Podcasts about young ambassador

In this episode, we'll hear from four of our much-valued Involvement Champions : Rebecca, Oriana, Claire and Mark.We recorded their presentations to the whole organisation as they explained why they wanted to become key voices in the  brain tumour community.  (Trigger warning, they talk about diagnosis and mental health issues, and their stories are very moving.)Then our host Anna Blyszko - a former Young Ambassador herself - quizzes The Brain Tumour Charity's Involvement Manager, Rachel Roberts, about what exactly our Involvement Network aims to achieve and why we've launched a new initiative called The Listening Project.If you're interested in becoming an Involvement Champion, recruitment for the next cohort begins in late summer 2025. You can find out more here.Better Safe Than TumourIf you or someone you know needs a listening ear, you can contact our Support Team by calling 0808 800 0004 or by emailing support@thebraintumourcharity.org For general information about the podcast, you can email podcast@thebraintumourcharity.org

Someone who needs no introduction. FA WSL legend and England Lioness great Jade Moore joins us on a very special episode of the Pro Player Podcast. Jade talks everything from her glittering career all round the world, representing England at Major tournaments like the FIFA Womens World Cup and her important role as Cardiac Risk in the Young Ambassador.Jade is authentic as she is inspiring - enjoy this very special extended episode...Cardia Risk in the Younghttps://www.c-r-y.org.ukPreventing young sudden cardiac deaths through awareness, screening and research, and supporting affected familiesCardiac ScreeningCRY offers subsidized ECG and Echocardiogram screening to all young people between the ages of 14 & 35 in the UK. There is a simple way to diagnose most cardiac abnormalities. This is by having an ECG (electrocardiogram) test. Results should be read by a cardiologist. For extra clarity an Echocardiogram (ultrasound scan) can also be done.If there has been a young (under 35) sudden death in the family, the family is entitled to be screened on the NHS. All of CRY's public events are free to attend.

The built environment comprises a diverse and exciting range of sectors, but there is still a lack of representation at every level. We want this to change.‘Be Part of the Change' is an awareness campaign with the purpose of celebrating the incredible success stories of our under-represented students, apprentices and alumni, as well as highlighting their challenges.It's also an opportunity to highlight the positive practices our employers are actioning within their organisations to inspire other companies in their approach.In the fourth episode of our Be Part of the Change podcast, Drew Greenhalgh, Student Ambassador for EDI at UCEM, is joined by Lydia McGuinness, a Site Manager at Wates and a Young Ambassador for the CLC. The topics discussed on this episode include:How Lydia defied her family's expectations to enter the built environmentWhat motivated Lydia to become the CLC's People and Skills Young AmbassadorWhy diversity is a crisis, not a competitionWhy construction needs a Royal Navy-style ad campaignVisit the Be Part of the Change site: https://www.ucem.ac.uk/be-part-of-the-change/

Very occasionally in life, if you are lucky, you meet people that are so wise that you have to stop in your tracks and listen to them speak, and after listening you come away with your eyes more open and the world looks a little brighter than it did before. Today's guest is one of those people, Molly Fenton, she is only 22 yet she is changing lives, she is the award winning founder of the campaign Love your Period, a UN Women UK Delegate and a Young Ambassador for the Brain Tumour Charity. Molly founded Love your period whilst still at school, frustrated by the stigma and lack of education around menstruation, she wanted to act as the big sister that other young people might not have, stimulating conversations around periods and sexual health. Incredibly she has built a volunteer base to 75 people, alongside her own younger sister,Tilly. At 16 Molly was told she had an inoperable brain tumour. Although benign, she describes how her life became ‘watch and wait'. Failing GCSE's, and having to attend her schools behavioural unit and then being told to leave post sixteen, yet she continued helping the community, fighting for girls rights within the health care system. Six years on and Molly lives with many debilitating chronic health conditions, yet she is a keynote speaker, giving talks around the country about her philosophy on life since her brain tumour diagnosis, speaking in Parliament about period stigma and poverty, she is passionate about helping others and is also an ambassador for them Every Woman Festival coming up soon. You can watch the full unedited interview on our Womenkind Collective YouTube channel. The Book Collective: We continue reading, Unwell Women by Elinor Cleghorn, this week we read Chapters, 11 & 12, and find out why menopausal women have guinea pigs to thank for early treatment, again we meet some ground breaking women.You can join in with our Book Club, send us a DM or voice note with your thoughts on the book. We chat about our week, there's comments, a WI (weekly invitation) and a quote.It's another episode brimming with chat and all the usual sweary shenanigans! So, settle in for this hour(ish) podcast full of meaningful chat. If you've enjoyed our Podcast you may like to consider buying us a Ko-Fi at https://ko-fi.com/womenkindcollectivepodcastHere you can find updates, photos and some inclusive content we won't post anywhere else and your donation will help us ensure we continue to bring you great quality of content and sound.Our campaign for a Menopause Clinic in Devon is moving closer but we still need signatures on our petition: https://www.change.org/p/wheresmyclinicOr to send your testimonials please email us: menopauseclinicdc@gmail.comMolly Fenton:I: @mollyfentonI: @loveyourperiodF: The Love Your Period CampaignTT: @loveyourperiod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How employers can assist employees with sight or hearing loss to succeed In this episode 217 of the podcast I bring you an interview with Dan Williams who is the founder of Visualise Training and Consultancy an organisation which promotes and enables inclusion, accessibility and equality for people living with visual impairment, hearing loss and other forms of disability. Dan is an expert in assisting businesses and organisations to be more accessible. In this episode of the podcast we cover: How to encourage employees to be open about their condition or disability. Creating an inclusive culture at work. Ways in which employers can make reasonable adjustments for those with sight and hearing loss. Why it is important to give meaningful consideration to adjustments. Some examples of how employers can make a change and be more inclusive.     Dan Williams “I established Visualise in 2014 with assistance from The Prince's Trust. As someone who experienced gradual sight loss, I wanted to advance social change for VI (visual Impairment) rights by campaigning and advocating for inclusion, accessibility, equality and diversity. As a qualified eye clinic liaison officer and rehabilitation assistant, and with the help of my guide dog, Zodiac, I carry out workplace assessments to support employees with visual impairments. I deliver training that educates staff to better assist clients or customers with VI. Visualise has worked with over 700 organisations across all sectors. When employees are ‘VI Confident', inclusion becomes ‘business as usual' for everyone involved, leading to increased job satisfaction and a more rewarding environment. I also deliver ‘Seeing Beyond the Eyes' CET workshops to foster closer links between the optical and sight loss sectors to benefit patients. In a voluntary capacity, I'm on the RNIB Working Age and Transitions steering groups which assesses work-related challenges blind and partially sighted people face. I'm also a Young Ambassador for the Prince's Trust and sit on their business launch panels, helping other young people to set up enterprises. I'm a member of the College of Optometrists' Public Patients Reference Group (PPRG), which receives input from patients and the public to improve policies, guidance and patient resources. I am also an active Trustee for The Nystagmus Network charity. In the beginning, sight loss feels like the end, but later, you realise it's just the start of seeing differently and having a new outlook on life. Overcoming challenges has given me resilience, determination and the ambition needed to strive for success. This can also be said of other disabilities, whether they are visible or invisible. We are here to take away the confusion and myths and replace these with solid information that will give you the confidence to interact and welcome those with disabilities into your working environment.” If you'd like to know more about how your organisation can become more Disability Confident and Aware, please email me at daniel@visualisetrainingandconsultancy.co.uk Or give me a call on 07472305268 Together we can make a difference.”     About Visualise Visualise Training and Consultancy ltd are on a mission to improve inclusion and accessibility for people with disabilities. Our Founder, Daniel Williams, has an eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa, which means he is gradually losing his sight. Daniel established the consultancy in 2014 to share his experience and expertise with companies and organisations. This enables them to provide excellent service for customers and employees alike while meeting their legal obligations under The Equality Act 2010. What began as a laser-sharp focussed approach centred on sight-loss impairment and its associated elements has since organically grown to encompass other disabilities such as hearing loss in an ever more significant effort for Visualise to truly become a symbol of total inclusivity. They work with people of all ages and all abilities, including: Disabled people, Veterans, People who experience loneliness, People who need more supportive exercise. Website: https://visualisetrainingandconsultancy.com/ Email: info@visualisetrainingandconsultancy.co.uk       Training for your Team Would you like to arrange training for your team to reduce the risk of both unhappy employees and claims being made against you? Please get in touch for a no obligation discussion, we can offer training anywhere in the UK in person or delivered remotely via MS Teams. Please drop me an email alison@realemploymentlawadvice.co.uk     Fixed Price Advice from Real Experts As part of our HR Harbour annual subscription service for employers we provide guidance and training for employers, supervisors and managers. If you would like to know more about the HR Harbour Service and how you can get unlimited support from as little as £210 per month please contact me for a no obligation discussion – alison@realemploymentlawadvice.co.uk or you can find full details here: HR Harbour Don't forget you can contact us by telephone 01983 897003, 01722 653001, 020 3470 0007, 0191 375 9694 or 023 8098 2006 We have a variety of free documents and letters which are available to download here: DIY Documents We are also on YouTube! You can find a range of topics and also listen to this podcast on YouTube here: YOUTUBE   Zoes Law Raising awareness of melanoma and skin cancer. You can find more information here: https://www.facebook.com/zoepanayilaw

Lionel Lee is an experienced executive, board member, investor and philanthropist in international business, advisory roles, and nonprofit leadership. He currently holds two major roles: as the chairman of Platinum Circle, a leading business group involving corporations with annual revenues exceeding USD100 million; and as the Committee Chair at The Better Foundation, a private foundation and endowment established in 2020 with a mission to improve the world through philanthropy and by supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Lionel Lee BiographyLionel Lee is a highly accomplished professional with extensive experience in international business, advisory roles, and nonprofit leadership. Currently serving as the Committee Chair at The Better Foundation, he has made significant contributions to various industries and sectors across multiple markets.Lionel Lee is the Chairman of Platinum Circle, a leading global business group of corporations, each having annual revenue exceeding USD 100 million, governments and intergovernmental organisations.He developed the group from a handful of enterprises in 2003 to an international community of corporations whose combined annual revenues exceeded USD1 trillion, government and intergovernmental organisations. Lionel Lee has amassed a wealth of experience in international assignments, executive leadership and advisory roles. Over the course of his 20 plus year career, he has managed business portfolios totaling over USD 500 million in net asset value. His expertise spans diverse areas, including setting up and leading boards and management teams, developing comprehensive plans, policies, and procedures, ensuring operational efficiencies, improving financial health, raising capital, expanding to new markets, and driving business growth. He has successfully applied his skills and knowledge to more than 40 small to listed multinational corporations operating across 16 industries and sectors in 22 different markets.Beyond his corporate endeavors, Lionel Lee has dedicated himself to supporting and contributing to numerous nonprofit organizations, NGOs, social enterprises,and grassroots initiatives in Asia, Europe and the US. By providing leadership, governance, resources, and support, he has made a meaningful impact on more than 10 organizations in the nonprofit sector. His commitment to social causes underscores his passion for creating positive change and uplifting communities. He is a recipient of awards and honors including World Economic Forum Young Asian Leader, Young Ambassador for Opportunity International USA, New Media Champion for People's Association Singapore and partner of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.Learn more about Lionel Lee on https://www.openbusinesscouncil.org/wiki/lionel-leeAbout Dinis Guarda profile and Channelshttps://www.openbusinesscouncil.orghttps://www.intelligenthq.comhttps://www.hedgethink.com/https://www.citiesabc.com/https://openbusinesscouncil.org/wiki/dinis-guardaMore interviews and research videos on Dinis Guarda YouTubeSupport the show

GUEST OVERVIEW: Alexandra Marshall is the Online Editor for the Spectator Australia and The Good Sauce. Young Ambassador with Australians for Constitutional Monarchy.

Today's Coffee Connection is the second episode of a new format, 3 short interviews in one episode. Every year, DAAD selects students from the US and Canada to share their Germany experiences with their peers on their respective campuses. In August, DAAD invited the new Young Ambassadors for training in New York. I had the opportunity to sit down with 3 Young Ambassadors, Emily Hawkins, Ian Albreski, and Madison Schimizu. The answers each Young Ambassador gave were quite different, but they all had one thing in common: Their enthusiasm and love for Germany.

GUEST OVERVIEW: Alexandra Marshall is the Online Editor for the Spectator Australia and The Good Sauce. Young Ambassador with Australians for Constitutional Monarchy.

GUEST OVERVIEW: Alexandra Marshall is the Online Editor for the Spectator Australia and The Good Sauce. Young Ambassador with Australians for Constitutional Monarchy.

Today's Coffee Connection is a new format, 3 short interviews in one episode. Every year, DAAD selects students from the US and Canada to share their Germany experience with their peers on their respective campuses. In August, DAAD invites the new Young Ambassadors for a training in New York. I had the opportunity to sit down with 3 Young Ambassadors, Anna Holle, Cameron Morgan, and Avalon Pernell. The answers each Young Ambassador gave were quite different, but they all had one thing in common: Their enthusiasm and love for Germany.

GUEST 1 OVERVIEW: Omar Khan is a regular guest on The Mike Ryan Show. Omar is a global consultant who has advised clients in the US, UK, Europe, South America, South Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Asia Pacific and Australia on leadership responses to opportunities and crisis. His firm, EPL Global seeks to convey better information for better decision making. Omar's blog can be found at uncommonwisdom.online. Omar also writes a regular column for Daily FT which can be found on ft.lk. GUEST 2 OVERVIEW: Alexandra Marshall is Online Editor for the Spectator Australia and a Young Ambassador for both the Australians for Constitutional Monarchy and English Speaking Union of NSW. She is also a Sky News Australia contributor and regular on GB News, Vegas Take and other political platforms.

GUEST OVERVIEW: Alexandra Marshall is Online Editor for the Spectator Australia and a Young Ambassador for both the Australians for Constitutional Monarchy and English Speaking Union of NSW. She is also a Sky News Australia contributor and regular on GB News, Vegas Take and other political platforms.

GUEST OVERVIEW: Alexandra Marshall is Online Editor for the Spectator Australia and a Young Ambassador for both the Australians for Constitutional Monarchy and English Speaking Union of NSW. She is also a Sky News Australia contributor and regular on GB News, Vegas Take and other political platforms.

In this episode, I chat with three amazing women who are all involved with Hope Loves Company, a non-profit that provides support to children who have had or have a loved one battling ALS.  Hope Loves Company is the result of raising three children who had to learn about ALS (or Lou Gehrig's Disease) as young children.   Hope Loves Company's (HLC) founder, Jodi O'Donnell-Ames, lost her husband, Kevin, to ALS in 2001.   Their daughter, Alina, was almost three when Kevin was diagnosed.   Years after Jodi lost her husband to ALS,  Jodi married Warren Benton Ames and became the mother of his two children,  Nora and Adam who were then 11 and 8 years old.  They had lost their biological mother to ALS.  So after watching her daughter and her 2 step children experience life with ALS and the loss of a father and mother, Jodi realized the need to offer support to children of those living with ALS.  That was the inspiration to start this one of a kind community.  In this episode you'll hear about all that HLC offers to children like Camp HLC, Hugs of Hope care packages, two annual scholarships, a Young Ambassador program, virtual peer support groups, children's books and educational materials, teen retreats, the HLC Kids Count Conference, and more.   You'll even hear from a young adult who has benefitted from HLC.   I am in awe of these ladies and the love and support they pour into our children when they need it the most.  Thanks for listening and sharing.   Follow:  https://bit.ly/ImDyingToTellYouInstagram

Alexandra Marshall gives us an update on how The Great Reset is faring in Australia, where it is struggling to keep its narrative alive as people are increasingly refusing to follow health orders. The biggest problem Covid has revealed is the shift in Western democracies to embracing collectivist thought. Australia is on the verge of passing the WEF's Digital ID legislation which is an extension of the Covid surveillance system and is digital fascism. Russia and China are not pets of the WEF and are happy to let Klaus & Co. destroy the West with their program. China is determined to be the world's superpower, meanwhile Russia wants to let Beijing fight the West to weaken both. Well-meaning conservatives misunderstand what Putin's Russia actually is. She's hopeful we can recover from the damage done by Davos. Watch On BitChute / Brighteon / Rokfin / Rumble Geopolitics & Empire · Alexandra Marshall: Russia & China Are Happy to Let Davos Destroy the West #264 *Support Geopolitics & Empire! Become a Member https://geopoliticsandempire.substack.comDonate https://geopoliticsandempire.com/donationsConsult https://geopoliticsandempire.com/consultation **Visit Our Affiliates & Sponsors! Above Phone https://abovephone.com/?above=geopoliticseasyDNS (use code GEOPOLITICS for 15% off!) https://easydns.comEscape The Technocracy course (15% discount using link) https://escapethetechnocracy.com/geopoliticsPassVult https://passvult.comSociatates Civis (CitizenHR, CitizenIT, CitizenPL) https://societates-civis.comWise Wolf Gold https://www.wolfpack.gold/?ref=geopolitics Show Notes The greater good - or a grander evil? https://www.spectator.com.au/2022/02/the-greater-good-or-a-grander-evil Did Australia buy tanks to protect Taiwan? https://www.spectator.com.au/2022/01/did-australia-buy-tanks-to-protect-taiwan Russia is empire-building while Australia sleeps https://www.spectator.com.au/2022/01/russia-is-empire-building-while-australia-sleeps Websites Elly Melly https://ellymelly.home.blog Spectator Australia https://www.spectator.com.au Twitter https://twitter.com/ellymelly Good Sauce https://goodsauce.news/author/alexandra-marshall The Vegas Take https://www.thevegastake.com Penthouse https://www.penthouse.com.au About Alexandra Marshall Alexandra Marshall (@ellymelly on social media) is the host of "Curtain Call", a Good Sauce show exploring the leading personalities in the culture war. She writes on liberty, philosophy and geopolitics. You can find her on Twitter or read her articles over at her blog. Elly is also an AI database designer for the retail industry, contributor to multiple online journals and a Young Ambassador with Australians for Constitutional Monarchy. *Podcast intro music is from the song "The Queens Jig" by "Musicke & Mirth" from their album "Music for Two Lyra Viols": http://musicke-mirth.de/en/recordings.html (available on iTunes or Amazon)

Zachary Nanji is currently a Senior Honours International Development and Management Student at McGill University in Canada. Originally from the UK, he started learning German at Eaton College and visited Munich and Bonn via a school exchange that planted the seed for a 6-month stay at the Ludwig Maximilan University of Munich during the 2019 academic year. As a DAAD Young Ambassador, he shares his passion for international travel and offers insightful best practices to get the most out of an international university exchange. In 2021 he was nominated by DAAD to participate at the Diversity Abroad Global Student Leadership Summit where he got to reflect further on his experience and further develop skills related to global diversity, equity, and inclusion. You can find Zachary at https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharynanji/

On episode 5 of The Periodic Fable, Cameron & Hallam are joined by Sarah Davidson, who is the Group Sustainability Coordinator for Croda. Sarah discusses her journey into the world of chemistry, and takes a look back at her path from A-Level, to University and into her MSc. She then dives into the world of sustainability, not only in the industry, but also in her day to day life. In May, Sarah was named the Chemical Industries Association's Young Ambassador, and she tells us all about what she's got planned for the following 12 months. Later,  Cameron shares a true periodic fable looking into the world of the so-called father of modern chemistry Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier, whilst delving into the world of his relatively unknown wife, Marrie-Anne, who left her own imprint into the world of chemistry. Hallam then shares with us the news in the world of chemistry, this week, talking about the IPCC climate change report, just recently published. 

R3's ***YOUNG & THRIVING SERIES**** Starts off with 8-year-old Milah Johnson asking for your help. The 4th wave of Covid19 is underway, we need to continue to protect Milah and other little ones from the variants and perhaps a relapse. Your donations will help greatly! Milah has recovered from a near-death scare of P.I.M.S/M.I.S-C disease ( https://www.cps.ca/documents/position/pims ) temporally caused by Covid19 during the 3rd wave. The Montreal Children's Young Ambassador is calling out for the community to support her desire to give back. Your donations will help ongoing research and fight this new disease and help save more lives. https://fondationduchildren.com/en/fundraising/bundl-uv-a-little-girl-who-had-pims-wants-to-say-thank-you-by-giving-back To help with BundLUV in any way please contact Laurie la8ybug514@gmail.com or https://www.facebook.com/1bundluv/ * We can no longer accept any more yarn donations due to Covid; however you can order (other materials like crochet hooks, looms, or knitting needles) online at Micheals or Walmart and arrange for us to pick them up. R3 Community you have a voice tell Roz what you think, click the link https://anchor.fm/roslyn-scott-lewis/message --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/roslyn-scott-lewis/message

9 year old raises money so that impoverished children may receive life saving heart surgery- For Free. Imagine being 9 years old and seeing your little baby cousin's life slipping away. Then a doctor comes in and saves it by performing life saving heart surgery. So inspired, Edee decides that she needs to do her part to ensure other children who are not as fortunate, who live in poverty, have the same opportunity. She is now HLH Young Ambassador of 2020

A former Young Ambassador who does it all! Bailee has quickly become recognized as one of the top vocal instructors and one of the top headshot photographers in the area, especially when it comes to acting headshots. As a seasoned performer, she knows exactly how to capture the real you that directors want to see in a headshot. Bailee recently played Mae Tuck in Tuck Everlasting at the Hale Center Theatre in Sandy. https://www.tayandbay.com/ https://www.instagram.com/tayandbay/

Patrick Kane is a public speaker, ambassador, disabled persons’ advocate and healthcare communications company account executive. Patrick became a triple amputee after a 3-month battle with meningococcal septicaemia when he was just 9 months old. Ever since then he has spent his time talking with others about what it means to be disabled and what others may be able to learn from his experiences. In 2010 Patrick became the youngest person in the world to be fitted with a revolutionary bionic arm and is an ambassador for both the UK Sepsis Trust and Össur. In 2012, he was selected to carry the Olympic Torch through Trafalgar Square. Patrick graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2020 with a degree in biochemistry and is currently pursuing a career working for Havas Life Medicom as an account executive. Outside of work, Patrick speaks for audiences which have included TEDxTeen, WIRED: Next Generation and even appeared in an advert for Apple in 2014 for its Worldwide Developers Conference. In 2018 he wrote an article titled “Being bionic: how technology transformed my life” for the Long Read in The Guardian. While the theme is often related to disability, Patrick’s speaking appeals to audiences from all backgrounds (and abilities) because of the emphasis he places on changing the world you live in by changing your perception of it. His Leadership tip – opportunity is the result of how you perceive your current situation. #InspiringLeadership #leadership #CEOs #MotivationalSpeaker #teamcoach #Boards See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, we explore one of the ways that we can become better storytellers and better listeners through cultivating our holy curiosity. In honor of Black History Month, we revisit the faithful story of Isaac Thomas, a black Latter-day Saint who converted to the gospel in the 1970's despite the fact that he would be unable to hold the priesthood or participate fully in the restored gospel he loved. We'll also hear from Tamu Smith and Zandra Vranes, (aka the Sistas in Zion) who give us their tips for better ways to interact with one another across cultural divides.  SHOW NOTES:  If you're looking for ways to get curious about the lived experiences of our brothers and sisters of color in the gospel, you can find a list of resources (as promised!) at LDSLiving.com/thisisthegospel TRANSCRIPT  KaRyn  0:03  Welcome to "This Is the Gospel," an LDS Living podcast where we feature real stories from real people who are practicing and living their faith every day. I'm your host KaRyn Lay. If you've ever spent any time with a three year old, then you might not agree with the central tenet of our theme today, that curiosity is a gift. But listen, if we can get past the exhaustion that comes from answering those rapid fire questions of our tiny humans, we'll eventually come to that magical place where we admit that the ability to look into the wide world and ask a million times, "How does this work?" That's pretty awe inspiring. It's interesting, when we talk about the commandment to become as a little child, I think our minds often go straight to humility. But is there anything more humble than acknowledging that there's so much we don't know and so much that we want to know? Curiosity is a function of true discipleship. And when we tap into it, we open the door to so much beauty and possibility in our efforts to become a true child of Christ. Now, listen, I'm pretty sure that I am preaching to the choir when I say this, but I can't think of a business that is more suited to a cultivation of curiosity than the work of storytelling, and it's necessary companion act of listening. When we dive into a story and allow ourselves to feel something from someone else's experience, that's evidence of a curious heart. And that translates when we tell our own stories. Having the spiritual gift of curiosity about others will make us more introspective about ourselves, our motives, our fears, so that when we bear our own stories of faith, we'll convey the heart of the story instead of just the details. If curiosity can really do that, then I think it's something lovely, of good report and worth seeking after. I've also been thinking about how curiosity, storytelling, and listening can be tools for us as we try to accomplish what President Nelson has charged us with, when he said in the October 2020 General Conference, that Latter-day Saints and followers of Christ must, quote, "Lead out in abandoning attitudes and actions of prejudice." I firmly believe that offering a curious heart to one another and listening from the starting place of, "I don't understand and I want to understand," is the key to beginning that work. So as we celebrate Black History Month here in the U.S. in February, I figured maybe we could start there today. Start by practicing a holy curiosity about a part of our church history, that sometimes hard to hear. Today, we've got a story about faith, pain and hope from Isaac Thomas, an African American Latter-day Saint who converted to the gospel in the 1970's, despite the ban that precluded Black men like him from holding the priesthood. We first shared Isaac's story in season one of the podcast. So you may have heard it before. But even if that's the case, I'm a huge believer that with a little bit of a prayer in our heart, the spirit will show us new insights. Here's Isaac. ISAAC: I was born in Kansas City, Missouri. I've been a member of The Church for 46 years. I was part of the Civil Rights movement, I was involved in the marching and the sit-ins and those types of things, and campaigning and being a non-violent protester for rights not only for blacks but for everyone. That was what I was doing at the time when I first started college. It was 1967 to 1971. It taught me patience, if nothing else, and long-suffering because during the Civil Rights movement to sit in at a cafe, and to be hosed in those things, there's a lot of patience involved in that, and a lot of long-suffering.  I first came in contact with the church through a young man that was in my basic training unit when I was in the Air Force, and he gave me a Joseph Smith pamphlet for me to read. That was my initial contact with The Church. I actually didn't get a chance to read it all. I just got to the first paragraph, explaining who Joseph Smith was. And then my drill instructor took it out of my hand and told me that Mormons were racist and bigots. Oh, okay well, forget that. I don't need racists and bigots in my life. I almost ended it. After that, I went to my next duty station and again, there was another Mormon on base that asked me for, you know, said he’d give me a ride at the chow hall and he asked me to go to his church with him that night. I forgot to ask him what church I was even going to. It didn't occur to me that everybody in the jeep that I was in, leaving base, was white but me. And the church was on the road in Southwest Texas alone by itself, I’m squinting, going where’s the church, and I realize it's a Mormon church. Ahh, it's a Mormon church! It's a Klu Klux Klan meeting and I'm going to be the burnt offering. I was, I couldn't believe it. I said I'll get out of the Jeep. I'll stand here, They'll go in and I'll walk back to base. Nobody moved until I did. I'm walking into this church, I'm going, "Please let there be another person of color in here." There was not. They had a mahogany foyer and I was going, if I stand close enough I can blend in and they won't notice I'm here. I expected for the chapel doors will open I would enter and see the grand dragon with hood in sheet. I could not believe I had gotten myself into such a terrible, terrible situation. KARYN: What Isaac found that day was actually far from what he feared. The rumors were untrue. There was no grand wizard lurking in the chapel, and instead, he felt something sweet and meaningful. He agreed to take the missionary discussions that soon came across some difficult information that was hard to process. ISAAC: The first time I learned that I couldn't hold the Priesthood was when they gave me the last lesson which was added to the series of lessons that they were giving me and they explained it to me. They told me all the reasons, all the reasons that the time that they were told. And I listened. And then I said, "You'll have to tell me that again". And they repeated everything. And then something just said, "It's okay." And I said, "Fine. Fine, I'm okay." The thing that kept me anchored was I knew Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I knew that, got that witness,  can't deny that. I knew the Book of Mormon had been restored by the prophet of God, can't get rid of that one either. If those two are true, then The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Church of God. There was some dissonance because I didn't know what other blacks would think of me, how they would accept me. I wasn't sure how the rest of my family members would accept me which troubled me because we were very close family. And so I was wandering in this mist of darkness really, just feeling my way, but I could not deny what I know to be true. I actually joined the church December 15 in 1972 in an old chapel in San Angelo, Texas. I remember just fighting with myself in the restroom, going, "Should I leave? Should I stay? No, Get out of here, this is bad. No, you need to stay this is going to be good for you." But I indeed stayed and I was baptized  and it was glorious for me. Really, I’d never felt so good and all my days. I remember the feeling of being light and forgiven. My parents' reaction when I joined the Mormon Church, my father was not there when my mother asked me, "What church did you join?" And I said, "The Mormon Church," and she dropped the skillet. My cousin left cussing. My brother said, "You did what?" And I just kind of sat there silently. And then my grandparents, when they heard about it, they said, "Just leave him alone, it’s one of his passing things. It'll be okay." But after a while, when I stopped drinking, smoking, carousing, doping and all those things, my grandmother finally said, "I don't care what church it is, hallelujah to it." It got me to be the person that they wanted me to be. Because my grandmother, when I was younger, I was ill and she promised the Lord that if I was saved, or live, that I would dedicate my life to the Lord. And I have to admit, I found that out and I purposely tried not to be that person, but here I am. Well, I decided once I got out of the military that I wanted to go on a mission. That was 1976 or 77. And I knew I couldn't, so I wrote President Kimball a letter and said, "Dear President, I'd like to go on a mission. I don't care if I can't baptize people, somebody else can do all that. All I want to do is be able to get in there and to teach people, just to teach them the Gospel." I got a letter back and it said, "Dear Brother Thomas, we're sorry, you can't go on a mission because you don't have the priesthood." Then, I went, "Women go on missions!" So I wrote him another letter, "Women go on missions!" I got another letter back saying, but they had to go to the temple and take out their endowment. And for you to go on a mission, you'd have to take out your endowment. So you can't go." And I said, I'm going to mission one way or the other, okay? And then my mindset, there's more than one way to skin a cat. Okay, I'm going to go, I'll figure it out, then I'll let them know. That was my mindset. I had not given up, but I accepted what he said, I understood what he was saying and why it was being said. But I figured there was some other way for me to accomplish the thing that I wanted to do. Because after all, the Lord gives no commandment unto the children of men unless He provides a way to accomplish the things that he has commanded.  Well, I realize how to serve that mission. When the kids came home from school and they told me about this song and dance group at BYU that did missionary work, and all they did was sing and dance. And they said it’s Young Ambassadors. And I went, "I can do that!" So me and my friends jumped in his MG, drove up here inAugust of 1977 for me to audition for the Young Ambassadors for my mission. But I got there and I was intimidated by all the talent that was there. I mean, I hadn't had music lessons or dancing lessons so I didn't audition. But then I was getting ready to go do baptisms for the dead and the phone rang and it was the director of the Young Ambassador's asking me to come up and audition. The director of the Young Ambassadors was told to call me because when I was in Thailand, a group from BYU came over to entertain the troops. And I worked the lights for them and Randy Booth was playing the piano and I met him and I was doing USO shows. Apparently, somebody told him that I was there. And a dancer had dropped out of the Young Ambassadors so they had called me to see if I wanted to come up and audition. And so I went up, after I'd gone to the temple, sang and danced, sand and danced, and they said, "Yes, we want you to be part of our group.” We want you to know that you're going to be in a fishbowl, that everybody will be watching you that this won't be easy. There will be a lot of questions, a lot of pressure that you will be under. It was going to be pressure because I was a black member of The Church. And at that time, there were not a whole lot of us around, particularly in a performing group at BYU. And because we were going to be traveling all over, that there will be non-members and other people that would take me to task and take The Church to task on their stand about why blacks could not have the priesthood. And I said, "Well, that's their problem. This is my mission for two years. I don't have time for that." Done. That was one of the greatest learning experiences of my time being a member of the Young Ambassadors. I learned more about performing, I learned a whole, whole lot about brotherhood. When I say brotherhood, I include sisterhood as well. The love and care that they had for me was genuine and real. There would be some that would leave and go on missions and they would tell me, "Isaac, I'm gonna baptize this many people in your name." I was promised that I would have special friends and associates that would be for my good. And that was indeed quite true with that group. When something untoward happened, like a member or somebody would not let me stay in their home because I was black, some of the girls— they got very, very upset—and I didn't like that kind of thing. So I would have to stay in a hotel or something with the director. But they were always there. I never had to worry about my back. Ever. There were some challenges while I was on my mission with the Young Ambassadors, and there was a time where we were doing a number in Georgetown, Pennsylvania and a girl jumped about two inches off the floor, ripped her knee out, hobbled off stage. I was the only one off stage because I had a solo number after that one. And I carried her off and the director came back and said, "Isaac, go get someone that has the priesthood." And he might as well hit me upside the head with a wrecking ball, or taken a machete and just gutted me. I was devastated. He wasn't being mean, it was just a fact. And really, I think for the first time, I really did feel inferior in some way because of that. Like Man's Search for happiness, I just didn't know what was happening in my life because I had no question about the priesthood for six years. I'd been a member for six years, what's going on? And I was talking to Brad Smith, he was my roommate, and I just told him I felt like I was holding on to my testimony by the skin of my teeth at that point. But then, I realized, we have to trust in God because man will disappoint us every time, but God will not. He may not come when you want Him all the time, but He's always on time. So about June, end of May of 1978, we were in Toronto, Canada. And the missionaries brought this young lady to the show for me to talk to, she was black. And the director kept bugging me to talk to her. And I said, "Okay, fine." But when I jumped off the stage, there was a bunch of anti-Mormon people that came to the show. I was surrounded by all these people that are calling me a traitor to my race. That I was an Oreo, an Uncle Tom, and I just didn't need that my life. I finally talked to this young lady and I told her she’d do more for a family in the church and she ever could outside of it. And I left. We jumped on our bus, traveled to Kansas City, June 8, and we had lunch with my mom and we sang songs, we got back on the bus and we start going through Kansas. I went to sleep. Cause Kansa, it’s flat, there's nothing there and I'd seen it before. I went to sleep. They woke me up when we got to Salina, Kansas and told me to get off the bus. I got up, I got off the bus, didn't know what was going on. When I got back to our equipment van that had our costumes and instruments in it, Gary, our piano player was driving that when he said, "Isaac, we heard something on the radio. We don't know if it's true." I said, "Well, Gary, what did you hear?" He said, "Well, we want you to hear, we just don't know what to think." He kept going on and on and on. I recognized the station, it was WHB in Kansas City. I thought they had heard that my mom had been an accident. I said, "Gary, if you don't tell me what you've heard, I'm going to be all of you like stink on a monkey." He said, "They gave the blacks the Priesthood!" I said, "Don't, don't believe that, please. We're in the heartland of the reorganized church, the heartland of the reorganized church. They could be giving the cows the Priesthood for all we know out here. And don't tell anybody on that bus because I can't handle if it's not true. I can’t handle all that disappointment. No, don't want to deal with it. I got in the van, we drove to a mall, the director gets out runs in the mall. I figure we're going to go in, pass out some pamphlets about The Church get some contacts for the missionaries and sing some songs. Done it before, no big deal. Gets back on the bus. The bus pulls in front of the van and I see every, all 40 something people on one side of the bus hands and faces waving. At that point, I knew that they had told them about this fictitious rumor about this Priesthood thing. I went, "How could they do that to me?" and then on the CB radio, I hear, "Elder Thomas, it is true." My entire life passed before my eyes. And I went, wait a minute did I sleep through the Millennium? I was always told what happened in the Millennium. And then I went wait, well who's coming in these clouds? And I didn't know if I should look or not. It was like being in a dream. I get on the bus and they say "Bare your testimony!" I couldn't think of my name. I don't know what I said, I said something and I sat down by the director. At that point, people start singing songs, "The Spirit of God like a Fire is Burning," and then someone would bear their testimony. "I am a child of God." "I know that my Redeemer lives," all of those harmonies from all those talented talented people floated across Kansas. But everybody that I'd ever know from the Laotian border from Karamursel, Turkey, San Angelo, Texas, the family that got me in the church was trying to find me that day. For they had been there supporting me all this time. Praying along with me for this day to come, like many, many, many of the silent majority of the members of The Church, praying for this very, very special thing. It wasn't my letter, either one of them, it was a collective effort for those that wanted this to be done and for the Lord to hear the prayers of His children that were given in righteousness and in devotion unto Him.  After the revelation, our last show was in Loveland, Colorado. The bus pulled up and there was like, hordes of people there to welcome us and at that show that night, the audience was great. Several encores, several testimonies, but when we got back to BYU, it was a little different because there were people that would speak to me and thought I could walk on water because I didn't have the priesthood. Now that I could, they would not speak to me. There were also advertisements taken out the newspaper denying the priesthood revelation that made me feel bad. And it took me a while to understand that that was their choice if they were cheating themselves out of their own exaltation. That was hard, but for the more part, it was grand. I wanted to write someone black, the only black person I had, which was this young lady I met in Toronto, Canada. Well, she came down for General Conference because they were going to be you know, ratifying and talking about the Restoration of the Priesthood for conference. So she came down, stayed with her missionary's that converted her. I met her and we, you know, went to a couple of sessions together and then Sunday night, we were walking on Temple Square, and we were just talking and I asked her what she was going to be doing and told her what my plans were and we got up by the Christus, and all of a sudden I heard these words come out of my mouth, "Will you marry me?" And I was so startled by what came out of my mouth. I couldn't believe it. Because I promised I would never have a Mormon romance, you know what I mean? And she said, "I'll have to think about it." I'm going, it's a good thing somebody's thinking because  obviously I am not. She came back a couple days later and said, "Yes." And we talked about will we get married civilly first? Will we wait and get sealed? And we decided to wait to get sealed. And we got married June 15, 1979. We were the first black couple to be sealed in the Salt Lake Temple. There were so many people at my sealing. I can't tell you who was there. All I know is there was standing room, people everywhere, halfway out the door. And when we walked out of the temple, there were all kinds of people taking pictures, it was in the Deseret News and I'm going, okay. But we were, we were so dizzy just from being nervous about being married. But really, it was another surreal experience in my life, but a great one. My testimony helps me when things aren't connected as far as race and understanding in the church. People can say and do anything, there will always be bigots, some knowingly being bigots, some unknowingly being bigots in every religion, they're there. No matter what the trial is, or what the circumstance is or what's been said to me or thrown at me, literally. The Lord is there. We sing a song in my grandmother's church, it went, "I trust in God, I know he cares for me. On the mountain tops, on the stormy sea. Though the billows may roll, he thrills my soul. My Heavenly Father watches over me." KaRyn  23:12   That was Isaac Thomas. I produced the video for LDS Living that first told this story in 2018. And it's amazing to me that I've heard Isaac's story literally dozens of times. And I still heard something new as I listened.  Maybe you found yourself like I did filled with gratitude and wonder at Isaac's faithfulness and his determination, that part about choosing to serve a mission even when he couldn't formally serve, I mean, that just gets me every single time. And maybe you, like me, heard those stories of pain and wounding from Isaac and wondered if maybe you'd inadvertently allowed a bias or lack of understanding to get in the way of another child of God feeling the full stature of their divinity.  If that's the case, well, then good. Good, good, good. That is the gift of curiosity, doing its beautiful job, reminding us that we're still alive here on this earth and that our time is not over yet, we still have some spiritual growth left in us. It can be painful, a real gut punch to be curious about ourselves in that way, to search out the moat in our own eye.  But our love for Isaac and all of our brothers and sisters of color demand that we do it. Our desire to be more like the Savior demands it as well. And I firmly believe that he will help us to push past the shame and the fear that that self examination can bring up if we let him.  In the spirit of practicing curiosity, I want to share one more quick little thing with you today. It's audio from a video series that LDS Living did a while ago called, "What and what not to say at church." We did the series to help us all navigate potentially awkward situations at church with a little bit more love and a little more self awareness.  And one of the topics that we tackled was talking to our Black brothers and sisters. I don't know about you, but I grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood and my interactions with Black culture were really limited until I was in college in Philadelphia. And I made a lot of mistakes. And I acted on a lot of assumptions. And I know I hurt people.  I really love that saying that is making the rounds lately, "When you know better, you do better." Admitting fault and vowing to do better is the very heart of our gospel practice. And that's true of navigating cultural differences. It's a holy work that requires God to help us complete. But bridging the gap is possible, and listening to others with a different life experience, really listening to them without defensiveness, that's the first step.  So here are Tamu Smith and Zandra Vranes, also known as the Sistas in Zion, with their tips for doing better at interacting with each other at church. And here's a funny thing. This video was done long before President Nelson asked us to stop calling ourselves "Mormons," so you're going to hear that in this audio, but just know that we know that we don't use that anymore. Here you go.   Tamu   Sometimes people will come up to you and grab you hair.   Zandra   If this has ever happened to you at church, you might be a Black Mormon.   Tamu   On a serious tip, at church, sometimes we say things like, "I don't see color," which is not true, but it is awkward. And we understand that. We're going to have some awkward moments, but we're just going to ride it through. And we're going to get through this because we are all brothers and sisters, and we're in this together.    Zandra   Absolutely, so we're going to give some tips.   Tamu   So what do you say to people who just come up to you and touch your hair?   Zandra   So we know you're curious, and that's okay. But we really shouldn't touch people without permission. So if you're interested in my hair, get to know me. Know my name, what are my interests, and once we're friends, maybe we'll get to hair.    When we serve admissions around people of color, we often like to share with them that we've connected culturally with an experience that might resonate with us.   Tamu   Basically, what you want us to know is that you love Black people, and we want you to know we love you back.   Zandra   But while we're seeking connections, there are some assumptions that can actually disconnect us.   Tamu   For example, I'm from California, not from Ghana, where you served your mission.    Zandra   And that sister from Ghana is not from the hood, where you served yours.    Tamu   People think I can sing because I'm Black, so they want me to be in the choir. I'm not a good singer. Also, I'm a convert to the church to the LDS faith. She is not.   Zandra   I am a convert, actually, everybody's a convert to the LDS faith, but I don't have a gangster to gospel story that you're looking for.    All Black people don't know each other. I cannot get Alex Boye to speak at your farewell.    Tamu   So sometimes people will come up to me and they'll say, you know, "Oh, my gosh, I served my mission in Chicago, Illinois. Do you know champagne?" And I'm like, "Yeah!". . . I don't.   Zandra   But the truth is, all Black Mormons kind of really do know each other.   Tamu   Don't speak slang to me if that's not your native language.    It's okay to ask me, "Are you Black? Or are you African American?" I'm both. And I'm also Tamu.   Zandra   When it comes to asking questions, motive matters. If your motive is the loving one, it'll shine through.   Tamu   Sometimes we have these conversations in the church, and sometimes race is a part of it. Don't skip over the race part. We want to be a part of that conversation.   Zandra   Tamu and I don't speak for all Black people, so the best rule of thumb is treat everybody like individuals, get to know them. And then you'll find out what they like, what they don't like. All are like unto God. But that doesn't mean that we are all alike. It means that we're striving to love each other, like God loves each of us.   Tamu   I'm excited to see you on Sunday.   Zandra   Catch me in the pew, how about that?   Tamu   How about that.   Zandra   And when we wear our wraps and hats to church, don't ask us to move to the back row because you can't see over them. Come on up and join us. The more the merrier on the pew.   KaRyn  29:20   That was Zandra Vranes and Tamu Smith. We'll have a link to that video in our show notes so you can see what you can't when you're just listening to the audio. Tamu and Zandra have never been shy about sharing what it feels like to be a woman of color in a church that sometimes doesn't reflect their experience.  And I for one, am grateful for their willingness to speak up with plainness and love and self respect. They brought up an interesting point in the video that I had honestly never thought of until just now. It's the difference between a holy curiosity and a nosy curiosity. And here's what I mean.  Holy curiosity respects people's boundaries. It's motivated by love and acknowledges the godliness and the divinity in every person, while also asking, "What's it like for you to be here?" But nosy curiosity is just the opposite. It's actually all about you, and meeting your needs to know, at the expense of another person's dignity.  It's doing what I know I have done before, touching someone's hair because you want to know what it feels like regardless of how that might make them feel. Or asking someone if you've hurt them, only to try to defend yourself.  I love what Zandra said, that our motives matter. And it's going to shine through as we press forward through awkward moments in our attempts to form genuine familial connection. I don't know what it's like for you, but my church life sometimes seems like it's all awkward moments. Ministering, teaching over zoom, accepting ministering, all of these great things require me to be slightly uncomfortable all the time.  So after listening to these tips again, I'm going to try to put this into practice. To ask myself if my curiosity is holy or nosy, to pause before talking and check myself to see if my curiosity is motivated by a desire to really know someone and understand their life on their terms, or if it serves only me.  I'm hopeful that as I do that, that my comfort and ease will grow as I do the work of discipleship. We can't leave this theme of curiosity without recognizing that ultimately, we seek this gift so that we can become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ. Talk about a holy curiosity.  Despite the fact that he knew all and could perceive every single thing, Christ asked hundreds of questions during his ministry. And those are only the things that we have recorded in canonized scripture. I'm sure there was more. Christ loved curiosity. And in Matthew chapter seven, verse seven, he promised us that our sacred curiosity would be rewarded, he said, "Ask and it shall be given you, seek and you shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you."  So back to that charge from President Nelson to lead out in abandoning attitudes and actions of prejudice, I think it all starts with engaging with the gift of curiosity, asking Heavenly Father to show us what we don't know. And listening to stories from people who've lived it, like Isaac, and Tamu and Zandra, and others. Asking questions with a motivation of love and a commitment to do better, when we know better.  If you're feeling that desire right now, we will have a list of really great resources to feed your curiosity in our show notes, including some links that offer opportunities to hear directly from our brothers and sisters of color who go to church with us. I don't think we have to wait to be perfect to lead out. We just have to be like a little child willing to let people see us and our growth and our curiosity. And then we can truly call ourselves, all of us, the children of Christ. That's it for this episode of "This Is the Gospel." Thank you to our storyteller, Isaac Thomas, and our wonderful Sistas in Zion, Zandra and Tamu. We'll have more info from all of these storytellers in our show notes at LDS living.com/Thisisthegospel. That's also where you can find a transcript of each episode.  If you haven't already started to follow us on social media, go find us on Instagram or Facebook at @thisisthegospel_podcast, we work hard to make sure that it will add to your scrolling instead of taking away.  The stories in this episode are true and accurate as affirmed by our storytellers, we find lots of our stories through the pitch line. So if you have a story to share about a time in your life when you learn something new by practicing the gospel of Jesus Christ, we want to hear from you. The best pitches will be short and sweet and have a clear sense of the focus of your story. You'll have three minutes to pitch when you call, 515-519-6179.  If you want to help spread the word about "This Is the Gospel," we'd love for you to give personal recommendations to your friend. Find an episode you love, send it in a text message personal recommendations are the way to go. And you can also leave a review of the podcast on Apple, stitcher, or whatever platform you listen on. Reviews help this podcast to show up for more people in their search functions.  This episode was produced by me KaRyn Lay with additional story production from Davey Johnson and the producer director of that "What not to say" video, Skylar Brunner. It was scored, mixed and mastered by Mix at Six studios, our executive producer is ErinHallstrom. You can find past episodes of this podcast and other LDS Living podcasts at LDS living.com slash podcasts. Show Notes + Transcripts: http://ldsliving.com/thisisthegospel See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Podcast 20 WCAPS Young Ambassador Program Welcomes Blessing Ikpa, Wardah Amir & Sylvia Mishra by Women of Color Advancing Peace & Security

You may have already read or watched Alexandra Marshall in The Spectator Australia, SkyNewsAustralia, The Good Sauce, Penthouse Australia, The Other Side Australia, and Caldronpool. A prolific writer, Alexandra is also a Young Ambassador for the Australians for Constitutional Monarchy (ACM) and a political tragic spending endless hours analysing the political trends of Twitter. She joined me in conversation from the family farm in northern NSW. ---------------------------------------------------- Watch this episode on Youtube: Follow Alexandra: https://twitter.com/ellymelly https://www.facebook.com/Alexandra-Marshall-ellymelly-101395101607522 https://ellymelly.home.blog/ https://parler.com/profile/ellymelly Support Alexandra's Work: https://ko-fi.com/ellymellyvids ---------------------------------------------------- 2:14 Current Liberal politicians 3:27 The right-wing fears the left-wing press 5:30 Policies are driven by bureaucrats, not politicians 9:35 People won't vote for weak politicians 12:31 Governments rule by fear 16:31 Scott Morrison won't activate the Federal government's health authority 20:08 Scott Morrison doesn't want to take responsibility 22:17 Victorian Liberals are weak 23:45 Weaponising fear to rule the masses 26:05 Whose fault is it for the current political climate? 29:34 Minor political parties are crucial 31:51 How do we change culture? 34:30 Twitter trends 37:06 Is conservatism on the rise? 41:38 Scott Morrison's backflips 44:05 Alexandra's career history 46:40 Women in media 51:42 The impact of the ‘Me Too' movement on women 54:01 What shapes Alexandra's politics? 58:19 Is Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party more mainstream than we realise? 1:02:07 Minor Parties are tied to major party performance 1:04:58 We need strong leaders with conviction 1:11:05 What the left-wing can teach the right-wing 1:13:35 The fragility of Democracy 1:17:03 Utopian Politics

DEFRA has completed its review of ‘general licenses’ for shooting wild birds, after the campaign group Wild Justice made a legal challenge against them. Details of new licenses have been released which will allow people to kill wild birds for conservation, to protect public health and safety and to prevent damage to crops and livestock. Satellite technology is being used to identify farms which are allowing soil to wash off fields and into waterways. We join the Environment Agency out on SOIL PATROL in Herefordshire around the River Wye catchment. “The biggest change since farmers switched from horses to tractors” - that’s the scale of shake up required by Scotland’s agriculture sector for it to come into line with the government's targets on greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new report. The 'Farming for 1.5 degrees' inquiry sought to find a consensus with a panel made up of farmers, environmentalists and scientists. And all this week we’re taking time to listen to the thoughts of young people involved in food and farming. 15 year old Jessica Walker is the Soil Association’s Young Ambassador - her family run an organic beef and sheep farm. With more schools bringing in meat-free days, Jessica is questioning whether her peers really understand the arguments around the environmental impact of how food in the UK is produced. Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Emily Pullen is beefing up the snacking game. As the CEO of Toowoomba based Jim's Jerky, Emily aims to have nutritious beef snacks in the glove box of every beef-loving Australian. In this episode of 'What's Your Beef', Emily describes her interesting career path back to the family business after her father's seemingly random purchase of a butcher shop. Emily also has a terrific relationship with Beef Australia, having been a Young Ambassador and as a result spending six years in Europe. She also credits Beef Australia as playing match maker with her now husband! She is also passionate about more industry players becoming involved in industry groups and bettering understanding policy issues.

Elisha Parker's association with Beef Australia is long and colourful. As Beef's Young Ambassador in 2009, she's worked on and led a number of Next Gen committees and is now recruiting high calibre speakers for the 2021 symposium. But it's her incredible contribution to the Australian beef industry through her online beef marketing platform, several industry group representations, and advocacy that is worth talking about. Join Jayne Cuddihy as she asks Elisha how the Australian beef industry needs to hone their message, running an online business from a telecommunications black spot and what's her 'silver bullet' solution to recruiting and maintaining youth in rural industries.

Today, my guest is Alexa Rosdahl, a college student I've known since she was in high school. Alexa was the Young Ambassador for one of my non-profits. She inspired hundreds at our "Civility Ends Bullying" rallies. Today, she talks with me about an atrocious bullying incident that happened to her in high school. It involves a YouTube video and a student council election. We'll learn what went wrong and how she dealt with it.

Presenter Isy Suttie talks to the inspiring Moin Younis who doesn’t let his life limiting skin condition epidermolysis bullosa stop him from pursing his passion for vlogging, raising money for charity and supporting his all-time favourite football club Aston Villa. When Moin was just a baby his parents were told it was unlikely that he would live passed the age of 1 and now at the age of 19 he has defied medical opinion. Despite his many challenges, Moin is committed to making a difference to the lives of others and since being a Young Ambassador for Acorns Children’s Hospice he has helped raise money and awareness of the incredible work they do. Winner of the Pride of Britain Award 2017 Moin made sure that every celeb in the room that night heard his message “A lot of people take life for granted. Please, please get the most out of your life and make the most of what you have.” Strong, charismatic and brave – this is how Moin changed his world…

A literary podcast by English authors Lauren James and Lucy Powrie full of book recommendations and writing advice. Everything we discuss in the episode: Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley Howl’s Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones Stardust by Neil Gaiman The Gloaming by Kirsty Logan The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter The Tale of Despereux by Kate DiCamillo Ancient fairy tales - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35358487 The Chronicles of Narnia by C S Lewis https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/mar/19/francis-spufford-pens-unauthorised-narnia-novel Joanna Harris said "Women write fanfic of all kinds for decades: no comment from literary world. Man writes Narnia fanfic: 'a sensitive and brilliant addition to the Narnia corpus by a major contemporary writer'." https://www.thebookseller.com/news/authors-praise-spufford-s-narnia-fan-fiction-973456 Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/aug/31/pride-and-prejudice-and-zombies-author-sued-by-publisher-hachette-seth-grahame-smith Pride & Prejudice and Emma by Jane Austen The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KisuGP2lcPs Clueless (1995) - Film Hogarth Shakespeare (http://hogarthshakespeare.com/) and The Austen Project (https://www.goodreads.com/series/113943-the-austen-project) Eligible and American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/7646946/Laura-Bush-speaks-about-car-crash-which-killed-friend.html https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/may/09/new-curtis-sittenfeld-novel-will-imagine-hillary-clintons-life-without-bill Gentleman Jack (2019) - TV The Secret Diaries of Anne Lister La Maupin Edgar Allan Poe’s Murder Mystery Party (2016) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxRiP4GNiyM&list=PLs2T_dNZ-XW6UjWC-qUbZSWJyCLFmsdPP Circe and The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Under a Dancing Star by Laura Wood Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (1966) - Play Lauren James is the Carnegie-nominated British Young Adult author of The Loneliest Girl in the Universe, The Quiet at the End of the World and The Next Together series. Her most recent release is the novella The Starlight Watchmaker. https://laurenejames.co.uk | https://twitter.com/Lauren_E_James Lucy Powrie is the author of The Paper & Hearts Society, the first book in a new series for teenagers (11+). She is an award-winning book blogger and YouTuber, as well as the Brontë Society’s Young Ambassador for 2018 and 2019. http://lucythereader.com | http://youtube.com/lucythereader | https://twitter.com/lucythereader

Show Notes - Summer Reads A literary podcast by English authors Lauren James and Lucy Powrie full of book recommendations and writing advice. Everything we discuss in the episode: Pictures of Oliver - https://laurenjames.tumblr.com/post/185951719096/that-summer-hammock-life-view-on-instagram Pictures of Digby - https://twitter.com/LucyTheReader/status/1156201070605078530 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J K Rowling The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson www.persephonebooks.co.uk The Priory and Someone at a Distance by Dorothy Whipple Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James The Paper & Hearts Society by Lucy Powrie https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BottleEpisode Monsters by Emerald Fennell Killing Eve (2018) - TV Enid Blyton Black Mirror (2011) - TV Carry On by Rainbow Rowell The Chronicles of Narnia by C S Lewis Howards End (1992) - Film Howards End (2017) - TV The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery Eva Ibbotson Anne with an E(2017) - TV Anne of Green Gables (1985) - TV The Wild Remedy by Emma Mitchell Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady (1984) - TV The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Radio Silence by Alice Oseman The Quiet at the End of the World by Lauren James Dry by Neal and Jarrod Shusterman https://dublin2019.com/hugo-awards-wsfs/the-hugo-awards/ Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik Rumpelstiltskin The Next Together by Lauren James Lauren James is the Carnegie-nominated British Young Adult author of The Loneliest Girl in the Universe, The Quiet at the End of the World and The Next Together series. Her most recent release is the novella The Starlight Watchmaker. https://laurenejames.co.uk | https://twitter.com/Lauren_E_James Lucy Powrie is the author of The Paper & Hearts Society, the first book in a new series for teenagers (11+). She is an award-winning book blogger and YouTuber, as well as the Brontë Society’s Young Ambassador for 2018 and 2019. http://lucythereader.com | http://youtube.com/lucythereader | https://twitter.com/lucythereader

Show Notes - The Books that Made Us A literary podcast by English authors Lauren James and Lucy Powrie full of book recommendations and writing advice. Everything we discuss in the episode: The Paper & Hearts Society by Lucy Powrie The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 by Sue Townsend Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine The Next Together by Lauren James Read with Pride by Lucy Powrie (upcoming) North & South (2004) - TV Mary Poppins (1964) - Film Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) - Film Pride & Prejudice (2005) - Film Pride & Prejudice (1995) - TV Shirley by Charlotte Brontë Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë The Complete Poems by Emily Brontë Literary critic George Henry Lewes Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Mansfield Park by Jane Austen Elizabeth Gaskell, author of North and South and Cranford Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal https://www.jhupressblog.com/2014/04/23/g-i-jane-austen-goes-to-war/ https://www.tor.com/2019/01/22/why-science-fiction-authors-need-to-be-writing-about-climate-change-right-now/ His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J K Rowling Once and Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy Game of Thrones (2019) - TV Doctor Who - TV Good Omens (2019) - TV Preludes & Nocturnes (The Sandman, #1)by Neil Gaiman Killing Eve (2019) - TV Emerald Fennell and Phoebe Waller-Bridge Lauren’s Goodreads tags: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4254869-lauren-james Northern Lights (2019) - TV The Starlight Watchmaker by Lauren James Lauren James is the Carnegie-nominated British Young Adult author of The Loneliest Girl in the Universe, The Quiet at the End of the World and The Next Together series. Her most recent release is the novella The Starlight Watchmaker. https://laurenejames.co.uk | https://twitter.com/Lauren_E_James Lucy Powrie is the author of The Paper & Hearts Society, the first book in a new series for teenagers (11+). She is an award-winning book blogger and YouTuber, as well as the Brontë Society’s Young Ambassador for 2018 and 2019. http://lucythereader.com | http://youtube.com/lucythereader | https://twitter.com/lucythereader

In this episode, Shawn Bolz interviews Gracie Wright. Gracie is a two-time award-winning author of children's books like “Silly Eric” and a Pride of Britain nominee. She has been a Young Ambassador for the Prince's Trust and is a supporter of helping others overcome. Her love for people and helping others reflects in her work as she grows her publishing business to inspire creativity and dreaming BIG. Gracie’s creative also expands into the world of music as she soon releases her first ever single, Psalm 23, from her NEW EP REDEEMED, featuring Jonathan Ogden from Rivers & Robots, on May 6th. Join the conversation as Shawn and Gracie discuss her traumatic head injury as a child that put her in a coma, her journey of recovery from a brain injury where she found Jesus that ultimately lead her to complete healing and restoration, and her mandate from the Lord to write children's books that led to her becoming an award-winning author. She is now bringing breakthrough all over the world because of her story.

Episode 8: Zach Malik (https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachariasmalik/) is a 23-year-old British-Pakistani. While his home-based is London, he has had the privilege to live in England, Pakistan, Libya, Egypt, Australia, Netherlands, Switzerland, and France. Zach graduated from LUC in Feb 2016 with a BSc in Policy Science (now GED) and minor in Sustainability (now EES). He is currently completing his master's in Management and Corporate Sustainability at Cranfield University. Prior to starting his master's, Zach has worked with Arcadis, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, UN Environment, Climate-KIC, and Worldfavor. Beyond building a career, Zach is developing a charity called G-Corps - a global initiative to unite, up-skill, and unleash the power of young people to help them become changemakers. Zach also acts as a Young Ambassador for Oxfam GB and Unicef UK, representing both organsations at the local and global level. This episode's motto: "You can get more done if you work multiple jobs."

In this episode, Dr. McElderry is joined by Octavia Ball, an entrepreneur, digital marketing specialist, and tireless advocate for young women and men. She was selected as a Young Ambassador for Young Women Christian Association (YWCA), serves on the board for the Saint Louis Zoo and donates her time to the following charities: Missouri Food Bank, Humane Society and Habitat for Humanity. After seeing her mom start her own business, she was inspired to truly find her purpose through service. Listen in to hear Octavia's empowering story of self-care, managing her 9-5 and transitioning into entrepreneurship with her non-profit organization, Empowered Youth, Inc. Empowered Youth, Inc. aims to empower and teach middle and high school students from under-resourced communities college preparedness, career training and life skills through building their self-worth, accountability, competence, and purpose. [read more] EPISODE TOPICS - Octavia's story - Meditation - Limiting Beliefs - Vibrational Energy - Holistic Health - Mentoring our Youth CONNECT WITH OCTAVIA IG: https://www.instagram.com/tavi_bee/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Octavia.Ball11 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/octaviaball/ Personal website: https://www.empoweredyouthinc.org/ Please give us a review and follow us on social @evolveupodcast drbryan@envizionhealth.com www.bryanmcelderry.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/evolveupodcast/support

This month’s conversations with General Secretary Geoff Barton include: 1. Emma Knights, CEO, National Governance Association: on good governance via governors and trustees, and the role of headteachers as governors 2. Carol Jones, Chair, the Leading Women’s Alliance: on the mission to bring more women into headship and available support for them 3. Paul Dix, Executive Director, Pivotal Education: on simplifying behaviour rules, retaining humanity, and building consistency across staff 4. Charly Young, CEO, and Aiseosa Eweka-Okera, Young Ambassador, The Girls Network: on the role of the Girls Networking in raising the aspirations of young females by providing role-models and mentors 5. Sian Hampton, CEO, and Lee Miveld, Head of Alternative Provision, Archway Learning Trust, Nottinghamshire: on stepping from headship to executive leadership, what a commitment to 100% inclusion means in practice, and giving support to all young people against chaotic, often violent backgrounds 6. Malcolm Trobe, ASCL NPQEL Programme Director and Consultant: on early lessons from the NPQEL about the opportunities and challenges of executive leadership

Alice Smith is the 23 year old Trustee and Young Ambassador for Endometriosis UK causing a well deserved stir in education. The UK Government is reviewing what should be taught in Sex & Relationship and PSHE lessons in England, and Alice thinks it's about time that menstrual wellbeing made it on the agenda. 14% of menstruators are starting their periods in the UK without knowing what they are and 1 in 4 said they did not feel they knew what to do when they started their period*. This is a big problem. If young people aren't being sufficiently educated about what to expect from an 'average' period, how will they know when something's wrong? Alice and Endometriosis UK have launched a petition to get menstrual wellbeing taught in schools. They want the stigma and shame of periods to be broken, and for all pupils to understand what's 'normal' and what's not when it comes to menstruation, so people can recognise sooner the signs and symptoms of endometriosis, PCOS, fibroids and other menstrual related conditions sooner. I chatted to Alice about the petition, their social media campaign, her own experience of menstrual education in school and what we all can do to make a difference to future generations and end period shame. Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook or sign up to my newsletter. Show Notes: This podcast is sponsored by you guys. I’m asking for your help and support to keep This EndoLife Podcast going - if you like the show and you find it helps you live better with endometriosis, could you consider helping the podcast? I’ve set up a Patreon, where you can donate to This EndoLife and help keep the show going by supporting me to cover the costs of the show. You can donate and find out more over on my Patreon page. This episode and The EndoLife intro music was edited and produced by The Pod Farm - podcast editing services for new and established podcasts. Visit the thepodfarm.com to find out more about their services and how they can help you grow your podcast from just an idea to polished and successful show.  Change.org Petition Endometriosis UK Campaign hashtag: #whatiwishilearned *Stats from Plan International's Break The Barriers Report  

My guest today has had an amazing shooting career…at the age of 19.  Ashley Rheuark is a USPSA National Champion as well as a IDPA Distinguished Master.  Ashley shoots not only USPSA and IDPA, but is a very strong competitor in 3-Gun.  Since she became sponsored by the legendary Taran Butler, her talents thrived in competition, slamming down rifle stages like men two decades older than her.   Three takeaways from today's show are 1) why physical fitness is important to be a strong competitor 2) try to just shoot the match, no matter what size it is and that way you won't feel the pressure and 3) how to use video analysis to nit-pick your faults so you can improve.   Ashley is a true ambassador to the shooting sports.   Links mentioned in the podcast: https://www.facebook.com/AshleyRheuark.shooter/ https://us.glock.com/team/member/rheuark Also, Click here for the 2016 Shooter's Summit to get 23 of these kind of interviews with the top firearms instructors!  The 2017 Shooter's Summit launches on Dec. 17th! shooterssummit.com And don't forget you can connect with Firearms Nation or just stop by and say hi on these social media links: Facebook  www.facebook.com/firearmsnation Twitter  twitter.com/Firearms_Nation YouTube http://www.youtube.com/c/firearmsnation Instagram http://www.instagram.com/firearms_nation Or on the web at: www.firearmsnation.com (sign up to get your free ebook!) JOIN THE NATION!  

La'tifah tells us how her cake making hobby became a business and the input the Princess Trust had on getting her business launched. La'tifah explains why she had to give up a possible career in forensic science and how her story helps in her role as a Young Ambassador for the Princess Trust . La'tifah talks about how she makes the edible incredible and the time it takes to make sculptured cakes. La'tifah gives us an incite into what it was like baking a cake for the Queen and Prince Charles and getting to meet them. If you are interested in cake decorating you can contact La'tifah here: Website: www.bakethatcake.co.uk/ Email: info@bakethatcake.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/bakethatcakeuk Twitter: @bakethatcakeuk Instagram: @bakethatcakeuk If you would like La'tifah to bake you a cake please go to: www.bakethatcake.co.uk/enquiries