In this week’s episode of The Lens: Living Diverse, hosts Ben and Vivi welcome Shruti Shravah, an English literature major with a passion for stories. As a South Asian woman navigating life with sight loss, Shruti shares her journey in discovering her voice in Western literature and celebrates the stories that have shaped her imagination. Shruti opens up about her favourite books, what drew her to study English literature, and the importance of cultural representation in the books we read. Tune in as we dive into how great literature has the power to transport us to new worlds!

The Lens: Living Diverse – Turning the Page with Shruti

Shane Hawk is co-editor and a contributing writer of the bestselling anthology NEVER WHISTLE AT NIGHT. Written exclusively by Native American and Indigenous authors, these tales of horror are the perfect collection of spine-tingling reads for Halloween fright night.
Shane and Deborah J Ledford discuss writing short stories and stage plays from a Native’s viewpoint.
https://shanehawk.com - https://shanehawk.com/pages/nwan 
https://linktr.ee/deborahjledford -  https://deborahjledford.com - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMFS7WLW

Shane Hawk-NEVER WHISTLE AT NIGHT-with Deborah J Ledford Authors on the Air Ep2

Lisa Snowden, editor-in-chief and cofounder of Baltimore Beat, discusses the importance of serving a diverse audience while developing the next generation of BIPOC journalists.

Baltimore Beat builds a pipeline for the next generation of BIPOC journalists

Bestselling Native author David Heska Wanbli Weiden and Deborah J Ledford discuss his award-winning thriller WINTER COUNTS. 

Worthy winner of The Edgar award, Hammett Prize, International Thriller Award, Weiden gives us fascinating insights about creating the WINTER COUNTS characters, Lakota lore, and how his debut novel has opened the doors for fellow Native authors.

https://davidweiden.com/  - https://davidweiden.com/bio/  
https://linktr.ee/deborahjledford - https://deborahjledford.com - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMFS7WLW

David Heska Wanbli Weiden-with Deborah J Ledford Authors on the Air Ep3

I love people of color.
Why do they smell like that?
They smell like ass
they want to live in a trap house
OD and blackout
all they talk about is drugs, Money and Internet Clout
credit score 0
Bought a Hellcat
can't go back on their ego
Glock with a switch
For fried chicken they will snitch 
murder of Tupac shocker
Loot a foot locker
No good father
they claim they're oppressed
but they're just a mess
can't hold a job
always playing the victim 
Blaming others for their lack of ambition 
they glorify violence, it's their only mission
no respect to the law, just a bunch of corruption 



We Wuz Kangz

This Balkan x Indian fusion track, inspired by the Bulgarian folk song "Mome Kalino" features a thrilling 7/8 rhythm, Sufi-style Hindi lyrics, and dramatic Balkan melodies. The song blends mandolin, Turkish rubab, and Balkan davul drums with modern rock elements. A duet with Bollywood vocalist Krishna Beuraa, this emotional power ballad captures themes of longing, love, heartbreak, and empowerment, with the title "Najaa" pleading "don't go." A bold, cinematic anthem for world music lovers.

Najaa (ft. Krishna Beuraa)

Bestselling Cherokee author Vanessa Lillie and Deborah J Ledford discuss the award-winning thriller BLOOD SISTERS, a USA Today Bestseller and Target Book Club and Good Morning America Book Club Pick, featuring Cherokee archaeologist for the Bureau of Indian Affairs Syd Walker, who returns to her roots, determined to solve a crime prompted 15 years earlier.  

https://vanessalillie.com/ - https://vanessalillie.com/blood-sisters/  
https://linktr.ee/deborahjledford - https://deborahjledford.com - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMFS7WLW

Vanessa Lillie-BLOOD SISTERS-with Deborah J Ledford Authors on the Air Ep 5

In this episode of The Lens: Living Diverse, host Ben sits down with the legendary Kelly MacDonald, celebrated broadcaster and host of AMI’s Kelly & Company. Kelly shares his journey as a Black man living with sight loss navigating the entertainment and broadcasting industry. He reflects on the challenges and triumphs of breaking into an industry that, at one time, overlooked diversity in race, disability, and body image. Kelly discusses the evolution of representation in media and addresses questions about identity, including the perception of “not sounding Black” within both the Blind community and society at large. He also offers practical advice for aspiring entertainers and broadcasters about overcoming similar barriers. Don’t miss this insightful episode where Kelly lifts the lid on the wisdom beneath his signature fedora!

You can find Kelly on:
Instagram: @kellyandcoami 
X (Twitter): @amikellymac

The Lens: Living Diverse – Some Great Company with Kelly MacDonald

Keyanna Sawyer-Jones is a leading strategist in beauty and wellness brand development, with nearly two decades of experience driving growth for multicultural brands. As the founder and CEO of Bleum Creative, Keyanna has established a premier brand strategy agency dedicated to helping BIPOC beauty, lifestyle, and wellness brands create lasting legacies and achieve meaningful market impact.

Take a listen as Ena and Keyanna discuss her early career as a model and actress, finding Bleum Creative, collaborating with iconic brands and her philanthropic efforts.

Business of Beauty:  Keyanna Sawyer-Jones tackles beauty and wellness with Bleum Creative

Cry For Help (School Shooter Cover)

The CNIB Podcast Network is a collection of audio programming designed to give a voice to people across the CNIB community as they share their personal stories of life with sight loss. Listen to the episodes on any of the platforms listed below. If you enjoy what you hear, subscribe!

The Authors on the Air Global Radio Network is an international digital media corporation featuring  podcasts, book reviewers and conference media coverage..  Our content is available on audio and video platforms in 153 countries.

It’s All Journalism is a weekly podcast about the changing state of the media. 

New tracks tagged #bipoc