Queerify | Demystifying Wellness for QTBIPOC

On this episode, we’re honored to have the amazing Chhoti Maa (They/ella). Born in Guanajuato, Mexico; Chhoti Maa is a rapper, singer, and songwriter whose music is rooted in ecofeminism, migrant rights and the power of community. Their music reflects decolonial living, ancestral medicine, queerness, love and radical sisterhood. 

We discuss Chhoti’s passion for learning their ancestral traditions, what sparked their wellness journey, how they’ve embraced their intersectionality, plus the role of compassionate listening of Indigenous Peoples.

Listen and download their music on Bandcamp. We hope you enjoy the episode Queer Kittens! 

FEATURED GUEST:

Chhoti Maa started in 2007 within the migrant rights movement and hip hop scene of Richmond, VA. The production team expanded in 2012 with beto guapoflaco and Keith Avelino Hernandez. The music of Chhoti Maa is rooted in community organizing, hip hop, neufolk, r&b, cumbia, migrant soul and oral tradition. It reflects decolonial living, ancestral medicine, queerness, migrant empowerment, love and radical sisterhood.

To date, Chhoti Maa has performed, collaborated and taught in Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, China, US, Cuba, Spain, Qatar, U.A.E., Ghana, Sweden, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile and multiple Indigenous nations. Chhoti Maa has released two studio albums Agua Corre (2016) and Caldo de Hueso (2018) featuring musical legends such as jazz saxophonist Howard Wiley, flautist KJ Pied Piper of the Bay, cumbia accordionist Ivan Flores and Native emcee Dioganhdih. 7 Luminarias is set to release in 2024.

As the creative engine of Chhoti Maa, Vreni Michelini-Castillo is also a cultural producer, curator, educator and organizer based in Huichin, Ohlone land (Oakland, CA).

WELLNESS RESOURCES:

Check out all the wellness resources mentioned on the podcast here.

HOST:

THE CREW:

CONNECT:

Podcast is produced in collaboration with ⁠Kinoko Chocolates⁠ & ⁠Puka Puka Creative⁠.
Episode transcripts available by email request ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Listen in as the QUEST team, Stevie Cua (All Pronouns Accepted) and Raphaella Landestoy (She/Her) define what radical acceptance means to them, and how they apply it to their own lives and to others they love. 

We discuss cultivating healthy boundaries with family and friends in order to honor authenticity, and what it means to be radical when faced with adversity and dysfunction. 

We hope this episode brings you clarity of spirit, and closer to your own sacred strength 💪🏾

FEATURED GUESTS:

WELLNESS RESOURCES:

Check out all the wellness resources mentioned on the podcast here.

HOST:

THE CREW:

CONNECT:

Podcast is produced in collaboration with ⁠Kinoko Chocolates⁠ & ⁠Puka Puka Creative⁠.

Episode transcripts available by email request ⁠[email protected]⁠.

“What is your gift? What is the medicine you can give to the world?” - Madame Gandhi

Happy 2024 folks! We’re so excited to be back with you and to be starting this season off with such an amazing guest. 

In this episode, we sit down with Madame Gandhi (she/her). She is a musician, activist, gender liberation and personal empowerment speaker. Listen in as we discuss tools to overcome life’s roadblocks and ways to stay connected to your own personal power.

May this new year bring you joy, where you learn, laugh, heal and GROW 💕

FEATURED GUEST:

Madame Gandhi is an award-winning artist and activist known for her uplifting, percussive electronic music and positive message about gender liberation and personal power.

She began producing music in 2015, after her story running the London Marathon free-bleeding to combat menstrual stigma went viral around the world. She has been listed as Forbes 30 Under 30 in Music and BBC 100 Women, and her mainstage TED Talk about conscious music consumption has been viewed over a million times.

Madame Gandhi’s mission is to use music as a medium for a message about positivity, personal expression and human thriving.

WELLNESS RESOURCES:

Check out all the wellness resources mentioned on the podcast here.

HOST:

THE CREW:

CONNECT:

Podcast is produced in collaboration with Kinoko Chocolates & Puka Puka Creative.

Episode transcripts available by email request [email protected].

Hello Queer Kittens! 2023 is nearing its end, and we wanted to take this chance to reflect and recharge amongst community.

In this episode we have Aïma The Dreamer (They/Them/Femme) joining us in meaningful and healing conversation. They are a multi-disciplinary artist, musician, and activist based in Oakland, CA. They use their art as a tool for liberation by uplifting the principles of QTBIPOC empowerment, intersectional feminism, women's rights, and anti-racism.

Listen in as we discuss current global affairs and how we can show up authentically for ourselves and for humanity. 

FEATURED GUEST:

Aïma Paule (They/Them/Femme), also known as Aïma the Dreamer, is a multi-disciplinary artist, musician, and activist based in Oakland, CA. With a career spanning over two decades, Aïma has made a significant impact locally, nationally, and internationally through their art exhibitions, performances, event productions, and event hosting.

As a living embodiment of intersectionality, Aïma embraces their Queer mixed-race identity, which encompasses Black, Indigenous, North African Amazigh, Arab, and Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. As the first-generation child of an immigrant single mother and a survivor of homelessness, assault, and poverty, Aïma possesses a deeply personal understanding of life's complexities.

Aïma's artistry serves as a powerful tool for liberation, as they utilize mixed art disciplines to uplift the diverse voices and perspectives of their communities. Their work is deeply rooted in the principles of QTBIPOC empowerment, intersectional feminism, women's rights, and anti-racism.

Follow Aïma on all platforms @aimathedrmr 

Linktree / Bandcamp Music / Makers Page @huemanstyle

Watch And Follow FemmeRage Film Website / Instagram

🍉  Action Toolkit Resource

WELLNESS RESOURCES:

Check out all the wellness resources mentioned on the podcast here.

HOST:

THE CREW:

CONNECT:

Podcast is produced in collaboration with Kinoko Chocolates & Puka Puka Creative.

Episode transcripts available by email request [email protected].

On this episode, we are reclaiming the holiday season with our guest, Bex Mui (She/her). We discuss the importance of setting intentional practices for yourself during the holidays in order to enter the new year with some ease. Bex also discusses her QTBIPOC-centered spiritual play space, “House of Our Queer” and book, “House of Our Queer: Healing, Reframing and Reclaiming Your Spiritual Practice”. 

We hope that this episode will help you cultivate ease into your holidays Queer Kittens. 💕

FEATURED GUEST:

Bex Mui @itsbexnow @houseofourqueer is a biracial Chinese/Polish, first gen queer witch, tarot reader, certified energy worker, and spiritual organizer. You can find Bex traveling around Asia, scuba diving under the sea, or cuddling at home with her financé, kitty, and betta fish.

WELLNESS RESOURCES:

Check out all the wellness resources mentioned on the podcast here.

HOST:

THE CREW:

CONNECT:

Podcast is produced in collaboration with Kinoko Chocolates & Puka Puka Creative.

Episode transcripts available by email request [email protected].

On this episode, we had the privilege of talking to the incredible and multifaceted Sie Savage Chambers @ThaPlantbasedSavage⁠. He is a Southern-born, Plant-Based Wellness Coach, Chef, Educator, Creator, Poet, Community Organizer, and Founder of @Hyer_wellness.

We discuss all things gut health, and what it’s like navigating family holiday dynamics while living a plant-based lifestyle.

Sie also highlights some simple food/ingredient alternatives that can improve your mental, physical, and emotional health. 

We hope these tips help you navigate the holiday season with your own care in mind! 

Use Sie’s referral code to get 10% off a Magic Pop Mic!

WELLNESS RESOURCES:

Check out all the wellness resources mentioned on the podcast here.

THE CREW:

CONNECT:

Podcast is produced in collaboration with Kinoko Chocolates & Puka Puka Creative.

Episode transcripts available by email request [email protected].

Halloween has arrived Queer Kittens! 

Now is the time to let our true-est self come out and play, and there is no better person to help us do just that than Helixir Jynder Byntwell! 

Helixir (he/they) is a gender-bending trans-nonbinary Drag King who is taking the Bay Area by storm. Join us as we discuss the magic of transformation and how Helixir found authenticity through drag and by leaning in on their community. 

Shine on, Spooky Kitties! 

FEATURED GUEST: 

Helixir (he/they) @helixirdrag is the crowned San Francisco Drag King of 2022. This black, trans non-binary, queer drag king is your local emo sad-boi and the dapper daddy of your dreams! He’s also a gender affirming barber in SF, so if you want a haircut hit him up @jenjibarber! 

THE CREW:

CONNECT:

Podcast is produced in collaboration with Kinoko Chocolates & Puka Puka Creative.

Episode transcripts available by email request [email protected].

Happy October Queer Kitties! 

In this episode, we welcome back one of our amazing guests, Melissa from episode “The Giver (2020 Wrap-up)”. Listen in as we glimpse some of her incredible personal growths and life changes since last year at Sum Of Us festival. 

We were also blessed to get a chance to speak to Melissa’s kiddo, Morgan, who gave us a new perspective on their mother’s transformation, as well as a look into their own personal journey towards wellness. 

Hope you enjoy! 

FEATURED GUESTS:

WELLNESS RESOURCES:

THE CREW:

CONNECT:

Podcast is produced in collaboration with Kinoko Chocolates & Puka Puka Creative.

Episode transcripts available by email request [email protected].

Hey Queer Kittens! Join our host, V as they guide you on a QUEST to discover what radical self love and acceptance really means. You’ll hear inspiring stories, alternative wellness practices, and resources from people in our community along their own personal QUEST for wellness.

QUEST:

Q = Queers sharing wellness experiences

U = Understanding the past, present, future and how that impacts our wellness

E = Education, the source evidence and resources behind the truth

S = Storytelling, powerful and courageous stories from our community leaders

T = Transformation because self-discovery and care is a lifelong journey

THE TEAM:

CONTACT:

Music produced and composed by BASK.

This podcast is produced in collaboration with Kinoko Chocolates and Puka Puka Creative.

Hey Queer Kitties! We’ve missed you! For our new listeners we welcome you with open arms.

Come hang out with the QUEST crew in our first episode of season 3 kick-off. You will hear the team discuss some of our summer highlights, set backs, and learning moments. We have a lot to catch you up on, so tune in! 

Check out all the wellness resources mentioned on the podcast here.

THE CREW:

CONNECT:

Podcast is produced in collaboration with Kinoko Chocolates & Puka Puka Creative.

Some episode transcripts available here. Send us a request [email protected].