SEE ME BE ME with Nile and Blair Henry

Hosted by The Blair Project

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Jan 2025

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About the show

See Me Be Me delves into the minds of inspirational individuals who have faced academic, social, and mental barriers to achieve their dream careers. In a conversation with The Blair Project's Nile and Blair Henry, our guests share their life lessons that you can apply to your own.

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60 recent

January 20, 202537 min

S2 E37: Tyler Rousseau - I Combined My Two Passions Cars and Filmmaking to Live My Dream

This week we revisit our podcast with Tyler Rousseau, a filmmaker and former Marine, who shares his unique journey from Virginia to LA, where he transitioned from car sales to film production. Nile and Blair had been following Tyler’s story for a while via social media so we were elated when he agreed to join us for a conversation. We begin discussing Tyler’s love of cars growing up before delving into his years in the marines, car sales and then onto filmmaking. We examine his short films "Green is Red" and "Ugly Flower," which tackled war and personal loss. Tyler’s work ranges from the star-studded, collaborating with the likes of Snoop Dogg & French Montana, to the important in his recent political film in Colombia. For any aspiring filmmakers, be ready to make notes. Tyler provided a tone of advice and insight before expressing his desire to create pathways into racing for people of colour through programs like MFT and the 110 10 Foundation. Thank you for tuning in! Until next time...

January 13, 202553 min

S2 E36: Kalwant Bhopal - We Go On Marches And Nothing Changes, I Think We Have To Be Really Bold

What do you get when the founder of an educational services social enterprise (Nile Henry) sits down with a leading social justice academic and author specialising in the experiences of minority ethnic groups in education (Kalwant Bhopal)? A great podcast! Kalwant joins us for an absorbing and important conversation. We discuss her working class roots, experiences of racism and turbulent journey in education, factors which would go on to motivate her hugely successful career fighting social justice and exploring discourses of racism in education. Slightly longer than a typical See Me Be Me podcast, this one was simply too good to edit down. Thank you very much to Kalwant for appearing. You can purchase her latest book “Race and Education: Reproducing White Supremacy in Britain” in all good stores and online and we encourage you do to so. Thanks for listening.

December 16, 2024Episode 3632 min

S2 E36: Paulette Watson - Co-Designers - We Have To Work Collaboratively To Create A Collective Impact

This week on the See Me Be Me podcast we welcome Paulette Watson MBE, a global tech disruptor and Managing Director of Academy Achievers. We discuss her journey in the tech industry and her passion for empowering marginalized communities, particularly black women and girls. Inspired by her father, a mathematician and engineer, Watson founded Academy Achievers to provide STEM education and mentorship. She emphasises the importance of holistic development, including technical skills, mental health, and soft skills. Watson aims to raise the aspirations of underrepresented groups in STEM through her "Be Me" digital inclusion program. She also highlights the need for ethical AI development and the importance of collaboration and representation in creating inclusive environments. Her energy is infectious and her experiences are unmatched. We are so grateful that she was able to come on the podcast, thank you!

December 9, 202433 min

S2 E35: Laura Alexander - A Million Women In The UK Chose To Leave The Workplace Due To Menopause Symptoms

This week we welcome Laura Alexander, a researcher in menopause in the workplace and an experienced HR manager. Laura has worked in HR for over a decade for both small and large organisations including her current role in a global engineering corporation. Laura shared her career story including her severe heart failure diagnosis in 2016. Focusing increasingly on health and resilience as a result, Laura has begun advocating for more conversation and support for menopausal women in the workplace. When she discovered in 2019 that an estimated one million UK women left jobs due to menopausal symptoms she chose to to accompany her Masters study in Leadership Behaviour with research on challenges presented by menopause in the workplace. She emphasises the importance of self-awareness, diversity, inclusion, and equity, and beautifully articulated her vision for community-based educational initiatives. Many thanks for coming on the podcast Laura! We hope you enjoy!

November 25, 2024Episode 3439 min

S2 E34: Lee Chambers: I'm Not Scared To Challenge - We Have To Create Spaces Where People Can Thrive

Lee Chambers is one hell of an individual. Lee grew up in Bolton, heavily inspired by his parents work ethic, his "crazy uncle's" love for computers and his grandad's values. Lee's ability to learn and reflect at each point of his journey is perhaps his greatest skill. Whether it be the lack of role models growing up, struggling with identity during university, losing his grad scheme to the recession or falling terribly ill as a father and entrepreneur, Lee has always known how to come back stronger. He walks us through his different ventures and provides a tone of useful pointer along the way. Founder of Male Allies UK and Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing, Lee is charming, intelligent and perceptive. This episode was truly a pleasure to record. Enjoy!

November 18, 202435 min

S2 E33: Azhar Quaiyoom: Barriers and Challenges in Entrepreneurship

Director and CEO of Q Sustain, Azhar Quaiyoom chats to us about barriers and challenges of entrepreneurship, as well as key insights into running a successful business!

November 12, 202435 min

S2 E32: Sorsha Elson - It Makes Me Proud Because I'm Part Of That Exact Change

Sorsha Elson shares her journey from working in customer service to becoming an apprentice mechanical technician at Formula One. Initially inspired by aviation as well as Lewis Hamilton and her family's love for motorsport, she transitioned to a flight attendant role before pursuing mechanical engineering during COVID. Sorsha highlights the challenges of working in a male-dominated field, emphasising the importance of determination and patience. She’s a keen advocate for diversity in motorsport and she provides a ton of useful tips and tricks for the next generation looking to follow in her footsteps. Thank you for listening!

November 4, 202429 min

S2 E31: Ashleigh Ainsley - Let's Call Out The Elephant In The Room, It's Been Historic Discrimination

Ashley Ainsley, co-founder of Color in Tech, kindly joined us for an enlightening conversation. We begin at Lewisham, South London before discussing the origins behind ColorInTech - the organisation aimed at increasing diversity in the tech industry. He highlights his early exposure to Wikipedia and Google Earth which influenced his career path. The lack of diversity at Oxford University and Google then exposed the need for better marketing of tech careers and apprenticeships to underrepresented groups. His career has grown in leaps and bounds and we’re so grateful he took the time to talk with us. Like, comment and subscribe!

October 28, 202434 min

S2 E30: Nadine Lewis - Just Because You Don't See Somebody Else Like Yourself, Don't Give Up!

On this week's episode Nadine Lewis shares her journey into motorsport marshalling, sparked by a local radio segment and a taster day at Alton Park. She recounts her subsequent 26 years in the role and we discuss the male-dominated nature of motorsport and her determination defy it, emphasising the value of inclusivity and confidence-building in motorsport. Thank you for listening, we'll see you next time!

October 21, 202438 min

S2 E29: Krish Patel - Stories Are The Pages That Make Up This Book We Call Life

Krish Patel, a former professional footballer turned social entrepreneur, shares his inspiring story of resilience, growth, and purpose. Growing up in Bolton as a mixed-race child, Krish endured bullying and racial abuse, challenges that fuelled his determination to rise above adversity. His passion for football led him to secure a professional contract at Bury FC, but injuries forced him to rethink his path. This turning point brought him to the United States, where he pursued education and discovered a new calling—helping others. Krish is now the founder of Tales to Inspire, a social enterprise that uplifts communities by sharing transformative stories and raising awareness of societal challenges. Through his work, he advocates for the importance of seeing potential in others, fostering meaningful communication, and harnessing positive energy for personal and professional growth. Krish's journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and the impact one can have by uplifting others. Thank you for listening! www.youtube.com/@SeeMeBeMePodcast See Me Be Me Podcast (@seemebemepod) | TikTok See Me Be Me (@seemebemepod) / X See Me Be Me Podcast (@seemebemepod) • Instagram photos and videos