Express Yourself!

The Gift of Dreams No matter who you are or where you come from, you have the power to dream. Imagine the life you want to live. Host Jennifer Lee jumpstarts our dreams with a rendition of “Imagine” followed with host Henna Hundal and Jennifer offering ways to do what you love and love what you do as they read the chapter, The Gift of Dreams from Cynthia Brian’s book, Be the Star You Are!® for Teens. Why do we dream? HealthRap Reporter Alex Pawlakos sheds light on the science behind dreaming. Often the imagery in a dream may be connected to a real-life problem in a more visual way. In our REM dreams, we are re-processing emotional experiences that happen in our waking life. But, because of the reduced levels of stress chemicals, we are able to re-processing these experiences in a more stress-free environment. Ilana Harkavy, an LA-based recording artist/songwriter and entrepreneur with a passion for female empowerment debuts her first solo EP

You’re unique, one-of-a-kind, an original. The vitality of life springs forth when we learn to not only rejoice in our commonalities but also appreciate our differences. Hosts Jennifer Lee and Henna Hundal discuss different strokes for different folks with Express Yourself!™ reporters Courtney Cheng, Maria Wong and Zahra Hasanain. The chapter, The Gift of Differences penned by Anna Meyers from Cynthia Brian’s book, Be the Star You Are!® for Teens is read and talked about by the hosts followed by a conversation with Book It! reporter, Courtney about how internet sites can be both welcoming and alienating when it comes to being different. Maria Wong’s Book Smart segment focuses on social class inequalities in the Mombai centered characters of The Space Between Us. Hope Heals reporter, Zahra Hasanain, finds that · Conformity and differences are complementary. A world without uniformity and commonality would be chaos where no one could come to a consensus to agree about anything.

Do you often wonder what your future holds? What incredible things you stand to accomplish? Where you’ll end up in 10 or 15 years? The answers, as many would say, are in the stars. First time host, Jennifer Lee, joins experienced host Henna Hundal to sing the song “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson that says a lot about what destiny means. Following up on the topic, in Health with Henna, Henna offers concrete tips on how to create a healthy future through exercise. Both hosts read the chapter, The Gift of Destiny from Cynthia Brian’s book, Be the Star You Are!® for Teens which leaves us with the message that serendipitous opportunities seem to find us when we are making other plans. If you want to predict your future you have to create it yourself, however, keeping in mind that you can never push the river. It just flows. Art Attack reporter, Brigitte Jia illustrates how fate and destiny are two subjects that artists have struggled with for countless eras, spitting out in the process works

Can eating dark chocolate before going on a date help you be more relaxed? Find out in today’s Express Yourself!™ with hosts Henna Hundal and Asya Gonzalez as they chat with regular reporters, Alex Pawlakos, Courtney Cheng, and Brigitte Jia. Alex offers many anxiety relief tips in his segment of Health Rap that will be helpful not only for dating opportunities but for all encounters. Courtney’s Book It! report explores the ups and downs of dating through two movies, The F Word and Everything Before Us that portray relationships between teenagers, young adults, and adults in a realistic manner. Asya and Henna engaged in a discussion about trust, connection, values, morals, and kindness regarding dating. The ebullient Brigitte’s report of Art Attack is specifically about her top five favorite art pieces created in the spirit of romance and passion. Let love reign.

What does it mean to be daring? It’s time to step out of your comfort zone, take on a new challenge, be bold, be strong, become the best you! Hosts Rachel Glass and Henna Hundal chat with author Lee Kelly, author of City of Savages, a former high profile attorney who dared to become a writer. After the Red Allies turn New York City into a POW camp, two sisters must decipher the past in order to protect the future in this action-packed thriller with a dual narrative. Rachel reads her chapter of Daring from the book, Be the Star You Are!® for Teens and shares how her daring adventures have evolved in the six years since her story was published. Reporter of Art Attack, Brigitte Jia, explores the boldness and tenacity of the French artists Monet, Renoir, Sisley, and Bazille who dared to explore the innovative style that began a new and vivid movement, impressionism.

The rich earth is filled with marvels in every nook and cranny. Don’t merely accept this grandeur, but rather seek it out. Strive to be curious. Host Henna Hundal discusses how being curious and creative sets us free and offers unlimited possibilities in all realms. Alex Pawlakos brings his new segment HealthRap to Express Yourself!™ with the curious and exciting happenings in the medical arena. Reporters and writers are high on the list of professionals who need to be curious. Former newspaper reporter turned travel guidebook writer, author, and radio host, Fran Silverman shares how curiosity has shaped her career. Co-host Asya Gonzalez talks about how curiosity leads to self-discovery and without curiosity nothing in life would be accomplished or achieved. Put on your thinking cap, view the world through an inquisitive lens. Your life will never be the same. Be curious. The Gift of Curiosity is based on a chapter from Cynthia Brian’s book, Be the Star You Are!® for TEENS

Do you take your freedom for granted. Growing up in the free world, especially in the United States, it is easy to get complacent. As our day of independence approaches, our star hosts and reporters, Henna Hundal, Asya Gonzalez, Katelyn Darrow, and Brigitte Jia weigh in on what freedom means to them and what they are doing to celebrate this gift of life manifestation. Katelyn talks about her work with Amnesty International and the importance of participating in peaceful protests. Asya expresses her sincerest gratitude that she is able to freely discuss her thoughts and ideas on this uncensored, unedited teen forum of Express Yourself!™ Teen Radio. Just think how many people around the world have their voices squashed? Henna brings tips to graduates moving on to the next phase of their life with the freedom of choices while encouraging healthy habits. Brigitte looks at the true freedom art gives in the form of Art is so effective that it is restricted by some totalitarian governments who don’t believe in freed

Communication is the key to effectively communicate our ideas, visions, and desires in order to reach a higher state of mutual understanding. Hosts Henna Hundal and Asya Gonzalez interview relationship specialist Milton Quibner, host of the podcast Get Over Yourself! The Milt ‘n Mia Show! Milt is the author of How High Should I Jump: The Satirical Guide to Pleasing Today's Woman. He shares his philosophy on living life to the fullest with honest, straight forward communication skills. The newest member of our Express Yourself!™ crew, Maria Wong, begins a new segment called, Book Smart. She highlights the importance of communication through a discussion of the book, To All the Boys I Ever Loved by Jenny Han. Reporter for Art Attack, Brigitte Jia, shares how a picture really is worth a thousand words. Art says something to people, about people. The artist who’s created the work is sharing a message, and this message can be interpreted by others according to their emotions and backgrounds. Learning to communica

Life is about choices. We can choose to be happy, we can choose to be sad. We have the power. Host Henna Hundal examines the benefits of choosing a life of integrity, honesty, bravery, and empowerment, while inspiring others to do the same. Henna interviews two thrilling authors, Natalie Richards and Anita Telle. Natalie is the author of the YALSA Teens’ Top Ten nominated psychological thriller, Six Months Later, and the newest thriller Gone Too Far. She discusses the choices she has made to live her passion as a writer and she encourages youth to go for their dreams.

Challenges are our greatest teachers. Out of each challenge you emerge a stronger, wiser, and more well-equipped human being. Hosts Henna Hundal and Asya Gonzalez examine how you can embrace your struggles and see them as opportunities for growth. They interview world-renowned scientist of artificial intelligence, Dr. Steve Omohondro, a scientist, professor, author, software architect, and entrepreneur doing research that explores the interface between mind and matter. He published the book Geometric Perturbation Theory in Physics, designed the programming languages StarLisp and Sather, wrote the 3D graphics system for Mathematica, and built systems which learn to read lips, control robots, and induce grammars. Dr. Steve discusses the challenges humans will face in the next ten years as the world powers strive to be the first to control AI. Our Hope Heals Reporter, Zahra Hasanain encourages everyone to keep pushing because it is only through challenges that we grow as individuals. Challenges build character.

The cost of illiteracy to American taxpayers and businesses is 225 billion dollars for crime, loss of tax revenue due to unemployment wages, unemployment, welfare and other government assistance. In addition, low literacy adds 230 billion to the annual cost of delivering healthcare in the United States. Hosts Henna Hundal and Asya Gonzalez investigate the growing epidemic of illiteracy causing irreparable damage to our society. They interview career strategist, Carol Christen, author of What Color is Your Parachute for Teens? to find out how young people can discover their strengths, design a promising future, and plan for a dream job. The 3rd edition of the book features fresh updates on the specific challenges of today’s job-market and advice on information interviewing, social media, internships, and more. Reading and researching are key ingredients to this success. Low literacy and communication skills have been identified in studies as major contributors to general conduct disorders, psychiatric disor

Building a beautiful life is all about building amazing memories. Memories are treasures. They’re moments of time that we tuck away safely in a little pocket of our hearts. Hosts Henna Hundal and Asya Gonzalez spend three segments sharing the importance of remembering as they examine how to use memories as sweet reminders of the journey traversed through life. Art Attack reporter, Brigitte Jia brings her unique artistry to the conversation by illustrating how works of art are used to communicate the most ephemeral moments, fleeting snapshots frozen forever. Remembrance isn’t about fame. Remembrance is about connecting with the people around you. Live life fully, spreading love, creating memories. You might not be a household name, but celebrated Grandpa Joe gets as much love at the dinner table as Leonardo Da Vinci, if not more. Be a memory architect! “One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it’s worth watching.” Gerard Way

What is beauty? Why is beauty such a concept that is so misunderstood? Could there be one absolute definition of beauty Billboards feature models with perfect, golden skin tone glows. Magazines sprawl open with images of stick thin celebrities without a blemish or flaw in sight. In a world that is so fixated on outer appearances, it’s time to redefine beauty and our teen hosts and reporters offer ways to make you feel beautiful from the inside out. Henna Hundal and Asya Gonzalez have lively conversations on the meaning of beauty and self confidence. They encourage listeners to tap into their inner beauty by smiling, standing up straight, thinking positive thoughts, and celebrating what you have instead of what you lack. Our talented singer and Back Story Reporter, Jennifer Lee, sings Carole King’s song, Beautiful which emphasizes that anyone is as beautiful as he/she feels. New reporter, Brigitte Jia, brings us her first segment of Art Attack, looking at the beauty of Japanese anime and manga. Be the Star Y

Attitude, attitude, attitude. We decide whether it’s positive or negative and our choice affects everyone. Host Henna Hundal interviews two authors, Brooks Olbrys and Dani DePirro, dedicated to helping their readers enjoy a positive, uplifting attitude. As a lifelong student of achievement philosophies, Brooks Olbrys was inspired by his young son to empower children in a storybook series he created, called The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob. The series fuses both entertainment and education giving kids the valuable message that a great attitude and a great work ethic can lead to great achievement! Brooks also shares insights into writing his latest book in the series, The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob-A Challenging Series. Brooks is also a dedicated benefactor of Be the Star You Are!® charity, donating books to instantly help children affected by disasters. Dani DePirro joins Henna in a lively upbeat conversation about her inspirational book, The Positively Present Guide to Life which is an adjunct to her web

This week, we learn to ASK for what we want. Ask and you shall receive! Children are incredible with unquenchable curiosity. They inquire, about small things and big things, wanting to know more about the world around them. It’s time to be a child again, and bring back the ability to inquire. Hosts Henna Hundal and Katelyn Darrow interview four authors in this broadcast. First up is author Michelle Zink who writes Young Adult Fiction, and is the award-winning author of six published novels and six novellas. Her first series, Prophecy of the Sisters, was one of Booklist’s Top Ten Debut Novels and a Booklist Top Ten YA novel. In segments two, three, and four, our hosts interview a trio of Christian ministers who are breathing new life into the importance of being a father with their book Daddy Look. Authors Reggie Watts, Todd Battle, and Darrell Sanders tackle weighty parenting questions in their tremendous book destined to change the lives and make a difference in the lives of all who read it. Daddy Look out

With this week’s theme –– The Gift of Appreciation –– we here at Express Yourself!™ have a lot to appreciate! We have interviewed amazing guests, we have a first class crew, and we are a top rated program! In this program, we examine how you can recognize all the gifts that life affords you every day! Whether it’s having a new pair of shoes, a hot cup of coffee, a warm blanket, or a hug from a friend, we all have little things in our life to be thankful for. Never forget to let that gratitude show! Hosts Henna Hundal and Asya Gonzalez are honored to introduce an incredibly inspiring individual, Pulitzer Prize winner John McQuaid, with his newest book, Tasty. Tasty Explores how deliberate manipulation of flavor influences virtually every aspect of the human experience, from pleasure to pain, from joy to sorrow. John has written about topics such as city-destroying super-termites, the slow collapse of fishing communities, hurricane levee engineering, mountaintop removal coal mining, and the global flower busi

When the days get longer, the times get tougher, and life in general becomes stressful, finding little ways to amuse yourself is the key to being a happy you. Teen hosts Henna Hundal and Asya Gonzalez help you release stress and follow your passions with their exciting guests. First up are the rocking Mother/Daughters country trio, Lucy Angel with Mom Kate and daughters Lindsay and Emily ! They star in the docu-series, “Discovering Lucy Angel” on AXS TV and their newest single “Crazy Too” airs on this program. Rocking writer, Mindee Arnett is next up with her two young adult series: The Arkwell Academy Series, a contemporary fantasy from Tor Teen (Macmillan), and Avalon, a sci-fi thriller from Balzer+Bray (HarperCollins). She talks about the fun as well as the heartaches of being a young writer. And finally, Game Boys reporter Sam and Eddie Casey talk about how they are hooked on video games and also love family time, especially the trips to their family cabin on a lake in Maine where they can boat and fish.

It’s important to feel validated and appreciated. Affirmation is a fundamental need of all humans. Hosts Henna Hundal and Katelyn Darrow share their personal experiences and interview a former international model and actress turned sell-esteem magazine publisher. Detail Description It’s important to feel validated and appreciated. Affirmation is a fundamental need of all humans. Hosts Henna Hundal and Katelyn Darrow share their personal experiences with ways they offer affirmation to themselves and others. They also interview CEO of BYOU Magazine, author of Beauty’s Secret, A Girl’s Discovery of Inner Beauty, and former international model and actress, Debra Gano. After a series of life-changing incidents, including a near-fatal car accident, Debra’s perspective shifted from one of superficial external-focus to a deeper inner awareness that it's what's inside that counts. As a single mother of a twelve-year-old daughter, Debra discusses her passion for helping females find and live their most authentic, empow

Do you abide by the status quo? Do you live inside the box? Are you imprisoned by routine? Life’s too short to be trapped by the world’s expectations and our hosts, Henna Hundal and Asya Gonzalez invite you to find your own adventure! Meet sixteen year old founder of the lip balm company, Blamtastic, Lily Sandler, who has been on the adventure of a growing company while being a teen. Author of Even in Paradise, Chelsey Philpot, captures the intensity, the thrill, and the heartbreak of our too-brief friendships and loves in her stunning debut novel that is a cross of The Great Gatsby meets Looking for Alaska. Hope Heals reporter, Zahra Hasanain, shares tips on how to be adventurous with tips and strategies. As James Dean said, “Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today. Go have an adventure and check off another item on your bucket list!

Life is full of conflict and challenges, yet we humans are full of resilience. Whenever we find ourselves in trying times, we grow, we change, we acclimate, we adapt. Hosts Henna Hundal and Asya Gonzalez navigate the topic of adapting to change with Global Talk reporter, Ryan Sim who uses the current California drought as an example of adapting to different scenarios. Henna and Asya also interview author Sandy Goldsworthy with her books Aftermath and Aftershock, as she talks about how adaptation has registered in her writing and her personal life. Henna and Asya share an in-depth look at what it means to be ready and willing to accommodate new conflicts and challenges by offering concrete tips including: keep a gratitude journal pay attention to your life be a victor, not a victim choose positive attitudes and actions learn to relax and breathe set smart goals Change is important, it teaches us new lessons in life. How can we grow if we don't experience change? Strategies that allow us to adapt to change help