TURN it up!

Gurjeet sits with the discomfort behind Truth and Reconciliation Day and name what “truth” actually means when residential schools operated in Canada until 1996. She connects colonialism to mental health, explains intergenerational trauma, and maps practical ways immigrants and long-time residents alike can show up for reconciliation. Here is what she gets into:

• Journaling prompt on one action we can take for Truth and Reconciliation 
• Why children of immigrants still benefit from colonial systems in Canada 
• What residential schools were designed to do and why the TRC calls it cultural genocide 
• Why acknowledging hard history matters more than avoiding discomfort 
• Reconciliation as a concrete process through the 94 Calls to Action and the six actions of reconciliation 
• How intergenerational trauma forms through learned coping and parenting models under abuse 
• What healing can look like through Indigenous led, culturally safe, community based supports 

Tune in weekly to Wellbeing Wednesday with Gurjeet Gill on The Universal Radio Network, 97.9 FM in Edmonton, or globally at www.theuniversalradio.com.

IG: @theuniversalradio

This Wellbeing Wednesday, Gurjeet focuses on back-to-school self-care that protects your sleep, your mental health, and your budget while you adjust to new routines. We talk honestly about international student stress, domestic pressure, and why using campus resources is not optional if you want a sustainable semester. Here's what she get's into:

• Using tuition-funded supports like student counselling services early 
• A simple nightly prompt that makes tomorrow easier 
• Why repeated all-nighters backfire and how sleep improves learning 
• Normalizing anxiety during big transitions like moving and starting a new programme 
• International student realities like culture shock, visa stress, and predatory school scams 
• Staying connected through comfort food, scheduled calls, and asking for help with basics 
• Domestic student stressors like commuting, guilt, and balancing family expectations 
• Working during school, student loans, and the pressure of applications 
• Using financial services, scholarships, bursaries, and the student food bank without shame 
• Building a routine with consistent sleep and regular exercise 
• Finding community through clubs, teams, and small conversations in class 

Tune in weekly to Wellbeing Wednesday with Gurjeet Gill on The Universal Radio Network, 97.9 FM in Edmonton, or globally at www.theuniversalradio.com

IG: @theuniversalradio

Ravia takes September 30 seriously by walking through what Truth and Reconciliation Day is, and why it matters beyond symbolism. We connect the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s work to our responsibilities as treaty people, specifically for South Asian Canadians and other immigrant communities in Edmonton and across Canada. 

• Please note the content warning on Residential Schools and colonial violence 
• What the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is and what it documented 
• Why September 30 connects to Orange Shirt Day and Phyllis Webstad’s story 
• Why South Asian and immigrant communities are part of reconciliation work 
• What it means to be treaty people on Treaty 6 territory 
• TRC Calls to Action 93 and 94 for newcomers and citizenship learning 
• Practising reconciliation daily through respectful relationships and challenging casual racism 
• Eight practical ways to learn, teach, and take informed action 
• Edmonton-area events and resources including courses, podcasts, and community organizations 

Tune in weekly on Mondays & Thursdays to TURN it up with Ravia on 97.9 FM or live-stream at www.theuniversalradio.com

IG: @theuniversalradio

Ravia talks with Prateeksha about growing up in Indian classical music, getting thrown into reality TV at 10, and learning how to stay authentic through every stage of her career.  Here's what we get into:

• Early training through family roots in Indian classical music 
• Learning Bollywood and Hindi songs fast for Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L'il Champs 
• Navigating the on-camera and off-camera split while staying authentic 
• Moving to Mumbai after a scam call and a brave push from her mom 
• Struggling with networking, confidence, and survival in a new city 
• Pivoting after COVID by composing independent music and creating her own work 
• Writing lyrics out of necessity and leaning on reading and poetry 
• Building her new song Mulaqatein from a piano idea into a full pop love ballad 
• Chasing the next chapter through live performance, band shows, and experimentation 
• Industry advice for young artists

We have lots more for you on www.theuniversal radio.com and give us a follow at the universal radio across socials

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Sogand explore why mistakes can be one of the fastest paths to learning, and how the brain treats errors as a signal to update and adapt. We share practical self-talk tools to replace shame with a growth mindset, so you can stay ambitious without turning setbacks into an identity. 

• Mistakes as a learning signal that supports neuroplasticity 
• Prediction errors and why the brain updates after surprises 
• Dopamine and reward prediction error research links 
• Error-related negativity (ERN) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) 
• Growth mindset after setbacks and the power of “yet” 
• CBT reframes that separate behaviour from identity 
• Self-compassion as a driver of self-improvement motivation 
• Responsibility versus total responsibility and balanced accountability 
• Locus of control as a tool for fair self-review 
• Repairing harm through values-based language and amends 

Tune in to Wellbeing Wednesdays with Sogand on The Universal Radio Network, 97.9 FM in Edmonton, or globally at www.theuniversalradio.com.

IG: @theuniversalradio

Ravia sits down with Manjinder from Royal Academy of Punjab to trace how Bhangra moves from seventh grade spark to teaching, touring stages, and building community in Edmonton. We talk discipline, “chardi kala,” and how dance can preserve Punjabi culture while giving second generation kids real confidence. Here's what we get into:

• Manjinder’s first memory of Bhangra at school and why it hooked him fast 
• Turning passion into teaching, including early morning classes and learning folk arts 
• Moving from Brampton to Edmonton and building a new dance community from one workshop 
• Using Bhangra for discipline, routine, and staying uplifted through hard seasons 
• Teaching Canadian born students confidence through performance and practice 
• Green Shack shows in Edmonton and what children’s curiosity reveals about culture sharing 
• Facing doubt from friends and family expectations about “serious” careers 
• performing with Diljit and why it matters most when students share the stage 
• The Art of War viral bethkan trend
• Royal Academy of Punjab’s purpose, preserving folk arts, and teaching meaning behind moves 

Tune in weekly on Mondays & Thursdays to TURN it up with Ravia on 97.9 FM or live-stream at www.theuniversalradio.com

IG: @theuniversalradio

Ravia tours the  regional South Asian bridal jewellery and then zoom out to the emotions of doli and how receptions have become bigger productions over the last decade. 

• Summer-to-fall wedding season realities in Canada and how planning shifts 
• Why this is a pause rather than an ending for the South Asian wedding series 
• Invitation to South Asian wedding industry folks to share trends and experiences 
• Regional bridal jewellery highlights from Nepal, Maharashtra, Kashmir, Ladakh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Northeast India and more 
• How ornaments signal marriage, identity, family heritage and protection from the evil eye 
• Why gold and jewellery matter for women’s ownership, security and intergenerational inheritance 
• The emotional roller coaster of doli or rukhsati and the pressure to “perform” joy right after 
• How wedding receptions are changing with next-day scheduling and bigger show-style elements 

Tune in weekly on Mondays & Thursdays to TURN it up with Ravia on 97.9 FM or live-stream at www.theuniversalradio.com

IG: @theuniversalradio

Gurjeet sits down with a Sadaf Murad, Registers Nurse, PhD Candidate Studying Dementia in Ethnic Communities, and a Nurse Researcher. She talks to her about why dementia looks different in South Asian communities in Canada, and why families often miss the early signs until a crisis brings them to hospital. We unpack how language, migration stress, stigma, and one size fits all systems can turn hospitalization into a frightening experience for patients and an exhausting fight for caregivers. 

• Dementia as an umbrella term and Alzheimer’s as one subtype 
• Vascular dementia risk and the role of diabetes and hypertension in South Asian communities 
• Migration trauma chronic stress and social isolation as health factors 
• How language barriers and missing cultural context can worsen hospital care 
• Why caregivers feel forced to provide constant bedside advocacy 
• Gaps before admission during hospitalization and after discharge 
• The need for culturally safe person-centred care that involves family early 
• Community outreach to fight misinformation and stigma in mental health and dementia 

Tune in weekly to Wellbeing Wednesday with Gurjeet Gill on The Universal Radio Network, 97.9 FM in Edmonton, or globally at www.theuniversalradio.com

IG: @theuniversalradio

Ravia talks through the real September reset with Dr. Sonya Sachar, from elementary school to university, focusing on routines, organization, and the emotional side of big transitions. We also name the pressure points that fuel burnout early and share concrete ways families and students can build support, balance, and community. 

• Rebuilding sleep and morning routines to match school days 
• Using positive questions to surface worries and excitement 
• Easing first-day separation by partnering with teachers and using school supports 
• Involving grandparents and caregivers in back-to-school planning 
• Building organization habits in junior high and high school 
• Asking for help early through counsellors, teachers, and support periods 
• Reducing comparison culture and academic pressure at home 
• Noticing early signs of anxiety and burnout in younger kids 
• Balancing technology use with movement, outdoor time, and varied learning 
• Thriving in first year university by reading the syllabus and calendaring deadlines 
• Using office hours, accessibility services, and proactive communication 
• Exploring volunteering, research mentorship, and next steps after graduation 

Tune in weekly on Mondays & Thursdays to TURN it up with Ravia on 97.9 FM or live-stream at www.theuniversalradio.com

IG: @theuniversalradio

Sapreet talks with Alberta’s Minister of Education, Minister Nicolades, about what families should actually see in schools this fall as new funding turns into staff, supports, and spaces. We press for details on classroom complexity teams, school construction timelines, and the public indicators Albertans can use to judge whether pressures on classrooms are easing. 

• More teachers, educational assistants, and support staff showing up in schools 
• 10 new schools opening September 1 with more coming next year 
• Classroom complexity explained as learning, behaviour, and language needs 
• How 700 complexity teams work in practice and what they support 
• How success is measured through teacher surveys and province-wide data 
• The Schools Now program and the challenge of 90,000 new students in four years 
• What families can watch for locally, including hiring and added student spaces 

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