Oh My Curry Goodness

The last episode of Season 2 before I decide to go on a hiatus features Kylie Montingey. She is the host of the podcast “Talk of Fame” which centers around conversations with guests about mental health and other topics. I was a guest in her podcast back in December. She is also the Founder of “Empower Girls” which aims to inspire women to make a difference. Kylie’s passion for podcasting and advocacy has helped her understand that people around the world have potential to do something great and that there will be challenges present along the way. When Kylie was young, she experienced challenges such as anxiety and depression. As she got older, Kylie struggled with perfection and being a people-pleaser. Despite these challenges, Kylie is using her past experiences to inspire people and to embrace conversations around mental health. This led her to create her podcast “Talk of Fame” where she talks to guests from different backgrounds about mental health, experiences learned throught each other’s journey, and other topics. Learning about people stories - despite the challenges present during the podcast process - is what Kylie enjoys the most about podcast. In addition to podcasting, Kylie is passionate about female empowerment. Kylie was committed to this movement after seeing not many women were on television and has since been committed to supporting women across different industries. This led her to create the organization “Empower Girls” and her work in female empowerment has allowed her to speak at different organization about its importance. Kylie is working on her podcast and her advocacy for women despite being in high school and working at multiple jobs. In this episode, you will hear: The relationship Kylie has with her podcast What sports mean to Kylie and teams she has an emotional connection with Why female empowerment is important to Kylie Pressure Kylie puts on herself when it comes to advocacy Kylie's thoughts on expectations when it comes to podcast and other fields What a good and bad episode looks like to Kylie Hardest thing about being Kylie Montigney If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Kylie Montigney, be sure to follow her on Instagram @officialkyliemontigney as well as the podcast Talk of Fame @talkoffamepod and the organization Empower Girls @empowergirlsorg_.

Uzi Makhdoom is a mental health and anti bullying advocate. After personal challenges Uzi encountered, this led her to find her purpose in advocacy for those who faced similar challenges to her. In addition, Uzi is in the early stages of her podcast “The Good Life,” and she hopes to be releasing episodes in the near future. Growing up, Uzi was bullied in school. However, with the support of family, friends, and a connection with one of her teachers, Uzi was able to get through it. While there was also the option of moving to different schools to escape the difficult situation, she felt that moving to schools would mean that the bullies had won. Uzi had a connection with one of her teachers who she had known since she was in pre-school and this teacher would take care of her while in school. Whether it would be buying lunch or making sure no one bullied her, this teacher wanted to make sure nothing bad happened to Uzi. This experience allowed Uzi to learn about the importance of vulnerability and advocating for people. Two of these lessons inspired Uzi’s commitment to mental health advocacy. Like myself, Uzi is someone who is of South Asian descent and has experienced the cultural challenges when it comes to the topic of mental health. From her personal experiences, Uzi is dedicated to being the best advocate she can be towards herself and others and hopes to play a role in educating different cultures the impact of mental health on everyone. In this episode, you will hear: Uzi's experience of bullying and how she would describe relationship with herself at that time Lessons Uzi had learned from teacher that helped her during difficult times How Uzi knew she made the right decision in choosing to stay in school rather than leave schools Uzi's experience talking about mental health as someone who is of South Asian descent What it is like for Uzi to have a podcast and what she hopes to accomplish If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Uzi Makhdoom, be sure to follow her on Instagram @uziworld.

David Onilude is the Founder of Tech Now Global, a non-profit organization that aims to raise awareness on digital literacy in underserved communities. David is using his platform to give young people the tools they need to be successful in the technology field. His work has made an impact on young people across Africa and has been recognized for his work such as being a Teen Vogue 21 under 21 honoree and an Ashoka Young Changemaker. In addition to his role with Tech Now Global, David is a software developer. David grew up in Badagry, Nigeria, a community that struggled to have basic necessities such as technology and electricity. While these challenges existed, David credits his community for teaching him the importance of community and respecting your elders. David started getting involved in digital literacy after realizing he did not have the basic skills. After educating himself, he used what he learned to help others who were in the same position he was once in. He has experience in many programming languages such as CSS and JavaScript which are some of my favorite programming languages (these languages are used to build websites). David created Tech Now Global back in 2020, and has witnessed the impact it has had on many people in different communities in Africa. This is one of David’s favorite things about his organization. While he has good intentions to help young people and educate them on digital literacy, there are times where he struggled to get support from different communities. With the help from his family, mentors, and remembering his why, he continues to keep going. David describes himself as a changemaker who is determined to make a positive impact on young people. He hopes more people have the necessary skills to make a difference in the tech industry. In this episode, you will hear: What technology means to David David's favorite pieces of technology What David likes about growing up in Badagry How David continued to keep going with Tech Now Global during challenges in his journey How David would describe his relationship with Tech Now Global What the future looks like for David & Tech Now Global If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow David Onilude, be sure to follow him on Instagram @david_onilude as well as Tech Now Global @technow_global. You can also check out Tech Now Global’s website as well: Tech Now Global: https://technowglobal.org.ng/

Lila Mansour is the Founder & Legal Educator at the BC Arabic Legal Support Centre. Its mission is to help newcomers in Canada and provide them the necessary information they need to understand their new surroundings. In the past, Lila has helped raise awareness on different issues and educate people on the importance of politics. These topics are important to her as she believes they can help create a better future for people all over Canada. Lila grew up in Prince George, British Columbia with parents who were both originally from Syria. One of the things that is important to her is faith and credits this as one of the things that has shaped her into the person she is today. Throughout her life, Lila has been involved in volunteering. Whether it is volunteering for climate change, talking about cancer prevention, or teaching Sunday School for Arabic religious studies at the mosque, Lila finds helping people rewarding. She has also advocated for different minority groups in order to help them feel seen and heard. With a passion for politics, Lila also got involved with different organizations during her time before and during undergraduate where she wanted to learn more about politics and convince other people to get involved as well. Now she is using her passion by being a part of the British Columbia Arabic Legal Support Centre in hopes to make life easier for newcomers in Canada. After seeing the lack of information for newcomers, Lila provides information such as their rights, interactions with people, and the laws that people need to follow. When not working on her organization, Lila is a law student and hopes to use her experiences to help benefit her community that she is proud to call home. In this episode, you will hear: Lila's journey when it comes to the relationship she has with faith Early experiences Lila had that inspired her to get involved in volunteering Challenges Lila has had when it comes to her passions and how she knew she was making the right choices What it is like to be involved in volunteering and politics as a Muslim woman Lila's experiences with her organization BC Arabic Legal Support Centre What is next for Legal Support Centre and for Lila If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Lila Mansour, be sure to follow her on Instagram @lilaxmansour. You can also check out her website as well:Personal: https://lilamansour.ca/

Stanley Anigbogu is the Founder & CEO of LightED - an organization that recycles electrical and electronic waste in order to provide energy solutions to marginalized communities. Born in Nigeria but based in Rwanda, Stanley is using his platform to make an impact in different communities around Africa. He has also founded organizations such as ArtecHubs which aims to help educate young people with technology and STEM4Her which provides opportunities for women to be involved in STEM. Stanley is also a filmmaker who emphasizes the importance of storytelling and sharing perspectives. Stanley’s passion for STEM started at young age when he was building small projects. In addition, it came from watching movies. One of his favorite films growing up was the first Iron Man movie and admired how inventions were made to help people. While the likelihood of Stanley building an Iron Man suite is unlikely, he is using his passion to help communities around Africa based on personal experiences. With his company LightED, he has been able to help generate electricity in different communities. Seeing the positive reaction that people have with the work he is doing motivates him to keep going. While STEM is one part of Stanley’s life, he has also been involved with filmmaking. One reason is due to his father working with different actors from Nigeria, but the other reason is his interest in storytelling. He has been able to showcase his talents in filmmaking which allowed him to win multiple awards. His goal is to share stories about his community and the work LightED has done in Africa. With his work in filmmaking and technology, Stanley hopes to share a positive image on Africa and document the incredible people that make this continent special. While challenges exist, Stanley wants people to understand that Africa is a special place and is proud to call it home. In this episode, you will hear: Where helping people comes from for Stanley If Stanley feels excited or pressured when it comes to helping people Why STEM is important to Stanley Favorite / emotional moments Stanley has had when working on LightED Stnaley's journey with filmmaking Hardest part about being Stanley If you want to follow “Oh My Curry Goodness,” subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Stanley, be sure to follow him on Instagram @stanleyanigbogu_ as well as his company LightED @lightedpage! You can also check out LightED’s website: Personal: https://lightedimpact.org/

Regina Loayza is a First-Year Law Student at The Ohio State University. She also uses her platform to raise awareness on climate change. Regina hopes to use her experience in law and passion in the environment to fight for Environmental & Social Justice. In the past, Regina has served in Ohio State’s Undergraduate Student Government where she worked in multiple positions from being a member of the Sustainability Committee to Community Relations. Regina was born in Peru before moving to the United States when she was nine months old. Even though Regina and her family reside in the United States, Regina is proud of her Peruvian background. However, there have been times where cultural challenges have existed (see episode for more details). Since living in the United States, Regina learned the importance of education from her family. With the help of family, teachers, and mentors along the way, it led to Regina attending The Ohio State University for her undergraduate. She hopes to continue making them proud in the future. As a law student who is passionate about climate change, this journey started in high school when Regina learned about how different parts of the world were being affected by the climate. This inspired Regina to educate people on climate change. Despite having the intention of doing good, Regina has had people undermine her passions. From people telling her to focus on other areas of interest to dealing with people who do not believe in climate change at all. Despite these difficulties, Regina is committed to continue playing a role in climate change activism. This is Regina’s first year as a law student at Ohio State and hopes to work in environmental policy and fight for those who have been affected the most. In this episode, you will hear: The importance of people according to Regina Regina's relationship with her Peruvian identity Experiences that inspired Regina to get into law and environment How Ohio State has helped Regina on a personal level What is it like for Regina being in law school Experiences Regina has had when it comes to raising awareness on climate change Regina's thoughts on family legacy If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Regina Loayza be sure to follow her on Instagram @reginaxloayza

Nistha Dube who is a Self-Discovery Speaker, Author, & Education Reform Activist. In the past, she has been featured on articles such as Business Insider talking about the relationship she has had when it comes to finding purpose in passion. In the past, she has done motivational speaking and helped people connect to their inner selves. Currently, she works in the intersection of behavioral science and education. Nistha also has a podcast called “Rising,” where she interviews people about their personal journeys, purpose, the relationship they have had with themselves and their mind. Nistha grew up in a family that supported her in whatever career she wanted to pursue. Her mom predicted she would write a book when she grew up, and her dad thought she would be a great public speaker. This would later inspire Nistha to have a career in motivational speaking and coaching. This journey started after Nistha made TikTok videos of herself sharing her passions. This was happening as Nistha was in the process of getting her Bachelor’s degree in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of Virginia Tech. As she continued making videos, she started gaining traction which led her to getting recognized by an agency and later getting a speaking agent. This gave her the opportunity to move to LA to pursue this.With her passions and starting her journey in speaking, she has been able to speak in schools and educate young people to find their purpose and uses her personal experiences as motivation. However, after a few years, things were not going well for Nistha which forced her to move back to her home state of Virginia to start all over again. This experience gave her the opportunity to focus on herself and how to move forward. She is now using her degree in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience to help kids. In this episode, you will hear: The journey Nistha has had when it comes to the word purpose A memory that meant a lot to Nistha when doing motivational speaking and/or speaking The experiences Nistha had to make the decision of starting over How Nistha is doing now since starting over Meaningful experiences at Nistha's new job working with children The meaning behind Nistha's name and how often she uses it as motivation If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Nistha Dube, be sure to follow her on Instagram @nistha.me.

Please note there were a few audio issues present during this conversation Madison Vitello is a Regional Leader & Financial Advisor with Primerica. Primerica is a Fortune 1000 firm listed on the New York Stock Exchange whose mission is to help families earn more income, become properly protected, debt free, and financially independent. Madison has grew up in this business as her parents have been doing this for almost 30 years. Madison hopes to have a positive impact on people’s lives when it comes to managing their finances and hope she can make her family proud given that this is a family business she will have more control of in the future. An interesting fact about Madison is that like myself, she is from Ohio! Just not the same city unfortunately. Madison grew up surrounded by those who had a passion for entrepreneurship. This was prevalent especially around her family as her mom and dad started their own business. This, along with her relationship with faith, has inspired her to help people whenever given the opportunity. Madison was a strong student academically. In high school, she was valedictorian (watch the conversation to learn about how that happened) before attending The Ohio State University to study psychology. After 1.5 years and 20 credits away from graduating, Madison elected to drop out in order to help with her family’s business. While Madison may revisit college at some point, she has found her purpose in helping people when it comes to their finances. She has helped and trained people when it comes to understanding how money works and important lessons that she thinks have not been emphasized enough in schools. The combination of education and being a people-oriented person are why Madison enjoys the job she has with Primerica. She is also joined by her older brother and in the future, her younger brother as they look to continue playing a major role in the family business and are motivated to continue adding on to the family legacy. In this episode, you will hear: Why helping people is an important part of Madison's identity Madison's journey from being a valedictorian of her high school to dropping out of Ohio State Most difficult decision Madison had to make in her life and how she knew that was the right decision What is Primerica and the pressure Madison puts on herself when working on the family business Future plans for Madison How Madison defines a rich person Hardest part about being Madison Vitello If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Madison Vitello, be sure to follow her on Instagram @madison.vitello as well as her Money Coach page @moneycoachmadison. You can also check out her Primerica’s website as well: Primerica: https://www.primerica.com/public/

Please note I did have lighting issues on my end.Pierangela is a musician and muralist. She uses her work in creativity to inspire others to look within themselves. Growing up with a passion for both art and music, she has been able to share her passion with many people and hopes to continue doing it in the future. You can find her work on her website listed below. Some of her notable achievements include painting a mural for Art Basel at 15 and being the winner of the 2022 National YoungArts Foundation. Pierangela was born and raised in Miami, Florida to parents who immigrated to the U.S. from Venezuela. From a young age, Pierangela had an interest in the arts and later developed a passion in music. Despite her growing interest, Pierangela did not have anyone in her circle to help. Her mom was in marketing and her dad was in engineering. This led her to find inspiration from others in order to continue with her passion. To this day, Pierangela continues to write and work on music every day and wants to pursue a career as a recording artist. She has already been able to perform in Miami. Aside from music, Pierangela has dived into artistry and more specifically being a muralist (artists who paint on walls). This was something that was influenced by her upbringing in Miami. Currently, Pierangela is a student at Berklee College of Music where she studies Music & Production engineering.In this episode, you will hear:​What is a song and/or painting that had a huge significance on Pierangela​How did Pierangela know that music and visual arts was the right home for her​As someone who grew up in a family without musicians, what was Pierangela's relationship like with her when it comes to her passion​The journey Pierangela had when it comes to being free as an artist while possibly dealing with overthinking​How Pierangela defines what success means to herIf you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Pierangela, be sure to follow her on Instagram @pieragramm!Be sure to check out her website as well:Personal: https://www.pierangela.me/

Please note that this conversation took place back in May Victoria Makanjuola is a content creator and host of the podcast “The Feel Your FeelingZ Podcast,” a show that discusses topics such as mental health and wellbeing. This is a podcast I was on back in December of 2023! Her podcast has featured people such as content creators, athletes, and activists in different fields. Her work has also got her involved in raising awareness on mental health. When Victoria was little, she moved to different places around the country. The experience of moving and sticking together taught her the importance of family. Victoria comes from a family who emphasized the importance of education, which led her to first attending Sam Houston State and later to George Washington University to receive her masters. Currently, Victoria is a student at University of Southern California (USC) where she is in the process of getting her second masters (a decision that was influenced by her parents). In addition to education, creativity was another area of interest for Victoria and her podcast “The Feel Your FeelingZ Podcast” was created for her capstone media project during her time in George Washington University. In 2021, Victoria launched the first episode of her podcast and in 2022, she created the The Misunderstood series which allowed guests to share their unique stories and dealing with the thoughts of other people. Victoria’s work with her podcast allowed her to gain recognition, including being a Mental Health Action Day Partner. While Victoria has had many incredible people on her podcast, she cites her project as helping her with self-confidence as her relationship with it had many ups and downs. Victoria continues to put herself out in the public in order to help spread awareness about her podcast or get more guests for her show. While she has had rejections with her podcast, this will not stop Victoria from continuing to do what she loves and hopes to monetize her show in the future. In this episode, you will hear: The relationship Victoria has with her family If Victoria has any pressure when it comes to making her parents proud How "Feel Your FeelingZ Podcast" has helped Victoria on a personal level What prevents Victoria from giving up on her podcast Victoria's thoughts on what makes a good podcast episode Victoria's thoughts on the idea of being misunderstood Future plans for "Feel Your FeelingZ Podcast" Hardest thing about being Victoria Makanjuola If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Victoria Makanjuola be sure to follow her on Instagram @astoldbyvictoria_ as well as her podcast @feelyourfeelingzpod! You can also check out the website of “The Feel Your FeelingZ Podcast”: Feel Your FeelingZ Podcast: https://ufeelme.univer.se/

Hollis Belger is the Founder of Juggling for Jude, a soccer-juggling fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. An organization she has started since nine years old, Hollis is using her soccer juggling talent in hopes of raising money to find a cure for cancer. Her work in philanthropy has seen her win awards such as the Princess Diana Award and recognized by current and former professional soccer players. She is also a public speaker and researcher who has worked in philanthropy consulting firms. A fun fact about Hollis is that her personal record is 7,157 juggles which took 76 minutes to accomplish. Hollis learned about the importance of service from a very young age. At the age of nine, she thought about using her unique talent in juggling a soccer ball to raise money for cancer patients at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This created “Juggling for Jude.” What was originally seen as a passion project during that summer became something Hollis could pursue for life after she raised tens and thousands of dollars. As of this recording, she has helped raise more than $700,000, where all the money goes to paying the bill for patients and their families. Hollis may not have a personal connection to St. Jude, but she has become friends with patients and aims to continue supporting them throughout their journey. While raising almost a million dollars is an impressive accomplishment, Hollis hopes in the future that there is a cure for cancer as 1 out of 5 children die from it every year. With the success Hollis has had with Juggling For Jude, the obstacles and challenges faced throughout her life (personally and professionally) have motivated her to continue fighting for kids who are going through a difficult period in their journey. Since starting Juggling For Jude at nine years old, she has used her platform to speak to young people about finding their purpose and continuing to raise awareness on the issue of pediatric cancer among young people. Outside of philanthropy and service, Hollis is a student at Stanford University where she will be starting her 2nd year soon. In this episode, you will hear: What would life look for Hollis if she was not involved in philanthropy or service? How did Hollis know that she made the right decision in choosing to do a soccer-juggling fundraiser? How has St. Jude helped Hollis as a person? Challenges Hollis faced that she is grateful for? How Hollis knows if she is winning or losing? (People have often said their biggest opponent is themselves) If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Hollis Belger, be sure to follow her on Instagram @juggling_for_jude! You can also check out Juggling for Jude website: Juggling For Jude: https://www.jugglingforjude.com/

Chase Hartman is the Co-Founder of Eco Brothers, an organization that aims to improve literacy rates and donate books around the country. Chase’s nonprofit has gone on to distribute more than 200,000 books all around the country with the hope that kids can have access to books. This is a nonprofit that he started with his brother as a way to share their passions and previous experiences with volunteering. Many teachers and parents of children have praised his nonprofit for making an impact on their children. Recently, Chase recently graduated from high school and is now looking forward to the next chapter in his life: college. Chase has always been involved in volunteering and leadership roles. Whether it was being a Boy Scout, being a part of student government in high school, or being captain of the swim team, Chase wanted to take these roles and be of service to those around him. This would then lead to creating Eco-Brothers with his younger brother. By combining their love for reading and recognizing the issue that books are not easily accessible to other kids, Chase realized he needed to take action. While he is happy to distribute more than 200,000 books, Chase focuses more on the personal connections he has made through the years. This helps him better understand how to truly make an impact on someone. He does not just make an impact volunteering, but also on the academic level as well where he is a member of the National Honors Society when he was in high school and a 2024 Coca-Cola Scholar. Now that he has graduated from high school, Chase will be attending the University of Florida where he will be majoring in business, and hopes he will become an even better person by the time he graduates. In this episode, you will hear: Books that mean a lot to Chase A time Chase helped someone and it made him felt good What would Chase lose if he did not have volunteering What did Chase lose if he did not have volunteering Fears Chase has had and currently has that he hopes to overcome in the future What is the most difficult thing about being Chase Hartman If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Chase Hartman, be sure to follow him on Instagram @_chasehartman as well as Eco Brothers Inc @readrepeatorg! You can also check out the website of Eco Brothers:Eco Brothers: https://www.ecobrothersinc.org/

Jenk Oz is the Founder & CEO of Thred Media, a social enterprise focused on publishing content aimed at Gen-Z. His entrepreneurship journey started at the age of 11 when he created icoolkid, which led him to become Britain's youngest CEO. After a few years, he renamed the company to Thred Media which has reached more than 100 countries worldwide. For his work with Thred, he was awarded the Princess Diana Award in 2021. In addition to entrepreneurship, Jenk is also interested in music as he played many instruments as a child and is now DJing. He also grew up in acting but does not do it as much now. As an only child, Jenk grew up doing many extracurricular activities such as acting and dancing in addition to becoming an entrepreneur. These experiences allowed him to not be afraid of public speaking or the fear of rejection. When Jenk was 11, he created a website that would tell people cool things to do in London. It took time before the website started getting traction. The support the website received could not have happened without the help of friends and family. What started as just a fun way to educate people was soon shared by people in the community As Jenk started getting older, the content needed to become more mature and serious about different issues. Instead of coming up with a new company, he renamed it Thred Media with the mission of creating content about social change. Thred covers a lot of topics such as climate change, social justice, and education, just to name a few. In this episode, you will hear: - Three most important things to Jenk - Any pressure Jenk has in representing Gen-Z the best way possible - Jenk on his willingness to put himself out in the public - How Jenk would describe his relationship with Thred Media - Which topic is Jenk most passionate about that has been covered by Thred - Fears Jenk used to have and currently has If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Jenk Oz be sure to follow him on Instagram @jenk.oz as well as Thred Media @thredmag! You can also check out his website as well as Thred’s: Personal: https://www.jenkoz.com/  Thred: https://www.thredmedia.com/

Casey Phair is a professional soccer player for Angel City FC and the South Korean Women’s National Team. Although currently a forward, she grew up playing various positions, including defense and midfield. On July 25, 2023, Casey became the youngest player to feature in a FIFA Women’s World Cup at 16 years and 26 days old. She was also the first multiracial footballer called up to the South Korean national team. In January of this year, Casey signed with Angel City FC, becoming the team’s youngest ever signing. She is also one of the youngest guests on this podcast! Casey was born in Korea to an American father and a South Korean mother but grew up in the United States. As a child, she moved frequently before eventually settling in New Jersey. Soccer played a significant role in her life, but education was also important as she aspired to become a chemical engineer. Due to her busy schedule balancing soccer and academics, Casey takes online classes to pursue her education. Competing in the FIFA Women’s World Cup was an incredible experience for her, although the training camps were challenging compared to what she was used to. Despite these difficulties, Casey played in all three games for South Korea. After the World Cup, she went on trial with multiple soccer clubs, including Angel City FC. Casey chose Angel City FC for its culture and environment, both within the team and the city. Despite the numerous changes in her life this past year, she is proud of her growth and remains motivated to be the best on and off the field. In this episode, you will hear: As someone who is South Korean, does Casey like curry? How would Casey describe the difference between her as a soccer player and her outside of the sport? What Casey liked the most about soccer, and what made her want to do this as a career? Did Casey have support from others when pursuing a career in professional soccer? Casey's advice for female athletes from Asia who want to pursue professional sports but are unable to because of gender roles. Challenges Casey had when competing at a FIFA World Cup. Casey on the importance of culture and environment in a professional soccer team. If Casey had moments where she was impressed with herself. If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Casey Phair be sure to follow her on Instagram @caseyphair_ as well as Angel City FC @weareangelcity! Please note: There was a discussion about Casey's interest in becoming the oldest woman to compete at a World Cup. I mentioned that the previous record for the oldest player at a FIFA Women’s World Cup was 40 years old, but this record was surpassed by Formiga of Brazil, who was 41 years and 112 days old during the 2019 tournament.

Vasilis Skarleas is the host of the GenZers to Rise! Podcast which interviews young people around the world about the work they are doing. In addition, Vasilis is very passionate about STEM as he has his computing services known as the Vasilis Skarleas Cloud. Other things he has an interest in include photography, videography, and robotics. Currently, Vasilis is a college student studying Robotics Engineering. Born in Greece, Vasilis had a passion for STEM from an early age. Whether working with different robots or LEGO sets, he loved building things. Later on, Vasilis would participate in the World Robotics Olympiad which is a global robotic competition for young people. In November of 2020, Vasilis came up with the idea of starting GenZers to Rise! and have entrepreneurs come onto the podcast. Its first episode was published in January of 2021. Despite the challenges faced such as fear, failure, negative comments, and even Vasilis opening up about whether people would understand his accent, he and his co-hosts have continued to produce more episodes and have reached many people worldwide. In this episode, you will hear: What Vasilis likes about being in the STEM field and how he knew it was the right field for him Relationship Vasilis has with STEM What would Vasilis lose if he lost STEM What do podcasting and engineering have in common according to Vasilis Early challenges Vasilis had when first creating GenZers to Rise Podcast What the future looks like for GenZers to Rise The hardest thing about being Vasilis If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Vasilis Skarleas, be sure to follow him on Instagram @vskarleas as well as his podcast GenZers to Rise! @genzerstorise! You can also check out Vasilis’ website as well: Website: https://madebyvasilis.site/

Sam Demma is an author and keynote speaker. His book, “Empty Your Backpack” is a bestseller that explains how the beliefs carried and the actions taken can determine whether you will achieve your dreams and goals. When it comes to being a speaker, he has spoken to over 600 crowds across North America, where his presentations address the topics of mental health, leadership, and kindness. He is currently heading to Kenya for his “Empty Your Backpack” tour for the next few weeks where he wants to inspire kids in different schools to take action and achieve their dreams. Growing up, Sam Demma wanted to become a professional soccer player. However, after many injuries, Sam had to let go of his dream. To help him find his purpose again, he had a teacher who inspired him to get involved in service and volunteerism. His teacher wanted to show him that people can change the world by taking small, consistent actions. To start, he co-founded PickWaste, an organization that brought volunteers to pick up bags of litter. While it was difficult to attract volunteers at first, many students started to volunteer after Sam was able to talk about his story at his school. After Pickwaste, Sam transitioned into the area of being a Keynote Speaker & Author, emphasizing the importance of service and taking action. When Sam first started getting into speaking, he was rejected numerous times by people before slowly starting to get support. Since then, he has inspired thousands of people and wants to continue doing that going forward. Despite his ambition to make an impact on other people, Sam makes it a priority to take care of himself first. In this episode, you will hear: Favorite soccer game Sam watched as someone who loved the sport growing up Why Sam wanted to be a professional soccer player at first How Sam's life has changed when he started getting involved in service and volunteering Sam's thoughts on the hardest and/or scariest thing about helping people? An experience Sam had where helping people went wrong, but today he is thankful for going through that experience because of the lessons learned "Best" negative comment Sam has received that made him feel positive Sam on which topic he thinks is the most difficult to talk about when speaking (mental health, leadership, & kindness) What Sam is excited and nervous about when he goes to Kenya for his speaking tour If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Sam Demma, be sure to follow him on Instagram @sam_demma. You can also check out his website as well: Website: https://samdemma.com/

Ally Sentnor is a professional soccer player for Utah Royals FC in the National Women’s Soccer League. Before joining Utah Royals, she spent two years playing for North Carolina’s Women’s Soccer Team. Internationally, Ally has represented the U.S. Women’s National Team at the Under-17 and Under-20 levels. Watching the U.S. Women’s National Team win the FIFA Women’s World Cup and competing for North Carolina inspired Ally to pursue a professional soccer career. She worked hard to make that dream come true. After two years at North Carolina, she was selected first overall by Utah Royals FC in the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League Draft. Since then, she has played an important role on the team this season. Ally doesn’t want to just be the best professional soccer player on the field, but also off the field. She has a mission to inspire more women and girls to pursue a career in professional soccer. Despite being a professional soccer player, Ally wants to be known simply as a human being. Aside from soccer, she values friendships, which have played a big role in both her career and personal life. In this episode, you will hear: How hard is it to simply be known as a human being as a professional soccer player according to Ally What inspired Ally to pursue a career in professional soccer What being the first pick of the 2024 NWSL draft means to Ally Ally’s experiences playing for Utah Royals during this season Losses that have played a role in Ally’s life despite disliking them at the time it happened Why friendships are important to Ally Ally’s views on what makes a good friend Ally’s fears when it comes to friendships Why inspiring young girls and women to pursue a career in soccer is important to Ally If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Ally Sentnor, be sure to follow her on Instagram @allysentnor as well as her soccer team Utah Royals FC @utahroyalsfc.

Hey everyone! I am back after almost a two-month hiatus from the podcast! I wanted to use this episode to talk about what I have been doing during this break and what I plan to do to make the podcast better. I also discuss what Season 3 of the podcast will look like as it will start later instead of in January like the first two seasons. Here are some topics you will hear on this episode: Podcast Identity Crisis My lack of Self-Confidence Bad messaging and multiple contradictions What I plan to change on the podcast The future of the podcast. Season 3 to be specific If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow me, be sure to follow me on Instagram @hamzaislam_2002

Marcus Knight is a content creator and motivational speaker who uses his platform to speak up about social justice issues and the importance of storytelling. In the future, Marcus plans to release a book about how to be an ally in social justice. The name of the book is still To Be Determined as of now. He also has a podcast coming up called The Round Table which will be revealed at a later date. Check out the conversation to know how Marcus came up with the podcast name! Marcus grew up in a musical household. Because of this, he was singing quite often whether at church or school. When he was in middle school and high school, he was involved in musical theatre. Because of his experiences in music, worship, and creativity, these three things have been important to Marcus’ identity. These three things have helped Marcus enter new areas such as motivational speaking. Recently, Marcus got to deliver a TedX talk about the importance of storytelling and how it can help humans relate to one another. Marcus has also been involved in activism and has cited early experiences helping people as reasons to why he advocates for people who feel underrepresented. Marcus’ experience in advocacy and in particular the social justice protests in 2020, inspired him to write a book (releasing late 2024 or 2025) about how to be an ally in fighting for justice and representation. Later this year, Marcus will start a podcast where he and other guests will discuss topics that are affecting Gen-Z with the hope of understanding people’s point of view. With negativity frequently being present, Marcus hopes to inspire people through his optimism. In this episode you will learn: Traits and personalities that best describes Marcus. Why Marcus is passionate about topics such as optimism and hope. Different stories that have shaped Marcus into who he is today. Marcus’s thoughts on his upcoming book and podcast. If you want to follow “Oh My Curry Goodness,” subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Marcus Knight be sure to follow him on Instagram @marcustheknight. You can also check out his website as well: Personal: https://www.marcustheknight.com/ 

Mayor Jaylen Smith is the Mayor of Earle, Arkansas. This happened after the November 2022 election. At the time of his victory, he was only 18 years old, making him one of the youngest mayors in the United States and the youngest Black mayor. Mayor Smith has lived in Earle, Arkansas his whole life with the goal of making the city a better place for everyone to live in. Before becoming Mayor of Earle, Arkansas, Mayor Smith was President of Earle High School’s student government. This led him to get involved not only with his high school but also in his community. However, Mayor Smith was interested in becoming a mayor even before high school. After high school, instead of leaving Earle, he chose to stay and make an impact on the city. Mayor Smith ran on issues that were personal to him such as Public Safety as well as building new houses, improving transportation, and getting a grocery store. He won in November of 2022 defeating his opponent, Nemi Matthews Sr., who was the city’s street and sanitation superintendent. When his family found out he was going to be Mayor of the city, his family where excited for him. He was sworn into office on January 3rd, 2023. Mayor Smith credits his family and faith for shaping him into the person he is today. While he is Mayor, he also takes online classes at Arkansas State University Mid-South. In this conversation, you will learn: What excites Mayor Smith about politics and civics education Mayor Smith's relationship with the city of Earle, Arkansas Mayor Smith on how people who disagree or doubt you can make you grow as a person People who have pushed Mayor Smith the most Any regrets Mayor Smith has If you want to follow “Oh My Curry Goodness,” subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Mayor Smith, be sure to follow him on Instagram @mayorjaylensmith

Please Note that this interview took place before the start of the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League Season. Kennedy Wesley is a Professional Soccer Player for the San Diego Wave of the National Women’s Soccer League. This is her first year as a Professional Soccer Player after five years at Stanford University where she is the all-time leader in matches played with 104. Soccer was not the only activity Kennedy grew up doing. In addition, she used to be a violinist and a gymnast before deciding to spend more time with soccer. Kennedy grew up in a small yet close-knit community where she knew almost everyone. When first attending Stanford, because it was a new place with few people that she knew, it was overwhelming. However, with time she was able to have a more enjoyable experience in college. Some of Kennedy’s achievements at Stanford University include becoming an NCAA Champion during her freshman year. Recently, she was selected 12th overall in the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League Draft by the San Diego Wave. In this episode, you will hear: Lessons Kennedy learned from being a violinist and a gymnast If Kennedy ever worried about whether she was going to become a professional soccer player Kennedy’s advice on embracing the unknown or the future How much Kennedy has changed after attending Stanford University If Kennedy ever thought that she was going to break the record for most appearances for the Stanford Women’s Soccer Team Whether Kennedy hopes someone takes the record from her What are some difficult times Kennedy is grateful for What challenges Kennedy hopes to overcome in the future and how being a Professional Soccer Player can help her overcome these issues What Kennedy hopes to bring to the San Diego Wave Other things Kennedy is looking forward to as she gets ready for her first year in the NWSL If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Kennedy Wesley, be sure to follow her on Instagram @kennedywesleyy as well as her soccer team San Diego Wave FC @sandiegowavefc.

Sara Abou Rashed is a poet and speaker whose poems often center around home, women and immigrant communities. At the age of 13, when she first moved to the US and learned the language, Sara was called an inspiration. Since then she has continued to pursue her passion. One of Sara’s biggest accomplishments was her debut one-woman show called A Map of Myself where her show has been performed many times across the United States. Originally Palestinian, Sara was born and raised in Syria until she and her family moved to the United States at the age of 13. Her love for poetry started when she was young and would listen to her grandmother’s stories. She would later recite old poems her grandmother memorized which sparked Sara’s interest in storytelling. Two years after moving to the United States and residing in Ohio, Sara won the Ohio Poetry Association High School Content. Since coming to the United States and pursuing her love for poetry, Sara’s work has appeared in many publications. She hopes to use poetry and art as a tool to engage with politics and bring people together. In this conversation, you will learn: How Sara dealt with challenges moving from one country to another Sara’s views on religion and how it has helped her become the person she is today Sara’s passion for poetry and the arts Sara’s advice for those who deal with doubt from themselves and/or others   Fears Sara hopes to overcome in the future  If you want to follow “Oh My Curry Goodness,” subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more!  If you want to follow Sara Rashed, be sure to follow her on Instagram @saraabourashed. You can also check out her website as well: Personal: https://saraabourashed.com

Catherine Delgado is a mental health advocate. In high school, she and her friends created the Student Wellness, Education, and Resources Committee (SWEAR for short) after having limited resources and support to look after their mental health. Now, Catherine is a Public Health student at George Washington University who is passionate not only about mental health but global health as well. She wants to examine how health is defined across different environments knowing that not every culture follows the same practice. Catherine is the daughter of parents who immigrated to the United States from The Philippines. Countries in Asia are known for having a Collectivist culture, which inspired Catherine to fuel her passion for helping people and listening to them when needed. This was shown especially after the creation of the Student Wellness, Education, and Resources Committee (SWEAR). While there is always the concern of making mistakes when helping people, that did not stop Catherine from giving people resources students need to look after their mental health. Originally from California, Catherine is a student at George Washington University and wants to get involved in public health and how other countries define health. For example, she went to Uganda to understand people’s way of living over there and how different it is. Throughout her life, Catherine has credited her family and friends who have shaped her into the person she wants to be. In this conversation, you will learn: Catherine's thoughts on how to be a good listener Who were the people who played a part in Catherine's life Catherine's relationship with shyness Any pressure that exists for Catherine when it comes to helping people What is more difficult for Catherine: Asking for help or helping people Why community is important to Catherine Pressure Catherine has when it comes to making her parents proud Something Catherine is at peace with What Catherine is doing now in college Catherine's experiences in Uganda What Catherine is scared of that is holding her back from being her best self Any regrets Catherine has If you want to follow “Oh My Curry Goodness,” subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more!  If you want to follow Catherine, be sure to follow her on Instagram @cath.delgado! You can also check out her personal website: Personal: https://www.cathdelgado.com/

Please note that this episode contains discussions of suicide. Ramya Chunduri is a psychotherapist who has professional experience working with patients who are victims of domestic violence. She uses listening and observations in order to help her patients as they deal with their negative experiences. She is also the Founder & CEO of Saurya Media which is a health start up that aims to help survivors during their recovery process. Ramya was always interested in helping people. After seeing how often her parents would help others, she knew this was something she wanted to do. Like many guests who have been on the podcast, Ramya was also drawn into people and their stories. By combining these two passions, it has led her to do what she is doing today as a Psychotherapist. She has also worked with people in South Asian and BIPOC communities who have been victims of domestic violence. Throughout her education journey, Ramya attended schools such as Columbia & Harvard University in order to receiver her Master’s. As impressive as it is, Ramya had to work hard and bounced back from multiple failures. Ramya’s personal journey to get to where she is today was not easy and went through very difficult times. Fortunately, she was able to overcome difficult moments to now pursue areas that she is passionate about. While Ramya continues her career in Psychotherapy, she is also starting her company Saurya Media which is a media platform that was born as a capstone project while at Harvard. This platform uses new and traditional modalities to create pathways of individual and community healing/understanding. Ramya hopes to continue inspiring people who are going through difficult times because she knows that every one is a human being with unique stories. In this episode, you will learn: Ramya’s first experiences helping people and how it made her feel Ramya’s experiences when it comes to vulnerability How much pressure Ramya puts on herself when helping people  How Ramya knows she is pursuing the right field regardless of past mistakes and failures What excites and worries Ramya has with Saurya Media Fears Ramya has that she hopes to overcome in the future  If you want to follow “Oh My Curry Goodness,” subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more!  If you want to follow Ramya, be sure to follow her on Instagram @ramyasai28 as well as Saurya Media @sauryahealth! You can also check out her personal website as well as Saurya Media's website: Personal: https://www.ramyachunduri.com Saurya Media: https://www.sauryamedia.com/

Noor Abukaram is the Founder of Let Noor Run - A nonprofit that aims to raise awareness about discrimination based on religious beliefs in sports. In 2019, she made news after being disqualified from a high school cross country race for wearing a hijab (head covering worn by Muslim women). This happened despite achieving her personal best. This led her to work with state legislators in Ohio to work on Senate Bill 181, which would prevent the state’s athletic governing body OSHAA (Ohio High School Athletic Association) from creating rules that are discriminatory to religious groups. This was signed into law by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine in 2022. Noor first started to wear the hijab as a teenager and has since been proud to wear it. When her disqualification story happened, it inspired her to become involved in advocacy. At first, Noor was hesitant to share her story with others, but was later convinced that this was the right thing to do after a conversation with her sister. She shared her story with Ohio State Senator Theresa Gavarone and together they worked on a bill to address the issue of discrimination in sports. While this seemed like an issue that would be easy to solve, this took several years before it was signed into law. Those years were frustrating, but Noor credits her faith and having the right support system for supporting her throughout her athletic and advocacy journey. In the future, Noor wants to continue working on Let Noor Run as there are still parts of the country where there is discrimination in sports. She also wants to use her story as a way to inspire others to make change when they see something that is wrong. From a runner’s perspective, Noor wants to compete in more marathons and she is already getting ready for a few as of this recording (find out which ones in this conversation). In addition to running, Noor loves to play soccer. In fact, she used cross country as a way to get ready for soccer due to the amount of running and stamina that is required. Academically, Noor is a student at Ohio State who is currently studying Fashion and Retail. In this conversation, you will hear: Noor's relationship with faith What lets Noor know that she is doing the right thing when speaking out How Noor deals with the marathon of advocacy and knowing change takes time What Noor has learned from soccer and running What Noor thinks make a great team Any pressure Noor has when it comes to inspiring people Fears Noor has that she hopes to overcome in the future Noor's advice when it comes to following your passion What Noor tells herself whether it comes to running or advocacy If you want to follow “Oh My Curry Goodness,” subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more!  If you want to follow Noor, be sure to follow her on Instagram @nooralexandria! You can also check out her personal website: Personal: https://letnoorrun.com

Madison Hammond is a professional soccer player for Angel City FC of the National Women’s Soccer League. Before playing professionally, Madison played four years at Wake Forest University. In 2020, while as a member of OL Reign (now known as Seattle Reign FC), Madison became the first Native American player to play in the NWSL. Off the field, Madison has been an advocate for women’s soccer and for Black and Native American communities. What makes this conversation exciting is that Madison wears my favorite jersey (99). Check this episode to see why 99 is my favorite jersey number. Some of it is not soccer-related! Madison was raised by a family who emphasized hard work and resiliency. She, along with her older sister, were raised by their single mother who was a military veteran. Her uncle, Notah Begay III was among the first Native Americans to compete on the PGA Tour. Whether it was in sports or in education, Madison was raised to be the best. Madison graduated from Wake Forest with honors before making the decision to pursue a career playing professional soccer. After graduating from Wake Forest she declared for the 2020 NWSL College Draft but was not selected. She would later receive an invite from OL Reign to tryout for the team. After trying out, she signed her first professional contract with the team. Now that she has had multiple years of being a professional athlete, Madison has learned about resiliency and leadership and has applied these two skills when it comes to her advocacy work. Growing up in a small reservation in San Felipe Pueblo, New Mexico, she was surrounded by people who looked like her. As she moved to Virginia later on, it was the opposite. Madison aims to use her platform to educate others about what it means to be Native American and Black. She also hopes to see more people who are Native American pursuing a career in professional sports. In this conversation, you will learn: Interesting skills Madison has learned while playing soccer The relationship Madison has with her family and why that is important  How Madison stays true to herself as someone who is Native American What Madison wants to improve on when it comes to the relationship with her identity Madison’s views on the relationship between professional sports teams like Angel City and its fans How Madison wants to inspire people within the Native American community that they have a career in sports Madison’s characteristics of what makes a good friend  If you want to follow “Oh My Curry Goodness,” subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more!  If you want to follow Madison Hammond, be sure to follow her on Instagram @gohaamm as well as her soccer team Angel City FC @weareangelcity.

Melati Wijsen is an activist and a change-maker who is the Founder of YOUTHTOPIA, an organization that focuses on providing the tools needed for young people to be change-makers. Before YOUTHTOPIA, Melati Co-Founded Bye Bye Plastic Bags with her sister Isabel. Since starting Bye Bye Plastic Bags, both have started using their voice to inspire young people to find their voice and speak to older generations about the ideas that future generations can implement in this world. Melati was born in Indonesia and grew up with the concept of there is something bigger than oneself. This inspired her to find ways to give back and help out communities. Melati started her change-making  journey when she was 12 years old. She founded Bye Bye Plastic Bags where the goal was to ban plastic bags in Bali. She worked on this with her younger sister Isabel and with the support of other people, were able to accomplish this goal. Her work with Bye Bye Plastic Bags allowed her to speak in events such as TED & The United Nations. She also had her film Bigger Than Us which was released in 2021 which documents her journey meeting other young activists around the world. A year before her film, Melati founded YOUTHTOPIA in order to inspire young people to create change in their communities. Now at 23, Melati continues to educate young people about the power they have regardless of who they are or where they come from. While Melati has had challenges in activism for the past 11 years, she has also had to overcome personal challenges such as burnouts due to the amount of work being put in. Looking after her well-being first is critical to Melati in order to continue on in the change-making journey. In this conversation, you will learn: The pressure Melati puts on herself when representing young women from Indonesia Melati’s views on being unselfish Why Melati emphasizes the importance of teamwork and connections rather than competing with one another. Fears Melati has overcome in the past Challenges Melati is grateful for Melati’s views on the balance of being kind and being strong. If you want to follow “Oh My Curry Goodness,” subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more!  If you want to follow Melati Wijsen, be sure to follow her on Instagram @melatiwijsen as well as YOUTHTOPIA @youthtopia.world. You can also check out Melati’s and YOUTHTOPIA’s website as well: Personal: https://melatiwijsen.com YOUTHTOPIA: https://www.youthtopia.world/

Alexandra Chaves is an actress and dancer who is best known for her role as Piper on the Canadian series “The Next Step” where she joined the series in its fourth season. She has also been involved in advocacy where she has met and worked with children to talk about issues that are common around young people. Alexandra is an actress but comes from a dance background. Early on, she tried many sports/activities but decided on pursuing dance. After realizing that it could be a career of hers, she continued pursuing dance as she felt it was a form of storytelling. At some point in the future, however, Alexandra would like to get involved in science as this is another field that she is passionate about. With her acting career, she has been on many TV shows with “The Next Step” being the show she is best known for. While Alexandra enjoys acting and dancing, she had obstacles in her way. When it comes to acting and dancing for example, she struggled with perfection and was often hard on herself when making a mistake. Another challenge was when Alexandra was diagnosed with heart arrhythmia at the age of 12 which prevented her for dancing for 8 months. While she is still able to do the two things she enjoys, she is careful to not to do too much in order to look after herself. In addition to acting and dancing, she has also been passionate about mental health and the fight against bullying. Her goal when it comes to her advocacy is to make sure everyone is celebrated regardless of a person’s background. In this episode, you will hear: Alexandra's relationship with acting and the characters she has played What getting involved in dancing has allowed Alexandra to do Difficult experiences that Alexandra is grateful for Alexandra's views on perfectionism and why embracing imperfection is good Alexandria's involvement in raising awareness on issues such as mental health and bullying Fears Alexandra hopes to overcome in the future If you want to follow “Oh My Curry Goodness” be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Alexandra Chaves, be sure to follow her on Instagram @alexandrachaves. You can also check out her website: Personal: https://www.alexandrachaves.com

Samuel Rubin is the one of the Founding Convening Team Members of Entertainment & Culture for Climate Action (ECCA). This is a UNFCCC sectoral initiative to mobilize the creative industries and cultural sector to find solutions for climate change and mitigate its own environmental impacts. Originally from Barcelona, Samuel is based in Los Angeles but has traveled back and forth for different events and workshops around the world. Samuel is one of the many activists who are involved in the fight to address climate change. While there will be people who will disagree, Samuel has learned the importance of bringing in people from different generations and listening to perspectives that are different from his. When Samuel was a child, he was an actor and started doing theater after being identified by a couple of young rising directors in Spain. His experience as an actor allowed him to understand the importance of storytelling as well as being in front of an audience. After a few years as an actor, Samuel elected to pursue other areas while still being involved in the entertainment industry. Samuel has a passion for storytelling and grassroots activism and in 2019, co-founded YEA! Impact. This organization focuses on the power of the two things Samuel is passionate about. He also co-founded the Hollywood Climate Summit (HCS) in order to inspire people of all ages to share resources and ideas to help drive action in tackling climate change. He worked at YEA! Impact and HCS until the end of 2022, and currently, he is working as a Director of Impact and Partnerships at the Entertainment + Culture Pavilion that he co-founded. In this episode, you will hear: Stories that inspired Samuel throughout his journey Experiences as a child actor that have played a part in who Samuel is today What Samuel thinks of when it comes to making an impact What it means to Samuel to be involved in climate change activism How Samuel handles talking to people with different viewpoints If you want to follow “Oh My Curry Goodness,” subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Samuel Rubin, be sure to follow him on Instagram @samuelrubinv. You can also check out his website: Personal: https://www.samuelrubin.net

Sam Weinberg is the Founder & Executive Director of Path to Progress - a “progressive think tank that is run by and for Gen-Z” (description of organization came from forward.com). Sam co-founded Path to Progress in 2021 and has since used his platform to discuss what young people want and inspiring them to get more involved in political advocacy. In addition to being interested in public policy, when Sam enrolled in college, he was taking classes mainly related to art history. Prior to his time in college, Sam co-founded the organization Path to Progress. While he was able to start something he was passionate about, there were obstacles. To continue on with Path to Progress, Sam would spend 30 to 40 hours a week with the organization and would later have to leave college early in order to do this full-time. Working with Path to Progress has given him many opportunities to put himself out there and advocate for candidates who align with the organization’s values. Since doing media appearances starting in 2020, it has been a unique journey for him. Path to Progress has helped Sam become better at teamwork and decision-making which was something that had to come with time. As of now, Path to Progress is already working with a few Gen-Z candidates and helping them get into Congress. Its goal for the 2024 election is to have more young people getting involved in the election cycle and continuing to have conversations on policy issues. Being in the political landscape is always going to be difficult. However, that will not stop Sam from continuing to speak up for what he believes is right. In this episode, you will hear: Things Sam used to be daunted by and how often he uses those experience when tackling issues today Skills, characteristics, or changes in lifestyle Sam picked up after creating Path to Progress Difficult conversations that Sam is grateful for whether personal or in politics Sam's thoughts on liking someone vs respecting someone Expectations for the 2024 election If you want to follow “Oh My Curry Goodness,” subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Sam Weinberg, be sure to follow him on Instagram @samweinberg and Path to Progress @path2progress.

Ritika Saraswat is the Founder of Re-Defined, a nonprofit that aims to empower people from marginalized communities by providing access to resources such as education. Since starting Re-Defined, her nonprofit has helped thousands of students from countries such as Canada, India, and Ghana. In addition to her nonprofit, she is also a Top Voice on LinkedIn with more than 50,000 followers where she posts content about education, networking, and authenticity. Ritika was born in India before moving to Canada to further her education. One of the most important things Ritika learned growing up was having the right value system in place as continued to grow as a person. She also learned to find validation from herself instead of relying on others. While it meant losing some friends, it did not matter to her. She understood quality rather than quantity of friends and finding those who can help in in the long-term rather than short-term. While attending college, Ritika originally pursued Kinesiology before deciding to pursue business. While starting Re-Defined, Ritika also balanced taking on a full course load while doing two part time jobs and two internships. While taking on these challenges were difficult, Ritika learned the importance of time management and making the days count. These experiences, as well as her decision to not Kinesiology, inspired her to create her nonprofit so that she can help students to find their potential. She is also a content creator where she has posted content on platforms such as Instagram and LinkedIn to talk about being true to oneself as opposed to having a perfect image. As Ritika continues her content creation journey, she will encounter people who will disagree with her. That will not stop Ritika from continuing to post because she believes there is always room for improvement and there is someone who needed to hear her content. In this episode, you will hear: What helped Ritika when she first moved from India to Canada Ritika's thoughts on focusing on impact rather than prestige or income Ritika's experiences dealing with people not agreeing with her vision and having a different mindset compared to her classmates The relationship Ritika has with Re-Defined and her motivation Focusing on being true to yourself rather than aiming for perfection when it comes to content creator If you want to follow “Oh My Curry Goodness” be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Ritika Saraswat, be sure to follow her on Instagram @saraswatritika as well as Re-Defined @redefinedcanada! You can also check out Re-Defined’s website: Website: https://redefinednpo.wixsite.com/re-define/about-us

Siraaj Woods is the Founder of SWC which is a social media marketing major that helps Black-owned businesses with their presence on social media. Siraaj is a graduate of Ohio University (not the same as Ohio State University) where he was a computer science major before changing it to digital marketing & entrepreneurship. Despite being a difficult transition from computer science to digital marketing & entrepreneurship, Siraaj worked hard to find something he was passionate about and work towards creating something meaningful. Siraaj may be involved in social media marketing, but that was not what he started with. Originally, Siraaj pursued a degree in computer science because of how much money he could make. However, he later realized that this was not his passion. Despite the challenges as a computer science major, he learned the importance of pivoting when things did not go his way. From there he started working on his business or SWC. While he was passionate about his business, Siraaj had to work longer hours to work on his business. That did not stop him from loving the process. Another obstacle Siraaj had to overcome was his shyness (which existed during middle and high school), and losing friends because he did not want to get involved in activities such as drinking and partying at night. Since creating SWC, it has helped Black Businesses with their social media presence. Its slogan is “See it. Want it. Create it.” This slogan is discussed more during this conversation. Not only is he helping Black-owned businesses, but he has also spoken at high schools to talk about his story and inspire people to find something they are passionate about. In this conversation, you will learn: Skills Siraaj learned when he was a computer science major Being the hardest worker in the room  What Siraaj looks for in a friend Experiences he had that have helped him with SWC and other challenges he has faced How does Siraaj embrace risk-taking and how to learn from failures Siraaj’s definition of success   If you want to follow “Oh My Curry Goodness” be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Siraaj Woods, be sure to follow him on Instagram @siraajwoods as well as SWC @sw.creatives! You can also check out the website of SWC: Website: https://swcreatives.com

Annmarie Gajdos is a content creator and journalist who works full-time at HBO. She is passionate about storytelling and uses it to connect with people and share stories that have not been told. She has travelled to more than 30 countries to meet new people and learn about different cultures and traditions. Although no longer a student in college, Annmarie graduated with a Bachelors in Computer Science (which is something I am pursuing at the moment). She is also the host of the podcast “Suite 15” where she and her co-host discuss topics such as mental health and career changes. Annmarie is a first generation immigrant whose parents came from Slovakia. While Annmarie may be an adult, she has cited them as her biggest support system. Growing up, her parents had the expectation that she would become a lawyer when she grew up. However, after Annmarie realized that this was not the right fit for her, elected to pursue computer science. Annmarie was an excellent student in the classroom, which helped her become valedictorian in middle school and in high school. She applied to many Ivy League Schools but despite her academic accomplishments, she got rejected. Annmarie would later attend Macaulay Honors College at Baruch where she would become her class’ valedictorian. During her time in college, she volunteered in different countries. Some of her experiences include teaching English in Myanmar and teaching students in Thailand about the importance of gender equality. These experiences allowed Annmarie to learn more about people’s way of living. In the future, she hopes to use her voice to bring people together and uplift marginalized communities. In this episode, you will hear: The pressure Annmarie puts on herself when it comes to making her parents proud Experiences dealing with perfectionism When Annmarie had the feeling to use her platform to help people How to encourage others to be comfortable with being uncomfortable Experiences with Annmarie's podcast Suite 15 If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Annmarie Gajdos, be sure to follow her on Instagram @annmariegajdos. Be sure to subscribe to the “Suite 15” podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! You can also check out Annmarie's personal website: Personal: https://www.annmariegajdos.com

Please note that this episode contains discussions of suicide ideation. Joshua Bell is a mental health activist and community advocate. His main focus has centred around mental health among youth and suicide prevention. He has worked for organizations such as Unsinkable Youth where they not only raise awareness about youth mental health but push for changes to improve their well-being. When not working on mental health, Joshua finds other ways to volunteer and give back to the community he grew up in. Born in Hamilton, Canada, one of the most important things to Joshua is community. Through participating in various organizations and working with diverse groups, he has developed a special relationship with his community. Joshua is a mental health advocate, but he didn't have much knowledge of the topic until he was 16, due to personal experiences. His challenges were severe, to the point where he needed help. With the support of friends, family, and his therapist, he was able to emerge from a dark place. This experience, along with the realization that everyone has a unique journey regarding their mental health, inspired Joshua to get involved in youth mental health. He hopes that by sharing his story, he can help people understand that mental health affects everyone, regardless of age. Now in university, Joshua is studying political science and judicial studies and hopes to combine his passions for mental health and public policy to make meaningful changes in communities across Canada. In this episode, you will hear: The relationship Joshua has with his community How Joshua viewed mental health before personal experiences Personal experiences with mental health and how Joshua was able to get through these challenges The pressure Joshua puts on himself when it comes to tackling issues like mental health among young people and giving back to his community How Joshua embraces the challenge of talking to older generations about the importance of mental health If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! For more from Joshua, be sure to follow him on social media @joshuamjbell. You can also check out his website by visiting joshuamjbell.ca.

Welcome to the first episode of Season 2! This week features Swish Goswami, who is the Founder & CEO of Surf, a loyalty and rewards platform that helps companies capture consumer data ethically, rewards consumers sustainably, and monetizes their audience effectively. He is also the bestselling author of The Young Entrepreneur, which teaches students how to build their business while in school. In addition, he has also given 4 Tedx talks and is a former debater who represented Canada twice at the World Schools Debating Championships. Like myself, Swish has his own podcast “Track Limits” where he and his co-hosts discuss all things related to Formula 1 Racing. Swish was born in Singapore before moving to Canada when he was eight years old. Growing up, he was involved in many sports such as volleyball, tennis, basketball, and cricket. Of the many sports he was involved in, playing cricket taught Swish the most about teamwork. The concept of teamwork is something he applies today whether it is personal, business, or in podcasting. In high school, Swish was involved in extracurricular activities such as being Student Council President and a member of the Alberta Minister of Education Youth Advisory Council. Originally planning on become a lawyer, Swish elected to drop out of college in order to start building Trufan (before changing it to Surf later on). Since then, Surf has working with some of the biggest celebrities and brands. His company has had a lot of success, but he has also had a lot of challenges in his journey. Whether it is in business or his experiences with mental health, Swish needed help from friends and family. While these experiences (check out the conversation to learn more) were difficult, it has helped Swish become a stronger person physically and mentally today. Swish is also a big fan of Formula 1 Racing, and gets to talk about what is happening around the sport in the “Track Limits” with his friends. Be sure to check it out if you are a fan of racing! In this episode, you will hear: Any challenges Swish has when it comes to public speaking Life skills Swish has learned from playing Cricket How Swish embraces uncertainty as an entrepreneur Difficult experiences that have shaped Swish into the person he is today Swish's thoughts on how to balance being kind and strong as a person What are some things Swish does not like about the things he is passionate about (entrepreneurship, podcasting, and public speaking) What tools does Swish use to help him deal with negative thoughts in his head If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Swish Goswami, be sure to follow him on Instagram @goswish as well as Surf @joinsurf! You can also check out his podcast @tracklimits. Be sure to subscribe to the “Track Limits” podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! You can also check out the website of Surf as well as Track Limits: Surf: https://www.joinsurf.com Track Limits: https://www.tracklimitspod.com

Welcome to the last episode of Season 1! I have learned so much from different guests on the podcast and can’t wait for what’s to come in Season 2. I decided to end Season 1 by doing an episode about me - even though this should have been the first episode of the podcast. I felt this would be a good idea for you guys the listeners to get to know more about why I was interested in learning about people’s stories and what my podcast journey has been like. I know that from time to time, I have talked a little bit about myself throughout this season, but I wanted to do more. It also felt weird that I am doing this podcast and have people share their stories and yet I have not shared mine. To help me with this episode, I am joined by my friend Ben Romie who helps on the audio part of the podcast. In fact, he is responsible for the incredible theme song heard in the intro and outro part of the podcast. I know I should have done this episode first, but it’s finally here and I hope you enjoy getting to know more about me! In this episode, you will hear: My backstory as to who I am and my interest in learning about people's stories Why I chose to attend Ohio State and what I am studying The relationship I have with my South Asian identity How I came up with the name "Oh My Curry Goodness" What is my favorite type of curry Obstacles I faced when creating this podcast If I am able to be myself when doing a podcast or do I act different How I find guests for the podcast Why I chose to interview people from the Gen-Z generation What to expect in future episodes of the podcast and long-term goals If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow me, be sure to follow me on Instagram @hamzaislam_2002!

Please note that this episode contains discussions of suicide. Seika Brown is the first returning guest of the podcast! If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out the first time she was on (back in February). It is highly recommended to check out the first time Seika was on the podcast since there will be a few references from the first interaction. Seika is a global mental health researcher who has been involved in mental health activism since she was 15 (she is 21 now as of this recording). In high school she founded Archnova - a youth-led non-profit that worked in mental policy in the state of Washington. In 2020, she founded YLG (Youth Lead Global) Research which examines how mental health is defined across different cultures. Recently, Seika was recognized by Selena Gomez through the “Rare Impact Fund” where Seika was a Rare Beauty Ambassador. In this episode, you will hear: What it means to Seika to be recognized by Selena Gomez for her work in mental health Seika's advice for people when it comes to focusing on your 'why' and not recognition Does Selena Gomez like curry Moments in Seika's life that she is grateful for Questions Seika asks herself when going through difficult times How Faith has helped Seika in her personal life Differences between Faith, Hope, & Belief What are some things Seika does not like about what she is passionate about Words Seika would take out of the dictionary because its meaning has a negative affect on people If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Seika Brown, be sure to follow her on Instagram @seikabrown! You can also check out Seika’s website as well: Personal Website: https://www.seikabrown.com/

Marianna Pecora is the Communications Director at Voters of Tomorrow - a student-led, non-profit that aims to increase engagement in politics among young people. In September of 2022, Marianna was kicked by U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene while having a conversation about gun control.  Now, she is a student at The George Washington University studying Political Communications. Marianna became interested in politics during the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. Marianna was born to an Italian-American father while her Mom grew up in Mexico. After hearing what President Trump had said about immigrants from Mexico, it was hurtful to her, and she realized the impact politics can have on people. Before becoming interested in politics, Marianna didn’t know what she wanted to do. She thought about going to Fashion School or Art School before seeing what happened during the 2016 election. Even people who were close to Marianna advised her to become a lawyer like her father, but she rejected that idea. Now that Marianna has found her place in politics, she has played many roles in organizing events such as March for Our Lives in June of 2022, which drew thousands of participants. In this episode, you will hear: First time or earliest experience Marianna can remember when she stood up for something How Marianna knows which Political Position to side with What Marianna wanted to do growing up How Voters of Tomorrow has helped Marianna on a personal level The relationship Marianna has with her Mexican & Italian community If Marianna is at peace with not being liked by people who hold different viewpoints than her How Marianna tries to have conversations with people who have different viewpoints and still be friends Interaction Marianna had with U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene If possible, what would Marianna say now to U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene Marianna's advice when it comes to overcoming fear If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Marianna Pecora, be sure to follow her on Instagram @marianna.pecora as well as Voters Of Tomorrow @voterstomorrow!

Please note this episode contains discussions of self-harm Zane Landin is the Founder of PositiveVibes Magazine, a digital magazine whose mission is to tell stories about mental health, wellness, and inspiration. Storytelling is one of Zane’s passions and believes this to be a way to bringing people together. Having earned a Bachelors in Communication and Public Relations, Zane wants to work with companies that emphasize the importance of mental health and overall well-being. In addition to his entrepreneurial and job journey, he is also a mental health and disability advocate who has used his platform to share positivity. One of Zane’s biggest influences was his mom who taught him the importance of being kind to people and helping others. He incorporated these lessons despite struggling with mental health and bullying at a young age. As Zane got older, he faced challenges such as getting internships and jobs. He had moments where internships either went his way or didn’t but after persevering, it has helped him land a job at National Geographic. Zane unfortunately lost his mom when he was 23, but this only inspired him to honor her legacy. Even as an activist and entrepreneur, his mom still plays an important part in his life. Like one of our previous guests in Alyx Ang, Zane attended the Youth Action Forum in 2022 where he met people such as President Joe Biden. From there, he took a journey in finding his the power in his voice. It is a journey he is still going through. In the future, Zane hopes to combine his two passions in mental health and communication to help people. He hopes he can be a Chief Communication Officer someday as he believes there is still more work to do in terms of having more conversations around mental health. In this episode, you will hear: How Zane would describe his social life (extrovert or introvert) Characteristics Zane has had since he was a little kid How Zane tries to find positivity even during difficult times How often does Zane think about his mom when making decisions Some of Zane's fears What does Zane not like about being involved in the field of mental health advocacy What Zane would like to do in the future If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Zane Landin be sure to follow him on Instagram @zanelandin as well as Positive Vibes Magazine @positivevibesmag! You can also check out the website of Positive Vibes Magazine: Positive Vibes Magazine: https://positivevibesmag.com

Imran Nuri is an Artist, Author, and Motivational Speaker who has a book that will be coming out at the end of 2023 titled “Advice From America: Life Advice And Photos of 1,000 Strangers From 48 States.” This book documents his journey across America and asks people for life advice - all while living in his car for 84 days in 2022. Before this, he was the Founder & CEO of The 52 Million Project an organization where people donate $1 for each week of the year to support nonprofits that are fighting issues such as homelessness, hunger, and poverty. Imran and I have known each other for a very long time, however, it has been a while since we last spoke before this conversation! Imran learned the importance of giving back from his parents growing up. Despite being unable to pay the bills or afford what was wanted or needed, Imran’s parents emphasized the importance of giving back. This led him to create The 52 Million Project while being a student at Ohio State. Imran hoped that it would help people understand that anyone can be a philanthropist even if they were to donate one dollar a week. After a few years with The 52 Million Project and working in marketing, Imran decided to go on a journey in his Toyota Camry to ask 1,000 strangers across 48 states. To survive, he did things such as staying at hotels and getting gym memberships for showering, among other things. Despite having to empty his entire life savings and needing a loan to fund his trip, Imran did it due to his curiosity and wanting to bring people together. In addition to his journey asking for life advice and philanthropy, Imran is also an artist who worked with oil paints before spending more time with photography. In this episode, you will hear: What it meant to Imran to be interviewed by CNN What shyness looked like growing up for Imran Lessons Imran learned when it comes to human connection How art has played a role in Imran's life Connections Imran found between being an artist and philanthropist If Imran hopes to go back into philanthropy in the future Why Imran chose to ask people "What do you know now that you wish you knew then?" Imran's thoughts on meeting and spending time with his younger self How often Imran thought about giving up while traveling across 48 states Fears Imran had when going on this trip to ask for life advice Imran's experiences when he went to the Southern part of the United States What the future looks like for Imran What Imran would tell his younger self If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Imran Nuri, be sure to follow him on Instagram @nuristudios! You can also check out his website, where you can find his book “Advice From America: Life Advice And Photos of 1,000 Strangers From 48 States.”: Personal: https://www.imrannuri.com/

Please note that this episode contains discussions of suicide Francesca Reicherter is a mental health advocate as well as the Founder & President of Inspiring My Generation. This is a nonprofit organization that aims to provide education on mental health and suicide prevention. She is the author of “You Are Not Alone,” a workbook that helps you learn how to cope with your emotions. She is also the host of the podcast “Normalize The Conversation,” where she creates conversations with guests to educate and inspire people on mental health. Francesca is someone people would describe as genuine, friendly, and caring. With that being said, Francesca was someone who strived to be the best. One example of her dedication was being able to graduate college in two years. Even as she strived to be the best, Francesca always struggled with the idea of if she was ever good enough. Another challenge Francesca had to deal with was loss of loss of family members. One of Francesca’s biggest role models and closest friends was her uncle. He helped Francesca when she attempted to take her own life. However, 27 days after that incident, Francesca lost her uncle to suicide. Just a few months before this, Francesca lost her grandfather. These difficult experiences led Francesca to go to therapy and also admitted into a psych ward. With the support of her family, she was able to recover and find herself again. The experiences Francesca had inspired her to create Inspiring My Generation. Since starting, Inspiring My Generation, she has sent more than 11,000 encouragement cards to people and remind them that they are important and valued. With Inspiring My Generation, she created her podcast “Normalize The Conversation” and has interviewed many people who are experts or passionate about mental health. With all of the things she is currently doing, Francesca makes a habit of checking in on herself every day. She also writes messages to herself to remember that she is capable of overcoming obstacles and doing great things. In this episode, you will hear: The relationship Francesca has with her mental health Who Francesca's biggest enemy was throughout her journey How Francesca moved on after losing her uncle As someone who has German and Italian background, how did culture affect Francesca's willingness to talk about her feelings What Francesca learned while being in a Psych Ward Any pressure Francesca puts on herself Francesca's advice for future entrepreneurs What it is like for Francesca to do her podcast "Normalize The Conversation." Whether Francesca likes being the host or guest of a podcast If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Francesca Reicherter, be sure to follow her on Instagram @freicherter as well as Inspiring My Generation @inspringmygeneration! You can also check out the website of Inspiring My Generation as well as her personal: Inspiring My Generation: https://www.inspiringmygeneration.org Personal: https://www.francescareicherter.com/

Dylan Gambardella is the Founder & CEO of Next Gen HQ, whose mission is to help young people unlock their potential regardless of a person’s background or socioeconomic status. This company uses AI-powered tools to help people as they go through the job process. Dylan is passionate about technology as he believes it is used solve problems happening around the world. He is also a keynote speaker who has spoken on more than 100 stages including a TEDx. To Dylan, he looks at entrepreneurship as a way of helping people and making the world a better place. From a young age, Dylan learned the importance of giving back and this something he is doing today. With the support of his parents and teachers, Dylan went on to do incredible things, including being the high school valedictorian. Next Gen HQ was started by Dylan while he was a student at Duke University and until then, never had a job outside of his life. Despite creating a company that aims to help others unlock their potential, there were many difficult challenges that have made a Dylan a better person today. In this episode, you will hear: Where the passion for giving back comes from for Dylan Any pressure Dylan puts on himself when it comes to helping people How important it is to stay in the game (or to keep going) according to Dylan How Dylan applies the "Mamba Mentality" by Kobe Bryant in his personal life If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Dylan Gambardella, be sure to follow him on Instagram @dylangambardella as well as Next Gen HQ @nextgenhq! For more information on how to follow Dylan Gambardella, check out his website and Next Gen HQ: Personal Website: https://www.dylangambardella.com Next Gen HQ: https://www.nextgenhq.com

Hunter Williams is a documentary filmmaker and digital content producer. His videos focus on unscripted storytelling and has worked with organizations like Coca-Cola and Hollister. He has also worked with people such as David Blaine and Charli D’Amelio. For his work in filmmaking, he was recognized as a Global Changemaker in 2018 and a finalist for IMDb’s New Filmmaker of the Year. When Hunter was eight years old, he picked up a handycam and since then, started recording videos whenever he was able to. While there were other interests he found such as painting and drawing, he was not good at either of the two. He would make YouTube videos with his friends and learn about directors and their ways of filming. He was even in charge of taking photos for a wedding when he was 13 years old. He has also taken photos and videos that hold significance to him even after a period of time. Now as an adult, he is able to do filmmaking as a career. Despite his passion, there are still challenges Hunter faces whether personal challenges, financial challenges, or not getting support from other filmmakers. In addition to being a filmmaker, he is also an entrepreneur as the is the founder of Tudor Park Productions where they create video content for brands and individuals on social media. Filmmaking has helped Hunter get access to unique opportunities and work with incredible people. However, Hunter is still motivated to share authentic stories and treat people as human beings regardless of how popular they are. In this episode, you will hear: What was it about picking up a handycam that made Hunter passionate about filmmaking How often Hunter overthinks as a filmmaker What does Hunter do to take care of himself when feeling upset or frustrated Photos and videos that mean a lot to Hunter Obstacles Hunter has faced while pursuing filmmaking career Hunter talking about his company Tudor Park Productions Experience Hunter has had when working with celebrities and brands If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Hunter Williams, be sure to follow him on Instagram @hntrwilliams! You can also check out Hunter’s personal website as well: Personal: https://www.hunterwilliams.net/

Fikayo Aderoju is the Founder & Executive Director of Project Impacting Lives, an organization that creates positive change in people who are facing homelessness in Canada. His organization has provided winter care packages as well as creating scholarship funds and distributing food to different communities. For his work with Project Impacting Lives, he became a recipient of this year’s Princess Diana Award. Despite all his success, Fikayo aims to keep inspiring people to make an impact in their communities. Fikayo has also done modeling but has not spent too much time in this field since working on Project Impacting Lives. Fikayo was born in Nigeria before moving to Canada to continue his education. When Fikayo turned 20 years old, he wanted to find ways to help out his community. To do this, Fikayo decided to give clothes to people who were homeless. Unfortunately, the experience did not go well as the people did not want what Fikayo and his friends were giving. After doing research on homelessness, Fikayo tried again, this time listening to what people needed and making sure they got what they wanted. This was the start of Project Impacting Lives. Throughout his journey, he has credited his faith for helping him through difficult tests and shaping his perspective on life. While Fikayo has helped many people in his life by distributing foods and creating scholarships, he has received help from others in order to help him get to places. Fikayo also finds it important to be as best dressed as possible wherever he goes. With the combination of modeling and advice from his father, he aims to look good whether he is doing podcasts, attending events, or doing speeches. If you watch the video version of the podcast, you will see Fikayo showcasing his talent in fashion! In this episode, you will hear: Who taught Fikayo the importance of value and why it's important Fikayo on the importance of faith Fikayo's mindset when it comes to helping people Which is more difficult for Fikayo: Asking people for help or helping people What Fikayo has learned from modeling and how it applies to his organization How does Fikayo remain consistent even after being awarded Princess Diana Award for his work with Project Impacting Lives What Fikayo hopes to do in the future If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Fikayo Aderoju, be sure to follow him on Instagram @fikayo_aderoju as well as Project Impacting Lives @projectimpactinglives. You can also check out the website of Project Impacting Lives: Project Impacting Lives: https://www.projectimpactinglives.org/

Joshua Gabriel Oluwaseyi is a Climate Change Activist and founder of LEARNBLUE, a youth-led nonprofit organization that raises awareness of global environmental issues and encourages young people to take action. In 2019, Joshua was recognized as one of the most influential young leaders in Nigeria, and in 2021, he was honored in Teen Vogue’s 21 Under 21 Young People Shaping Tomorrow.   In 2018, Joshua was impacted by allergies due to air pollutants from smoke and dust. When he learned that in the year before more than 100,000 people had died in Nigeria from air pollution-related causes, it inspired him to get involved in raising awareness about Climate Change. Despite being involved in this field of activism, Joshua has lost a lot of friends and acquaintances because many believe that Climate Change is a lie. Since founding LEARNBLUE in 2019, he has spoken at many events around the world talking about the issue of Climate Change. Even though it can be mentally draining, Joshua remains committed to his why.    In this episode, you will hear: Joshua on the importance of finding the why behind your passion How Joshua views activists who look for recognition and awards rather than the impact or the bigger goal If Joshua always wanted to be a climate change activist or was being impacted by allergies the big reason he wanted to be involved in that field How Joshua came up with the name of his nonprofit LEARNBLUE What are some things Joshua does not like about his passions How Joshua deals with negative thoughts in his head If you want to follow Joshua Gabriel Oluwaseyi, be sure to follow him on Instagram @joshgseyi as well as his nonprofit LEARNBLUE @learnblueglobal. You can also check out LEARNBLUE’s website: Website: https://learnblue.org.ng/ 

This week is the first time I talk to two guests! I am speaking with Joseph and Monica Blanco. Both of whom are a part of FilExcellence which is a nonprofit charity organization that aims to empower the Filipino Community. In addition, they are getting ready to launch their own podcast “Opo Podcast” which discusses the impact Filipinos have had in this world and educate people about their way of living. Both are proud of their identity, but want to do more to honor their ancestors and others before them. Joseph Blanco is the Director of Special Projects for FilExcellence. Aside from being involved with FilExcellence, Joseph is also involved in tech and engineering as he studied electrical computer engineering in college. Given his talent in math and science, Joseph felt this was the best fit for him. Monica Blanco is a personal trainer and content creator. She is the Vice President of FilExcellence. She has posted many videos on her Instagram that dive into topics such as fitness, her journey to connecting with her Filipino identity, and self-care. Her content has been viewed by thousands of people. In this episode, you will hear: What are some things Monica and Joseph have in terms of traits, personality, and characteristics that the other one does not Monica and Joseph's relationship with mental health Monica and Joseph's relationship with their identity as Filipino-Americans How Monica and Joseph would describe their relationship as siblings What life Joseph has learned as an electrical computer engineering major and what Monica has learned as someone involved in fitness Monica and Joseph's mindset when it comes to representing the Filipino Community What Monica and Joseph hope to do to improve relationship with Filipino-American identity Monica and Joseph's podcast that will be launching soon Monica and Joseph's thought on what a positive relationship with siblings look like If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Joseph and Monica Blanco, be sure to follow them on Instagram @jtablanco and @asapmonny! Be sure to check out the website of FilExcellence as well: Filexcellence: https://www.filexcellence.com/

Please note that this episode contains discussions of sexual assault and domestic violence. Some audio issues were present. Kaylyn Ahn is a student at Northwestern University and is a sexual assault survivor who has used her platform to advocate for victims of sexual assault. She currently serves on the Illinois Council on Women & Girls, advising Governor Pritzker and the State’s General Assembly on issues that affect women and girls. She has also advocated for colleges to help improve students’ well-being on campus. With her advocacy work, she has been named one of GLAAD’s 20 Under 20 LGBTQ+ changemakers. In addition to her advocacy, she is passionate about poetry which still plays a meaningful role in her life. In July of 2021, Kaylyn experienced sexual assault. Three months after it happened, Kaylyn made a police report and pressed charges a week later. Unfortunately, the police sergeant said that no one would support this case. This led her to speak to legislators in the State to help her and others who were victims of sexual assault. After testifying in front of the Illinois House and Senate, she helped pass House Bill 5441 to change the definition of consent. She also had other challenges such as leaving her home in the same year as she was a victim of domestic violence. Recently, she has called for Universities such as Northwestern to help students after her personal experiences. During that time, Kaylyn was a Conference Student (similar to a Research Assistant) which meant she had to work a lot of hours. She was also part of Emerging Scholars, a program for first-generation low-income students, took part in breakfast tutoring, and worked at Mudd Library. She did all of this for her to pay for her apartment as well as pay for her tuition. Throughout her journey, Kaylyn credits her friends and her community for helping her get through difficult times. This has inspired her to advocate for others and raise awareness about important issues affecting people. In this episode, you will hear: How poetry has played a role in Kaylyn's life How Kaylyn knew she was doing the right thing when speaking up about her issues When it comes to making decisions, does Kaylyn listen to her heart, mind, or her gut the most (This question was inspired by a conversation between Jay Shetty and President Joe Biden on Jay's podcast "On Purpose With Jay Shetty." Kaylyn on finding the courage to speak out on issues despite being shy Connections between advocating for victims of sexual assault and advocating for better care for students from colleges Why being a part of the LGBTQ+ community means a lot to Kaylyn Kaylyn's relationship with her Korean-American identity What Kaylyn is grateful for and what she would tell her younger self If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Kaylyn Ahn, be sure to follow her on Instagram @kaylynahn! There was one question Hamza asked Kaylyn: When it comes to making decisions, does she listen to her heart, mind, or gut the most? Hamza referenced Jay Shetty who hosts the podcast called On Purpose where he asks President Joe Biden the same question. If you are interested in checking out Jay Shetty’s episode with President Joe Biden check out the link below: Jay Shetty’s episode with President Joe Biden: ⁠https://spotify.link/IBLVfenC4Cb⁠

Please note this episode contains discussions of anxiety. Alyx Ang is a mental health advocate and content creator. In May of 2022, Alyx was invited to the Mental Health Youth Action Forum at the White House as one of 30 mental health advocates and content creators. Her content on instagram focuses on topics such as relationships, anxiety, and careers, and has been viewed by thousands. She is also the host of “a is for anxious,” a podcast where each episode will focus on an anxiety that Alyx or her guests have experienced. Each episode will highlight a new letter of the alphabet. Before being involved in mental health advocacy, Alyx was creating content where she would review books and share her thoughts on in the internet. It was not until she attended the Mental Health Youth Action Forum at the White House where she met Selena Gomez and U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murphy that she found her interest in mental health. This inspired her to create the podcast “a is for anxious.” When Alyx first started her podcast, she was nervous about having discussions about anxiety. For one, she is diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder as well as Social Anxiety. However, after discussions with each guest, she is grateful to have those discussions in order to better understand how people describe their relationship with something they are anxious about. In this episode, you will hear: Difficult conversations Alyx has had that she is grateful for When Alyx thought about being involved in mental health advocacy Alyx on what people should know when it comes to Anxiety Discussions about what makes me and Alyx anxious What Alyx wished she knew when first starting her podcast What Alyx wants to do with her podcast going forward as of now What words do not exist in Alyx's dictionary If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Alyx Ang, be sure to follow her on Instagram @alyxandriaang as well as “a is for anxious” @aisforanxiouspod!

Micah Dawanyi is a nationally licensed soccer coach and author of two books. His first book, “Step Into My Shoes: Memoirs From the Other Side of America” is a series of memoirs focusing on social injustice while his second book, “Battle Scars & Blossoms”  explores themes of grief and mental health awareness (Description of book comes from Medium Article With Link Below). Growing up, Micah wanted to become a professional soccer player. However, at 15, he was forced to give up soccer after injuries and a life-threatening heart condition. This led to Micah being a coach which allowed him to help players from underfunded and marginalized communities. When transitioning from athletics to creative writing, it took Micah time to figure out how to express his creativity knowing that art is not objective but subjective. After Micah published his first book, it motivated him to become more involved. He uses his work to raise awareness on issues such as social justice and mental health. His goal when it comes to creativity is to share stories that can make an impact on communities and start conversations about creating change. In this episode, you will hear: If Micah had dreams of becoming a professional soccer player What it means to Micah to be a coach and help others be the best soccer players they can be What Micah has learned from soccer that has helped him when it comes to the creative or artistic space How Micah continues to believe in himself despite challenges he has faced as a storyteller What allowed Micah to open up about personal experiences and challenges he has had Why Micah finds interest in telling stories with difficult topics How Micah is trying to improve his artistic and creative talents If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Micah Dawanyi, be sure to follow him on Instagram @micahdawanyi! This is the link where information to describe “Battle Scars & Blossoms” on podcast description was found: https://medium.com/@threeand10/an-author-interview-with-micah-dawanyi-43a34182fe8c

Fatimata Cham is a Human Rights Advocate and poet. In the past, she has used her platform to raise awareness about issues such as environmental injustice, racism, Islamophobia, and gender inequality. Her work in poetry has allowed her to connect with different individuals and organizations. In 2022, Fatimata landed a spot in the Apple TV Series “Dear…” which shows notable figures reading letters by people who were inspired by their journey. Fatimata wants to continue using poetry as a way to help people and hopes to bring them together to combat issues that are affecting marginalized communities. Originally from New York City, Fatimata was around people who looked like her but after moving to New Hampshire for boarding school she was surrounded by people from different backgrounds. This experience allowed her to understand different perspectives and learn about different cultures as well as inspiring her passion for community. Fatimata’s journey with poetry started in middle school. While not passionate at first, she started becoming interested after doing one on mental health. Her presentation was liked by her classmates and gave her the realization that she can do this. At the time, Fatimata had interest in other areas such as STEM and still does to this day but has been involved with poetry and activism more often. When Fatimata creates poetry, she does it based on feelings or emotions. This is done in order to connect with her audience on a personal level. While she enjoys doing poetry, it has also been difficult for her as she has struggled with overthinking and verbal attacks. Even with these issues, Fatimata credits the support of her friends and family who have allowed her to keep pursuing poetry and activism. She hopes to one day hold a position in Public Office so that she can continue to advocate for her community. In this episode, you will hear: Pressure Fatimata puts on herself in trying to be the best person she can be Fears Fatimata has as she navigates poetry and how it is handled What other careers Fatimata would have pursued if not for poetry The relationship Fatimata has with poetry Does Fatimata ever have to prove to anyone with her work Nervous experiences Fatimata has had with audiences If Fatimata has ever thought about giving up Experiences where Fatimata was uncomfortable in her journey but grateful for the experience Fatimata's ambitions for Public Office in the future What Fatimata hopes to accomplish in the future for her community If you want to follow the “Oh My Curry Goodness” podcast, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube as well. Be sure to also follow the podcast on Instagram @theomcgpodcast for more information on guests, preview clips, and more! If you want to follow Fatimata Cham be sure to follow her on Instagram @fatimatacham__!