Episodes

Sept. 13, 2020

Well Being: GAIN without Pain

Hosts Siri Phaneendra and Andrea Smith welcome Trends without Ends reporter Jack Pawlakos with his riveting report on the healing trends for year, especially during Covid-19 including music therapy and timing of light and biology of the human body. In the face of spiraling rates of burnout amongst physicians and other health care professionals, Dr. Greg Hammer created GAIN, a four-step, proven path to personal resilience and happiness. He describes the GAIN method (an acronym for Gratitude, Acce...
Sept. 6, 2020

Cast of Mighty Oak, the Movie

Teen hosts Andrea Smith and Siri Phaneendra are joined by ebullient and talented cast members from the new Sean McNamara (Soul Surfer) directed film, Mighty Oak: Tommy Ragen (his music inspired the screenplay), Gianna Harris, Rodney Hicks, and Ben Milliken. Mighty Oak is the story of a band manager who struggles after losing her brother/lead singer in a fatal car accident while traveling to a gig. A decade later, she meets a 10-year-old music prodigy named Oak, played by Tommy. The cast talks ab...
Aug. 30, 2020

Financial Literacy and Money Ed

Most decisions we make are in fact centered on our finances. Katelyn Darrow and Andrea Smith host a program focused on financial literacy. Katelkyn shares her experience with getting her first credit card and student loans. She advocates to talk to elders to learn more about financial resources. Whitman Ochiai is the producer of the Money Ed Podcast, a financial literacy podcast aimed at young people that strives to impart valuable financial management skills. Whitman explains to Andrea and Kate...
Aug. 23, 2020

The Power of Ecology and Firefighter Zen

Katelyn Darrow and Andrea Smith address climate change, Coviid-19, and the ecology effects of what’s happening in our world. Katelyn shares that a positive result of Covid-19 has been that nature is beginning to heal itself. Firefighter, storyteller, and author Hersch Wilson talks about how to stay safe during these horrendous fires and other disasters in the USA. His book Firefighter Zen tackles the value of life. Life is short, grab it, and live for today. He advises rising above the calamitie...
Aug. 16, 2020

Wilderness and Survival

Survival can be highly dramatic, worthy of the front pages. It can also be ordinary, something we do daily almost without taking notice. Hosts Katelyn Darrow and Siri Phaneendra tackle the topic of survival and wilderness training. Katelyn shares her experiences as a solo female backpacker. She advocates the importance of preparedness whether hiking, camping, or backpacking to thrive survive in the wilderness. Siri and Katelyn interview author Carren Strock about her middle grade chapter book, S...
Aug. 9, 2020

Power of Community: RISE

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word “rise” more than 20 different ways, both as a verb and a noun. Hosts Andrea Smith and Siri Phaneendra interview 16-year-old singer-songwriter-musician, Isolde Fair with her poignant new song nominated for Hollywood Music in Media Award, “Rise.” A collaboration between Isolde and her multi-talented parents: her mother, the esteemed pianist and composer Starr Parodi, who co-wrote “Rise” with Isolde; and Jeff Eden Fair, Isolde’s father, who co-produce...
Aug. 2, 2020

Let it Go, Let it Flow Leadership

The root of conflict and distress starts with failed leadership. Recent high school graduate and host Siri Phaneedra was awarded UC Berkeley’s Leadership Award and became an Alumni Scholar at the Cal Alumni Association. She talks about her leadership roles as a teen and then interviews Joan Ramirez, author of Let it Go, Let if Flow Leadership. Joan states that the most important virtue for a leader is humility. Learn from mistakes. Her book will give those in search of leadership positions an in...
July 26, 2020

Music with Liverpool Rap Artist, Royzy Rothschild

Express Yourself!® ventures to the music mecca of Liverpool, England as Siri Phaneendra interviews actor and rap artist, Royzy Rothschild. His two new singles, Falling featuring Ettie Jayne and House of Cards featuring Lotty are played during the broadcast and available on all the streaming platforms. Royzy writes inspirational lyrics that were born from personal life experiences. He believes in helping people and shares his insights on what it takes to be a successful musician in a very difficu...
July 19, 2020

Storytelling and Poetry

The history of the world is a result of storytelling over the ages. Long before the written word, oral histories were passed down through the generations. His story. Her story. Arjin Claire and Andrea Smith host this episode as part of Super Smart Sundays. They interview poet/speaker Traci Neal who shares her journey from bullying at school to discovering her abilities to inspire and motivate youth through her poetry and speaking. They also read the chapter, The Gift of Storytelling by Cynthia B...
July 12, 2020

Time Travel and The Visitor from 4-D

Andrea Smith takes the helm of hosting Express Yourself! Teen Radio and begins by reading the chapter about Time from the book Be the Star You Are! For Teens. She then interviews author Deborah Dolan Hunt as part of our Super Smart Sundays program to give authors an opportunity to discuss their books during Covid-19. Deborah’s book, The Visitor from 4-D by Deborah Dolan-Hunt is a light-hearted science fiction novel geared for middle-graders that is based on the time travel experiments some peopl...
July 5, 2020

Women of Color in Tech and Social Media

As part of our Operation Disaster Relief Outreach Program, Express Yourself! continues to feature Super Smart Sundays. Tech industry jobs are growing fast, offering great pay, career growth, and learning opportunities. Women of color, sadly, have not been able to fully participate in this boom. Women of Color in Tech is an indispensable resource for building a rewarding future in tech. Host Siri Phaneendra interviews author Susanne Tedrick about her practical guide that will help women develop t...
June 28, 2020

Health Heroes with Dr. Mary Choy and Dr. Michele Kaufman

Have you thought about your future career? What line of work will be most fulfilling to you? And most importantly – how and what do you need to do to get there? The American public and the world has seen healthcare heroes in action, saving lives in the wake of COVID-19. There are many heroes amongst us, those who go above and beyond to make this world a better place for others. Besides expressing appreciation for the health heroes on the front lines, radio host Siri Phaneendra interviews pharmac...
June 21, 2020

Strength and Resilience

When you are resilient, you’ll laugh more, play more, and enjoy a higher quality of significance. Host Siri Phaneendra brilliantly shares how she bounced backed from adversity to develop strength through love and support of family. She orchestrates a fascinating interview with author of Everything is Not Fine, Sarah Carlson who advises to give oneself time to grieve, space to mourn when times are shattering. A short preview of her novel: High school senior Rose is a pro at using art to ignore he...
June 14, 2020

Teen Challenges

Host Rachel Glass begins by reading the chapter, The Gift of Youth by Victoria Whitebread from the book, Be the Star You Are! Millennials to Boomers Celebrating Gifts of Positive Voices in a Changing Digital World. She also reads the chapter she wrote, The Gift of Self-Love and provides an update on how she has grown and changed since writing the chapter. Her chapter’s purpose is a call to action for people to individually look inward and be thankful. People across the country are facing real is...
June 7, 2020

Adventure and Experiences

What does adventure mean to you? Veteran radio host and BTSYA volunteer, Rachel Glass spearheads this exciting program about experiences and adventures. As part of our Super Smart Sundays, Rachel interviews author C.R. Kahme about her Libbie Lyndton series. The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island has always been a retreat from the modern-day world. For C.R.’s main character, Libbie Lyndton, the Grand Hotel is far more than that - it was both a paradise for a horse-loving girl and a mystery that begge...
May 31, 2020

Climate Revolution

The climate revolution is the global transition to a clean energy, low-carbon future, saying “yes” to life. What’s good for our planet is also good for human beings—especially the smallest and most vulnerable ones. Host Arjin Claire interviews author Mary DeMocker about climate change and discusses her book, The Parents Guide to Climate Revolution. Mary advocates for blocking a new fracking operation which helps the climate, and also protects our kids’ drinking water from hundreds of chemicals t...
May 24, 2020

Plan Your Future with Blogger, Nadalie Bardowell

“The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power.” - Host Siri Phaneendra interviews Nadalie Bardowell, Founder of It's All You Boo, a personal development blog, that helps you plan your goals and become a more positive, productive person. The duo discusses how to create colorful, imaginative vision boards to help you manifest your destiny and how to visualize your reality. Productivity is doing something in a timely manner. Contrary to popular belief, humans were not meant to multi-...
May 17, 2020

Immigration: Why We Are Coming with Yasin Kakande

From veteran journalist, Yasin Kakande, expelled from two Middle East countries because of his daunting investigative reporting, comes the real story of why Africans flee their beloved homelands for unfamiliar and uncertain surroundings with his book, Why We Are Coming. Host Siri Phaneendra talks with Yasin about his amazing journey to combat corporate greed, exploitation, political greed, and the plight of migrants worldwide. Economic, social, and political conditions in his own country of Ugan...
May 10, 2020

Vegetarian Lifestyle

Host Siri Phaneendra was born into a very strict vegetarian family. With that mindset instilled from a young age, she found solace in gardening and nature. She talks about the nutritional value of eating a rainbow of vegetables and fruits. She interviews Lucia Rivera, an intern with The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG), a leading non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public on vegetarianism and veganism and the interrelated issues of health, nutrition, ecology, ethics, and world hung...
May 3, 2020

Integrative Medicine with Dr. Bonnie McLean

The healthier we are the more we can enjoy our elder years and the more we can pass down the wisdom that each one of us has gained over our lifetimes. How can an integrative approach to medicine help us age gracefully? Hosts Siri Phaneendra and Brigitte Jia join Dr. Bonnie McLean O.M.D., A.P., M.A., B.S.N, an award winning Doctor of Oriental Medicine and author of Integrative Medicine: The Return of the Soul to Healthcare, to find out how we can stay healthy through this Covid-19 crisis and beyo...
April 26, 2020

Mentorship and Enchanted Sacred Garden-Dragon

Host Arjin Claire reads Karen Kitchel’s chapter on mentorship from the book, Be the Star You Are! Millennials to Boomers Celebrating Gifts of Positive Voices in a Changing Digital World which asks us what we can offer someone who needs guidance. Be the Star You Are!® 501c3 has invited Authors Guild members with new books to be interviewed on our programs with Arjin interviewing Angie Rooker for her novel, Enchanted Sacred Garden: Dragon, a powerful story about being true to ourselves, self-accep...
April 19, 2020

The Brain and The Best Week that Never Happened

After watching a series of brain-related TED Talks for her neuroscience class, host Brigitte Jia extracted fascinating facts about the brain and this new, exciting field of study. She shares her own experiences with neuroscience research and discusses the surprising science of happiness. Dallas Woodburn guests with her debut novel, The Best Week That Never Happened, a love story set in Hawaii, with a dash of mystery and magic, about living each day to the fullest. Kirkus Reviews raved, … captiva...
April 12, 2020

Quarantine Communication and Contemplation with Brigitte Jia

Brigitte Jia hosts a meditative hour that includes research on the neuroscience behind staying connected during the lockdown of the corona virus. Forced isolation studies conducted on animal species that have definitive social orders have returned results that evidence a hugely negative impact on subjects’ brains, cognition and physiological conditions that is replicable in human cohorts. Brigitte discusses long distance planning using Zoom, FaceTime, Skype, etc. If you’re looking for activities...
April 5, 2020

Altruism and Pop Star Goddesses

o Times of chaos and uncertainty bring out the best and worst in people. We believe in effective altruism and our hosts, Joven Hundal and Siri Phaneendra explain how scattering kindness and being altruistic is bringing people together during this Covid-19 pandemic. To bring a bit of light-heartedness and fun to the show, they interview author Jennifer Keishin Armstrong about her newest book, Pop Star Goddesses, a compendium of 35 incredible female popstars, whose energies, virtues, and vices mak...