Do you ever stop and think about the people around you when you hop on the tube in the morning. If you are like me, you judge an outfit or weird accent, and go ahead with your day. In the month I have been working for Podium.me I have gained a new perspective. Every single person has a story, but being in London has opened my eyes to the massive amounts of young people that have such amazing stories, that they are willing to share.
We have done interviews with Kitty, the 19 year old stripper, Jack the young Conservative, and Molly a young girl I interviewed who has dedicated her life to God. Every individual is the same age, every story is completely different.
Kitty, and Molly have incredibly different perspectives. Both of these girls are extraordinary in their own ways. When I first read the title for Kitty’s podcast “I’m A Stripper, and I’ve Got Rights“, I’m not going to lie, I immediately judged her without even hearing what she had to say. After listening to the podcast, I had completely changed my perspective on her. The strength it takes for somebody that young to share their story, and not be afraid to face the judgement and stigma that might come with it is incredible.
On the other side of the spectrum, we have Molly a young Christian American that moved to England to spread her faith, and help the less fortunate. She moved across seas, to preach the word of God, a huge step, and a huge risk. Now I’m not a religious person, even though I spent 12 years at a Catholic school, I could never understand how people could have so much faith… After talking to her for about 45 minutes, I wasn’t converted but I was enlightened, it’s so different hearing the perspective of somebody who is the same age as me talk about the reasons why they do what they do. We are so used to hearing older people lecture us on what is right, and why we should do something a certain way, but hearing it from somebody who is in the same boat as you can truly have an impact. Molly is an incredible girl, who is passionate about her faith, and just wants to be heard.
Jack, who is interviewed about his Conservative outlook would never be someone that I would chat with on the street, I am not a political person, but the fact that he is so passionate about what he does, and wants to make a difference in society at such a young age, inspires not only me , but maybe other young people listening.
They all answered the simple question that we all fail to ask, why? The two girls are polar opposites, with such different stories, but both so incredibly inspiring. That’s what is amazing about Podium.me, I find myself phoning my friends, and family back home and telling them about the people I have met, and begging them to listen to the podcasts.
My journey at Podium.me has just begun, and I am learning so much about myself, and the people that surround me. This isn’t just a platform for young people to get their voices heard, it’s a place for them to be confident in who they are, and the listener gets a new insight that they may not have expected.
Check out the podcasts here: I’m a stripper and I’ve got rights, Praying for cash, Backing the blues