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In this episode, I have the great pleasure of speaking with filmmaker Susanne Rostock on how her documentary “Following Harry” reveals the depth of Harry Belafonte’s commitment to human rights. Susanne explains that his art and activism were inseparable as he understood the influence of his voice and used it to connect people, support others, and inspire and encourage meaningful action. The documentary also shows how we can turn pain into purpose through creativity and collaboration. Susanne highlights the Harry Belafonte Songwriters Workshop, where young people transformed pressure and trauma into music, and the prison choir, whose members felt recognized as human beings. She emphasizes Belafonte’s belief that change begins when we acknowledge our common humanity. Moreover, we talk about Harry Belafonte’s impressive ability to inspire younger generations and bridge social divides. Susanne shares how even a twelve-year-old viewer left the film with a clearer sense of identity and responsibility. We then finish with Belafonte’s enduring global legacy, where audiences can watch Following Harry as well as Susanne Rostock’s forthcoming film, The Hidden Diary of Diahann Carroll.

In this wide-ranging conversation on Arash’s World, I have the pleasure of speaking with author and human connection coach Larry Kesslin about what it means to live as an integrated, authentic person. Drawing on his book The Joy Molecule: How to Unlock the Power of Human Connection, Larry distinguishes the roles we perform from the deeper self beneath them. He argues that joy and inner peace begin with knowing what we are, who we are, and why we are and with showing up consistently across work, relationships, and everyday life. The discussion then turns to the paradox of modern connection: despite being constantly linked through technology, many people feel increasingly lonely and emotionally disconnected. Larry traces this shift from the communal “campfire” to individual screens and the age of AI, presenting technology as an accelerant rather than the root cause. He invites listeners to look beyond status, occupation, and superficial interaction, suggesting that purpose is found not by chasing an abstract goal but by noticing where we connect most deeply, that is with people, nature, animals, creativity, or service. Throughout the episode, Larry offers a thoughtful and practical philosophy of agency: circumstances do not have to define our joy, comparison undermines our sense of “enoughness” while curiosity is more useful than judgment. He contrasts momentary happiness with the steadier clarity of joy, redefines success as freedom joined with contribution, and shares how gatherings and initiatives, such as “Good Food, Good Men” create space for honest conversation and belonging. The result is an engaging reflection on resilience, meaning, and the distinctly human capacities for presence, service, and genuine connection.

In this episode, I have the pleasure of talking to author, poet, professor, and dedicated walker Ken Wilson about his book, Walking Well: Trails, Paths, Pilgrimages. We start with a simple question why walk? and follow it from his childhood rambles and daily commute through Regina’s Wascana Centre to the Camino de Santiago, the pilgrimage that made walking an even bigger part of his life. Ken explains that walking can be meditative, but it can also give our thoughts room to wander, rehearse difficult conversations, and unlock new ideas. We compare what solo walks give us with the easy, free-flowing connection that can happen when we walk beside someone else. Along the way, we talk about pandemic walks, mindfulness in motion, birdsong, planted trees on the Prairies, and the way a familiar route can shape the mood and rhythm of an entire day. Our conversation also takes a more personal turn as he reflects on mental health, microdosing, and a powerful guided experience that left him feeling he had been given a second chance. We bring in Dickens, pilgrimage stories, and the idea that walking’s steady back-and-forth movement may help us process experience. By the end, Ken makes a warm and convincing case that when we step outside, pay attention, and keep moving, we may find more creativity, connection, and renewal than we expected.

In this episode of Arash’s World, I have the pleasure of speaking with birth-injury attorney, bestselling author of A Parent’s Guide to a Safer Childbirth, and host of “The Childbirth Attorney Podcast” Gina Mundy who draws on more than two decades of reviewing childbirth cases to explain how families can prepare for a safer delivery. Gina highlights several practical considerations: approaching Pitocin inductions slowly and carefully, understanding the distinct supportive role of a doula, questioning whether and when the bag of waters should be broken, learning common labor-and-delivery terminology before stress makes new information harder to process, and paying close attention to the baby’s heart-rate monitoring. We also weigh home birth, hospital capabilities, premature delivery, and C-sections, emphasizing that the safest choice depends on each family’s circumstances and access to timely medical care. Throughout, Gina connects legal experience with prevention, advocacy, and informed decision-making while working toward a future in which fewer families ever need a birth-injury lawyer.

In this episode, I have the great pleasure of speaking with Author and Poet Robin Blackburn McBride about her book River of Dreams, a character-driven blend of historical, metaphysical, and women’s fiction. The novel follows Avery Conlon from a mysterious childhood experience in Toronto’s Don River to her work as a nurse in a 1920s mental hospital, where she uses heightened intuition to help women return home. Robin explains how research into near-death experiences, dreams, intuition, period language, and early mental-health care shaped Avery’s story. She distinguishes the novel’s “supernormal” elements from fantasy, framing them instead as an invitation to consider the limits of perception while Avery quietly navigates institutional power, personal doubt, and a growing connection with a curious and open-minded neurologist. Our conversation also reveals the personal history behind the book: Robin’s great-grandmother entered a mental hospital and never returned home, a silence that continued to affect later generations. Against that legacy, the Don River becomes both setting and symbol: a place of transformation that connects memory, dreams, healing, and the larger question of how the stories we tell shape who we are and who we become.

In this episode of Arash’s World, I have the pleasure of speaking with author and veteran criminal defence attorney Frank Abrams about his forthcoming book, The Slander of Billy the Kid and the Abrams Tintypes. Frank recounts how a group of five tintype photographs purchased at a flea market led him to believe that one image depicts Billy the Kid alongside Pat Garrett and other figures associated with the Lincoln County War. Drawing on the investigative instincts developed over four decades in law, he describes seeking opinions from historians, museum experts, facial-recognition specialists, handwriting analysts, and forensic examiners. We then provide a spirited reconsideration of the legend surrounding Billy the Kid. Frank argues that popular history and film have exaggerated Billy’s violence while at the same time casting Garrett as a heroic lawman, despite evidence that the two men had once been friends. He also explores Governor Lew Wallace’s unfulfilled promise of a pardon, the economic and political conflicts of the era, disputed accounts of Billy’s death, and the photographic reversal that helped create the enduring misconception that Billy was left-handed. Throughout our conversation, Frank frames the story as a clash between evidence and myth, one made newly urgent by modern tools that can test old photographs and documents. The result is part historical mystery, part legal argument, and part personal account of an accidental discovery that became a years-long pursuit. In this podcast, we move through Old West history, betrayal, forensic research, photography, cultural memory, and the challenge of persuading people to reconsider a familiar story as opposed to firmly holding onto longstanding and unfounded myths.

In this episode of Arash’s World, I have the pleasure of speaking with Michel Pouliot, Executive Director of Canadian Parents for French, BC & Yukon Branch on the gradual decline in French-language enrolment across British Columbia. Although demand remains strong, he explains that French Immersion and Core French programs face limited classroom capacity, enrolment caps, and uneven support from school districts. We examine several causes of this pressure, including a shortage of qualified French teachers, difficult certification pathways for internationally trained educators, and limited access in northern communities. We also emphasize that students are more likely to continue learning French when strong instruction is paired with cultural activities, practical opportunities to use the language, and flexible course options in high school. Michel calls for proactive teacher recruitment, protection of French-program classroom space, more flexible access to electives, and stronger provincial requirements where community demand exists. We then conclude that expanding French education would strengthen Canada’s bilingual identity, improve mobility and employment prospects, connect learners with Francophone cultures, and support the country’s long-term economic relationships.

In this episode, I have the great pleasure of speaking with Darlene Madott who describes herself with distinct precision: “a writer” and “a reluctant lawyer who had to find a way of being in the world.” In this wide-ranging conversation, Darlene talks about her latest book, Closing Ceremonies and Dying Times, a paired collection that explores heartbreak, grief, death, and love with a rare blend of tenderness and dark humor. Closing Ceremonies follows characters through “the aftermath of love,” moving from abandonment and betrayal toward reconciliation, while Dying Times is more about how to live than how to die. We dig into the personal and creative forces behind the book, including a later-life heartbreak after a 21-year relationship that led her to write “Parsing His Goodbyes.” What began as a reluctant confrontation with pain then became a seven-year creative journey through grief, humour, revenge, empathy, and ultimately love. Darlene also reflects on the boundary between fiction and memoir, drawing on her legal background and her years of listening closely to clients’ stories, family memories, and lived experience, all the raw material she reshapes into fiction. Moreover, we also trace Darlene’s lifelong calling as a storyteller, from childhood puppet shows and a Grade 2 pirate novel to her decision during COVID to leave law behind and commit fully to writing. She shares the unusual publishing journey of Dying Times, its republication alongside Closing Ceremonies, and its Italian translation, which became a deeply meaningful return to her ancestral roots. At its heart, this podcast is about transformation: heartbreak into art, endings into ceremonies, death into wisdom, and writing into a way of loving the world.

In this episode, I have the great pleasure of speaking with Dr. Ron Stotts, a transformational guide, bestselling author, and executive coach about mindfulness, inner transformation, and the process of creating an inspired life. Ron explains that his work is less about solving isolated problems and more about helping high-performing leaders expand their internal capacity, become more self-aware, and lead with clarity under pressure. We then explore how lasting change begins by addressing deeper patterns rather than repeatedly managing surface-level challenges. A central theme here is the difference between achievement and wholeness. Ron describes how many successful people build confidence through external accomplishments while still struggling with self-acceptance, emotional backlog, and the pressure to maintain a persona. He emphasizes that true leadership and personal fulfillment come from integrating all parts of oneself, developing emotional intelligence, and learning to respond consciously rather than react from fear or old conditioning. Furthermore, we highlight mindfulness as a practical way of living rather than a rigid spiritual exercise. Ron encourages a simple process of stopping, breathing, observing, and proceeding with the next best step. Through presence, curiosity, and breath, individuals can recognize emotional indicators, uncover unconscious patterns, and use pressure as an opportunity for growth. Ron connects neuroscience, ancient wisdom, spirituality, and everyday life, presenting transformation as an ongoing process of becoming more authentic, capable, and present. We then close with reflections on reinvention, destiny, and choice. Ron shares a formative moment from his youth that led him to question inherited beliefs and begin carving his own path. He frames life as a continuing adventure in which each conscious choice opens or limits future possibilities. Overall, this podcast offers a thoughtful exploration of mindfulness, self-leadership, emotional healing, and the courage to live from a place of wholeness rather than performance alone.

In this powerful and inspiring episode, I have the great pleasure of speaking with rapper, writer, and filmmaker T Savage about her upcoming biopic, Thru the Eyes of the Hustler’s Daughter, a deeply personal film rooted in her Baltimore upbringing, childhood trauma, mental health journey, and determination to transform pain into purpose. Joined by her mother, Shontel Greene, and actor/former NFL player Terrance West, T Savage explains how music, writing, and filmmaking became vehicles for telling her story honestly and for reminding young women with similar experiences that they are not alone. The conversation also explores the emotional cost of revisiting trauma on screen. Shontel reflects on how acting in the film reopened painful memories from her own past, including survival, family addiction, illness, and the hidden depression beneath material success. Together, she and T Savage push back against the glamorization of hustling, violence, and street life, emphasizing that “everything that glitters isn’t gold” and that what is often portrayed as power or luxury can actually be grief, fear, and survival in disguise. At its heart, the episode is about post-traumatic growth, family, artistic courage, and reinvention. Terrance West shares how acting helped him find a new path after football, while T Savage describes the film set as a space where cast and crew became family through the vulnerability of the story they were carrying. With plans for a theatrical screening, soundtrack, future music projects, and even the possibility of a book, this podcast is not only about the biopic Thru the Eyes of the Hustler’s Daughter but it is also a clear statement of resilience, healing, and hope.

In this episode, I have the great pleasure of speaking with Les Carroll, Air Force and Air National Guard veteran, documentary filmmaker, author as well as novelist. Les reflects on his 28-year military career, his deployments to Afghanistan, and his powerful and humbling experience of serving at the Air Force Mortuary at Dover Air Force Base. We also discuss his documentary Bringing the Fallen Home, his autobiographical book This Troubled Ground, and his latest novel, Last Day on the Blue Wonder, a story inspired by military courage, love, loss, mental health challenges, and the healing power of storytelling. This is a moving conversation about service, memory, sacrifice, writing, and the importance of honoring the people and families behind every headline and beyond partisanship and political agendas.

I have the great pleasure of speaking with filmmaker Casey Carter about his award-winning documentary “To Use a Mountain.” The film begins with the 1982 Nuclear Waste Policy Act, when the U.S. government searched for a permanent deep geological repository for nuclear waste, turning six rural communities into candidates for a “competition” none of them wanted to win. Casey explains how the documentary travels through these places, treating each community as its own character while exploring memory, resistance, environmental concerns, and the long shadow of America’s nuclear program. We also look at the human and political dimensions of nuclear waste, from public hearings where residents felt unheard to the continuing consequences of nuclear testing and contamination at sites such as Hanford and the Nevada National Security Site. Moreover, Casey reflects on the challenge of managing radioactive waste for at least 10,000 years, and the way the film connects questions of energy, militarism, public health, and environmental responsibility. At its heart, To Use a Mountain becomes a story of rural communities coming together around shared concerns for land, history, safety, and future generations.

In this episode, I have the great pleasure of speaking with author and lecturer Perry Atwal about his book Wisdom for Life: Timeless Insights for Cultivating Joy and Growing Your World. We explore the difference between information and wisdom, the importance of meaning over money, and how joy grows through health, relationships, learning, and practical honest self-reflection. Perry argues that while knowledge is everywhere, wisdom lies in knowing what matters, when to act, and how to apply insight with context. Moreover, Perry shares how leaving investment banking for teaching has given him a deeper sense of purpose, and he encourages listeners to pursue meaningful work, cultivate perspective, and stop measuring success by other people’s lives and standards. Finally, we observe that joy is cultivated both directly and indirectly by strengthening various parts of life, including health, spirituality, personal relationships, and simply doing what we enjoy on a regular basis.

Dr. Tiffanie Tate joins me here on Arash’s World as a true “multi-hyphenate” i.e. physician, author, playwright, veteran officer of the US Navy, ordained minister, soccer Mom referee, radio personality, and much more to discuss her children’s book Perfectly Perfect and the deeper message behind it. At the heart of our conversation is a powerful idea: children do not have to earn their worth. Dr. Tiffanie explains that self-image struggles can begin alarmingly early, and in today’s world of social media, video games, and constant comparison, those pressures have only intensified. Her book aims to remind children that they are already valuable and loved exactly as they are. Our discussion expands beyond children to parents and adults, who often unknowingly model harmful beliefs about appearance, achievement, and perfection. Then, we explore how seemingly casual comments can shape a child’s inner voice, and why perfectionism has become a trap for all ages. One of the book’s most meaningful lessons is that friendship, apology, and repair matter: children (and adults!) need to learn how to take ownership when words hurt, rebuild trust, and keep growing rather than chasing impossible ideals. Dr. Tiffanie also speaks about her broader mission as an author: using stories to open difficult but necessary conversations. From teaching financial literacy in Money Matters to addressing abuse disclosure and bullying in other books, she sees children’s literature as a tool for raising healthier, more confident, and more compassionate young people. Throughout, she emphasizes the importance of community, face-to-face interaction, and intentional parenting in a technology-heavy age. The result is a thoughtful, uplifting conversation about self-worth, responsibility, and helping children become healthy adults.

What happens when a successful engineer with patents, promotions, and all the outward signs of achievement realizes he’s still deeply unhappy? In this episode, licensed experiential therapist, contemplative teacher, and founder of Unbreakable Inc., Joe DeNicholas, shares the powerful story of how a panic-inducing moment in the tech world became the catalyst for a complete transformation. His journey from electrical engineering and corporate management into mental health work is both deeply personal and universally relatable for anyone who has ever tied their worth to performance, perfection, or control. Drawing from his book Seeking Sanity: How to Cultivate Peace, Happiness, and Wellbeing in a World Gone Mad, Joe explores why so many people feel anxious, distracted, and emotionally exhausted even when life looks “fine” on paper. He explains how meditation, contemplative traditions, and modern neuroscience can work together to help us understand suffering, loosen destructive mental patterns, and reconnect with a deeper sense of peace. Our conversation moves beyond surface-level self-help and asks a bigger question: what if thriving not just coping is actually possible? From attention spans and social media to flow states, gut feelings, and the neuroscience of perception, this episode is full of insight for anyone seeking greater clarity, stability, and freedom in their inner life. Joe offers a grounded, practical, and hopeful perspective: the problem is often not the thing itself, but our relationship to it. If you’re interested in mental health, mindfulness, consciousness, or the search for real wellbeing in a chaotic world, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.