Closing the Gap

Empowering Youth Leaders with Pooja Tilvawala

For our last episode of Season 2, we are welcoming Pooja Tilvawala, Founder and Executive Director of Youth Climate Collaborative (YCC) [https://www.youthcc.org/], a global youth-led nonprofit building the conditions for young people to create, sustain, and scale climate leadership and action. YCC engages 6,000+ youth annually through programs and resources focused on climate mental health, media and storytelling, green skills, intergenerational collaboration, and access to opportunities, with hubs in Kenya, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States. She is also the Founder of Jaali, an AI-enhanced platform connecting changemakers with each other and resources to accelerate social impact. She previously co-founded the Entertainment + Culture Pavilion, advancing the role of arts and culture in climate solutions. This episode is part of Podcasthon’s global event bringing podcasters and charities together. Thousands of podcasters have joined this annual event, highlighting charities around the world addressing different causes. We’re proud to be part of this event helping nonprofits reach new audiences and create long-term connections. Resources: * Youth Climate Collaborative’s Website [https://www.youthcc.org/] * Donate to Youth Climate Collaborative [https://www.youthcc.org/donate] * Pooja Tilvawala’s LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pooja-tilvawala] * Podcasthon’s Website [https://podcasthon.org/] Definitions: * Intergenerational: interaction between members of different generations * AI: artificial intelligence * Generative AI: subfield of artificial intelligence that uses models and data to create text, images, videos, audio, software code or other forms of data. If you liked this episode, please rate and review the podcast on your favorite streaming platform. We appreciate your feedback.💛 Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/closingthegappod/] and TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@closingthegappod] @closingthegappod ✨  We want to hear from you! Email us at closingthegappod@gmail.com [closingthegappod@gmail.com] Cover art by Vivian Garcia (@viv_doodles) Intro and Outro music: Clocks by Smith the Mister (All rights and credit go to Smith the Mister. No copyright infringements intended)

From Fear to Solidarity: United Against Anti-Immigrant Policies

The Trump administration’s attacks on migrants in the United States has attempted to instill fear in American citizens, immigrants, and governments worldwide. Migrants have been dehumanized in the past (this is not new), but there is an increased awareness of immigrant policies and injustices due to the administration’s hateful rhetoric, including insults targeting different migrant populations. To wrap up Season 2, Tania and Adriana touch on this topic that is close to their hearts. While it’s a heavy topic, the episode ends with positive news and solutions (as always)! Resources for Immigrants * Know Your Rights [https://unitedwedream.org/resources/know-your-rights/] Learn More * Tania’s Article: Life at the U.S.-Mexico Border Under Trump Administration - Migrant Women Press [https://migrantwomenpress.com/2025/10/26/life-at-the-u-s-mexico-border-under-trump-administration/] * Two women on Tik Tok track ICE  [https://www.yahoo.com/news/two-women-met-tiktok-now-185748918.html] * Charlottesville, NC community stands up to ICE [https://www.commondreams.org/news/ice-charlotte-nc] * Los Angeles protests against ICE [https://abcnews.go.com/US/timeline-ice-raids-sparked-la-protests-prompted-trump/story?id=122688437] Organizations to Support * Border Kindness [https://borderkindness.org/] * Border Angels [https://www.borderangels.org/] * MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee [https://www.miracmn.com/]  Definitions * * Environmental justice: a social movement that addresses injustice that occurs when marginalized communities are harmed by hazardous waste, resource extraction, and other land uses from which they do not benefit. * * Climate justice: a type of environmental justice that focuses on the unequal impacts of climate change on marginalized populations. * * Global North and Global South: terms used to categorize countries by socio-economic development, with the Global North comprising wealthy nations and the Global South including less affluent countries, reflecting global inequalities in wealth, power, and resources. * * Asylum: an asylum seeker is a person who has left their country and is seeking protection but has not yet been legally recognized as a refugee * Refugee: someone who has fled due to risk of persecution or serious human rights violations and has been granted international protection. ICE: International Customs Enforcement Border Patrol (also known as Border Patrol) is a division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (DHS) responsible for border security and interior enforcement, including inspections, apprehensions, and removal processes. If you liked this episode, please rate and review the podcast on your favorite streaming platform. We appreciate your feedback.💛 Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/closingthegappod/] and TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@closingthegappod] @closingthegappod ✨  We want to hear from you! Email us at closingthegappod@gmail.com [closingthegappod@gmail.com] Cover art by Vivian Garcia (@viv_doodles) Intro and Outro music: Clocks by Smith the Mister (All rights and credit go to Smith the Mister. No copyright infringements intended)

The Power of Community with Fatimata Chan

Fatimata Chan is a poet, author, climate activist, speaker, and an award-winning scholar. She has founded multiple initiatives, published a poetry book, and takes different approaches to her activism such as through academia, policy, and art. Fatimata’s interconnected approach to human rights allows her to address multiple injustices at once, including gender inequality, racial discrimination, the disproportionate impacts of the climate crisis, and more. Fatimata grew up in the Bronx, New York City. Her upbringing in one of the most underresourced communities in the city, along with her immigrant background, inspired her to begin her activism at a young age by advocating for policy change. Her activism expanded over the years to include mutual aid efforts, community building, creating accessible spaces in academia, and spreading joy through art. We at Closing the Gap podcast acknowledge that the Bronx lies on unceded Munsee Lenape land. Resources * Fatimata’s Website [https://fatimatacham.com/] * Fatimata's LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatimata-cham-80420b15a] * Fatimata’s Linktree [https://linktr.ee/Fatimatacham1] * Poem published by the Malala Fund: What do criminals look like?  [https://assembly.malala.org/stories/what-do-criminals-look-like] * Perfectly Imperfect Poetry Book on Thrift Books [https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/perfectly-imperfect/22674428/#edition=57644176&idiq=57018662] People Mentioned * Trayvon Martin [https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/the-murder-of-trayvon-martin-and-the-birth-of-a-movement/] * Tamir Rice [https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/News/12-year-son-tamir-rice-killed-police-im/story?id=71654873] * Sandra Bland [https://atlantablackpride.org/remembering-sandra-bland/] Organizations to Support * The People's Forum [https://peoplesforum.org/] * BRIC Arts Media [https://bricartsmedia.org/]  Definitions * Boycotting: to refuse to buy or handle goods, or to refuse to participate in an event, as a form of protest. * Coalition: formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. * Colonialism: the practice of extending and maintaining political, social, economic, and cultural domination over a territory and its people, by another group of people who claim superiority. * Doomscrolling: the act of spending an excessive amount of time reading or watching large quantities of negative news on the web and social media. * Gender equality: equal access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making, and the state of valuing different behaviors, aspirations, and needs equally. * Lobbying: a form of advocacy, which lawfully attempts to directly influence legislators or government officials. * Mutual aid: an organizational model where voluntary, collaborative exchanges of resources and services for common benefit take place amongst community members to overcome social, economic, and political barriers to meeting common needs. If you liked this episode, please rate and review the podcast on your favorite streaming platform. We appreciate your feedback.💛 Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/closingthegappod/] and TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@closingthegappod] @closingthegappod ✨  We want to hear from you! Email us at closingthegappod@gmail.com [closingthegappod@gmail.com] Cover art by Vivian Garcia (@viv_doodles) Intro and Outro music: Clocks by Smith the Mister (All rights and credit go to Smith the Mister. No copyright infringements intended)

How to Opt Out of Capitalism

Listen to this episode for ways to save money while supporting your values! Co-hosts Tania and Adriana share what companies they boycott and why, and which alternative companies have ethical practices they support. Many of the companies on our boycott lists have documented labor rights violations or support governments rooted in white supremacy and oppressive systems. Boycotting large corporations has opened new ways for us to reconnect with our local communities such as through mutual aid. It’s also a great excuse to find new small family-owned businesses to support. Boycotting is a great technique that has worked for many movements in the past, and it’s a great way to hold companies accountable for their practices. Remember: the companies you choose to support should hold your values for community care and equal rights. Resources: * Boycott List by BDS Movement [https://bdsmovement.net/Guide-to-BDS-Boycott] * Boycott List by Ethical Consumer [https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/ethicalcampaigns/boycotts] * Anti-DEI Boycott List [https://www.themarysue.com/dei-boycott-list-all-companies-that-ended-dei-policies-confirmed/] * Why to boycott Chiquita [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c6pprpd3x96o] and Dole [https://www.ranker.com/list/how-dole-stole-hawaii/melissa-sartore] * Why to boycott Nestle [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPIEaM0on70] * Alternative Brands by Ethical Consumer [https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/ethicalcampaigns/boycotts/alternative-ethical-brands-support-palestine] * 15 Ethical & Sustainable Brands by Sustainably Chic [https://www.sustainably-chic.com/blog/25-ethical-brands-that-give-back-with-each-purchase] * BuyNothing [https://buynothingproject.org/] * Listen to our previous episode “Activism, But Make It Fashionable” [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/closingthegappod/episodes/Activism--But-Make-It-Fashionable-with-Chi-qc-e2bm1o5] for clothing brands we don’t and do support Victory! List of Starbucks stores closing this year. [https://www.eldiario24.com/us/starbucks-store-closures/] Definitions * White supremacy: the belief that white people constitute a superior race and should therefore dominate society. * DEI: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are organizational frameworks that seek to promote the fair treatment and full participation of all people, particularly groups who have are historically underrepresented or subject to discrimination based on identity or disability. * Tipping point: the point at which a series of small changes or incidents becomes significant enough to cause a larger, more important change. * BDS (Boycott, Divest, and Sanction): a Palestinian campaign against Israeli apartheid. * Mutual aid: voluntary, collaborative exchanges of resources and services for common benefit that take place amongst community members to overcome social, economic, and political barriers to meeting common needs. * Upcycle: also known as creative reuse, is the process of transforming by-products, waste materials, or unwanted products into new materials or products perceived to be of greater quality. * Greenwashing: a form of advertising that deceptively persuades the public that an organization's products, goals, or policies are environmentally friendly. * Rainbow-washing: also known as pinkwashing, a form of advertising that deceptively persuades the public that a brand is sympathetic towards the LGBTQ community and supports LGBTQ+ rights. If you liked this episode, please rate and review the podcast on your favorite streaming platform. We appreciate your feedback.💛 Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/closingthegappod/] and TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@closingthegappod] @closingthegappod ✨  We want to hear from you! Email us at closingthegappod@gmail.com [closingthegappod@gmail.com] Cover art by Vivian Garcia (@viv_doodles) Intro and Outro music: Clocks by Smith the Mister (All rights and credit go to Smith the Mister. No copyright infringements intended)

Green Spaces, By Us and For Us: Angelina Alanis of Festival Beach Food Forest

Welcome, Angelina Alanis! Angelina is the Communications & Partnerships Coordinator at Festival Beach Food Forest. She talks about the importance of food forests and urban green spaces in general. The Festival Beach Food Forest, based in Austin, Texas, was founded on Indigenous land stewardship practices. It’s filled with edible plants, rest spaces, and a communal gathering area under the tree canopy where different events are held, including weekly yoga sessions and monthly plant ID walks. This abundant space was intentionally designed to build community and foster a connection to the Earth. It sits next to a large highway, I-35, and is situated in a historically redlined neighborhood. The Festival Beach Food Forest illustrates the power of healing through community and urban green spaces, and is a great example for cities everywhere.  We acknowledge that Austin, Texas lies on unceded Sana, Comanche, Coahuiltecan, and Jumanos land.  Resources * Festival Beach Food Forest Website [https://festivalbeach.org/] * Address: 25-1/2 Waller Street, Austin, Texas 78702 [https://goo.gl/maps/zxhw1rPHXEJm6BuCA] * Donate to Festival Beach Food Forest [https://festivalbeach.org/donate/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/austinfoodforest/] * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/Festivalbeach/] Definitions * Food forest: a type of garden where you grow many different fruits, nuts, herbs, and vegetables. It is designed to mimic a natural forest and has many different layers, from trees to shrubs, ground cover plants, vines, and more. * Redlining: typically refers to the practice of creating and enforcing discriminatory policies or laws, particularly in relation to housing, lending, and access to resources. The term originates from the practice of drawing red lines on maps to outline areas that were deemed too risky for investment, often based on the racial or ethnic composition of the neighborhood. * Permaculture: a type of agriculture intended to be self-sufficient, based on traditional practices that use natural resources and minimize waste. * Topography: features of land surfaces or landforms * Swales: a sunken or marshy place with gently sloping sides designed to manage water runoff, filter pollutants, and increase rainwater infiltration. Bioswales are swales that involve the inclusion of plants or vegetation. * Natives or native plants: a plant is native if it has occurred naturally for thousands of years in a region, ecosystem, or habitat without human introduction. * Biodiverse: Biodiversity is the variability of life on Earth. The more biodiverse an area, the more species variety there is. If you liked this episode, please rate and review the podcast on your favorite streaming platform. We appreciate your feedback.💛 Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/closingthegappod/] and TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@closingthegappod] @closingthegappod ✨  We want to hear from you! Email us at closingthegappod@gmail.com [closingthegappod@gmail.com] Cover art by Vivian Garcia (@viv_doodles) Intro and Outro music: Clocks by Smith the Mister (All rights and credit go to Smith the Mister. No copyright infringements intended)