Thank You

Hey all!

Welcome to our new Umuco Blog we’re rolling out alongside Season 2!

Season 1 of the Umuco podcast was amazing. We interviewed a lot of people and produced nine episodes in total. Our first guest was Arno Michaelis. Once a white nationalist, but now an strong advocate for positive change, love, and connection. We were lucky enough to hear his story and the important lessons he was  taught.

Next, we interviewed Harry Anderson. We talked a lot about American history (particularly black history in America) Jim Crow laws, and social justice. Harry was incredibly detailed in his description of his experiences being black in America and he also was kind enough to share what he has learned along the way.

We interviewed a Rwandan genocide survivor, Consolee Nishimwe. She shared her story about surviving at 13 years old while enduring horrors most people will never fathom. But through all of that, Consolee will light up your heart with joy and love with her infectious laugh and presence. 

But we didn't stop there, so we kept interviewing more and more people, learning new and interesting things along the way. One of the most exciting aspects of this journey was that we knew we’re just starting and had much to learn and explore. It became more fun and interesting. And, you know, we're still learning as we go from interview to interview, trying to figure out our style, finding the right people, and so on. 

The most common theme among all of our guests was hope, even though they all hailed from different backgrounds. They all shared stories of immense hardship as well as tools they used to overcome them. But they were all driven by hope; their hope for a better life and hope for a better world. They all recognize the humanity among us. And that has been the main focus of our work up to this point: Showcasing Humanity and Hope.

We wrapped up our first season after George Floyd’s death, the African American man who was murdered by the police in Minneapolis in May of 2020. We used this time to really look into our work and see what more can we do to make a difference in the world. We decided to continue to grow our community through the magic of YouTube, this time using video to share our thoughts. Through this introspective moment, we remembered that everyone has something to offer, a lesson to teach and love to give. 

Obviously, 2020 has been the most trying year in recent memory. We acknowledge the financial struggles as well as the emotional and psychological. We ourselves were negatively affected by this pandemic. Also, we understand that the voices spouting hate are loud, but not necessarily the majority. It is important to remember that, collectively, our positive voices can and will snuff out that hatred and divisionism if we choose to. And with that being said, we're going to try to inspire you and continue to do what we can to heal our communities and individuals alike.

So, we’re going to be writing these articles every other Friday for now to keep you in the loop about what’s going on with guests we bring on, production updates, and so forth.

Our next season kicks off with Pardeep Singh Kaleka, a Sikh man from Milwaukee with an amazing and empowering story. He also happens to be an incredibly intelligent psycho therapist. Pardeep has known great tragedy, and through that pain he has embraced an incredible spirit to show the world that anyone can overcome deep, personal struggle. Because of this, he is one of the strongest people we know.

Season 2 will launch Friday, October 2nd, starting with this episode, on all major audio streaming platforms as well as our website. Thank you for walking with us on this magnificent journey. We can’t wait to see what’s next for us and the world!

P.S. if you are American, don’t forget to vote! Your voice can do wonders.

Stay tuned,

Alex & Dydine