S3.E36: Shane Lamba on Being Brown, Bisexual, and a Public Health Leader

S3.E39: The Children We Imagine Vs. The Children We Meet: Kristina Campos on Supporting Teens, Navigating Fear, and Growing Alongside Your Children

What does it mean to love your child without asking them to become smaller, safer, or more familiar for your comfort? In this episode of Embracing All of Me, host Ross Victory speaks with Kristina Campos, educator, parenting advocate, mother of four, and founder of The Impactful Parent, about raising teenagers with connection, compassion, and the freedom to become themselves. Drawing from more than 20 years in education, her Hispanic cultural upbringing, the experience of parenting a trans son, and the personal reinvention that followed divorce and motherhood, Kristina explores what genuine support looks like when identity, fear, depression, self-harm, and family expectations all land in the same room at once. Ross and Kristina examine the difference between protecting children and controlling their lives, especially for LGBTQ+ youth navigating a world that may already feel unsafe. Kristina shares what parents can say when a child comes out, why parental discomfort cannot become the child's burden, and how adults can educate themselves rather than expecting queer and trans youth to explain their own humanity. Ross also reflects on growing up as a Black bisexual man and the acceptance many queer adults needed far earlier in life. In this conversation: * Parenting beyond expectation — Traditional Hispanic family roles and the realization that parents may give a child life, but it is not their life to live. * Protection vs. control — Why hovering and parenting from fear limits teenagers rather than preparing them. * Supporting LGBTQ+ and trans youth — Kristina speaks honestly about fear, safety, and the importance of responding: "Thank you for telling me. I love you." * The emotional stakes of coming out — How silence, shock, religious conditioning, or rejection can make love feel conditional at the most vulnerable moment. * Teen mental health and self-harm — Framing self-harm as serious emotional distress that calls for care, not shame. * Learning without burdening your child — From pronouns to school advocacy, support means taking initiative and asking: "How can I show you that I support you?" * Building The Impactful Parent — How divorce, teaching, and her own healing led Kristina to create a podcast, coaching practice, YouTube channel, and parenting app. This conversation is for LGBTQ+ teens, trans youth, parents learning in real time, and adults still healing from the acceptance they never got. About Kristina Campos Kristina Campos is an educator and parenting advocate with more than 20 years working with students from preschool through high school. She is the founder of The Impactful Parent, a platform supporting families navigating adolescence, LGBTQ+ identity, mental health, communication, neurodivergence, and belonging.🌐 theimpactfulparent.com [https://theimpactfulparent.com/] About Embracing All of Me Embracing All of Me is a storytelling and advocacy platform uplifting the voices of Bi+ people of color, our kin, and friends.🌐 embracingallofme.org [https://embracingallofme.org] | 📧 stories@embracingallofme.org [stories@embracingallofme.org] Contribute a written piece or book a Creative Consult with Ross Victory to develop your story, platform, or creative project. Visit our website for more! Topics: Kristina Campos, The Impactful Parent, Ross Victory, Embracing All of Me, supporting LGBTQ+ teens, parenting trans youth, bisexual teens coming out, queer youth mental health, teen self-harm, supportive parenting, embracing queer identity, family acceptance, Hispanic motherhood, parenting teenagers, gender identity, pronoun support, Black bisexual identity, Bi+ people of color, inclusive parenting resources

S3.E38: Too Much for the Room, Prince Domo on Writing, Self Expression, and Taking Up Space as a Black Bisexual Man in Hip Hop

What happens when the voice you were once told was “too much” becomes the very thing that saves you? In this episode of Embracing All of Me, Ross sits down with Prince Domo, a Black bisexual rapper and multidisciplinary creative whose path into music began with color pencils, cartoons, orchestra, theater, poetry, and a lifelong desire to be seen fully, not flattened, dismissed, or made more palatable. From Kansas City and Texas to his artistic rebirth as Prince Domo, this conversation explores rap as self-expression and self-protection. Together, Ross and Prince Domo unpack what it means to be an open Bi+ Black man in Hip-hop, to write honestly about attraction and relationships, and to keep taking up space in rooms that were not built with you in mind. We get into: * Prince Domo’s early creative world: from coloring, cartoons, viola, and theater to poetry, monologues, and the English teachers who helped him recognize the writer within. * Being underestimated because of personality: how charisma can make people like you socially while still failing to respect your seriousness * Rap as rhythm, poetry, and release: why rap gave Prince Domo a sharper, more aggressive voice than poetry alone, and how college helped him claim it * Becoming Prince Domo: his rebrand, his artistic rebirth, and the meaning behind “Domo” as “dominance over mild obedience.” * Black bisexual visibility in hip-hop: writing about men and women, making “bi rap,” and refusing to shrink inside a genre still shaped by heteronormativity * Fear, courage, and speaking up anyway: why Prince Domo became more afraid of what would happen if he stayed silent than what might happen if he acted. * Love, trauma, DL men, and being deeply seen: a vulnerable conversation about assault, trauma responses, desire, and loving men who may not be quite ready to claim themselves openly. Prince Domo’s story reminds us that representation is not only something we search for outside ourselves. It is also something we can become. About Prince Domo:Prince Domo is a rapper, writer, and creative artist whose work blends confidence, lyrical sharpness, emotional honesty, and unapologetic self-expression. Rooted in poetry, theater, and hip-hop, his music explores identity, desire, ambition, resilience, and taking up space as his full self. Connect with Prince Domo:Instagram: @prince.domoo [https://www.instagram.com/prince.domoo]Threads: @prince.domoo [https://www.threads.com/@prince.domoo]Music: Search “Prince Domo” on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon Music, and other streaming platforms. Learn More:Embracing All of Me is a storytelling and advocacy platform for the multi, complex, and in-between, uplifting the voices of Bi+ people of color, our kin and friends. Website: https://embracingallofme.org [https://embracingallofme.org/] Email: stories@embracingallofme.org Instagram: @embracingallofmee [https://instagram.com/embracingallofmee] Take Action: Stream Prince Domo's music! Like, follow, subscribe, DM! Support Bi+/queer musicians and artists by adding the Pride playlist "Fluid Frequencies [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2aPigEKnDWf0nKlxVvpFkl]" now! Have a story, essay, reflection, or creative piece about identity, culture, sexuality, belonging, or becoming? Consider contributing to Embracing All of Me [https://embracingallofme.org/contribute]. Topics: Prince Domo, Ross Victory, Embracing All of Me, Black bisexual men, Bi+ men of color, Black queer artists, bisexuality in hip-hop, queer hip-hop, bi rappers, hip hop and identity, Bi+ storytelling, Prince Domo music, dominance over mild obedience, Black male vulnerability, DL men, bisexual men and relationships, trauma and healing, sexual assault recovery, taking up space, self-expression through rap, poetry and hip-hop, Black creatives, queer Black music, identity and artistry, music as survival

I'm Still Embracing This and It's Been 9 Years...

Remembering Claude B. Victory, Jr. & Jason Paul Victory Nine years ago, my dad, Claude Bert Victory Jr., died of prostate cancer. Some days, that feels like a really long time ago. Other days, I can close my eyes and see his face and hear his laugh, or his presence so clearly that it feels like no time has passed at all. When in reality, a lot of him flows through me. In this Monologue solo episode, I’m sitting with the anniversary of my dad’s passing, the loss of my brother from brain cancer, Jason Paul Victory (2014), and the strange way grief keeps changing without fully disappearing. Recently, my nephew asked me for old pictures of him with his dad, my brother, and it brought me back to a day we spent together by the trains in Georgia. Just like that, I was back inside memories, looking at how much has happened and how much life has moved forward. I’ve been thinking again about what embracing all of me really means. It sounds beautiful and aspirational, but a lot of the work is quiet and ongoing. It's letting myself remember. It's sitting with the reality that I still miss them. It's sitting with the reality that I have thrived and progressed in many ways. It's acknowledging that grief does not always feel like fresh acute pain anymore, but it can still stop me in my tracks. This episode is me taking a moment to say their names, to honor what they mean to me, and to reflect on family, legacy, time, and all the parts of ourselves shaped by the people we love and lose.

S3.E37: Stop Playing Small With What God Gave You - Josueños on Faith, Identity, and Music

What happens when the thing that makes you feel most alive is also the thing you are most afraid to release into the world? In this episode of Embracing All of Me, host Ross sits down with Georgia-born artist Josueños for a layered conversation about music, faith, identity, healing, and the long process of stepping fully into your creative purpose. Formerly known as J. Rican, Josueños reflects on the meaning behind his new artist name, the dreamy and atmospheric sound that shapes his music, and the personal evolution that led him to stop playing small. We get into: * The meaning behind Josueños — how his name evolved from J. Rican into something fuller, dreamier, and more aligned with his sound, his Spanish name, and the layered world he builds through harmonies. * Growing up in Georgia and finding music through church — from singing harmonies as a child to being encouraged by his mother's ear for music, Josueños reflects on the early moments that helped him recognize singing as something natural and deeply rooted. * Queerness, Christianity, and walking in love — Ross and Josueños talk honestly about religious judgment, LGBT identity, scripture, and what it means to trust that God knows exactly who He created. * The many sounds that shaped him — Puerto Rican music, salsa, merengue, gospel, R&B, hip-hop, house, acid jazz, and Japanese video game music converge in his atmospheric style. * Moving to California for creative possibility — Josueños shares why he left college after realizing music was not a side interest but the thing he wanted to spend his life doing. * Faith, purpose, and refusing to play small — he speaks openly about seeing creativity as a God-given assignment and why the final step of creation is sharing. * The healing process behind "Lime" and "Stratosphere" how "Lime" helped him tell a personal story without self-abandonment, and how "Stratosphere" was written on a plane while flying over a thunderstorm. This episode is about the cost of hiding and the freedom that comes when you begin to honor yourself. Josueños reminds us that creativity does not have to wait for perfection. Your purpose is already speaking through the chapters you are living now. About Josueños:Josueños is a Georgia-born, California-based singer, songwriter, and recording artist whose music blends dreamy R&B, layered harmonies, faith-rooted reflection, and atmospheric production. His recent single "Stratosphere" reflects his evolving sound and commitment to creating from a place of purpose, honesty, and wholeness. Connect with Josueños:Instagram: @joshjrican [https://www.instagram.com/joshjrican]Spotify: Josueños [https://open.spotify.com/artist/1jBRVLSDyVGj2326AM6K4S?si=FQNoVCxjSRqPLuHBnlbaqg]Apple Music: Josueños Learn More:Embracing All of Me is a storytelling and advocacy platform for the multi, complex, and in-between, uplifting the voices of Bi+ people of color, our kin and friends.Website: https://embracingallofme.org [https://embracingallofme.org]Email: stories@embracingallofme.org [stories@embracingallofme.org]Instagram: @embracingallofmee [https://www.instagram.com/embracingallofmee] Fluid Frequencies (EAOM) Bi+/Queer Indie Artist Playlist [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2aPigEKnDWf0nKlxVvpFkl?si=AK2ckCL5QMmx2-74tpYVfQ] Topics: Josueños, Josh J Rican, J. Rican, Stratosphere by Josueños, Lime by Josueños, Embracing All of Me podcast, Ross Victory, Georgia artists, Puerto Rican musicians, R&B singer songwriter, dreamy R&B, atmospheric music, faith and creativity, Christian artists, queer faith conversations, LGBT Christians, Southern upbringing, Los Angeles musicians, healing through music, sharing your gift, creative purpose, playing small, self-worth, music and spirituality, Bi+ people of color, identity and belonging, creative healing, gospel influences, salsa, merengue, house music, video game music, Japanese music influence, Black and Puerto Rican identity, storytelling podcast

S3.E36: Shane Lamba on Being Brown, Bisexual, and a Public Health Leader

Health Equity Researcher Shane Lamba on Bisexual South Asian Identity, the DL, & Living in the In-Between What does it mean to exist in the in-between, culturally, sexually, professionally, and still choose to show up fully, refusing to collapse yourself into someone else's framework? In this episode of Embracing All of Me, Ross sits down with Shane Lamba, health equity researcher, program evaluator, and host of Chai Me a River, for a conversation that moves between humor, identity, and data-backed truth. Shane unpacks what it's been like navigating life as a South Asian, Indian, bisexual man in spaces that often expect you to choose one version of yourself — and why he refuses to. From growing up in California to working at the intersections of sexuality, gender, disability, and healthcare access, Shane explores the layered realities behind both his research and his lived experience: the emotional weight behind the data, the hidden barriers in LGBTQ+ healthcare, and the difference between being closeted, "DL," discreet, or fully seen, and how those narratives shape stigma around bisexual men. We get into: * What it means to not feel "enough" — culturally or queerly — and how that shapes identity formation for South Asian bi+ people * The hidden barriers in healthcare for LGBTQ+ and disabled communities — and why access isn't just about policies, it's about being seen * The difference between being closeted, "DL," discreet, and fully visible — and how those labels impact stigma, mental health, and relationship dynamics for bisexual men * How humor can be a tool for processing identity and challenging norms without softening the critique * Why representation — especially for bisexual and South Asian voices — still matters, even when it feels like we've "moved past" that conversation * The real-life impact of health inequities and what it takes to create spaces where people feel safe, seen, and supported And yes, we get into it: "You don't want a DL man, you want a fantasy!" But beyond the soundbite, this episode is about learning to embrace every part of who you are, the researcher, the podcaster, the bisexual South Asian man, even when the world tries to simplify you personally and professionally. About Shane Lamba: Shane Lamba is a health equity researcher whose work focuses on sexuality, gender, disability, and access to care. His research has been published in JAMA, American Journal of Public Health, and LGBT Health. He is also the host of Chai Me a River, where he explores his brown and bisexual identity with humor, honesty, and unfiltered perspective. Connect with Shane: Podcast: Chai Me a River Instagram: @chaimeriverpod [https://instagram.com/chaimeriverpod] | @shanelamba21 [https://instagram.com/shanelamba21] Learn More: Embracing All of Me is a storytelling and advocacy platform for the multi, complex, and in-between, uplifting the voices of Bi+ people of color, our kin and friends. Website: https://embracingallofme.org [https://embracingallofme.org] Email: stories@embracingallofme.org [stories@embracingallofme.org] Instagram: @embracingallofmee [https://instagram.com/embracingallofmee] Take Action: * Contribute [https://embracingallofme.org/contribute] a written piece to Embracing All of Me * Book a Creative Consult with Ross Victory [https://embracingallofme.org/creativeconsult] Topics: Shane Lamba, Chai Me a River, bisexual South Asian identity, health equity, LGBTQ+ healthcare, Indian bisexual men, disability and healthcare access, DL men, down low, closeted vs discreet, bisexual stigma, South Asian representation, queer South Asian voices, BIPOC health disparities, sexuality and gender research, bisexual mental health