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Crystal Salinas is only 17 years old, but you would NEVER know that if you spent five minutes with her. She is incredibly driven - more so than pretty much anyone I’ve ever spoken with. Not only is she an activist on many levels and for many causes, she is also deeply involved in her community and in school. We touch on all the things that she is passionate about and what led her to become the activist and leader that she is.
The 2016 election is really what prompted her to take action - not just in her own community (my own community of Santa Clarita) - but all over the world. Last November, she applied to be a Women’s March Youth Empowerment Cohort and was one of the fourteen chosen - out of hundreds. She was flown to NYC to meet the others who were chosen and to collaborate with each other, not only on the cause that brought them together but also on other ways they could make a difference. That training enabled her to come up with her own mentorship program Girls Reflect, which is a nonprofit she runs here in Santa Clarita at MacGrath Elementary School for the fifth and sixth graders.
Growing up in a low-income community herself, this school and the teachers there made a huge impact on her and she very much wanted to do something to give back. Girls Reflect is a mentorship program that provides support for young girls of color BY older girls and women of color. High Schoolers mentor the younger girls and support them, while guest speakers are brought in to show the girls who they can be and the steps they need to take to do that. By bringing in women of color as guest speakers, the kids can see themselves in those leaders, which is something lacking in that community. Crystal has a go fund me that YOU can donate to as well to make sure this project gets all the funding it needs.
Because she is the daughter of an immigrant, she is extremely passionate about the immigration movement and being an advocate for her community. She understands at a deep level the sacrifices her mother makes on a daily basis as a factory worker and doesn’t take anything for granted. This is a big part of why she is so driven.
People are naturally drawn to her - she is truly a natural leader; I can see her becoming President easily ! I’d vote for her! I have spoken to many MANY young people over the years, but this girl blew me away! You are going to love her!
Crystal Salinas on Instagram
Girls Reflect on Instagram
Girls Reflect GO FUND ME
Renee Bowen on Instagram
Where Are You Now Podcast Instagram
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On today’s podcast, I’ve got one of my favorites … Alannah Paren. This girl is a powerhouse - just SO incredibly full of life and passion. We shot her senior portraits a few years ago - and now she is a senior at UC Berkeley! We had a great conversation about college, traveling abroad, growing up in a multi-religion/multi-ethnic household and her amazing blog - Grateful Soul - that she started after a car accident and a pretty bad bout of depression. On it, she shares her perspectives on life and she’s actually an incredible writer; but it’s her message that is so beautiful. To hear her describe it, she “wants to start an empathy revolution” and I couldn’t agree with her more! She’s always been so mature for her age and connected in a way most young people just aren’t, but wow, has she grown into a gorgeous, soulful young woman! Listen in - I know you’ll love her as much as I do!
CONNECT:
Alannah Paren on Instagram
Grateful Soul Blog
Grateful Soul on Instagram
Renee Bowen on Instagram
Where Are You Now Podcast Instagram
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Have you ever heard those stories of people "getting discovered" on the streets of Los Angeles? Like out of the blue? Yeah, that happened to Caitlin as a baby. Legit happened! Her story is SO unique but who she is today is the result of a lot of hard work, determination, exceptional skill and an amazing family.
Not only is she an accomplished actor (she's only 15!) and is absolutely STUNNING - she's also the youngest female to be admitted to UCLA ... yes, she's already graduated high school and was admitted to college at 14! What?!
You can watch her on Dwight in Shining Armor on BYU TV - her current project, but she's also super busy working with philanthropies and is currently the West Coast Teen Ambassador for the American Cancer Society in the initiative called ResearcHERS. She talks with us quite a bit about this and I just love her perspective on the importance of getting involved with charities and organizations that are giving back and making a change in the world.
I was able to chat with Caitlin in her LA home before running around Hollywood and The Museum of Selfies (so fun) to take some rad photos ... she is just a tad photogenic! Seriously, how gorgeous is she?!
I know you'll find our chat incredibly insightful - and make sure you follow Caitlin so you can know when her new TV show launches (it's a little secret at the moment but OMG it's going to be amazing!)
CONNECT:
Caitlin Carmichael on Instagram
Renee Bowen on Instagram
Where Are You Now Podcast Instagram
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On today’s podcast I’ve got Maren Ross as my awesome guest and I just LOVE her. I’ve known Maren for awhile now - she’s a client of a friend of mine, Susan Gietka, and I’ve had the opportunity to shoot with her a few times over the years! Maren called in from Germany for this episode, where she was living, studying and working for quite a few months.
She’s a 21-year-old student at Loyola University of Maryland, but was studying abroad for most of this year. What started as a semester of study turned into seven months when she got the opportunity to intern at the American Consulate in Frankfurt. Maren’s a Global Studies major and German is her second major, so she is perfectly poised to work abroad. In fact, in doing her internship there, she discovered that working as a Foreign Service Officer was what she wanted to pursue as a career. This means she would be living and working abroad …. for life! I loved chatting with her about her perspective on this, and she also shares some great info for college students who might be thinking of studying and traveling abroad as well.
After speaking with her, I found myself wishing I had gone this route! LOL! Listen in as Maren fills us in on all these details, as well as some insider tips!
**all images via Susan Grace Photography
CONNECT:
Maren Ross on Instagram
Renee Bowen on Instagram
Susan Grace Photography
Susan Grace on Instagram
Where Are You Now Podcast Instagram
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Welcome to the podcast Abigail Amick, a high school senior from Sonora, CA. My conversation with Abigail was so insightful; she speaks to me about what her experience growing up with a father who is an addict was like. As you can imagine, this was NOT an easy thing but she has come through this a much stronger, very mature young woman. She is passionate about sharing about her life and the things she has endured in hopes that it can not only help someone else going through it, but also open a dialogue about a topic that many people just don’t feel comfortable talking about in general.
Abigail’s perspective is very refreshing and I know you will find a LOT of value in this podcast - whether you have a family member or friend with an addiction or if you are dealing with something on your own. I think the main thing to remember is that you are not alone and to reach out if you are dealing with a parent or family member who has a problem .. Abigail talks about how sharing with close friends has been so helpful to her, as well as her desire to learn even more as she enters college. She is working so hard to better her own life and I know she is going to accomplish everything she sets her mind to!
And if you are a high school senior photographer, join the free facebook community so you can nominate amazing clients of your own to be featured on the podcast! We are now casting for Season Two!
**all images via Jennifer Rapoza Photography
CONNECT:
Abigail Amick on Instagram
Renee Bowen on Instagram
Jennifer Rapoza Photography
Jennifer Rapoza on Instagram
Where Are You Now Podcast Instagram
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Chloe LaPrairie is straight-up amazing, y’all. I meet a LOT of young people in my line of work but I am just so impressed by this young woman’s maturity and drive. She has basically dedicated her life (from the age of 13) to rescuing animals and even started her own nonprofit while she was still in high school - The Scrappy Paws Foundation where she has already rehabilitated tons of animals and helped them find their forever homes.
The tenacity and passion she has for animals is what drives her and she is planning to continue that journey as a veterinarian. Chloe literally will do anything for animals - including rescuing feral kittens and socializing them. Along with the support of her mother, she has been able to accomplish so much at such a young age. She shares with us what initially drew her to this field and how she was able to get involved so young, as well as what she wants other young people to know about how they can get involved.
Make sure you hit the links below to find out more about Chloe’s story, as well as how you can help either find rescue animals or help place them - even just sharing on social media is SO helpful! Please follow Scrappy Paws and reshare when they’re trying to place animals because that makes a big difference as well. Chloe also recommends following the Kitten Lady on youtube and YARA on Instagram for more info on how you can get involved! She has so much knowledge to share and I know you will find this podcast incredibly insightful.
And if you are a high school senior photographer, join the free facebook community so you can nominate amazing clients of your own to be featured on the podcast! We are now casting for Season Two!
CONNECT:Scrappy Paws on Facebook
Scrappy Paws on Instagram
Chloe LaPrairie on Instagram
Renee Bowen on Instagram
Youth Animal Rescue Advocates
Where Are You Now Podcast Instagram
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I’m so excited to introduce Abbie Callahan to you guys this week on the podcast! Abbie has been on BOTH The Voice and American Idol - and she is only 17 years old. Yeah, pretty incredible, right?
She has been singing since 4th grade and hasn’t stopped since. Today she shares her journey with us, as well as the crazy behind the scenes moments she experienced on both of these television shows. I had no idea some of the things that happen when the cameras aren’t rolling - or the moments they don’t show us! From drama to mental exhaustion, Abbie pulls the curtain back on what her experience was like and how it felt to be taking this journey at such a young age.
Abbie is obviously incredibly talented, but she is also SO mature and well-spoken. She was referred to the podcast by Ivy Towler and Ivy also shot these gorgeous images!
I thoroughly enjoyed having Abbie on the podcast and I know you’re going to LOVE listening! Please remember to subscribe and leave us a review - we so appreciate all the love!
And if you are a high school senior photographer, join the free facebook community so you can nominate amazing clients of your own to be featured on the podcast! We are now casting for Season Two!
CONNECT:
Abbie’s Instagram
Abbie’s Website
Ivy Towler Photography
Renee Bowen on Instagram
Where Are You Now Podcast Instagram
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I'm so excited to introduce you to Keely Proctor! She is a current high school senior in Redlands, CA and is a client of my friend Stephany Fashempour. Stephany thought Keely would be a great podcast guest and she was SO right!
Learn how Keely not only survived a horrific fall from a chair lift as a young child, but how she also helped create stronger and safer chair restraints because of it. This near-death experience set her on a path of advocacy for blood donation in her community and she works closely with her local blood bank Lifestream to make sure young people understand the importance of blood donation. Keely may only be 17, but she is an old soul who is passionate about community involvement and causes; she speaks not only on behalf of Lifestream at various events but is also heavily involved with the March For Our Lives campaign - implementing a chapter at her high school. Listen in on my conversation with this amazing young woman!
Keely Proctor on Instagram
Stephany Fashempour Photography
March for Our Lives Website
Lifestream's Website
Renee Bowen on Instagram
Where Are You Now Podcast Instagram
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In this episode, I get to introduce you to Hanna Degan, a 20-year-old college student from Minnesota. I was referred to Hanna from my good friend and fellow senior photographer, Deb Mitzel Photography - she is a client of Deb's!
Aside from being super fun to chat with, what’s so interesting about Hanna is that she is going into a field that is not particularly known for being one that many women go into - Investment Banking.
I loved listening to her perspective on that world and what her experience has been in a predominantly male-dominated major. It’s actually going to surprise you; I know it definitely wasn't something I was expecting to hear! Hanna has a very mature and pragmatic outlook on life and I KNOW this young woman is going to conquer whatever she sets her mind to! She is driven yet grounded and has so many interesting perspectives - not just on business and finance, but also social media and many things young people her age are dealing with.
You’ll love hearing her thoughts on the competitive nature of the line of work she has chosen, as well as what she is working toward post-college.
OH - and she also runs her own business where she gets to show her creative side as well as her innate business sense - she makes GORGEOUS jewelry! Seriously - really beautiful, meaningful pieces that I am going to need to buy lots of lol!
So, grab a cup of whatever it is you like to relax with and listen in!
CONNECT:Hanna on Instagram
Hanna Lain Co Jewelry - website
Hanna Lain Co Instagram
Renee on Instagram
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Oh my gosh, I can’t wait to introduce you guys to the Ganus siblings! I have BOTH of these amazing kids on the podcast today - they are truly inspirational. We talk all things family dynamics, going off to college, high school, acting, music, life hacks and lots more.
Spencer and Tyler are both talented and accomplished musicians and actors - but more than anything, they are dynamic individuals. The bond they share is very unique; because of the rare, life-threatening blood disease that Tyler had at a very young age, they share a family dynamic and closeness that has helped to shape them and their relationship, not only with each other but also with their parents.
We talk about ALL of that, as well as Tyler’s new music he’s releasing, his acting career, and yes - also his promising baseball career. Yeah, he’s kinda busy! Hearing his perspective on balancing all of that with a college prep school and friends, of course, is pretty insightful.
Spencer shares about how she dealt with her adjustment to college, as well as her passion for dance and her academic endeavors. As a student at Duke, she has many opportunities and has also started her own health and wellness company because she is super passionate about building a community of young people who are also interested in understanding their own health, as well as personal development and growth.
This podcast is great for anyone who wants to be inspired by young people today, but who might also be looking to gain insight from two very dynamic individuals who understand the mind/body connection on a very deep level - at a very young age. We even touch on how they deal with anxiety and stress, meditation, gratefulness - as well as time management skills.
I cannot say enough good things about these two! Do yourself a favor and listen!
CONNECT:
Tyler on Instagram
Spencer on Instagram
Where Are You Now Podcast Instagram
Renee Bowen Instagram
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Welcome to the all-new podcast for and about Gen Z, by Renee Bowen!
This episode is the introduction - and the WHY of this podcast. Renee has worked with teenagers for the last several years, and while telling their stories through photographs has been incredibly rewarding, she wanted to dive deeper and give them a platform to use their voices in a more meaningful way.
The Where Are You Now Podcast launches today with Season One. If you are between the ages of 14-22, and have a desire to tell your story, please reach out and submit to be a guest - we would love to feature you!
Podcast Guest Application
Connect:
Show Info
Where Are You Now Instagram
Renee Bowen's Instagram
