALEZ is back from Jamaica and he's brought DAZZA through to talk about their time in the Caribbean, how Big Daz jumped on the plan late in the day, how he stole a room, how he got lost on a canoe and how he p***ed Specs off with a KFC. One of the all-time classic episodes definitely needed a JORDY cameo, so enjoy one of the greatest NO RULES epics of all time.

Show Features: Tipsy or Toddler, Cover Your Ears, and The Karen Chronicles Socials: @DaveandMahoney   Voice Mail: 833-Yo-Dummy   https://www.twitch.tv/daveandmahoney   Additional Content: daveandmahoney.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a personal tragedy upends his world, American-born artist Chris travels to his mother's homeland in the Caribbean hoping to find some peace and tranquility. He plans to spend his time painting in solitude and coming to terms with his recent loss and his fractured relationship with his father. Instead, he discovers a new extended and complicated "family." The people he meets help him to heal, even as he supports them in unexpected ways. Told from different points of view, this is a compelling novel about unlikely love, friendship, and community, with surprises along the way.Alecia McKenzie is a Jamaican writer based in France. Her first collection of short stories, Satellite City, and her novel Sweetheart have both won Commonwealth literary prizes. Sweetheart has been translated into French (Trésor) and was awarded the Prix Carbet des lycéens in 2017. Her most recent novel is A Million Aunties - longlisted for the 2022 Dublin Literary Award. Her work has also appeared in a range of literary magazines and in anthologies such as Stories from Blue Latitudes, The Oxford Book of Caribbean Short Stories, Global Tales, Girls Night In, and To Exist is to Resist.Reading 1 -  Chapter 3, pages 52 to 54 (Chris)Background music by guitarist GVD.Reading 2 - Chapter 11, pages 148 - 150 (Miss Vera)Background music by guitarist Djavi D.________________________________________________SUPPORT Caribbean writers and the BCLFBUY a copy of  A Million Aunties by Alecia McKenzie from the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival Bookshop here

We make the HUGEST ANNOUNCEMENT in the history of the podcast! Is this the end of Dune Pod, FIND OUT! Plus, we're joined by the star of the legendary Film Hags and Cinenauts podcasts, Boom. Then we discuss Jimmy Cliff's Jamaican classic from 1972 that introduced the world to reggae, The Harder They Come. Chapters Introduction (00:00:00) Dune News (00:14:45) Invasion of the Body Snatchers Roundtable Discussion (00:18:04) Your Letters (01:10:25) Notes and Links Check out the Dune Pod Merch Store! Great swag and every order includes a free Cameo style shoutout from Haitch or Jason. Browse our collection now. Join the Dune Pod Discord Server! Hang out with Haitch, Jason, and other friends of the pod. Check out the invite here. Dune Pod is a TAPEDECK Podcasts Jawn! Dune Pod is a member of TAPEDECK Podcasts, alongside: 70mm (a podcast for film lovers), Bat & Spider (low rent horror and exploitation films), The Letterboxd Show (Official Podcast from Letterboxd), Cinenauts (exploring the Criterion Collection), Lost Light (Transformers comics and more), Will Run For (obsessed with running), and Film Hags (a podcast about movies hosted by four hag friends). Check these pods out!. See the movies we've watched and are going to watch on Letterboxd Dune Pod's Breaking Dune News Twitter list Rate and review the podcast to help others discover it, and let us know what you think of the show at letters@dunepod.com or leave us a voicemail at +1-415-534-5211. Dune Pod: where we talk to our friends about the movies we love. Follow @dunepod on Twitter and Instagram Music by Tobey Forsman of Whipsong Music Cover art by Haitch The episode was edited by Megan Hayward of EditAudio and produced by Haitch Dune Pod is a TAPEDECK Podcasts Jawn Dune Pod is a production of Haitch Industries

Andrew "FifthGod" Askaripour join us for Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong. Andrew is the host of the newly published podcast, Masters of Ceremony, where he focuses on the topics of Hip-Hop, Photography, Shamanism, Self-Development, Ancestral Wisdom, Health + Wellness, and more. Andrew, also known as Fifth, is born of Jamaican and Iranian descent, and he is a creative artist from Long Island, New York who sheds light on his experiences in the world through varying mediums of expression. He has a strong passion for photography, record production, cinematography, plant medicine ceremonies, ancient wisdom, and various spiritual practices, and he's all about documenting and creating genuine art that inspires others to walk a “Path of Remembrance” towards re-discovering their life's purpose and inner calling.   TIMESTAMPS:   [0:20] Caiyu tells a brief story about his connection with Andrew through drinking the plant medicine Huachuma [6:20] Caiyu and Andrew begin the conversation [6:54] Andrew opens up the space with a short prayer of gratitude [9:46] The theme of finding one's voice [11:26] Andrew's origin story beginning in Long Island, NY [15:13] Becoming entrenched within hip-hop, skateboarding and NY culture [21:30] Growing up on the Traditional American Diet [23:38] Andrew's 10 day fast as a catalyst for spiritual awakening [26:28] Exchanging Eastern philosophies for Shamanism and Earth-based cultures [27:09] Initiation into Ayahuasca + Huachuma in Ecuador [28:10] “When I was in ceremony, I felt like I returned home…” [29:33] The parallels between Andrew and Caiyu's journey [30:36] Exploring Hip-Hop with derogatory vs uplifting language [32:30] The essence of Hip-Hop [34:10] Many people are superficially exposed to Hip-Hop [34:33] The Golden Era of Hip-Hop: Music of education + a culture that transcends music [37:40] Trailing the similarities between Hip-Hop, Ceremony, Sacred Circles & Honouring the Sacred [37:57] The ancient symbology of the Sacred Circle [40:32] The original meaning of the “Cypher” in Hip-Hop context [41:30] “Hip-Hop exposed me to my first psychedelic experiences…” [43:57] The Sacred Plant Medicine Huachuma [46:52] Andrew's relationship to Huachuma [47:41] Initiations into the Andean traditions of working with San Pedro Cactus [49:20] “A sensation of feeling such a deep sense of ancient wisdom that there was no experience of time…” [55:03] Articulating an overarching difference between Ayahuasca + Huachuma [58:00] Finding one's voice during Huachuma ceremonies [1:01:01] Becoming a mouthpiece for other energies that can't speak in the same way humans do [1:03:29] Preparing for poetry [1:04:05] The number one thing most people fear aside from death… [1:05:40] An Offering to the East: A Poem by Andrew [1:07:57] Becoming a hollow bone for nature to speak through us [1:12:36] Everyone is a poet [1:15:25] Our words, prayers and offerings carry frequencies that have an affect on all of nature [1:15:40] Our words and poetry as an evolutionary life form [1:18:06] Learnings and teachings from being the host of a podcast [1:24:20] What is your mythopoetic title? (Andrew detailing his mission and message) [1:27:26] How do we know which voice is ours? [1:29:48] Letting go of the notion of possession [1:33:00] Pausing before speaking: the deep reservoirs of stillness [1:35:46] You must be patient with yourself [1:37:19] Presence precedes patience [1:38:53] Rapid fire questions [1:39:30] Balancing between how much to share and how much to keep private. [1:41:21] Bringing elements of the sacred into the digital world [1:42:20] What would you like to do more of that you're not currently doing? [1:43:13] Singing as a deep and sacred communion [1:45:57] Andrew's sacred morning water prayer [1:50:55] Closing up the conversation with a powerful and deep prayer: communing with our ancestors

Andrew Quarrie is a Jamaican-born serial entrepreneur who champions equitable neighborhoods. He is the CEO/Founder of URBLANDIA - a needs analysis platform for real estate development.Andrew hosts his widely distributed podcast - also titled “URBLANDIA" - where he focuses on social impact entrepreneurship within urban development. In 2016 Andrew also created and began hosting the annual Urbanism Summit, a conference and event series designed to cultivate transformative ideas for a new urbanism, with a strong emphasis on people and planet.www.events.urblandia.com

If you go to the Penn Relays - the largest track and field meet in America - you'll notice Jamaican flags all over the crowd and on the field. Athletes don't come from a lot of foreign countries - mostly the East Coast and a few other states - so why are there so many teams and fans from Jamaica? Sabrina Boyd-Surka talked with some Jamaican athletes and the team behind the scenes that makes their trip possible, Team Jamaica Bickle, and found out why the Penn Relays are an important opportunity for Jamaican students. To learn more or to support Team Jamaica Bickle, visit teamjamaicabickle.org. Follow us on Twitter @TheJawncast.

My guest on the pod this week is my friend and one of my favourite comedians Ruairi Woods! We had a great catch up and chatted celeb spotting, Jeff-ception, pensioner's diets, Jamaican Guinness and managing your mental health! Patreon: www.patreon.com/slyguypodcast Video Podcast: https://youtu.be/34gdhWAUvmI Modest Beer: www.modestbeer.co.uk

Juan gets a crash course in parenting Jessica's sons, April tells her sisters about her secret lover, and Jordan and Everton's sweet Jamaican reunion turns unexpectedly sour. Meanwhile, even salsa dancing can't help the language barrier between Scott and Lidia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Post Sean Paul, reggae dancehall just isn't the same anymore. Reggae artists with millions of followers on Instagram and elsewhere on social media are not even able to sell 10,000 copies of their releases these days. Sales tracker, SoundScan, reports that music buyers in the United States showed little interest in what Jamaican artistes had to offer in 2009. Sure, Koffee won a Grammy but that was in 2020, now what? But there is hope is still hope. Reggae sensation Bay-C, Chronixx and Protégé have ushered in a new class of reggae musicians at the forefront of leveraging technology for their respective brands and album sales. If you love Afrobeats, Hip Hop or even Soca- this is one episode you don't want to miss. Tune in now!

We recapped Premier league action, Bundesliga landscape, Napoli's first Serie A in 33yrs incoming, Jamaican football report and much more. One love, fam.

The Colorful History of Jamaican Music | Adam Reeves #adamreeves #dondrummond #innerneath #IN006 Adam Reeves With a mixture of styles from ska to reggae to r&b and so on, Jamaican music has such a rich and colorful history that only few really grasp its complexity. One of those people is Adam Reeves, a historian and fan of the various genres of music from Jamaica and in particular the tragic and talented history of one of its most profound performers, Don Drummond.   Innerneath Podcast The Colorful History of Jamaican Music | Adam Reeves Adam Reeves Link Tree ► https://linktr.ee/adamreeves   Get your FREE copy of KC Hunter's Kana Cold Prequel Novella ► http://www.aoestudios.com Subscribe For more from the Innerneath Podcast! ► https://www.youtube.com/@InnerneathPodcast https://innerneath.podbean.com/   FREE FROM AMAZON Get 30 Days of Amazon Prime for FREE: https://amzn.to/3sebToh Try Out Audible For FREE: https://amzn.to/3fL5Wvo  

On this week's episode of TheFallenState TV, host Jesse Lee Peterson is joined by White Yardie—He is a Jamaican stand-up comedian and entertainer based out of the U.K. Raised in the Caribbean, White Yardie is known for his highly entertaining on-stage performances, hilarious social media content, and opinionated takes on the popular British YouTube channel AFTV. He and Jesse touch on his comedy career, race, marriage, upbringing, family, mess, forgiveness, anger, and much more!

On this week's episode of TheFallenState TV, host Jesse Lee Peterson is joined by White Yardie—He is a Jamaican stand-up comedian and entertainer based out of the U.K. Raised in the Caribbean, White Yardie is known for his highly entertaining on-stage performances, hilarious social media content, and opinionated takes on the popular British YouTube channel AFTV. He and Jesse touch on his comedy career, race, marriage, upbringing, family, mess, forgiveness, anger, and much more!

As the world continues to celebrate the life of artist and activist Harry Belafonte, we speak to historian Gerald Horne and get a perspective from the Jamaican diaspora.And marchers on the streets of DC on Earth Day, say it is code red for the planet and that President Biden should tell the truth about his addiction to fossil fuels. Plus headlines on the unhoused in DC, the revolving door of the military industrial complex and more.  With: Michael Byfield, Gerald Horne, Brittany Ruffin, Jean Su, Basav Sen, and other speakers at the Earth Day No More Fossil Fuels Rally and March April 22, 2023. On the Ground: Voices of Resistance from the Nations Capital gives a voice to the voiceless 99 percent at the heart of American empire. The award-winning, weekly hour, produced and hosted by Esther Iverem, covers social justice activism about local, national and international issues, with a special emphasis on militarization and war, the police state, the corporate state, environmental justice and the left edge of culture and media. The show is heard on two dozen stations across the United States, on podcast, and is archived on the world wide web at www.onthegroundshow.org. Please support us on Patreon or Paypal.   Photo from April 25 protest against Mayor Muriel Bowser's budget cuts. #brokenheartbudget Courtesy of Fair Budget DC

Felecia Hatcher is CEO of Pharrell William's Black Ambition Opportunity Fund, an acclaimed author and motivational speaker. Listen to this conversation to see why she was one of our highest-rated speakers at our LAFS 2022 summit. A few things we cover: -          From Nintendo to keynote speaker: How previous experiences can make all the difference in your new role-          Cancelling out the haters so you can become the person you are meant to be-          Entrepreneurial challenges, Mexican paletas, thinking outside the box, Pharell, and Jamaican roots—we cover it all! ★ Support this podcast ★

Noel Jones (born January 31, 1950) is a Jamaican minister and a Pentecostal bishop. He is the senior pastor of the City of Refuge Church in Gardena California which has about 17,000 members, and was formerly the Greater Bethany Community Church.

Billboard Power 100 Woman Sherrese Clarke Soares owns Despacito, YouTube's most viewed song. She is an American Private Equity executive, born to Jamaican parents and is a major player in the music acquisition race as founder/CEO of HarbourView Equity Partners. The former Morgan Stanley intern acquired all of Despacitio singer Luis Fonsi real name is Luis Alfonso Rodríguez López-Cepero's catalogue for a reported $100 million through her company HarbourView. Sherrese talks with WMV about her journey in the music business. Watch fill-in the interview on YouTube.com/worldmusicviews

Join your hosts Kim and Nia, as well as our first-time guest, Latoya (@jamaicangirlreads) as we discuss a heavy yet somewhat therapeutic read. Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli is definitely not an easy story. And we highly encourage you to adhere to any and all trigger warnings prior to listening to this episode. Following along Eve's grief journey after her husband, Quentin took his life, had us deep in our feelings. Yet also made us reflective as well. And so we decided to switch it up (again lol) and have a rolling discussion. We chatted about grief, how it can affect the people around us, and the importance of a support system, among other things. Tune in to hear all of our thoughts! As always remember to follow us on our socials and our website for any and all updates. And join our inner circle by subscribing to our newsletter, Our Corner to get inside access to behind-the-scenes and exclusive content. Also, don't forget to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts so that other listeners like you, can find us. Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buddyreadpod.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Social Media:  Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/buddyreadpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter:⁠⁠⁠⁠ twitter.com/buddyreadpod⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pinterest: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pinterest.com/buddyreadpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/buddyreadpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ Newsletter Our Corner: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buddyreadpodcast.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠

In this episode Raquel and Jennifer speak with Dr. Rahul Sharma about allyship, self as a point of reference, and DEI work.Dr. Rahul Sharma is a consultant, psychologist, musician, and keynote speaker with expertise in diversity, social justice, multiculturalism, emotional intelligence, leadership, individual/community health, violence against women prevention, music, and wellness. He is a former Associate Professor at the Illinois School of Professional Psychology, where he Chaired its Diversity Concentration for 13 years. Prior to that, he was Executive Director of University of Chicago's Resources for Sexual Violence Prevention, initially reporting to then Associate Dean Michelle Obama.He is founder of Strategic Inclusion Consulting, an agency that provides DEI, Leadership, and Emotional Intelligence consulting, coaching, and training. Dr. Sharma is also founder and bassist/sitarist for the intercultural award-winning music group Funkadesi, which includes diverse members (Indian-American, African-American, Jamaican, Latino, and European American) who are musicians, activists, educators, and healers.Where to find Dr. Sharma:Website: https://www.strategicinclusion.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-rahul-sharma/IG: @funkadesiEmail: rahulsharmapsyd@gmail.comLet Raquel and Jennifer know what you think about this and other episodes of Madness Cafe on IG @madnesscafepodcast or by email at madnesscafepodcast@gmail.com.And don't forget to rate and review the show wherever you listen!Thanks for listening and responding!

In celebration of Israel's 75th birthday, guest host Dov Wilker, AJC's Atlanta director, sits down with retired Major League Baseball catcher Ryan Lavarnway, who played for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic and the Olympics. Lavarnway reflected on the Jewish pride he felt representing Israel on the international stage, how he has dealt with the antisemitism in his career, and the importance of building connections between the Jewish state and the Diaspora. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.  __ Episode Lineup:  (0:40) Ryan Lavarnway ___ Show Notes: Watch: Catch the full video conversation with Ryan Lavarnway, recorded live on Yom Ha'atzmaut as part of AJC's Advocacy Anywhere  Test your knowledge: Quiz: How much do you really know about Israel? When was Israel founded? Who was the first Israeli to win a Nobel Prize? Which country was the first to recognize the State of Israel? Start the quiz! Listen: Israel at 75: 7 Things You Should Know About Israel: Listen to these seven episodes of AJC's People of the Pod featuring leading Israeli and American scholars, experts, and influencers that will help you learn more about the complexities, triumphs, and challenges facing Israel today. Julianna Margulies on Holocaust Education and Fighting Antisemitism: Emmy Award-winning actress Julianna Margulies recently partnered with the New York's Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, to help create the Holocaust Educator School Partnership. To date, the partnership has trained two university fellows to teach the history of the Holocaust to 1,700 middle and high school students in New York City Public Schools. In a poignant interview, Margulies shares her motivations for expanding the program, personal experiences of how antisemitism has affected her family, and reflections on her first visit to Israel and Yad Vashem. Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've enjoyed this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, tag us on social media with #PeopleofthePod, and hop onto Apple Podcasts to rate us and write a review, to help more listeners find us. __ Transcript of Interview with Ryan Lavarnway: Manya Brachear Pashman: Sometimes it just makes more sense for my AJC colleagues to guest host. When it comes to sports, I always try to hand the mic to AJC Atlanta Director Dov Wilker. This week, in honor of Israel's 75th birthday, Dov sat down for a live conversation in front of a virtual audience with Major League Baseball Catcher Ryan Lavarnway, who played for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic and the Olympics. Ryan talked to Dov about the pride he felt representing Israel on the international stage and the importance of building connections between the Jewish state and the Diaspora. I might not know a lot about baseball, but as someone about to visit Israel for the first time, Ryan's recollections and reflections brought tears to my eyes. Here's an instant replay.  Dov Wilker: Let's get it started in the beginning, Ryan, how did you get into baseball? And does your Judaism intertwine with that, or is that a separate story? Ryan Lavarnway: So, I started playing baseball when I was five years old. And my dad always played baseball, he was always doing pickup games on the weekends playing high-pitch softball, but the story of why I got started was my kindergarten teacher told my parents that I was not good at sharing, and that I should get involved in a team sport. So they signed me up about as early as I could sign up, when I was five years old. And I took to it really quick and the rest is history. Dov Wilker: You know, that's good advice for my seven year old who is also not very good at sharing. So I appreciate that.  And what about the role of Judaism in your life? Was Judaism something that was important to you from an early age? Or has that sort of become more important to you as you got older? Ryan Lavarnway: No, it really wasn't. My mom is Jewish, and she always loved Christmas. They had a white Christmas tree in her house with blue ornaments. And my dad would describe himself as a disenchanted Catholic. So growing up, we celebrated holidays from all religions. But there was no religion involved. We celebrated just to have a nice meal together, to have a reason to give presents and celebrate or light the candles. We went through the motions. Sometimes I joke that we celebrated Hallmark holidays.  And it wasn't until really until high school that I started to grow into my own as an adult and start to search for more. And in high school, I ended up going to temple for the first time with a high school teammate's mother who had MS and couldn't drive herself. So we kind of needed each other because I needed someone to go with, and she needed someone to drive her. And that was really my first experience. As an adult, when I started searching for more meaning behind –Why do we celebrate these holidays? And what do they mean? And where's the community that I want to be a part of? Dov Wilker: What state did you go to high school in? Ryan Lavarnway: I grew up in California, LA County, in the valley. My wife likes to make fun of me every time I talk about home, she references that SNL skit The Californians– she's like, Oh, you, you were on the one oh one and the four oh five.  So I grew up in Southern California. A lot of Jewish players on my youth league teams, on my little league teams, you know, Bar Mitzvah season for me, you know, when you're 13, 15, in that season of your life, I had a ton of friends that were Jewish, we had a great community here. But my family, again, we were more of the Hallmark holidays. Dov Wilker: So when you were in high school, when sort of you started getting more into your Judaism, but also, you know, as you were playing, did you ever experience antisemitism on the field when you were younger, or even when you were older? Ryan Lavarnway: When I was younger, not so much. And I think the reason that I was able to kind of dodge those bullets was because my dad was Catholic, and my mom was Jewish. So as we studied the Holocaust in school, I felt, you know, and to me, I'm almost embarrassed looking back, but this is my truth.  I would step away and I would say, Well, I'm half Catholic, so the people that were hurt and the people that were, killed in and, and antisemitism is against, that wasn't me. But then I could also step on the other side and be like, Well, I wasn't the evil villain, either. It wasn't my people that were causing all this pain. And that helps me avoid feeling, and feeling hurt by the antisemitism as a kid. But what that also did was, it kept me from feeling the benefits of the community.  And it wasn't until later, and we can get into this, when I played for Team Israel and I fully embraced being Jewish–and publicly–that I started facing antisemitism for the first time and really internalizing it and feeling it personally. But then that was also the first time, with that came, the feeling, the sense of community and feeling like I'm your brother, and you're my brother, you're my sister, and like we're all in this together. So I feel like they go hand in hand. Dov Wilker: So let's dive into that, the Team Israel stuff a little bit. Your first experience with the team came about in 2017, 2016.  Ryan Lavarnway: 16, yeah. Dov Wilker: 16. So how did that all start? I mean, you're a Major League Baseball player, you're a world series champion, and you get a phone call from some guy who was like, hey, like, we've got this team we want to create it? Or, was it, the World Baseball Classic is gonna be a big thing and you want to find a way to be a part of it and you're a great catcher, but you might not be picked for team USA. How does this all work? Ryan Lavarnway: So, yeah, I got a phone call from some guy that I'd never heard of. Peter Kurtz. I don't know if it initially came through my agent or how he first got ahold of me. But I got a call in 2012. And I had just made it into the big leagues as a rookie the year before. I had like half a year of service time, still trying to prove myself and establish myself as a major leaguer. And he said, Hey, we have this Team Israel. And we play baseball, surprise, you never heard of us. Which I think was everyone's reaction. But you qualify for the team, because your mom's Jewish. So what do you think?  And I was like, Well, what's the WBC because 10 years ago, it wasn't very popular yet, it's still growing. He's like, Well, we have to qualify to get into the tournament, because we only have one field in our whole country. And we're ranked 64th in the world. But we think we can do it. What do you think? The qualifier's in September, can you be there?  And I was like, Well, it sounds like an amazing opportunity. Let's do it. But if I get called up again, this year, I'll be in the big leagues, so I can't be there. So September 2012, came in when I was in the big leagues. I wasn't able to go, but I had the seed planted in my mind of this, this is a possibility. This is a thing. So four years later, they just missed qualifying in 2012, they had a lead in the last inning.  And my now best friend from this team, Josh Zeid, ended up blowing the lead.  Flash forward four years later, 2016, I get another call, Hey, we're going to try to qualify again. We just missed it last time, we think we're really going to make it this time. Can you be there? And this time, my answer was, well, I'm probably going to be in the big leagues. But if for whatever reason I'm not, heck yeah, let's do it. And then the skies parted. It was the first year in six years, I wasn't in the big leagues in September. And I was available. And I went and played. And what I remember, showing up, when I first got there was Josh Zeid spoke very passionately to the group about how blowing that lead four years earlier, is still eating him up inside. And it was the lowest of lows for his career and everything he had done pitching in the big leagues. That was the moment he wanted to change. And his impassioned speech really spoke to the rest of us about oh, man, this is maybe more important than we thought. Dov Wilker: So I want to jump back to something that you said, which I find very profound. This random person calls you and says, Hey, your mother's Jewish, you qualified to be on the team. How do you respond to that? Right? You started off by saying that you got more into your Judaism when you were in high school and but, how do you feel, what is that? And by the way, have you ever been to Israel before? Was there any sort of connection to Israel, as all of this is sort of taking place? Ryan Lavarnway: I had not ever been to Israel. When he first called me in 2012, my wife and I were engaged to be married. By the time 2016 came around, we had been married. My wife was raised Jewish, she had a bat mitzvah, she had been on Birthright. We had a Jewish wedding. I was more involved in the Jewish community locally in Denver, and had really embraced, on a personal level, that I'm a Jewish man, and I want to raise a Jewish family. I want to be involved in the Jewish community in Denver. I still had yet to say that publicly.  Because playing for the Boston Red Sox, our media training, at least 10 years ago, this was before athletes branding themselves and having their own brand was really acceptable. Especially in baseball, baseball is one of the last sports to embrace that.  So the Boston Red Sox media training involved: if anything is even potentially controversial—just keep it to yourself. The Red Sox is the brand, don't tarnish it. And Boston itself as a city is a little closed minded, I would say. I think people that know Boston could agree with this, that they're not the most forward thinking city.  Dov Wilker: No offense to anyone in Boston that's listening. Ryan Lavarnway: No, I love the city of Boston. Trust me, I love Boston. It's one of my favorite places. I still feel at home there. I've got my Red Sox World Series ring on the table right here.  But like, I know, some of my black teammates didn't feel comfortable, and black visiting players don't feel super comfortable there. So it's just it's just the way Boston is a little bit. So I just kept to myself.  When I announced I was going to play for Team Israel, was the first time that I really feel that it was public. And I feel maybe in a way that's the first time I dove all the way into the deep end of embracing it. Because you have to say to the world, right? If you are privately Jewish, in a sense, you could say that maybe it's–you're hiding it a little bit. Or it's just you're just not announcing it. So I finally announced it to the world. I finally experienced antisemitism for the first time in a way that I really internalized and personalized and I was really embraced by the Jewish community and it was really wonderful in that way. Dov Wilker: Two things --one is, AJC has a campaign that we created called Jewish and Proud. And it's something that we've been sort of pursuing as a result of the rise of antisemitism in our society. So I couldn't agree with you more. I think that that's so important. It's why, in fact, one of the reasons that I wear my kippa— one of the reasons is that I've got a hair problem in the back. But the second reason is that I feel it's an important identifier, because I'm very proud to be Jewish. And I want people to be able to know that. But I'm one of the things you just said was that, it's when you started to experience antisemitism, really publicly. So could you share a little bit about that? What was that like, or what type of experiences you might have had? Ryan Lavarnway: Yeah, so there was a couple of experiences that were more subtle. And it was more of people questioning, like, Oh, I didn't realize you were Jewish, or like, I didn't know that about you. And I felt like, I felt like they felt permission to express their questioning, or they felt like they had the right to have an opinion. Which ultimately, what's the difference? I'm the same exact person you've known for years. And now you think you have a different opinion about me.  And just the fact that they even made a face or had a slight different tone when they talked to me. It made me feel like well, why? Why did something change? Why did anything have to change?  There were more obvious experiences. Baseball is a very Christian sport, at least on the professional level. I think that we have 12 Jewish major leaguers this year, and that's a record. Out of 780  players in the major leagues, 12 are Jewish, so it's very much a minority. So every Sunday, a chaplain comes in and holds baseball chapel, in the dugout or in the clubhouse, for both teams, and they do it in English and in Spanish. So it's a really established institution within baseball. And it's great for those players. But it's not my thing. And I kind of established, ‘that's not my thing,' was my go to response when I was invited, because they tried to include everybody. And one time I remember I was in Gwinnett, Georgia, the AAA team for the Braves. Dov Wilker: Yeah. So it's up the street from where I live right now. Ryan Lavarnway: Yeah. And I was invited to baseball chapel. And I said, Well, it's not my thing. And the chaplain really pushed back,  like, why wouldn't you go? And I was like, Well, I'm Jewish. So you know, I don't need to go to baseball chapel. We have our own thing on the weekend. And, he said, Well, I've dealt with heathens like you before. And I don't remember what happened with the rest of the conversation.  But it left me feeling really awful, that he would call me that. And I honestly didn't even know what heathen meant. So I went and I looked it up in the dictionary on my phone. And I think technically, by the definition, heathen just means non-believer. But the way he said it made me feel like he was talking down to me, like I was less than and, for a supposed man of God, I didn't think that was very ethical, or I didn't really like the way he handled it.  So small experiences like that. And then there was one other time I was in AAA, I don't remember what team I was with. But one of my teammates in the outfield was expressing some other backwards opinions about some other groups that he thought maybe I might relate to—which I didn't. And he also went on to add –also, if we're going to be friends, I'm gonna have to tell you, you're wrong at some point. Because you don't believe in Jesus Christ. And I was like, okay, guy, well, then we're just not going to be friends after this.  So there have been experiences, some of them have been more subtle, some of them have been more obvious. In my experiences, I feel like antisemitism falls into two major categories. It's either ignorance, or it comes from hate. And I approach them in two separate ways. I think if it stems from ignorance, I try to educate them. It shouldn't have to be my job and anybody that is a Jewish person, it shouldn't have to be your job either. But if we don't do it, who will? And I think it goes the same way with anybody that is the receptor of any sort of ignorant hate, you know, whether it's black people, or gay people, anybody that experiences that, it shouldn't have to be your job to educate people. But again, if you don't, who will? So when someone makes a joke that might be hurtful or someone comes from a place of not understanding why it might be hurtful, I try to educate them, like this is where the history of that joke or the history of that ignorance comes from.  And then in general people, they don't want to be ignorant and they don't want to be hurtful. So most of the time they back off. The other time is when it comes from hate. And I don't know if you can necessarily change people's hearts. I take one of my cues from Hank Greenberg, who was one of the more famous baseball players in history. He was a big, strong, intimidating person, he would stand up to it. And he took the approach, at least from the stories that I've heard, of, you deal with a bully, you stand up to them, and you maybe intimidate them back, and then they'll back down. And I think that's one way or the other way is, if it stems from a place of hate so much that you're in danger, then that's when you kind of try to avoid it, or you reach out to authorities in some regard.  Dov Wilker: Ryan, I appreciate you sharing that. Unfortunately, for me, it's not surprising to hear what you shared. And I'm sure for many in our audience, they wouldn't have expected it. And yet, it also might not be a surprise. It's also one of the reasons AJC created a tool. It's an online glossary called Translate Hate, for those experiences to be able to explain to people what the root of the antisemitism that they might be sharing comes from. I absolutely agree with you about the two types of antisemitism that you've experienced. I'm curious if you ever, did you ever talk to the other 11 Jewish players in the majors about their experiences? Or that you sort of just assume that they had similar ones? And did you ever experience it from the fans? Ryan Lavarnway: No, in general, a lot of most of the fans have been really supportive, or don't bring it up at all. So fan wise, it's been really, really positive. And as far as talking to other players about it, when we're with Team Israel is when I interact with the other Jewish players the most. And we're really just enjoying the experience and really positive. So any experience I speak of is really personal. And you'd have to kind of talk to them about theirs. Dov Wilker: Yeah, no, I appreciate that. So let's talk a little bit more about what it was like to represent Team Israel. What was it like? I mean, here you are, you've sort of done very cool things in the majors, you got to be a part of this team, this unique gathering of the diaspora Jews essentially to represent the Jewish homeland. Here we are again, on Yom Ha'atzmaut, Independence Day, talking about that. Was the team received well by the other countries in the World Baseball Classic? These are other ballplayers that, you know or were you sort of shunned aside a little bit? Ryan Lavarnway: So the first thing is, when I first started to play for Team Israel, I can be totally honest about this. I signed up because it was a great baseball opportunity. Playing in the World Baseball Classic was, I had never played international baseball before. So it seemed like a cool thing to do. And it would add to my baseball resume. Representing a people, a culture, and a country, it didn't even enter my mind. I didn't know what it would mean to me. So I signed up for a baseball opportunity. We played in Brooklyn in a qualifier.  And it started to hit me when I stepped on the field with Israel across my chest. And we stepped onto the line for the national anthems before the game. And we took off our hats and we put on kippas. And it was the first time that a sports team had ever done that, or at least a baseball team had ever done that. It was really interesting. And I looked into the stands and there was–Brooklyn's a home game for for Israel, right, there was a bunch of Jews in Brooklyn, and there was a few yeshiva schools with kids with the tallit and the kippa. And it hit me that these kids have never had a team like this, where they can relate to every player on the field.  And everything that I know about representation and how the more things you can relate to in leaders, or the more things you can relate to in role models, the more meaningful and impactful it will be for you as a young person. It really hit me that I wanted to be the person for them. I wanted to be their role model. And then it hit me again when we got to Israel, because after we qualified for the tournament, they brought us to Israel and filmed a documentary about it. They did a great job. I don't get five cents if you download it on Amazon but check it out because they did a great job.  Going to Israel really, really it hit home for me. We got to Israel and we had a practice on the only field in the country. And I have this sense of meaning that's growing and my heart is expanding another size like the Grinch on Christmas, when his heart grows two sizes. And after our practice, we have a press conference with the Israeli media. And they let us have it. They were initially not excited to have us represent them. They pushed back really hard. Who are you to represent us? We don't even play baseball, you guys are outsiders. Who do you think you are? And we were all like, Oh, my God, like, we thought we would be at this press conference, and it was going to be a love fest where they were so happy that we made it into the tournament. And that was very much not the case.  So that gave us pause a little bit. But we also appreciated that they didn't just accept us because we were winners. They wanted us to prove it, like prove that you mean it and prove that you're gonna represent us well. So we went to Seoul, South Korea was the first round. And we started to win. And we counted out before we started, I don't know if you remember the article that ESPN posted. They called us the Jamaican bobsled team of baseball, has-beens, wannabes, never-weres, that perfectly fulfill the role of “team that has no business being there, and somehow found a way to win minus, they haven't won yet.” That was what the article said.  And that was maybe the best thing that ever happened to us because we got a very, very solid collective chip on our shoulders. And we had a lot of players that felt like maybe they had been overlooked in their careers or hadn't got the opportunity or hadn't performed to their potential. So we had a lot of players that already had a chip on their shoulder. And now as a group, we had one. So we went out there, and we started to win. And we beat Korea, and we beat Taiwan, and we beat the Netherlands. And everybody's now freaking out. We're a Cinderella story. And the other teams were great. The other teams, you know, you qualified for Israel, whatever.  We move on to Tokyo. And as we advance to the second round, now the Israeli media is like, we're so happy you're representing us. Thank you for being respectful and giving positive energy on the worldwide stage and for playing so great. And now we have this positive thing. So the Israel media finally embraced us, as we continued to send the message that we want it to grow the game within Israel, not just win, and not just say, wham bam, Thank you, ma'am, we're out of here. But we all had the intention to be around for a while.  And then we beat Cuba. And the Cuban media was pissed. And I think they were probably embarrassed that they lost. And that was the first time that another country's media had been like, well, you guys are all American. You guys are America. American's B-team. And that was the first time we really got pushed back. But realistically, nobody on Team Israel would have made America's B-team or America's C-team or America's D-team or E-team or F-team. Like us we were a collection of has-beens, never-weres and wannabes that qualified for Israel. And then most of that team from 2017 signed up for the Olympics and we established Israeli citizenship and went back to Israel a second time.  And every time that we've been to Israel, we make the commitment to grow the game we go, and we host clinics for the youth. Most of the prize money for the team has gone to building new fields or funding international tournament travel for the youth. And participation in baseball in Israel has doubled since the first time I wore an Israeli uniform. Dov Wilker: There's so much that was said. I'm so grateful that you shared all of that. Ryan Lavarnway: I have no idea if I answered your question.  Dov Wilker: I'm not even sure what my question was anymore. So it's the perfect answer. By being members of the Israeli team at the Olympics, did the Israeli Olympic Committee do anything to share about the massacre of the 72 Olympics? Was that at all a part of sort of, in general, was there sort of learning, teaching, touring that that Israel did, that the the institutions there to help you all sort of have a better understanding if you'd never been there before, sort of different challenges and things like that on the global scale?  Ryan Lavarnway: Yeah, there absolutely was. So we all had to go to Israel a second time to establish our citizenship, which I think was the right thing to do. You know, you can't just mail us a passport overnight, right? So we went to Israel again, we went to all the fields, we coached kids. We went to Independence Hall, we did all the things.  What we also did was we had to go to their athletic Institute to be put through a battery of testing. They wanted to make sure we were healthy, and that we weren't going to die on the field. And I don't know if you remember the old Gatorade commercials, where they had a tube hooked up to your mouth and the EKG machine, all the wires coming off and you're running on a treadmill. We did that.  And we're running on this treadmill. We're dripping sweat, we're panting. Our hearts are beating and we're all like, do you understand baseball? Like, we don't have to do this. But they put us through all the crazy testing. It was really awesome. And while we were at the Institute, we got to meet some of the Judo athletes, some of the windsurfer athletes and we went straight from there to the Israel Olympic Experience, which is like a museum for Olympics in Israel. It's not a very big museum. Dov Wilker: They've got some gold medals... Ryan Lavarnway: I believe, and don't quote me, because I'm not sure on the facts. But I believe they had 13 medals, before Tokyo and four gold, I want to say. Judo and windsurfing I believe, I might be wrong.  But going through that Olympic experience, it really gave us context for understanding the history of Israeli athletics. And the tragedy that happened in the 70s.  Dov Wilker: I'm glad to hear that. I'm curious: in Israel, what was it like for you the first time, the second time? Did your opinions change when you became an Israeli citizen? I'm not going to ask for your political analysis of the current situation there, I don't think that'd be fair. How has that experience changed for you and your family? You're married. Did anybody join you in Israel? Ryan Lavarnway: So the first time I went, my parents were nervous. Because if you watch the American news cycle, you would think that Israel feels like a dangerous place. And they were like, Are you sure you want to go, especially right now. So I went into it a little nervous. not knowing what to expect, and you land on the ground. And I was like, I've never felt more safe in my life. This place is beautiful. It's amazing. We spent, the first time I went, we spent four days in Tel Aviv first, beautiful city, right on the water, we stayed in this beautiful beachfront hotel. And then we went to Jerusalem, and going to Jerusalem. And this is going to be a pained metaphor, so please forgive me. But in the same way, the first time that I stepped into the old Yankee Stadium, or Wrigley or Fenway Park, you can just tell it's different.  You can just smell the significance in the air, you just know, like, I am among history, so many important things have happened here. And I get to experience this in the modern world. And it just feels, like your heart beats different, the air smells different. So going to Jerusalem was that for me, and especially getting to the Western Wall, I swear to God, I felt God for the first time. And it was just this transformational experience. I think I cried. I think they caught it on video for the documentary, which is cool for me to live through and get to see again, because that was a really, really meaningful moment in my life. But going there, for the first time, yeah, my wife came with me. This was before we had our daughter, years before we had our daughter. But it was really, really meaningful and transformational for me to go for the first time.  When I went back the second time, I got to experience it all again. You know, you don't have that transformational experience, because you've already changed as a person, and you're changed forever. So it was really cool to go back again. And then they handed me my passport. And I have this goatee so I kind of felt like Jason Bourne, where I have two passports now, like, which I am going to use. Except they both have the same name. It's very, very, very cool. Dov Wilker: So I'm gonna go for some rapid fire questions… Ryan Lavarnway: Oh wait, I have one more. I think it's a good answer. And I don't like to express my political opinions. But what I'd like to tell people is, if you either voted– in America, if you're an American citizen, you either voted for our current president, or you voted for the last president, you didn't vote for both. And either currently or four years ago, you were unhappy with the decisions that the government was making. I don't think that made you feel less proud to be an American.  And I would encourage you to use the same opinion, when you think of Israel. Whether you agree with what the current current government is doing or not, does not have to color your opinion of whether you agree with the concept of Israel. When I think of Israel, I believe in what Israel is about, and it being a safe haven for the Jewish people worldwide, whether I agree with what the current government is doing or not. And I think it's very easy to judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their actions. And that goes the same with a country that you personally identify with also, so I just wanted to throw that in there. Dov Wilker: I so appreciate you saying that. I was speaking to a group of high school students recently. And I shared with them that, you know, we're talking about the current situation, and I said, you know, Israel welcomed in Ukrainians as citizens, not as refugees. If you read Israel's Declaration of Independence, it refers to the survivors of the Holocaust and those who were expelled from other lands. And so the in-gathering of the safe haven for the Jewish people is so important for us to be able to continue to remember the role that Israel plays in our lives. We're, you know, we're fortunate to live in the United States today. But we see that people need Israel more and more depending on where they live, not everybody is as fortunate and there are many people who have moved to Israel because of the antisemitism that they themselves might have experienced here. So I think it's a really powerful statement for you to make and something that I hope, I'm guessing that if you shared it here, you share it with all of your audiences, but if not, I hope that that's something you continue to share with your audiences.  All right, well, it's no easy transition to my rapid fire, so I'm just gonna do it. Ryan Lavarnway: Just rip off the bandaid. Dov Wilker: There you go. Favorite Israeli snack? Ryan Lavarnway: Shawarma. Dov Wilker: Oh. Snack? You have a very different appetite than I do, my friend. Ryan Lavarnway: I have a very big appetite.  Dov Wilker: Favorite city in Israel? Ryan Lavarnway: Jerusalem.  Dov Wilker: Favorite baseball memory. Ryan Lavarnway: Two answers: World Series win, or my debut with Cincinnati.  Dov Wilker: Okay. Most challenging part of being a catcher. Ryan Lavarnway: Hitting in the ninth inning. Dov Wilker: You know, you talked about the small numbers, the mighty numbers of Jews in Major League Baseball today. Is there an association between the Jewish ballplayers in the major leagues and other professional sports? Is there any reason, maybe it's based on a city that you live in? Or it's sort of an overall, I know like, there's the Jewish Coaches Association, something like that? Is there anything like the Jewish professional ballplayers association, that gets you together, perhaps to be able to encourage others like you to play for the Israeli teams in other sports that they're professionals in. Ryan Lavarnway: Not that I've experienced yet, but that might be a cool idea to start. I'd be up for it. If you want to talk off of this broadcast. Dov Wilker: It's my new side project at work. Ted, thank you for the approval.  And I guess my final question for you, Ryan, is, we're here today, Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel's 75th birthday. What type of closing message do you have about the importance of Israel, you already talked about the safe haven for the Jewish people, but sort of the future of American Jewry. Any parting words of wisdom that you'd like to share? Ryan Lavarnway: My biggest thing is, participate, and be proud. And you need to be public, because the only way that we can get the benefit of the community and strengthen numbers is if we support each other, and we're aware of who each other are. I've received so much benefit in my life from embracing the community and stepping out into the public. And it's really changed my life. And it's changed how I view myself as a man. And it's changed the direction that I want to raise my family. And it's been such a positive change. And I've had such a positive embrace from the community. And I want others to experience that. And I never would have experienced it if I didn't go out of my way to participate in Team Israel. So I encourage anybody watching, go out, get involved, anything in your community, a team you can get involved in. It's been so positive for me, and I hope it can be so positive for you as well. Dov Wilker: Well, Ryan, on behalf of American Jewish Committee, thank you very much for joining us for this wonderful conversation.  

This week, host Julia Tuner is joined by guest-hosts Jamelle Bouie and Nadira Goffe. In the first segment, they discuss The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which currently tops the box office and stars Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, and numerous other big stars. After that, the panel talks about Chimp Empire, a new Netflix nature series narrated by Mahershala Ali. Then they wrap things up with a conversation about A.I. music and the song Heart on My Sleeve, which sounds like a collaboration between Drake and The Weekend, but…isn't.  Endorsements Jamelle Bouie: The 1971 film Carnal Knowledge, directed by Mike Nichols.  Nadira Goffe: Ackee and saltfish, a delicious Jamaican breakfast. Julia Turner: The 2011 documentary Sing Your Song about Harry Belafonte.  Questions? Comments? Email us at culturefest@slate.com  Production assistance by Yesica Balderama. Production by Cameron Drews.  Outro music: “What We Didn't Do” by Particle House. __ Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts, a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest, full access to Slate's journalism on Slate.com, and more. Sign up now at slate.com/cultureplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greetings Lotuses. I wasn't too sure what to call this episode but … welcome back! In today's episode I allowed myself to channel some thoughts on the feminine healing journey, from my perspective & experinces, as a Jamaican/Caribbean Woman. I share a bit about my personal experiences that guided me to these insights.

This week, host Julia Tuner is joined by guest-hosts Jamelle Bouie and Nadira Goffe. In the first segment, they discuss The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which currently tops the box office and stars Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, and numerous other big stars. After that, the panel talks about Chimp Empire, a new Netflix nature series narrated by Mahershala Ali. Then they wrap things up with a conversation about A.I. music and the song Heart on My Sleeve, which sounds like a collaboration between Drake and The Weekend, but…isn't.  Endorsements Jamelle Bouie: The 1971 film Carnal Knowledge, directed by Mike Nichols.  Nadira Goffe: Ackee and saltfish, a delicious Jamaican breakfast. Julia Turner: The 2011 documentary Sing Your Song about Harry Belafonte.  Questions? Comments? Email us at culturefest@slate.com  Production assistance by Yesica Balderama. Production by Cameron Drews.  Outro music: “What We Didn't Do” by Particle House. __ Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts, a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest, full access to Slate's journalism on Slate.com, and more. Sign up now at slate.com/cultureplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brad Hawkins has been with ServicePower:Field Service Software since 2004, where he currently serves as Senior Vice President of products and solutions, overseeing operations, development and product management. He's a long-time veteran in the world of field service technology and Brad brings more than 20 years of experience in workforce management software.    Questions • Could you share a little bit about their journey, how is it that you got to where you are today. And just in your own words, why you're doing what you're doing and how you got there. • Could you explain to our listeners a little bit about what field service is exactly? Maybe just break down some examples of what types of work does that entail? • What has your experience been with field service? And do you find it differs based on maybe the culture of the country? Or how do you optimize for a great experience with all of those variables that are so uncontrollable?  • Can you share with us what you've seen AI's role been in elevating field service to create better customer experiences? • Could you also share with us maybe I would say let's say 1 to 3 different types of solutions that you've seen that have been pretty innovative in the whole field service space? Have you seen things being done differently, more efficiently? Are there trends that you're seeing you think organizations should be tapping into more in order to improve on their service delivery? Or has your company been pioneering that in any way? • Could you share with our audience what's the online resource, tool, website or app that you absolutely can't live without in running your business every day? • Could you also share with our listeners, maybe one or two books that have had a great impact on you, it could be a book that you read a very long time ago, or even one that you've read recently, but it definitely has impacted on your professional competencies as a Chief Solutions Officer? • Could you also share with our listeners, Brad, what's one thing that's going on in your life right now that you're really excited about? Either something you're working on to develop yourself or your people. • Where can listeners find you online? • Do you have a quote or saying that during times of adversity or challenge, you'll tend to revert to this quote? It kind of helps to get you back on track if for any reason you got derailed.   Highlights   Brad's Journey Me: Now, Brad, before we start off our conversation with our guests, we always like to give them an opportunity to share in their own words, a little bit about their journey, how is it that you got to where you are today. And just in your own words, why you're doing what you're doing and how you got there.   Brad shared that it's an interesting journey for him as somebody who's been with ServicePower for a long time. And in field services in general, even longer. Because he started out as a self-taught programmer, he had sort of one other career job before coming to the field service world, which was all about data management, he worked down in the Caribbean, where they had very innovative ways, this was back in the 90s, of how they captured data across various mechanisms, the biggest being intelligent character recognition, where you're scanning things, and he can intelligently read what he can decipher off of a piece of paper.   And in that job coming to an end, he came back from living in the Caribbean. It was in need of finding work and he ended up at a place called Key Prestige, which was then acquired by ServicePower but that was where they built a warranty management platform.   And that was his first foray into the world of field service. It was understanding, there's this world out there of workforces that are out in the field, how do you optimize them best? How do you use an employee versus an independent contractor and then building out that initial platform, they then became part of the ServicePower world.   Along that journey, he ran development. He's since run their consulting and professional services organizations. He's on his second tour running product. But they then combine those platforms, again, with the sort of the ServicePower ecosystem to provide all of these various ways of field service solutions where sort of a big differentiator of ServicePower is do I work with an employee workforce? Or do I work with an independent contractor? And what's the best way to do that?   So, just over time, he's had new and interesting challenges at ServicePower, he's been able to take on other areas. And he's got to work basically, across the business. He runs product, but he still works very closely from a development standpoint. He's working with marketing and sales all the time. So, it's still exciting to him as a long timer but that's kind of how he got there.   What is Field Service? Me: So, you've done a lot of work in field service. Could you explain to our listeners a little bit about what field service is exactly? Maybe just break down some examples of what types of work does that entail?   Brad shared that he'll give a couple of examples of some industries. But specifically, when you think about, I'm an end consumer and I have a product or a service that requires someone to come out and do some type of service. And there are organizations then who have these workforces that they leverage.  So, an example would be very simple a homeowner example. I'm in my house, I'm an in consumer, I've got a refrigerator, it breaks, who do I call? Is it in warranty? Is it under a service contract, depending on that, that's going to determine, let's say it's Electrolux, I'm going to call them about my fridge, I'm having an issue, it's not cooling. They make the decision, oh, we're going to send a resource to your house to fix that.  So, the entire process of entitling that service event, the transparency to the consumer of everything that's going on, if you think about those events happening on a larger scale, the optimization of that workforce to gain efficiencies, identifying contractors in the moment to say who's the right guy to go out and run this job, ensuring people are getting reimbursed for their work properly from the proper organization. And again, just to come back up a little bit high level there, think of that across multiple industries.  So, major appliance, consumer electronics, actually anybody who has a home warranty on any products in their home, the insurance industry who has adjusters for you may have a catastrophe event and have a need to call up your homeowners' insurance, they're going to come out and do inspections. It can get larger, apartments, facilities, they have needs for workforces to come in and do inspections, repairs, any of that really.  So, it's any organization that has a field workforce, whether that workforce is employed, or they're leveraging independent businesses. The goal of a field service platform should be how do I optimize that? How do I ensure a world class customer experience along the way? How do I defend my brand along the way? But that's high level.   Me: So, you touched on quite a few things. So, field service is definitely something I believe that all consumers at some point will have to engage in throughout the course of their lifetime. How has it been for you on the end of as you mentioned, optimizing to get the best experience when you have to deal with so many different personalities. And I hear you mentioned that you lived in the Caribbean for a while, would you mind sharing with our listeners, which Caribbean island or country that was?   Brad stated that he was going to ask, he feels like Yanique's accent got to be Caribbean, he could be wrong. But yes, I lived in Grenada for about a year.   What Has Been Your Experience with Field Service? Me: So, I am Caribbean, I'm Jamaican, and I am currently in Kingston, Jamaica. Here in Kingston, Jamaica is listening to you speak just now about the fact that you would have a fridge for example, and the fridge breaks down and you call the person that you purchased the fridge from, especially if the fridge is still under warranty. I have found, for example, in Jamaica, contract persons like plumbers, carpenters, painters like those kinds of trades people, they are highly unreliable. They tell you, they're going to come tomorrow and probably you'll see them in another two weeks, you have to be constantly following up with them. And I find the service experience to be extremely poor. What has your experience been? And do you find it differs based on maybe the culture of the country? Or how do you optimize for a great experience with all of those variables that are so uncontrollable?    Brad shared that culture and geography does matter, it absolutely matters. Again, as somebody who lived in the Caribbean, he knows the differences there. As a company, ServicePower, they very prominent in North America, but also in Europe, they rolled out in multiple countries in Europe. The geography and sort of the interaction that the customer can have, can change. But the key that they try to push along the way is, you're going to have a better experience, if you understand how best to interact with the resources involved, or he'll give you a word that they use in the product world is the personas involved.  So, he has to understand that he has an end consumer who has expectations of a level of service, he has to provide a way for that consumer to have full transparency of everything that's going on. One of the things he thinks is, in our world today, it's very clear that consumers, they want to know up to the minute what exactly is going on in any event they're doing whether it's where's my pizza that's on the way to my house? Where's my Uber? Same thing.  When he books a technician to come out to his home, he wants to know everything that's going on, if he's trying to order a part and it's delayed, you have to give full transparency to that.  That's better than not hearing anything, it's like you said you're constantly having to follow up. So, one of the key things is to have a system that is very proactive and is going to inform the consumer and keep them in the loop of everything that's going on all the way up to the point of “I'm on my way, I'm in route.” And ensuring that the resource that you do send, how do I make sure in the moment, that that's the best possible resource that's going to provide the best possible outcome for that end consumer.  And again, that's all about what the ServicePower platform does is it understands whether it's an employee or a contractor, if it's a contractor, who is the contractor that is performing to the level that I expect them to, so I can rate and rank them. It's again, it's really about those principles.   AI's Role in Elevating Field Service to Create Better Customer Experience Me: Brilliant. So, you've mentioned optimizing for a better customer experience and the fact that you have real time up to date information for the client so they know every step of the way what's happening, as you mentioned, if the person is en route, if a part hasn't been ordered, that kind of stuff. So, artificial intelligence is pretty big now. There's a ChatGPT, there's Bing search engine. There are lots of them and lots of organizations are using the AI to integrate into their current systems to make it smarter, to make it bolder, to make it more informative for consumers. Can you share with us what you've seen AI's role been in elevating field service to create better customer experiences?   Brad stated absolutely, and he'll add another term in there along with AI, which is machine learning. It's very much in the forefront of what everybody's doing these days. But in the world of field service, again, if you think of that service event, and somebody, whether they make the phone call, they go on a website to schedule service for self-service, it's in that moment, based on what he knows about that event. What can I predict? That's what AI and machine learning offer in their world. And that's the biggest one right now is, if he knows it's this product, this model, this is the description of what is being told to him that's wrong and he can even then look at past repair history, how can he just use AI to predict?  Well, the technician, he needs to send out likely needs these three parts. Or he can triage them, he can give them some information to say, try this first, try that. And it's using AI and machine learning to make those intelligent predictions. What they've really learned about it is, people are using historical data to do that today, it's really about building the feedback loop of as you continue to get that data and ensure that the model you've created continues to learn over time.  But again, another good field service term for this is if you can make those predictions intelligently and he can send a tech out with everything he needs ahead of time, that ensures a first-time fix. Because again, imagine when your contractor comes out, he looks at it, he goes, “I don't have the parts on the truck. I'll reschedule you for next Tuesday.” That's a bad experience. So, using AI and machine learning, they can make the predictions of how do I ensure you have all the tools you need so that when you get on site, you are insured of doing a first time quality fix, because that will lead to a happy customer.   Innovative Solutions in the Field Service Space Me: Could you also share with us maybe I would say let's say 1 to 3 different types of solutions that you've seen that have been pretty innovative in the whole field service space? Maybe especially since we've been emerging out of the pandemic, have you seen things being done differently, more efficiently? Are there trends that you're seeing you think organizations should be tapping into more in order to improve on their service delivery? Or has your company been pioneering that in any way?    Brad shared that he thinks we've certainly pioneered it. There're two things he'll talk about there. Because there's actually not that many field service companies that have, they have already thrown around the term optimization. And every company will tell you they do optimization but what we've learned and we've seen, is there are some specific definitions of things you need to be able to do to truly optimize a workforce. And there really, again, not many companies that actually do it.  So, when he talks about optimization, imagine an employed workforce. So, let's just take North America as an example. If he were to have 2000 resources across North America, he's got jobs that where he has to offer up appointments to consumers, he may have SLAs for inspections. So, a job comes in where he's got to be there in three days, that's his agreed upon contractual SLA. But he has emergency jobs that may be coming in throughout the day.  True optimization, and one of the things they offer is they can continually evaluate a schedule that's been built out over time. And that's one of the ways where they use AI, they use a specific algorithm as part of that, to be constantly evaluating that schedule. And as events are coming in, he can sort of rip that schedule apart, move jobs around, understand what's the best possible most optimal schedule for all of his resources across however many jobs he has. And that's running constantly, throughout the day.  When most field service organizations tell you they do optimization, what they're really doing is, “Well, I have an optimized route. Like I went to Google Maps, and I made sure that my optimized route.” And that's fine. They can use the term optimization for that. But that doesn't necessarily take into account things like you can have your route, you can have drive time, is there access hours to a particular building, you may be going in and doing an apartment maintenance or facilities maintenance, and there's access hours. What's the cost of overtime? And am I considering that in the schedule? Just the schedule in general, my text, the knowledge and skills that those texts have. Again, how do I ensure that I'm taking all of that account into the schedule I'm creating.  And again, that's sort of what creates that again, that's how they refer to optimization. They know others use the term but they're not doing AI based optimization like they are that can really based on any number of parameters that any of their our clients want to use. The KPIs that drive the business, the important key indicators of the business, all of those with AI. So, that would be one of them.  The other one that again, this is technology and just sort of a general shift in where field service has gone is most software platforms that relate to field service, they sort of choose one method of solving a problem or another and the two main ones are, do I have an employed workforce? Or do I leverage independent businesses, and where most make a mistake and what they've really driven in the in the field service world, he would even tell you, he feels like ServicePower is the one who has been on the forefront of this all along, is the idea that you have to understand both of those types of organizations work very differently. But you still have to be able to blend them together because whether he sends his own employee or an independent business, he has to ensure that the experience is exactly the same for the customer.  Again, when he employs someone, he has control of their schedule, he can dictate technology to them, he knows everything about them. When he's working with an independent business, he sort of have to be able to rate them and score them based on how they performed for him, and he has to know like, “Okay, you're an independent business, I have to authorize you to work for me, which means I want to ensure your background check. You've been through all the proper trainings.” And again, some of those terms he talked about, what are your first time fix rates? What are your costs? He needs the transparency to see into that business because he's only giving them maybe 10% of the work they actually do, they're not dedicated to him.  So, one of the things again that they think they brought to the world of field service, and they continue to innovate on is, how can I have a rules engine around that understands?  He's got two different types of workforces he's working with, but he's going to provide one unified world class customer experience where that customer doesn't know any different. He doesn't know that it's an independent business who showed up, he just thinks, again, “My GE product or my LG product, I got it fixed, they did it the first time, that's all that matters. It was a great experience. So yeah, that's a couple there.   App, Website or Tool that Brad Absolutely Can't Live Without in His Business Me: So, we've spoken a lot about optimization and what are some of the pioneering, I would say, talents and attributes that ServicePower has been demonstrating and those are excellent, really, really a good way for us to dovetail into my next question. And so, we'd like to know if you could share with us, Brad, because it's all about the tools and resources that you're using to ensure that you're being most efficient in whatever task you're completing. Could you share with our audience what's the online resource, tool, website or app that you absolutely can't live without in running your business every day? When asked about an online resource that he can't live without in running his business, Brad that in running the business, he can name some tools here. But he tell you, they all have a common theme, which is tools that provide analytics. We live in a data driven world and understanding the analytics underneath your business are crucial.  And some examples of that, again, when you think of ServicePower as a software company, it all start by coming at it from the development side, they have to know exactly the velocity of their development staff, they have to know how much time they're spending on which initiatives are they putting their time into innovation and roadmap versus support and issues, implementation, whatever, they can break all that down. That way they can plan and forecast for the future, what directions they want to go.  Obviously, from an analytics standpoint, sales pipeline matter in that. So, they have a bunch of tools underneath that they obviously use things like HubSpot, as it relates to sales and marketing. And there is a component of Salesforce, they use for that for the development side. There's a couple of tools they use Jira being one to sort of track and it facilitates them gathering that data. They actually have their own, why say their own, it's a tool that they use called Domo, that it's basically a data warehouse with an analytics engine over the top of it. So, from their use, again, anything related to analytics.  And that's the other thing he would tell you beyond just their business is they then have to take all that data that comes out of their platform and present it the same way to their clients, where they can see how is your network performing, how are your employees performing? What's your customer satisfaction?  He'll just give you one example of that, there was a sort of a great story at ServicePower was, they came out, it's probably been about three or four years, they came out with their consumer portal, that's where consumers are notified of everything of their service event. They can be driven into a portal which gives them information about it.  One of the great key value points of that was their clients who are receiving calls from consumers just like you said, going, where's my contractor? Their call volume went, they were able to show through their analytics that their call centre volume went down by 40% when they put that tool out there to say, I can now have a system that's informing the consumer, there's no need for them to call you because they feel informed. So, again, back to the question, he'll just tell you anything analytics based. So, again, data driven world and you want to be on top of the things that are driving your business through analytics.   Books that Have Had the Biggest Impact on Brad When asked about books that have had the greatest impact, Brad stated that he'll tell his, because in his schooling days long ago, he sort of became very enthusiastic about the idea of culture in business. And there's a book called The Culture Code: The Secret of Highly Successful Groups, it's by Daniel Coyle, and it is all about how do I build a culture that brings your workforce together? Has you all enthusiastic about working towards a common goal, it gives you the tools for that. He read it a couple years back, in his opinion, it's more relevant now because post pandemic, you have people who are disconnected, a lot more people working at home, and it just gives you tools of how do you bring about a workforce that they're just as much invested in the mission and the goals as you are? So, that's the book he would recommend, as it's called The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle.   What Brad is Really Excited About Now! When asked about something that's going on now that he's excited about, Brad shared that for him, he'll give a personal one, because this is a podcast, and he finds podcasts can be fun that way, and he'll try to do both. But for him, he's in a kind of a new transition in life, maybe he shouldn't say this to the public, he's 53 years old. Through the pandemic had some struggles in life, and started reinventing things with a new blended family. And so for him, personally, he feels like he's getting another round of being a dad again, his children are grown. So, personally, that's very important to him, he's a huge believer in family, and creating a tight knit family. And so, that's a big thing for him.  From a work standpoint, he'll just tell you that ServicePower has been around a long time. But it does feel like they're always on sort of the edge of innovation as it relates to field service. And this is a year that they actually talked about heavy investment from their ownership. So, it's an exciting year from the things they're building, they're kind of reimagining the entire user experience of the platform, so they find that very exciting. So, even in his 20 plus years that he's been doing this, he still finds it rewarding, exciting, the initiatives they're driving. So yeah, again, he's done this for a long time but hopefully you're getting that from this podcast is that he's still very passionate about all of it.   Where Can We Find Brad Online  Website – servicepower.com LinkedIn – Brad Hawkins   Quote or Saying that During Times of Adversity Brad Uses   When asked if he has a quote or saying that he tends to revert to, Brad shared he does. He'll quickly look it up. He did this on a previous one he did, it'll just take him a second because he missed to be prepared for that one. This is one of his favourite quotes, matter of fact, he will tell you that all of the people at ServicePower have heard this multiple times from him. This is the quote, “Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that they've been robbed. Most putts don't drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, most jobs are often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey there's delays, sidetracks, smoke and dust, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling burst of speed. The trick is to be thankful that you are on the ride.” He loves that quote.   Me: And do you know the author of the quote? Is it anonymous?    Brad stated that he's seen a couple people attributed to it, the person he knew that said it his name is Gordon B. Hinckley.   Please connect with us on Twitter @navigatingcx and also join our Private Facebook Community – Navigating the Customer Experience and listen to our FB Lives weekly with a new guest   Links ·      The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups by Daniel Coyle   The ABC's of a Fantastic Customer Service Grab the Freebie on Our Website – TOP 10 Online Business Resources for Small Business Owners  Do you want to pivot your online customer experience and build loyalty - get a copy of “The ABC's of a Fantastic Customer Experience.” The ABC's of a Fantastic Customer Experience provides 26 easy to follow steps and techniques that helps your business to achieve success and build brand loyalty. This Guide to Limitless, Happy and Loyal Customers will help you to strengthen your service delivery, enhance your knowledge and appreciation of the customer experience and provide tips and practical strategies that you can start implementing immediately! This book will develop your customer service skills and sharpen your attention to detail when serving others. Master your customer experience and develop those knock your socks off techniques that will lead to lifetime customers. Your customers will only want to work with your business and it will be your brand differentiator. It will lead to recruiters to seek you out by providing practical examples on how to deliver a winning customer service experience!   Our Next Webinar – May 16, 2023 at 10:00 am   Register Here    

Carnival season just started and we already have Chance the rapper on the Summer jam screen for “inappropriate” behavior at Jamaican carnival. Then, we explore  the recent news about Eric Adams unleashing robodogs on the streets of New York and the potential consequences of this new technology - because with NYPD and robodogs, what could go wrong?We're also talking about  Elon Musk's decision to take away blue check marks from celebs and businesses on Twitter, and what impact it could have on the social media game. Jonathan Majors is getting left behind by his team and that's not a good look.  Plus, we delve into the tragic story of Ralph Yarl, a young Black man who was shot by an older white man after ringing the wrong doorbell, and what it reveals about the ongoing issue of racial profiling.And finally, we're asking the question of the year: is AI about to be out of pocket? With the rise of new technologies, we explore the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and what it means for our future.

On this episode of the Limitless podcast, Chris Williams, Chairman of the Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL), joins us to discuss his plans to change the landscape of football in Jamaica. Williams shares his vision to grow the football industry to the same heights of appreciation and enthusiasm as Jamaican track and field. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on the fundamentals and engaging children in football from a young age. Williams also gives a Limitless exclusive in this inspiring conversation about the future of football in Jamaica.0:00:00 "Exploring the Love of Football: A Conversation with Chris Williams"0:02:59 "Developing a Winning Mindset in Track and Field and Football"0:05:39 Conversation on Building a Successful Football Program from the Ground Up0:09:48 "Exploring Opportunities for Commercialization in Grassroots Football in Jamaica"0:14:34 Exploring the Possibility of IPOing Jamaican Football Clubs0:20:51 Business Opportunities in a Small Island Country with Access to 10 Million People0:24:00 Advice on Flexible Capital Structures and Scalable Business OpportunitiesCheck out the youtube version here

This episode of BTL podcast features an interview with Brittany Monae, a published author, creative director, and model. Brittany talks about her upbringing as a Jamaican and Cuban in New Jersey and how her strict upbringing, that made her shy and timid. She also mentions that being in a positive environment is crucial to her creativity, and she believes that building a supportive community is important for survival. The host of the podcast, Markese, asks Brittany about her relationship with her brother, who is 17 years older than her, and how he gave her the confidence to pursue her dreams despite their strict upbringing. Markese also asks if Brittany's shyness has prevented her from pursuing certain opportunities. Brittany admits that she could be wealthy if she weren't so shy but is still creative and has many attributes. She is a true depiction of staying true to oneself. Enjoy ! ___ Follow Kese On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/keseelliottofficial/ Follow BTL Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/btlpdcst/ ___ Subscribe to the Podcast Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/btl-podcast/id1607361731 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/14xq1AH4z8GBKNHx7ooibJ?si=RovMyxuQQuaWEDSQCPYdpg --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/markese-elliott7/support

This week we're joined by Daniel Loveless and talk his viral street interview series "What Yuh Know", Jamaican vs Trinidadian tendencies, and Chance the Rapper being accused of cheating on his wife while dancing a Jamaican carnival. Buss Di Utes Songs of the Week: Ari: Fyah Roiall - CREAM: https://bit.ly/3mKygnF Javi: Melodii - Darkness: https://bit.ly/3KL7Zxm Naro: 1FryyDon - Rocket: https://bit.ly/3mSrJqM

(18:40) Failures that made Wins.(1:13:35) Is Draymond the bully or the victim?(1:23:25) Zeus Network, good or evil?(1:58:10) Andrew Tate's JAMAICAN?!(2:01:00) Chance the Bubbler? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Delroy Lindo is a veteran actor and writer. Born in London to Jamaican parents, Delroy spent his childhood moving from place to place. As a teenager, he moved with his family to Toronto and then San Francisco, where he began studying acting at the American Conservatory Theater. He spent the next decade alternating between movie roles and Broadway stages. His versatility in Crooklyn, Get Shorty, The Cider House Rules, and more only increased his demand. Currently, Delroy is starring in the new Hulu series Unprisoned. It's about a father who reconnects with his adult daughter after serving a 17-year prison sentence. He plays Edwin, whose life changes when he moves in with his therapist daughter Paige, played by Kerry Washington. Delroy has been a public figure for a long time, and for most of that time, he didn't really talk about himself. Now? He's writing a memoir. On this episode of Bullseye, we asked him what changed.

In October 2005, rumours about a rape in a shop filled the pirate radio airwaves. The allegation was that South Asian shopkeepers had assaulted a schoolgirl of Jamaican heritage. The story struck a nerve and soon people were protesting outside the shop - a hair and beauty supply shop named Beauty Queen. Over the subsequent days, the protests would morph into something else entirely, a riot which brought hundreds to the streets and left two people dead. Beauty Queen Riots is a five-part series looking at the Lozells and Handsworth riots of 2005 in Birmingham. It's a story that takes us into the conflicting and sometimes uncomfortable world of interethnic conflict in modern Britain. Journalist Amardeep Bassey returns to investigate a story he first covered 18 years ago. What happened and what did we miss back then which might have explained why people took to the streets with such force? And what lessons can be learned 20 years on? Producer: Ben Tulloh Executive Editor: Bridget Harney Music and Mix: Alex Portfelix A Burning Bright production for BBC Radio 4

In October 2005, rumours about a rape in a shop filled the pirate radio airwaves. The allegation was that South Asian shopkeepers had assaulted a schoolgirl of Jamaican heritage. The story struck a nerve and soon people were protesting outside the shop - a hair and beauty supply shop named Beauty Queen. Over the subsequent days, the protests would morph into something else entirely, a riot which brought hundreds to the streets and left two people dead. Beauty Queen Riots is a five-part series looking at the Lozells and Handsworth riots of 2005 in Birmingham. It's a story that takes us into the conflicting and sometimes uncomfortable world of interethnic conflict in modern Britain. Journalist Amardeep Bassey returns to investigate a story he first covered 18 years ago. What happened and what did we miss back then which might have explained why people took to the streets with such force? And what lessons can be learned 20 years on? Producer: Ben Tulloh Executive Editor: Bridget Harney Music and Mix: Alex Portfelix A Burning Bright production for BBC Radio 4

One of the most brilliant and influential writers of his generation, Malcolm Gladwell is a staff writer at The New Yorker, host of the Revisionist History podcast and author of many bestselling books, including The Tipping Point, Blink and Talking to Strangers. In 2012, Gladwell spoke to Eleanor Wachtel onstage at the Toronto Reference Library as part of Jamaica 50, a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Jamaican independence. *This episode originally aired June 10, 2012.

It's Podcast Sunday! Join me on today's episode as I sit down with Dewey Briscoe, the mastermind behind the sensational Jamaican fusion cuisine of Yaad Mon Tings. Dewey shares his inspiring story of how he became a successful chef and entrepreneur. Don't miss out on this opportunity to hear from a true culinary genius. Tune in now! Follow Yaad Mon Tings on Facebook and IG: https://www.facebook.com/yaadmontings Discover the delectable Jamaican fusion cuisine of Yaad Mon Tings, a top-notch Food Prep and Lunch Delivery Service situated in the heart of Denison, TX. Savor the flavors of their mouthwatering dishes that are sure to tantalize your taste buds and leave you wanting more. Don't miss out on this culinary experience!

Reggae poet Linton Kwesi Johnson reveals the influences and experiences that inspired his own creativity. Born in Jamaica, he moved to south London in 1963 at the age of eleven. He made his name as a performance poet, reciting politically motivated verse to a dub-reggae backbeat, and becoming a powerful voice of resistance and protest in response to racism on the streets of Britain in the 1970s. He became the first black poet to be published in the Penguin Modern Classics series, was awarded the PEN Pinter Prize in 2020, and recently published a collection of prose under the title Time Come. On stage and on record, he is renowned for angry and uncompromising works such as Five Nights Of Bleeding, Sonny's Lettah, and Iglan Is a Bitch. For This Cultural Life, Linton Kwesi Johnson recalls growing up in poverty in rural Jamaica, where his grandmother told him ghost stories and read The Bible. Appalled at the racism he experienced, he joined the Black Panthers whilst still at school and became a political activist. He began to write and perform poetry, set to music and delivered in Jamaican patois, after being inspired by reggae artists such as Prince Buster and U-Roy, and the American group The Last Poets. Johnson also talks about the tragic fire that killed 13 young partygoers in New Cross, south London in 1981, an event that he commemorated in one of his best known works, New Craas Massahkah. Producer: Edwina Pitman

This episode, Ari and Naro sit down with Kes from Kes The Band and talks the history of soca music, the struggles faced in his career, 'Trinibad', Jamaican vs Trinidadian food and more. Buss Di Utes songs of the week: Kes: Christo - Gimme More: https://bit.ly/407dLPp Ari: Mystic1 - Make Me: https://bit.ly/41pyQ8P Naro: Joby Jay - Bare: https://bit.ly/43t6VXD

This is the first of a two-part conversation with Claire Smith, a pioneer for women and journalists of color. She discusses breaking barriers while covering baseball for 39 years, including her worst day: When the San Diego Padres physically removed her from their clubhouse during the 1984 National League playoffs. Hear how Steve Garvey helped her in that moment, and how Claire's love of baseball powered her through a career that led to her being honored at Cooperstown in 2017. Claire shares tales of George Steinbrenner, Billy Martin and Reggie Jackson from her time covering the Bronx Zoo Yankees. Claire also recalls her years of working with Joe Morgan, and how Jackie Robinson influenced her career, which has impacted so many others.   Smith spent 32 years in the newspaper industry, starting in Pennsylvania at the Bucks County Courier Times. In 1979, she moved to The Philadelphia Bulletin, where she mostly covered college basketball and football. When that paper folded in 1982, she was hired by The Hartford Courant. By mid-season that year, she was put on the New York Yankees beat, making her the first woman to cover a Major League Baseball team, full-time. Claire covered the Yankees for five years before serving as the Courant's national baseball columnist for three years. She became the New York Times' first national baseball columnist in 1990 and held that role for eight years. In 1998, she moved to the Philadelphia Inquirer, where she was a columnist and assistant sports editor until 2007. Claire left newspapers in July 2007 to become a coordinator editor and baseball remote news editor at ESPN. She worked for the “Sunday Night Baseball” crew and the production team on MLB game broadcasts until November 2021.   In December 2016, Smith was named the 68th recipient of the Baseball Writers Association of America's Career Excellence Award (formerly known as the J.G. Taylor Spink Award) – the highest honor a baseball writer can receive. She was the first woman to win the award, and the fourth African American, joining Sam Lacy, Wendell Smith and Larry Whiteside. Claire was honored at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum's annual induction in July 2017. She was also presented the 2017 “Robie Award” for Lifetime Achievement by the Jackie Robinson Foundation.   Smith was named the inaugural winner of the Sam Lacy-Wendell Smith Award for the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism at the University of Maryland in 2013. Other milestones: Sports Journalist of the Year from the National Association of Black Journalists (1997); the Mary Garber Pioneer Award from the Association for Women in Sports Media (2000); the Sam Lacy Award at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (2010); and SAbR's 2021 Dorothy Seymour Mills Lifetime Achievement Award. Smith was a member of the NABJ Hall of Fame's Class of 2021. Claire was twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, and she was winner of three New York Times Publishers' Awards.   A 1979 graduate of Temple University, Smith returned to her alma mater in July 2021 as an assistant professor with Klein School of Media and Communications. With the assistance of the Black Women in Sports Foundation, Smith has long awarded Temple students The Bernice A. Smith scholarship, named after her mother, a Jamaican immigrant and Temple alum. In 2014, Temple honored Claire with a Lew Klein Alumni in the Media Award and inducted her into the School of Media and Communication Hall of Fame.    In October 2021, Temple announced the creation of The Claire Smith Center For Sports Media. Claire co-directs the center with John DiCarlo, managing director of student media at Temple. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scaling Remote Staffing This episode of The Entrepreneurial You podcast featured Rob Buffington, the owner of an accounting firm and a remote staffing company servicing homeowners association management companies. Rob discussed his journey into remote staffing and his strategies for managing employees remotely. He also reflected on his experiences in the property management space and explained how his early mistakes with employees led to successes with remote staffing. Additionally, Rob shared his thoughts on the Jamaican culture and the importance of providing support for employees The Benefits of Remote Staffing This conversation focuses on recognizing when something is wrong and how to effectively level up. It is discussed that the golden rule does not always apply when it comes to treating employees, as they often need the structure, check-ins, and training that the speaker does not. It is also discussed that when looking to make a change, it is best to look at it from the outside as if starting from scratch. The conversation then shifts to the advantages of remote staffing, specifically in Mexico with its proximity to the United States and the pleasant customer service experience customers receive when speaking with employees. Remote Staffing Solutions for Businesses This conversation explored the idea of remote positions and the potential cost savings associated with these positions. The speaker discussed ways to view a job description in a new way and consider whether technology automation or AI could be used to fill the role. They emphasized the need to go back to the basics when considering a new hire and explore all possible options, including remote positions. The speaker also discussed their company's role as a headhunter and the services they provide to clients, such as payroll taxes, health insurance, and benefits. Giving Back Through Business In this episode, the speaker discusses why giving back is important to him and the projects he is involved with. These include an orphanage in Guadalajara, Mexico, an organization that manufactures shoes for children in developing countries, and a foundation that educates young people about human trafficking. The speaker explains that businesses should be charitable with their profits and not their business and that charity and business principles can go hand in hand. Finally, the speaker stresses the importance of knowing what work product is expected and measuring it rather than micromanaging hours for remote staff. The Benefits of Learning From Mistakes This conversation focuses on the learnings and experiences of the speaker with Rob Buffington and how it relates to staffing issues. The speaker reflects on their own mistakes of wanting employees to be like them and not taking the time to teach. Contact Rob: https://www.facebook.com/rob.buffington.56; https://www.instagram.com/gordianstaffing/; https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbuffington/ Thank you for tuning in to this episode with Rob Buffington. What's the standout moment for you today? Send us your feedback at henekawatkisporter@gmail.com or on social media @henekawatkisporter. Remember to follow this podcast on your favourite podcast app or connect with me for all things Podcasting at henekawatkisporter.com According to the Scriptures: “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs ‭16:24 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-entrepreneurial-you/message

On April 5th, 2023 I had the immense honor of speaking at Harvard University with the Harvard Psychedelic Club about my journey with plant medicines, and the importance of using entheogenic substances within a ceremonial context. This speech was followed by an incredible Q&A and personal reflections  from the audience. About MeAndrew is a ceremonialist and multidisciplinary artist from Long Island, New York. For well over a decade Andrew has been passionately studying, learning from, and working directly with sacred plant teachers, indigenous ceremonial traditions, and the practices of holistic mind-body healing through herbalism and spiritual teachings. Born of Jamaican and Iranian descent, Andrew humbly walks a path of service with the aim of honoring and giving thanks to his ancestors and elders for guiding him towards rediscovering these ancient and universal forms in which all communities gather, heal, and grow together. Apprenticing for many years with initiated teachers and elders of several traditions has provided Andrew with an immense respect and understanding of the responsibility of what it is to carry these sacred teachings with the utmost reverence and integrity.Always working from a place of love, safety, humor, and gentleness, Andrew leads a life of prayer with the intention of leaving a positive and lasting impact on all those he serves and supports through his offerings.Follow  the Harvard Psychedelic Club on Instagram  and join their amazing newsletter. Learn more about Andrew's upcoming 8-Day Psilocybin Retreats, "Alchemy of Clarity". Happening both in May and June of 2023. https://www.alchemyofclarity.com/SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST / LEAVE A REVIEW: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/masters-of-ceremony/id1508921843 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPHGyyBZSwdsaHwOCrB32QQFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themastersofceremony https://www.instagram.com/fifthgod/ Learn more about Andrew's photography, videos, music, podcasts, and more at his website: https://www.fifthgod.com/