Kindness is Everything

Author/Illustrator, Anoosha Syed joins Anitha to talk about the many aspects of her life. From creating books that showcase underrepresented characters to an honest account of being a working mom to what it’s like to live in the United States as a person of colour.

Anoosha and Anitha also talk about what brought them together—their book, SARI SISTERS. Anitha wrote the words and Anoosha created the art. Normally, authors and illustrators don’t get to meet, but not only did they meet, a lovely friendship was born.

To learn more about Anoosha (a mom, author/illustrator, art educator and so much more) click on the following links:

Anoosha's website

Anoosha on Instagram

As a thank you to Anoosha for sharing her story, Anitha donated to ARCO—Activating Reading Communities Organization. Located in Dallas Fort Worth, Texas, they help communities by creating an inclusive reading culture. To learn more about their work, click on their website:

Read With ARCO

Lev Goldberg joins Anitha to talk about being the first openly trans person to swim the Great Lakes. In 2025 Lev swam across Lake Ontario and then in August of 2026, he swam across Lake Huron! His goal is to swim across all five Great Lakes in an effort to raise awareness and funds for the LGBTQ+ youth.

An inspiring conversation about determination, physical and mental strength and helping others.

To follow Lev, check out the following links:

Lev Swims Lakes Website

Lev On Instagram

Lev Swims Lakes LGBTQ Youth Go Fund Me

As a thank you to Lev for sharing his story, Anitha donated to the LGBTQ YouthLine. This is an anti-racist, youth-led organization that connects 2SLGBTQ+ youth across Ontario to resources and community. To learn more about what they do, check out their website:

Website

Sangita Iyer joins Anitha to talk about how an encounter with a captive bull elephant in Kerala India grew into a lifelong mission to help these magnificent begins.

Sangita shares memories of being very young and creating a friendship with an Asian bull elephant whose feet were shackled. Despite the cruelty he endured by humans, Sangita tearfully remembers how he gently placed his trunk around her.  

She and Anitha talk about the dichotomy of the relationship South Asians have with elephants. On the one hand, many worship Ganesha—an elephant-headed Hindu God, yet they subject actualelephants to cruelty. Sangita, an award-winning wildlife filmmaker and author, depicts this abuse in her film and book, both titled GODS IN SHACKLES.

During the making of the film, Sangita realized that raising awareness alone wouldn’t be enough to help stop the abuse, so in 2016 she founded Voices For Asian Elephants. VFAE has a dual mission—raise awareness AND take direct action to improve the lives of endangered Asian elephants.

Sangita shares some of positive strides VFAE has made for improving the lives of elephants.

A truly remarkable woman going to remarkable efforts to save these remarkable beings.

To learn more about Sangita, click on the following links:

VFAE Website
VFAE on Instagram

As a thank you to Sangita for sharing her story, Anitha donated to Voices For Asian Elephants.

Jen Hillenga joins Anitha to talk about how she combined her passion for dogs and her talent for photography to create not only a career but a way to help dogs find their forever homes.

She shares how her two rescue dogs, Rocco and Nala inspired her to leave the corporate world and pursue her love of photography, focusing the camera on dogs and their humans.

Jen talks about how a great photo can show a dog’s true personality and help them find a loving home. Jen offers her photography services to many rescues. She was also the photographer for Isabel Klee, a well-known content creator, animal advocate and the bestselling author of DOGS, BOYS AND OTHER THINGS I’VE CRIED ABOUT. Jen had the privilege of taking Isabel’s author photo. As a dog lover, Isabel's photo included her soul dog, Simon. Sadly, Simon passed away not long ago. Millions of people around the world, many of whom had never met Simon, shared their love and grief for Simon.  Jen honoured Simon's life by offering a free studio session and 8x10 print to anyone who made a $100 donation to an animal rescue. Jen raised over $11,000 and is now busy fulfilling her promise.  

Such a lovely story of community and caring.

To learn more about Jen and her amazing photography, check out her website:

The Ways Of The Dog Website

As a thank you to Jen for sharing her story, Anitha donated to Rain or Shine Rescue. This non-profit cares for the most vulnerable dogs and cats, from seniors to animals with special needs to those requiring medical treatment. To learn more about this animal rescue, check out their website:

Rain or Shine Rescue

Lori Cohen, the executive director of The Beagle Alliance, joins Anitha to talk about this incredible organization that helps beagles, who were once the victims of the animal research industry, find loving homes. The Beagle Alliance also advocates for the release of all animals from scientific study.

Lori shares the inspiration behind her journey into animal advocacy. She also talks about her strong belief to not blame or criticize folks who conduct research on animals, but rather try and work with them to rescue as many animals as possible.

Lori shares some success stories of beagles who have been rescued and are now living a life full of love.

To learn more about the The Beagle Alliance, click on the following links:

The Beagle Alliance Website

Beyond The Lab Podcast

As a thank you to Lori for sharing her story, Anitha donated to The Beagle Alliance.

Lawyer and animal advocate Taj Uppal is charged with a felony crime and potentially faces six years in jail for rescuing a baby goat. He joins Anitha to talk about why he saved Phoebe and the consequences of his kindness.

Listeners will be shocked to discover who owns the factory farm where Taj found Phoebe in such dire condition. Many animals are still suffering at this factory farm, but thanks to Taj, Phoebe is not among them. She is now living the best life in a sanctuary.

A decision about Taj’s legal issues could come as early as August 25th. He shares how stressful this time has been and how he manages the stress—leaning on his friends, family and his faith.

An incredible conversation with an incredible human.

You can follow Taj on Instagram at Taj on Instagram

As a thank you to Taj for sharing his story, Anitha donated to EA Animal Welfare Fund. This organization finds and funds a wide array of altruistic projects that are most impactful to ending factory farming and improving farmed animal welfare. To learn more about their work, check out their website:
EA Funds

Scott Harrison and Zachary Champoux from We The Free join Anitha to talk about their organization, which not only has a catchy acronym—WTF, but is also the world’s fastest growing animal rights and vegan street outreach organization.  

Scott and Zachary share WTF’s innovative methods of outreach to help animals, including the 3-minute challenge. Members of the public are offered a sweet vegan treat such as a cookie, cupcake, donut in exchange for watching a short video that shows the realities of factory farming.  Afterward, volunteers are available to chat and explore the participants thoughts and feelings about what they saw.

Scott and Zachary talk about some of the memorable connections they made with members of the public during these video challenges.

They also talk about how WTF supports the mental health of its advocates as many in the animal rights movement struggle with mental health issues.

To learn more about WTF check out their website: We The Free

As a thank you to Scott and Zachary for sharing their story, Anitha donated to We The Free.

Author, vegan, animal advocate and veterinarian Nadja Lubiw-Hazard joins Anitha to talk about all the ways she helps animals. Nadja was a small animal veterinarian for many years before she retired and turned her attention to writing books.

Writing stories allows Nadja to reach a large audience and share her passion for helping animals. She creates characters that readers will connect and empathize with. Empathy is often the first step to helping another being.

She also writes about the oppression of women. She and Anitha talk about the fact that those who oppress women often also oppress non-human animals and vice versa.

An inspiring conversation that shows there is no one way to follow your passion.

To learn more about Nadja, her advocacy and her books, click on the following link:

Nadja's Website

And to meet Nadja – check out the following writers festivals:

Eden Mills Writers Festival 2026

Kingston Writersfest 2026

As a thank you to Nadja for sharing her story, Anitha donated to Zoocheck, a Canadian-based international wildlife protection charity established in 1984 to promote and protect the interests and well-being of wild animals. To learn more about their work, check out their website:
Zoocheck Website

Liz White, the co-founder of Animal Alliance of Canada joins Anitha to talk about her journey into animal advocacy. Liz and her team at Animal Alliance work so hard to make legal strides when it comes to protecting animals. The ultimate goal would be for all beings, human and non-human, to achieve the status of personhood from a legal point of view.

Liz shares stories of success, laws that have been created to protect animals from cruelty and battles she and her team are still waging when it comes to helping animals.

They have also created North America’s first federal political party dedicated to the protection of all animals and the environment called Animal Protection Party of Canada.

To learn more about the incredible work Liz and the team are doing, check out these links:

Animal Alliance Website

Animal Alliance of Canada on Facebook

To support Animal Alliance

As a thank you to Liz for sharing her story, Anitha donated to Animal Alliance.

Law professor and founder of the Animal Law and Policy Institute at Vermont Law & Graduate School, Delcianna Winders, joins Anitha to talk about legally protecting non-human animals.

Delci shares the shocking and sad truth— when it comes to protecting non-human animals from cruelty and abuse, there are very few laws to help them. And though some species may have a few more protections, there is still much work to be done. Fortunately, Delci and her law students are dedicated to fighting to gain protections for those who can’t fight for themselves.

Delci also shares some happy stories, such as Nosey the elephant. Nosey was born in Zimbabwe in 1982. She was captured from the wild in 1984 when the government culled many elephants including Nosey’s family. Nosey was then brought to the United States where she languished in the travelling entertainment industry until 2017. Delci and others had been fighting for Nosey’s release into sanctuary for years and Delci shares what it was like rescuing Nosey from a roadside circus to finally releasing her into sanctuary life.

Delci says one of the best ways of bringing about change when it comes to protecting non-human animals is for the public to demand for these protections. Politicians care about getting votes, which means they care about what their constituents want. If we all use our voices and call our representatives when we see animals being abused in our towns and cities, change will happen!

To learn more about the work Delci and her law students are doing, click here:

Delci on Instagram

Vermont's Animal Law Program

Vermont Animal Law Program on Instagram

As a thank you to Delci for sharing her story, Anitha donated to VINE Sanctuary. VINE is an LGBTQ-led farmed animal sanctuary that works for social and environmental justice as well as for animal liberation.

To learn more about this sanctuary, check out their website:
VINE Sanctuary