Rae shared anecdotes of what they don’t teach you at university. We followed her battle with both e-coli and imposter syndrome – I am not sure which was more crippling. And what do you do when you are the only female in an expedition in the jungle and you run out of period products? Listening to this regressed me straight back to my first field study in the wetlands of Guyana during rainy season, when I really wished someone had told me to cover my butt with mosquito spray too, as that particular snack would be very much on display when I visited the outdoor toilets.

Oddly, Rae highlights that it was when her work took her to Kenya, which was her first time in a predominantly black country, that she was the only female, black scientist in her team. Race was continually in the forefront of the discussion, and she constantly has to prove herself and explain herself before she could get on with just doing her job.

Rae very effectively compares the micro-aggressions she received to mosquito bites. One mosquito bite a day is tolerable, but one a day in the same place every day, over and over again, will drive you bananas. Outsiders, who haven’t had the daily dose of mosquito bites, and might not even have noticed that you have been bitten, will only see someone (female, of colour) kicking off for seemingly little or no reason.

The most offensive example she gives is the time she was walking up to a stage to receive an award and someone handed her a plate, thinking she was catering staff.

After bringing these inequalities to light in season one, the second season of Going Wild kicked off on 27th September with a question many women are forced to deliberate: “How will having children affect my career?”

Sure, Rae has a more extreme career path than many. Most of us do not spend three months at a time tracking bears in the wild… But getting married and having children still disproportionately changes the path of life for women. Rae wanted more than a desk job, she didn’t want to settle, and what her husband would have to sacrifice or compromise on never seems to have come into the equation.

Episode two features Christine Wilkinson, a hyena expert (I didn’t know that was a job, and now I want it) who echoes Rae’s experiences in the field. It was only when she arrived in Kenya that she was, for the first time, like Rae, the only female black scientist on the team. Being half black, she felt like the outsider regardless of who she was with. This feeling of lack of belonging will strike a chord in many.

Although the show addresses some big cultural topics, there is fun stuff in this podcast too. Listen to find out what a meat tree is, for example, and learn the endearing story of Smiley the hyena…

But the ultimate lesson is clear: let’s get more people of colour involved in science, so the next generation see more people like them in roles – such as ‘hyena expert’ – that they might want to achieve for themselves.

Listen to Going Wild on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

The post REVIEW // Scientists are people too: Going Wild with Dr Rae Wynn-Grant appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Tomi Dixon – Colouring In Britain

What was your introduction to podcasting as a listener?

My introduction to podcasts was through conversational podcasts where hosts and guests would keep me engaged for hours on my daily commute. The podcasts I listened to early on were 90s Baby Show and HCPod Original as they were extremely entertaining and relatable. They inspired the format of how I wanted to create my own content; that invites people into thought provoking conversations keeping listeners entertained all the way through.

Why was audio the right medium for you project?

Audio was the right medium for the project because I think podcasts have a unique ability to deliver powerful narratives that feel extremely personal. I wanted to drop people into each of these stories by combining the different components of drama, interviews and storytelling to create an immersive experience. I think it would have be difficult to deliver all of that in a media format other than audio.

What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from making the podcast?

It takes time! Especially if you want to get something right. Sometimes it takes a little longer to get the right wording or create the right sounds/feel. Especially if you want to deliver the story to the listener in the way you intended. The idea for the podcast seemed straight forward, but when I got into it I realised it was really ambitious! I had to take everything step by step in the project and eventually everything became manageable. So I also learned I’m capable of achieving things when I put my mind to it.

What would you like to see more of in the podcast space?

I would like to see more programmes like Audiolab because this programme gave me the platform to share stories that might not get told otherwise. It was a fantastic opportunity to share the lives and impact of 4 really significant black Britons. People that I think the country should definitely know more about. It would be great to see more opportunities like this for people to tell important stories that don’t get major exposure.

Listen to Colouring In Britain now on BBC Sounds and other popular podcast apps.

Don’t forget to check out the other interviews in this series.

The post BBC Sounds Audio Lab: Tomi Dixon – Colouring In Britain appeared first on POD BIBLE.

What was your introduction to podcasting as a listener?

I’m a veteran of sorts, back in the Ricky Gervais Guardian days I became hooked, for me I could see at that time a democratisation of media production and platforming both for audio and video on the horizon. Serial (S1) of course took the storytelling aspect to another level but the weekly pods like Football Weekly have always been mainstays.

Why was audio the right medium for your project?

I’ve listened to loads of documentary podcasts and what I always envied of the storytellers was the freedom of length that the format allowed. Some are an hour others 20 minutes, some carry on for 15 episodes and others just five. So far I’ve been able to give focus to some parts of Michael’s story and themes that wouldn’t have had space in a traditional TV documentary.

I’m used to recording video and what’s great about audio is the access and freedom it allows. You don’t need to worry about permits for tripods, the shot being backlit or huge amounts of kit. The interviewee also relaxes without a camera in their face.

What the biggest thing you’ve learned from making the podcast?

I’ve never voiced anything before so it was really daunting, but my mentor Clare Walker has been instrumental in helping me to develop a performance for the mic, I’ve learnt that all that talking takes effort and skill!

What would you like to see more of in the podcast space?

I think Audio Lab and other programs like it are trying to rectify the gap that I see in the podcast world. Podcast makers that don’t have the necessary experience or backing from production companies and the like, but do have great stories and content to put out there. During the infancy of podcasting this wasn’t such an issue due to the size of the industry, but now with huge conglomerates and celebrities involved, there needs to be more ways for creators to have a voice.

Listen to Who Was Michael X? now on BBC Sounds and other popular podcast apps.

Don’t forget to check out the other interviews in this series.

The post BBC Sounds Audio Lab: Hamza Salmi – Who Was Michael X? appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

The Digital Sisterhood Podcast’s mission is to unite Muslim women globally by highlighting the importance of cultivating their own spaces, creating their own content and being the author’s of their own stories. Our goal is to counter the pre-existing narrative on what it means to be a Muslim woman in the world today.

Through digital storytelling, we hope to empower a generation of women to unapologetically be themselves and inspire them to foster a strong and unwavering relationship with Islam. TDS works to showcase the religious and artistic expression of Muslim women, centralizing the beauty of Islam and of sisterhood.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

Truth is, I never really listened to podcasts before our podcast. It wasn’t until I started producing my own, when I started to listen to others. I did become familiar with other podcasts with a similar format as ours, so I could imagine what ours could be like and draw inspiration from. I’m actually currently listening to Archetypes by Meghan Markle and I love it. I love the stories, the messages, the lessons and the production of it – it’s incredible.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

In a world where Muslim women are misrepresented and authenticity is lacking, we wanted to build a platform that enables deeper human connections between Muslim women.

Our platform is grounded in the practice of Islam as a way of life. The principles and ethics of the Islamic faith are the core of our content creation guiding how we aim to shift perspectives and culture and build community founded on good moral character.

Change is fostered by authentic stories, and can only be built on a basis of empathy. Empathy inspires us to take positive action and cooperate in good together.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

The podcast came together after our executive Muna Scekomar who was a former intern for NPR’s Terrible, Thanks for Asking, now as the founder of Beautiful Light Studios she was inspired by the ethos of the show and the work and the stories she got to produce. Similar to our podcast, TTFA deals with death, loss and coming through trauma with love and humor. We wanted TDS to approach Muslim women stories with a raw display of vulnerability, a healthy dose of empathy and deeper understanding of how faith has been a guiding principle and support for our guests.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

I don’t know if be a dream guest, but rather I am chasing a dream story. Our podcast is really dedicated to telling stories of seemingly ordinary people with extraordinary stories. We hope to continue to tell stories that diversify and challenge societal norms of what media has commonly depicted Muslim women. Our dream guest essentially is anybody with a story that’s rooted in truth and authenticity.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

I can’t be afraid of telling my own story as a host, and that perfection is not attainable. And maybe that’s the point. I’ve learned that my imperfection as host is part of the authenticity that I’m trying to invite from others. When I’ve embraced my own ugly, mistakes and truth, I’ve been able to encourage other women to come forward with their stories.

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

“The WallFlower ” was my debut podcast episode of my story. I was very nervous to do it as I was afraid of sharing my truth and what the potential consequences could be. But I knew if I wanted to share the kind of stories I was looking for from Muslim women, I had to lead by example. I had to take the leap first.

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

You can keep up with us on Instagram @thedigitalsisterhood or our website thedigitalsisterhood.com.

Listen to The Digital Sisterhood now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

The post The Digital Sisterhood: Uniting Muslim women globally appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Run Pod

What’s its vibe? What I love about this podcast is not knowing every guest she has on and yet still finding the episodes so engaging and informative, not to mention hilarious. From the cast of Eastenders, many of whom were getting into running for the first time for charity, to radio and TV presenters you would never think were into running. There is no ego here, as Jenni says, if you can move one foot in front of the other, you are a runner and Jenni is ready to welcome you into the RunPod running club with open arms and miles!

How’d you hear about it Lou? I actually think I came across this podcast via the wonderful Pod Bible! 

Recommended episode: That’s a tricky one, but I have to say the chat with endurance runner Susie Chan. I loved hearing about her running journey and how she never set out to be a runner but stumbled into it – truly inspiring. And her Instagram account has had me lacing up and hitting the trails, almost (I ain’t no endurance runner!) every time! 

How to Fail with Elizabeth Day

What’s its vibe? Ever had an honest and positive conversation about failure? It’s not something which comes easily to most, certainly not in British culture. Building on discussions from her book How to Fail: Everything I’ve Ever Learned From Things Going Wrong, Elizabeth holds honest and deeply personal interviews with some incredible guests on the topic of failure. She provides the space for each guest to be able to share and explore their failings and the learnings they have and can take from them. For me, these are conversations we should be having more – after all, we do some of our best learning when we fail! 

How’d you hear about it Lou? Good question!I’ll be honest, I cannot remember but I am so glad I did, however it happened! 

Recommended episode: The one which has really stuck with me is her interview with the formidable Meera Syal. From discussions on race, ageing, embarrassing smear tests and womanhood, I was engrossed with Meera’s honesty and vulnerability throughout their conversation, especially when she spoke about her failure to raise her second child in the way she wanted to and instead being fixated with rigid regimes. This is a discussion of true self-reflexivity and guidance.

Louise Jenkins is a feminist based in the UK. She is a freelancer in women’s and girls’ rights whose work focuses on ending all forms of violence against women and girls, and the power and importance of feminist movements to bring about such change. When her ears aren’t glued to music or her heads in a book she can be found losing her ears and mind to an eclectic list of podcasts, primarily ones led by strong, passionate women.

The post THE ADVOCATE – Run Pod and How to Fail appeared first on POD BIBLE.

In Good Company with Otegha Uwagba

What’s its vibe? This is a great, and (to be honest) essential, podcast for all creative working women! Founder of Women Who – a London-based community for creative working women and author of Little Black Book, Otegha Uwagba creates a great vibe with all her guests. Her engaging interviews with smart, passionate and intelligent women has taught me so much and given me new perspective as a female freelancer. I love the final section, “Ask Otegha”, where she plays the role of “career agony aunt” providing practical advice for listeners, from guidance on managing payment to words of wisdom on self-promotion – an area even 6 years into freelance life I still have to work at. That’s what makes this such a great listen – regardless of your experience, this is definitely one to get your ears and mind hooked on! 

How’d you hear about it, Lou? Following Reni Eddo-Lodge, I saw her tweet about her appearance on the podcast and so I thought I’d check it out and haven’t looked back since! 

Recommended episode: Like many of the other recommendations, there are many, but I think the one I learned a lot from was with Reni Eddo-Lodge and the conversation on challenges and setting boundaries as a freelancer – how often have you been asked “can I just pick your brain?” and it being OK to say “well sure but there is a cost to that”. Seriously, if you’re a working woman regardless of the sector, get your ears tuned into this and then every other episode! 

In the Thick

What’s its vibe? This podcast is co-hosted by award-winning journalists Maria Hinojosa and Julio Ricardo Varela. As journalists of colour, Maria and Julio bring the news missing from the mainstream – hard hitting, much needed conversations on race, politics and identity that few people are having or want to have – and I absolutely love it! If you want to broaden your knowledge on social politics outside of your bubble, understand the realities of social movements and individuals working globally on critical issues from defying the patriarchy, domestic care, right up to the media’s reporting of the coronavirus, then this is the podcast for you!

How’d you hear about it, Lou? I follow journalist and feminist author Mona Eltahawy on Twitter; she is a fierce feminist whose work I have admired greatly for some time and it was actually her tweet about the episode she features on that got my ears hooked and immediately subscribed!   

Recommended episode: Well, it has to be “Enemy of the Patriarchy”, with journalist and feminist author Mona Eltahawy! Along with discussing her latest book, the trio talk about #MeToo, the power of feminist activism online, and the importance of pushback and all women’s voices being at the core of defying the patriarchy!

Louise Jenkins is a feminist based in the UK. She is a freelancer in women’s and girls’ rights whose work focuses on ending all forms of violence against women and girls, and the power and importance of feminist movements to bring about such change. When her ears aren’t glued to music or her heads in a book she can be found losing her ears and mind to an eclectic list of podcasts, primarily ones led by strong, passionate women.

The post THE ADVOCATE – In Good Company and In The Thick appeared first on POD BIBLE.