The Hello Frequency

This podcast acknowledges the Tainui people, the tangata whenua of the Waikato region, where it was recorded. Respects to elders, past, present, and emerging. 

Welcome to The Hello Frequency, Dear Listeners: I am your host, Caya. 

This is Episode 6: Arpita Sinha: Revisiting Empathy as a Parent 

Nine months ago, my dearest friend Arpita embarked on a transformative journey—a vaginal birth to welcome her firstborn. As a biological parent, she stepped into uncharted territory, her heart brimming with anticipation and wonder. Little did she know that this path would lead her to revisit her preconceptions about empathy, unravelling layers of understanding and compassion. 

Our recorded conversation, a heartfelt exchange captured last weekend, awaits you, dear listeners. In it, we delve into the raw, unfiltered realities of motherhood and parenthood. We question the romanticised notions that often surround these roles, peeling back the glossy finish to reveal the messy, beautiful reality. And yes, we explore the intricate dance of gendering that occurs throughout this process, across cultures and continents.

There is so much to absorb, to ponder, and to share. So, I will be airing our conversation in two parts—one this week, and the other next week. Tune in, lean close, and let empathy weave its magic. And fear not—a playful disclaimer awaits you at the outset, sprinkled with a dash of adult language 🎙️❤️😄🌟

Arpita, this is my way of celebrating your upcoming birthday. May you thrive abundantly in all the desires of your heart. 
Copyright and Citation

© Divakalala, C. (2024). Arpita Sinha: Revisiting Empathy as a Parent. The Hello Frequency, A Lifestyle Podcast. 

Remember, in a world where discord echoes loudly, let empathy be our pluriversal language! 

The Hello Frequency podcast acknowledges the Tainui people, the tangata whenua of the Waikato region, where it was recorded. Respects to elders, past, present, and emerging. 

Welcome to The Hello Frequency, I am your host, Caya. 

This is Episode 5: Vinod Bal: Moving Forward with Empathy   

Dear Listeners, 

I apologise if my voice sounds nasal. I have been feeling under the weather lately. It is with great honour that I present to you a conversation with Vinod Bal. Our paths crossed in early 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic, in the breathtaking land of Aotearoa New Zealand. As a newcomer to this country, I found solace in Vinod’s friendship. His family embraced me wholeheartedly. He was my first person of colour and queer friend, and our friendship has been evolving since then. 

Our friendship defies generational gaps and other differences. We connect over shared queer politics, a passion for community-driven advocacy, and our love for hiking, long walks, and exploring delightful restaurants. Indian cuisine consistently tops our list – mirroring its dominance in the subcontinent. Ha ha ha. 

In our conversation today, Vinod sheds light on an important statistic. Despite this vibrant community, we continue to face challenges. Access to culturally sensitive services and equitable opportunities remain a work in progress.

Together, within a year of our friendship, Vinod and I co-founded the Charitable Trust, Adhikaar Aotearoa. If you are curious about our work, there is a link to our website and social media handles in the description. Adhikaar Aotearoa continues to grow with more trustees, community members, allies, and meaningful work since its inception. 

I am thrilled to have yet another queer soul with whom I can engage in inspiring conversations about anything and everything. Our exchanges ripple through many lives, shaping them in ways we may not even realise. Here is an example: recording of our conversation.  

Thank you for tuning into “The Hello Frequency”. May our words and actions driven by pluriversal empathetic consciousness continue to resonate, create positive changes and move forward with empathy. 

Remember, in a world where discord echoes loudly, let empathy be our pluriversal language! Until next time, this is Caya, tuning out from the Hello Frequency :)

Resources: 

https://www.adhikaaraotearoa.co.nz/ 

Copyright and Citation

© Divakalala, C. (2024). Vinod Bal: Moving Forward with Empathy. The Hello Frequency, A Lifestyle Podcast. 

Remember, in a world where discord echoes loudly, let empathy be our pluriversal language! 

Welcome to The Hello Frequency, Dear Listeners: I am your host, Caya and this is episode 4. 
Please be advised that this podcast mentions about war, violence, and their impacts. If you find these subjects distressing, please exercise caution while listening. Take care. My deep gratitude to my listeners, followers, and subscribers. A special thanks to those of you who have shared my podcast with others and taken the time to rate it. Your generosity continues to strengthen my sense of hope and connection. I keep you all in my daily meditations and spiritual prayers.
Intersectionality—a word that carries within it the weight of countless lives, non-living beings, histories, struggles, and places among many others. Before it was coined, before it adorned academic papers and activist manifestos, it was weaved into the very fabric of existence of all forms. It was the air we breathed, the ground we walked upon—a mosaic of identities, woven together in intricate patterns.
Picture this: a girl, often dressed as a boy, seeking answers amidst the war-ravaged lands of Northern Lanka. She defied conventions and danced on the tightrope between expectations driven by rigid norms and desires. Others called her by boy pronouns, teasingly, but she revelled in it. It was a secret rebellion, a whispered defiance against a world that sought to confine her. I was that girl, observing the intricate dance between privilege and scarcity, often existing on the margins. Again, I am sure many of you can relate to this.
My goal is to spread empathy, solidarity, love, compassion, light, peace, harmony, and positive energy in all forms, shapes, colours, and sizes. It comes from a place of having experienced and benefited from the power of connecting continents.
Copyright and Citation
 © Divakalala, C. (2024). The Power of Connecting Continents. The Hello Frequency, A Lifestyle Podcast. 

Remember, in a world where discord echoes loudly, let empathy be our pluriversal language! 

The Hello Frequency podcast acknowledges the Tainui people, the tangata whenua of the Waikato region, where it was recorded. Respects to elders, past, present, and emerging.
Welcome to ‘The Hello Frequency’: I am your host, Caya.
I am thrilled to introduce our first guest, Sarvam Kailasapathy, a strong personality who has profoundly influenced my life.
Sarvam doesn’t just understand; she feels deeply.
Sarvam’s passion for feminisms has ignited fires within me.
I vividly recall the days she shared stories of her feminist friends and the impactful work they had done during challenging times, I frequently found myself reevaluating my own beliefs and practices.
Copyright and Citation
© Divakalala, C. (2024). Meet My First Guest, Sarvam Kailasapathy. The Hello Frequency, A Lifestyle Podcast. 

Remember, in a world where discord echoes loudly, let empathy be our pluriversal language! 

Join me on a journey of exploring pluriversal thinking in this latest podcast episode. I speak of how pluriversal thinking challenges the monolithic structures of knowledge, inviting us to consider a mosaic of perspectives that range from indigenous wisdom to contemporary insights. Tune in as I navigate through these converging streams of thought, guided by empathy and a shared desire for growth and transformation. Let us celebrate the power of listening, learning, unlearning, relearning, and connecting across the pluriverse.

1.     If you choose to engage with me on this platform, please do so at: https://thehellofrequency.buzzsprout.com - with transcripts for people with hearing impairment. 

https://open.spotify.com/show/1WrjzKLcSflpSvaGSMM5Xf 

https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2363248.rss

2.     ‘Hanna Worldwide & Friends’:
 https://youtube.com/@hannaworldwide_and_friends?si=ctoQLlCLmxyKhpkX
https://open.spotify.com/show/55PondauTPB8GqZOGqRAcx?si=rqdldnQ-TFq_D4vKiFOBUA

3.     Azarmandi, M. (2023). Disturbing a Discipline: Towards Pluriversal Peace and Conflict Studies. Journal of Intervention and State building, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/17502977.2023.2245952 

Copyright and Citation

© Divakalala, C. (2024). Embracing Pluriversality! The Hello Frequency, A Lifestyle Podcast. 

Remember, in a world where discord echoes loudly, let empathy be our pluriversal language! 

My passion for humanitarian causes has always driven me to challenge dominant narratives and amplify the voices of those marginalised for various reasons. As someone who has experienced marginalisation firsthand, yet also held certain privileges, I have sought to bring forward the voices that are often overlooked or silenced. I wrote a PhD thesis on this. 

Copyright and Citation

© Divakalala, C. (2024). Context to Facilitate Resonance. The Hello Frequency, A Lifestyle Podcast. 

Remember, in a world where discord echoes loudly, let empathy be our pluriversal language! 

Welcome to “The Hello Frequency”, a lifestyle podcast where we explore a range of human experiences through candid dialogues. I am your host, Caya - a lifelong seeker of meanings and connections of all forms. My consciousness emerged from the turmoil of an ethnic conflict and a civil war in 1990s Northern Sri Lanka. The chaos and suffering I experienced and witnessed sparked a fire within me. It has always helped me to understand, alleviate, and transform pain, find connections, and heal with a sense of community. Having embraced these life philosophies for four decades, my journey of passionately seeking meaningful connections continues. This podcast embodies one of them.

Copyright and Citation

© Divakalala, C. (2024). Introduction: Threads of Empathy. The Hello Frequency, A Lifestyle Podcast. 

Remember, in a world where discord echoes loudly, let empathy be our pluriversal language!