In his first ever public interview, Bol Mayan, Founder of The Seed Network, shares his journey from growing up in Richmond, skating the streets, and running from his South Sudanese identity - to becoming a filmmaker, community leader, and cultural storyteller.

We talk about:

‣ How skateboarding led him to filmmaking and Channel 31

‣ Building The Seed Network to inspire young people of colour

‣ Embracing and celebrating his South Sudanese heritage

‣ Using sport, media, and storytelling to create opportunities in Richmond

‣ The impact of representation in breaking stereotypes

‣ Navigating the light and dark sides of social media

Timestamps:

0:00 Guided Mindfulness – Breathing exercise and reflections on mindfulness

2:20 Daily Reflection Practice – Three questions for daily growth

6:30 Meeting at Youth Works – How Bol and Liem first met

8:40 From Skater to Filmmaker – Skate culture, COVID, and personal loss

14:20 Launching The SEED Network – Bedroom interviews on culture

17:20 From Bedroom to Channel 31 – Landing a 12-episode TV series

20:40 Winning ‘Outstanding New Producer’ – Discovering what producing means

25:40 Pivot to Documentaries – Telling Richmond community stories

28:20 Men’s Mental Health Hike – Normalising open conversations

29:50 Friday Soccer – Community sports in Richmond

31:20 Boxing Program – From training to debut fights

33:20 Embracing South Sudanese Identity – Reconnecting with culture

38:20 Multicultural Richmond – How diversity shaped his work

40:40 The SEED Network Team – Filmmakers, coaches, and collaboration

44:55 Social Media Spotlights – Platform for representation

48:40 Representation Matters – Peter Bol and breaking barriers

51:15 What’s Next – New documentaries and interviews

53:00 Guarding Your Mental ‘Garden’ – The SEED metaphor

56:00 Gratitude for Mum – Her role in Bol’s journey

57:20 Cooking With Mum – A public love letter through food

Bol’s mission is simple but powerful: plant seeds of possibility so the next generation can grow into their potential. This is an honest and heartfelt conversation about identity, creativity, and giving back.

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Hosted by Liem Nguyen and produced by Jasper Menor, co-founders of OKIRU, the OKIRU Rise Together Podcast celebrates creativity, cultural pride, and community stories.

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