Podcast / Sifu Mimi Chan

71. Owen Everard James on Jamaican by Birth, American by Choice

Owen Everard James is a family friend we know through the Jamaican community. He has been a teacher, civil servant, banker and worked for nearly thirty years as a manufacturing executive with a Fortune 500 American multi-national corporation. He has lived and worked in the Caribbean, Canada, the United States, and East and Southern Africa.

70. Michael Boyle on leadership

Michael Boyle is a household name in the strength and conditioning world, but today we do not chat about strength and conditioning, but rather his philosophies on work ethic and leadership. I am honored that Mike took time out of his busy day to chat with me, and hope you will enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

69. Matthew Polly on Bruce Lee

Has anyone ever heard of Bruce Lee? I’m guessing… yes. Today I chat with Matthew Polly on his new book, Bruce Lee, a life. This is the first authoritative biography on Bruce’s life which Matthew took over 6 years researching and interviewing those closest to Bruce. We chat about his discoveries and the process of writing the book. Matthew is also a fellow martial artist who has chronicled his experiences in his other works: American Shaolin, where he studied for 2 years at the Shaolin Temple and Tapped Out, where he trained for and fought in an MMA fight.

68. Lisa Santoni Cromar on Domestic Abuse

I had an engaging chat with Lisa Santoni Cromar about her work in public service, like the Women’s March and domestic violence advocacy. I love meeting women who take action, and Lisa certainly is a woman of action.

67. Delaine Ross on kettlebells, alcoholism, and The Phoenix

Hi Everyone, today I chat with Delaine Ross, who is a Senior Instructor with StrongFirst. I was intrigued when I heard about her recent work The Phoenix, which hosts daily FREE classes and events for those in recovery. The goal of The Phoenix is to help as many people as possible find a clear path to recovery, so they make every effort to remove any barriers to getting involved with the community. We also talk about her struggle with alcoholism and how The Phoenix has helped with her personal recovery.

66. Gareeboo family on Ramadan and others

I admit to knowing very little about the holy month of Ramadan, so I reached out to two of my students, a father and daughter, who I knew were observing Ramadan. It was great for me to get a deeper understanding of the religious and cultural aspects of Ramadan and learn more about the family’s background.

65. Adisa Banjoko on hip hop and cultural appropriation

If any of you listened to CCHAT 24, you will have found out what a huge hip-hop 90s fan I am. Today I had the pleasure of chatting with Adisa Banjoko about the hip-hop today, and in particular, about the much talked about Childish Gambino song This is America. I loved this conversation and hope you will too!

64. Brett Jones on cultivating simplicity in strength training

63. Gabriela Roldan on Antarctica, Argentina, and Penguins

Meet Gabriela Roldan! I met Gabriela after attending her lectures on board my cruise to Antarctica and South America. Many of you have been asking me to share more about my travels to the great white continent, and when I decided to podcast about it, I knew I had to have Gabriela on the show. She has such an extensive knowledge of the history and culture of the area. We also discuss her hometown at the end of the world, Ushuaia, Argentina. I couldn’t resist the urge to ask the expert about the effects of climate change she has witnessed over the years in the region.

62. Derek Johnson on unconscious bias

I sit down with Derek Johnson who was a previous guest on the podcast. Last time we spoke about the divide between the public and law enforcement agencies. Today we discuss the hot topic of unconscious bias and how it relates to law enforcement officers. We delve into recent shootings and his take on arming teachers in school. I also couldn’t talk about these hot topic issues without comparing it to one of my favorite shows, HBO’s The Wire.

61. Julio Ricardo Varela on Puerto Rico, Hurricane Maria, and Tostones

Today I sit down with Julio Ricardo Varela (cohost In the Thick, LatinoUSA) to discuss the devastation after Hurricane Maria that still plagues the island today. We also go deeper into the underlying problems that the island has faced for decades. Julio hopes that the attention Hurricane Maria has brought to Puerto Rico will result in real action and changes being made that are long overdue. We also talk tostones and dominoes, so listen on as we delve into the culture of Puerto Rico.

60. Star Wars Fans: May the 4th Be With You!

May 4th has become a Star Wars fan day for the past several years. According to Starwars.com: While the idea of May the 4th did not start with Lucasfilm, the film company that created Star Wars has fully embraced the spirit of fandom that makes the day so special. StarWars.com, as well as the official Star Wars social media channels (hashtag #StarWarsDay), help spread the word and showcase fan activity. Each year fans celebrate with their own traditions by throwing Star Wars themed parties, hosting film marathons, having lightsaber fights, dressing in cosplay, or even attending a large public event. May has always been important to Star Wars fans. The six live-action movies of the Star Wars saga debuted in May, and it has been the traditional start date of Disney Star War weekends. I sit down with Brian again to chat Star Wars traditions and review The Last Jedi. Spoiler alerts for those that have been in a cave and have not yet seen the most recent film. May the 4th be with you all!