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In this episode of the Epics podcast, Alex interviews Mac McGregor, also known as the Gender Sensei, who is an activist and public speaker focused on creating a world where people can be their authentic selves. Mac talks about how martial arts impacted his life, his transition, and the importance of looking at gender norms in a new way. He also discusses his book, Positive Masculinity Now, and his self-help workshops for men to develop healthy masculine qualities and overcome toxicity. This conversation is an insightful exploration of how to combat hate and discrimination through understanding and education.



Mac McGregor is the author of Positive Masculinity Now and is known as the Gender Sensei. Before his transition, he was a successful female athlete and inductee to the U.S. Karate Hall of Fame and a business owner. Mac has served as the Seattle City Commissioner from 2011-2016 and acted as a keynote speaker on the subjects of masculine behavior and sexuality. He runs several self-help workshops for men to develop healthy masculine qualities, learn about the queer community, and to overcome toxicity. Mac is a dedicated, heartfelt activist and educator who focuses every part of his existence on creating a world where people can feel free to be their authentic selves.



The listener will learn about Mac's background in martial arts, their personal journey with gender identity, and their work as an activist and educator on topics of diversity, gender, and healthy masculinity. The episode offers insights on how to look at gender norms in a new way, including the importance of re-examining gender biases and stereotypes, challenging traditional gender norms, and embracing differences. Mac also discusses the concept of yin and yang energies and how they relate to gender norms and masculinity.



Timestamps:

[00:01:34] Martial arts as a soulmate. [00:06:05] Positive Masculinity. [00:09:42] Gender neutrality in martial arts. [00:13:02] Rare opportunity in sports. [00:16:11] Transitioning as an athlete. [00:20:23] Women's rights in sports. [00:24:10] Creating change from within. [00:27:38] Gender journey and martial arts. [00:31:56] Men learning from women's experiences. [00:35:48] Gender socialization and beliefs. [00:41:30] Redefining gender norms. [00:43:53] Masculine and feminine energies. [00:50:55] Masculinity and nurturing. [00:53:46] Challenging traditional masculinity norms. [00:55:27] Learning from Different Experiences. [01:00:27] Safe space at conventions. [01:02:54] Don't Miss Our Epic Stories.



I started this podcast because I believe that the foundation of hate and discrimination in our world comes from a lack of understanding of those who are different from ourselves. We plan to combat that by hearing everyone's stories, that we can better understand them, be a part of creating real positive change.



🎙 Show Notes: EpicsPodcast.com/episodes/macmcgregor

Mac’s Links:


Website



https://www.positivemasculinitynow.org/ 



Book



https://www.amazon.com/Positive-Masculinity-Now-Emotionally-Intelligent/dp/B0B34V8HTZ 



TikTok 



https://www.tiktok.com/@positivemasculinitynow/ 



Instagram  



https://www.instagram.com/positivemasculinitynow/ 



FB Page 



https://www.facebook.com/Positivemasc/ 



YouTube channel



http://www.youtube.com/@positivemasculinity3458 




🎙 EpicsPodcast.com

🎙 EpicsProductions.com

🎙 SHPE Out Loud Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shpe-out-loud-leading-hispanics-in-stem/id1640180728

🎙 Patreon: Patreon.com/EpicsPod

🎙 Join Podcasts with Purpose Newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/60d0ce05a462d91c1971b4dc



Alex’s IG: @alexraywait




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In this episode, Alex announces an exciting referral program for his production company Epics Productions, where for every successful referral that results in a new podcast with Epics, the referrer will receive $500. The focus of the podcast remains on sharing stories and promoting understanding between people, and the guest for the week is Dr. Janelle Jones, a Ted X speaker, life coach, author, and therapist who overcame poverty, violence, and teenage motherhood to achieve success.

Dr. Janelle Jones is a clinical therapist, author, and entrepreneur. She was born into poverty and raised in the projects of Columbus, Ohio, where she lost her father and sister to intercity violence as a child. Despite these challenges, Janelle was determined to live a life different than the one she saw playing out around her. She founded her own company, Melon and Grace Publishing, and created the Mahogany Beautiful Bright Me program to help girls with self-love and self-acceptance. Janelle is also the host of the Girl You Got This podcast, where she empowers women to live their dreams. Janelle's journey includes overcoming barriers to become the first-generation high school graduate on route to earning her master's degree, writing several books, and starting many businesses to support and empower women. Her story is one of resilience, determination, and hope.

Dr. Janelle Jones shares her experience of teen pregnancy and overcoming barriers to become a successful entrepreneur and advocate for women's empowerment. They will also learn about Janelle's background, personal journey of self-discovery, and her work in helping women identify their passions and expertise. The episode covers various topics such as childhood experiences, societal norms, breaking generational cycles, and the importance of sharing personal stories to help others. The listener will also be provided with links to Janelle's work and encouraged to support her.

I started this podcast because I believe that the foundation of hate and discrimination in our world comes from a lack of understanding of those who are different from ourselves. We plan to combat that by hearing everyone's stories, that we can better understand them, be a part of creating real positive change.

🎙 Show Notes: EpicsPodcast.com/episodes/janelljones


Books 



It All Begins With You: 9 Affirmations to Help You Love Yourself and Know Your Worth 



https://bookshop.org/a/40214/9781733643900 



Beauty in Mahogany



https://bookshop.org/a/40214/9780692872055 




IG



 https://www.instagram.com/janelljonesempowers/ 



Linkedin



https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-janell-jones-msw-lsw-tedx-speaker-23530028/ 



FB: 



https://www.facebook.com/janelljonesempowers 



LinkTree



https://lnk.bio/drjanelljones 



YT



https://www.youtube.com/@drjanelljones 



Courses: 



https://janelljonesempowers.com/courses 



Ted talk



 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVi_n169BVk&t=3s 



Podcast



https://open.spotify.com/show/6rUKV9W7MaCGOspjBtLRn6 




🎙 EpicsPodcast.com

🎙 EpicsProductions.com

🎙 SHPE Out Loud Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shpe-out-loud-leading-hispanics-in-stem/id1640180728

🎙 Patreon: Patreon.com/EpicsPod

🎙 Join Podcasts with Purpose Newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/60d0ce05a462d91c1971b4dc

Alex’s IG: @alexraywait





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Today’s episode is a joint episode that is being released both here on the Epics Podcast but ALSO on the SHPE Out Loud Podcast!

SHPE (the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) is the nation’s largest association dedicated to fostering Hispanic leadership in the STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) field. There is a huge disparity between the Hispanic population and their representation in STEM.SHPE raises awareness, provides access, and prepares Hispanic students and professionals to become leaders in STEM. Our members are driving innovation, the global economy, and a prosperous Hispanic community.

I have had the privilege of producing their podcast, SHPE Out Loud and our joint episode today is a preview to an upcoming series on their podcast. In November I got to be a part of their National conference recording testimonies of their amazing members.These testimonies are being released weekly on the SHPE Out Loud podcast and I highly recommend you going to listen to them because I was able to interview so many incredible people there!

One of the great people I had the pleasure of interviewing in November was Emily Anne Vargas, who is our guest this week! Emily Anne is a Ph.D. student at the University of Southern California. Her story is one of breaking barriers and achieving success in the face of adversity. As a first-generation college graduate and engineer from a family of Cuban immigrants, she has paved the way for future generations to follow in her footsteps. Emily Anne has also been actively involved with SHPE since 2013, serving in multiple leadership positions, including as the youngest Vice-Chair for the SHPE National Board of Directors in nearly 50 years. 

On this episode we dive into her unique journey and gain insight into the importance of representation and community support in pursuing a career in STEM



I started this podcast because I believe that the foundation of hate and discrimination in our world comes from a lack of understanding of those who are different from ourselves. We plan to combat that by hearing everyone's stories, that we can better understand them, be a part of creating real positive change.



More info on our Epic Referral Program! 💰💰: EpicsProdcutions.com/referrals



🎙 Show Notes: EpicsPodcast.com/episodes/emilyannevargas

Follow Emily Anne on Social Media:


Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyannevargas/ 


Instagram @vargasemily12 : https://instagram.com/vargasemily12 


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vargasemily12 



🎙 EpicsPodcast.com

🎙 EpicsProductions.com

🎙 SHPE Out Loud Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shpe-out-loud-leading-hispanics-in-stem/id1640180728

🎙 Patreon: Patreon.com/EpicsPod

🎙 Join Podcasts with Purpose Newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/60d0ce05a462d91c1971b4dc

Alex’s IG: @alexraywait


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This week I have the pleasure of sharing with you the story of Sherisse Bisram.Sherisse is a professional dancer, dance teacher, now an empowerment mentor, public speaker and Someone that has never fit into a box or conformed to societal expectations.

Growing up in a volatile household and as a woman of color in a predominantly white area added understandable hardships and like all young women, Sherisse faced unwanted attention. In addition, she was undermined by society for being outspoken in her opinion rather than playing to the expected norm of being “seen and not heard”. Understandably she was forced to build resilience, and as a result, at 23 she noticed that she had difficulty showing vulnerability and emotions. Sherisse realized that this was not a healthy way to live, with this in mind, she decided to embark upon her own journey of self discovery.

Sherisse has taken the pain and hardships she has faced and used them to become the authentically empowered version of herself that she has always wanted to be.

If anyone wants to continue to follow Sherisse on her journey I will have links to her website, her social media AND her new podcast “Permission to Shine” which is out now!

I started this podcast because I believe that the foundation of hate and discrimination in our world comes from a lack of understanding of those who are different from ourselves. We plan to combat that by hearing everyone's stories, so that we can better understand them, be a part of creating real positive change.

🎙 Show Notes: EpicsPodcast.com/episodes/sherissebisram


 https://linktr.ee/sherisse.bisram 


www.sherissebisram.com 


https://open.spotify.com/show/6wieY1qeXjz81jzF4cmleH?si=638fc9d291b84734 


Youtube @sherisse_bisram


IG  @sherisse_bisram


Tiktok @sherisse_bisram



🎙 EpicsPodcast.com

🎙 EpicsProductions.com

🎙 SHPE Out Loud Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shpe-out-loud-leading-hispanics-in-stem/id1640180728

🎙 Patreon: Patreon.com/EpicsPod

🎙 Join Podcasts with Purpose Newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/60d0ce05a462d91c1971b4dc

Alex’s IG: @alexraywait




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My guest this week on the show is Shermin Kruse. Shermin has a widely diverse background and range of expertise, but more importantly is just a beautiful human being. She is a , lawyer, speaker, professor, TEDx producer, writer, and idea curator, currently teaching at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. Sher is a TED and TEDx talk producer (having produced more than 60 different TEDx talks and various TEDx music videos), a TEDx speaker, and a negotiation and leadership consultant specializing in weaponizing empathy and stoicism.

On the list of many things we were unable to talk about is her best-selling novel “Butterfly Stitching,” which was inspired by the true experiences of herself and the women in her family before and after the Iranian revolution.

We were able to spend some time talking about her childhood in Iran during that dangerous time as well as her experiences as an Iranian woman in law school during 9/11 and so much more.

I highly encourage you to watch her TedTalk, and if you are interested in buying her book I will have a link to that as well!

As always, if you use my link to buy her book it will not only support her as the author but it will be buying it from a local bookstore, AND the Epics Podcast will get an affiliate commission so you will be supporting us as well!

I started this podcast because I believe that the foundation of hate and discrimination in our world comes from a lack of understanding of those who are different from ourselves. We plan to combat that by hearing everyone's stories, that we can better understand them, be a part of creating real positive change.



🎙 Show Notes: www.EpicsPodcast.com/episodes/sherminkruse  

📖 Shermin’s Book Butterfly Stitching: https://bookshop.org/p/books/butterfly-stitching-shermin-nahid-kruse/11090941?ean=9780996050203 

www.sherminkruse.com 

Follow Shermin on Social Media:


https://www.facebook.com/sherminkruse/   
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shermin-kruse/  
https://www.instagram.com/sher_kruse/  

2021 TEDx Reno talk, "Negotiating From a Place of Weakness Using Cognitive Empathy": 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJGSbqgdQGk 

2017 TEDx Talk, "How to Change the World":


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK5aiZGu8L0 

🎙 www.EpicsPodcast.com 

🎙 www.EpicsProductions.com 

🎙 SHPE Out Loud Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shpe-out-loud-leading-hispanics-in-stem/id1640180728

🎙 Patreon: Patreon.com/EpicsPod

🎙 Join Podcasts with Purpose Newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/60d0ce05a462d91c1971b4dc


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This week I have a fellow podcaster join me, and her name is Evelien Kong. A producer and Director by day Evelien Kong founded Reppin Podcast with more than 25 years of experience and a myriad of credits that range from producing award winning documentaries with MTV to crafting digital content with Law and Order SVU. She’s worked with Hollywood heavyweights like Mick Jagger, Mylie Cyrus, Jimmy Fallon, Kerry Washington, JJ Abrams all the way to President Biden. As the founder and host of Reppin, Evelien is committed to sharing stories of people from all walks of life and cultures to bring true representation to the media.

Evelien is a Chinese American and proud new yorker, but more importantly an amazing person. We chat on this episode about being the daughter of immigrants, recently being made aware of her ethnicity, her career in entertainment, and a lot about storytelling and finding the humanity in life.

What part of Evelien’s story impacted you today? Reach out on social media @EpicsPod everywhere and let me know what your favorite parts of this episode are.

Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Reppin Podcast as well as the Epics Podcast so that you don’t miss the next epic story.

I started this podcast because I believe that the foundation of hate and discrimination in our world comes from a lack of understanding of those who are different from ourselves. We plan to combat that by hearing everyone's stories, that we can better understand them, be a part of creating real positive change.

If you believe in what Epics is doing and love the content that we are creating, I would be so grateful if you supported us on Patreon so that we can spend more and more time bringing you epic guests to share their stories with us! 👉  Patreon.com/EpicsPod 🙏 



🎙 Show Notes: EpicsPodcast.com/episodes/evelienkong

Follow the Repppin Podcast


IG: https://www.instagram.com/reppin_podcast/?__coig_restricted=1
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Reppinpodcast/featured
The Reppin Podcast: https://www.reppin.tv/
Listening available on several platforms: https://www.reppin.tv/listen-to-reppin

🎙 EpicsPodcast.com

🎙 EpicsProductions.com

🎙 SHPE Out Loud Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shpe-out-loud-leading-hispanics-in-stem/id1640180728

🎙 Patreon: Patreon.com/EpicsPod

🎙 Join Podcasts with Purpose Newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/60d0ce05a462d91c1971b4dc

Alex’s IG: @alexraywait


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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/epicspod/message