TURN it up!

The Universal Radio Network

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SOCIETY & CULTURE
UPDATED DAILY

Welcome to The Universal Radio Network's podcast page, here you can access our interviews, discussions & podcasts. Visit our website at www.theuniversalradio.com or follow us on social media for updates!Instagram: @theuniversalradioTwitter: @theuniversalrad

4D AGO

#279 Sikh Research on Mental Health

We look at what mental health research is saying about Sikh communities, and why getting help can feel harder than it should. We connect stigma, racism, migration stress, and identity to practical barriers in Canada’s mental health system, then talk about what culturally safe care can actually look like. • The difference between “Sikh” and “sick” and why naming matters • Stigma in families and the pressure of reputation • Low use of mental health services despite real need • The gap after diagnosis when people still cannot access care • Loneliness and disrupted spiritual practice for Sikh migrants • Evidence of implicit bias affecting counsellor callbacks in Vancouver • Public stigma versus self-stigma and how both block help-seeking • Collective trauma from Partition and Operation Blue Star shaping the present • Racism and hate crimes as measurable mental and physical health stressors • Sikh youth stress from being visibly different plus intergenerational tension • Why Western therapy can fail without cultural fit and language support • Punjabi language as access to emotions and meaning, not just translation • Help-seeking pathways that start with family and gurdwara before clinicians • Culturally safe models including Sikh-informed counselling frameworks • Empowerment and peer education approaches that reduce self-stigma Tune in weekly to Wellbeing Wednesday with Gurjeet Gill on The Universal Radio Network, 97.9 FM in Edmonton, or globally at www.theuniversalradio.com IG: @theuniversalradio

40 min
5D AGO

#278 TURNing it up with Fateh

We sit down with Fateh to trace how Canadian Punjabi and South Asian music grows from a few scattered gatekeepers into a real national scene. We also unpack why he writes for connection over clout and how “Jadu” came together through real friendship with Mickey Singh. • The early days of making Punjabi music in Canada and why artists once had to look abroad • Brampton as a hub alongside rising scenes in Calgary and Vancouver • Building touring infrastructure across Canada and wanting to reach more provinces • Creative mindset of writing from the heart instead of chasing crowd formulas • Why fan stories matter more than views and follower counts • The story behind the “Jadu” collaboration with Mickey Singh • Hopes to return to Edmonton and connect with Alberta audiences Tune in to The Universal Radio Network daily on 97.9 FM or through our live-stream at www.theuniversalradio.com IG: @theuniversalradio

5 min
APR 18

#277 Modular Classrooms, Explained with Minister Nicolaides

We talk with Alberta’s Minister of Education, Minister Nicolaides, about the province’s $600 million investment in modular classrooms and why the plan focuses on speed. We break down what modular classrooms are, how quality standards work, and how the Schools Now program aims to relieve enrolment pressure while new schools are built. • What a modular classroom is and how it is built off-site • Why modulars are used as a temporary stopgap for overcrowded schools • Alberta’s enrolment growth and the time gap between demand and new builds • Quality, safety, and government specifications for modular units • How modular classrooms have been used in Alberta for decades • How the $600 million Schools Now funding translates into classrooms, washrooms, and student spaces • Why the modular budget does not reduce planned new school construction • The challenge of forecasting population growth and adjusting long-term capital plans Tune in to The Universal Radio Network daily on 97.9 FM or through our live-stream at www.theuniversalradio.com IG: @theuniversalradio

7 min
APR 18

#276 Redrawing Electoral Maps, Should Albertans be Concerned?

We ask Naheed Nenshi, the leader of the official opposition of Alberta, why Alberta’s government is stepping into electoral boundary drawing and what that could mean for fairness at the ballot box. We talk through how gerrymandering works, why courts may get involved, and why public pressure still matters even when politics feels heavy. • Why Canada relies on independent boundaries commissions to protect fair elections • What changed between the interim report and the political blowback on the final report • How a new advisory panel without public hearings shifts power toward government control • What “gerrymandering in slow motion” looks like in practical terms for Calgary, Edmonton, and nearby communities • How vote dilution can affect urban voters, racialized communities, and rural representation • Why the notwithstanding clause does not apply to electoral rights • how legal challenges could cost money and delay change while elections approach • Why “politicians shouldn’t choose their voters” is the core democratic test • The simplest actions regular Albertans can take to push back • The little-bird story as a guide for civic responsibility and Seva Tune in to The Universal Radio Network daily on 97.9 FM or through our live-stream at www.theuniversalradio.com IG: @theuniversalradio

22 min
APR 16

#275 Caste In The Playlist

We connect caste to the music we stream and the pride we carry, tracing how power moves through South Asian culture from temple traditions to Punjabi pop. We sit with Sikh commitments to equality, name how caste discrimination shows up in Canada, and look at how Dalit artists use music to document life and fight back. • Defining caste as a system of birth-based hierarchy and why the four-varna model misses lived reality • Naming Dalit as a reclaimed identity and why caste persists despite being outlawed • Linking Sikh Heritage Month to the gap between equality in doctrine and caste in social practice • Explaining how caste travels into the diaspora through migration, capital, and community institutions • Pointing to Canadian and US examples where caste discrimination is formally recognised • Outlining Brahmin gatekeeping in Carnatic music and how access to instruments and spaces is policed • Highlighting Dalit music as resistance through folk traditions and projects like The Casteless Collective • Tracking Punjabi pop’s global rise and the normalisation of Jatt identity as “just Punjabi” • Questioning what caste signalling does to listeners seeking identity in Canada and beyond • Sharing ways to listen differently by asking who is centred and who gets erased Thank you for listening, you can hear Ravia every Thursday on 97.9 FM or through our live-stream at www.theuniversalradio.com IG: @theuniversalradio

48 min
APR 15

#274 Celebrating Vaisakhi with Naheed Nenshi

We celebrate Vaisakhi with Alberta’s Opposition Leader Naheed Nenshi and dig into what the day means beyond the festivities. We connect seva to leadership, community resilience, and the choice to push back against division with steady acts of service. • Vaisakhi as a time to reconnect with faith, family, and shared values • Seva as the foundation of community life and public service • Nagar Kirtan as a religious procession that builds neighbour-to-neighbour connection • A story of a bird fighting a forest fire as a guide for responding to racism and hate crimes • The Guru Nanak Free Kitchen and what food insecurity reveals about Calgary • Sikh Heritage Month in Alberta and what celebration can teach about belonging • Canadian unity, Alberta separatism concerns, and choosing to “put out the fire” Tune in to The Universal Radio Network daily on 97.9 FM or through our live-stream at www.theuniversalradio.com IG: @theuniversalradio

14 min
APR 10

#272 TURNing it up with Anmol Magic

We sit down with Anmol Magic to trace his path from learning magic during months of bed rest to landing major stages with his Out Of This World Tour. We also get into the real mechanics behind his success, from restaurant gigs in Canada to the psychology and storytelling that make audiences come back. • Turning an accident into a focused practise period • Choosing to never be average and chasing big stages • The pressure and payoff of India’s Got Talent auditions • Navigating family concerns about cards and perception • Performing hundreds of shows then facing shutdowns • Restarting in Canada with Wendy’s work and restaurant magic • Building a family-friendly theatre experience • Why every crowd changes the outcome of a trick • The magician skill stack: mechanics, presentation, psychology • Capturing ideas in notebooks and testing new routines live • Growing through collaborations and filming a magic series • Touring mindset, manifestation, and preparing for arenas Tune in to The Universal Radio Network daily on 97.9 FM or through our live-stream at www.theuniversalradio.com IG: @theuniversalradio

27 min
APR 10

#273 Hobbymaxxing

We explore hobbymaxxing as a practical way to reduce stress, build joy, and make life feel like it has real chapters again. We define what a hobby is, why it works on the brain and body, and how to start even if time and money feel tight. • Hobbies as privilege of time and energy • Separating hobby from job or passing interest • Journaling prompt to name what feels stressful • Intentional hobbies vs passive leisure like scrolling • Permission to be bad and still benefit • Research links to happiness and lower depression symptoms • Cortisol reduction through art-making and leisure • Nature time and micro breaks for mood and focus • Hobbies as a complement to therapy and professional care • Flow state as a mental reset and creativity boost • Social hobbies to reduce loneliness and build community • Long-term brain health through neuroplasticity and consistency • Starting with curiosity and making small time blocks Tune in weekly to Wellbeing Wednesday with Gurjeet Gill on The Universal Radio Network, 97.9 FM in Edmonton, or globally at www.theuniversalradio.com IG: @theuniversalradio

41 min

Welcome to The Universal Radio Network's podcast page, here you can access our interviews, discussions & podcasts. Visit our website at www.theuniversalradio.com or follow us on social media for updates!Instagram: @theuniversalradioTwitter: @theuniversalrad

Creator

The Universal Radio Network
Years Active

2022 - 2026
Episodes

280
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© 2026 TURN it up!
Show Website

TURN it up!