Season 1

Episode 25: We Try - Starting a podcast

Welcome to the Season 1 Finale of the I'm Uncomfortable Podcast! Vanessa and Melissa take a trip down memory lane, all 7 months ago, when they decided to start the podcast. They discuss the origin story, how they've adapted to podcaster life, what they are looking forward to during the holiday season hiatus, and their hopes for season 2! 

Thank you to everyone who has supported the first season. It means the world to us. Enjoy the holidays (especially now that we have that horrid election week behind us), recharge, and be ready to be uncomfortable with us in Season 2!

Episode 23: Trump or treat - An Open Discussion About the Importance of Voting with Nick Serrano

Halloween, along with the rest of 2020, has been canceled. But what hasn't been canceled is the 8 days left to vote in the 2020 general election, because the scary alternative future for this country is another four years of DJT. This is why we must vote for the change we want to see. In order to do that, we must also participate in our local and state politics. So what's it going to be: Trump or Treat? 

Enter Nick Serrano: campaign manager for Assembly member Todd Gloria, who is currently running to be the first POC and LGBT-identifying mayor of the City of San Diego, CA. Nick also happens to be Melissa's former college classmate. 

Vanessa, Melissa and Nick discuss why it's difficult to discuss political issues, why he has so many pictures with soon-to-be Vice President Kamala Harris, why voting seems to be a difficult process to navigate, the reasons why involvement in your local politics is key to bettering your quality of life, and how to be more comfortable with all of it. 

Episode 21: Elevating the Voices of Indigenous Communities with Shaandiin Cedar

This week on the podcast, Vanessa and Melissa celebrate Indigenous People's Day by welcoming Shaandiin Cedar, a Navajo tribal member, clean-tech and sustainability professional, NativesOutdoors Ambassador, and Project Manager for the Rural Utah Project.

Learn alongside our podcast hosts as Shaandiin (pronounced "ShawnDean") talks about honoring her roots through her sustainability work in the corporate world, highlights the importance of acknowledging the issues that indigenous communities continue to face, and shares how she utilizes difficult topics (such as indigenous representation in the upcoming election and the concept of Columbus Day) as opportunities to educate and affect change. 

Episode 19: Help me I’m poor! - And it’s not because of the Pumpkin Spice Lattes

Personal finance is a life skill that not many, especially if you identify as a BIWOC (Black, Indigenous, Womxn of Color), learn at school or at home. In this episode, Vanessa discusses how she's turning her personal finance literacy journey into her side hustle called: Help Me I'm Poor. Her personal finance blog is a resource for all young people looking educate themselves about money in order to break the cycle of financial illiteracy and make their money work for THEM. We all start somewhere and Help Me I'm Poor is a great place to start.

Episode 17: Your Pelvis and You with @Deconstruct.Health

What's more uncomfortable than discussing your pelvic region? Probably a lot of things, but this topic is up there on the list! We are joined by Dr. Michael Z. Aquino, PT, DPT, in a discussion about the importance of pelvic floor health, how he is addressing the need for true inclusion in the healthcare industry, and how to be more okay with communicating your pain to your doctor. He specializes in, you guessed it, pelvic health, and also happens to be one of our childhood friends.

Dr. Aquino is the founder of Deconstruct Health, a physical therapy and consulting practice with a focus on deconstructing and redefining what healthy and fit means. His practice's mission is to make health simple through empowered recovery. For more information, visit: www.deconstructhealth.com. 

Episode 15: Threading Vs. Waxing

The practice of facial hair grooming/removal has been around for thousands of years. From a very young age, all kinds of products and services associated with the practice are heavily advertised to femme-identifying persons. Getting your eyebrows done becomes as normal as going to the salon to get a hair cut, except you are paying someone to inflict pain upon your face using either wax or thread. In this episode, Vanessa and Melissa talk about their preferences, their earliest memories of hair removal as a concept, and how hair removal practices have played a big part in their self-acceptance progress.

Episode 13: Help yourself to Self Help

The "Self Help" industry has grown significantly in the last few years. Whether you buy into it or not, the "craze" has allowed for a variety of topics, as well as accessible platforms for the consumption of self-help content. Melissa and Vanessa share what spurred them to explore personal development, the topics interest them, and a few recommendations for those interested in delving into the world or Self Help.

Episode 11: Pillow Talk

Did you know that the average person spends 26 years of their life sleeping? Mind-blowing right? This is why Melissa and Vanessa agree that it's a worthwhile to invest in all things required for sleeping: a quality mattress, linens, pillows, etc. But that doesn't necessarily mean spending ridiculous amounts of money either. Join as they discuss their bedding pet peeves, the catalyst that led to their sleeping set up investments, and  recommendations that have come from their trials and tribulations.

Episode 9: Bra Support Group

The struggle of finding a genuinely good bra is the reality for majority of female-identifying people. Whether it's cup spacing or boob spillage, the idea of a well-fitting bra ties into self-esteem and self-image. Join as Melissa and Vanessa explore the history of the modern bra, divulge their pet peeves, share their first experiences with them, and discuss how their bra-buying strategy has evolved over the years. 

Episode 7: Why is Higher Education so expensive?

To get a Masters or an MBA? To debt or not to debt? What even is FAFSA? These are the questions that Vanessa and Melissa confront as they recall their experiences of applying for undergraduate student loans and how their pursuit for higher education ties into the realm of financial literacy. 

Episode 5: Let’s Talk Therapy

What's more uncomfortable than facing your internalized traumas head-on? How about doing that in front of a stranger? Co-hosts Melissa and Vanessa share insights on their upbringings through the lens of mental health, discuss their very different experiences pursuing therapy, and what they have learned thus far. 

Episode 3: Talking to Your Family About #BlackLivesMatter

Recorded on June 3, 2020, just over a week after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. As fellow POC allies, co-hosts Vanessa and Melissa talk about why it's so difficult to have conversations about the Black Lives Matter movement with family members, discuss their experiences trying to do so, and share a few resources that they've utilized to help move those much needed conversations forward. 

Episode 1: Quarantine - The new STruggle is REal

Recorded on April 28, 2020, well into the COVID-19 stay-at-home protocols, co-hosts Melissa and Vanessa explore the thoughts and feelings that have come along with quarantine life. Seemingly normal day-to-day  activities, like grocery shopping and conducting work meetings have come with new challenges in times of quarantine.