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In this episode of A Story & A Chat, fifth generation family farmer Zach Johnson, shares his perspective on food scarcity & wastage, & the power of the consumer to drive real change in the United States   HIGHLIGHTS 02:37  Growing food for not just human consumption 06:43  Potential for anyone to become a farmer & grow their own food 15:43  Debunking a myth about soil depletion 24:36  Is your local restaurant finding ways to reuse their food waste? 27:02  Not all compost is created equal  

Are we really running out of food? In this episode of A Story & A Chat, Founder & CEO of GreenPod Labs, Deepak Rajmohan, shares his perspective as a food technologist on food scarcity & wastage, & the power of the consumer to drive real change   HIGHLIGHTS 03:16  Right now we're fine, but we need to think about 2050 & beyond 08:48  Human behavior might be the real problem 14:37  Using technology to preserve food to decrease waste 23:07  The modern food consumer in India vs. USA 26:53  The Indian wedding as an example of food wastage    

Even with all the women-owned businesses in the US, why are there still so many women who are afraid of starting their own business? In this episode of A Story & A Chat, founder of women's clothing brand Bhav Designs, Bhavana Jain, shares stories from her journey from being a full time pharmacist to now a budding entrepreneur, and all the good & bad in between HIGHLIGHTS 02:40  Fear of everything 10:38  Lack of role models in unchartered territory 13:56  Dating while running a business 18:27  Average day of a Boss 29:34  A message for all the brown girls with big dreams

Can public shaming be good for our society, for us? In this episode of A Story & A Chat, pharmacist & entrepreneur Rahi Bigdeli  shares his perspective on public & personal shaming, and how we can break through the trauma of shame to become better people   HIGHLIGHTS 04:32  Tribal people share everything, from our happiness to our shame 10:15  Generational healing from shame as an immigrant 17:29  What used to be shameful is now an opportunity to come together 21:17  What does a big Persian man feel shameful about? 30:26  Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable but humans don’t like that!  

How would the events of the protest at the US Capitol on January 6th have unfolded if the protesters had not been White? In this episode of A Story & A Chat, Law Enforcement professional Chris Cuff  shares his perspective on the most recent clashes with the police, and insights into the governing systems at play   HIGHLIGHTS 08:32  Law enforcement response for BLM vs. US Capitol protest on Jan 6th 15:11  "Law enforcement gets very local very quickly" in response to question of systemic racism 27:24  Why defunding the police may not be the answer society is looking for 32:01  Reaction to the George Floyd video 35:49  Do the "good apples" protect the "bad apples" in police culture     Also, make sure you check out the amazing designs on shopbhav.com and use the discount code AISHAH20 to save 20% on your entire Bhav order. You can find the "Rayna" top I spoke about in this episode there as well, and it's on sale! Happy shopping!

Can we really trust what we hear & read in the news today? In this episode of A Story & A Chat, Communications Strategist Sam Weston shares his perspective on the state of News, the impact it has on our lives, insights into how it’s made, and how we can co-create a world where there is less “fake news”   HIGHLIGHTS 05:06  The current state of News is to make money 13:48  Most journalists have good intentions 17:57  People don’t know how news is made 22:41  Our responsibility to understand what news we are sharing 29:26  How to build Information Literacy

She's back y'all! Welcome to Season 2 of "A Story & A Chat", the podcast where ridiculous questions kickstart some really interesting conversations with some really amazing people, about topics that should matter to ALL of us. Never has it been more important to have conversations from different perspectives than NOW. Season 2 continues to tackle important topics like Fake News, Public Shaming, Food Shortage, Law Enforcement in the US, Female Entrepreneurship, and Social Impact. "A Story & A Chat" continues the very human tradition of sharing stories with the aim of evolving our society and culture,  so settle in, get cozy, and happy listening!

In today's episode of A Story & A Chat, we'll be concluding the series on "What is the Big Deal About Love" with a final perspective from a man of God. Suhaib Webb, a Muslim Imam, talks about the responsibility we have as lovers and those who are loved, healthy marriages, and how love is showing up all over the world right now in forms of the Black Lives Matter protests.

The dramatic Love shown in Bollywood movies can seem really over the top. In today's episode of A Story & A Chat, we will be talking about lessons we can learn from the portrayal of cinematic love. Sonali Dev, award winning author, will also provide a fresh perspective on the manifestations of love, which she also challenges for sometimes adhering to patriarchal values.

In times of crisis, Love can bring us together. In today's episode of A Story & A Chat, we will discuss the importance of self-love as a foundation for helping others. Tiq Milan, an LGBTQ activist, will also share pivotal moments in his life which taught him to love himself more, as well as the support he received from the queer community to help him grow.

There is a perception that women don't make good leaders because of the innate qualities of their gender. In today's episode of A Story & A Chat, we will explore what makes a leader good or bad, and how women fit into that. Ali Merchant, an expert in Leadership development, will also discuss the importance of effective communication for leaders, and how diversity of thought helps eliminate biases.

In the US, teachers face some extraordinary challenges in their day to day, even before the COVID-19 epidemic hit the world. In today's episode of A Story & A Chat, we'll be talking about the challenges teachers face and why we should care. Danna Thomas, founder of Happy Teacher Revolution, will share the joys of being a teacher, and the importance of self care for educators.

Humans are emotional creatures as well as thinking ones. In this episode of A Story & A Chat, Tom English of 3 Stewardships breaks down false assumptions about emotions and explains why it is okay for men to cry. Tom begins by saying that, contrary to popular belief, crying is not synonymous with being broken. He further explains that expressing emotions is the emphatic thing to do that builds trust and stronger connections among peers. Tom also explores the cultural reasons behind the misconception behind emotions and shares some tips to recondition the idea of it. ------------------------------ HIGHLIGHTS 05:04 Crying does not mean breaking 11:01 Emotions: suppressing versus expressing 18:57 The cultural roots that perceive emotion as a weakness 25:55 Accepting and reconditioning your emotional being

To be more connected as Humans, it's important for us to understand & appreciate our differences, even celebrate them! In this episode of A Story & A Chat, Diversity & Inclusion Strategist Randi Bryant shares her thoughts on what diversity truly means and its profound impact at work and at home. Randi begins by explaining how it has become ingrained in culture for minorities to "neutralize" themselves and adopt code-switching because of fear. She then discusses her experiences growing up and celebrating conversations about culture with family. Randi also talks about how people of color should be creating safe spaces for conversation and how to become comfortable with the uncomfortable to create change. ------------------------------ HIGHLIGHTS 08:16 Training minorities to be "neutral" & code-switching 15:15 Becoming uncomfortable & creating change 25:09 Diversity & inclusivity at home 29:18 Creating a safe space for conversation 39:01 Tips to become comfortable being uncomfortable ------------------------------

Telling stories has helped humans evolve and build societies. Storytelling is still a very important part of all of our lives, and helps bring us closer together. A Story & A Chat is a space where different perspectives come together to create magic. In each episode we will explore everyday topics from different angles, helped along by insightful conversations between some amazing thinkers and doers.  So settle in, get cozy, and happy listening!