Episodes
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"You never stop growing up."
Irene welcomes podcast producer + host Molly Bloom!
Molly Bloom is the host of the American Public Media show Brains On! & the spin-off show, Smash Boom Best.
Here is part one of the Brains On! series on emotions: Happy: All about feelings, pt. 1
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Irene welcomes Susan Shehata! They talk about discovering a love of theater and the path that can open up. Susan also shares how she works on being present an dhow that brings her joy. Plus, she shares ways she works with clients to help them get unstuck.
Susan Shehata, also known as The Space Guru™, is a nationally known Wellness Educator and Creative and Social Entrepreneur, who specializes in helping people Unstick their Story by releasing the limiting beliefs that keep them stuck. She does that through speaking, writing, performing, wellness services, educational programs, business masterminds and events.
Though her offerings are varied, the goal of her work is the same: to clear deep patterns of resistance.
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“The only way we can understand where we are, who we are, and what we are, is to look at the past and to pull all those threads and see how they’re all connected.”
Irene welcomes Megan Dowd. Megan shares her early ambition to be a child actor on the television show 'Wishbone' and how that may have led to pursuing classical acting school. They also talk about mental illness, owning a business, and the kinds of boxes artists get stuck in.
Megan Dowd helps people tell better stories & build sustainable, engaged online community.
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“If not me making decisions for myself then who?”
Irene welcomes the brilliant Twila Dang. They talk about the power of podcasting, the beauty of expressing emotions, and why it is silly to feel bad about what brings you joy.
Twila Dang is the Founder and CEO of Matriarch Digital Media.
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“I don’t want to take the fun out of what I do because then I feel like its soulless.”
Irene welcomes the delightful Anahita Champion to the show. They talk about getting into the career you thought you wanted and realizing it didn't fit. They also talk about finding joy and remembering that you are enough just as you are.
Anahita Champion is an On-Air Host, Event Correspondent & Brand Strategist.
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"I only listen to happy songs!"
Irene welcomes improvisor & podcaster Maria Bartholdi! They talk about wanting to make things that cause an emotional response, the power of shifter from fear to what's possible, and Maria talks about becoming who she wants to be in the world.
Maria Bartholdi is a freelance editor, videographer, producer, host, esports announcer, podcaster, improviser, musical book writer, watercolor painter and all-around renaissance woman.
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Irene welcomes the multi-faceted Courtney McClean to the podcast. They talk about making music, listening to your own body, feeling all of your feelings, and making cool stuff.
Courtney McClean is a comedic performer/writer, musician, storyteller, actress, and soothing podcast voice.
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“It can’t just be money. It can’t just be work. It can’t just be hustle. Because that is exhausting.”
Irene welcomes Hannah Wydeven. Together, Irene & Hannah talk about wanting to be viewed as competent, the expectations people do and don't have for women, and what it takes to be your own boss.
Hannah Wydeven is an educator and owner of Solcana Fitness in Minneapolis. She's also an improvisor and part of the Shrieking Harpies, and she hosts the Bachelor + Bachelorette podcast 'You Get A Rose."
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Irene welcomes Andrea Pérez-Maikkula! They talk about being from Puerto Rico, doing health relief work in Haiti, and why names matter.
(pronunciation tip: Ahn – DRE – uh / flip or roll the r if you can)
Andrea Pérez-Maikkula is a multilingual global health professional with over a decade of experience in intercultural facilitation, community engagement, and international community development, particularly in Haiti.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Andrea studied Business Law and Music Business at the University of Miami. In her early 20s, Andrea founded a non-profit organization to co-create sustainable projects in developing countries that contribute to social justice.
Prior to moving to Minnesota in the fall of 2014, Andrea spent the summer in Porto Alegre, Brazil, where she worked with a street clinic providing free healthcare to homeless folks and sex workers.
Andrea was a speaker at the first TEDxSanJuan event in Puerto Rico, has a master’s degree in Public Health, a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, and is a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory.
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Irene welcomes Shanan Custer!
Irene + Shanan talk about the power of slowing down and really thinking about what does or does not bring joy. Shanan talks about finding her voice, hearing her writing performed on stage, and the joy of Harry Styles and Rosemary Clooney.
Shanan is an actor, writer, director, improvisor, educator, and voracious reader. For more on Shanan go to https://www.shanancuster.com
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“Some of the best things that have happened in my life are things I never anticipated.”
Irene welcomes Nausheena to talk about growing up without seeing Muslim women in media or leadership roles. Nausheena talks about having immigrant parents, teaching Muslim women to organize and engage politically, they both talk about reacting to what other people think.
Nausheena Hussain is an activist and the co-founder and Executive Director of Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment (RISE ) a platform to empower women in her community. She is dedicated in building a movement to address leadership development, increase community engagement, and create a philanthropic legacy for change.
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Irene welcomes Sam Baker Harris! Sam talks about finding her people in college and wanting to build a life that always has art at the center. They also talk about the joy of making people laugh, the importance of processing emotions through a hot bath, and what it takes to really find yourself.
Sam Baker Harris an actor, director, improviser, coach, musician, leader, and mother. Check out music from Sam and her husband Zacc here: Zacc Harris Music!
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“I still don’t think I have become something. I am many somethings.”
Irene welcomes printmaker and graphic designer Elana Schwartzman. Elana talks about being drawn to letterpress printmaking & how she's embraced the ability to organize & work for social justice through her letterpress. They also talk about Lois Lane, making big decisions, & how to keep becoming yourself.
Elana is the designer and owner of Fontlove Studio in Minneapolis.
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“I used to take a lot of joy in being rootless and I’m all about the roots now.”
Irene welcomes Isabel Nelson. They talk about the journey Isabel is on as an artist, student, mother, administrator, community member, and white person. Isabel talks about big and small decisions that have impacted her life and they both talk about being emotionally expressive.
Isabel Nelson is a performer, director, and theatre creator in the Twin Cities. She received her B.A. from Macalester College in Theatre and Religious Studies, and a certificate in Creating Theatre at the Lecoq-based London International School of Performing Arts (LISPA).
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Irene welcome singer, songwriter, musician, and actor Leslie Vincent. They talk about living dreams, finding joy in day jobs, and the surprising ways new doors can open when you make new decisions.
Leslie Vincent is an actor, singer, and musician who grew up across the East Coast and the UK, thanks to the US military. After seeing her first musical in the West End, she fell in love with it all, and begged her parents to put her in any voice, dance, and acting class she could find.
Leslie performs as half of the jazz duo The Champagne Drops, and writes her own music. In 2020 she released her first album entitled These Foolish Things.
When not performing, she spends time planning her wedding, drinking rose, and playing with her dog, Murphy. -
"Not everyone deserves the full me."
Irene welcome Tyrai to chat about going from being a classroom teacher to lead adults in learning about racism and sexism. Tyrai talks about the importance of the WNBA when she was a young basketball player, coming out to herself and her mother, and the joy she gets from being a parent.
Tyrai Bronson-Pruitt is the Vice President of Capacity Building for Team Dynamics. Prior to her work at Team Dynamics, Tyrai served as a K-12 educator and as the Diversity & Inclusion Manager for Reading and Math Inc. Tyrai has developed a variety of diversity and inclusion trainings and activities on the topics of race, age, gender and other facets of diversity. Tyrai demonstrates her passion for social justice in her personal and professional life by seeking out and sharing the necessary tools and resources to create equitable and inclusive spaces for all people.
Born and raised in Minneapolis, also spending time in Omaha, Nebraska for college, Tyrai is committed to making life in the Midwest better for herself, her wife, and their four children.
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"I'm neither a waif nor a wafer."
Irene closes out 2020 by chatting with her mom, Laura Zabel.
Laura Zabel is the Executive Director of Springboard for the Arts. She is also a frequent speaker on arts and community development at convenings such as the Aspen Ideas Festival, Urban Land Institute and Americans for the Arts. She was a 2014 Bush Foundation Fellow, was named one of the 50 most influential people in the U.S. Nonprofit Arts, and received the 2012 Visionary Leader award from the MN Council of Nonprofits. laurazabel.tumblr.com.
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Irene welcomes Dana Nelson to talk all about having big feelings, building family, and the importance of laughter.
Dana Nelson is an innovative leader with a track record for identifying emerging ideas and nurturing their growth. Demonstrated ability to lead highly visible campaigns, large national startup organizations and manage multiple stakeholders to create large-scale community events. Quick learner with the ability to master new technologies. Proven fundraising prowess. Operates with a strong sense of urgency and thrives in a fast-paced setting.
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“The question behind every question we ask is, “am I normal, am I okay.”
Irene welcomes author, podcaster, & Still Kickin' founder Nora McInerny onto the show. They talk about Nora's dreams of becoming Katie Couric or F. Scott Fitzgerald, the weirdness or careers, handling emotions, and how to not restrict your own access to joy.
Nora McInerny has a lot of jobs. She is the reluctant cofounder of the Hot Young Widows Club (a program of her nonprofit, Still Kickin), the bestselling author of the memoirs It's Okay To Laugh, Crying Is Cool Too, and No Happy Endings and the host of the award-winning podcast Terrible, Thanks for Asking. Nora is a master storyteller known for her dedication to bringing heart and levity to the difficult and uncomfortable conversations most of us try to avoid, and also for being very tall. She was voted Most Humorous by the Annunciation Catholic School Class of 1998.
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“Being an artist helps you get free and free other people.”
Irene welcomes Docta E aka Dr. Elaine Richardson to talk about finding joy in singing, the endless journey towards self-love, and what it means to be a black woman in America.
Elaine Richardson (aka Dr. E) was born in Cleveland, Ohio. An inspirational Ohio State University professor of education and author, in the tradition of Dr. Maya Angelou, Dr. E is a multi-dimensional personality—a performer, recording artist, and speaker—with an inspirational message of spiritual and educational empowerment.
She is Professor of Literacy Studies at The Ohio State University, Columbus, where she teaches in the Department of Teaching and Learning. Her research interests include the liberation and critical literacy education of people of the Black African Diaspora. Her books include African American Literacies, focusing on teaching writing from the point of view of African American Language and Literacy traditions, Hiphop Literacies, a study of Hiphop language use as an extension of Black folk traditions, and PHD (Po H# on Dope) to Ph.D.: How Education Saved My Life, an urban educational memoir that chronicles her life from drugs and the street life to the university.
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