Courageous Voice

"With every art work I make, I start with my own story, I start with my own experience, but at the end of the day, it's part of my healing journey..." - Abiona Esther Ojo

Meet Esther. Vienna based, award winning visual artist and photographer whose work is based on identity and representation. Get inspired by our conversation about her artistic process and the beauty of expressing the verbally inexpressible through visual art.

In this episode we chat about

• How community affects artistic process
• The artistic process: from imagination to visual creation
• Processing emotion, grief, and life change through art creation
• Documenting Black hair styles, hair care, and policy through visual art
• Diversity into the Arts spaces in Europe (Austria)

To see her art work, simply Google! Abiona Esther Ojo.

-- Today is the day you vow to follow your heart and not your fear. If only it were that easy! The Courageous Voice podcast chronicles international artists, creatives, plus a handful of scientists, and their stories of fear, courageousness and creativity. Hosted by singer, storyteller and self-proclaimed joy spreader, Chanda Rule, The Courageous Voice inspires us to share our voices courageously in spite of our fears through courageous conversation and community.

"Creativity is a spiritual act…"

-Debbie Bronkema

Meet Debbie. Pastor, writer, author, and worship leader of connect.faith, an online faith community that explores questioning and growing at the intersections of creativity, spirituality and justice. Enjoy our conversation on building online communities, connecting through creativity and writing, and her new book, "Writing Toward Wholeness: Exploring creativity and spirituality".

In this episode we chat about

• Connect.Faith

• Finding sacred community through creativity

• Building community online

• Creative writing as a spiritual practice

• Intentionality

• Using fiction to tell our own stories

• Starting your first book

Connect with Debbie at www.debbiebronkema.com and on Facebook and Instagram @debbiebronkema. You can also connect with her through Pleasantville Presbyterian Church where she is a pastor, http://www.pvillepresby.org, or at connect.faith.

"The point is to aim towards perfectionism, it's not to actually reach it...why would anyone expect to be perfect at something they can't do and succeed straight away?" - Osian Roberts Settle in to this open, honest, sometimes funny, and often vulnerable conversation about living a creative life with Osian Roberts, saxophonist, composer and arranger, as we chat about his journey from visual art, to acting, to music -- and finding the point of it all, through success, failure, and the steps in between. In this episode we talk about: - the creative life - challenges of perfectionism - talent, skills and hard work - Self learning - fearing failure - choosing the creative path you love vs the one you are naturally good at - finding creative balance Connect with Osian on his website, www.osianrobertsjazz.com You can also find him on Spotify, Facebook @osianroberts, and Instagram @osianrobertstenor

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Today is the day you vow to follow your heart and not your fear. If only it were that easy! The Courageous Voice podcast chronicles international artists, creatives, plus a handful of scientists, and their stories of fear, courageousness and creativity. Hosted by singer, storyteller and self-proclaimed joy spreader, Chanda Rule, The Courageous Voice inspires us to share our voices courageously in spite of our fears through courageous conversation and community.

Excerpt from JG Danso's new book, "A Thousand Ships": Remember this, I am the birth of pride left battered on the Hudson tide Get up, it's time to march for me - JG Danso Dive in to this courageous and inspiring conversation with queer poet, mom, intersectional equalities advisor, and human resources expert JG Danso as we discuss her new book, her writing process, and how she uses storytelling to empower and share experiences of intersectional queerness over generations. In this episode, we chat about: - Queer intersectional organizing and creative writing - Marsha P Johnson - Finding the time for writing - Getting inspiration from visual art and collaborating with other artists - Healing through writing - Creating with our whole selves - Hint.Wien and Vienna's Queer Writer's Circle Find JG Danso at @jgdanso on IG or at jgdanso.net You can also find her book in Vienna at Hartley Books, All Books, Yellow Books, Löwenherz, Orlando Books and Chick Lit.

On activism: "Wherever I am, I'm going to do work...I can be in the most comfortable place and I will find the most vulnerable people, and identify heavily with them, and I will do work on their behalf because I see that as being on my behalf as well." - Denise Van de Cruze Fill up on this empowering conversation with Denise Van de Cruze, social justice advocate, world traveler, owner of Vienna-based queer cafe Villa Vida, and self-proclaimed nerd activist for the people. In this episode, we chat about: - Finding places to be of service - Social justice - Parenting by example - The necessity of community - Living your values - Social joy - Black stories and the Black Austria Project Find Denise at villavida.at or @miasolista on IG and Twitter. -- Today is the day you vow to follow your heart and not your fear. If only it were that easy! The Courageous Voice podcast chronicles international artists, creatives, plus a handful of scientists, and their stories of fear, courageousness and creativity. Hosted by singer, storyteller and self-proclaimed joy spreader, Chanda Rule, The Courageous Voice inspires us to share our voices courageously in spite of our fears through courageous conversation and community.

"When I finally got on the other side of actually having the courage to let go, I realized, on the other side, was my authentic self." - Salem Islas Madlo Get ready to be inspired with Salem Islas Madlo, poet, educator, mom, coach and art therapist, as we chat about the power of the present moment and finding the authentic self on the other side of surrender. In this episode we talk about: - Poetry - Finding power in the fragments - Writer's Block - Healing our inner (and outer) artist - Mental Health - The Deep Wild Nature Connect with Salem on her website, www.deepwildcoaching.com You can also find her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Clubhouse @deepwildcoaching. -- Today is the day you vow to follow your heart and not your fear. If only it were that easy! The Courageous Voice podcast chronicles international artists, creatives, plus a handful of scientists, and their stories of fear, courageousness and creativity. Hosted by singer, storyteller and self-proclaimed joy spreader, Chanda Rule, The Courageous Voice inspires us to share our voices courageously in spite of our fears through courageous conversation and community.

"One of the biggest arguments against astrology is that it was the language of the angels...given to women. Therefore it was heresy because it was a women's practice..."

- Bad Pastor It's astrology time! Get into this conversation with non-binary, queer astrologer and pastor Rev. Lindsey, aka Bad Pastor as we explore astrology, faith, self care and their new course, Maker of the Bear, Astrology School for Good Heretics. In this episode we talk about: - Career restarts - Astrology & Christianity - Being a Good Heretic - Self Care & Community Maker of the Bear: Astrology School for Good Heretics meets Wednesdays July 20 - August 17. Find details on Rev. Lindsey's blog and register at badpastor.me. Connect with Rev. Lindsey on their website www.badpastor.me and @bad.pastor on Instagram and @bad_pastor_ on Twitter. -

Today is the day you vow to follow your heart and not your fear. If only it were that easy! The Courageous Voice podcast chronicles international artists, creatives, plus a handful of scientists, and their stories of fear, courageousness and creativity. Hosted by singer, storyteller and self-proclaimed joy spreader, Chanda Rule, The Courageous Voice inspires us to share our voices courageously in spite of our fears through courageous conversation and community.

"You have not failed until you have stopped trying..." - Ed Rule Happy Father's Day! Join Ed Rule, my dad, husband, writer, vet, speaker and community activist as we dive into courage and faith and practicing action in the face of fear. In this episode we talk about: - God and courage - Writing as an act of liberation - Speaking out against racism in the workplace - Courageous parenting - African American Rites of Passage programs - Small Businesses & community activism *I referred to a book that could be helpful in creating a more inclusive non-binary rites of passage program. I switched the writer's name around! His name is Dr. Malidoma Patrice Some. The book is "The Healing Wisdom of Africa: Finding Life Purpose Through Nature, Ritual, and Community." You can connect with Ed on Instagram and Facebook...through me! (Papa is not a huge social media guy!) @thecourageousvoice

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Today is the day you vow to follow your heart and not your fear. If only it were that easy! The Courageous Voice podcast chronicles international artists, creatives, plus a handful of scientists, and their stories of fear, courageousness and creativity. Hosted by singer, storyteller and self-proclaimed joy spreader, Chanda Rule, The Courageous Voice inspires us to share our voices courageously in spite of our fears through courageous conversation and community.

"My life purpose is to laugh while I'm learning and show other people how to do it." - Doug Motel

Tune in while we chat with Doug Motel, actor, storyteller, painter, coach and fellow joy spreader for lots of laughs, insights and inspirations on approaching life through humor and the evolution of artistic expression.

In this episode we talk about:

- Playing the game of life

- Exploring and creating space our inner "characters"

- Sharing joy and healing through performing and visual art

- Hawaiian spiritual philosophy: The Aloha Spirit

Bonus: Doug is giving away FREE prints of his Blue Remedy Series! Get yours at www.blueabstractpaintings.com You can connect with Doug on Instagram and Facebook @dougmotelart and on the web at www.dougmotel.com or www.dougmotel.art

If you'd like to meet Doug or join his retreat the first week of 2023 in Ka'a'awa, Hawaii, visit retreats.dougmotel.com

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Today is the day you vow to follow your heart and not your fear. If only it were that easy! The Courageous Voice podcast chronicles international artists, creatives, plus a handful of scientists, and their stories of fear, courageousness and creativity. Hosted by singer, storyteller and self-proclaimed joy spreader, Chanda Rule, The Courageous Voice inspires us to share our voices courageously in spite of our fears through courageous conversation and community.

"The greatest endeavor that we can ever have, is knowledge of Self." - Jahson the Scientist This conversation, about ways to stay open to what life offers, mixes hip-hop, scientific principles and spiritual practices to lead us into living from our heart space, and understanding the heart's value. In this episode we talk about: - Combining Heart and Mind creatively - Quantum science and energy shifts - Holding on to spiritual philosophy and practice amidst adversity Plus there is a special introduction to Gamma Breath Meditation that you can do with us! You can connect with Jahson on Instagram, Spotify, SoundCloud and YouTube @jahson_the_scientist

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Today is the day you vow to follow your heart and not your fear. If only it were that easy! The Courageous Voice podcast chronicles international artists, creatives, plus a handful of scientists, and their stories of fear, courageousness and creativity. Hosted by singer, storyteller and self-proclaimed joy spreader, Chanda Rule, The Courageous Voice inspires us to share our voices courageously in spite of our fears through courageous conversation and community.