ALS Awareness, First Dates, Allyship, Birdwatching, Tech Talk, Representation in Media

ALS Awareness (0:00:00) As many of you are aware, Lisa’s husband recently passed away from ALS. Also known as “Lou Gehrig’s disease”, ALS has been a part of our conversation on the show for a while now. But with the sudden passing of Chris, or Topher as Lisa likes to call him, we wanted to raise more awareness about this disease, how it impacts families, and discuss how we can contribute to the work being done to combat it.   Joining us today to help answer our questions is Doctor Paul Mehta, an epidemiologist who spearheads the National ALS Registry at the Center for Disease Control. Giving a Good First Date (0:16:04) I think it’s safe to say that first dates are the worst. In preparation you spend hours picking out the right outfit and cleaning your car. Then comes the date. You think too hard about the questions you should ask and spend the last half of the date wondering if you should give your date a hug, a side hug, or a kiss. And what about that post-date text? While the majority of first dates don’t turn into the romantic relationship you’re looking for, there are some things you can do to make your dating life a little more fun and less stressful. Here to give us tips for having a great first date is our favorite relationship expert, Kim Seltzer. Allyship (0:34:23) We want to believe that we’re all created equally, but it’s an unfortunate truth thatwhether because of gender, race or sexuality,sometimes life is easier for some people than it is for others.These differences are important, they’re a part of our identities and we want to celebrate them and it’s unfair and unjust when anyone is held down because of their beautiful differences. So the question is—what can be done about the situation? If we see someone being treated unfairly, especially if they’re being treated so because they’re a minority in some sense, how can people reach out and help? Here to talk to us about some of her thought surrounding this and allyship is poet Ashley Finley.  Birdwatching (0:52:50) One hobby that is gaining popularity across the country (and even worldwide!) is birdwatching! It’s easier than you think—you can get started in your own backyard or local park. Matt Mendenhall, editor of BirdWatching magazine, is here to teach us more about our feathered friends and how we can get to know them better. The Technology Talk (1:10:54) With children getting smart phones at such young ages, it’s important that we’re conscious of how they’re using them and who they’re talking to. Too many kids have been taken advantage of by strangers on the internet with bad intentions. Now you might get some pushback from your children when you try to monitor their phones and other devices. Most all kids will fight you for their privacy. But our next guest, who has spent many years focused on cyber-crimes among youth and taking down online child predators, believes it’s important that parents stay involved when it comes to technology. Rich Wistocki is a former cyber-crimes detective with his own consulting firm dedicated to educating parents and kids on this topic. Representation in Media (1:28:44) Whether it’s in your favorite book, movie or TV show, there’s something so empowering about seeing a character that you identify with or aspire to be like. But for many kids of color, that moment is rare. In recent years we’ve seen the media attempt to be more inclusive with films like Disney’s Princess and the Frog and Black Panther. But there’s still room for improvement. We’ve loved celebrating black artists, authors and history this month for black history month. So, to continue the conversation we’ve invited author and professor Ebony Thomas to discuss black representation in media.