Express Yourself!

Host Diya Hituvalli interviews Neale Lundgren, PhD about his fascinating life and new book, Meditations for the Soul. The book guides you on a journey through accessible meditations to help you experience the deep joy and fulfillment that comes when we live in the immediate now. Included are 30 awakening exercises designed to help you activate your soul’s senses, become more present to your life and learn to bring soulfulness to your relationships. During the interview, Dr. Lundgren helps you reconnect to your soul and strengthen your personal sense of purpose in life through breathing techniques, visualizations, and more. Diya expands on the benefits of meditation, a practice that originated in India and has expanded throughout the globe. Meditations connects us with nature and helps us to be healthier. Diya then shares her journey of developing the app, KeepMeSafe. The app, available for FREE in the iOS app store, incorporates voice-recognition with location tracking to offer assistance to women, children,

Diya Hituvalli and Siri Phaneedra host a fascinating program dedicated to technology and emerging technologies. Diya especially is fascinated by artificial intelligence with its unlimited possibilities to detect disease, eliminate world hunger, and make life easier through automation. She unveils the free app she developed, KeepMeSafe, a women's safety tool that utilizes voice recognition and location tracking to prevent sexual assault available in the iOS app store. The hosts interview author Michael C. Bland with his sci-fi title “The Price of Safety” which examines the dangers of data mining and the dark side of surveillance. An eerie depiction of the not-too-far future, the novel reveals humanity’s dependence on both technology and family, and asks the question, where do our allegiances truly lie? Siri shares her experience managing and facilitating an entrepreneurship course at UC Berkeley for student entrepreneurs, where she orchestrates fireside chats, panels, and keynote presentations with startup fou

Happy Easter and Passover! Andrea Smith hosts a special spring show that focuses on the outdoors and gardening. She reads Cynthia Brian’s Easter Parade article (https://blog.voiceamerica.com/2021/03/30/easter-parade/) that provides information on how to keep wildlife out of your garden. She then interviews Joann Calabrese with her book, Growing Mindful, a handbook on garden and green world mindfulness practices. It contains an abundance of activities rooted in sensing the wonder and magic of nature. Growing Mindful will help you deepen your spirituality and nurture a unique practice. (mindfulnessgardengames.com ) Andrea winds up the hour providing the health benefits of spending time in the natural world. Spending time walking among or simply looking at trees lowers blood pressure and reduces the stress-related hormones cortisol and adrenaline. She shares her own meditative experiences as a surfer, swimmer, ocean lover, and forest bather. Be mindful, Get into Garden, Happy Easter and enjoy the outdoors!

“You have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself, and see what happens” Louise Hay What does body image mean? Body image refers to a person’s perceptions, beliefs, and attitude of their own body. Your body image is what you think and how you feel when you look in the mirror or when you picture yourself in your mind. This includes how you feel about your appearance; what you think about your body itself, such as your height and weight; and how you feel within your own skin. Host Diya Hituvalli and Nihal Gill have a conversation about what body image means to them as individuals. They share experiences, triumphs, and struggles. Am I too fat? Is my nose to big? Do I have big muscles? Have you ever noticed at times that you have asked yourselves these questions? Many people have concerns about their body image. They also read from Cynthia Brian’s book, The Business of Show Business, a chapter called The Gift of Rejection which reflects on the life of an actor being t

“Beauty is not in the face, beauty is a light in the heart” Kahlil Gibran What do you consider beautiful? Dermatologist and author, Dr. Debbie Palmer, talks with hosts Andrea Smith and Maggie Campione about her book Mindful Beauty, the all-natural antioxidant skincare collection that she created, Replere, and about combining her work as a medical doctor and osteopath to discover root causes of skin ailments. She gives a glimpse of her day as a busy mom and physician and encourages short spurts of exercise, stress relief, and forest bathing to eliminate stress and maintain balance. The hosts read the chapter, The Gift of Beauty, from Cynthia Brian’s book, Be the Star You Are! 99 Gifts for Living, Laughing, Loving, and Learning to Make a Difference that points to the fact that beauty evolves from the inside out. In the final segment, Andrea and Maggie compare tips on make-up and skin care that as teens they are attracted to and enjoy experimenting with. When our souls, hearts, and minds are beautiful, that bea

What is your passion, and how can you access it? Your passion is unique to you. Andrea Smith and Diya Hituvalli host a program focused on finding our passion and storytelling. They launch the show with a reading of the Gift of Passion from Cynthia Brian’s book, Be the Star You Are!® 99 gifts for Living, Loving, Laughing, and Learning to Make a Difference. They then interview Business Growth Strategist, Parul Agrawal, who discusses her teen years growing up in India, her arranged marriage, and how she found her passion to help people tell their stories by writing and publishing their books. Her Ted X talk, How to Engineer Your Passion, explains her journey and her process. Diya wraps up the broadcast with a reading of reading The Lion and the Mouse from Aesop’s Fables and a discussion about the power of storytelling. Don’t apologize for your God-given gifts. You are one of a kind, and your skills must be shared. Use your gifts in a life of passion.

Crystals harness the energy of the Sun, the Moon, and the Oceans. Humans connect to this energy. As long as we have existed as a species, we have had an affinity with stones and crystals. The use of talismans and amulets date back to the beginnings of humankind, although we have no way of knowing how the earliest of these objects were viewed or used. Host Andrea Smith interviews Hollywood producer, director, and author of Crystal Power, 12 Essential Crystals for Health and Healing, Kac Young, who presents numerous ways that crystals can improve every aspect of wellness. Kac explores the power of integrating crystals with archetypes to heal emotional wounds, explains how to clean crystals, and provides the many benefits of integrating with crystals. In Silver Lining, Diya Hitalli, provides her personal experience in using crystals and talks about how to use the powerful vibrations to manifest the energy you desire. She shares the history and how to shop for your special crystal. In the final segment, Andrea re

Have you ever been so stressed that you have difficulty focusing on one task, and your heart and mind races? Have you caught yourself pacing back and forth? With school being virtual for many, unemployment being high, and our plans being altered monthly, weekly, and sometimes even daily, anxiety and stress are affecting many people all over the world. It is at this time we look within ourselves and all around us and find our “calm place” or our “happy place”, somewhere that we can either physically go to or a place we can take our mind and thoughts too. Arjin Claire, Nihal Gill, and Diya Hituvalli provide the history and benefits of meditation. Arjin reads the two chapters, the Gift of Asking and the Gift of Surrender from Cynthia Brian’s award-winning book, Be the Star You Are! 99 gifts for Living, Loving, Laughing, and Learning to Make a Difference. Set aside 10 to 20 minutes per day to calm your mind through meditation. Before embarking on important undertakings, sit quietly.

Today’s topic is perhaps one of the most important topics and often the least talked about. Mental health plays a vital role in our overall well-being. Host Maggie Campione converses with reporters Nihal Gill and Arjin Claire about their research with mental health. Spark the Interest reporter, Nihal, shares the statistic that one out six adolescents are affected by mental health conditions. If you have anxiety, depression, or phobias, although you may feel alone, you are not. The most important thing to do is speak up, talk to somebody, and get help. Arjin explores the role of artificial intelligence in his segment Innovation Nation. He talks about how in our modern, technology filled world, telehealth has become even easier and is popular with the younger population. In American Connection, Maggie declares that she is fascinated by the workings of the brain and the study of psychology. She shares her personal experience in going to therapy for anxiety issues. Get help if you struggle

Express Yourself!™ and host Andrea Smith welcome a new reporter, Diya Hituvalli with her segment, Silver Lining. Diya shares fun historical and trivia facts about Valentine’s Day, a celebration that began with the Romans who, on February 14th, executed clergyman Valentine who was performing banned marriages for soldiers. Diya offers facts and fiction with humor and wit. Both teens offer tips about how to celebrate during the pandemic, whether with a partner, friend, or family. “Galantine” gatherings are a favorite for girls. Try baking, giving (and eating) chocolate, hanging out, painting, listening to music, or watching a movie or the sunset. Andrea encourages self-care on Valentine’s by indulging in a face mask or bath bomb. Valentine’s is also a terrific time to improve your relationship with family and friends during this time of quarantine. Cook your Mom and Dad dinner, go on a family hike, create a bonding day. Whatever you do on Valentine’s Day, celebrate the love.

In this hour, teen host Andrea Smith brings to light a positive outlook on everything that is going on around COVID-19. Starting off with an update about COVID-19 and vaccines, Andrea explains what is important to know about the situation at hand right now. She then follows with a segment on mindfulness and self-love, two things that we all need right now. Finally, she wraps up the show with some of her favorites including ways to hang out safely with friends right now including social distanced picnics, parking lot get-togethers, and kayaking. She lets us in on the shows she loves to binge watch tonight, great books to read during this winter season, and so much more! If you’ve been sheltering-at-home, doing on-line school, and missing getting together with friends and family, Andrea spotlights how you make this time a very happy and exciting memory.

Do you know how to identify a life-threatening allergy to food or other substances? Hosts Arjin Claire and Andrea Smith take a deep dive into the real dangers of allergies. Arjin has had extreme food allergies to tree nuts, dairy, eggs, and peanuts since he was a child. He recalls an almost fatal encounter with a KIND bar as a teen and offers tips on how to recognize and avoid accidents that could be fatal by being honest and diligent. The duo take a break by offering a selection of Covid humor before Andrea discusses sinus allergies and what to do about them. An allergic reaction can happen at any time. It’s best to be informed and know when to head to the emergency room. A very informative program that could save your life.

“Alone we can do so little, together, we can do so much” • Helen Keller Host Maggie Campione talks about diplomacy and believes that there has never been a better, or worse, time to love politics. In the midst of political divide in our country, a global pandemic, a new administration, and the capitol riots that happened two short weeks ago, there are so many problems in our country that tensions are high and people are equipped with sources to have debates with family, friends, or acquaintances alike. She and co-host Andrea Smith interview former senior attorney adviser with the Justice Department, Katharine Manning discussing diplomacy and empathy in the workplace. Her book, The Empathetic Workplace teaches readers the five steps to respond to trauma at work. Andrea rounds out the hour with her insight on peace, sovereignty, justice, and international affairs. This is a fascinating hour of critical importance offering truth and information in today’s political climate.

At the beginning of each new year, many people make a commitment to health and wellness. Siri Phaneendra offers her personal tips to optimum health, including meditation. She interviews relational aggression expert, Cheryl Dellasega, author of Toxic Nursing, who has written many books about the issues facing women. Cheryl describes bullying behaviors, offers tools to diffuse conflict, and advises on how to make the workplace more tolerant, positive, and compliant. Toxic Nursing is a must-read for nurse managers, nurse preceptors, and new nurses. Cheryl also talks about Club and Camp Opheli where she works with girls to confront and overcome relational aggression. In the final segment, Siri reads a chapter from Be the Star You Are! Millennials to Boomers on the Gift of Health by Cynthia Brian. Wishing everyone a healthy, safe, and happy 2021 from the STAR team at Express Yourself!

Bye, bye 2020 and thank you for being part of our Express Yourself! galaxy. Host Siri Phaneendra celebrates the beginning of 2021with reporter Nihal Gill who talks about his goals for 2021 plus an energetic and fun interview with pop star, dancer, and actress, Shevyn Roberts who presents a positive performance package. You’ll hear her remix, Runnin Outta Time and be awed by her energy, exuberance, and experiences. Shevyn offers advice on getting into the entertainment industry and the challenges encountered. Her message for 2021 is not to rely on other people for your happiness. Find your happy place, be positive, and stay upbeat. She says, “Relax your mind, you’ll be just fine!” Siri wraps up the hour by discussing the life lessons of 2020 and the transformations that transpired. Now is the time to follow your heart. Breathe in the positivity and exhale the negativity. Happy New Year! Celebrate 2021! Let’s make it a wonderful year!

It’s a wonderful time of the year! Despite the challenges of 2020, we have so much to be grateful for. Hosts Andrea Smith and Arjin Claire talk with reporter, Nihal Gill as he shares how, after their beloved dog was killed, they adopted a rescue puppy which brought them great joy. Dog trainer and author of 101 Rescue Puppies-One Family’s Story of Fostering Dogs, Love, and Trust, Kathy Callahan, describes the sheer bliss of being a foster family for dogs and puppies. Kathy offers great advice on how to help pandemic puppies get used to being alone sometimes. Because of stay-at-home mandates, dogs are accustomed to having their human packs with then 24/7. This energetic dog-lover guides us through the delicious family puppy connection. The hosts wrap up this entertaining episode with Cynthia Brian’s chapter, The Gift of Giving from the book, Be the Star You Are!® 99 Gifts for Living, Loving, Laughing, and Learning to Make a Difference, which chronicles her family’s Christmas rescue pups.

Express Yourself!® teen radio host, Andrea Smith relives happy memories of Christmas’s past with traditions from her Argentinian and Scottish families. Christmas is her favorite time of the year and she shares her excitement with the world. The Gift of Magic from Cynthia Brian’s book, Be the Star You Are! 999 Gifts of Living, Loving, Laughing, and Learning to Make a Difference, is read bringing the wonder and awe of this blessed season to life. Andrea is joined by reporter Jonathan Jackson in a lively conversation about the holiday, food, songs, family, customs, and gifts. As BTSYA’s kindness coordinator, Karen Kitchel says, “The gifts we tend to remember are those which are wrapped with love.” Wishing everyone a very happy, healthy, and memorable Christmas. It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Giving you the gift of love! Wishing you a very Merry and Healthy Christmas from our Star Team.

Self-acceptance is recognizing who we are. Hosts Andrea Smith and Siri Phaneendra talk with reporter Jack Pawlakos about refocusing thoughts and energy on our uniqueness, special skills, talents, and abilities to develop personal self-acceptance. The hosts interview publicist and author, Laura Segal Stegman with her middle grade debut novel, Summer of L.U.C.K. about three kids finding their way to self-acceptance with the help of a ghost who haunts a magical carnival. Laura shares the perseverance it took to bring this novel to publication during 18 years of creation. She was inspired by a few of her favorite books from middle school. The novel helps young people find their voices. A final discussion about self-esteem and the role of social media ensues. Be who you are. There is only one you. Be the Star you were born to be! “We accept the love we think we deserve.” Stephen Chbosky

Writing and journaling increases motivation and reduces stress. Host Andrea Smith and reporter Jack Pawlakos discuss the benefits of getting thoughts on the page. Andrea then interviews brother/sister founders of Humanities+, Ryan and Sidney Suh who have created an online journal that releases seasonal issues on a quarterly basis. The + symbol represents the foundational goal, which is to foster constructive discussions that transcend the traditional divides between the Humanities and STEM fields. Humanities+ serves as a destination for readers seeking integrity, quality, and global perspectives. The chapter, The Gift of Writing penned by author by Daniel M. Wong from Cynthia’ Brian’s book, Be the Star You Are! Millennials to Boomers Celebrating Gifts of Positive Voices in a Changing Digital World ignites the reasoning that writing is an escape that heals the spirit and provides solace in the most unexpected ways.

If you enjoy fashion, modeling, acting, and comedy, this is the episode you won’t want to miss. Maggie Campione provides historical info on how fashion started as protection and can inspire systemic change and connection. Hosts Siri Phaneendra and Andrea Smith discuss what fashion means to them and they interview Russian-American supermodel, actress, and comedian, Eugenia Kuzmina about her exciting life and career. Eugenia is energetic and engaging as she reminisces about world modeling tours, Paris Fashion Week, acting jobs, and her newest endeavor, stand-up comedy. Taking care of oneself, exercising, and eating correctly are critical elements to a life on the fast track. Eugenia offers career advice encouraging listeners to not listen to the naysayers and to express your inner dreams with authenticity and passion. To be successful, be grateful and be yourself. Wise words!