In Here's Thinking, Jayda and her producer Mia discuss this week's episode! We share our thoughts on our episode with the incredible music artist, producer and DJ, Mina - what we loved, what we learnt and what we’re taking away from her guest for hope.

If you haven’t listened to the latest episode, make sure you go do that first! Then come back and debrief with us…

Follow us on Instagram

MINA

Jayda G

Mia Zur-Szpiro

Here's Hoping Podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MINA shares with Jayda how she came up through the Leeds music scene and was influenced by its DIY attitude that anyone could start anything, talking more about how she created her career and connected with people like her around the world, onto when and why she chose to go sober. MINA talks about what it’s been like as a sober DJ and music lover, why people react more weirdly when you say no to alcohol versus any other drug, misconceptions about alcohol and people who don’t drink and why the most fun people she knows don’t drink. Jayda asks MINA more about why she created an alcohol-free event, Club Soft, hearing the different reasons she started it, from creating a safe space for people in recovery, people of different religions, people who also just want to be able to rave and get up the next day without a hangover, and creating a generally safer space for women and minority genders. Jayda and MINA also get into when they actually choose not try to level up and expand one’s career, and sometimes why getting bigger isn’t always better. As well as the importance to always ask yourself the question if something is going to nourish you.

*****Make sure you catch Club Soft this Saturday 2nd November to join the alcohol-free rave in London. Link below!*****

Follow MINA

Follow Jayda G

Follow Here's Hoping Podcast

More on our guest

Club Soft

RA: Club Soft Tickets

This week’s guest is the music artist, producer and DJ, Mina. Mina has received a devoted following for her vibrant and melodic productions which connects the dots between diverse styles, fusing together sounds from the UK, with rhythms from around the world. Mina has collaborated with vocalists and producers from Brazil, Jamaica and Ghana, most notably the vocalist and MC Bryte, who she tours internationally with and she has released her high energy, highly danceable EPs through Portuguese label Enchufada, as well as her own label, Earth Kicks, founded in 2019. Alongside producing, Mina has a monthly residency on NTS radio, and is also part of the DJ collective Boko! Boko! with Tash LC and Juba. Mina has performed at prestigious venues and festivals around the world including Berghain, MoMA PS1, Nyege Nyege Festival and Primavera, and her tracks have been supported by key tastemakers such as Branko, Ben UFO and Jamz Supernova. Mina has also launched a service working closely with other artists to support grant writing and applications to help more independent artists receive creative grants and launched her new alcohol-free club night, Club Soft, with residencies in London.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Here's Thinking, Jayda and her producer Mia discuss this week's episode! We share our thoughts on our episode with the incredible sustainable fashion strategist and ethical brand consultant, Emma Slade Edmonson - what we loved, what we learnt and what we’re taking away from her guest for hope.

If you haven’t listened to the latest episode, make sure you go do that first! Then come back and debrief with us…

Follow us on Instagram

Emma Slade Edmonson

Jayda G

Mia Zur-Szpiro

Here's Hoping Podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Emma and Jayda share their own experiences of being mixed-race and why being able to talk about their experiences and creating the space to do so as Emma is with her podcast and book is so important. As well as how creating a platform around talking about mixed race identities and bringing people together connects to cultivating hope for her, through making people feel less alone. Emma also shares what it was like being raised by white parents as a mixed-race kid and shares a lot of fascinating, and hard-hitting, information around past adoption policies and how they were racistly motivated. Jayda and Emma go deep into the theme of adoption and whether kids being adopted should be only adopted by families who reflect their same race and how they look. Jayda also asks Emma more about slow fashion and how she was able to make the changes to practice it as part of her everyday life. Emma shares really interesting insights into how tapping into slow fashion can help you slow down in general and live more mindfully, and why she thinks we must reconnect to humanity to appreciate everyone and everything involved in creating clothing and to then buy and wear more ethically. Emma discusses how her work around both race, identity and fashion all intersect around the theme of existentialism.

Follow Emma Slade Edmonson

Follow Jayda G

Follow Here's Hoping Podcast

More on our guest

Emma Slade Edmonson website

The Half Of It Book

Emma Slade Edmonson is a slow fashion OG, a sustainable fashion strategist, and an ethical brand consultant. Emma launched her own ESE consultancy business to work with brands to help refocus their businesses for positive impact and social and environmental good, working with some of the UK’s biggest brands, charities and social enterprises such as Cancer Research UK, Shelter, Westfield, Universal and Mayamiko and is regularly featured in international press, including The Guardian, Huffington Post, Vogue, Grazia, Telegraph and many more. Emma is also the creative strategist behind successful campaigns that celebrate thoughtful fashion consumption, including Charity Fashion Live & The Love Not Landfill pop-up stores and campaign. Emma is also the co-host of the podcast Mixed Up and the co-author of the book, The Half of It, both which explore the mixed-race identity and taking a deeper look at race and identity.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Here's Thinking, Jayda and her producer Mia discuss this week's episode! We share our thoughts on our episode with the incredible writer, presenter, broadcaster and all-round sex and relationships expert, Ruby Rare - what we loved, what we learnt and what we’re taking away from her guest for hope.

If you haven’t listened to the latest episode, make sure you go do that first! Then come back and debrief with us…

Follow us on Instagram

Ruby Rare

Jayda G

Mia Zur-Szpiro

Here's Hoping Podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this juicy and informative episode, Jayda asks Ruby what changes she wants to see to sex education, why Ruby thinks we have to centre pleasure in sex ed and how talking about pleasure is necessary to truly teach about consent. Ruby discusses how not to talk about sex and pleasure though and the importance and complexity of age-appropriate conversations around sex. Ruby shares some fascinating insight into Dualism, and how the philosophy that has separated mind and body is also seeped in patriarchy and has prevented us from having a more holistic relationship with sex and intimacy. Ruby also shares how she is able to find common ground with people who don’t feel queer or trans-inclusive and also the importance of allowing adults to say they don’t understand something. They also discuss the fear-mongering around porn and how to engage in porn in a healthy way, and Jayda also asks Ruby about her experiences of being non-monogamous and Ruby’s advice for anyone wanting to open up their relationship and explore non-monogamy but also feel like it would be too hard. They talk about how to navigate jealousy and the importance of accepting rather than fearing complex emotions.

Follow Ruby Rare

Follow Jayda G

Follow Here's Hoping Podcast

More on our guest

Ruby Rare Website

The Non-Monogamy Playbook

Sex-Ed: A Guide For Adults

Ruby Rare (she/they) is an award-winning sex and relationships expert with over eight years of experience in the industry. A writer, presenter and broadcaster, they are on a mission to get everyone talking more confidently and inclusively about sex. Starting off as a sex educator for BROOK, UK’s leading sexual health charity, for which she remains an ambassador, Ruby has gone on to author two books, ‘Sex Ed: A Guide for Adults (Bloomsbury, 2020)’ and ‘The Non-Monogamy Playbook’ which is releasing on Penguin Random House in January 2025. Ruby also hosted the E4 show, Sex Rated alongside Rylan Clark and the popular podcast docu-series In Touch, which explores the ways we connect to sex, relationships, and our bodies with nuance and curiosity. Runy is also the co-founder of the body positive life drawing class, Body Love Sketch Club, and has been featured in the Guardian, Metro, Pink News, and Huffington Post, and has spoken at TedXLondon, Women of the World Festival, and on BBC Woman’s Hour. In 2023 Ruby won best Sex and Relationships Creator at the bCreator Awards, has been listed as one of 24 figures making a positive change to social media in Cosmopolitan’s Positivity Index, and is on The DIVA Power List, which celebrates queer trailblazers changing the game for LGBTQ+ representation. Ruby enjoys collaborative partnerships with the likes of Netflix, Modibodi, LELO, JOYClub and Feeld.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Here's Thinking, Jayda and her producer Mia discuss this week's episode! We share our thoughts on our episode with the incredible broadcaster, DJ and journalist, Jaguar - what we loved, what we learnt and what we’re taking away from her guest for hope.

If you haven’t listened to the latest episode, make sure you go do that first! Then come back and debrief with us…

Follow us on Instagram

Jaguar

Jayda G

Mia Zur-Szpiro

Here's Hoping Podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Jaguar and Jayda discuss their different trajectories into music and Jaguar’s personal experience of having a dream and what it took to make it into reality. She talks about the importance of people she looked up to, like Annie Mac, listening to what her dreams were and supporting them. She also discussed how challenging the music industry is right now and why she thinks forming a collective is the best antidote to a ‘broken music industry’. Jayda asks Jaguar all about her foundation and the immensely impressive ‘Gender Equality Report She did in UK Dance Music’, they discussed their main takeaways from the report and whether they think things have or haven’t improved for female and minority gender artists and DJs. Lastly, they muse on the importance of doing what fills your cup and making choices to do what gives you life back and supports you in your journey through life.

Follow Jaguar

Follow Jayda G

Follow Here's Hoping Podcast

More on our guest

The Jaguar Foundation

Jaguar is a broadcaster, DJ and journalist. Alongside being an incredible DJ with her own label UTOPIA, and host of her award winning, BBC Introducing on Radio 1 Dance show, Jaguar set up the Jaguar Foundation, championing equality in dance music and commissioned a truly landmark report on gender equality in UK dance music.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.