Agam the Climate Podcast

A moon child, a motorbike racer, and South African feminist writer and scholar, Malebo Sephodi is an award-winning writer. Malebo’s debut non-fiction book, Miss Behave (published by BlackBird Books, 2017), won her the South African Literary Award for First-Time Published Author (2018). Her interdisciplinary work focuses on human development policy, gender, and information communications technology for development. She is also a contributor to The Agam Agenda’s anthology Harvest Moon: Poems and Stories from the Edge of the Climate Crisis. Listen to our conversation as Malebo speaks about writing, activism, feminism, and nurturing a relationship with nature. She also tells us how her interdisciplinary work within and beyond academe is something she learned from her ancestors, most specifically, her grandmother. _________ Agam the Climate Podcast is part of the Agam Agenda: reimagining and widening storytelling circles on climate change. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook Pre-order our latest anthology, Harvest Moon: Poems and Stories from the Edge of the Climate Crisis, via http://agamgenda.com/harvest-moon Join the global poetry rebellion at http://whenisnow.org Produced by the Institute of Climate and Sustainable Cities and Ground Bravo Studios

How does science writer and journalist Natasha Vizcarra handle data and jargon when writing for a popular audience? How do we meaningfully communicate the science behind climate change towards action? Plus, how is science writing comparable to fiction or even poetry? In this episode, we speak with Natasha Vizcarra, a science writer based in Colorado. Her work is published in several journals and magazines, including Forests News, Landscape News, and Science Findings. She was a writer and editor for Sensing Our Planet: NASA Earth Science Research Features. She is also an award-winning children’s book author and has published several picture books. Her latest children’s book is SPIKEYS, PRICKLES & PRONGIES: A Coronavirus Discovery Story, out now in the Philippines, published by Tahanan Books for Young Readers. Listen to our conversation with Natasha on science writing and more. _________ Agam the Climate Podcast is part of the Agam Agenda: reimagining and widening the climate conversation through stories and art. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Visit our website at https://agamgenda.com Join the global poetry rebellion at http://whenisnow.org Produced by the Institute of Climate and Sustainable Cities and Ground Bravo Studios.

We speak with Sigrid Gayangos, a writer born and raised in Zamboanga. In 2020, Sigrid’s short story, “Galansiyang”, was one of 10 finalists in the Everything Change Climate Fiction Contest, which received a total of 580 submissions from 77 countries. The story, whose title is a local name for the Asian glossy starling, is published and can be read in Everything Change Volume III (published by Arizona State University). She is one of the editors of Katitikan: Literary Journal of the Philippine South, an open-access literary journal for writing and ideas in, through, and of the Southern Philippines. Sigrid’s works have been anthologized in Mindanao Odysseys: A Collection of Travel Essays, Fantasy: Fiction for Young Adults, Maximum Volume: Best New Philippine Fiction 3, Philippine Speculative Fiction 12, Cha: An Asian Literary Journal, and Best Small Fictions 2019, among others. She is currently working on her first collection of short stories. Listen to this conversation with Sigrid about writing intersectionality and climate into fiction. When not busy with her writing, she divides her time between training mathletes and making friends with curious sea critters. _________ Agam the Climate Podcast is part of the Agam Agenda: reimagining the climate conversation through stories and art. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Visit our website at agam.ph  Produced by the Institute of Climate and Sustainable Cities and Ground Bravo Studios.

Letters from Nature began with us wondering: What would happen if we thought, felt, and wrote from the perspective of nature, or the more-than-human? What would nature have to say to humans? What would we have to say to each other? Listen to the readings of three special #LettersFromNature: a campaign to reconnect with the more-than-human, in collaboration with MUNI and Habilin. In this episode, you’ll hear from the perspectives of the Philippine hornbill (written by Alex Paredes), soil (written by Althea Serad), and all of nature (written by Maye Padilla). Stay tuned till the end for a spoken word rendition of “We Have Met” by Padmapani Perez, a piece from the perspective of seeds, and published in the book Makisawsaw: Recipes X Ideas (Gantala Press, 2019), edited by Mabi David and Karla Rey. For more about Letters from Nature, tune in to the MUNI on This podcast on Spotify and wherever you listen to your favorite shows. _________ Agam the Climate Podcast is produced under the Agam Agenda: reimagining the climate conversation through stories and art. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Visit our website at agam.ph Produced by the Institute of Climate and Sustainable Cities and Ground Bravo Studios

As Earth Month draws to a close, listen to this special episode with Padma Perez, in conversation with Jen Horn, host of the podcast MUNI on This and one of our co-conspirators. In our previous episodes, we asked our guests to answer the question: “What more-than-human species has a presence in your life?” Listen as Padma and Jen unpack some of the responses we’ve heard—from songbirds to algae—and share their thoughts on the importance of nature, reconnection, and more-than-human presence. This episode features segments from our conversations with Agam contributors, María Faciolince, Swetha Ram, Luisa Igloria, Yuvan Aves, and Joti Tabula. Take part in our #LettersFromNature initiative: http://bit.ly/LettersFromNature You can also check out the MUNI on This podcast on Spotify and wherever you listen. _________ Agam the Climate Podcast is under the Agam Agenda: reimagining the climate conversation through stories and art. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Visit our website at agam.ph Produced by the Institute of Climate and Sustainable Cities and Ground Bravo Studios.

In this episode, we speak with writer, naturalist, educator, and activist Yuvan Aves, based in Chennai, India. After moving out of conventional schooling at the age of 16, Yuvan pursued his self-education and cultivated a deep relationship with nature throughout life. We have a rich conversation with Yuvan on what it means to be a naturalist, his vast experiences and learnings in environmental activism, and how stories and art help to sow kinder futures for the planet. We also talk about the campaign to save Pulicat Lake, a sanctuary for biodiversity and the second largest brackish water ecosystem in India. Yuvan is the author of A Naturalist’s Journal (Notion Press, 2017), a collection of essays. He is the recipient of the M.Krishnan Nature Writing Award, conferred by the Madras Naturalists’ Society. He also teaches at an alternative education space for children in Chennai, as he continues to reimagine an Earth-centric and child-centric education in schools. He is currently travelling and documenting stories along the Indian coastline. He is a contributor to the forthcoming Agam anthology, Harvest Moon: Poems and Stories from the Edge of the Climate Crisis (out later in 2021). Follow Yuvan on Instagram (@a_naturalists_column) and Twitter (@Yuvan_aves). _________ Agam the Climate Podcast is under the Agam Agenda: reimagining the climate conversation through stories and art. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Visit our website at agam.ph Produced by the Institute of Climate and Sustainable Cities and Ground Bravo Studios.

In this conversation, we hear stories from Dr. Swetha Ram, a pediatrician and poet from northern Kerala, in India. Her poem “Dear Son” is featured in Agam’s forthcoming anthology of climate literature (out later in 2021). Swetha was working in a rural hospital when Covid-19 hit Kerala. She was chosen for Covid duty and was separated from her toddler for half a year. She wrote “Dear Son” during that separation. She tells the Agam Agenda about her experience at the frontlines of the pandemic, her childhood dreams of becoming a writer, and how writing became a lifeline during the crisis. As a doctor and mother who loves to be amidst trees whenever she can, she shares her dreams for a kinder future for her son and coming generations.

Dr. Joti Tabula is a medical doctor and poet, hailing from San Antonio, Zambales in the Philippines. In this conversation, we talk to him about how he weaves together his medical and literary practices, how he deals with “sideline guilt” and the experience of living during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr. Tabula is a co-editor of the literary anthology Pagninilay: Hinga, Hingal, at Hingalo sa Panahon ng Pandemya (published in 2020), together with Doctors Alvin B. Caballes and Noel P. Pingoy. It is part of a three-volume book series launched by the Philippine General Hospital's (PGH) Human Spirit Project (facebook.com/pghhsp): an online archive that documents the stories of the people who work in PGH, since it became one of the country’s Covid-19 referral centers and battlegrounds against the virus. Now available in e-book format (tinyurl.com/PGHHSPPagninilay), Pagninilay offers a holistic examination and perspective of the pandemic, and the third volume tells the stories of front-liners and nonfront-liners from hospitals outside of PGH and local communities. Listen as Dr. Tabula speaks about his transdisciplinary practice of narrative medicine and the healing that literature can serve in our lives, especially in the face of uncertainty.

Luisa Igloria’s poetry spans more than 10 books and over decades of work. Her poems travel back and forth across the distance between Baguio City, in the Philippines where she grew up, and Virginia, United States where she now lives. She is the 20th Poet Laureate for the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 2015, she was the inaugural winner of the Resurgence Prize (UK), the world’s first major award for ecopoetry. Her latest collection of poems, Maps for Migrants and Ghosts, was published by Southern Illinois University Press in 2020. Listen to this conversation with Luisa as we talk about the future under the climate crisis, and how it can be transformed by our relationships with place, community, stories, and poetry.

Xiaojun Wang is a writer, environmental activist, founder of the nonprofit People of Asia for Climate Solutions, and contributor to the forthcoming Agam literary anthology. Born and raised in Shanxi Province, the birthplace of China's civilization and currently the largest coal producer for the country, Xiaojun speaks with Agam on his experience of the transformation of his home province by the coal industry. He also speaks about his work to center the stories of climate-vulnerable communities at the highest levels of policy- and decision-making on development and climate change. His latest book is Belt and Road: Through My Village (http://brivillage.asia), a compilation of stories and perspectives from the people who experience firsthand the impacts of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Excerpts from "Full Moon" by Xiaojun Wang (translated by Wang from the original Chinese into English) were read by Fiona Feng.

María Faciolince is a photographer, anthropologist, and the Global Voices Producer at Power Shifts Project for Oxfam. Two of her photographs are in the forthcoming Agam anthology of climate literature. She was born in Curacao and grew up in Colombia, and in this episode she speaks of the grief brought on by transformations happening at home and around the planet. Listen to our conversation as we unpack development and decolonization, and María shares stories of encounter and community through photography.

Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner, a poet and educator, is climate envoy for the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Thematic Ambassador for Culture for the Climate Vulnerable Forum. Listen as she talks about her contribution to the forthcoming Agam anthology, her diplomatic work, climate grief, and poetry’s power to heal.

Listen to poetry and fiction from the Regional Editors of Agam's forthcoming anthology of climate literature. For the full conversation with Padmapani Perez, Rehana Rossouw, Ramon Sunico, and Alexandra Walter, go to episode 10.

Agam's sequel is coming soon! An anthology of climate literature featuring the work of writers and photographers from across the global south. Listen to this conversation with the Regional Editors as they offer a glimpse into the creative processes that shaped the book. The editors also share their perspectives on what actionable hope means in a time of climate crisis. Mixing and title music by Ground Bravo, with the track “Lost Signals” by ZeroFox

Classical guitarist Adrik Cristobal serenades us with music while talking about the intersection between climate issues and sound.

May Ling Su, author and audiobook narrator of the Lilith series, a feminist, a menstrual artist, and anointed Porn Saint in Italy. She talks about people from the edges and her love for biblical and religious texts which became the basis for her reimagination of Lilith. Mixing and title music by Ground Bravo, with the track “Lost Signals” by ZeroFox.

May Ling Su reads Power Couple. To listen in on the full conversation with May Ling Su go to Episode 8.

Susan S. Lara, recipient of Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature and Focus Literary Awards, talks about when to say enough is enough during disasters and the ethical responsibilities of writers who tell climate fiction stories. Mixing and title music by Ground Bravo, with the track “Lost Signals” by ZeroFox.

Susan Lara reads Enough. To listen in on the full conversation with Susan Lara go to Episode 7.

On the Reading List you can listen to authors read their work, uncut, from Agam: Filipino Narratives on Uncertainty and Climate Change. Joel Saracho reads Dalawang Awit. To listen to the full conversation, go to Episode 6.

Actor, writer, dramaturg, and activist Joel Saracho speaks about organizing artists for social change and the importance of using the right language and medium to galvanize action.

On the Readlng List, you can listen to authors read work, uncut, from Agam: Filipino Narratives on Uncertainty and Climate Change. Criselda Yabes reads Seeing. To listen in on our full conversation with her, go to Episode 5.

Award-winning author Criselda Yabes reads speaks about the coverage of environmental stories and how certain stories can be told better in novels than in the news. She shares some of her process of writing and rewriting her new novel, Broken Islands. Mixing and title music by Ground Bravo, with the track “Lost Signals” by ZeroFox.

Daryll Delgado, author of The Body Displaces Water and Remains, speaks about the power of stories to carry truths and the relevance of local language to communicate climate change stories to people. Mixing and title music by Ground Bravo, with the track “Lost Signals” by ZeroFox.

On the Reading List, you can listen to authors read their work, uncut, from Agam: Filipino Narratives on Uncertainty and Climate Change. Daryll Delgado reads Panawagan. To listen in on the full conversation, go to Episode 4.

Marjorie Evasco reads Krutsay in English. To listen in on the conversation with Marjorie Evasco, go to Episode 3.

Richel Dorotan reads Krutsay in Cebuano. To listen in on the conversation with Richel Dorotan, go to Episode 3.

Listen to renowned poet and essayist Marjorie Evasco and literary editor Richel Dorotan as they talk about the role of regional literature in giving an alternative voice to climate change concerns and what actionable hope really means. Mixing and title music by Ground Bravo, with the track “Lost Signals” by ZeroFox.

On the Reading List, you can listen to authors read their work, uncut, from Agam: Filipino Narratives on Uncertainty and Climate Change. To hear an excerpt and listen in on a conversation with Arnold Molina Azurin, go to Episode 2.

On the Reading List, you can listen to authors read their work, uncut, from Agam: Filipino Narratives on Uncertainty and Climate Change. To hear an excerpt and listen in on a conversation with Merlinda Bobis, go to Episode 1.

Listen to anthropologist Arnold Molina Azurin read excerpts of Agayayos from Agam: Filipino Narratives on Uncertainty and Climate Change. Agayayos is Ilokano for flowing, as water down a river or blood in the veins. In this episode, Azurin speaks with us about history, landscape, and memory. Mixing and title music by Ground Bravo, with the track "Lost Signals" by ZeroFox.

BONUS EPISODE! Listen to young voices and perspectives in five minisodes created by students of Far Eastern University. Each three-minute minisode is a capsule containing youthful views and conversations on how climate change is experienced by fisherfolk, persons with disabilities, and indigenous peoples in the Philippines. Mixing and title music by Ground Bravo, with the track "Lost Signals" by ZeroFox.

In our first full episode, listen to Merlinda Bobis read Ten Fingers from Agam: Filipino Narratives on Uncertainty and Climate Change. She speaks with us about language, story-telling, river consciousness, and kapwa. Mixing and title music by Ground Bravo, with the track "Lost Signals" by ZeroFox.

Welcome to the pre-episode of Agam the Climate Podcast! In this episode we sit down with Renato Redentor “Red” Constantino, Executive Director of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), and preview the first season. Co-hosted by Padmapani L. Perez and Joseph Santos-Lyons. Title music by Ground Bravo, featuring “Lost Signals” by ZeroFox.