Archives: Episode

Mandy Sanghera is an award-winning philanthropist, community consultant and global campaigner, often referred to as a global catalyst from the UK.

She is an international human rights activist and motivational TEDx speaker who travels all over the world, empowering & motivating others. With over three decades of experience, Mandy is an expert in various development-related fields. She has been driving innovation, building strategic partnerships, promoting advocacy & programming in the areas of human rights, gender equality, accountability and social justice globally.

Mandy has helped hundreds of individuals and now reaches thousands through social media, worldwide TV appearances and public speaking engagements. This past November, she spoke at the US House of Representatives for the 3rd year in a row. She recently appeared at the World Economic Forum and supports AI for Social Good. In addition, she was celebrated among public figures such as Jacinda Ardern, Oprah Winfrey, Kamala Harris, as part of the GDL (Global Diversity List) 2020 for her tireless work in diversity and inclusion.

For information on Mandy Sanghera:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007188226296
Twitter: @Mandy_Sanghera1
YouTube: https://youtu.be/uy0Nhf51J4U – #ALDHack2020 – Gender Equality Challenge – Ada Lovelace Day
https://www.globaldiversitylist.org/public-life?fbclid=IwAR1SDYhRb6cKQbBCPiPmAJz_iYvt4NbckU4q8F3Q5JEt31KLu9t4u951S78

Tes speaks with Dr. Ada Cheng. Ada is a professor-turned-storyteller, solo performer, and storytelling show producer. She was a tenured professor in sociology at DePaul University from 2001-2016 when she resigned to pursue storytelling and performance full time. She has been featured at storytelling shows and done her two solo performances all over the country. Ada is the producer and the host of five storytelling shows, including Pour One Out, Am I Man Enough?, Talk Stories: An Asian American / Asian Diaspora Storytelling Show, Speaking Truths Series, and This Is America: Truths through My Body. She creates platforms for people to tell difficult and vulnerable stories as well as for communities who may not have the opportunities otherwise. She is an adjunct faculty at Dominican University and a speaker for Illinois Humanities Speakers Bureau Program. She works full time as the Education and Outreach Specialist with Women’s Leadership and Resource Center at UIC. Her motto: Make your life the best story you tell.

Today, Tes talks with Sarah Dayan Mueller. Sarah is a native of Brooklyn, New York. She is the author of two novels, including Home in a Hundred Places and Greater than the Still.
Sarah received her B.A. in Communications and B.A. in Psychology from SUNY Buffalo. She went on to Brooklyn College to receive her Master of Science in Education with a focus on School Counseling, as well as her Master of Arts in Human Resource Management from Trident University.
Aside from writing her next novel, Sarah enjoys playing piano, ukulele, photography, and traveling the world. She lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband, son, and mother.
To learn more about Sara Dayan Mueller:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahdayanmueller
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahdayanmueller
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sarahdayanmueller

Today, Tes speaks with Leilanie Marianetti. Leilanie is a wife, mother of three and caregiver to her husband for the last 24 years.

As a child she used to write stories. Being creative always seemed to spark joy for her. She continues to write today, only now, they’re stories about what she knows best: her life, sharing the joys and struggles of caregiving, and how God’s amazing grace has had its hand through all of it.

Her hope is that by sharing her story she can raise awareness on caregiving and shed light on God’s glory.

To learn more about Leilanie:
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/lavishedingrace
Tiktok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM8VU44kY/
Mobile website: beacons.ai/lavishedingrace

Today, Tes talks with Lyn St. James. Named one of the “Top 100 Female Athletes of the 20th Century” by Sports Illustrated, Lyn St. James has set 21 national and international speed records. As a seven-time competitor in the world’s largest sporting event – the Indianapolis 500 – St. James earned Rookie of the Year Honors in 1992 and competed in 15 IndyCar races. She has competed all over the world, including twice at the 24 Hours of LeMans (1989, 91) with victories in the IMSA Series at Watkins Glen, Road America, Daytona, and Sebring.

As recipient of the prestigious “Spirit of Ford” award, the “Guiding Woman in Sports Award”, the “Office Depot Visionary Sportswoman of the Year” and named on Automotive News list of the
Top 100 Women in the Automotive Industry, she is an ideal speaker on women’s issues, gender
and diversity. She serves on the board of ACCUS (Automobile Competition Committee of the
United States) and on their Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, and represents North America on the FIA Women in Motorsports Commission. Lyn is passionate about mentoring young people in racing as well as women in automotive fields.

To learn more about Lyn St. James:
www.lynstjames.com
lsjracing@aol.com

Today, Tes talks with Sara Knizhnik. Sara holds a BA from Northwestern University and an MA from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. She served as a university-level English-as-a-Second-Language Instructor at various universities in the Chicago area for 17 years before becoming first a volunteer, part-time gun violence prevention (GVP) advocate with Moms Demand Action and then a full-time, professional GVP advocate with the Newtown Action Alliance (NAA). Sara is the Director of Community Engagement for NAA, a national gun violence prevention (GVP) organization founded in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, CT in December 2012. Sara is also one of the Principals and founders of Purpose Storytellers, a clever public affairs firm dedicated to helping nonprofits get to the next level of policy influence and thought leadership. Sara spends her time, as both a professional and a volunteer, educating the public about how they can become active in the movements in support of gun violence prevention and criminal justice reform. She is also a Vernon Township Trustee. Sara lives in Vernon Hills, Illinois with her husband and two children.

To learn more about Sara Knizhnik:
Follow Me Everywhere via Linktree – Please click here.

Today, Tes talks with Ilina Ewen. Ilina has been called many things. She is a writer, marketing and brand strategist, communicator, advocate, and ally for equity and representation. With over 25 years of marketing and communications experience in the corporate, government, and non-profit sectors, Ilina specializes in translating consumer insights into profitable ideas.

In 2003, Ilina started her own consulting firm helping clients identify their brand and create effective communications and marketing strategies. In addition to her firm, she has worked as a communications and brand strategist, Chief of Staff to the former First Lady of North Carolina, and Communications Director for several organizations. Ilina currently serves as the Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Samet, a commercial construction management company in the Southeastern United States.

Working Mothers Magazine named Ilina one of the top working mom bloggers in America. She uses her voice literally and figuratively as a public speaker and writer and has been known as an “accidental activist” who dedicates her time and talent to advocate for myriad issues. Specifically, she works towards social justice, community building, child and family resources, and women’s rights.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Ilina loved to travel. Nowadays her spare time is spent watching mindless, guilty pleasure TV shows or reading. Yet no matter the climate, Ilina is driven by food. She loves to cook, eat, travel, and read all things food-related. She has two teenage sons and has been married for 21 years.

Today, Tes talks with Anthea Neri-Best. Anthea is an actress, singer, and human empowerment ambassador who appears as Kailani on TruTV’s Tacoma FD, NBC’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Mr. Mayor and as a chef and judge on Yummy TV’s HMExpress. She can also be seen in numerous commercials and heard in many video games. Throughout her career, Anthea has performed at Carnegie Hall, Dodgers’ Stadium, the Staples Center, and Lincoln Center; and she was a top-four finalist on GMA7’s Pinoy Pop Superstar. In addition, she has appeared in Here Lies Love, Oliver!, Mamma Mia!, and the off-Broadway musical, Disenchanted.

To learn more about Anthea Neri Best:
IG|Twitter|Tiktok|FB: @officialanthea

To find out more about FaceOn movie and how to support it:
https://seedandspark.com/fund/faceonmovie#updates/33473

Today, Tes talks with Andrea Couture. Andrea is an author and mother of three children. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont. Embracing What Remains is Andrea’s first memoir and book. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband, children, and her dog.

To learn more about Andrea Couture:
Facebook: Andrea M Couture, Author
Instagram: @author.andrea.couture
Twitter: acouture22
To learn more about Andrea’s book:
Amazon book: https://www.amazon.com/Embracing-What-Remains-Andrea-Couture/dp/0578928264/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Today, Tes talks with LaTasha Y. Benn. LaTasha is the founder of Love Your Beauty, LLC, a Beauty + Fitness brand. She began her professional beauty journey in 2005 in Chicago, IL, where she started doing makeup for friends and family. Since then, LaTasha has received training from celebrity makeup artists, as well as worked for MAC Cosmetics, Benefit Cosmetics and Laura Mercier. She has grown her makeup career by doing makeup for theatre productions, weddings and fashion shows, and obtained her Esthetician License in 2013. Once licensed, she started to offer skin care services in addition to her makeup services. After a successful career in Chicago, LaTasha packed up her tools and took her skills down south to Tampa, FL.
Formally known as LYBartistry, LaTasha has rebranded her business to Love Your Beauty, LLC, a Beauty & Wellness brand, in which she has expanded her services and now offers makeup services, skincare consultations, fitness products & apparel, and promotes self-care & mental wellness. LaTasha took her passion for fitness, wellness and beauty and made it her business, while shifting her focus from external beauty to internal beauty.
To learn more about LaTasha:
SOCIAL MEDIA:
IG: @loveyourbeauty_llc
Facebook: @loveyourbeautyllc

Today, Tes talks with Jen Kramer. Jen is a graduate of Purdue University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Tourism management. Jen has spent more than 25 years in the private sector working for Fortune 500 companies and in the public sector, coordinating large-scale events for the Mayor’s Office of Special Events – working on the Taste of Chicago, the Chicago Marathon, and the White Sox and Blackhawk ticker-tape parades to name a few.
Jen was most recently the Director of Operations for both Chicago Ideas and the WNDR Museum, located in Chicago’s West Loop. Additionally, Jen was the Director of University Events at DePaul University and the Director of Special Events at Navy Pier, tasked with re-imagining the Pier’s entertainment appeal as part of the largest redesign since Navy Pier’s re-opening in 1995.
Jen additionally teaches coursework on Special Events as an adjunct professor at DePaul University. Jen is the past president and largest personal fundraiser of Special Olympics Chicago, a board she’s served on since 2002. She grew up in a family where service above self was taught at a very young age, and looks for ongoing ways to make a difference in her community, and in Chicago.

To learn more about Jen Kramer and Year of Love Project
IG: @jkramerica or @yearofloveproject
FB: facebook.com/jen.kramer

Today, Tes Talks with Lindsay Stein. Lindsay took on the newly created role as Havas New York’s Chief of Social Impact in September 2021. She is charged with partnering with marketers and organizations to help them leverage their own values in order to create research-based social impact solutions that drive tangible change.
Before that, Stein served as the CEO of nonprofit Today, I’m Brave, dedicated to unlocking bravery in today’s youth so they can take on the challenges of tomorrow. Since taking the helm last summer, Stein has helped the organization define three pillars of inspiration and change, including diversity, equity and inclusion, education, and health and wellness. This July, Stein spearheaded the launch of Today, I’m Brave’s inaugural Brave Camp, an event that brought together individual donors and over 100 advertising agencies and production companies to fund low-income and BIPOC youth to attend a transformative week-long event designed to inspire self-confidence and bravery through immersive wilderness experiences and a curated Brave Curriculum.
Prior to Today, I’m Brave, Stein served as the U.S. editor for Campaign Magazine, the world’s largest advertising trade publication, where she worked for several years to celebrate the industry, while helping to elevate it by holding agencies and brands accountable for doing work in the right way. During her time at Campaign, she launched the Female Frontier Awards and Power of Purpose Awards, evolved the Inclusivity and Creativity Awards and 40 Over 40 competition, and kicked off an agency-wide maternity and paternity report.
To learn more about Lindsay Stein:
Twitter & IG: @linsday_stein
Here’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steinlindsay/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=5524737

Havas NY Instagram: @havasnyc
Havas Instagram: @havas
Havas LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/havas/mycompany/verification/
Havas NY Twitter: @havasnyc
Havas Twitter: @havasny

My guest today is Anne Poirier. Having overcome her own eating, food, weight, and body image challenges, Anne Poirier wrote the book, “The Body Joyful – My journey from self-loathing to self-acceptance” to share her highly personal and life-changing journey.
She is the leader of The Body Joyful Community, a private, non-judgmental space to empower women, regardless of size, shape or weight, to feel comfortable and confident in their bodies and selves. Anne is a certified intuitive eating counselor, eating disorder specialist and self-talk trainer.

To learn more about Anne Poirier and The Body Joyful Revolution:
Website: https://shapingperspectives.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-poirier-72b66344/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/annepoirier11/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/shapingperspectives
FB The Body Revolution: Private Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bodyjoyfulrevolution

Today, Tes talks with Kymberlee Kaye Raya. Kymberlee is a sought after speaker, fitness presenter and marketing #GirlBoss. Her energy is through the roof and she brings comedy to every audience she embraces. Her approach is bold and transparent. She shows vulnerability and poise and helps shift mindsets with real stories and real failures.

To learn more about Kymberlee Kaye Raya:
Insta: @kymberleekaye

Big Shot Marketing
www.bigshotmarketing.com
www.kymberleeraya.com

Fly Girl Dance & Fitness
www.flygirldance.com
www.flykidzdance.com

Today, Tes talks with Carolyn Pinta. Carolyn is a teacher, mother and activist from the northwest suburbs of Chicago who is known for her ability to get the job done when it comes to making good trouble. Her biggest accomplishment is acting as Director of The Pinta Pride Project and BG Pride, her family’s nonprofit that has brought three pride parades of thousands to the Village of Buffalo Grove. Carolyn works for many Democratic causes, but by far, honoring her bisexual teenage daughter by fighting for the rights of the LGBTQIA community is her biggest passion. Carolyn and her family have been featured in the Chicago Tribune, on the TODAY Show and in many interviews, publications and podcasts.

To learn more about Carolyn Pinta and The Pinta Pride Project:
Carolyn Pinta- she/her/hers
The Pinta Pride Project Inc.
pintaprideproject.com
Facebook- BG Pride
Instagram- bg_pride

Today, Tes talks with Elsa W. Smith. Elsa is the founder and principal of the Law Offices of Elsa W. Smith, LLC. Elsa focuses her practice on wills and estate planning. She counsels individuals, families and business owners in the creation of wills, trusts, powers of attorney and advance directives. She has over 20 years’ experience as an attorney. She is a native Spanish speaker of Afro-Cuban descent. Elsa holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami. Elsa is licensed in Maryland and the District of Columbia.
Elsa W. Smith belongs to the Maryland State Bar Association’s Estate & Trust Law Section, Committee on Diversity and Inclusion. In October 2020, she was a presenter on the Maryland Attorney General’s COVID-19 Access to Justice Task Force Virtual Life & Health Planning Community Forum, discussing the importance of estate planning. In 2020, Elsa published an article in the Maryland Bar Journal on how estate planning attorneys can leverage technology to serve more diverse populations.
Elsa is a proud member of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA), a professional development organization. She is the Vice President of the organization’s Maryland Capital Chapter. In 2020, she was chosen as a Top Ten Business Woman of ABWA – the fifth in Maryland Capital Chapter’s history.
Attorney Elsa W. Smith has been a guest on radio, television, webinars and podcasts. Elsa has a vibrant YouTube channel @elsawsmithlaw dedicated to providing free information on wills and estate planning topics. She also has an active social media presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
The Law Offices of Elsa W. Smith, LLC is proudly minority and woman-owned. Elsa’s passion is empowering women through estate planning. Another firm goal is to stem the loss of generational wealth through proper planning.
Elsa was recognized as a 2021 Maryland Super Lawyer in the area of estate planning.
To learn more about Elsa W. Smith:
Website: www.elsawsmithlaw.com
Email: elsawsmithlaw.com
Twitter: @ElsaWSmithLaw
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elsawsmithlaw/

Today, Tes talks with Heather Rogue. Heather is a stand-up comedian based out of Sacramento, California. Formerly a traveling street performer and homeless activist, Heather settled in Sacramento in order to facilitate her gender transition. She worked as a journalist and writing tutor before discovering her true calling in stand-up comedy. She currently hosts shows at Sacramento’s oldest comedy club, Laugh’s Unlimited. She’s also a spoken-word poet and has published two poetry chapbooks. On top of hosting a news-comedy show during the Pandemic, she’s a two-time MC for the Sacramento Women’s March, served as board-member for the Trans and Non-binary housing alliance, and currently works as a barista at Starbucks.

To learn more about Heather Rogue:
IG: @heather_comedy_rogue

This week marks r(E)volutionary Woman’s 1 year anniversary. Since airing this podcast a year ago, many of my guests have gone on to create incredible initiatives that are benefiting their communities. With that in mind, I thought I would invite my very first guest from a year ago, Cynthia Changyit Levin, to talk about what she’s been up to since she was on my show. Cynthia is a mother, advocate, writer, and speaker. A rare breed of non-partisan activist who works across a variety of issues, she coaches volunteers of all ages to build productive relationships with members of Congress. She advocated side-by-side with her two children from their toddler to teen years and crafted a new approach to advocacy based upon her strengths as a mother. Cynthia’s writing and work has appeared in The New York Times, The Financial Times, the Washington Post, and many other national and regional publications. She received the 2021 Cameron Duncan Media Award from RESULTS Educational Fund for her citizen journalism on poverty issues. When she’s not changing the world, Cynthia is usually curled up reading sci-fi/fantasy novels or comic books in which someone else is saving the world.

To learn more about Cynthia Changyit Levin:
she/her/hers
www.changyit.com
Twitter: @ccylevin
Facebook: cindy.c.levin
Instagram: @ccylevin
Author of forthcoming book “From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started” launching February 2022!

Today, Tes talks with Ginger Leopoldo. Ginger is an educator, actor, director, and community organizer. She is a proud founding member of Pintig Cultural Group and the founding Artistic Director of the Center for Immigrant Resources and Community Arts (CIRCA). Her work includes performing, directing, producing, and facilitating theatre productions and workshops of all ages. Ginger has helped to create a youth heritage curriculum with techniques that utilize a basic integrated theatre arts workshop methodology, as well as a facilitator of Activism & Art workshops for college students. She received her B.A. and M.A. in theater from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Ginger has collaborated with other theatre organizations around Chicago such as Old World Theatre Company and A-Squared Theatre Workshop. With over 20 years of experience as an educator and literacy coach for public school teachers through a nonprofit that engages at-risk youth with arts-based literacy programs, she has also been the Program Director for America’s Children’s Museum on Wheels: StoryBus, delivering an interactive hands-on literacy experience for young learners throughout Chicago. Most recently she has taught ESL to students in China and is an adjunct lecturer with the ESL program at the University of the Potomac. In 2020, she led CIRCA Pintig to adjust to global virtual events and productions for the community. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in organizational and educational leadership.

To learn more about Ginger Leopoldo:
IG: gingerenergy

The Center for Immigrant Resources and Community Arts – Pintig, or CIRCA-Pintig (CP) for short, is a 30-year Chicago-based organization whose mission is to engage community members in addressing critical needs of immigrant communities in creative, participatory, and empowering ways. As its name underscores, CP’s mission is two-pronged. The Immigrant Resources (IR) focus is on providing much-needed resources and services as well as access to these through grassroots activities and campaigns primarily for, from, and by immigrant communities. The Community Arts (CA) focus is on developing, nurturing, and popularizing community arts aesthetic and pedagogy that speaks of the immigrant experience within the changing multicultural American landscape as well as celebrating the histories and artistic legacies of America’s diverse cultural terrain through participatory art creation. Pintig is a Filipino term for “heartbeat” or “pulse”. CP’s almost three-decade practice and tradition were borne out of and honed through Pintig’s active cultural work since 1991. CP’s work may be summed up in three foundational principles – educate-organize-mobilize (E-O-M).
Vision: We believe in the power of the arts for engaging community members in building and nurturing thriving communities that are fully empowered to determine their collective destinies. Our vision of a just and humane society rests upon our core belief that our communities can play a significant role and can contribute meaningfully towards upholding human rights for all and uplifting the human ideals that value life, freedom, justice and nurture individual human potentials to the fullest.
Mission: In the light of our vision, we will educate, mobilize, and organize community members, primarily immigrants and their families, through community arts-based and community-centered intergenerational programs and services.
Website: www.circapintig.org
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/circapintigtheatre
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnFfHeOUDlePtzh9Yb8p98Q
Intagram:@circapintigtheatre
Twitter circa_pintig

Today, Tes talks with Rita Dave. Rita is a first generation immigrant who arrived from India at the age of 7 years old. After graduating from Queens College with a Psychology undergraduate degree, she attended New York Law School and began practicing law in 1992. Having always worked for lawyers since the age of 14, she’s participated in large tort and products liability litigation, and as a lawyer, her practice includes real estate, estate and immigration. She received an honor in the United States Congress and this tribute was read into the record on the floors of Congress. Rita’s dedication to justice resulted in her practice focusing on actual innocence work, and she strives to help those who are innocent, falsely accused and wrongfully convicted to regain their freedom. Her mission is to see that there is in fact true justice and that “presumption of innocence” is not just a premise but a reality.

To learn more about Rita Dave:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davshelat
IG: Daverita2015

Today, Tes talks with Melissa DuPrey. Melissa is a multidisciplinary artist with roots from Humboldt Park, Chicago. After earning double Bachelor degrees from the University of Houston, she returned to Chicago to join the all-Latina theatre company, Teatro Luna. Her one-woman show, SEXomedy (2012), was developed during their monthly series for women of color in the arts and received a Chicago Reader Recommendation, a Member’s Pick, and had a successful debut Off-Broadway in New York. The popular show spurred a progressive sequel, SEXomedy 2.0, which debuted at Steppenwolf Theater in April 2019. Her second solo show, SUSHI-frito, has also been critically acclaimed as part of MPAACT’s Signature Series for solo artists. In 2014, she was selected as a new talent in the ABC Diversity Showcase in New York City. DuPrey is also a community organizer and spiritualist who also launched The Good Grief Project- an extension of the social justice component from her play GOOD GRIEF, where communities of color are connected to local, accessible and multidisciplinary mental and spiritual wellness practitioners of color. Her full-length play BRUJAJA was selected as part of 16th Street’s New Play Pop Up Reading Series for 2019 and is slated for a world premiere in 2021 with UrbanTheater Company. She has performed stand-up comedy in Chicago, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. She is a featured actor in the Emmy-nominated web-series Brown Girls and has many regional and non regional theater credits in Chicago. She can currently be seen as DR. SARA ORTIZ on “Grey’s Anatomy” (Season 17 and 18). Other TV credits include a recurring appearance on “Empire” (FOX), and guest appearances on “The Resident” (FOX), “Chicago PD” (NBC), and “The Chi” (Showtime). Film credits include: Relative (2022), Long Division (2022), Cherry (2020), Two in the Bush (2017), The Way We Speak (2014) and Bromance (2014). As a musician and active member of her community, she is dedicated to the preservation of Puerto Rican culture by way of the folkloric music, Bomba y Plena, with Africaribe and Las BomPleneras. She is currently an Ensemble Member at UrbanTheater Company and Artistic Associate at Sideshow Theater.

To learn more about Melissa DuPrey:
Website: www.melissaduprey.com
Twitter & IG: @BoomBoomDuPrey

News links:
Chicago Sun Times coverage for Grey’s Anatomy
Review of Good Grief- A healing experience
Please and Resistance in the face of Patriarchy
Coverage of The Chicago Women’s March and critique of lack of inclusivity
Centering Black and Brown Narratives in Chicago as ED of Social Justice Theater

Today, Tes talks with Khem Khoeun. Trustee Khoeun has lived in Skokie since 2005 and was elected to the Village Board in 2021. When initially elected to the Skokie Park District Board in 2017, she became the first Cambodian-American woman elected to public office in the United States. Trustee Khoeun holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Work with a minor in Political Science from Loyola University, Chicago. She is a Certified SAFe Product Owner/Manager and, in 2018, received a Courage & Leadership Award from the Devata Giving Circle. In addition to serving as a Commissioner and Vice-President on the Skokie Park District Board from 2017 to 2021, her numerous civic involvements include serving as a member of the Fairview Parent Equity Group and a volunteer with the Asian American Caucus. Trustee Khoeun also serves on the Board of Directors for the North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic.
Having been born in a refugee camp to Cambodian refugee parents, she currently serves as the President of the National Cambodian Heritage Museum & Killing Fields Memorial. She and her husband chose to live in Skokie to raise their children, now ages 9 and 11.
Trustee Khoeun enjoys Skokie’s ease of access to the expressway and public transit, the excellent schools, beautiful parks, affordable homes and the great diversity that all make Skokie a welcoming, safe place to live.

To learn more about Khem Khoeun:
Twitter & IG: @friendsofkhem

Today, Tes talks with Patricia Pastor. Patricia is a human rights attorney focused on immigration law and sexual assault law. Her work includes representing unaccompanied youth immigrants fleeing their countries due to gang violence, poverty, injustice, political and religious persecution. She pursues the release of detained migrants and works with families seeking permanent residency based on marriage and family relationships.

Patricia pursues justice for survivors of sexual assault and harassment. She has a long-
standing commitment to combating violence against women. Her work is informed by
her prior experience investigating child sexual and physical abuse allegations for the
NYPD and her history as a general counsel overseeing employment investigations.

As Legislative Lead for NOW NYS and President of Nassau NOW, Patricia has been
instrumental in promoting the election of women who demonstrate the values of equity
for all and ethical leadership. She petitions for legislation on issues critical to women and marginalized communities. Possessing a deep sense of justice for these communities, Patricia regularly contributes pro bono legal services in immigration, at U.S. borders, and to victims of domestic violence.

To learn more about Patricia Pastor:
Website: www.pmpastorlaw.com
Twitter: @2020TimesUp and @NowNassau
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timesup.2020
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/patriciampastor

Today, Tes talks with Osprey Orielle Lake. Osprey is the Founder and Executive Director of the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) International dedicated to accelerating a global women’s climate justice movement. She works nationally and internationally with grassroots and Indigenous leaders, policy-makers and scientists to promote climate justice, resilient communities, and a just transition to a decentralized, democratized energy future. Osprey serves on the Executive Committee for the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature and is the Co-Director of the Indigenous Women’s Divestment Delegations, and actively leads WECAN’s advocacy, policy and campaign work in areas such as Women for Forests, Divestment and Just Transition, Indigenous Rights, a Feminist Agenda for a Green New Deal, and UN Forums. Osprey is the author of the award-winning book,”Uprisings for the Earth: Reconnecting Culture with Nature.”

To learn more about Osprey Orielle Lake and WECAN International:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WECAN.Intl
Twitter: @WECAN_INTL
Instagram: @wecan_intl
Photo credit: Erik McGregor

Today, Tes talks with Kim L. Hunt. Kim is a lifelong learner who continues to hone and invest her passion in organizational leadership, Black and LGBTQ+ liberation and storytelling. For over 25 years Ms. Hunt has used her platforms in storytelling, public speaking and civic engagement to curate brave, inclusive spaces for social change. She is currently the executive director of the Pride Action Tank (PAT), a project of AIDS Foundation Chicago, where she also serves as the senior director of Policy & Advocacy Operations. PAT is a multi-issue project incubator and think tank that focuses on action that leads to improved opportunities and outcomes for LGBTQ+ people and other marginalized groups. Kim was previously the executive director of Affinity Community Services, a 25-year-old social justice organization that focuses on Black LGBTQ+ people. Prior to her work in LGBTQ+ communities, Kim’s work focused on urban planning and community and economic development. She is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including induction into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame and being named a Crain’s Chicago Notable LGBTQ Executive. She serves on the boards of Brave Space Alliance and One Roof Chicago, the OUT at CHM Planning Committee, the advisory boards of OTV and Wille’s Warriors. She is a founding co-host of OUTSpoken LGBTQ Storytelling, a monthly show in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, and a published author. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Iowa State University, a Master’s in Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Master’s in Public Policy Studies from the University of Chicago. Kim lives in Chicago with her wife and has three adult children and a dog.

To learn more about Kim Hunt:
Twitter: @chikimhunt62
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kim.l.hunt.14/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-l-hunt-7028674/

Photo credit: Rebecca Parrish of Interchange Productions

Sally Lou Oaks Loveman is the former audience producer for
The Oprah Winfrey Show who lives her purpose by
connecting with audiences. When she was age fourteen, she
tuned into her passion for television when she was an
audience member at The Mike Douglas Show and spotted a
woman on the set with a clipboard. Sally Lou had no idea what
this woman did, but she knew she would do it one day too.

After her thirty-six-year career in television and having
entertained over half a million people from the Oprah stage,
Loveman shares her “do what you love” message through her
business, lovespeaks, and her new book Speak: Love Your
Story, Your Audience is Waiting

Blending the genres of memoir and self-improvement, Speak
shares Sally Lou’s story while offering tips to help readers
become better speakers and storytellers. Filled with humor
and truth, Speak encourages readers to speak, to speak up, to
speak their story, to speak without fear and to have some fun
with it. Speaking well in front of others is not only a career
asset, it’s a life asset and Sally Lou Loveman is on a mission to
prepare everyone for their stage.

Today, Tes speaks with Jannelle So. Jannelle is a Filipino-American media pioneer, who made a name for herself as the creator, and original host and producer of America’s first and only daily talks show for and about the Filipinos, “Kababayan TODAY” on KSCI-TV LA18. The show that ran for 8.5 years under Jannelle’s leadership, was also the longest-running Filipino daily talk show outside of the Philippines.

Jannelle is now CEO / Executive Producer of her own company which she launched in 2015-Jannelle So Productions, Inc. In July 2017, she launched her new weekly magazine/lifestyle show, “SO Jannelle” which airs on US-wide cable channel The Filipino Channel, the premier Global Filipino Channel, with replays on ANC; and
with over-the-air distribution on KSCITV-LA18 in Southern CA.

Jannelle and her JSP team also produce internal videos for select corporate clients. During the pandemic, Jannelle has also become a hands-on mom to her 5yo daughter, Lilly and
2yo son, Leo; effectively balancing a thriving life of entrepreneurship and motherhood.

Jannelle’s hard work and accomplishments as a media practitioner has been recognized by
mainstream and Filipino organizations. This year, 2020 – Jannelle was included in the
prestigious list of 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL FILIPINOS, to celebrate the 10 th year of TOFA,
The Outstanding Filipinos in America, at the Carnegie Hall in New York City, to which Jannelle
was first inducted in 2018.

In 2013, Jannelle received the Outstanding Community Reporting award from New America
Media, on her story about human trafficking. In the same year, Jannelle was honored by The Los Angeles Filipino Association of Filipino Employees for her contributions to the Filipino-
American media landscape. As well, she received the “Bayanihan” Spirit award from the historic
Filipinotown neighborhood council. In 2011 Jannelle received an Honorable Mention from the
Los Angeles Press Club at the 53rd Annual Southern California Journalism Awards. In the same
year, she was also named as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipinas in the US by Filipina
Women’s Network.

Jannelle is also very active in social work and community service. She currently serves as
Director of Strategic Partnerships of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations
(NaFFAA-National) and on the Board of NaFFAA Greater Los Angeles region. In 2012 – Jannelle was the youngest person elected to the Board of Directors for Gawad Kalinga-USA, a non-profit group aiming to eradicate poverty in the Philippines by building communities through values-formation and social entrepreneurship. In 2013 – Jannelle was also invited to join the LA
Associates Board of Teach for America, an American non-profit organization the aims to make
education available to children of low-income families. She is also a passionate volunteer for the
Center for the Pacific Asian Family (CPAF), a group dealing with domestic violence issues.

In 2012, Jannelle chaired the month-long Filipino American History celebration in the City of
Carson, CA, for which she was recognized as “Supreme Bayani (Hero)” by the Filipino-American Chamber of Commerce in the SouthBay. Carson City officials in Southern CA came out with a proclamation on Jannelle’s achievements.

Prior to migrating to the U.S. Jannelle was an accomplished media practitioner in the
Philippines where she had a 6-year print and broadcast journalism career, which includes
coverage of top local and international events such as the 1997 ASEAN Informal Summit in
Malaysia, 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok and 2002 Asian Games in Korea, 1998 Philippine
Presidential Elections, 2000 Centennial Celebrations in the Philippines, and 2006 NBA All-Star
Weekend in Houston, Texas. She has also regularly covered the fights of Philippine boxing pride
Manny Pacquiao.

In addition to TV, Jannelle also maintained a weekly lifestyle column and a separate weekly
sports column in The Philippine Star, a national paper in the Philippines. Currently, Jannelle
has also written a weekly column in Balita, one of the leading Filipino American newspapers.

Jannelle graduated cum laude with a BA in Communication Arts, and was awarded second
honors of the entire graduating class from Miriam College, Inc., Philippines, where she was an
honor scholar. In 1998, Jannelle was nominated to the Top 10 Most Outstanding Students of the
Philippines. In Los Angeles, she took up a certificate course in print and broadcast Journalism at
UCLA.

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CONNECT WITH JANNELLE:
Email: info@jannellesoproductions.com
On YouTube: YouTube.com/SoJannelleTV
On Facebook: facebook.com/SoJannelleTV
On Instagram: instagram.com/SoJannelleTV
On Twitter: twitter.com/JannelleSo
On Kumu: @SoJannelle

Today, Tes speaks with Jeannine Harvey. Jeannine is an award-winning content producer and brand strategist. She is passionate about the possibilities that emerge from the intersection of storytelling, community, and collaborative disruption. Jeannine is co-founder and chief partnerships officer for Feed Our Democracy (FoD), a Public Benefit Corporation that promotes civic engagement and community-led change.

Jeannine has long been an advocate for gender equality, and the health, rights and wellbeing of
women and children. At the ONE Campaign, she created and managed a girls and women’s
initiative designed to amplify voices and stories. As director of digital strategy at PBS, she
designed overall strategy and creative marketing campaigns to engage children and parents
around educational content.

She believes in the inherent good in people, that action leads to more action, and that sharing
our stories lead to connection and empathy.

To learn more about Jeannine Harvey and Feed Our Democracy:
IG: @jeannineharvey1
Twitter: @JeannineAHarvey
Facebook: @FeedtheDemocracy

My guest today is Emily Teng. Emily knows a thing or two about dreaming. She has always dreamed of possibilities when others see problems. She knows what it’s like to be the underdog or misfit, fighting to be seen, valued, and heard as a sensitive soul to now leading an award-winning non-profit based in Singapore, Blessings in a Bag. Her friends liken her to Professor X saying: “Emily is not bald, but she takes in those who have been overlooked, forgotten, or left behind, and sees their unique gifts. She brings them together and uses their superpowers to change the world.”

Her decades-long work as a Community Leader received Singapore’s President’s Award for commitment to ‘rallying community spirit’ and Emily was also named world’s most inspiring leader and change-maker by Facebook in 2018. She also represented Singapore in the United States’ Women in Leadership in ASEAN as part of the Young South-East-Asia Leadership Initiative by the State Department of the USA. In 2019, she was honoured by Generation T Asia (Tatler) as “the next generation of influencers” who are changing the face of future leadership. In 2020, Women’s Weekly named Emily one of the ‘Great Women of Our Time’ in Public Service and Education.

She has taken her experiences and wisdom and turned it into a life of service for the greater good. She is currently located in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband where she lives out her new dream: supporting other change makers, visionary founders and heart-led leaders to rest, reimagine and birth their dreams to the world. In so doing, the world is transformed — one person and one dream at a time.

To learn more about Emily Teng and Blessings in a Bag:
IG: http://www.instagram.com/emilywjteng
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilywjteng/
Website: http://www.emilyteng.com

Today, Tes speaks with Kirsten Doyle. Kirsten is a writer and content creator who was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and now lives in Toronto, Canada. As a child she dreamed of a career in psychology, but after she obtained her Bachelor’s degree, life took her on a different path. She embarked on a career in information technology – the career that brought her to Canada in 2000. After she lost her job to corporate downsizing, she combined her love of writing with her passion for mental health advocacy and launched a career as a mental health and addictions writer.

Kirsten is a strong believer in human rights, and actively works to promote the rights of BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and disability communities. Through her athletics coaching and volunteer activities at the local elementary school, she has worked with many refugee children and their families. She is part of the Special Education Advisory Committee at the Toronto District School Board, and she is on the Board of Directors of Citizens With Disabilities – Ontario. She is also a member of the Community Police Liaison Committee, where she is advocating for anti-racism within the police system.

One of Kirsten’s pandemic projects was to start two new YouTube channels. Word Salad With Coffee is focused on writing-related content. She combines light relief (because we all need a good laugh) with writing tips for anyone who wants to improve their writing skills (because the world needs more writers). My Gen X Life is a channel where Kirsten talks about what’s going on with her family and offers her unfiltered opinions about the state of the world.

Kirsten lives with her husband and has two teenage sons. Her older boy is autistic and is a Special Olympics champion. Her younger son is a force of nature with big goals of his own to change the world.

Social media

YouTube:
https://youtube.com/c/MyGenXLife
https://youtube.com/c/WordSaladWithCoffee

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/mygenxlife/
https://www.facebook.com/wordsaladwithcoffee/

Twitter:
@my_genx_life
@wordsaladcoffee

Instagram:
@my_genx_life
@wordsaladwithcoffee

TikTok:
@my_genx_life