A Contagious Smile Podcast
"A Contagious Smile" is a transformative platform embracing special needs families and domestic violence survivors. We illuminate the journeys of extraordinary individuals who've triumphed over adversity and aspire to ignite your own inner light. Through candid stories, we showcase how they conquered challenges and emerged stronger. Our podcast features insightful interviews with experts, offering resources that empower and uplift. Let us guide you in rediscovering your inner light – because every smile narrates a tale of resilience. It's time to share your story and rekindle your spirit.
A Contagious Smile Podcast
Adventures and Advocacy: Faith, Abby, and Shanti’s Summer Tales, College Dreams, and LGBTQ+ Representation in Schools
Get ready for an episode packed with heartfelt narratives, exciting adventures, and invaluable advice! We kick things off with Faith, Sandy, and Abby, sharing their vibrant summer plans and unforgettable experiences. Faith is buzzing with excitement about her summer program in New York City, juggling book marketing, and celebrating the release of her fifth book. Abby's tales of fun-filled pranks during her recent Georgia vacation will leave you in stitches, while Shanti's inspiring story of overcoming bullying and channeling her experiences into a successful writing career will undoubtedly tug at your heartstrings.
Join us as we tackle the crucial topic of LGBTQ+ representation in schools, highlighted by an intriguing story called "The Experiment." Our guests share a wide range of perspectives, from Shadi's emphasis on creating a nurturing learning environment to Ab's positive experiences in an accepting school. Logan weighs in with concerns about non-binary identification, prompting a thoughtful discussion on inclusivity and respect. Faith adds her voice to the conversation, recognizing the community's struggles while advocating for support and understanding.
As we transition to discussing junior year excitement and college aspirations, the energy is palpable. We explore potential majors, dream schools, and the anticipation of selecting unique classes. Faith, Victoria, and Shanti share their wisdom on writing and self-publishing, offering practical tips for young authors. The episode wraps up with powerful advice from teen influencers on resilience, kindness, and honesty, ensuring you walk away with not just insights, but also a heart full of inspiration. Don't miss this engaging, insightful, and heartwarming episode!
Good afternoon, happy summer 2024. We have such an amazing gift right now we have Faith.
Speaker 2:Hello everyone.
Speaker 1:We have Sandy who we love Hi and we have Abby Hi and we are having girl talk, teen talk, today to kick off summer 2024. And you'll have to forgive me because I had surgery so my throat's kind of out of it and I'm going to let the girls talk. So tell everybody what you've been up to, what you're doing, how your summer's going, and I'll be over here producing.
Speaker 2:Who wants to go?
Speaker 3:first. I can go first. Let's not go first. If let's not to go first, all right.
Speaker 3:Um, it's actually I've been um in summer for a month now, um, but I've done like a lot of just like random things. I went up to Berkeley for a book festival and then I've also just been like catching up with um friends and everything, uh, in I literally I think it's like five days. Now I'm going to leave for New York and I'm going to be there for a month on my own doing the summer program. So I'm a little nervous for that, but I'm also really excited because I did it last year and it was like the best experience of my entire life.
Speaker 3:So I get to like take classes and just have a lot of fun and meet a lot of people, and then I also have to like, in tandem with that, do a lot of book marketing. So I'm a little nervous about that, um, because I have to like keep all the same responsibilities that I have at home, only in a completely different city, with classes and everything too. So I'm like I'm going to school but I'm also doing where do you stay when you're up there? So it's the um school of the New York Times and it's um at Fordham University and um it's the um school of the new york times and it's um at fordham university and um it's very fun. It's like it's a really um cool campus, like it's um in manhattan, so there's like everything is nearby what about you, miss abby?
Speaker 1:what have you been up?
Speaker 4:to um not much honestly reading a lot um she loves to read didn't you just come back from an amazing first time vacation? I did. I did just come back. Um, it was awesome. I can't wait to go. Uh back, go back. So that was nice. Georgia's hot, but not as hot as here. You and Faith had a lot of fun. We did. I still think Michael's still a bit mad at the marshmallows in his truck.
Speaker 1:They prank, prank each other the whole time. So faith, what about you?
Speaker 2:I'm having a great time because I'll come to work, you're welcome.
Speaker 1:I just want to say faith just did her fifth book and published it, which is amazing and the book is all about thanking thanking her dad for saving her life. It's called phoenix.
Speaker 1:Whisper's legacy raised loving tribute to her beloved parents, and she wrote this to thank us for staying with her and helping her get through what she just went through for five months. It's beautiful. I follow Shanti so closely. I think she's amazing. Every time I turn around, she's got another book out, another book out, another one out. So what are we at now? 28, 30? Where?
Speaker 3:are we? So I'm writing number 31 right now and then I published 17. But number 18 comes out in in I guess it's 15 days. I just did the math in my head, so it might be wrong. And that's just the third book in the Never Dying series that was about cool tell us about the book.
Speaker 3:So it's called Never Far and I know we've talked about it before. Never Dying is my most popular series. It's the sci-fi, dystopian one about immortals. It's a ton of fun, and originally this third book was supposed to be the last book in the series, because I just really wanted it to be a trilogy and then I wanted it to be done, except no, there's a fourth book that I wrote. Genuinely it was supposed to be one book and then I had to split it in two, so I wrote the fourth book same time, right.
Speaker 1:So now it's like tricky because I have to like, let people know, like, hey, this third book isn't actually the last one, but yeah, I'm really excited for it well for people who have never had the pleasure of hearing you, shanti, on our podcast, and I would love for you to take a moment and tell everybody how you now are such an advocate for bullying. I love that about you and your spirit for it. Can you kind of go back over and tell us how that started, because I know Abby doesn't.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, of course. So I've experienced bullying a lot, just you know, in elementary school and middle school. Middle school was particularly bad, as you know. That's when I wrote you Won't Know Her Name, which is basically a novel told in poetry, and it's based on a true story of what happened to me, and through that I was able to reach a really like, really great audience and I was really able to connect to a lot of people who'd experience similar things. So I've used that book throughout the years to really advocate for, um, better bullying policies in schools can you tell us what happened to you that inspired?
Speaker 1:this book specifically?
Speaker 3:oh yeah. So, um, when I was in sixth grade, I met this person and they were part of my friend group and, um, I don't want to like spoil the book no, don't spoil it Too much into it, but it was a really dark time. There were a lot of things that happened that really like crossed my boundaries and other people's boundaries and following that I was told by my school that, oh, this is just middle school, it happens all the time. And I was like no, absolutely not. And from there I just was like you know, no, we need to make a difference because clearly, you know, one, something's wrong with our mindsets and two, like you know, bottom line, this just can't keep happening.
Speaker 1:I told her before she graduated that year. When this came out, I said you need to take a copy, sign it and put it on your principal's desk Because it's about the school she's in and I think that that would have been fantastic. But I said to her how challenging would it be to be her English teacher and get one of her papers, can you?
Speaker 3:hear Shanti, she's going to be like you gave me a B.
Speaker 1:Are you kidding? I've written more books than you've read. Are you serious? You know who would want to grade her? I? I you know, because she's so smart. Her books are amazing. Thank you, so amazing. So we have avid readers. Abby reads like a book in what?
Speaker 4:a day or two at the most um, yeah, I read a bunch of online books at the moment because, um, most of the time I've been going a lot of places and it's harder to bring like a physical copy, so I read like one or two a day. Depends on, like, really how long they are, but yeah, how are you doing with your reading faith?
Speaker 2:uh, I'm good on and off, but I'm actually writing a book.
Speaker 1:She's writing a new book, you know. Tell us about it it's called the experiment.
Speaker 2:It's about six people who wake up and they laugh like a baby laugh. They're not remember anything, but each one has a special ability or key. For example, um, there's a girl who, like um, like when she woke up. When she woke up, there was a label written all around her, like the place was written not Canadian, with some Asian but gay people's labels on it place with him, not communicating with him or anything, but they will live with him. I like to call it and he understands everything a little bit. So basically, two and five of them have to find out in memory what happened and all that. And at one point the members come back and I have to stop the people to call them and do what they are now and listen. I never have to do anyone else.
Speaker 3:That's amazing. This is the one you sent me. Oh, you sent it to her.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that's awesome. I read a bit of it that you had like typed up and stuff. It looks really cool. Yeah, that's awesome. I read a bit of it that you had like tied up and stuff. It looks really cool yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 1:so I want to ask you guys, being that y'all are incredibly brilliant and genius minds here, what do you guys think about the whole lgbtqia plus community and schools now, because I get a lot of teens either 100% for it or 100% against it the whole pronoun thing, the whole identifying thing. I've heard both sides. But these are three incredibly brilliant, beautiful, genius people we have on today and I want to know what y'all's thoughts about that is.
Speaker 2:Go ahead.
Speaker 3:Shadi, okay, personally I don't have any problem with it because I think um, first off, you know a lot of um lgbtq students are victims of bullying. So from a bullying standpoint, you know, doing things to make people more comfortable in the classroom really it's not hurting anyone. So, personally, like I have no problem with it and I think that the more we do to make everyone comfortable, the better the learning environment is.
Speaker 1:Hey, what about you?
Speaker 4:Ab, I'm definitely for it. I don't really care who you love. Love is like love and all that. But there's, I don't see at my school we don't do like. There's I don't see at my school we don't do like there's not much bullying about her, honestly. So I don't, I don't understand the bullying portion. So like I don't get why it's happening, because, like at my school, like I said, it doesn't happen, doesn't happen. So, um, it's just something that I know, I know um kids at my school are, and like no one really cares. Um, like I don't see anything against it or anything.
Speaker 1:So it's really odd because it depends geographically, because Logan had you, because Logan has come on and been very vocal about his position, excuse me. He has kids in his class that identify as a cat or identify as a desk or anything like that, and they now have cat litter in the bathroom. So the cats the kids identify as cats can go to the bathroom litter. Um, and logan is very much against it and he comes out very strongly that there's only two types of people. There is a boy or a girl. You're born with it or you're not. And even if you trans over, you're still never going to be a woman because you can't have kids.
Speaker 1:And he is right. But he's younger than everybody here, but he has such an incredibly strong stance about it and you don't deviate him, you can't let him even you can't open his mind to it, he's just stuck. He's like my friend used to be a boy and I hung out with him all the time and now he goes in the girl's bathroom and goes to the bathroom and dresses and dresses and literally I just have such a problem with it and that it doesn't even matter what he identifies as. But he's like if you're gay or straight, whatever, but you can't identify, as young as we are, as somebody who is transing into an opposite sex, because we don't even know what we want our next birthday party to be and he's, you know, very adamant about, about that that's why I wanted to hear what y'all you know over.
Speaker 1:What do you think about it?
Speaker 2:faith, I don't know who was this like. For the community, I don't care if you're fine, fine, fine, fine. So what you say, or they say, or all, that. I understand, because you yourself. That's all it matters. But one thing I could not say okay, it's boring when it comes to that, because some people in the community get bored for that and some people I don't know whether I say it, but sometimes it's not too bad when people are sharing it Right. So that is a flaw. One thousand percent.
Speaker 1:I think it's interesting how it depends on the state you reside in as to how the schools are running this, because everyone here is in a different state and you guys have it Great.
Speaker 1:But Logan has said I wish they would take the time to focus on our academics and our learning as they do and how much time they do our programs because, like, we don't do math, we don't do cursive, we don't, you know, we don't write anything, it's all done on the computers. He was like but if you call somebody and say hey, tommy, and tommy is tammy, you go to the principal's office and I'm like there's so much better that we can be doing to just include everybody. That doesn't single anybody out. I mean that's like singling faith and I have redhead. Or single shanti out because she's, you know, a famous writer, she's got curly hair, or abby because you and I have glasses. I mean why? Why put so much emphasis on it? Just let these kids be themselves. And I don't mean kids as individual, I'm talking about like you guys who call kids, but that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:I mean like in kindergarten and first grade. They now have drag queens coming and reading to kids.
Speaker 1:Um yeah, what do you think, shanti, that? Uh, disney is pretty much doing away with making a mini and goofy and donald and making them part of the lgbtq community.
Speaker 3:Well, I didn't hear about that. But, um, hmm, I didn't hear about that. But I mean, like, see, personally, like I just, like you know, love everyone. I don't mind. Um, I think that it's honestly like good that Disney is um working on representation, because in the past they haven't been. However, it would be nice, you know, for them to also incorporate new characters as well, because, you know, in some ways it can be kind of lazy to just take an old character rather than like we could create a new character. But also, like I don't have too big of a problem with it because, you know, I personally think that there are like bigger problems in the world than how people identify and who people choose to love, and it's like you know, then focusing on those problems is taking away from like real issues in the world.
Speaker 1:And my other thing is that you have like as many special needs families as we work with. You have beautiful kids that want to go down to Disney, whether it's a make, a wish or whatever. Three, four, five year old kids that want to go meet Mickey Mouse or Goofy or Pluto or Minnie or and I don't think it, you know, putting the perspective into their head they're not gonna understand at that age. I mean, maybe have a quarter of Disney for like pre, preschool, toddler ages, so that they can go in there and not have to worry about the confusion of what this is, because they don't know it. When you're four years old, you know. But let them have a small corner somewhere and then if they want to go out and see everybody else, that's fine, let you know, I'm all for that, let them do that. But we don't need to start confusing our kids who may not even be, or just now be, in preschool, you know.
Speaker 1:I mean, like, let them have their own, you know like you go somewhere and they are in a playland and there's always like a play field for younger kids and a play field for older kids. So that's why my thought is is, why don't you guys just have a smaller play field?
Speaker 1:because they can't ride they rides that young, most of them, you know if they're not tall enough and they should have their own area where they can go meet their mickey mouse, who they've read all about, you know, and then, if they want to go see the, you know, the lgbtq community, then they have a choice. Abby, you're so quiet, it's so weird. What do?
Speaker 4:you want to say, um, I don like. I agree like doing the separate stuff and stuff. But shanti pretty much said like there are more important things to worry about and stuff.
Speaker 1:So a million percent. And you know, when you take these kids to disney or epcot or wherever and they have so much going on at home and they have so much going on in the world, and their parents are not really front and center to their family and their kids, and now you have this opportunity by going to one of the best places on earth, then you should, you know, let your trouble. Stay in the hotel or the door, whatever you, before you enter and have that time with your kids is bonding time, you know, and there are so many other things going on as well that need immediate assistance, but I don't think Disney's one of them. Okay, we need to respond.
Speaker 2:I'm actually okay with the whole Gracie Center because Gracie, finally, one of the things I did before I don't know is finally showing that, helping the community and letting the community have a mascot, kind of to help show with the community and like the community has a mascot, kind of to help show that the community and the world is okay to be one of them. And I get it. We're holding up now saying that it's a one and a cop, but he's been in the game for so long. I'm just saying that it is okay and long after he is okay and um, but I don't know if that's just my. I don't want to co-operate or something like that, but I hope he's a good community and all that yeah a community for all that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what's going on for you next?
Speaker 3:school year. You guys, what's? Oh sorry, I cut out for a second um what's on the road ahead and when school starts back um, should I go first?
Speaker 3:yeah, okay, perfect. Um, so I'm starting 11th grade, which is super scary because I have like two more years of high school left, but I swear I was just in middle school like a month ago. That's what I was thinking, but I'm not. Yeah, so I'm going to be a junior. I'm really excited because a lot of the classes I'm going to take are really cool. Excited because a lot of the classes I'm going to take are really cool. And I'm really excited, um, just because, like, really like my school, really like my friends, you know, it's like a really great environment. And then I have to start thinking about college soon, which is also kind of crazy and pretty scary. Um, but, like, all in all, like it's more exciting than it is scary where are you thinking about?
Speaker 3:going? I'm not sure. However, I do really like New York City. I mean, right then, why you sweatshirt right now? Um, so I would, I probably, um would want to go there. Also, I've considered going back to Los Angeles because you know, that's where I grew up and I know there's a lot of colleges there. And then also I just went up to Berkeley for the Bay Area Book Festival and I really like UC Berkeley, so I can also like imagine myself there.
Speaker 1:Well, Abby just got put into the National Honor Society. I'm so proud of her.
Speaker 3:Oh, that's awesome. Thank you, that's awesome.
Speaker 1:And yeah, I remember when Shanti was in the sixth grade and now, like she's 11, oh my gosh, it's crazy how fast that happens, crazy, yeah. What do you want to major in?
Speaker 3:oh, good question. Probably I'd say, um, something like creative writing or screenwriting, um, but I know a lot of colleges don't actually offer creative writing as a major um, and I don't really want to major in English because I know it's a lot just reading really old books. Yeah, um, and well, I do like English class. I don't really want to major in English, um, so I think, um, if like, if not creative writing or screenwriting, maybe I'd major in something like random, that's just like cool and fun to learn about, because you know to be an author, you don't really need a college degree.
Speaker 1:Absolutely Tenfold agree. What are you thinking?
Speaker 2:I'm really hoping I get to go to class Really hoping, Because art is my major kind of, but also for a fashion new class. I like to wear my own clothes, so I can wear like either one, since you know all the things I like to do.
Speaker 1:And what are you, Abby Cadabby?
Speaker 4:Sorry, could you repeat that? My little sister walked down here.
Speaker 2:What? What do you want, your major?
Speaker 4:to be oh, um, uh. I'm thinking of either like english, because it's like one of my good subjects and like I want to go into teaching for english, or like just education in general.
Speaker 2:How is?
Speaker 4:your sister, you want to speak.
Speaker 1:Hey, shanti, how is your sister doing? Oh, she's doing good. Yeah, she's going into the 11th grade too. Yeah, hey, boo, boo hey.
Speaker 4:Boo Boo Bears bears.
Speaker 1:You doing good, lainey, you doing good yeah yeah, she's so cute so what's the next book you're doing when all these are finished? What are you going to start on next?
Speaker 3:so currently, I'm currently writing the sequel to Little green man, which is the book that released, um, I guess a little over a month ago now. Um, it released on april 29th actually well over a month ago now, like a month and a half ago. Um, time flies, um. So working on the sequel to that, and then also I'm working on finishing up the um final, final draft of a children's book. Which what's that gonna be about? All right, this is so funny. It's about a, um, hermit crab, because I have a stuffed hermit crab in my room and I was really bored one night and I was home alone and I was like, you know, I'm gonna write something new. So I literally just read a children's book about my stuffed animal and now, like, the illustrations are all done and the formatting is almost done. So that's kind of crazy.
Speaker 1:So you don't have a specific like genre of places you like to write. You do sci-fi, you do this, you do that. Which one do you enjoy writing most?
Speaker 3:oh, good question. So I really enjoy writing everything you know, from children's to contemporary. I mean, this is my first children's book, but you know contemporary sci-fi, of course, like most of my books are young adult. I will say that, of course, like I kind of have to be biased towards sci-fi because you know, that was the first genre I ever wrote. I've written the most sci-fi out of everything, um, but you know, like it really changes depending on, like, how I feel and what I'm writing.
Speaker 1:I've had people ask me after you've been on how long does it take you on average to write a book?
Speaker 3:okay. So for a first draft it's usually, I'd say, anywhere from like one to three months. Um, I've probably already said this, but I do around a thousand words every single day, if not more, and through that that usually has the draft complete, depending on the length of the book, and several months if even, but then the editing can take up to a year or more. I'm always writing anything in a book, so that's how I'm able to keep writing more books while still stuck on one editing project.
Speaker 1:Do you have a?
Speaker 3:publisher or an editor? Are you doing all that yourself? I'm an editor, but I still self-publish with amazon's kdp that is incredibly smart.
Speaker 1:It took that she writes. She puts me to shame. I remember one of the times we had her on and I was like I got my first book done when I was 30 and she was like. I was in sixth grade and I'm like thank you so much?
Speaker 2:Who are you talking to?
Speaker 4:Yes, Some friends. What are their names? They have names, yeah, what are their names? That's Faith and I'm Victoria. See, Faith, Victoria. And then the other girl. Her name is Shanti, she is a writer of the most amazing books ever.
Speaker 1:Thank you. They're so good. They're so good. How did your mom and dad handle you not being around for a month?
Speaker 3:Well, my mom's going with me. She's not staying with me, but she's going to stay in New, not like staying with me, but she's gonna go to um, stay in new york for a bit, um, and then I'm gonna miss my dad and my sister because I'm not gonna see them for a month. I'm gonna see, because there's gonna be um like a weekend where I'm not gonna have anywhere to stay between the two, like terms, um, and I'm gonna like stay with my mom so I get to see my mom. You know, once in between, you know, but why is your mom gonna stay up in New?
Speaker 3:York in her job, where y'all are, uh no, my mom um is retired oh, okay, then that happened recently, right?
Speaker 1:is that pretty recent?
Speaker 1:um no, not really huh, that's why I thought she worked. I know she resided. That's a great blessing for you. She's your travel buddy. Yeah, that's awesome. So what advice do you have for everybody that wants to start trying to write that they need to, and how do they start? You give the best tick tocks ever and I want to make sure I put that out Is that? How do you format a character Like, how do you start a character for your book and how do you remember all the things for that character?
Speaker 3:So a lot of the stuff. When it comes to like remembering and like keeping things organized, I just do in my head. I have a really good ability to just remember things and just keep things. But also I do have often like notes written down or like Google Docs, where I just, you know, write down all the information about the characters.
Speaker 3:But really, when you want to create a character for me personally, my process is I always start with the name. I, you know, I need to put a name to a face, or sometimes just a name, so like the general outline of the character, and then I'll either start describing what they look like or I'll go and I'll be like okay, so what is this character's motives? What do they want to get? You know, what are they going to get from the story? Um, and it really also depends on the type of book I'm writing. If I'm writing a book that's more character driven, then I'll really really focus on the characters and I'll see how the character is going to influence the story. But if I'm writing a more plot-driven book, then I'll be like okay, well, how is the like story and the events in this book going to influence the character?
Speaker 2:So I do have a question for you, Falco. Oh, I'm sorry to say that. Yeah, so when I have books.
Speaker 1:I cut out slightly um um hardcovers no she she's like she you cut out she said she wanted to know, like when you're doing your books and you want to write stuff down and you have so many ideas.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, how do you end up writing? Yeah, so, honestly, like it's very messy. I'm not very good at keeping these things organized. Um, for one, I have a thing. I just have this um and I do it with every single book I'm writing. Or just in my notes app I just write out, um, like what? Um, just anything I want to happen, anything about the characters, anything that's going to be important later, and it's usually like I have some where they're like several thousand words of just random notes. Sometimes I write them in all caps, like I'm just like screaming at my notes app about something that I want to happen. So it's all very messy, but it really works for me. I also find that writing in the document is also really helpful. That writing in the document is also really helpful. So, like at the bottom of the chapter I'll just have like some notes of just things that are going to happen next and quotes that I want to add to scenes, or even like a paragraph of a scene, and that really helps me remember, like where I'm going.
Speaker 1:If you guys, abby Faith, if you guys could write a book that's challenging for you especially I want to hear what Shanti says what kind of book would you write? That you know would be a really hard challenge to finish good question what's a lego book.
Speaker 4:A lego. Lainey says a lego book. Um, lainey says a Lego book. I don't know what they're talking about. A challenging book. If I were to write one, I'm thinking more like something that's more like I don't know romance-y or I don't really. I don't really romance-y or I don't really. I don't really do romance and stuff.
Speaker 3:so I would say some kind of like mystery book where there's, you know, a lot of different clues and foreshadowing and really like a lot of different things that have to come together. And I've had some books that are like borderline mystery, for example, like Little Green man is a bit of a mystery, but, and that was together. And I've had some books, um, that are like borderline mystery, for example, like Little Green man is a bit of a mystery, but, and that was very tricky. Um, really, all the books where there's like multiple things going on and then all of those have to tie together to make sense, those, those can be very tricky. It's like a puzzle where you like you know you've written out all the pieces but then you have to like figure out like where everything fits so I don't know.
Speaker 2:I had specific questions, but I do have one idea, though. And now a girl who, like someone, has her, her passion. Nature is the fashion that kills fat people and helps the good, but you make it a lesson kind of, for example, like a small script kind of which you can put in the draft or in the comments, or even a global play in the comments, that way, that sounds really good.
Speaker 1:If there was something that you could write about that's going on in the world right now, that's very troubling for you. What would it be?
Speaker 2:Um.
Speaker 4:I don't know a child what?
Speaker 1:about you, shanti.
Speaker 3:I have to think about that for a moment. I have a couple different things that I could say. I'm trying to find a way to like, because it's actually I do have a book that's in my planning stage. I just I don't know how much I can actually say about it um without, like you know, giving away before I've even started writing it um, but I have like several different things I could go with for that um. You know, anywhere from like war to more like personal things, um, oh yeah what would you do?
Speaker 4:maybe like something like mental health, like I know that's a big thing going on, it's not really. I don't know how challenging really is for me, because maybe like some like stress or something like that, especially with schooling, with like how it's impacted from like covid and then, um, I've moved, so maybe with it moving and stuff, I don't know.
Speaker 1:What do you guys face is the biggest challenge in school right now?
Speaker 4:For me it's finding something that's actually challenging, because a lot of the things I've been taught it's like to me it's easy, no matter what, what I'm doing, it's easy to me. But I want something challenging that'll actually push me. So I'm, I want, I want that, but it's been hard to find. So taking like the higher, like your honors and your dual credit and your AP classes, is definitely my route to try and find those challenging steps in my academic. What about you, vishanti?
Speaker 3:Well, I can go with the obvious answer that's just like well bullying, but I haven't experienced that in a while. I want to say that of course you know mental health and like balancing. You know personal struggles with like academics can be very tricky, but it's also, it's not like you know, it's manageable and that's more of like a you know personal problem.
Speaker 1:What do you find? What do I find?
Speaker 2:That it's the hardest thing for you at your age, right now For me. Honestly, I have to say talking about your problems, because for me personally, I have, let's just say, a lot of I don't know, I don't know, I don't know.
Speaker 1:I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know. Or a group of people who are around you all the time and then you realize they're using you and then they don't need you anymore. How does your feel on that take?
Speaker 4:I don't know. I've never had that happen to me, so I don't really, I don't really know um what about you, shani?
Speaker 3:hmm so if, like, someone finds himself in that situation, I, um, let's see, I'm trying to give like really bad advice, um, but it's like you know, like being in like uh, being in like a circle of people, that's maybe not the best for you. You know that happens to a lot of people. So, first off, you're not alone. Second, um, I'd really, like you know, recommend like trying to very quickly just like try to find other people. Um, you know, most often, you know, schools are very large environments, there's a lot of people, and I think that you're guaranteed to find someone that's like going to be a true friend what kind of peer pressure do you guys experience at school now?
Speaker 4:um, I've never experienced peer pressure, but I actually just had a class on peer pressure before, like the end of my school year. Um, it was about like vaping and like alcohol and drugs, like the normal stuff, but a big thing at my school is is vaping? Um, it's like everywhere Are you allowed to vape at my school is vaping?
Speaker 4:It's like everywhere Are you allowed to vape at your school? No, but no, you're not allowed to vape. But everywhere you look there are kids vaping. And I've had some well, not some teachers, but I know of a teacher who didn't care and stuff and they were just like eh, whatever, but it seemed to make the kids end up acting out more and stuff. So I don't know, and then you're like pressing, crushing the other kids, and they're like just sitting there what about you, shanti?
Speaker 1:what are the peer pressures that go on in school these days?
Speaker 3:um, a lot of like, um what was just said? Um, but you know like things, like you know skipping class and you know just doing things that could get you in trouble. Um, typically, you know like it can be hard to say no sometimes, but also, um, you know, like, personally, like I really don't want to get in trouble, so I'm really hesitant to do like a lot of things yeah, do you see a lot of pressure from other kids based on like the clicks, like people are just really hoarding in on like the special needs kids or you know they have.
Speaker 1:They have so many cliques and groups that they have people in and then those people come back and start bullying them. Is that really dominant these days in school anymore?
Speaker 4:not where I go to school, but definitely um in other places um, my school you definitely notice, like who's the popular, who's the jocks and stuff. Um, I do know. Uh, I I had a class where these girls like to pretend to be friends with this one girl and then behind their back, behind her back, they would make fun of her. Awful, yeah, um, there, it was definitely like the populars against, like the I don't want to say loners, because that's not what I'm looking for but like the ones that people don't seem to like or don't want, seem to fit with. Um, but it's more. It's more the higher ups definitely doing it, instead of like your freshmen's or your sophomores, it's more your juniors and stuff so is there a lot of violence in y'all schools yes, there were seven fights within the first week of school, all including one girl.
Speaker 4:Oh gosh, wow. Yeah, one of them resulted in I don't remember it was this girl against this one kid and I think he ended up getting pushed down the stairs or something and like put in a chokehold. He was okay, I think. I've seen him around school, but nothing, no like discipline ever given to her, like ever seemed to fix anything. There were constant fights within our school.
Speaker 1:What do you guys think you could do to make school better for everybody?
Speaker 4:Um, I don't know. There's there's a lot of things that people seem to have problems with. Yeah, other kids don't, so I don't really know. What do you think, nishanti?
Speaker 3:I'd say, um, focus on teaching, like you know, kindness and like understanding of other people and different perspectives from a really early age. Um, because you know, people aren't taught to be like awful you know, are not taught there.
Speaker 3:People are taught to be, you know, bullies. Like you know you're not born like oh, I'm just, you know, a horrible person and I'm gonna go like ruin this person's day. That's usually, you know, taught from somewhere. So from a really early age in schools we can try to focus on, you know, first off, like you know, including everyone and understanding that other people are different and really just loving everyone for who they are. Then like we'd be in a much better place what do you think?
Speaker 1:how do we make kids better for each other, or teens, sorry?
Speaker 2:are any of y'all worried about school shootings in your school, at my friend's high school, and my father was going to sit alone. Are any of y'all worried?
Speaker 1:about school shootings in your school.
Speaker 4:Honestly, not really. There was an incident last year that I was a part of where this one kid threatened to bring a knife to school the next day for this specific class that I was in. Um, he made a list of who would be first and stuff and he told me and my friend to not show up the next day. Um, I, I, I didn't know any of this until the next day, even though I was in the class, but no one was really paying attention and even the teacher wasn't paying attention. But that's the one thing that's happened the entire time I've been here, and I've been here for seven years, so I'm not really worried that much. Especially like in a small town is everyone knows everyone.
Speaker 3:So what do you think? Well, I'd say I mean yes, because you know, you know the reality of it is, unfortunately, it does happen a lot. I go to a school with a lot of security and while, like you know, I feel safer than I have at previous schools, you know it's still something that, like, we have to think about Because it is, of course you, you know a very big problem in america. I mean, it extends to more than just schools, but, of course, you know, schools are very much like that is a big topic, um, like just in general, um, so it is definitely something that it's like you have to think about, um, and you know it's not not fun, but you know, like personally, like I feel safe at my school, but I also know that it's like you know, that safety only goes to a certain extent how do they prepare y'all if that does happen?
Speaker 1:what do they do to get you guys?
Speaker 4:prepared? Do they do drills? What do they do? They do nothing here. The only drills we do is like the normal, like tornado, hurricane, uh, fire. Those are the only drills we do. Um, no, like school shooting drills? No, um, I don't think we've ever actually we've done like a code red, which is like a bomb threat or something. Um, we've done those like once or twice every couple years or every year. So we don't do much yeah, we do um drills.
Speaker 3:We have, like certain designated rooms to go to um, depending on which class you're in um, but I um let's see, I'm trying to figure out how to word this um, I um like there's typically like a difference between just like lockdown drills and like active shooter drills, um, but we do lockdown drills um, which is like the closest thing and are kids scared?
Speaker 1:you go into school and look and wonder does that kid have a gun today? Or you know that kid's been our teenagers been acting differently and withdrawing, you see, and you look at him and wonder does he have a manifesto? Is he carrying a weapon, is he, you know? And then just look, but you don't want them to see you looking. But you're really like, okay, my guard's up a little bit because this is not. Yeah, and what can you do? Report it to a teacher or principal. And then what?
Speaker 3:well, um, you know, the um unfortunate thing about all this is it's very, you know, at a you know, community level, like at a school level. Really, you know there are things you can do, but it's more something that's at a higher level than just like your school in particular. Like you know, we're bullying, like there are certain schools that have more you know bullying than others, and it's something that really we can deal with, but in this case, no, what do you guys?
Speaker 1:think about them talking about allowing teachers to have guns on them I did not know that it's been in talks for a few years um, um ab oh you want to go first?
Speaker 3:it doesn't matter um, personally absolutely not. Um, that's not a solution. In fact, that's in some ways more dangerous.
Speaker 4:Um and provides, like you know, when there's a gun in a classroom, then that's only really like perpetuating the problem um, we, we have security, we have, uh like, police, police officers in our school, like at all times, one, one or two per school. That's always there every single day. Um, I, I, and they're like the only ones allowed to carry guns. I don't see why teachers need to, and if kids know it's there, it's easy access for them to get to it, especially like here. Almost like everyone knows how to use a gun, almost like everyone knows how to use a gun. So if you can get to it, they're like you're going to know how to use it against people.
Speaker 2:Like and you wouldn't have to bring like your own if there was like a you want to. Yeah, what do you think, kev? I'm sorry, I don't know. Listen, I'm lying to you both on this. I don'm sorry, I was really itch. Listen, I'm glad you put my name. I think teachers should have done something. No, absolutely not. I'm saying something happened. I mean that like in school, like in the high school, I'm kind of unpaid for it, but on them, absolutely not.
Speaker 1:No way. But you have like, say, the quarterback or the linebacker or one of the big football players, and you have a tiny little teacher who's carrying a gun along. I mean that teacher could get, you know, overthrown in a moment's notice.
Speaker 1:And then there's the gun in the hand of the kid and that's really scary yeah super scared we didn't have all this when I was in school back in 1810 don't laugh, shanti, I know she's my two, but seriously, like we played dodgeball outside and we didn't get written up for hitting another kid because we're playing dodgeball, you know like, do you guys even do pe at all anymore?
Speaker 4:yeah, um, my entire pe class consisted of us sitting on the ground and doing nothing, so at least this year last year was better, we actually did stuff, but like that's the last time you're ever going to do anything in PE do you guys like that?
Speaker 1:they stopped teaching cursive and spelling and all that. Do you guys like that, or do you think it should go back into the curriculum?
Speaker 4:See, I have my mom as my English teacher but she actually did cursive with us more towards the end of the year. But if you wanted to learn cursive she would print you stuff out for it and help you and she would help you spell stuff and like we, we kind of learned that and I know they're I don't remember what they're doing, but our um primary center. So, like your pre-k through third grade, they're gonna teach them completely differently how like to sound out words and stuff than how we did it. I think it's gonna be like your phone is it called phonics or something like that, I don't know. It's like a new way to teach kids and stuff.
Speaker 1:So so I have a lot of people ask me and I try to stay on top of it as much as I can explain to me because, like I know, I know personally some pansexuals, heterosexuals and metrosexuals and all that. But where are all those? You know? Because in the LGBTQIA that not everybody is listening there. So how do you guys decide? How do you figure out who you relate to or who you consider yourself to be? How do you guys, as teenagers, figure that out?
Speaker 4:Um oh, I watched. I watched a tiktok video the other day and it was talking about, like, looking at people's uh butts. I'm like what, and apparently that's a thing. If you what, depending on what, what, what gender's butt you look at, depends on who, who, you are not really sure, never heard that. I don't know what that one's all about. But uh, I don't, I don't really, I don't really know how you figure that out. I don't know. I guess it's just who you, what you're I don't want to say drawn to, because that just yeah.
Speaker 1:But like, how do you, how do you figure out, okay, I'm a pansexual, when I've never heard that term in an lgbtqia, you know segment? How do you guys figure out, oh, I'm a pansexual, or I'm, or this, or you know what I mean? Like everybody should be included and accepted for who they are, but I'm wondering what is the process to figure out just who you are?
Speaker 3:shawnee, what do you think? Good question, I mean, I'd say there really isn't one. You know it's like, you know how do you feel internally, and then from there you know you can find people, you know friends that you relate to and talk to them, and then really that's how I think it's, just by like, you know, like because I think you know you, you know, I know there's a lot of labels and I personally think it's really um cool because it's help. It's helping people like identify, like who they are and um.
Speaker 1:You know like in many ways like feel less alone, but also like find a community yeah, I'm saying like, you know if you're heterosexual or homosexual or bisexual or whatever, but where do teenagers go and look and say, oh, this is like pansexuality, I'm that's, yeah. How do you, you know, figure out that? Because I'm just, I want to be able to stay. I work with a lot of kids and I want to be able to stay up to date and I know what they're talking about. But how do you especially girls decide? This is where I am. I mean, I'm thrilled and proud of y'all for figuring that out. But how, how do you know?
Speaker 4:see, I don't get the difference between, like, bisexual and pansexual. Like they're pretty much the same thing aren't they?
Speaker 3:uh, I have friends who, like I, uh identify with, like those sexualities. So I kind of like get the difference slightly, but I think more so, a lot of it, you know, comes from, like, say, you're going to read a book or you, you know you meet someone else who you feel like is very, very similar to you, and then they identify with that label.
Speaker 1:So really it's about you know, just like discovering it and then like it and then like figuring out, like you know, like, if you really like relate to that um term yeah, it's so much easier I've seen for individuals to come out and identify who they are than it was 20, 30 years ago.
Speaker 1:People were petrified and the only thing that was identified back then is either you're gay or straight, like or I think bi came out much later on. It was either one or the other and now there's just this plethora of opportunity and I think that's amazing. But you know, there were people back in the day 1812, where they wouldn't even say out loud who they were because they were fear of the retaliation of others, and I don't think that's right. Like Shanti said earlier, there's so much other stuff going on in the world and I know I've told Abby and I've said this to Faith a million times I don't care who you're with, as long as whoever you're with loves you unconditionally, doesn't put their hands on you in an unwarranted manner. I could care less who you're with, but back then people were so afraid because they were shamed and and even people got beaten up. They came out and said they were gay.
Speaker 1:You know back in those days and that's wrong because it's not bothering you like. Some of my closest friends are gay and they're married, guys and girls. I have no problem with it. I'm fine in my sexuality. I'm thrilled they have unconditional love between them. So, with everything going on in this world, why do we have to focus on something that's really, in the whole scheme of things, so tedious? Yeah, exactly that's a good point I've never seen abby this quiet, ever, never. She is a chatterbox.
Speaker 4:She's a chatterbox um, well, I don't want to say thinking, because well, I mean I kind of am, but like going over, like the points you've said and stuff, and like looking at like the schools and stuff, and I also don't really want to know what to say because, like, everything's been said so they should be doing more things to help people you know out in the world than to criticize, because I don't think a child should have spent their adulthood recovering from their childhood, you know, from the bullying and just wrongful treatment which, in a way, don't believe you as teenagers.
Speaker 1:You need a safe haven. You need a safe place and if God forbid and I'm not saying either of you are we all know faith isn't. But if you're in a home situation where it's not home, it's a house, you don't take me home, you're going to get yelled at, screamed at.
Speaker 1:Then you come to school and you're being made proud because one reason you love your glasses or you're a waiter you know, you have purple hair, which I think is awesome, or you have, whatever the case may be, that individual teenager has no outlet and I think that they're just bottling it all up until they can't suppress it anymore and there's just going to be this huge, you know blowout, and I think that a lot of time, a lot of parents don't want to sit and listen to their kids, don't want to sit and, you know, be a part of their day and hear what they have to say and try to make a change. How do you, how do you guys, go about trying to make change?
Speaker 4:um, I have two things to say. Um, first, one's completely out of context. Um, I finally found the picture of me with my purple hair, which I will send to y'all. And number two, the saying that I know a lot is. Every little thing you do changes somehow or something, and it's right. So, in like you could say one nice thing to someone and like that could save their life or something. It's just like being kind and nice and understanding what people are going through, because you don't really know what they're going through unless they confide in you.
Speaker 1:Confide, confide but yeah okay, what do you think? What's your thoughts on?
Speaker 3:it, oh me, uh, honestly, like everything, um that was just said, you know, like being kind to people is really important and really speaking up and um being honest and you, your majesty please but how you can help other people from being bullied and hurt.
Speaker 1:Well, I would.
Speaker 2:I would help other people from being important and all that. I would help other people to be important and all that, but I call the family members. When they're kids, I'm trying to find ways to help them to do it, and all that no matter what they are not alone and they like that but they're not people out there.
Speaker 1:So if each one of you guys gave one piece of advice to y'all's millions and millions of followers, what would it be all right, shawn you go first.
Speaker 3:All right, um, first off even though this is kind of like lame advice um, first off, never give up, and then, second, just be nice, like it's really not that hard to just be nice to everyone.
Speaker 2:You know that hard to just be nice to everyone, you know, uh don't I don't know um get me for now.
Speaker 1:Come back to me, I'll figure something out what is your good piece of advice to pass on to others?
Speaker 2:that's an amazing thing, that that quote is amazing yeah, there are always those people that really stand out to others, and that would mean, if you get up, then that the pain on that and the pain to it will overcome you. So go, like I have to, no matter what, never give up, especially on your own.
Speaker 4:That's awesome, all right um, I think I have mine. Don't be afraid to tell people the truth, because there are people who are understanding and will care I'm gonna put all the information how to get to you on show notes.
Speaker 1:I want you to promise me that you will come back again, of course, because we love having you. I know that you've become friends with faith and she adores you and she talks all the time about how she's reading the book, so that's super cool.
Speaker 1:Y'all keep in touch with each other. Um, then she's writing me something. That's amazing. I want to make sure that you all come back again and have an amazing summer and do amazing fun things, because you guys are just amazing people giving so much hope to those that need it thank you so much, thanks for coming on.
Speaker 4:I appreciate you guys, you're welcome, it was fun bye.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much.
