Positive World, Positive People

Today’s episode is part of our “Change Starts Small” series, where young activists, innovators, and leaders who are proving that age is never a limitation to creating meaningful change join our podcast. This series is rooted in the belief that finding your voice and choosing to use it often is the very first step toward making an impact. By sharing these stories, we hope to inspire others to lead...

The teenage years come with moments that test us. Whether it’s pressure, loss, failure, or uncertainty, difficult experiences can make us feel disconnected from ourselves and others. However, doing simple things, such as staying open-minded, kind, and maintaining personal identity, can relieve these pressures, but it is easier said than done. With that in mind, I’m honored to welcome Dr. Tyrone C....

As we move through our teenage years, friendships often begin to change. People we once felt inseparable from might drift away, friend groups shift, and sometimes we’re left wondering what we did wrong or if something is wrong with us. These changes can feel confusing, painful, and isolating, especially when no one really talks about how normal they are. Because of this, I wanted to understand why...

In our previous episode, we sat down with Jenny Garrett to talk about building self-esteem, what it means to find confidence from within, and how to navigate identity in a world full of comparison. We explored how self-worth connects to authenticity and leadership, and why believing in yourself is one of the most powerful things you can do as a teenager. Today, we’re taking that conversation a ste...

Our guest today is Jahkil Jackson, who turned his own curiosity, empathy, and sense of purpose into a global movement. Jahkil is a three-time best-selling author, youth philanthropist, student-athlete, and social entrepreneur. When he was eight years old, he founded Project I Am, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about homelessness and assisting those in need by creating and...

In our last episode, we explored the topic of self-esteem with Sadie Sutton and discussed what it truly means to find confidence from within. We talked about how anxiety and self-worth often overlap, and how learning to accept ourselves can be one of the most powerful tools for mental health. Today, we’re continuing that conversation, but from a new angle. This time, we’ll focus on how self-esteem...

As teenagers, self-esteem does not always come naturally. Being able to be confident in who we are, who we want to be, and what we want to become is incredibly difficult. Between social media pressures, academic stress, and the constant comparisons that surround us, it can feel nearly impossible to truly love ourselves. With that in mind, I wanted to explore how teens can build healthy confidence...

Through our teenage and young adult years, we begin to take the steps to discover our true identities and passions. Discovering who our true selves are makes an incredible difference in our everyday lives, but sometimes that journey of discovery is incredibly rough. The components of life get thrown into the mix, and sometimes we lose who we are supposed to be along the way.  To help us discuss ho...

I’m thrilled to welcome today’s guest for our first episode of the newest PoWoPoPe series, Change Starts Small. Nate Wilbourne is a youth and nature advocate from New Zealand. Nate has done incredible work in environmental conservation, climate justice, and youth empowerment. Support the show

As we develop into our teenage years, life begins to move at lightning speed. School becomes more demanding, extracurriculars fill up our afternoons, and social pressures seem to grow by the day. Amid all of this, the simple acts of kindness and selflessness that once felt natural can begin to fade. It’s not that we care any less; it’s that life gets busier, and sometimes kindness unintentionally...

As we begin our teenage years, schoolwork begins to pile up, activities become more demanding, and thoughts about college consume every waking minute. In all, life becomes more anxiety-inducing and sometimes frightening. Thinking about all this, I wanted to discover techniques teenagers can begin to use to control their anxiety and start to learn ways to advocate for themselves when life becomes t...

Social media and the modern adolescent experience are having dramatic consequences on teenagers’ mental health and development. Joining us to discuss these crucial topics on the first episode of PoWoPoPe is Lauren Palazzo!  Support the show

Social media and the modern adolescent experience are having dramatic consequences on teenagers’ mental health and development. To further discuss this incredibly underestimated topic, I have invited Richard Weissbourd to the PoWoPoPe podcast.  Support the show

Today, we will be discussing the topics of friendships and the discovery of genuine connections. Growing up, we cross paths with a multitude of people, but how do we differentiate who our friends are and who is not? Once we have flourished our friendships, how do we keep them strong and positive? To help us answer some of those questions here today, I have Gustavo Carlo. Support the show

Today, we will discuss misinformation in the media and its impacts. We are surrounded by the media, and for most of us, it is incredibly difficult to differentiate what is real and what is not. Not every source is reliable, and that can make interacting with all media variants highly challenging. Here to discuss and inform us on this vast topic is Dr. Deen Freelon. Support the show

As teenagers in the twenty-first century, we have been surrounded by technology since the start of our first memories. Whether we are in school writing a paper on a computer or hanging out with friends recording TikToks, technology surrounds us daily. So the big question today is, how do we continue to interact with this level of technology without developing a grueling addiction?  Here to answer...

Parallel to the last episode, today we will discuss our futures. However, we will dive into how our identities and decisions now relate to our futures. Being the best version of yourself now may have a bigger influence on what occurs in the future, but how do we discover our ideal version of ourselves before the future arrives? Today, to help us develop this question, we welcome Eimon Amjadi. Supp...

In this episode, we will discuss misinformation in the media, particularly how it targets specific individuals, including teenagers. We had a similar conversation only a few episodes ago; the focus of this episode will be on why certain individuals are targets of factors such as age, immigration, and ethnicity. Why does the internet sometimes attack different people, and how can we make it a safer...

Being exposed to the media is something that we can all relate to. From social media to news articles, the media surrounds us through every waking moment. As we are constantly dealing with the media, what are some tactics and ways that we can become informed about it? How can we develop a healthy relationship with the media that surrounds us? With these questions in mind, I have invited Renee Hobb...

Teenagehood is the beginning of the rest of our lives. From diving into rigorous classes at school to developing meaningful friendships, teenagers prepare for the future in multiple ways. However, why does it always feel like the future is too close and far at the same time? The pressures from society build, and in the end, making decisions that could determine the rest of our lives is terrifying....