A single conversation can change your life. One question asked and one answer given can alter the course of your life forever. When war first broke in the Ukraine with Russia’s advance, Iryna Bushmina had such a conversation that instantly altered her reality.  

A book series, a newspaper, a podcast and an app designed to empower kids, A Kids Company About is creating content to spark important conversations. Built to tell stories that feature diverse voices on topics that matter to kids, A Kids Company About was founded in 2018 by Jelani Memory. His idea that started with a single book for his kids has become an entire media company for all kids (and adults).   

Melena Strehlow and Noah Kohler met in Grand Rapids, MI in 2020. In addition to having a relationship together, they also have a business together. Noah and Melena are the founders of Cooking for Comfort. Each experienced their own traumas along their paths in life which have made them stronger. With this strength and life experiences, the foundation of their relationship is built on vulnerability, emotional maturity and open communication. This same base serves their business well, as they pair food with mental health.  

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Burt Kempner moved to Philadelphia when he was four years old. He was not consulted in the matter. He knew from childhood that he wanted to be a writer. He loved playing with words and coming up with new combinations and puzzles. As an adult, his work as a scriptwriter and producer won major awards in the television and film industry. It was in 2015 that he started writing children’s books. Over the course of this interview, you’ll see why I refer to him as the ‘Word Wizard’.    

This album is the result of spending the last two years studying and arranging Korean folk and children’s songs. After workshopping and performing this music with several different groups and seeing a lack of representation for Korean music in jazz, Jordan VanHemert set out to produce an album entitled NOMAD.   

Self-care is often the last thing we give ourselves, but it’s the first thing we need. To take care of those we love, we must first take care of and love ourselves. If we can’t be strong for ourselves, we can’t be strong for others. Rachel Heller, is the CEO of The Self Care Mask. The purpose of her product is to support self-confidence through self-care.  

“You can drown yourself or crown yourself...” Not many artists have truly stared down death. Alt-pop chanteuse King Elle Noir has been there, done it twice, and so much more. In a turbulent year she has emerged as one of LA’s most intriguing new acts, crafting an impressively original sound and making an incredibly powerful statement. No matter what, we can all anoint ourselves Kings of our own destiny.  

Babe Ruth said, “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.” It is the unwavering commitment and selfless sacrifice of the man known as ‘Legend’ that will surely never die. Born and raised in Afghanistan, educated and trained in the United States, Legend is an Afghan-American and former U.S. Army Staff Sergeant currently working tirelessly to evacuate at-risk Afghans from persecution by the Taliban.  

Just as a courier transports needed products, the Courier Program by Waves For Water transports needed solutions. Empowering the masses to help solve the world water crisis, the Courier Program provides a platform to crowdfund for filters. Couriers are invited to plug in purpose on their travels, bringing water filters to where they’re needed.  

Opposite of ‘belonging’, there is ‘othering’. As opposed to acceptance and inclusion, othering translates to intolerance and exclusion. This can result in marginalization and discrimination with an “us vs. them” mentality. Being othered can cause a number of mental health issues. For help understanding and navigating mental health and issues like othering, there are a number of resources. Today, we look to the world’s leading provider of online therapy, BetterHelp.com. We have the pleasure of speaking with Haesue Jo, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Head of Clinical Operations at BetterHelp.