The Human Challenge

On this episode of The Human Challenge, an Amazon Music x ACAST "Indie Podcast Amplifier" 2023, Vanessa speaks with producer, author, activist, Frank Barat; Yara Jamal, co-founder of Free Palestine Halifax; and Paula Sahyoun, founder of the Palestine Impact Collective to learn about how we can move toward collective liberation.

Touching on their own endeavours to support the Palestinian cause, they also discuss the lack of acco...

After witnessing her son's challenges with reading, Canadian Olympian-turned-entrepreneur, Julia Rivard, started Shoelace Learning to create engaging applications to improve reading.

Julia shares about her upbringing from Northern Ontario, her journey to the Australian Olympics, and how she approached her "athlete retirement" as an opportunity to reinvent herself -- which led to Shoelace Learning. Julia is particularly passiona...

Nicole White, founder of Moontime Connections, joined Vanessa on "The Human Challenge", an Amazon Music x ACAST "Indie Podcast Amplifier 2023" to talk about period inequities in the remote communities. Moontime Connections, along with their partner True North Aid, collects and distributes period products for women in remote communities across Canada.

Nicole also talks about their new research, completed in partnership with the D...

This week on The Human Challenge, an Amazon Music x ACAST "Indie Podcast Amplifier 2023", Vanessa Ferlaino sits down with JUNO nominee for "Reggae Recording of the Year 2024", Jah'Mila.

In this episode, Jah'Mila shares her journey from Kingston, Jamaica to Halifax, Nova Scotia, touching on her religious and cultural influences in all aspects of her life, from her music to her own personal philosophies. She also talks a...

Vanessa co-hosts episode 25 of The Human Challenge, an Amazon Music x ACAST "Indie Podcast Amplifier" 2023, with Victor Beausoleil, Executive Director of SETSI, in their first co-branded episode.

Vanessa and Victor talk about shining light cross-sectionally in society from capital flow, equitable communities, the relationship between values and what is considered valuable, and framing what prosperity and abundances from looks li...

In this episode of The Human Challenge, an Amazon Music x ACAST "Indie Podcast Amplifier 2023", Vanessa speaks to Co-founder and Chocolate Scientist of Seven Summit Snacks, Kristyn Carriere.

Getting ready for International Women's Month, Kristyn shares the 4 year journey of Seven Summit Snacks and their NEW FLAVOURS; what it's like to start a business with your sister and partner; and navigating starting a business, while starti...

"When you can live in the outer world, but also marry that with the inner world, than you're a new space, a new world."

These are the wise words of Grammy-nominated artist, Valerie June, hailed by the New York Times as one of America's "most intriguing, fully formed new talents".

Hailing from Tennessee, Valerie is a musician, songwriter, poet, illustrator, and author, who honourably served as a "Turnaround Artist" working wi...

AŸA's story is one unlike any other.

As a Moroccan/Yemeni "Arab&B" artist growing up in Israel-Palestine, AŸA, who describes her childhood like "being a nomad", faced family trauma, abuse, mandatory military service, and assault, all before the age of 20, when finally, she found herself the runner-up of a music competition.

In a true moment of synchronicity, after headlining a show for a shelter who once supported her, sh...

In this episode of The Human Challenge, an Amazon Music x ACAST "Indie Podcast Amplifier 2023", Vanessa speaks to author, speaker, and activist, Osprey Orielle Lake.

Osprey Orielle Lake is the Founder and executive director of the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN). She sits on the executive committee for the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature and on the steering committee for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proli...

J.L. Fizzell grew up in smalltown Timmins in Northern Ontario, and now currently resides in Sault Ste Marie.

J.L. wrote her fourth book, Human. Nature., after three other books that were written with the intentionality of honouring her trauma. But now, Human. Nature. examines the interconnectedness between human beings and nature, through poetry.

Touching on her experience growing up as a second generation Canadian and her h...

In June 2024, ecologist Dr. Timm Döbert and endurance athlete Leanna Carriere (Canada's first female Decathlete and co-founder of 7 Summits Snacks) will embark on a pioneering 30,000km self-powered expedition across the Americas. Following the westernmost migratory bird flyway, their journey aims to highlight the biodiversity crisis and inspire environmental conservation efforts.

We celebrate the 20th episode of The Human Challe...

We are locked and loaded in this big episode of The Human Challenge, an AmazonMusic x ACAST "Indie Podcast Amplifier" 2023, featuring four major players in the accessibility space:

Lee Anne Reuber - CEO/Founder of Sekond Skin Society (accessible health and fitness app)

Jolene MacDonald - Founder of Accessibrand (digital accessibility) and Accessibrand Academy course, "Best Practices for Accessibility in Marketing" here

Erica Cole ...

"What happens in the newsrooms is only a reflection of how institutions work." - Zahraa Al-Akhrass, former journalist for Canadian national broadcaster, Global News

Canadian immigrant from Jordan/fourth generation Palestinian, Zahraaa Al-Akhrass, who just received Canadian citizenship, shares her story of being terminated from Canadian national broadcaster, Global News, after being accused of making "unbalanced claims" on socia...

"The only way we can truly connect with each other is if we're vulnerable with each other," - Robert, multidisciplinary artist, aspiring art therapist, and CEO of Batuo Inc.

From Cameroon to Montreal, QC to Halifax, Nova Scotia, multidisciplinary artist, aspiring art therapist, and CEO of Batuo Inc, takes us through a journey of what it means to live our soul path or soul mission. Montreal was part of the journey, and Halifax wa...

A deep and honest discussion with Jackie Lamoureux, CEO/Founder of Summits for Serotonin, founded after her own peace-making journey with the help of nature -- specifically the mountains. Realizing nature isn't always accessible with all of the equipment and gear needed, Jackie sought to change that through her non-profit.

We discuss how nature supports us in times of emotional turmoil, the persistence of acceptance, the challen...

The big question for Miranda Ayim, 3X Olympian for Team Canada, was, "How do I want to show up in the world?'

The answer?

Cultivate Co

In this episode of The Human Challenge, an Amazon Music x ACAST's Indie Podcast Amplifier 2023 feature, Miranda, recently inducted into London's Sports Hall of Fame, offers a frank discussion about her transition from life after sports. She candidly shares how her own journey in...

Is it really that much harder to make friends as we age?

Why?

And why is this something we don't talk about?

Award-winning author, artist, and activist, Vanessa Ferlaino, gets the answers -- and some much needed feedback -- in her discussion with Lane Moore, comedian, musician and author of "You Will Find Your People" and good friend, Annie Cathryn, author of bestselling book, "The Friendship BreakUp".

Offering both a p...

In this episode, award-winning author, Vanessa Ferlaino, speaks with Dr. Roberta Bondar, the first Canada female in space, and principal investigator at NASA, researching habitat destruction in endangered birds.

Dr. Bondar, on her way to the Gulf of Mexico, shares more about her research, The Roberta Bondar Foundation, the Patterns and Parallels Exhibit and its migration across Canada. They even touching on mental health, the co...