the WONDER podcast

Today’s guest is an incredible young woman from Portland, Maine: Katherine Slevin. Katherine is a baker, entrepreneur, founder of @c.love_cookie_project and all-around AMAZING human being whose story is inspiring. And, if we're being honest, it’s also humbling, convicting, and challenging… in the best possible way.

Katherine’s story, like so many of ours, has a turning point, a pivot, if you will. And so many of those stories have this element of blind faith to try something new, or go somewhere completely different. And in Katherine’s case, it was both. Today’s episode will take you to the patisseries of Paris and the shores of Greece during the Syrian refugee crisis. It will also take you the kitchen of a community center where Katherine is using her gifts and talents to change the lives of immigrants in her community.

Please, take time to listen to this episode. It will give you hope in humanity and a beautiful example of what it can look like to use your gifts and talents to help others in your community. 

This week’s episode of the WONDER podcast features Sofia Jarvis and Stephanie Mullins, founders of Luminary Clays. By now you guys know, Sydney and her family are drawn to people with a heart for helping others and these two amazingly talented women have some of the biggest hearts they know. And, honestly, when you think of the ultimate goal of encouraging and equipping a generation to use their gifts and talents to create change in their communities… Sofia and Steph are doing it.

Their passion for mental health advocacy is a story that needs to be told… and that’s what this podcast is all about. Their willingness to share their stories as we, collectively, work together to create change in how mental health is discussed and how we help others is inspiring. If you want to learn more about their business, head over to @luminary.clays They are a great example of a business that gives back!

Today is another FAIR TRADE FRIDAY! For those of you who are new, this NEW quarterly segment was introduced back in April. (Whenever there’s five Fridays in a month, that LAST Friday will be the designated Fair Trade Friday.) At BTCYI, 1) exploring more ways to help bring about change in communities and 2) supporting fair trade is so important!

So, for this week’s conversation, Sydney invited Stacey Hooley-Gall to share about the impact of Fair Trade as well as Noonday Collection, a fair trade business. Noonday Collection was created to make a difference in some of the world's most vulnerable communities by partnering with Artisan Businesses that share the same passion for building a flourishing world. Noonday develops these businesses through fair trade, empowering them to grow sustainably and to create dignified jobs for people who need them.

Creating change in this area takes one small step at a time. The smallest actions can lead to a lasting impact for so many individuals and families. Let's learn how we can be a part of that change. 

Brooke Fowler is one of Sydney's dearest friends in Chattanooga. Her family met Brooke over a year ago and she’s become a part of their family, an honorary older sister. Brooke is one of the most fierce, spunky, and honest people Sydney knows. On this episode, she shares her story of struggling with arthritis, the tie between her physical and mental health, and having honest conversations with friends about boundaries and body image. One of the things Sydney appreciates the most is Brooke's transparency and heart for young women. It’s clear to see how much she wants people to see their true value and worth. This episode is full of honesty and displays a beautiful friendship. 

Before recording this podcast, Sydney had only met Nadine Bent-Russell once…. and it was over Zoom. One of the many things she took away from their first conversation was Nadine's encouragement. Sydney gave a brief summary of BTCYI, shared some of her personal struggles and doubts moving forward in the new direction, and with an open heart, Nadine received it all. Nadine acknowledged Sydney's frustrations and worries, validated her in that, but also encouraged Sydney to step into the difficult places she felt called to. Nadine is the fierce advocate everyone needs in their life. For this conversation, Sydney wanted Nadine to share about her work around the anti-racism conversation as well as advice she’d give to those who are wanting to navigate conflict and build bridges well. 

The guest on this week's episode is one of Sydney's dear friends, Kiani Yiu. Kiani's gentle spirit and calming nature welcomes every soul. She’s someone who will attentively listen to your story. In this conversation, Kiani talks about her preparation for working in the mental health field, the importance of social wellness and setting boundaries. When it comes to setting boundaries, some of us don't know where to start. For others, it can be incredibly challenging, but why? What's keeping us from setting them in our own lives? These are some of the questions both Sydney and Kiani ponder on in today's conversation. 

On this week’s episode, Sydney is introducing you to two of her closest friends, Emma Lombardo and Lorien Fish. Sydney met Lorien back in middle school and Emma, a couple years after. They are genuinely some of the most encouraging, humble, and sweetest humans you will ever meet. 

During this conversation, both Emma and Lorien share some of their experiences when it comes to the objectification of women. Women, as a whole, have experienced a lot, some of which include: combatting societal pressures, anxiety, sexual harassment and abuse, etc. In our world, there’s no escaping any of this. For the majority of us, we’re constantly inundated or having to deal with all of these things, and much more. It’s important to talk about them and Sydney wanted to start the conversation with two people she loves and respects dearly. Their stories are so important and when we’re honest about where we’ve been, what we’ve experienced, it will hopefully encourage others to replicate that same honesty.

Out of all the guests Sydney's had on the podcast, she's known Gregory Winningham the longest. He is not only one of the sweetest souls, but also an extremely talented artist, one Sydney admires and respects. On this episode, Gregory shares his story and how his mental health was affected by it, as well as how he advocates for love & compassion through his music. (Here’s his artist handle: @oritheartist. Please, SUPPORT him!) At BTCYI, we hope you will be just as encouraged and inspired by him and his heart for others as we are. Extending compassion is one of the most important things we can do as humans; let’s learn how to walk in that together.

Part Two of last week’s podcast is up. At BTCYI, there has always been an emphasis on creating a table open to all voices, no matter your background or perspective. But, is EVERY voice welcomed, or wanted? This is an extremely candid conversation about how to fight against creating echo chambers and epistemic bubbles, but also how to recognize when lines need to be drawn, especially when conversations (and relationships) become unhealthy.

Sydney and Deirdre share some defining moments over the past few years that have shown them what TRUE community is… and what (or who) it isn’t. 

This week’s episode of the WONDER podcast is an important one! Sydney and Deirdre explain the WHY and HOW behind the new focus of BTCYI. But they also share how the “old” focus of encouraging youth to use their gifts and talents to help others is still very much an important part of their mission.

After spending a year on the road talking to people from all walks of life, Sydney and her family began to see how important community was in the mental well-being of youth. But, they also quickly recognized a few obstacles that are inhibiting the ability to create healthy community, which is where the three pillars come into play: Share Stories. Extend Compassion. Take Action.

THIS is how people show up for one another. Sydney and Deirdre wanted to dive deeper into why these three phrases are key to forming community and changing mindsets for the better. Spearheading change can sometimes be intimidating, but hopefully this conversation is encouraging!