Episode 70: Zion Lights

Zion Lights is an environmental activist and previously worked with Extinction Rebellion to advocate for climate change. Zion is an expert in science communication and she noticed how a lot of the messaging around climate change can be alienating and threatening - one of the main reasons why she left Extinction Rebellion. We discuss alternatives to living a greener life and why big corporations are spending billions to manipulate the reality of the impact of climate change. 

Christine's life turned upside down in 2009 after she gave birth to her first child. She found it difficult to juggle her new life as a mother and continue to excel in her career. Things didn't get any easier as her family grew. Christine decided the only way to find answers was to conduct research on how mothers balance their life at home with their careers. The results were shocking - the truth was, most mothers struggled and Christine wasn't alone. The Mother of All Jobs was published in 2018 and it brings together the wisdom of the women who opened up about everything into a manifesto for happy professional families. Her book shines a light on the damage social media can have on new mothers and brings them hope that having children and a successful career is possible. Follow Christine on Instagram and Twitter.

Lauren Currie is the founder of Upfront - a movement that seeks to change confidence in women around the world. We discuss the realities of building a brand straight from scratch and the personal cost this all comes with. Lauren grew up in a working class family in Glasgow and through her hard work and sacrifices, she's built a life where she can enjoy the revolution she is creating and soak in quality time with her family. UPFRONT has just opened its doors to Bond 6 - this is one course that can change your life forever. Trust me, I've taken part in it myself! Sign up here - use promo code MEENAL10 for a 10% discount! Lauren also has her own podcast, UPFRONT Moment with Lauren Currie where you can find more tools to navigate your own confidence revolution. 

This live podcast was recorded at the Byline Festival in Notting Hill - I was joined by Dr Julia Grace Patterson, Lord Victor Adebowale, and Lorraine Collins. Dr Julia Grace Patterson is the founder and chief executive of Every Doctor, a campaign group advocating for better working conditions for NHS staff and her team have worked tirelessly to protect the well-being and future of doctors and nurses across the country. Lord Victor Adebowale is the chair of the NHS Confederation and has worked extensively in the field of health inequalities. My third panelist, Lorraine Collins is a psychotherapist and qualified cognitive-behavioral therapist. Her work in mental health proved to be extremely challenging throughout the pandemic. We all believe there are many lessons to be learned since the start of the pandemic. More importantly, is enough being done or are we just receiving empty promises from our ministers and leaders? Make sure you follow and support Dr Julia Grace Patterson, Lord Victor Adebowale and Lorraine Collins - they're doing some incredible work! A huge thank you to the team at Byline and Byline Festival for all their hard work to make this happen!

Patsy Stevenson was detained at the Clapham Common vigil for Sarah Everard - the moment that changed her life forever. Her photo went viral online and overnight, her life changed forever. She is now dealing with the Metropolitan Police and taking her case to the High Court, all of which comes at a great personal cost. We discussed violence against women, receiving death threats, and her newfound passion for activism.

Rupinder Kaur is the award-winning founder of Asian Women Mean Business. Her vision is to create a community of South Asian women who feel empowered to build their dream businesses and excel in their respective fields. Building this business has been one of the most challenging projects for Rupinder, especially when she decided to cut her losses and fully focus on this project right before lockdown. We dived deep into motherhood and Rupinder tells me about her traumatic birth with her second child and how an unexpected diagnosis left her in a very dark place. You can be a part of Asian Women Mean Business and join a community of women who will help you find the strength and passion to live your dreams.

Sian Norris is a writer and author of her first non-fiction book, Birth Violence. We discussed how the far right has had an impact on women's reproductive rights and the extent of her research in writing this book. Sian has a very optimistic view of the future. She's campaigned with many groups and has written extensively on the issues surrounding gender equality and feminism - she believes in the power of the people and how everybody can play a small part in shaping democracy. You can find all information on Sian and her writing here.

Daniel Guinness runs Beyond Equality, an organisation that promotes positive masculinity, disrupts negative expectations and stereotypes and empowers men to be better allies to women and girls. Daniel has an academic background in Anthropology and has also conducted research on issues of gender and masculinity. Beyond Equality has been running for over 10 years and throughout this time, they’ve broken cultural barriers and expectations to create a generation of men and boys who are now part of the movement for creating a more equal world. You can find out more about Beyond Equality and work with them here. 

Joeli is the founder of Pregnant Then Screwed. She started campaigning after she lost her job when she fell pregnant -an experience that changed her life forever. A one-woman battle has now become a huge organization helping thousands of women across the country. We reflect on the last two years and the heavy responsibility she had to help protect pregnant women from the virus. Her workload increased by almost four times on the day lockdown was announced - a one-woman show has now evolved into a charity that's helping women from all pockets of society in the UK. Follow Pregnant Then Screwed on Instagram. Follow on Twitter Work with Pregnant Then Screwed. Order Joeli's book, The Truth About The Motherhood Penalty. 

Iain Overton is an investigative journalist and author. He has travelled around the world sharing stories of war and the human cost of violence. We discussed his writing career and how he believes that the role of journalists goes beyond the main headline - his work has covered the most fascinating stories from suicide bombers to gun violence in America. Follow Iain on Twitter Find all of Iain's work and books on his website