Lioness Heart

In this episode, we sit down with Yumi Schaefer who shares her remarkable journey of resilience, self-discovery, and transformation. A third-generation Japanese-born Korean, Yumi grew up navigating complex questions of identity while facing legal discrimination, social isolation, and the challenges of belonging as part of the Korean minority in Japan. Driven by a passion for justice, Yumi became a human rights advocate, working tirelessly to raise awareness of the experiences of Koreans in Japan and travelling internationally to campaign for equal rights. After experiencing burnout from years of advocacy and activism, she began a new chapter focused on healing, inner peace, and personal wellbeing. Yumi opens up about how reconnecting with her Christian faith helped her rebuild her life and pursue a future that once seemed out of reach. With more than 25 years of experience in the fitness and wellness industry, she has found movement to be both her passion and her therapy. Having called Australia home since 1998, Yumi is now a proud Australian who embraces the opportunities, freedom, and quality of life she has found here.

Check out Yumi's business Koa Moves and her latest book Sparking Joy.

If you're in Australia and you need support:

• 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 (for domestic, family and sexual violence counselling)
• Lifeline on 13 11 14 (crisis support)
• SSI (Settlement Services International)
• 13YARN on 13 92 76 (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners)

This podcast is written, produced and hosted by Netta Finney Mejia. Recorded in the studios of Brisbane Multicultural Radio 4EB — 98.1FM and Global Digital. Broadcast on the Community Radio Network around Australia. Music by Rene Castillo.

Lioness Heart is made on the unceded lands of the Yuggera and Turrbal people. I acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first storytellers of this country, pay respects to their Elders, and honour the wisdom and leadership of First Nations women.

• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: Netta Finney Mejia
• Instagram: @nettafinneymejia
• Linktree: Netta Finney Mejia

This month, we're joined by Amrita Deshpande — an Indian-Australian artist, communicator, educator, journalist, media content creator and experienced community engagement professional whose work sits at the intersection of creativity, storytelling, research, and social impact.

We ended up chatting for an hour, so I've split Amrita's interview into two episodes. In this second episode, Amrita shares why she admires her grandmother, her passion for migrant and refugee community issues and how she expresses herself through art. We also talk about why it's important to get involved in politics and your local community radio station, the descrimination Amrita has witnessed against migrant communities, as well as encouraging advice if you're a new arrival to Australia.

Find out about:

• Amrita's projects: FeminineFeminism and Refugee project
• The Curry Festival on 12 September 2026 at Rocklea Markets Brisbane to raise money for The Bangle Foundation
• Joining Radio 4EB
• WEN (Women's Ethnic Network) — ECCQ (Ethnic Community Council Queensland)

If you're in Australia and you need domestic, family and sexual violence support:

• 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732
• DV Connect on 1800 811 811
• The Bangle Foundation for South Asian women
• SSI (Settlement Services International)
• 13YARN on 13 92 76 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners

This podcast is written, produced and hosted by Netta Finney Mejia. Recorded in the studios of Brisbane Multicultural Radio 4EB — 98.1FM and Global Digital. Broadcast on the Community Radio Network around Australia. Music by Rene Castillo.

Lioness Heart is made on the unceded lands of the Yuggera and Turrbal people. I acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first storytellers of this country, pay respects to their Elders, and honour the wisdom and leadership of First Nations women.

• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: Netta Finney Mejia
• Instagram: @nettafinneymejia
• Linktree: Netta Finney Mejia

This month, we're joined by Amrita Deshpande — an Indian-Australian artist, communicator, educator, journalist, media content creator and experienced community engagement professional whose work sits at the intersection of creativity, storytelling, research and social impact.

We ended up chatting for an hour, so I've split Amrita's interview into two episodes. In this first episode, Amrita shares what it's been like living in several different countries throughout her life, how much fun it was growing up in India surrounded by extended family, and the drawbacks of the caste system. We also chat about arranged marriages versus love marriages, the stigma surrounding divorce and where you can go for help if you're South Asian and you're experiencing domestic violence.

Amrita's projects explore how art can open up conversations, build connection, and create space for voices and experiences that are often overlooked. You can learn more about one of her research art projects here: FeminineFeminism. Amrita has also worked on creative projects with refugee communities, using storytelling and participation to support connection, visibility, and shared understanding. Explore that work here: Refugee project.

If you're in Australia and you need domestic, family and sexual violence support:

• 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732
• DV Connect on 1800 811 811
• The Bangle Foundation for South Asian women
• SSI (Settlement Services International)
• 13YARN on 13 92 76 (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners)

This podcast is written, produced and hosted by Netta Finney Mejia. Recorded in the studios of Brisbane Multicultural Radio 4EB - 98.1FM and Global Digital. Broadcast on the Community Radio Network around Australia. Music by Rene Castillo.

Lioness Heart is made on the unceded lands of the Yuggera and Turrbal people. I acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first storytellers of this country, pay respects to their Elders and honour the wisdom and leadership of First Nations women.

• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: Netta Finney Mejia
• Instagram: @nettafinneymejia
• Linktree: Netta Finney Mejia

My guest this month is award-winning Lebanese-Australian sports journalist and broadcaster Amanda Shalala. She is the Deputy Editor for ABC Sport and has led broadcast coverage of the FIFA World Cup, Commonwealth Games, Paralympics and Olympics. Amanda also oversees the 50:50 Equality Project, which works to improve representation in sport.

In this episode, Amanda reflects on growing up in Sydney, navigating the pressure to assimilate, and the regret she carries about not learning Arabic. She speaks candidly about the impact of negative media stereotypes of Middle Eastern communities and how those narratives shaped her early experiences. We explore her lifelong love of sport and the vital role diverse journalists play in bringing richer stories informed by a wide range of perspectives. Amanda shares her gratitude for the incredible women in sports media who supported her career, and how she now pays that forward by mentoring emerging reporters. She also discusses what it has meant to be underestimated as a female sports journalist, and how she continues to push through those challenges. We talk about the excitement building around the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and the opportunities it will create for fresh, quirky and uniquely Australian storytelling. The episode closes with Amanda's heartfelt advice for women of colour aspiring to enter journalism, offering encouragement, realism and hope.

I hope you like our new music! It was composed by my talented childhood friend, El Salvadorian-Australian Rene Castillo. Check out his bank Izalco.

This podcast is written, produced and hosted by Netta Finney Mejia. Recorded in the studios of Brisbane Multicultural Radio 4EB - 98.1FM and Global Digital. Broadcast on the Community Radio Network around Australia.

Lioness Heart is made on the lands of the Yuggera and Turrbal people. I acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first storytellers of this country, and honour the wisdom and leadership of First Nations women whose stories continue to guide and ground us.

• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: Netta Finney Mejia
• Instagram: @nettafinneymejia
• Linktree: Netta Finney Mejia

My guest this month is South African-born Indian-Australian Saalihah Seedat. She is a consultant clinical pharmacist, personal development coach, social entrepreneur, philanthropist, mentor and mum of three. Saalihah is passionate about entrepreneurship, leadership, social issues and making a difference in people's lives. In 2025, Saalihah was named one of Brisbane's top 60 most inspirational women.

In this episode, Saalihah chats about what it was like growing up in South Africa during the Apartheid era, the strong legacy of the women in her family and the tragedy of losing her mum and grandmother during the COVID lockdowns. We find out what drew Saalihah to the health field and why stress management is an important part of our wellbeing. Saalihah also tells us about the ways she deals with discrimination and how younger women are more confident and graceful at it than we are, as well as why we all benefit from building an intercultural community of women.

This podcast is written, produced and hosted by Netta Finney Mejia. Recorded in the studios of Brisbane Multicultural Radio 4EB. Broadcast on the Community Radio Network around Australia. Music by Stephen Utting.

I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which I live, the Yuggera and Turrbal people. I pay my respects to their Elders and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This always was and always will be Aboriginal land. Black lives matter.

• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: Netta Finney Mejia
• Instagram: @nettafinneymejia
• Linktree: Netta Finney Mejia

My guest this month is Sri Lankan-Australian artist Kuweni Dias Mendis. Kuweni integrates movement, sound, film, installations, markings and sculptural ritual objects to create immersive works. These works invite you to reconnect to your heartbeat, rhythm, gait, posture, and sense of time and space within a decolonised body. Her practice is shaped by her cultural experiences of Sri Lanka and Australia. As a migrant on unceded lands, Kuweni advocates for and amplifies the voices of marginalised women through collaborative artworks, exhibitions and participatory experiences. She creates spaces where these voices can be heard and valued.

In this episode, Kuweni and I chat about what prompted her to leave her corporate career and follow her dream of becoming an artist, how she found a new family of aunties and discovered she's a river woman. We also yarn about why connection to culture and country is important, how Kuweni's art is a bridge between two cultures, and why we need to make sure we go to the table where we belong.

Visit Kuweni's art exhibition 'Riverscope' at Logan Art Gallery from 11 August to 12 September 2025. Check out her website: Kuweni – Kuweni Dias Mendis and follow her on Facebook: dimuthu.dias or Instagram: kuweni_artist

This podcast is produced and hosted by Netta Finney Mejia. Recorded in the studios of Brisbane Multicultural Radio 4EB 98.1FM and Global Digital on Turrbal and Yuggera Country. Broadcast on the Community Radio Network around Australia. Music by Stephen Utting.

• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: Netta Finney Mejia
• Instagram: @nettafinney
• Linktree: Netta Finney Mejia

My guest this month is Councillor Trina Massey. Trina is a proud, queer woman and immigrant of Filipino and African American ethnicity. She's also the first ever Black, Asian, queer woman to hold political office in Queensland! As a record-spinning DJ with an extensive music collection, Trina goes under the name Black Amex.

We yarn about what it was like for Trina growing up as a mixed race kid in Brisbane, how she likes to surprise Filipinos by bursting out in Tagalog, and the importance of community and social justice. We also talk about how emotional white men can be, being authentic and doing politics differently, and encouraging diverse women to get into politics.

Check out Trina's website: Trina Massey - Greens Councillor for The Gabba Ward. Follow her on Facebook: Trina Massey Councillor for the Gabba Ward or Instagram: trinamasseygabba.

This podcast is produced and hosted by Netta Finney Mejia. Recorded in the studios of Brisbane Multicultural Radio 4EB 98.1FM and Global Digital on Turrbal and Yuggera Country. Broadcast on the Community Radio Network around Australia. Music by Stephen Utting.

• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: Netta Finney Mejia
• Instagram: @nettafinney
• Linktree: Netta Finney Mejia

Content warning: Ableism, racism, ageism and domestic abuse

My guest this month is talented Filipina-Australian singer, dancer and rapper, Danii. We yarn about Danii's connection to her heritage, her love of music (especially K-pop) and how she got her start in show biz. We also talk about her experiences of discrimination in general and in the music industry, why representation matters, and how there needs to be more of a spotlight on women of colour performers.

Follow Danii on Instagram iamdaniimusic and her website iamdanii.com.

If you're in Australia and you need support:

• 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 (sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling)
• Lifeline on 13 11 14 (crisis support)
• 13YARN on 13 92 76 (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners)

If you're outside Australia please contact the support service in your area.

This podcast is produced and hosted by Netta Finney Mejia. Recorded in the studios of Brisbane Multicultural Radio 4EB 98.1FM and Global Digital on Turrbal and Yuggera Country. Broadcast on the Community Radio Network around Australia. Music by Stephen Utting.

• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: Netta Finney Mejia
• Instagram: @nettafinney
• Linktree: Netta Finney Mejia

Content warning: child sexual abuse, racism and domestic violence.

This is the second part of our chat with Olivia Afriyie Johnson. In this episode, Olivia yarns about how important self-care is and gives encouraging advice for other women of colour. She also shares how she figured out what she was experiencing was domestic abuse, what it was like getting backlash from her own community, and what helped her.

If you're in Australia and you need support:

• 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 (sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling)
• Lifeline on 13 11 14 (crisis support)
• 13YARN on 13 92 76 (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners)

If you're outside Australia please contact the support service in your area.

This podcast is produced and hosted by Netta Finney Mejia. Recorded in the studios of Brisbane Multicultural Radio 4EB 98.1FM on Turrbal and Yuggera Country. Broadcast on the Community Radio Network around Australia. Music by Stephen Utting.

• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: Netta Finney Mejia
• Instagram:@nettafinney
• Linktree: Netta Finney Mejia

Content warning: child sexual abuse, racism and domestic violence.

My next guest is Olivia Afriyie Johnson. Olivia is a passionate advocate, sociopreneur, and human resources & business management professional dedicated to empowering others through her lived experiences. Born in Ghana and raised in Australia, her cross-cultural journey has shaped a powerful perspective on resilience, identity, and healing. She is the founder of Olive Solutions Consultancy, and Community Partners, a charity committed to breaking social barriers and fostering positive representation for culturally and liquistically diverse communities. Learn more about Olivia's journey in her blog and her memoir, Echoes of Resilience.

Our yarn is split into two episodes - this is the first. In this episode, we yarn about Olivia's diverse upbringing, language, stereotypes and how it's rude to touch a black women's skin and hair without asking! We also talk about code switching, racism at work and the importance of education.

If you're in Australia and you need support:

• 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 (sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling)
• Lifeline on 13 11 14 (crisis support)
• 13YARN on 13 92 76 (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners)
• Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800

If you're outside Australia please contact the support service in your area.

This podcast is produced and hosted by Netta Finney Mejia. Recorded in the studios of Brisbane Multicultural Radio 4EB 98.1FM on Turrbal and Yuggera Country. Broadcast on the Community Radio Network around Australia. Music by Stephen Utting.

• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: Netta Finney Mejia
• Instagram:@nettafinney
• Linktree: Netta Finney Mejia