This interview is icing on the cake of a season all about identity and connection in the workplace. Part two of the conversation with Mohan Sivaloganathan is just as enlightening as the first interview. Mohan and Anika discuss the ways in which true respect between generations occur, why younger people’s leadership is exactly what the world needs right now, and the practical ways co-creation can be invited into communities and workplaces. Spoiler: it starts with intention but doesn’t end there. As an acclaimed TED speaker, and founder of Harmonious Leadership is positioned well to be at the forefront of this conversation. And if you haven’t listened to Mohan’s talk yet, what are you waiting for? The holidays? (said in jest because the holidays are around the corner when this launches!).
A huge thank you to all our guests this season.
Mohan’s TEDTalk:
https://www.ted.com/talks/mohan_sivaloganathan_the_breakthrough_power_of_young_leaders?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare
What does it look and feel like to build a world where there is deep connection between generations in mind? Where we can learn from the wisdom of younger generations with the same respect and reverence we do the older ones? Just ask Mohan Sivaloganathan an acclaimed TED speaker, founder of Harmonious Leadership, who builds systems of change every single day in the work that he has committed his life to. In part 1 of this two part interview Mohan and Anika discuss how his background and upbringing has influenced him, the process of developing a Ted Talk that motivates intentional learning of the experience and perspective of younger generations and how a deep multigenerational connection can ripple, expand and influence possibility and progress in a way that we can’t even imagine.
You’ll want to listen to Mohan’s Ted Talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/mohan_sivaloganathan_the_breakthrough_power_of_young_leaders?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare
Stay tuned for part two.
Mohan is a keynote speaker, coach, and a "recovering CEO.” Above all, he is a proud father, husband, son, brother, friend, and a committed challenger to the status quo. Mohan earned the nickname of the “Batman of Social Impact,” as an executive leader by day and keynote speaker + hip-hop artist by night. Throughout his career, Mohan has supported local and national organizations in orchestrating sustainable transformation and systems change for education, civic engagement, racial equity, and social justice.
Mohan is the founder of Harmonious Leadership, a movement to rewrite the rules for leadership and social change. Harmonious Leadership asks “what if” by breaking down the false choice between wellbeing and performance - an antiquated leadership ideology that inhibits people and organizations from advancing their boldest social impact ideas. Prior to launching Harmonious Leadership, Mohan served as the CEO of Our Turn, a national, youth-led movement working to close the opportunity gaps for young people. Mohan was awarded the “40 Under 40 Rising Star” by New York Nonprofit Media and a “Next Generation Leader” by the Human Services Council. Mohan’s keynote talks and thought leadership have been featured by TED, ESPN, Fast Company, Stanford Social Innovation Review, New York University, Good is the New Cool, Fordham University, Net Impact, Penn State University, Synergos Institute, the University of San Diego, and more.
What happens if you don’t have all the answers from your family heritage and/or if your past was filled with trauma and turbulent role models in your upbringing? Bobbie Breckenridge, an innovative social worker and mind-body coach is living proof that healing can take place and that inviting in courage and compassion, often starting with yourself, can lead to healthy connection with others. Bobbie and Anika discuss how recalling and harvesting stories at different stages of your life can empower people to better understand themselves. Not only does Bobbie provide practical tips on how to connect with others in the workplace, Anika and Bobbie model a question and answer over family history that could have been triggering for Bobbie, if she hadn’t done the work in the first place and if Anika didn’t hold space for the range of emotions that can come with storytelling. You’ll leave both inspired and better equipped to bring story sharing to your workplace.
Learn about GenWell: https://genwell.ca/
Bio:
Bobbie is an innovative social worker and mind-body coach with over a decade of experience in community development and holistic wellness. Her unwavering commitment to co-creating a better world is exemplified through her leadership in organizing initiatives that foster genuine connections and promote well-being for all.
As a key contributor to GenWell, Canada’s Human Connection Movement, Bobbie manages their social health programs, using her versatile skills to educate, empower, and catalyze Canadians around the importance of human connection to improve their physical & mental health and overall quality of life.
Driven by lifelong learning, Bobbie continually advances her expertise through professional development. Her personal healing journey has empowered her to guide others in overcoming their challenges, helping them reclaim their power, pleasure, and purpose. She is devoted to weaving a new legacy of wellness within her community, touching countless lives along the way.
Bobbie has been lighting up stages since she was a kid, winning her first speaking competition at just 13. Now, with over five years of experience inspiring communities through speaking about health and wellness, she brings a dynamic and engaging presence to every stage, passionately advocating for a more connected Canada.
How can one design solutions for one of biggest growing demographics in a way that is unique to its proclivities but sensitive to its diversity? By listening to the experts. One such expert, Dr. Samantha Sandassie from AgeWell, a federally funded network for technology and aging, joins host Anika Chabra in this episode. Together they discuss tangible ways in which innovators can adopt a mindset and techniques to better solution and iterate for older adults and their caregivers. We hear how Samantha’s personal journey as part of a family of immigrants influences the way that she graciously approaches her professional relationships, especially when assembling diverse teams of researchers and partners. Listeners are encouraged to widen their aperture to technological curiosity in older adults, debunking myths and misconceptions. And there’s an invitation to understand the nuances of underrepresented groups in older Canadian adults and caregivers, even before one starts the process of ideation. If you are an innovator, researcher, older adult, caregiver or have an older adult in your life, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.
Dr. Samantha Sandassie is the Director, Education and Training at AGE-WELL, Canada's technology and aging network and Manager for the EPIC-AT Health Research Training Platform. She has spent the last 10 years working with researchers, trainees, research professionals and multisectoral partners to build Canada's capacity in AgeTech research and development as well as the deployment of new technologies and technology-related services to support older adults and caregivers. Dr. Sandassie is passionate about supporting our innovators of tomorrow and ensuring they are well-prepared to make positive, real world impact.
Sounds like a dream, right?
No matter what stage of your career, aligning your personal and professional values feels like the path to a fulfilling, long standing relationship with your workplace. For our more visual and strategic listeners, this feels like a giant Venn diagram, with a juicy middle in service of what’s best for employer and employee. Host Anika Chabra explores the topic of congruence with a guest who is living this reality. Carol Ann Lawrie credits her Scottish roots, upbringing, and the personal work she has done to become a loyal servant leader and community builder, aspiring to leave the world a better place than she found it. Hear stories of her familial background, how she worked with other leaders to co-found a vibrant community at her workplace and sage advice for those who might be struggling to find their place at work.
About Carol Ann: Meet Carol Ann Lawrie! A passionate storyteller and community advocate, Carol Ann is the proud daughter of Scottish immigrants, with a deep sense of loyalty and support rooted in her close relationship with her brother. Married for over 22 years, she is a devoted mother to her two daughters, Ella and Eloise. Carol Ann works as an administrative assistant and co-founded the Canadian Assistant Committee, leading wellness initiatives and monthly book clubs at Home Depot, where she's worked for 16 years. Her career also includes corporate roles at McDonald's and General Motors Canada. An active volunteer on her local school board parent committee, Carol Ann is committed to making a positive impact while honoring her family's values of respect and kindness.
Know yourself, and then sell better.
When guest Peter Ahn advises tech founders he encourages them to weave their personal story through their pitches and presentations, building empathy and trust with the audience. In this interview, Peter and Anika dispel the historical stereotype of the salesperson, forging a new narrative and path for effective selling - a life and professional skill they both value. As a Korean American tech sales coach, Peter uses his 15 years of corporate enterprise sales experience at industry leaders like Google and Dropbox to now help his own clients and community understand that business relationships can be mutually beneficial. Peter divulges some of the techniques he uses with clients to get them to know themselves better, championing often underrepresented communities along the way. Learn more from and connect with Peter at decodingsalespodcast.com
What a way to launch a season! In this interview, host Anika Chabra draws a relationship between childhood experience, identity and the professional self. Guest Michelle Bazargan, a technology executive advisor, conscious leadership coach and author encourages listeners to go inwards, uncover their stories and really get to know oneself in order to show up at work as your true self. Michelle shares the early experiences that shaped her, provides examples of childhood triggers that show up in work relationships and encourages an abundance mindset as we find our place in the workplace. Recognizing that corporate systems are slow to adapt, calling for personal responsibility is the change that Michelle wants to inspire in the world, one person at a time. Check out her book “Unmask Your Brilliance. Thriving beyond workplaces designed to hide you” here: https://www.amazon.com/Unmask-Your-Brilliance-Thriving-Workplaces/dp/1962202240/
Season 7 of the Root & Seed podcast is launching on September 19th. Over the past 3 years we have brought you stories to inspire discovery and celebration of family and cultural backgrounds. You have responded by listening, by giving us feedback and used our physical and digital tools to capture, collect and connect with others in your life. In some ways it feels natural to go where we are going next and we definitely have you to thank for it. This season is about the workplace and community. It's about our colleagues & clients, and how being our true selves enable empathetic relationships and inspire more creativity and collaboration to meet collective goals. We spend so much time in the workplace, often with others who are not like us. Do we really know others? Do we really know ourselves and how our background, stories and upbringing shows up in the workplace? We imagine a world where narratives can be helpful to bring out our strengths and gifts as we show up at work and in our community. From authors, to TEDTalk speakers to therapists, our guests this season provide perspective and tools to really get to know yourself by digging deeper. We can’t wait to bring you another season of Root & Seed.
What happens when Root & Seed co-founders Jenn and Anika get together with mics on to interview each other? Lots of storytelling, advice shared, and reflecting on their Root & Seed journey. For our season 6 finale, on the theme of relationships, they couldn’t help but provide a peek behind the curtain and answer the most asked questions from the Root & Seed community. Everything from how their relationship with the business has evolved, to a look at their relationship with THEIR families, and how their own stories have blossomed. “Ask us anything” style, expect a speed round of info, laughs, and reminiscing. Anika shares what she would ask her mom if she had the chance, what her favourite podcast and community spotlights have been since launch. Jenn shares a revealing story about her father that leaves her with a new perspective on Mr. Siripong’s personality... and as our resident conversation expert she helps us understand how to truly get the crowd talking, especially as we enter the holidays.
If you’ve ever been curious about the behind the scenes of Root & Seed, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!
Is “almost" anything good enough? It sure is for this episode’s guest Brittany Muddamalle, the voice behind The Almost Indian Wife. As a Caucasian/Romani woman married to an East Indian and now raising multiracial kids in America she is building a life that works for her and her family and in doing so is inspiring others to “meet in the middle” to honour all family tradition, culture and norms. All the while leaving the unnecessary and outdated behind. We cover a lot of ground in this interview from how eating with her hands has become one of her favourite ways to respect their Indian side, to her desire to have her children know Telugu fluently and how replicating her favourite recipe from her Caucasian side makes her heart wish for another Thanksgiving with her grandma (hint, it giggles and comes in many colours).
Check out Brittany's The Mix Membership https://www.almostindianwife.com/the-mix-membership
Use promo code ROOT&SEED for one month off!
About our guest: Brittany is the voice behind The Almost Indian Wife. She is married and has four kids. Her husband is Indian and she is Caucasian/Romani. She has a passion to help other multiracial families navigate multiple cultures and build a healthy foundation so they can stand up against anything.
https://www.tiktok.com/@almostindianwife
https://www.instagram.com/almostindianwife/
https://www.almostindianwife.com/
What does it mean to truly represent your culture in a way that is innate, intimate and unique? Eric Hernandez is a Native American hoop dancer whose love for expressing his culture comes through movement and by telling his story, shedding a light on the diversity within the Native American and Indigenous communities. In this episode Eric reveals his choice to follow life’s whispers and nudges and how the teachings of his ancestors and elders played a part in shaping his present gift to the world. We hear about the process of creating his TEDx Talk and how a role with Cirque du Soleil invited him to dance the way that he was meant to dance. Perhaps most of all we are left with the revelation to be who we truly are - even and especially when faced with decisions at the crossroads of life.
About Eric: Eric Hernandez, a proud member of the Lumbee tribe, is an esteemed Native American hoop dancer with over 20 years of experience. Mentored by Terry Goedel, Eric's skills took center stage as the lead in Cirque du Soleil's "Totem," touring over 17 countries. A recent TEDx speaker, his mission is to challenge stereotypes and spread ancestral wisdom about Native Americans through the art of hoop dance.
Facebook: @nativeric
Instagram/ericmicha3l.com
Exploring the role that tradition plays in one’s life feels pretty core to the Root & Seed community. But what role does it play when you have lost a loved one? And at an age when you just starting to "adult"? We explore this and more with Francesca Saraco, someone who is navigating the world after losing both her parents in her 20s. How food can be a great connector to those who have come before us, transporting us back to simpler, perhaps happier times. How the honour of carrying forward those traditions is met in a way that is bittersweet. And how traditions go beyond culture or ethnic background and are simply life traditions. And don’t worry, Francesca is gracious enough to share her family’s tomato sauce recipe with us, and we will are all better for it. Check out her transcript for the recipe at rootandseed.com
About Francesca Saraco:
It appears there are no conversations with Darius Bashar that stay on the surface and this is definitely one of them. Darius is a creator, yes, and someone who is helping to connect with others in a way that defies media and mode. From dance to meditation, from photography to facilitator, he is on a mission to connect more intimately, evidenced by one of his many projects "No Strangers". In order to do so, Darius has needed to understand the stories of his past, inviting compassion to seep in and importantly deciding what are his stories to tell and what are his ancestors'. We go from generational trauma, to question-asking advice to birds in the wild and we are all better for it. Give this heart-led conversation a listen.
Darius Bashar is a celebrated photographer who works with international celebrities, best-selling authors and thought leaders such as Seth Godin, Liz Gilbert, Dr. Shafali, Jim Kwik, Danielle LaPorte, Lisa Nichols and Masai Ujiri. His work has been featured in world-class publications such as TIME, Apple, Forbes, USA TODAY, Oprah.com and others. Darius speciality is working with speakers, authors and thought leaders and his signature photography experiences are his HEARTshots™ and Black + White Experience. In June 2022, Darius launched a new photography project called NoStrangers.art, which explores intimacy and connection, by taking photos of strangers on the streets of Toronto and asking them one deep question. Darius is also the founder of Artist Morning, which is an international community of artists, creators and meditators. He has led and facilitated over 500 group meditations for thousands of people around the world. You can find Darius on the world’s most popular and largest meditation app, Insight Timer.
Check out Darius at:: www.artistmorning.com
Find him on: https://www.instagram.com/dariusbashar/
We first discovered Mita Mallick on LinkedIn and we're enamoured with her content about making the workplace truly inclusive and inviting for all. How as leaders, it is in fact our experiences at home, our upbringing, our backgrounds that help inform, influence, and inspire how we show up at work. How when a sense of belonging and truly feeling part of a team is fostered, that it actually makes good business sense - something we agree with wholeheartedly at Root & Seed. In this interview, we talked to her about her new book launching the week this episode is launched. Her career in corporate America and how her early life experiences have helped her show up as she learned to show up sometimes despite the best of intentions from our parents and society at the time.
About our guest: Mita Mallick is a corporate change-maker with a track record of transforming businesses. She gives innovative ideas a voice and serves customers and communities with purpose. She has had an extensive career as a marketer in the beauty and consumer product goods space, being a fierce advocate of including and representing Black and Brown communities. Her first book, “Reimagine Inclusion: Debunking 13 Myths to Transform Your Workplace,” being published by Wiley is now available for pre-order on Amazon.
Season 6 is upon us!
After almost 40 episodes of reflecting on our cultural discovery, appreciation, and preservation journeys, we wanted to remain reflective, but allow a bit more fluidity into our guests' stories. And this season we have some unbelievable guests. They are introspective, empathetic, heart-centered, and creative. Yes, all of them. But in different ways... and yet the common thread in all of those traits is how we are with others. Specifically our relationships.
Have you ever thought about how your relationships are impacted by the lens of your upbringing, culture, and lived experiences? Well our guests this season certainly have!
We speak to Mita Mallick a corporate change maker who is debunking the myths related to inclusion in the workplace, Eric Michael Hernandez an indigenous hoop dancer who’s TedTalk about his journey is inspiring people to meet their truest selves and with Brittany Muddamalle of “Almost Indian Wife” who’s relationship with her husband’s culture and family means that her mixed children are learning to respect and honour all parts of their whole selves.
What’s most special about these interviews is that they not only inspire, but they leave us with real, tangible advice on how they have become better contributors to society with stronger relationships to the people and institutions around them. How they’ve harnessed their background and experiences, relationship with culture and tradition and become curious about how they can intentionally take what aligns forward.
It’s a lot of “root” and plenty of “seed” this season. We can’t wait for you to meet our guests, launching Sept 28th.
Hosted by Anika Chabra, Executive Produced by Jenn Sirirpong Mandel and Edited by Emily Groleau & Camille Blais. We can’t wait to bring another season of Root & Seed.
What a way to end a season on identity! Charlene SanJenko's “official” journey to uncover her Indigenous roots started eight years ago. However, we learn that in order to truly live into herself, she had to dig deeper into earlier experiences to inform how she wanted to move forward now, as a proud Indigenous woman. As leader for a platform called reGEN Media she is helping to reimagine the system of creative storytelling for the underrepresented, and for investment and funding so that it betters all. Check out one incredible project called “Coming Home” https://www.regenimpactmedia.com/projects-coming-home/ including ways to support.
About: Charlene is an Indigenous Storyteller, Impact Producer, and Media Visionary. Born in the Splatsin Band of the Shuswap Nation, Charlene believes in creating from a place of collective genius, celebrating cohesive partnerships that bring stories of hope and possibility alive. Charlene leads a team at reGEN media who is introducing a new approach to align progressive creative projects with strong brands with the intent of striking partnerships and investment to propel lasting success for all involved. She holds a solid reputation in the social impact space with a former corporate background in investment services, marketing & communications, and impact production.
There’s something about Samanta Krishnapillai’s story that is familiar yet unique, destined yet delightful, average yet special. As the founder of On Canada Project, Samanta and her team are distilling information and dispelling myths so that Canadians can truly comprehend societal issues and happenings. Where does she get this drive? A mystery perhaps, or is this the result of her upbringing, early experience as a brown girl in a white world, her schooling and most recently as a result of having a point of view on happenings during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Unlike her parents' generation who were in Canada to survive, Samanta is on a mission to thrive, and in turn make an impact using her experiences, intellect and now platform to institute change.
@samkrish_ and OCP @oncanadaproject
They say we remember moments not days. In part two of our interview with Dr. Jenny T. Wang, Dr. Wang crystallizes a moment between her and her mom, that feels relatable for all immigrants and their descendants, showing them that their hard work and sacrifices were ultimately worth it. Listen to that and more, including thoughts on resolving the role of our generation and how we can invite in tradition in a healthy way. And the way Dr. Wang lights up when answering the question around family food and recipes, will have you craving a meal and time shared with your elders.
Dr. Jenny T. Wang is a Taiwanese American clinical psychologist and national speaker on the intersections of Asian American identity, mental health, and intergenerational and racial trauma. Her professional mission is to destigmatize mental health within the Asian community and empower Asian Americans to prioritize their own mental well-being. She spearheaded the Asians for Mental Health therapist directory (www.asiansformentalhealth.com) to connect individuals with culturally reverent mental health care for Asian American diasporas. She created the Instagram community Asians for Mental Health (@asiansformentalhealth), where she explores the unique ways in which Asian American identity impacts our mental health. Her first book, Permission to Come Home: Reclaiming Mental Health as Asian Americans was published by Grand Central Balance in May 2022. She is a mental health advisory member of Wondermind and The Mental Health Coalition.
Just in time for Mental Health Awareness Month and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Heritage month, we bring you part one of this two part series with clinical psychologist, Dr. Jenny T. Wang. In one of our most heart-felt, honest discussions to date we discuss about what it means to be descendants of immigrants, compassion and empathy for our parents' generation, and our role jostling between aging elders and the next generation, our children. Dr. Wang shares her professional insights gained from being an advocate for Asian American identity and mental health, together with personal stories of her own family - the dynamics and moments that defined her own story and now gifts to the world.
Dr. Jenny T. Wang is a Taiwanese American clinical psychologist and national speaker on the intersections of Asian American identity, mental health, and intergenerational and racial trauma. Her professional mission is to destigmatize mental health within the Asian community and empower Asian Americans to prioritize their own mental well-being. She spearheaded the Asians for Mental Health therapist directory (www.asiansformentalhealth.com) to connect individuals with culturally reverent mental health care for Asian American diasporas. She created the Instagram community Asians for Mental Health (@asiansformentalhealth), where she explores the unique ways in which Asian American identity impacts our mental health. Her first book, Permission to Come Home: Reclaiming Mental Health as Asian Americans was published by Grand Central Balance in May 2022. She is a mental health advisory member of Wondermind and The Mental Health Coalition.
Daniel Mazzone grew up surrounded by familial influences in creativity, so it's no surprise that he became an artist. However, his upbringing and lived experiences didn't initially lead to success. Spending much of his youth on the streets of Toronto and pursuing a career that wasn't for him, Daniel eventually tapped into his early influences and a desire for more, leading him to pursue his passion for a life filled with the expression of human truths and authenticity.
In this interview, we delve deep into Daniel's life, from a soon-to-be-launched documentary on his travels, the inspiration behind his art, a trip to the Vatican, to a perfectly picked Conversation Card question that had Daniel coming full circle. You'll also hear in his own words why he believes that everyone should have parts of their life story tattooed on their skin.
Follow Daniel @danielmazzoneart
