Quest For Fire

Mike Semrad is the owner of Red Rebel Media, a multimedia marketing company in Lincoln, Nebraska. Over the past few years, Mike has cultivated a strong reputation in the local community, through his support of local music festivals and events, as well as hosting a small business roundtable as COVID19 began to affect many local businesses. 

Throughout his life, Mike has demonstrated a love for creating art of various forms, including music and visual media. Growing up in a musical family, Mike has incorporated the arts into his professional life and he has a great perspective on the role of the arts in our daily lives. We also have a powerful discussion on media & messaging, especially with the divisive rhetoric affecting our society in 2020. 

Learn more about Red Rebel Media at https://redrebelmedia.net/ 

Join us for Episode 29 of Quest for Fire, the podcast!

Content by: Romu Media LLC  

Jaden Perkins is the host of "The Initiative", a program that dives into progressive politics and how it all relates to Omaha, Nebraska. 

As a young person and as an activist, Jaden unpacks a perspective and a passion for changing the political narrative here in the heartland. From Jaden's experiences growing up, to getting involved with the Kara Eastman campaign for congress, Jaden brings a point of view that relates with many Americans: that of frustration with the political system, and the desire to see things change in a way that truly benefits the people. 

During our conversation, Jaden assesses the political climate in Nebraska in 2020, we learn about Jaden's view on a variety of politicians and policies, and we hear about the importance of taking an active role in the community. 

You can experience Jaden's show, "The Initiative", by visiting the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaFQWR1HwKRwuPunNmCpSNw .

Join us for Episode 28 of Quest for Fire, the podcast! 

Content by: Romu Media LLC 

Dominique Liu-Sang is a young person who recently launched a campaign for city council in Lincoln, Nebraska. As a member of the Black Leaders Movement, and as a current agricultural economics major in college, Dominique brings a variety of knowledge and experiences as she launches her campaign.

She shares what it's like to grow up in the Washington DC area, how that upbringing compared to being a black high school student in rural Nebraska, and how her Jamaican roots and Mormon faith helped shape her.  She also unpacks many of the feelings and lessons from events over the past summer in Lincoln, such as the protests and vigils that brought awareness on topics like Black Lives Matter, and the human rights of indigenous, LatinX, and other communities of color. 

Dominique then talks about why she is running for elected office, and how her community-powered campaign will be different from other campaigns.  

Join us for Episode 27 of Quest for Fire, the podcast! 

Content by: Romu Media LLC   

Valeria Gaytan is a college student from Omaha, Nebraska. As a young person, Valeria explains why she felt compelled to step up and shine a light on many issues that are affecting her communities. She has participated in events supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as taking on planning roles for local protests regarding human rights violations at the U.S. border and the Abolish ICE movement. 

During our conversation, we touch on a variety of issues such as: climate, systemic racism, US History, and criminal justice reform. As she unpacks her perspective, Valeria reveals the importance of having an education that incorporates various points of view, as she found herself having her eyes opened to so many different historical injustices that she previously had not known existed. 

Join us for Episode 26 of Quest for Fire, the podcast! 

Content by Romu Media LLC  

Julia Carrillo is the owner & designer of Soy Chingona (https://soychingona.com/) a fashion, jewelry, and apparel business that specializes in the culture and mentality of being a Chingona! Based out of Omaha, Nebraska, Julia has built Soy Chingona from pop-up tables at sorority events, to now having a thriving business and an ever-growing social media following (IG: @SoyChingona_ ). 

Julia is very authentic in explaining her journey, her triumphs and challenges, and all the feelings involved in taking an idea and making  it a reality. She opens up about the strong women in her life that motivated her, and how she was able to take feelings of pain or anger and channel them into the artwork and creativity that is her distinctly Chingona brand. 

Join us for Episode 25 of Quest for Fire, the podcast! 

Content by: Romu Media LLC 

Raymond Rico is an immigration attorney in the Kansas City area. From a young age, Raymond learned that many hard working immigrants faced a variety of challenges but also contributed immensely to local economies and communities. Now as an attorney, Raymond works directly with immigrant clients to help them understand and navigate the legal immigration process. 

During our conversation, Raymond unpacks the recent decades of history behind the current US immigration policies, he talks about the efforts of young Dreamers who pushed for the formation of the DACA executive order, and he discusses what is currently happening at the United States southern border. His insight and analysis is fantastic, and it spans different presidential administrations from both sides of the political aisle. 

Join us for Episode 24 of Quest for Fire, the podcast!

Content by: Romu Media LLC 

Kevin Kenney is a Nebraska farmer with a background in agricultural technology. Kevin has been working to raise awareness on an issue known as "Right to Repair", where a farmer prohibited from fixing or altering their tractors/equipment without going directly through the manufacturer. Right to Repair has been a lightning rod of an issue, which crosses over from rural communities to legislative chambers. 

Kevin unpacks what is behind the concept of Right to Repair, what experiences Farmers are having to deal with as a result of decisions made by the agricultural tech industry, and how the issue intertwines with politicians and corporate lobbyists. While the conversation can get heavy at times, Kevin does a good job speaking authentically about why he feels the need to raise awareness on this issue. 

Join us for Episode 23 of Quest for Fire, the podcast! 

Content by: Romu Media LLC 

Shannon Teamer is founder & CEO of I Am Better Than Me, a lifestyle multimedia company out of Omaha, Nebraska. The goal of the company is to help people cultivate a lifestyle that focuses on bettering the self, through innovative and creative methods. Shannon recounts his own journey, his successes and failures, and how the support system around him has fueled him to continue with growing his business in a strategic way. 

The approach Shannon takes is fascinating, as he presents a series of resources that people can truly make their own, as opposed to "teaching" a certain viewpoint. Also, we go deep at times, as Shannon breaks down some heavy thoughts regarding self-doubt, in a powerful way. We discuss fueling our thoughts through the media we consume, we discuss being a first generation college student, we have a great conversation about the women in our lives and the role of masculinity. 

Learn more about Shannon & his company at: https://www.iambetterthanme.com/ 

Join us for Episode 22 of Quest for Fire, the podcast! 

Graham Christensen is president/founder of GC Resolve, and as a 5th generation Nebraska farmer, Graham has been working to raise awareness about the degenerative effects of modern, corporate farming systems, while also voicing the need to expand regenerative, community-focused farming systems. He shares fantastic insight as to how rural communities are being affected, how the political decisions taken decades ago have led rural communities to their current level of vulnerability, and what actions need to be taken now and going forward. 

He is a fantastic communicator, as he dispels many misconceptions about what it is to be a younger rural Nebraskan, and what it is to interact with powerful decision makers and powerful corporate entities. Graham also paints a detailed picture about how agricultural issues intersect with so many other societal issues, including economic, racial and environmental issues. 

Learn more about GC resolve on social media: https://www.facebook.com/gcresolve 

Join us for Episode 21 of Quest for Fire, the podcast!

Content by: Romu Media LLC

Glenn Lewis is a father and a husband with a strong work ethic and drive to provide for his family. Known as "DJ Animale" in the Omaha music scene, he recently is gaining fame through a new title: The Taco Evangelist! 

As the COVID-19 pandemic started to affect the Omaha area, causing businesses & schools to shut down, Glenn was instantly without the many DJ events that help support him & his family. Analyzing the situation, Glenn made the decision to launch The Taco Evangelist, a social media driven Taco experience, that specializes in a slow-cooked beef brisket taco (birriacoa), that customers (or "Disciples", as they're known) can order online and then receive their tacos in safe, socially-distanced manner. 

Glenn unpacks the experiences in launching the Taco Evangelist, he shares the influences growing up that helped to shape his drive, and we have a fascinating discussion about his business model, the marketing side of things, and how the Taco Evangelist has grown in Omaha as a best-kept "secret" among foodies and taco lovers!

Learn more about the Taco Evangelist at: https://www.facebook.com/tacoevangelist 

Join us for Episode 20 of Quest for Fire, the podcast! 

Content by: Romu Media LLC