Here’s a rather new not-for-profit organisation by the name of Echo International Inc.

The group was founded by five friends from Melbourne whose travels through South East Asia brought them to the Sangkhlaburi District in Northern Thailand. Within this region, over half the population is made up of ethnic groups displaced from nearby Burma, with little or no rights in Thailand and no support services.

What I most like about Echo is that ALL proceeds and fundraising go directly to the people they support. They each have day jobs and put their own money into admin so that means 100% of donations are used for their intention.

During this podcast J-Jon & Jenet (filling in for David and Sue on Friday Drive June 19th) spoke to one of the founding members of the organisation Jeremi Wallace to hear a little more about the group and what they are set to do on their upcoming trip to the region.

Echo are currently seeking support from the community for their aid work in South East Asia. If you feel you are in a position to help, you can lend a hand via their website echointernational.org.au or jump directly to https://chuffed.org/project/echointernational and donate now.

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Sonja speaks with director Sophie Hyde and actor Tilda Cobham-Hervey about their ground-breaking Australian film 52 Tuesdays.

52 Tuesdays is a story of queer family in modern Australia.

16-year-old Billie’s reluctant path to independence is accelerated when her mother reveals plans for gender transition and their time together becomes limited to Tuesday afternoons. Filmed over the course of a year, once a week, every week – only on Tuesdays – these unique filmmaking rules bring a rare authenticity to this emotionally charged story of desire, responsibility and transformation.

52 Tuesdays premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and had Australian theatrical release in May 2014 but continues to screen internationally and garner awards, including Best Director at Sundance and Best Feature Film at our very own Melbourne Queer Film Festival 2014.

After you listen, you might just want to watch the film!

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Rob “Millsy” Mills joins Leo for the Friday Morning Show.

Rob chats about his early days appearing in Australian Idol, releasing an album and various television hosting roles including The Mint and Young Talent Time.

Rob also talks about his various musical theatre roles including lead roles in Wicked, Legally Blonde & Grease.

Rob chats about his new cabaret show Surprisingly Good, appearing in the upcoming Peter Allen telemovie and his future plans.

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Sonja chats with brand-new Tony Award winner Alison Bechdel. Alison is an iconic lesbian graphic novelist, recently-named MacArthur Genius and this week has won five Tony Awards including best new musical for the musical adaptation of her 2006 best-selling graphic memoir Fun Home.

Alison talks with Sonja about the famous Bechdel Test, her first ever trip to Australia and her hectic touring schedule. With humour and humility, Alison sheds some light on what being influential has meant for her.

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Intheclick.org.au is an online retailer, one of Australia’s newest kids on the social enterprise block!  They sell items online for a good cause and their latest project, is Candles for a Cause.

On offer are aromatic candles that are hand-made with care by people with a disability in a supportive work and learning environment tailored to meet their individual needs. Simply put, the more candles they make, the more they can sell and the more they can sell the more work and learning opportunities they can create.

During this podcast, Chris and Callum speak to Julie McKay, founder and managing director of Enable to get more information and to find out how the JOY community can help further. Do check out their website today!

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Rainbow Fashion Week was created in June 2013.  This year the event runs from 19 to 26 June 2015 and is an official New York City Pre- Pride Fashion Show event.

Last year, Rainbow Fashion Week attracted over 25,000 queer and gay friendly attendees and showcased queer designers, photographers, models, makeup artists, stylist, merchants, retail buyers and thus increased access for gay fashion designers, and other supportive talents to ensure their future inclusion within New York’s creative pool.

Currently, there are no other fixed events representing the LGBT community in any of the major fashion capitals, especially in this manner. So from the hot maquilleuse, celebrity stylist, designer, choreographer, and set designer, Rainbow Fashion Week brings the audience eight days of queer fashion shows highlighting the  “Art of Fashion.”

During this podcast Adam and Ginni of our Wednesday breakfast show Rise Up speak to one of Australia’s hopeful at the event. Make sure you keep listening to JOY from next week for our daily updates from Rainbow Fashion Week and New York Pride itself.

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Recently on Second Breakfast, Sonja spoke with actor Ezel Doruk about his involvement in dynamic new play TRIPPED. TRIPPED is an exciting dark comedy about war and prejudice set on a battlefield where two very different men are brought together by the neighbouring landmines they have stepped onto.

Ezel spoke about his role, what the play has meant to audiences, and about the Pozible campaign his theatre company has launched to get their story to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival!

If you’d like to support Ezel and Attic Erratic, donate to their Pozible campaign.

This interview aired on May 28, 2015.

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On Second Breakfast this week, Sonja spoke with Lana Woolf, organiser of upcoming event Queers & Answers and fellow JOY 94.9 presenter!

Queers & Answers is a 1.5 hour monthly event in which three speakers are invited to participate in a forum that is centred around a particular queer question. The first Queers & Answers is starting today, Monday 1 June, and will run on the first Monday of every month at Hares & Hyenas. Doors open at 7pm for a 7:15pm start, and finishes at 8:45pm.

The topic for the first event is “Do queer women necessarily objectify other women?”

Lana talks about her inspiration for the event, the amazing panel that she’s put together for the inaugural night, and her hopes for the event going forwards including a little spoiler for next month’s topic!

Interested listeners can buy tickets for the event from the website OR on the door.

This interview aired on Second Breakfast on 28 May 2015.

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The 2015 JOY 94.9 Radiothon Friday Morning Show kicks off with special guest, the fabulous Sally-Anne Upton from hit television show Wentworth.

Leo and guest co-host Brian chat with Sally-Anne about her career as an actor in television and theatre and her work as a marriage celebrant.

Sally-Anne talks about her friend Colleen Hewett’s new album Black & White and anti violence against women.

Sally-Anne talks about her role in the hit Foxtel drama Wentworth, playing Lucy Gambaro (aka Juicy Lucy) and provides a few insights into behind the scenes in making the show.

Sally-Anne opens up about marriage equality, what she loves about JOY 94.9 and live on air Juicy Lucy shares a prison scene with Leo and Brian plus encourages fans to sign up & support JOY 94.9 during Radiothon.

Leo, Sally-Anne Upton and Brian in the JOY studio after the interview.

Juicy Lucy gets Leo and Brian in a head lock!!

Juicy Lucy in the JOY studios

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Leo chats with singer Belinda Davids about the Whitney Houston Show.

Belinda opens up about her childhood, her early influences, performing in a band and touring with US stars Monica, Johnny Gill and Kelly Price.

Belinda chats about Whitney Houston, the legacy she has left behind and what she taught her vocally as a singer.

Belinda also talks about the Greatest Love Of All – The Whitney Houston Show and what fans can expect from the concert.

**The Greatest Love Of All – The Whitney Houston Show is playing at Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre until Saturday 30 May 2015**

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