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Importance of Reading, Multigenerational Living
Tune into the upbeat, positive lifestyle broadcast where producer and host Cynthia Brian showcases strategies for success on StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are!®. Available wherever you listen to your favorite programs! In today's digital world, some people question whether books are still relevant. Yet books remain a valuable part of our lives. They entertain, educate, inspire, and help us see the world from new perspectives. teach my four young siblings the gift of literacy. Bu

Cynthia Brian
2 days ago1 min read


Savor Summer Seasonings
“Summer afternoon -- summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” Henry James With the 250th birthday of our nation in 2026, many gardens are cloaked in red, white, and blue. A top garden design trend this year is patio culture, and with the semiquincentennial front of mind, I call it star-spangled living. Most Americans love being outdoors, and summertime is our sandbox. Whether our patio is in the front, back, or side

Cynthia Brian
3 days ago4 min read


A.I. + Autonomous Tools and Debates
In this episode of Express Yourself!, host Hannah Sahota reflects on a Fourth of July trip to San Francisco that sparked a deeper conversation about the future of artificial intelligence. After witnessing the city's streets overwhelmed with traffic, she explores how autonomous vehicles are transforming transportation and what that means for society. From safety and public health to privacy, employment, and the future of public transit, Hannah examines the opportunities and ch

Cynthia Brian
Jul 101 min read


Summer Trips and Crazy Dating Apps
Tune into the upbeat, positive lifestyle broadcast where producer and host Cynthia Brian showcases strategies for success on StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are!®. Available wherever you listen to your favorite programs! Are you planning a road trip this summer? Where do you want to go and what do you want to see? National parks, famous stadiums, battlefields, concerts, a drive on Route 66? Tips on where to go and how to stay safe, healthy, and avoid scams. There are numerous new

Cynthia Brian
Jul 81 min read


250 Years of the American Experiment
The 250th Anniversary of America “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”. President John F. Kennedy The 4th of July commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence in America. This year, the USA celebrates 250 years of this American experiment in democracy. Join host Hannah and reporters Jatin and Milan as they share historical and personal perspectives on this semiquincentennial event. Can democracy survive? Teens weigh

Cynthia Brian
Jul 31 min read


Read, Lead, Succeed
MIRACLE MOMENT® “To be a leader, you must be a reader.” Cynthia Brian A MESSAGE from Founder/Director, CYNTHIA BRIAN Cynthia Brian The ability to read is one of the most important and rewarding skills that a person can achieve. Since I grew up on a farm in a very rural area that didn’t offer pre-school, kindergarten, or activities for young children, I didn’t learn to read until I was seven years old in first grade. From my first understanding of letters and numbers, I was ho

Cynthia Brian
Jun 256 min read


Deep Fakes
“There's a danger in the internet and social media. The notion that information is enough, that more and more information is enough, that you don't have to think, you just have to get more information - gets very dangerous.” Edward de Bono Imagine receiving a video message from a celebrity, politician, or even a family member. They look real. They sound real. They seem completely authentic. But what if it never happened. That’s the reality of deepfakes. Join host Kirpa and

Cynthia Brian
Jun 221 min read


Family Matters, To Budget or Not?, and Death Binder
Tune into the upbeat, positive lifestyle broadcast where producer and host Cynthia Brian showcases strategies for success on StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are!®. Available wherever you listen to your favorite programs! Family is the feeling of coming home after a long day and knowing someone is happy to see you. It’s the late-night talks, the inside jokes no one else understands, and the small moments that slowly become lifelong memories. Family matters. Gas prices are high, inf

Cynthia Brian
Jun 171 min read


The Blooms of June
“What is a weed? A flower whose virtues have not yet been discovered.”~ Emerson Because of the late-season rains, the weeds have been overwhelming. I have been pulling, cutting, smothering, and eliminating “these flowers whose virtues have not yet been discovered” since early March. I’m now on my third round of weeding. Yes, many of the weeds have pretty flowers, including vetch, bindweed, cut leaf geranium, Italian thistle, euphorbia, hemlock, and a plethora of grasses. Dand

Cynthia Brian
Jun 144 min read


Women’s Reproductive Rights in the United States
Women’s Reproductive Rights in the United States https://sites.libsyn.com/560220/the-womens-reproductive-rights-in-the-united-states “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.” - Michelle Obama In this episode of Empowerment and Equality, host Hannah Sahota examines the state of women's reproductive rights in America and the social forces shaping the national debate. Through historical context, policy analysis, and thoughtful commentary, the program explores

Cynthia Brian
Jun 121 min read


The Importance of Free Speech
https://sites.libsyn.com/560220/the-importance-of-free-speech “If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter” George Washington. Imagine if every time you wanted to say something, a tiny government elf popped up on your shoulder and said, “Hmm… approved… denied… or maybe rephrase that in a way that makes me emotionally comfortable.” Host, Keerthi, talks about the importance of free speech. With her naturally comedic f

Cynthia Brian
Jun 61 min read


Survival Conservation
“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” · Robert Swan Why is conservation critical? Host Diya asks us to imagine life without clean water or wildlife. Conservation is one of our strongest defenses against climate change. Forests, oceans, and wetlands absorb enormous amounts of carbon dioxide, helping regulate Earth’s temperature. The food we eat depends on healthy soil, clean water, pollinators like bees, and stable weather pa

Cynthia Brian
May 301 min read


Bracing for Summer and Learning to Say "No"!
https://sites.libsyn.com/556617/bracing-for-summer-heat-and-learning-to-say-no Tune into the upbeat, positive lifestyle broadcast where producer and host Cynthia Brian showcases strategies for success on StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are!®. Available wherever you listen to your favorite programs! America is not prepared for extreme temperatures. This summer may be the hottest ever. Extreme heat is not recognized as a disaster in the USA, despite the fact that it is the greatest

Cynthia Brian
May 281 min read


The Imapct of Social Media
https://sites.libsyn.com/560220/the-impact-of-social-media On this episode of Express Yourself!, Hannah Sahota’s “Empowerment and Equality” segment explores the ever-changing relationship between social media, surveillance, and human dignity in the digital age. Using historical context, personal experience, political commentary, and social critique, the show traces the growth of social media from early internet communication systems to today’s hyperconnected platforms driven

Cynthia Brian
May 241 min read


The Importance of Family
MIRACLE MOMENT® “No matter what you’ve done for yourself or for humanity, if you can’t look back on having given love and attention to your own family, what have you really accomplished?” Lee Iacocca, Retired Automobile Executive Share A MESSAGE from Founder/Director, CYNTHIA BRIAN Because my parents loved each other and my four siblings deeply and unconditionally, I was one of the luckiest children in the world. We were raised on a farm, surrounded by land, animals, and a gi

Cynthia Brian
May 236 min read


Backyard Ticks and Teen Sleep
Tune into the upbeat, positive lifestyle broadcast where producer and host Cynthia Brian showcases strategies for success on StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are!®. Available wherever you listen to your favorite programs! It’s springtime, and besides being allergy season, it is also the beginning of tick season. Ticks bring many types of dangerous diseases. We take measures to avoid ticks while hiking, but how can we tick-proof our backyards? Find a few tips that will keep you heal

Cynthia Brian
May 201 min read


Empowering Malawi
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” · Nelson Mandela The poverty-ridden country of Malawi was devastated by AIDS. Host Julia Howe interviews the founder of Jacaranda Foundation, Marie da Silva, a Malawian education activist with a powerful personal story. Auntie Marie was working as a nanny in the US when she heard the local school was closing in the midst of the brutal AIDS epidemic in Malawi. Marie lost more than a dozen fa

Cynthia Brian
May 172 min read


Voter Rights and Voter Suppression
“Bad officials are elected by good citizens who don’t vote.” - Christian Lange Are voter rights under attack in the United States? In her segment, Empowerment and Equality, Express Yourself!™ radio host, Hannah Sahota, leads us through the history of American democracy, showcased through voting in elections. Voting is one of the most important rights in a democratic society because it is the fundamental tool that citizens can use to influence laws, elect leaders, and shape th

Cynthia Brian
May 91 min read


Fashion and the Effects on Accelerated Garbage
“Become an active citizen through your wardrobe.” Livia Firth Today we're not talking about a bill, a ballot measure, or a party platform. We're talking about your closet. The fashion industry generates 92 million tons of textile waste annually. Host Julia Howe and reporter Hanna Yu tackle the tragedy of fast fashion and its environmental impact. Hanna focuses on the philosophy of this conspicuous consumption. Whose fault is it? Julia talks about TikTok Shop. What makes TikT

Cynthia Brian
May 61 min read


Social Media Phenomena and Rhetoric
Hosted by Hannah Sahota, this episode of Express Yourself! invites listeners into a thought-provoking exploration of how online rhetoric shapes the world we live in today. In her segment, “Empowerment and Equality,” Hannah breaks down how viral posts, influencers, and algorithm-driven platforms like TikTok and Instagram are no longer just sources of entertainment, but powerful forces that influence identity, consumer behavior, and social norms. Through engaging commentary and

Cynthia Brian
Apr 261 min read
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