Salt The Podcast

Odyl Rozendaal is a psychologist and walking coach, who loves the summers in Amsterdam, getting lost in beautiful and old villages in France and there is something about beachlife, about the sea, the ocean that makes her feel humble. She started with rollerskating to feel more connected to her inner child and feels the most free when she dances, something she never wants to give up. In this episode we talk about the power and benefits of walking coaching, what Odyl means when she says she is a coach of colour, mum guilt and the difference between toxic positivity and positive psychology. We speak about loss and grief, precisely the death of Odyl’s dad who keeps popping up here and there throughout the entire episode.  And while we are doing all of this our overall aim is to go against fixed labels, that put us into boxes and that not only prevent us from being ourselves but also denounce who we were when we started life. So we want to kick those boxes, smash the labels and stop justifying ourselves and over explaining.  In doing so Odyl shares with us her in betweenness, the pain, the tears, her thought processes, doubts, describes things that were difficult. She reflects and connects and I am happy that we have had this conversation together.   Host: Stella Saliari   At Salt the Podcast my guests and I contest and deconstruct narratives, and passionately recreate with the aim to change systems and perceptions. We want to elevate a generation that is feminist, antiracist and empathetic. Our conversations flow into each other and leave room for the unexpected. Salt is love, community, solidarity, a collective, healing, creating. It is intersectional, full of stories, movement and change. It insists, evolves and transforms. It is a commitment. #toxicpositivity #positivepsychology #walkingcoach #coachofcolour #father #motherhood #memories #mothersguilt #intersectionality #feminist #podcasters #saltthepodcast #suriname #amsterdam #dancing #rollerskating #amsterdamsummer #smashthelabels #smashtheguilt #innerchild #grief Follow Salt @salt_thepodcast Subscribe to Salt The Podcast on Soundwise

Abbiola Ballah (she/her) is the founder and CEO of Phern Education Studios, an organisation that is a catalyst for change in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging space. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, Abbiola has spent the past 20 plus years living, studying and working in Japan, the US and Belize. An educator for 17 plus years, she has held leadership roles in various educational institutions, focusing on creating inclusive environments in these spaces, being especially passionate about supporting others to create communities where everyone's intersectional identities feel a sense of belonging. Abbiola is an avid reader, a travel nerd, a theatre buff, and a Japanese karaoke queen.  In this episode, we speak about diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB). What do these terms mean, and why did Abbiola choose to become a diversity worker? Her personal journey is obviously inexctricably linked to her answer because the personal is political.  In our conversation Abbiola also dismisses the myth that DEIB work is solely a US issue and highlights the importance of creating safer and braver spaces by outlining what those spaces actually mean. She introduces us further to the term co-conspirator as coined by Bettina Love.  It is an educational episode in which the brilliant Abbiola nurtures us with lots of book recommendations, her humor and by sharing her knowledge with us. Thank you Abbiola.  Host: Stella Saliari   At Salt the Podcast my guests and I contest and deconstruct narratives, and passionately recreate with the aim to change systems and perceptions. We want to elevate a generation that is feminist, antiracist and empathetic. Our conversations flow into each other and leave room for the unexpected. Salt is love, community, solidarity, a collective, healing, creating. It is intersectional, full of stories, movement and change. It insists, evolves and transforms. It is a commitment. #diversity #equity #inclusion #belonging #access #Justice #japan #karaoke #bookrecommendations #intersectionality #feminist #podcasters #collective #communitydriven #saltthepodcast #saferspaces #braverspaces #trinidad #belize #curriculumdesign #carribean #diversitywork #academic #priyaparker #kimberlecrenshaw #privilege #accountability #positionality #mayaangelou #coconspirator #bettinalove  Follow Salt @salt_thepodcast Subscribe to Salt The Podcast on Soundwise

Nani Jansen Reventlow is an award winning human rights lawyer specialised in strategic litigation at the intersection of human rights, social justice and technology. Nani is also the founder of Systemic Justice , a new organisation that seeks to radically transform how the law works for communities fighting for racial, social and economic justice.  Nani has an extensive background in promoting human rights in the digital context and in defending journalists and activists in some of the most repressive environments in the world. She previously founded and built the Digital Freedom Fund , which supports digital rights litigation. Throughout her career, Nani has seen first-hand how unequal power structures in society affect people’s ability to exercise their rights and achieve justice when they have been harmed or wronged.  By broadening access to judicial remedies and strengthening the ability of communities to leverage the power of the courts, Nani’s new organisation, Systemic Justice will help dismantle the power structures that underpin racial, social, and economic injustice and work to develop a more just society. Through her public speaking, academic work, and teaching at some of the world's leading universities, Nani is shaping the next generation of human rights lawyers and public policy professionals.  Our conversation centers around Systemic Justice, its trajectory, its foundational values, its transparent recruitment process, and the importance of community driven strategic litigation. We also speak about the appropriation of terms such as decolonize, and intersectionality by capitalism and by white dominated organizations, about the importance of love, vulnerability and collective care in social justice movements. Hear about one of Nani's favourite book, and a memory that had an impact on her life. It was an honour to have this conversation with Nani on Salt.  Host: Stella Saliari   At Salt the Podcast my guests and I contest and deconstruct narratives, and passionately recreate with the aim to change systems and perceptions. We want to elevate a generation that is feminist, antiracist and empathetic. Our conversations flow into each other and leave room for the unexpected. Salt is love, community, solidarity, a collective, healing, creating. It is intersectional, full of stories, movement and change. It insists, evolves and transforms. It is a commitment. #systemicjustice #transparentrecruitmentprocesses #equity #inclusion #belonging #access #Justice #amsterdam #dogs #elitecapture #audrelorde #intersectionality #feminist #podcasters #collective #communitydriven #sisteroutsider #memories #saltthepodcast #appropriation #compassion #care #decolonize #stories #personalnarratives #socialjustice #europe #communitydrivenlitigation #activism #feministknowledgeproduction #love #marginalizedcommunities #racialjustice #economicjustice Follow Salt @salt_thepodcast Subscribe to Salt The Podcast on Soundwise

Olena Gyrenko is a very proud Ukrainian soul. A dedicated, and happy but also often tired mama of Sophia and Lev. She is a caring daughter, not the worst friend and a loving but often whining wife to an amazing Dutch man called Leon.   This episode is probably one of the rawest and most honest Salt conversations I have ever had. Olena tells us about her life in Ukraine, of what it means to claim the streets and how her diasporic journey brought her to the Netherlands. How it feels to be far from the place you call home, to experience post-partum depression, witnessing an invasion, a war, an injustice from afar.  Our conversation is framed by poems read in Ukrainian and English giving Olena the space to structure the talk and giving her the room to speak about the topics as much and as little as she likes because at Salt we never record our guests' stories just for the sake of those, we do not expose our guests, have no interest in ‘selling’ their testimonies for sensational purposes, in the perpetuation of stereotypes and invasion of personal lives.  Through telling our stories here on Salt we react to the injustices of the world, we claim our testimonials as part of feminist knowledge production, as a form of resistance aiming at forging solidarity among us, positioning us a agents. We document these stories against predominant discourses, fascist regimes, one-sided knowledge production, colonialism, oppression, in moments of history where narratives are either not known, manipulated or erased. We remember to resist, to disturb people’s comfort zones, to withstand being told we are too much.   Olena's opening up to us all reminds me of the importance of speaking collectively about our most intimate issues as one of feminism's most beautiful beliefs. By Olena allowing us to enter into what is considered by our society as one of its most private spaces: your marriage and your home she shows us how the personal is political. And I thank Olena for that.  Trigger Warning: This episode contains topics of a highly sensitive nature including violence, war, rape and postpartum depression.  Host: Stella Saliari   #ukraine #thenetherlands #war #violence #poems #immigrant #postpartumdepression #motherhood #revolution #thestreets #kryla #wings #podcasters #diasporicjourneys #diaspora #saltthepodcast #rupikaur #breastfeeding #transnationalsolidarity #stories #personalnarratives #testimonials #rape #linakostenko #feministknowledgeproduction #activism #LesyaUkrainka #nayyirahwaheed #resistance Follow Salt @salt_thepodcast www.salt-thepodcast.com  Subscribe to Salt The Podcast on Soundwise

What characterizes our path in becoming diversity workers who strive towards achieving diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and intersectional justice in our societies? It usually starts with a memory, with witnessing an injustice that stays with us forever, and becomes ingrained into who we are.  For Kaumudi Goda it began with a memory about her grandmother who could not step out of the house because she was a widow and people believed encountering a widow first thing in the morning would bring them bad luck. The memory stayed with her and as a result Kaumudi never stopped to reflect on the world, realizing early on that dichotomies and pigeonholes representing power relations follow us everywhere we go. After studying, moving across countries and continents, and working in various fields, she decided to become a DEI consultant to be at the forefront of dismantling oppressive structures.  Accordingly, our conversation centers around the beauty of diversity, on the importance of feeling that we belong and on what we can unlock collectively through systemic changes that are long overdue. Kaumudi introduces us to the topic through a bike ride in Amsterdam, through her very own reflections on privilege and on how marginalized communities due to systemic disadvantages do not have the luxury to stop thinking about who they are, to not worry, to not struggle, to ultimately rest. Host: Stella Saliari   At Salt the Podcast my guests and I contest and deconstruct narratives, and passionately recreate with the aim to change systems and perceptions. We want to elevate a generation that is feminist, antiracist and empathetic. Our conversations flow into each other and leave room for the unexpected. Salt is love, community, solidarity, a collective, healing, creating. It is intersectional, full of stories, movement and change. It insists, evolves and transforms. It is a commitment. #diversity #equity #inclusion #belonging #access #Justice #amsterdam #india #grandmother #widow #intersectionality #feminist #podcasters #DEIB #workplace #saltthepodcast #privilege #compassion #visbility #stories #personalnarratives #diversitywork #genderidentity #nonbinary #activism  Follow Salt @salt_thepodcast Subscribe to Salt The Podcast on Soundwise

Mohamed Triki is a 22 year-old Tunisian podcaster working on Borjouliya podcast, the first and so far the only podcast focusing on toxic masculinity in Tunisia.   Mohamed grew up in Tunis, in a middle-class family, went to public school and has very nostalgic memories about his childhood, his large community of friends and the neighborhood he has been living in. He studied business administration and his passion for feminism and storytelling led him to the world of podcasting. His keen interest in economics, and Development Studies and his diverse and multifaceted being motivate him to contribute to something new in those disciplines. Mohamed says: "I want to see what I can bring as someone who comes from North Africa, the Arab region, the Mediterranean. I have this idea of how I can belong to different spheres and different circles and identities, Arab, Muslim, feminism, economics, maths and arts, my own definition of religion and so on."  Talking to Mohamed was a joy: We talked about toxic masculinity and what it means, about men’s mental health, their bodies, unwanted dick pics, the penis, smashing the patriarchy and fatherhood. And I thank Mohamed from my heart for his openness and wonderful vibes.  Host: Stella Saliari   At Salt the Podcast my guests and I contest and deconstruct narratives, and passionately recreate with the aim to change systems and perceptions. We want to elevate a generation that is feminist, antiracist and empathetic. Our conversations flow into each other and leave room for the unexpected. Salt is love, community, solidarity, a collective, healing, creating. It is intersectional, full of stories, movement and change. It insists, evolves and transforms. It is a commitment. #tunis #toxicmasculinity #borjouliya #thepenis #intersectionality #feminist #podcasters #dickpics #fatherhood #men #thegym #saltthepodcast #thevitruvianman #smashingthepatriarchy #mentalhealth #northafrica #openingup #noshame #collective #community #visbility #stories #personalnarratives Follow Salt @salt_thepodcast Subscribe to Salt The Podcast on Soundwise

Nicolette Lazarus describes herself as a mid-life woman, with a 100% record of getting through bad days. This is something she thinks we all should remind ourselves of when facing those challenges we all experience that we never think we'll get through. Originally from the UK, she has lived in Amsterdam with her partner for over 16 years and now considers it to be her home. As a people person, she’s passionate about genuine human connection and exploring the things that we often collectively experience as women, and yet don’t talk about.  This has led to her leaving her previous career and comfort zone, the world of advertising and communications, to focus on her passion, bringing women together in allyship, and positive support of each other, regardless of race, religion, or other forms of diversity. She created a community and platform which is called Womanship , based in her belief that women hold the key to making the world a better place for all. In this episode Nicolette tells us her very own story by taking us on a journey through her life, emphasizing that we are many things, and that pigeonholes do not define us. Her story leads us towards the founding of Womanship and what happened before it, in between and now.  I hope you enjoy listening to Nicolette and her story because stories are what binds us together.  Host: Stella Saliari    At Salt the Podcast my guests and I contest and deconstruct narratives, and passionately recreate with the aim to change systems and perceptions. We want to elevate a generation that is feminist, antiracist and empathetic. Our conversations flow into each other and leave room for the unexpected. Salt is love, community, solidarity, a collective, healing, creating. It is intersectional, full of stories, movement and change. It insists, evolves and transforms. It is a commitment. #amsterdam #london #blackhair #womanship #intersectionality #authenticity #invisiblewomen #databias #perimenopause #menopause #soundtracks #saltthepodcast #traveling #healing #impostersyndrome #carolinecriadoperez #miscarriages #openingup #noshame #collective #community #visbility #women #stories #personalnarratives #testimonials #oralhistories Follow Salt @salt_thepodcast Subscribe to Salt The Podcast on Soundwise

On a Monday evening in March I met with Sofi Antonellini in a safe brave space of vulnerability and radical honesty. We had a deep, emotional, and essential conversation.  Sofi is a very special person, and was one of my guests in season 1 episode 15. Many of you wonderful people wanted to hear more of Sofi. I received many messages asking me to bring them back. In March I felt the time was right to have another conversation. I met a different Sofi, a person who is embracing the rebirth of a new being, one that presents itself as a human in transition, and a beautiful mess.  Our conversation was guided by vulnerability, a journey through nature and our interconnectedness with the soil, rain, the stars, bacteria. We met the Cruz del Sur and the Tres Marias in Venedo, a special woman named Cristina who shared her home and an Argentinian football match with Sofi. We spoke about joy as resistance in places that are characterized by precarity. And everything we talked about was embedded in the importance of breaking the binary and the vastness and endless posibilities that come with it. It was a conversation of love and liberation.  I encourage you to take the time to sit down, to take notes and to truly listen. Host: Stella Saliari   At Salt the Podcast my guests and I contest and deconstruct narratives, and passionately recreate with the aim to change systems and perceptions. We want to elevate a generation that is feminist, antiracist and empathetic. Our conversations flow into each other and leave room for the unexpected. Salt is love, community, solidarity, a collective, healing, creating. It is intersectional, full of stories, movement and change. It insists, evolves and transforms. It is a commitment. #argentina #nonbinary #amsterdam #vulnerability #ptsd #climatechange #paulpreciado #theythem #donnaharaway #anthropocene #argentinianfootball #saltthepodcast #borderlands #rain #tresmarias #gloriaanzaldua #cruzdelsur #whereishome #breakingthebinary #mothers #nostalgia #translivesmatter #transwomenarewomen #indigenousknowledge #crying #cristina #therapy #breakup #precarity #water Follow Salt @salt_thepodcast Subscribe to Salt The Podcast on Soundwise

Eva is a psychologist and art therapist who runs her private practice in Amsterdam and online globally. She has worked in the private and public sector, in psychiatric clinics, educational settings, with survivors of sexual violence and in refugee camps.  During her work in refugee camps across Greece she encountered art therapy and saw the positive effects it has on people first-hand. How it can offer a safe space for exploration, play, healing and change. As a result she decided to become an art therapist herself.  There is a large amount of research which has shown that art therapy has a range of physical and mental health benefits. In this episode Eva talks about exactly this and shares her journey with us towards becoming a psychologist and art therapist. We also speak about trauma, emotional eating and what happened to me when I encountered the term.  Today’s episode shows what hides behind labels that we use to describe ourselves or that others use for us … there is always a story, a wish, a journey behind them.  Enjoy the episode wonderful people and as always we love to hear from you.  Host: Stella Saliari  At Salt the Podcast  my guests and I contest and deconstruct narratives, and passionately recreate with the aim to change systems and perceptions. We want to elevate a generation that is feminist, antiracist and empathetic. Our conversations flow into each other and leave room for the unexpected. Salt is love, community, solidarity, a collective, healing, creating. It is intersectional, full of stories, movement and change. It insists, evolves and transforms. It is a commitment. #arttherapy #greece #amsterdam #thenetherlands #refugeecamp #refugees #emotionaleating #mentalhealth #eatingdisorder #pschotherapy #saltthepodcast #boundaries #artpsychotherapy #anxietymanagement #injustice #untoldstories #nonverbalcommunication #healyourlife #trauma Follow Salt @salt_thepodcast Subscribe to Salt The Podcast on Soundwise

Lieke Boot is the head of student welfare at the University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Lieke and I met a few years ago at the daycare our kids attended. After getting to know each other we met many times in the park, for long walks and long talks. A while ago I asked her if she wanted to speak on SALT and Lieke's answer was an immediate yes. However, it took two years until we set up the actual recording and when speaking with Lieke I realized why. Because now was the right time to speak.  This episode is about many things, it is raw and extremely honest. It addresses post-partum depression, intergenerational trauma, and the different forms of love. Lieke shares with us her journey of becoming a mama through sperm donation, and what single motherhood means to her. Against this background, we contest the notion that the romantic heterosexual couple is the highest form of love and that a woman’s life will be fulfilled if she gets married to a man and has children with him.  In doing so, we encounter unexpected openings, the meaning of boat journeys and unravel the impact of memories. Enjoy it wonderful people.  Host: Stella Saliari  At Salt the Podcast my guests and I contest and deconstruct narratives, and passionately recreate with the aim to change systems and perceptions. We want to elevate a generation that is feminist, antiracist and empathetic. Our conversations flow into each other and leave room for the unexpected. Salt is love, community, solidarity, a collective, healing, creating. It is intersectional, full of stories, movement and change. It insists, evolves and transforms. It is a commitment. #memories #chemist #burnout #thenetherlands #amsterdam #mothers #postpartum #mentalhealth #spermdonor #selflove #singlemother #saltthepodcast #forgiveness #love #boats #journeys #depression #eatingdisorder #untoldstories #emiliaroig #lessonsinchemistry #healyourlife  Follow Salt @salt_thepodcast  Subscribe to Salt The Podcast on Soundwise