This episode's guest Abigail Melo is a pharmacy student, an aspiring pediatrician, and an exotic dancer from Virginia, USA. She discusses the world of gentleman's clubs, also known as 'strip clubs', the laws surrounding them, and what life is like as a young, exotic dancer. Abigail also highlights her journey into the world of Only Fans, and why dancing and modeling are just like any other job.

In this episode, young policy expert Mariya Sethwala deep dives into the status of youth in policy-making and politics in India, and quite honestly, the lack of representation is seen around the world. A current London School of Economics student, Mariya spaces out the highs and lows of youth participation, especially of vulnerable and marginalized youth in policy-making, or the lack thereof.

Join us in this enlightening episode of "Unlocking Resilience" as we delve into the fascinating mental health and community care world. In this special discussion, we are privileged to have two esteemed guests who bring their unique perspectives and expertise to the table.

Our guest, Lily Dong Li Rosengard, is a passionate advocate for community care, and a co-founder of Community Care Collective (we'd say, Blackbird's cousin), along with Vrushali from Blackbird! She has dedicated her life to building resilient communities and promoting holistic approaches to mental health. Lily shares her deep insights into the power of community care and the ways in which it can transform lives. Lily emphasizes the importance of fostering supportive networks and creating safe spaces within communities. She discusses the significance of social connection, empathy, and active listening as key components of effective community care. Through her experiences and initiatives, Lily demonstrates how community care can be a powerful force in addressing mental health challenges.

We are also joined by Nour Ghaddar, an expert in trauma-informed care. Nour brings her extensive knowledge and experience in supporting individuals who have experienced trauma. She sheds light on the crucial aspects of trauma-informed care and its relevance in community settings. Nour emphasizes the significance of understanding the impact of trauma on individuals' lives and the need for sensitive and compassionate approaches. She discusses the importance of creating trauma-informed spaces within community care, where individuals feel heard, validated, and supported. Nour shares practical strategies and tools that can be implemented to ensure trauma-informed care becomes an integral part of community-based mental health services.

As the episode progresses, Lily and Nour collaborate to explore the intersections between community care and trauma-informed care. They highlight the benefits of integrating these two approaches, emphasizing the potential for creating inclusive and holistic support systems within communities.

Drawing on their collective expertise, Lily and Nour discuss various ways in which community care can be trauma-informed and trauma-informed care can be community-centered. They delve into the challenges and opportunities involved in merging these approaches, offering valuable insights and practical recommendations for individuals and organizations looking to implement these models.

Join us on this captivating journey as we unlock the power of resilience, community care, and trauma-informed support. This episode provides a profound understanding of how these two vital aspects can come together to create transformative spaces that foster healing, growth, and well-being within our communities.

Introducing Blackbird's second season with guests Lily Dong Li Rosengard, Nour Ghaddar, Gabriel Marin, Mariya Sethwala, and Abigail Melo, lined up on many fantastic conversations.

Episode One: Unlocking Resilience: A Deep Dive into Mental Health and Trauma-Informed Care with Lily Dong Li Rosengard and Nour Ghaddar

Episode Two: Shaping Tomorrow: Insights into Youth Engagement in Policy-Making in India with Mariya Sethwala

Episode Three: The Price of Glory: Exploring Human Rights Violations in Mega-Sporting Events with Gabriel Marin

Episode Four: Behind the Curtain: My Experience as an Exotic Dancer in America with Abigail Melo

Blackbird is a free podcast that focuses on social justice, impact, society, culture, stories of resilience, and everything in between.

Host Vrushali Kadam explores gender justice and policy advocacy in their work, focusing on rural development in India and global youth engagement in international advocacy spaces, and is the co-founder of Community Care Collective. She is based in Mumbai, India.

In Episode Three, we meet Hibiscus Foundation’s Aksheyaa Akilan and Manojj Dhinakaran who discuss the intersections between mental well-being, gender and intergenerational trauma.

Hibiscus Foundation is an Indian women-led, youth-run non-profit organization, focusing on mental health, gender, and sustainability.

Blackbird is a free podcast that focuses on social impact, art and culture, stories of resilience and everything in between.

Anna Cáceres, a researcher in history and radio host, breaks down the growth in hostility over migration from the British "Commonwealth" over the 20th Century, with a special focus on the formation of the National Health Service (NHS) and the phenomenon of 'medical migration' from South Asia to the UK. She also discusses the various discriminations faced by South Asian medical migrants in the UK, highlighting discriminatory laws and policies put in action to ensure South Asian and coloured migration was restricted on the basis of racial profiling.

Anna also describes her own journey as a first-generation migrant in three different countries, her academic journey, and her EHFM radio show 'Militant Empathy.'

Sydney-Paige Patterson, PhD Scholar (Indiana University) in the area of African Diasporic History and Indian Studies discusses her dissertation addressing the origins and legacy of the Black Panther Party in the US and in India, in the form of the Dalit Panther Party - an off-spring movement launched by Dalit youth across India in the 70's to fight atrocities and injustices laid upon them by upper-caste Hindus, and anyone who supported the systemic socio-economic imbalance created by the caste system.  

Paige also shares her own experiences as an African-American female student, living in a country that may be just too curious, or obnoxiously ignorant, of her ethnicity and culture.