TURN it up!

We talk with Sifarish about why South Asian professionals in Edmonton and Calgary still feel disconnected after COVID and how community networking can change that. We also break down the South Asian Inspiration Awards, from categories and dates to the nomination process built around integrity. 

• Why Sifarish starts post-COVID to break silos in the South Asian community 
• What it looks like to facilitate real connections for youth, newcomers, and business owners 
• How the South Asian Inspiration Awards (SAIA) in Edmonton and Calgary are structured 
• Edmonton event details including venue, ticket price, and award categories 
• Calgary event date and categories including leadership, business, media, sports, arts, and volunteerism 
• What nominations require including knowing the nominee and nominee acceptance 
• How the independent committee and blind process protect fairness 
• Why diversity and inclusion across South Asian identities is a founding principle 
• How Sifarish membership works and how fees support nonprofit initiatives 

If you have any questions about SAIA Awards or Sifarish as a whole check out their website: sifarish.org

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

We sit down with Amandeep Singh, aka Inkquisitive, to talk about how identity and Sikhi shape his storytelling and why Edmonton still feels like a special stop on his journey from London to Canada. 

He breaks down how dreams, journals, and everyday details become finished pieces, then reflects on family life, global audiences, and what it takes to stay real after 15 years of creating. 

• Moving from East London to Canada and why Edmonton matters to him 
• Sikhi as a source of stories and identity rather than a rigid box 
• Dreaming images, writing them down, and building art from a journal 
• Finding inspiration in ordinary things like coffee stains and pavement cracks 
• Using captions and colour choices to show emotion and process 
• Seeing a multicultural fan base connect across faiths and cultures 
• A memorable moment hearing where his art ended up 
• Staying relevant by painting from the heart instead of chasing trends 
• Returning to children’s illustration and hinting at a future book 


Tune in to The Universal Radio Network daily on 97.9 FM or through our live-stream at www.theuniversalradio.com

IG: @theuniversalradio

Ravia shares her review of Colonial Circus by Two.2.Mango at the Edmonton Fringe Festival and why the show’s audience interaction makes every performance feel completely different. I also push back on a negative local review and explain why this sharp satire about colonialism lands with real joy, discomfort, and recognition for me as a South Asian audience member. 

• Show setup, dates, and why the venue vibe matters 
• What Colonial Circus is and how Two.2. Mango frames British colonizers through clowning and satire 
• Why audience interaction changes the story and the jokes night to night 
• My response to the Edmonton Journal critique and what “subtle” misses in satire 
• Who Fringe theatre is for when the room is mostly white 
• Cultural nuance on stage, including Hindi lines and Bollywood callbacks 
• How the show links colonial histories, from residential schools to the Bengal famine 
• Connections to decolonization thinking and books that unpack empire’s mindset 
• The bit about time and how humour carries heavy content 

Make sure you get your tickets because it is at the sugar swing ballroom and the venue is really cool, really hidden, and it's a sweet spot for you to have a great night. 

You can follow us at The Universal Radio across socials. Check out our website at www.theuniversalradio.com. You can catch us live from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on live stream on that website and at turn 97.9 FM in the Edmonton area. 

IG: @theuniversalradio

We sit down with Amanda from First Born Apparel to unpack how a simple idea turned into premium Canadian streetwear built through years of sampling and hands-on manufacturing work. We also talk honestly about building a brand as a South Asian Canadian woman, staying connected to Punjab, and taking risks while balancing family and a full-time career. 

• The meaning behind the name First Born Apparel and why it matters 
• Choosing Canadian-made production over blanks and logos 
• The real process of finding manufacturers in Canada 
• What makes the “perfect hoodie” fit and fabric 
• Building confidence through doubt as a South Asian founder 
• Philosophy and Fabric and the message of grinding forward 
• The Origins collection and reconnecting with Punjab 
• Balancing motherhood, hairdressing, and entrepreneurship 
• Advice for anyone starting young or starting scared 

Check out First Born Apparel: https://firstbornstore.com/

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

Sogand sits down with Sunny Brar to talk about legacy, service, and why making people feel seen can be more valuable than any title. We dig into resilience, mental health tools, and the small daily choices that help us lead by example when life gets heavy. 

• Defining legacy as making people feel seen 
• Seva and the mindset behind Project Love 
• The men’s mental health flowers initiative and why it matters 
• Reframing struggling as normal and learning affect labelling 
• Seeking help, journaling, and building neuroplasticity through words 
• Lessons from sport about loss, growth, and teamwork 
• Brain versus mind, metacognition, and pushing past comfort 
• Gratitude, perspective, and “pressure is privilege” 
• Coping with trauma exposure in first responder roles 
• Transition rituals, movement, sleep, and not taking work home 
• Trying different mental health supports and not giving up when fit is wrong 
• Sunny’s book You Knew This All Along and uncovering wisdom 

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

Sapreet sits down with Sameer (@sameer.pictures), the photographer whose work makes Edmonton shine.  He shares how a self-taught hobby turned into real tourism impact, plus practical tips for exploring the city and starting your own creative practice.

• Why Sameer calls himself an Edmonton ambassador rather than an influencer 
• Early culture shock moving from Bangalore and how Edmonton became home 
• Learning the city through downtown walks and river valley trails 
• Picking up a camera in 2018 and getting an early boost from CBC Edmonton 
• Shifting from photos to Instagram Reels and drone photography for new perspective 
• Seeing real-world tourism influence and earning Edmonton Tourism Award nominations 
• Making the case for Edmonton as a four-season city with winter lights and fall colours 
• Simple creator advice: start with your phone, learn on YouTube, keep going past the slow start 
• The message behind the work: a positive look at Edmonton’s growth and affordability 
• Standout collaborations with Travel Alberta including The Last of Us location project 
• Favourite Edmonton spots: Walterdale Bridge area, Foosh, Bodega, Brown Butter Cafe, Heritage Festival 
• What he loves most about Edmonton and what he’d change about transit 
make sure you stay connected with us across socials at the Universal Radio.

IG: @theuniversalradio

Ravia sits down with Simar to unpack how “Billo” became an alter ego, a sound, and a permission slip for women to feel bold. We talk creative instinct, Punjabi English code-switching, Brampton roots, and what it takes to build a music career with real support. 

• The Billo name, persona, and visual identity as storytelling 
• Writing from an “itch” and finishing ideas without second guessing 
• Building confidence by creating for ourselves first 
• How melodies lead lyrics and how Punjabi versus English gets chosen 
• Diaspora language, simple Punjabi, and the bridge to global listeners 
• Brampton upbringing, kirtan training, and pop and R&B influences 
• Returning to music after corporate work, marriage, and motherhood 
• Balancing career with team support, family help, and trust 
• Advice for young women in a male-dominated industry 
• Flipping perspective with “Pab Chakdi” and challenging the usual gaze 

Stream Billo now!

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 shares how to give someone a helping hand when their mental health starts to slide, using the "The Golden Rules"  as a simple guide. We talk about what to say, how to listen without trying to fix everything, and where boundaries protect both your friend and your own mental health.  She also gets into:

• Why friends and coworkers often spot changes first 
• A quick check for changes that are intense, long-lasting, and disruptive 
• The journaling prompt on times we have shown up 
• Say what you see with clear, concrete observations 
• Show that you care through tone, time, and practical support 
• Hear them out with open questions and fewer solutions 
• Know your role by setting boundaries and respecting capacity 
• Connect your friend with therapist search tips and local resources 

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

Sogand delves into colour psychology and neuroscience to understand how the colours we wear and the colours around us can shift attention, stress, confidence, and mood. She connects research to everyday choices, from why red feels energizing to why black became a millennial comfort colour and why greenery can help our nervous systems recover. Sogand also unpacks:

• How context changes colour meaning and mental health effects 
• Why red grabs attention and increases arousal 
• Mood and culture shaping colour preference including black in millennial style 
• Green and nature cues for stress reduction and mental fatigue recovery 
• Yellow and orange effects on energy, optimism, and social connection 
• Blue as a signal of calm, safety, and professional trust 
• How pink and purple become social signals over time 
• Brown as grounded and cozy environmental design 
• Gold and silver jewellery as reward cues in the brain 

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

Sapreet sits down with Dr. Shawna Pandya, an Edmonton emergency physician and Canada’s first named commercial female astronaut, to talk about what her training, research life, and travel schedule actually look like. We talk frankly about representation in STEM, being underestimated, and the daily habits that keep a long, uncertain path sustainable including:

• Balancing rural Alberta ER work with astronautics research and training
• Using parabolic flight to practise zero-G science and teamwork
• Tracing a childhood spark from Dr. Roberta Bondar to the International Space University
• Navigating family expectations, immigration roots, and the courage to take detours
• Carrying the weight of representation as a South Asian woman in space
• Handling doubt with the rule: don’t take criticism from someone you wouldn’t take advice from
• Managing a 24-7 schedule by accepting there’s a season for everything
• Sharing details on a Virgin Galactic Delta class research spaceflight and its science priorities
• Treating fitness as daily therapy to prevent burnout
• Learning what it means to be an aquanaut and live underwater at saturation pressure

Give us a follow us across socials @theuniversalradio. Tune in 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. every day at 97.9 FM in the Edmonton area or livestream www.theuniversalradio.com

IG: @theuniversalradio