By Dayanara Almon
Podcasts have been on the rise for a while now, especially among youth. Young people have messages to share and podcasting is a great creative outlet to do so.
Here are some of my recommendations on podcasts to listen to while you work, do chores, drive, or do nothing but listen. Their topics range from social justice and commentary to news, chat shows, and more.
Here’s a roundup of my favorites & other popular podcast recommendations!
Social Commentary
This podcast is amazing and is led by the one and only Thomas Jemil Foster. So far there are 12 episodes of Thomas VS The World and each episode will make you laugh, reflect, and eager for the next episode. Thomas has a really cool personality and will engage you whether he is talking about the latest album or show, event in the country, government issue, or even if it’s just a casual conversation. You can’t really talk back in podcasts, but with this one it feels like you’re right there with him in person.
We’ve all needed more social connection recently, and Thomas’ charismatic personality makes you feel connected to him and his podcast, even if you’re alone. If you’re looking for an entertaining podcast to add to your queue, this might be the one for you!
Social Justice & Commentary
We The Teens, hosted by Lucy Mayer and Ruby Lee, is a podcast about the experience of Asian American teenagers. Currently with 2 episodes and a 3rd coming soon (make sure to tune in) they’ve alternated between pop culture and social justice issues, paying specific attention to hate crimes towards Asian Americans. If you haven’t engaged in many conversations about this topic, listening to their podcast would be a good first step. In addition to their powerful commentary on this topic, Lucy and Ruby strive to create a safe space for teens to speak on their experiences. Their passion for this shows through their episodes and has sparked a beautiful reaction, garnering support from their followers. I’m excited to see what the future holds for We The Teens!
Words from the Hosts:
"When the pandemic hit, attacks towards Asian Americans started to spike globally and there was almost no media coverage. Both Ruby and I felt stuck, confused, and we only had each other to talk about it. We, as Asian American teenagers wanted to come together to process the pandemic, bring awareness to anti-Asian issues, and celebrate our Asian identities! That's when we started We The Teens."
- Lucy Mayer, Founder of & Co-Host of We The Teens
FOLLOW THEM ON INSTAGRAM
Talk Show
POC3 is a new youth-led talk show video podcast. It’s led by Hermona Hadush, Kalid Alobaidi, and Paris Buren. To get to know the hosts I would recommend starting with their first episode. So far they have 4 full episodes, multiple mini episodes, behind the scenes footage, and more. They are constantly switching it up on their podcast with different games and guests. Their podcast is really fun and engaging because 1. You can watch live (from Zoom), 2. They have fun games (though limited to hosts and guests, they are still entertaining), and 3. It includes video (along with audio). Most podcasts don’t give listeners the opportunity to watch their recording live, which can be a really fun way to feel connected to other people. Personally, I enjoy watching live and seeing the creativity and good energy that the hosts bring. I’m excited to see what they have in store for episode 5!
CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE & FOLLOW THEM ON INSTAGRAM
Words from the Hosts:
“I enjoy doing POC3 because it gives me a chance to share my opinions and experiences as a person of color freely in a comfortable environment.”
- Kalid Alobaidi
“I started POC3 because I wanted to create a space for myself and other students of color to speak on issues that affect them in PWI’s (predominantly white institutions).”
- Hermona Hadush
“I look forward to our future guests and episodes we make as a group and I'm glad that our peers/audience has enjoyed our content so far.”
- Paris Buren
KVRU 105.7 FM Radio isn’t a podcast, but it’s a great source for local podcasts (and music) in the southeast Seattle community. One exciting thing to come from KVRU is that they are partnering with young local podcasters to create a youth podcast segment. As a podcaster, I know it can be hard to get going, and most youth podcasts don’t get highlighted this way often, so it's nice to see the effort from our community organizations to provide resources and support for new podcasters. KVRU is also very community oriented. Right now they have workshops that are open to the community and current KVRU members. Some of these workshops include the Virtual Media Labs, Audio Production, and Monthly Orientations for those who are interested in getting involved with KVRU. I personally engage in their Virtual Media Labs because it gives me a chance to receive feedback about my podcast and prepare it for the radio. So if you’re looking for new programs to tune into, check them out!
Other programs and community-based collaborations:
Summer Camp Collaboration with Y-WE
Summer of 2021
Y-WE and KVRU are working to offer a podcasting track at their Y-WE Create hybrid day camp from July 4th-11th. 10-15 participants would work with KVRU teaching artists to develop a show of their stories. Campers are given the opportunity to work on their podcasts for approximately 4 hours each day for the entire week. Final products will be shared through all of Y-WE’s digital channels and possibly KVRU’s.
“Our goal is to center the wisdom of young people and offer them the tools, mentorship, and networks needed to support and amplify the critical lens through which they see the world.”
- Rose Edwards from Y-We.
Thank you for reading! Have a good day and try to put one - or ALL - of these podcasts on your to-listen list.