Chasing Dreams With Aimee J.

What’s YOUR platform? Are you using it for good? These are the questions my guest had to answer when he had started a podcast about the things he was most passionate about--but it was just entertainment. He felt a conviction that prompted him to address mental health, with which he had a personal history. Now he is spreading the word, fighting against the stigma around depression and suicide, and doing loads of legitimate good for our world. Josh Burkey, aka Captain Nostalgia, is the host behind the podcast, Victims and Villains. As a survivor of depression and addiction, Josh aims to break the stigma of mental health issues through conversation and relationships of pop culture. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and two cats.  TWEET:  Josh Burkey uses comics to address mental health issues and fights the stigma that is attached to them. Listen in today on #ChasingDreams  Making a difference What do you do when a bad day goes horribly wrong? Josh had a bad day at work that led to a demotion

I received a respectful request from my episode 142 guest to take down their episode, which went live May 23, 2018. I am honoring their request. Therefore episode 142 is no longer available. Please be sure to catch up on any of our other Chasing Dreams episodes wherever you listen to podcasts.

How would you define “abuse”? Unfortunately, such a stigma exists around the idea of abuse, how it occurs, and what it entails, that people are afraid to even talk about it. The truth is that many people have some sort of abuse either in their past or in their present. This conversation is another way to honor and recognize Mental Health Awareness Month. I’m thrilled to bring you another expert, who has amazing things to teach us today! Abigail Manning is creating awareness on authentic health, which prevents and ends ALL forms of abuse. She has done five years of research on abuse and is an Indiana University Communications double major in cognitive, social, and behavioral theories. Combining her academic background with her personal experience with childhood abuse and domestic violence, she provides unique and transformative workshops and speeches that truly empower others. The Mental Health Stigma Do you know someone who suffers from mental illness? As more and more people are affected by backgrounds of ab

Do you think holistically about your physical AND mental health? May is Mental Health Awareness month, and this show will challenge your thinking about what it means to be mentally healthy, how to cope with the seasons of life, and what you should have in your self-care toolkit. Dr. Phyllis Hubbard is the Director of BMA Health & Healing Strategies, an innovative wellness program founded in Oakland and functioning within the Campaign for Black Male Achievement. Dr. Phyl (a.k.a. “The Body Whisperer”) is a motivational speaker, Board Certified Doctor of Natural Medicine, an Ayurvedic Practitioner, Life and Mental Health Coach, Qigong Instructor, Reiki Master, and Licensed Massage Therapist (#MA64036). Her wide range of professional education also includes Holistic Health Education, Injury Prevention Training, Therapeutic Nutrition & Movement, Clinical Aromatherapy, and Herbology. Having used holistic healing strategies to reverse a supposedly incurable illness (COPD--Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseas

Salin Geevarghese currently serves as Senior Fellow at the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) as well as the founding Director of the Mixed-Income Strategic Alliance and its Innovation and Action Network. The Mixed-Income Strategic Alliance is a collaboration of CSSP, the National Initiative on Mixed Income Communities at Case Western Reserve University and Urban Strategies, Inc. Before that, from April 2014 to January 2017, Salin served in a senior appointed leadership post as HUD’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of International and Philanthropic Innovation (within the Office of Policy Development and Research) during the Administration of President Barack Obama. He is a recognized expert, leader, consultant, and speaker. Salin has written widely on open records laws and transparency, public education issues, civil rights and equity issues, community and economic development, sustainable urbanization, civic innovation, and engagement efforts. More importantly to me, he is my cousin and

Mary Nichols, aka DJ Fusion of the FuseBox Radio Broadcast, is a US mixshow and events DJ whose main musical focus is the Black Music/Urban Music genre. She founded the FuseBox Radio Broadcast when she was an undergraduate student at Rutgers University in 1988 and worked at Rutgers University Radio. Along with her co-host, fellow mix DJ and business partner, Ausar Ra Black Hawk, DJ Fusion says the weekly radio show and podcast exist to bring the balance back to black radio. They focus on bringing a diverse mix of independent and mainstream black music, like Hip-Hop, Soul, Jazz, Reggae, Rock, Funk, House and more from all over the world, along with relevant commentary, news, and guest interviews for the international listening masses. From its original roots, the FuseBox Radio Broadcast has spread to over 25+ websites, FM and internet radio stations and podcast distribution channels. More than 20 years of chasing dreams When did you find your dream? For Mary, she didn’t know when she started working the 12-2 a

Phillip Lanos is a Los Angeles native. Hyperactive and often pensive, this actor, singer, songwriter, and podcast producer is best experienced in person. Due to his half-Mexican, half-French descent, he’s had opportunities to appear on international Latino TV channels like Telemundo for an American Idol spin-off show named “Yo Soy El Artista.” Phillip has also appeared on MTV’s “Copycat,” which was MTV’s attempt at singing competitions. In the podcasting world, Phillip has worked on over 300 episodes with entrepreneurial clients and journalism greats like Cal Fussman and Martin Perlich, and YouTube influencers like Roger Burnley. Finding a passion. What would you give up to pursue your passion? Phillip has dreamed of an acting and singing career, taken intentional steps and moved across the country to pursue those dreams. When he landed in NYC, he secured a great job with a well-known marketing agency, even though he felt terribly unqualified. He found a mentor, worked hard for success, and was soon offe

Ant McGinley is a psychology graduate, former morning radio show host, former cruise ship social host, wannabe multi-linguist, networking ninja, wannabe wrestler, and creative director. He is the co-founder of Abrupt Audio, and last year, in the first year of his company trading, he oversaw the production of 312 podcast episodes. He grew an online community of over 2000 podcasters in the group, PodTips. He’s the producer and co-writer of the award-nominated comedy soccer podcast “On the Left Side” and is the host of the PodTips podcast. He’s a soon-to-be speaker at Podcast Movement 2018, and I’m thrilled to be able to introduce him to you! The Artist’s Struggle Have you gone through a struggle and then found happiness in chasing your dreams? Ant’s background is in radio, and he always loved the freedom and creativity of the job. He found success there, working for BBC, Radio One, and several other endeavors. When he discovered podcasting, everything fell into place with the audio he loved, and he was happy to

You think YOU have dreams and the courage to pursue them? Hold on to your hat, because you’ll be blown away by the dreams of my guest today! Growing up in another country with a much different standard of living that most Americans are used to has given this amazing lady a unique perspective on chasing dreams. She’s tough and gritty with a side of soft and sweet. I’m thrilled to introduce you to my mom, Sara J.! Growing up in a different world Have you ever thought how difficult it would be to grow up in a different country? Sara grew up in south India as the youngest of eight children. Family was everything in her world, with cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews all around. Her brother had a milk company with lots of cows and buffaloes to care for. Before and after school for Sara were filled with hard work, collecting and delivering milk and caring for the animals. Lunch was usually rice with a vegetable, as meat was a scarcity. She finished high school and went to Mumbai for nursing school. TWEET: I

Hey Dream Chasers! This is not your typical episode. In fact this will be the shortest episode I have aired to date. I am in the midst of settling back into my home in Maryland. Yes, that’s right, I’ve come back to my original Birdland home. I loved and enjoyed my time in Philadelphia, but there is something exciting about new beginnings. So as a result, I do not have a new epsiode for you today as I am still getting things set up. In fact this episode is being recorded through my iPhone 7 via the “Voice Record” app not to be confused with the Voice Memo app. So no guest interview this episode, but I will be back next week with the last woman honoree for Women’s History Month, my mom. At least I hope so….she’s so nervous about this. Haha. So you have that to look forward to. Today, I wanted to ask a favor of you.  When you have 5-10 minutes to spare, not while you’re driving, I could use your help. For 100+ episodes, I’ve been putting episodes out with amazing guests with amazing stories and advice. But

Deesha Dyer is a speaker, writer, Creative Event and Strategy consultant, and is most notably known as the former Obama Administration Social Secretary. The Philadelphia native became a White House intern at the age of 30 and completed a seven-year tenure there that honed her expertise in event coordination, logistics, protocol, and statecraft. Her storied career is unconventional at best, with themes of reinvention, drive, and a commitment to community service integrated throughout. An award-winning event producer, Deesha has been featured in national media outlets including TIME, The New York Times, Marie Claire, Essence, Vogue, Refinery29, Forbes, The Root and Washington Post. A charismatic speaker with unbridled optimism, she now shares her message of hope, hard work and living life on your own terms with audiences across the country, while running her private consulting firm. Deesha’s Dreams: How determined are you to “go for it” and accomplish your dreams, even when they are beyond your wildest ima

I’m honored to have four of the six women of End of the World Events with me today for an unusual show. I’ve never had this many guests before! Let’s learn more about these women and what they do. Michaela Martin grew up in Papua New Guinea, and now lives in rural southeastern Arizona. She, Rachel, and Rory were roommates at a convention for The 100 earlier this year, and started discussing the possibility of creating a US-based event for the show. When she’s not nerding out over TV shows, she enjoys creating art, reading, and generally being creative. Rachel Walker also grew up in rural Arizona. She recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in veterinary science, and her daytime job is microbiology research. Even though her future career goal is to become a doctor, she hasn’t let go of her passion for good literature and television. If she’s not doing lab work, she’s probably cuddling her German Shepherd or working on guest contracts for Con-Geda. Jessie Suarez is a born-and-raised Floridian. She recently

Aundrea Cline-Thomas is an Emmy award-winning reporter for NBC10 News in Philadelphia. When Aundrea is not working, you can find her in the community, volunteering, moderating, or hosting many events for non-profit organizations. Aundrea joined NBC10 news in September of 2015. In 2017 she won a Regional Emmy award for team coverage of the Delaware Prison Standoff. The same year the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists named her Broadcast Journalist of the Year.  Prior to joining NBC10, Aundrea worked as the lead education reporter for four years at WTVF, the CBS affiliate in Nashville, where she won a regional Emmy award for Spot News. She also worked at News 14 Carolina in Charlotte for two years as a reporter and photographer, and WMGT, the NBC affiliate in Macon, Georgia. Aundrea has also been an instructor at the Carolina School of Broadcasting. Aundrea received a bachelor’s degree in Communications with a minor in Black Studies from Boston College, and a master’s degree in Broadcast Journal

Interdisciplinary ecologist Jame McCray explores the intersections between ecology, human behavior, and the performing arts. While working on her Ph.D. in ecology and conservation, she saw the need for interdisciplinary approaches when creating and implementing environmental policies. A dancer and choreographer as well, she realized the performing arts could bridge the gap between scientific facts and public consciousness. Jame is part of the interdisciplinary team assembled by Dance Exchange as part of the 2017-2018 LandLab residency at the Schuykill Center. She is also an environmental social scientist for Delaware Sea Grant. Defining Dreams How old were you when you clearly defined your dreams for your life? For Jame, that moment came back in 6th grade, when she wanted to be a marine biologist AND acquire her Ph.D. She was allergic to many things in everyday life but discovered that her allergies didn’t apply to sea life! Her degree allows her to ask the questions she wants about environmental topics. She

Marcus Garrett was born and raised in the great state of Texas. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration after surviving the mean streets of the inner suburbs. A decade of professional experience as a Certified Internal Auditor, combined with freelance writing on topics ranging from current events to love and relationships, helped Marcus develop a unique qualitative and quantitative writing style. His book and website, Debt Free or Die Trying, keep readers entertained with cautionary tales and helpful tips for living debt free. Marcus’ mission statement is: To make a difference in the lives of others by helping people develop sustainable plans for staying out of or getting out of debt. No plan, no budget, and no ideas: Can you imagine accruing $26,000 of debt in ONE weekend? Marcus can, because that’s really where his debt story really takes a turn for the worse. That few hours of free spending took him 7 years to pay off. He knows exactly how and why it happened: “I had a detached recognitio

Fanshen Cox DiGiovanni is an award-winning playwright, actor, producer, and educator. She is currently touring and performing her one-woman show, One Drop of Love. One Drop travels near and far, in the past and present to explore the intersections of race, class, and gender, in pursuit of truth, justice, and love. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon assist Fanshen in producing the show. She has been featured in the NY Times and on NPR as a spokesperson on using the arts to explore racial identity. Declare your Dreams: Did you “declare” your dreams at a young age? Fanshen did! She knew at the age of 9 that she wanted to be an actress. Even though she’s able to realize that dream today, she has taken a circuitous route, including majoring in theater, and being drawn to Spanish and education. She has worked in Africa with the Peace Corps and studied in graduate school in NYC. Fanshen says that she is glad her journey was not a direct route, because of all the wonderful things she has experienced along the way.  TWEE

We are kicking off Black History month 2018 with a special friend of mine, Zemirah Scott. She is a philanthropist, branding marketing analyst, personal trainer, and business owner. She has a profound way of igniting lives, and we clicked immediately the very first time I met her. She is a former Temple University and Montgomery County Community College student, and her mission is to supply resources and tools for entrepreneurs and small businesses to gain economic stability. Since 2013, she has been the CEO of her marketing branding company, The Difference Development Group, better known as DDG-Philly in the City of Brotherly Love. Zemirah has truly impacted communities around her by her involvement in small business development, speaking at conferences, and mentoring youth. Her desire to give back has allowed her to amplify her knowledge, expertise, and professionalism. Her vision to propel and ignite the dream chaser inside each of us is everlasting, and that is what she is bringing to us in this episode. D

Aimee J. is a software developer, podcaster, speaker, and Chief Dream Chaser on the Chasing Dreams podcast. She began podcasting in 2013 and has launched multiple podcasts including Revisiting Haven, which discusses the TV show, Haven, and took her to Nova Scotia, Canada to interview the cast and crew on location. With her latest podcast, Chasing Dreams, Aimee is working to inspire and motivate people to chase their own dreams. Aimee believes that it is important to live without regret, and as such, you need to make moves, take a chance, and chase your dreams! From 2017 into 2018: Do you feel that 2017 was a stressful year and a good one to leave behind? Aimee shares some of the positives from the year, like the Astros’ win in the World Series amid the hurricane disasters that were so prevalent and widespread. There were the successes of the Women’s March, the Me Too, and Time’s Up movements. There is still much work to be done! The gender equality struggle goes on, and we need to eradicate cyber-bullying, po

Jo Whittemore is the author of numerous middle-grade humor and fantasy novels. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and is part of the Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels. She writes from her secret lair in Austin, Texas, which she shares with her husband. “I Can do it----Watch”: Why are you afraid to fail? Jo shares some lessons learned through self-teaching and pushing through early mistakes. She says that trying something you’ve never done before means you don’t know that you can fail. It’s when others tell you that you can’t do it that the fear and uncertainty creep in. YOU must decide whether or not to believe them. Sometimes you just need to say, “I CAN do it—watch!” TWEET: Until someone says you can’t do something, you don’t realize that you may fail. @JoWhittemore Your Inspiration: Where does your inspiration come from? Jo says that her inspiration for writing comes mostly from the “what-ifs” that she ponders. Observing the world around you will fill you wi

Pat Iyer has worked with experts since she first began writing and editing books in 1985, all while she excelled in her chosen profession of nursing. In addition to helping people share their knowledge, she has written or edited over 800 chapters, books, case studies, articles, and online courses. She delights in assisting people to share their expertise by writing a book, and she serves others as a development editor and ghostwriter. Pat built a service business assisting attorneys with cases involving medical issues. After growing that legal nursing consulting business for 25 years, she sold it in 2015 and now devotes her time to mentoring, writing, and editing. Finding a career path: Have you felt personal, family, or societal constraints in choosing YOUR career path? When Pat was choosing a career, back in 1969, the world was a very different place for women, and “accepted” careers were limited to just a few. Pat chose nursing, because she wanted to help people and wanted to maintain a long-lasting career