Inspire 2 Aspire

Season 2 is here! The season premiere features Joshua Kim, Womenswear fashion designer at Versace. He has worked on countless red carpet looks and collections. Two notable projects Joshua has worked on are Jennifer Lopez’s 2020 Superbowl outfit and Angelina Jolie’s Maleficent premiere outfit. Tune in to hear about Joshua’s fashion background, a day-in-the-life of working at Versace, and behind-the-scenes of various looks/collections. Follow him on Instagram @kim_joshy!

This week, I got to talk with Ella Greenwood, a 19-year-old filmmaker and founder of Broken Flames Production. Ella is a passionate advocate for a healthy representation of teenage mental health in the media; all her films center around a certain topic of mental health, such as depression or anxiety. Her upcoming projects include "Self-Charm," with Bukky Bakray taking on the lead actress and "Smudged Smile" with Mia Mckenna-Bruce. Tune in to hear Ella's filmmaking journey and the importance of advocating for better mental health representation in the film industry. Follow Ella on Instagram @popsella to stay updated on all her latest projects!

This week’s episode features Estella Struck, founder of Ethica! Ethica is a brand that aims to promote circular fashion by selling second-hand clothes that are both trendy and timeless. Ethica has released more than 10 collections and sold 2,000 pieces worldwide! Tune in to this episode to hear about how Estella started Ethica, how Ethica is promoting slow fashion, and how we can be more sustainable in our fashion choices. Follow Ethica on Instagram @ethicanyc to stay up to date on all the latest collections!

This week's episode features Christina Xing, an award-winning Asian American film director! Christina has shot commercials for brands including Yves Saint-Laurent, Snapchat, Tinder, and more! In addition, she has directed multiple music videos for artists such as Kenzie, Fiji Blue, and Frances Forever. Tune in to the episode to hear about her experiences directing commercials for well-known companies, the differences of directing music videos and commercials, and things she wished she would've known before going into the film industry. Follow her on Instagram @christinaxing to stay updated on all her latest projects!

Episode 10 features Sade Ndya, an award-winning cinematographer who has shot commercials for various companies including Apple and Microsoft! She entered the world of cinematography when she was just in high school, shooting films at home with her family and friends. Now, her career has grown exponentially to shooting professionally for major companies and brands. Sade is also the founder of The Red Futon, a company that aims to uplift voices in the community through films and commercials. Tune in to her about her experiences filming commercials for these major brands and advice she has for aspiring cinematographers. Follow her on Instagram @sadendya for more!

This week, I got to talk with Megan Wesseln, a registered nurse (RN) at an academic hospital in L.A. Megan has spent her first year of nursing fighting Covid-19 in the heart of L.A., an epicenter for new Covid-19 cases. Tune in to hear her journey of becoming a nurse, how she is taking care of patients during this time, and advice she has for students who are looking to go into the medical field. Let's not forget how much work nurses are doing to keep us all safe and let's do our part by wearing a mask and staying home! Listed below is Megan's email address and Instagram handle, which she has kindly provided to help students who have questions about being an RN and about the medical field in general. Contact her if you have any questions!

Email: mewesseln@gmail.com

Instagram: @megwesseln

This week's episode features Linda Znachko, founder of He Knows Your Name Ministries, an organization that gives babies dignity and honor in death by celebrating their life through proper burials and funerals. Through this organization, Linda has celebrated the lives of countless babies and is bringing light to the importance of the Safe Haven Law. Tune in to hear about the differences Linda is making through He Knows Your Name, her experiences adopting Abigail after Abigail's death, and advice on how we can save these precious lives. You can purchase her book, He Knows Your Name by Linda Znackho on Amazon to read more about her experiences and stories. Also, follow her on Instagram @lindaznachko to stay updated on all the wonderful things she is doing through this ministry. 

This week's episode features Julia Kong, a rising model and actress. Within just 2 years of her modeling career, she has become a prominent figure in the modeling industry and has modeled for notable campaigns for brands such as Dickies and Aeropostale. As a rising actress, she has starred in multiple short films, including "American Wedding," which is set to premiere in January 2021 on YouTube. Tune in to hear more about Julia's story working in the entertainment industry and tips she has for future models and actresses. 

Follow Julia on Instagram @juliaakong for updates on her modeling and acting projects. The trailer for "American Wedding," is also available on her Instagram page!

Join me as I talk with Monica Kelsey, founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, an organization that works to prevent illegal abandonment of newborns by building baby boxes across the country. A former medic and firefighter, Monica founded this organization after seeing a baby box operation in South Africa. Within 5 years of operations,  the organization offers a variety of support services for women and has mobilized nearly 60 baby boxes across the country. Tune in to hear Monica's inspiring story of how she started Safe Haven Baby Boxes and advice she has for youth who want to start their own organization! 

For more information about Safe Haven Baby Boxes' future events, visit their website: shbb.org, and follow their Instagram @safehavenbabyboxes. 

Today's episode features Paloma Esquivel, L.A. Times reporter and 2-time Pulitzer Prize winner. Paloma has been reporting for the L.A. Times for 13 years and has covered a variety of topics including education and news. Her ability to write intimate feature articles and skills in reporting about important current events continue to inspire youth journalists. In this episode, she shares her nontraditional journey into journalism, her experience in getting 2 Pulitzer Prizes, and advice she has for youth who are looking to grow their journalism skills. You can find more of her work in the L.A. Times!

This week's episode features Tara Campbell, California's youngest female mayor. With her perseverance and dedication towards making her city a better place, she was elected Mayor when she 25 years old. Her powerful leadership skills, passion for positive change, and ultimate love for her city have made her a remarkably influential figure for youth. Tune in to hear her surprising journey in how she got involved with her local government, the obstacles she has had to overcome as a young Mayor, and advice she has for youth on they can be more politically active in their community! For more, you can find her on Instagram @tarapcampbell. 

Hi everyone! Listen to this trailer to get to know Inspire 2 Aspire! The first episode premieres on Sunday,  January 3rd on Anchor, Spotify and Apple Podcasts! For more, visit Inspire 2 Aspire on Instagram @inspire2aspirepodcast. Catch you later!