Prepping the Podcast

For the last few years, Colors of Influence has existed in the blogosphere: offering interviews with diverse leaders of color, updates on critical issues, invitations to events and conversations, even featuring the occasional book or film review. The Colors of Influence blog and associated social media presence had been the container of all my divergent interests, a labor of love for all my Black, Brown, indigenous and immigrant people of color.

This summer, I had an amazing opportunity to learn about podcasting, a new medium for Colors of Influence. I'm grateful for Denver's House of Pod and Ampe d for offering the opportunity to participate in the six-week podcast incubator for women of color, "From the Margins to the Center." In the second year of the incubator's existence, I'm honored to be one of eight women selected for the 2020 cohort.

The past few weeks went by quickly, filled with weekly classes and workshops, deadlines and critiques of works in progress. In addition to guidance on podcast storytelling, sound design, marketing, etc., the program also offered mentorship, access to studio space, and one-on-one consultations with podcast experts and radio veterans. Also thankful for the chance to sit for a photo shoot with esteemed Denver and New York-based photographer Brien Hollowell.

The women of color podcast incubator concludes this week, and it's a bittersweet time of celebrating accomplishments and fond goodbyes. Last night, House of Pod hosted a listening party featuring trailers and sample episodes from podcasts emerging from the 2020 incubator. What a great experience to hear the results of hard work, creativity, and passion exhibited by every member of our cohort. Listen to the podcast samples here.

Developing a sample, proof-of-concept audio file truly tested my novice skills at creating and publishing audio. Colors of Influence maintains an interview format to showcase the stories of leaders of color sharing narratives of purpose and intention. My goal is to have the Colors of Influence podcast up-and-running by October 2020. The first season will feature five interviews. Here's a sneak peek/sample audio features a portion of the first episode featuring Yolanda Chase, founder of Diversity Way-Maker.

Watch this space for updates on the podcast launch. Email us to send your suggestions for future profiles.

Medicine Wheel for the Planet

Jennifer Grenz, PhD Working toward ecological healing requires awareness of how Indigenous ancestral knowledge and living ways can complement Western scientific approaches to environmental restoration and protection practices. Dr. Jennifer Grenz (Nlaxa’pamux mixed ancestry) worked for more than two decades as a field researcher and practitioner for environmental nonprofit organizations, where she worked with different levels of government, including First Nations in Canada. "Medicine Wheel for the Planet" compiles Grenz’s most potent realizations about the lack of forward movement in addressing an impending ecological catastrophe. A warming climate impacts not only human lives but also the natural balance that relies on reciprocal relationships rooted in deep connections to the land. She uses the metaphor of the four directions of the Indigenous “medicine wheel” to invite openness to Indigenous teachings, letting go of colonial narratives, merging lessons f...

Memento - Embracing the Darkness

Dennis "Dizzy" Doan Stories about overcoming and persevering through family dysfunction, poverty, and mental health challenges offer hope and the promise of better days. Dennis “Dizzy” Doan’s memoir Memento: Embracing the Darkness is one such story, with the added complexity of being raised in an immigrant Vietnamese family. Doan’s parents dealt with the mental and emotional aftermath of war, which forcibly uprooted them from their homeland. In the United States, they struggled to create a safe and stable life for their two sons. Doan shares his journey of finding himself, his craft, and eventually a successful tattoo business in Southern California despite personal strife and run-ins with the law. Doan is best known for developing the aesthetic language to combat anti-Asian hate that erupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. His art series titled “Model Minority” went viral, sparking conversation about Asian American identities and harmful stereotypes. In Memento, Doan showcase...

Enlighten Me

Editor's Note: This review was originally published in Los Angeles Book Review . Author Minh Lê Standing up for oneself seems like doing the right thing. Binh did just that in the face of a racist school bully who was poking fun at his Asian heritage. But physically assaulting another student goes against school policy, and it was Binh who got in trouble. Binh shares a silent retreat with his family and younger siblings. Along with other children, he learns about stories from the previous lives of the Buddha. The stories are interesting, but for Binh, it is difficult to sit still and clear his mind when he misses his Gameboy. While he struggles with silence, he learns important lessons about friendship, community, and being present. In the graphic novel "Enlighten Me," award-winning author Minh Lê and bestselling illustrator Chan Chau tell the story of a boy who gains a better understanding of himself as he works on quieting the mind and reflecting on dharma. Lê and Ch...

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