Human Chapters

Having this wonderful conversation with Alia Datoo was a true honour. Alia talks to us about her chapter, Women Who Hike Africa (Women who Hike - Kenya). During this conversation, Alia takes us through her journey from conception through birth and beyond for her chapter. A couple of points that strongly resonated with me were:

- Her first mountain climbing experience.

- Her Chapter aims to connect people to themselves through nature.

- This Chapter aims to empower, break down barriers, and connect through nature.

Feel free to share this Chapter if it resonates with you. 😊

Have you ever heard of the phrase, 'School to Prison Pipeline'? I was introduced to this concept approximately 3 years ago (in my profession) and I've been curious about it since. The School to Prison Pipeline generally tends to describe the journey a student with learning difficulties may experience (metaphorically and literally). The conversation with Hilderbrand Pelzer III (@hilderbrandpelzer3) was incredibly powerful, insightful, and an eye-opener as he clearly articulates his experiences, professional roles in the Education System, the School to Prison Pipeline, the comparison between his childhood and the current system, and his book, Unlocking Potential. Hilderbrand is currently a principal in an Elementary School and his passion for change is almost tangible. It was a great honour to have had this conversation and it left me feeling inspired.

Hilderbrand's Ted Talk link - https://www.ted.com/talks/hilderbrand_pelzer_iii_what_incarcerated_youth_can_teach_teachers

Hilderbrand's blog - https://www.hilderbrandpelzer3.com/blog

Please share it with friends, colleagues, etc. if it resonates with you. 😊

TW - rape, suicide ideation, violence

This is a beautiful chapter, Rebirth of a Queen, narrated by Akinyi Juma. Pauline grew up in the Kibera Slums (one of the largest slums in Kenya) and she generously shared about her life (formative and teenage years), struggles, and aspirations for the future. Pauline is the founder of an incredible space for young women, Rebirth of a Queen (@rebirthofaqueen). This space is anchored in female empowerment and the protection of young girls that may have experienced gender-based violence. During this conversation, a number of things resonated with me, some of which are - Authenticity, 'A girl from the slum with a vision of a Queen', gender-based empowerment, and love. Check out Pauline's initiative and here's a link to support this amazing work, https://secure.changa.co.ke/myweb/share/44234

A huge thanks to Pauline for taking the time to dive deeply into her Chapter. It was an absolute honour and an eye-opener.

Feel free to share this conversation. :)

"Food is the universal glue that brings people together." Discussions, experiences, and memories created around a table or when celebrating food are incredibly special. This Human Chapters conversation was nothing short of engaging, energising, reminiscent, and hearty. Ashni Shah graces us with an indulgent conversation about her passion and love for food and cooking. We are taken on a beautiful journey of its commencement (in an extended family household in Nairobi, Kenya), and its unfolding in the UK. Ashni talks about the kitchen representing her playground, the ingredients being the play equipment, and the final outcome creating joy and providing a unique experience. We discussed a range of opportunities she has engaged in this year and some of these include writing a cookbook (which will be published in 2021), live cooking classes on Instagram, a cooking fundraiser for Community Wildlife Fund - CWF, and many more. Ashni also has heartwarming key takeaways. Ashni can be found on the following platforms:

Facebook - Jikos and Mwikos

Instagram - @jikosandmwikos

Thanks in advance for taking the time to engage with this conversation. Feel free to share it. 😊

I have often thought about and wondered about the process of getting a child diagnosed, processing this diagnosis, seeking appropriate services, and so on from a family's perspective. I recently had the honour of engaging in a wonderful conversation with Gisele Willybiro-Maidou about her Chapter, My Hero, Louis. Gisele and I delved into her son's Autism diagnosis, what led her to seek answers, the process they went through as a family once the diagnosis was provided, her aspirations for Louis, and so forth. Gisele is the founder of an initiative, Nione Initiative (@nioneinitiative), which aims to raise awareness for Autism. At the end of this conversation, I was encouraged and inspired by Gisele's chapter and it certainly got me thinking about my own interactions.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to engage with this Chapter. Feel free to share it. 😊

One phrase that was ingrained into my upbringing was, 'Be honest'. Having experienced over 3 decades of life, I have (and continue to) realised the depth, breadth, and precision of this phrase. I had the honour of engaging in an insightful, open, and depth-filled conversation with Spencer J. Conley about his Chapter, Growth and Maturity. We delve into Spencer's journey through his chapter, the connections to other generations, his trauma (dyslexia), his work, his purpose, his book (Lead with L. O. V. E), and a special story (Life is Good by George Dawson) that helped to shape his life. I left the conversation feeling inspired, exhilarated, and energised to make a difference. A couple of points that deeply resonated with me were, 'be comfortable with who you are' and 'dyslexia is my trauma'.

Spencer can be found on:

Website - http://spencerjconley.com/

Lead with L. O. V. E. - https://www.amazon.com/Lead-L-V-Spencer-Conley/dp/0998928690/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1534470364&sr=8-1

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Too-DrivenFall-Fwd-144708449027622/

Instagram - @spencerjconley

The story referenced in this conversation - https://www.penguin.com.au/books/life-is-so-good-9780812984873

Thanks in advance for listening to this conversation. 😊

I have been curious about a range of diagnosed conditions from a young age. My questions have ranged from the actual diagnosis, its challenges & positives, and how it actually plays out in life. I had an amazing opportunity to have this conversation with Deb Cook about her Chapter, Autism. Our discussion delved into Deb's diagnosis, what the diagnosis has meant for her, her experiences of social connection, what life was like at school (primary & secondary), different elements that she needs to consider (and ones I may take for granted), the impact of Covid, and so on. This conversation provided a wonderful platform to reflect on and learn from someone else with a different experience. Thanks a million, Deb.

Deb was recently featured in the 7:30 Report (https://www.facebook.com/ABC730/videos/651557228844243) and she has written a detailed article (of her experiences), which has been published by Mamamia (https://www.mamamia.com.au/all-autistic-family/?utm_source=Rivuu&utm_medium=Facebook&utm_campaign=oc&fbclid=IwAR0fgrCst7v98X2czm9Exp9eQoLaFjesE48ZVPeOatziHlAXWzUjmjIwaws).

Enjoy listening to this conversation and thanks in advance. 😊

Is there a spark of curiosity waiting to be ignited? Have you wondered about a woman's thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc.? It was an incredible honour to share the Human Chapters platform with Just Jhoom with Shalini Bhalla-Lucas to discuss her Chapter, Covid. Shalini is an incredible Human with numerous hats (an Author, a Mindfulness and Meditation Teacher, Media Presenter, Speaker, Founder of a Bollywood-inspired Dance Company, Just Jhoom, Mental Health Advocate, and much more).

During this deeply resonating conversation, we delved into a range of different topics such as Shalini's plans for 2020, her various roles in the Media Industry in Kenya, the books she has authored, her recent talk at Engage on the theme, Curve Balls (this is a powerful 16 minutes and 45 seconds!), her most recent show, Mindfulness, Music, and More, an Instagram show, Controversial Widows (where she is the co-host), her relationship, and why she would like people to express their truth. Shalini can be found on various platforms:

Website - https://www.justjhoom.co.uk/

Amazon link to her books - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Happiness-Simply-Mindset-Shalini-Bhalla-Lucas/dp/B085RKHL2Q/ref=sr_1_1?

dchild=1&keywords=happiness+is+it&qid=1592752258&sr=8-1

Engage Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QbTM9cR94s&t=3s

Facebook - Just Jhoom with Shalini Bhalla-Lucas

Instagram - Just Jhoom with Shalini Bhalla-Lucas

Enjoy listening to this conversation and thanks in advance. 😊

Have you ever wondered what a Speech Pathologist (also called Speech and Language Pathologist, Speech Therapist - depending on where you are in the world) does? Perhaps you, a family member, a friend, colleague, etc. may have some experience with one. Perhaps you're unsure of what the role entails. It was such an honour to have a conversation with Mitthi regarding her role, what inspired her to select this profession, the places she has worked at, future aspirations, etc. She also discusses a common yet invisible disability, Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) in light of DLD Awareness Day.

Here's a little bit about the disorder:

- This is when a child/adult has difficulty with any aspect of their language (listening, speaking, understanding, reading, and writing).

- It affects approximately 2 children in every classroom affecting learning, literacy, friendships, and emotional well-being.

- Support from professionals (Speech Pathologists, Teachers, etc.) make a difference.

The following websites have a suite of resources that can be accessed:

https://radld.org/

https://thinkforwardeducators.org/events/dldawarenessday

https://dldandme.org/

https://linksresources.com.au/ 

It was such an honour to have a wholesome conversation with Jamie Lea regarding her Chapter, Arts and Culture. Jamie Lea generously shares about her childhood, her passion for Arts and Culture, the birth of her business, JL Productions & Hire and her role as the Creative Director at the Shepparton Festival. Jamie Lea's passion for our community, arts, culture, and so on is palpable.

Enjoy listening to this chapter and feel free to share it. :)