Radio + Podcasts

Express Yourself! Radio Show

I have served as a part-time contributor for Express Yourself! since June 2012. As a field reporter and occasional co-host, my responsibilities include writing segments, researching show topics, and recording weekly.

Express Yourself! is an entertaining adolescent fusion program where passion, productivity, and possibility populate the airwaves. The radio program, Express Yourself! is produced by Starstyle Productions, LLC. Through collaboration and conversation, a global campus of young people express their views. Come play in STAR country and Express Yourself!, Sundays at 3 PM Pacific on VoiceAmerica Empowerment.

Highlighted Episodes

Financial Literacy and Money Ed // 30 August 2020

Listen to the episode // Most decisions we make are in fact centered on our finances. Katelyn Darrow and Andrea Smith host a program focused on financial literacy. Katelyn shares her experience with getting her first credit card and student loans. She advocates to talk to elders to learn more about financial resources. Whitman Ochiai is the producer of the Money Ed Podcast, a financial literacy podcast aimed at young people that strives to impart valuable financial management skills. Whitman explains to Andrea and Katelyn that strong financial literacy can drastically improve one’s success in life and it is important to gain these financial skills at a young age. As a teen, one’s financial priorities should be establishing a Roth IRA, getting a job, and saving as much money as possible so that they can best take advantage of the power of compounding interest. The hosts read the chapter, The Gift of Financial Literacy by Heather Brittany from the book, Be the Star You Are!® for Teens by Cynthia Brian.
The Power of Ecology // 23 August 2020

Listen to the episode // Katelyn Darrow and Andrea Smith address climate change, Coviid-19, and the ecology effects of what’s happening in our world. Katelyn shares that a positive result of Covid-19 has been that nature is beginning to heal itself. Firefighter, storyteller, and author Hersch Wilson talks about how to stay safe during these horrendous fires and other disasters in the USA. His book Firefighter Zen tackles the value of life. Life is short, grab it, and live for today. He advises rising above the calamities to find joy in daily living because everyone suffers. Learn to be brave, asking oneself “what is the bravest thing we can do?” Hersch encourages us to stop the negative self-talk about failing. His mantra is to help people through the confusion and suffering. It is in service to others that we find fulfillment and inner peace. Andrea, a competitive swimmer and water baby, talks about how climate change is altering patterns of weather and water around the world, causing shortages and droughts.
Wilderness and Survival // 16 August 2020

Listen to the episode // Survival can be highly dramatic, worthy of the front pages. It can also be ordinary, something we do daily almost without taking notice. Hosts Katelyn Darrow and Siri Phaneendra tackle the topic of survival and wilderness training. Katelyn shares her experiences as a solo female backpacker. She advocates the importance of preparedness whether hiking, camping, or backpacking to thrive survive in the wilderness. Siri and Katelyn interview author Carren Strock about her middle grade chapter book, Secret Survivors, a gripping story about children trapped and struggling to stay alive when a blizzard hits the mountains of Colorado. This powerful story, showcases kids using their ingenuity and working together to survive during a treacherous storm. Carren also discusses writing and explains how she developed her other fascinating books. The hosts read, The Gift of Survival, from Cynthia Brian’s awarding-winning book, Be the Star You Are! 99 Gifts about surviving a deadly historical firestorm.
Angels Amongst Us // 16 February 2020

Listen to the episode // While some people think of angels as being sweet, loving, heavenly beings who sit around singing and playing the harp, author of The Angel Experiment, Corin Grillo assures listeners that angels are powerful allies who are always available to help them manifest the health, wealth, and life of their dreams. Hosts Katelyn Darrow and Siri Phaneendra talk to Corin about how to communicate with angels, and how to have angels help with our everyday lives. Katelyn shares the chapter she wrote, The Gift of Kindness, from the book, Be the Star You Are! Millennials to Boomers Celebrating Gifts of Positive Voices in a Changing Digital World, and provided insight into the charity she founded when she was just twelve, Angels Community Outreach. Siri reported on archangels and guardian angels and told a true story of a human angel coming into her life. Invite angels into your life for healing & support.
Meditation and Mindfulness // 9 February 2020

Listen to the episode // Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present in the moment. Host Katelyn Darrow shares how to get clarity and peace of mind to ride oneself of anxiety, stress, and to help with connecting with others. An in-depth interview with Tom Voss and his sister, Rebecca Nguyen, authors of the book, Where War Ends, provides insight into moral injury and how mindfulness and meditation can alleviate the pain. Tom served as an infantry scout in the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment’s scout-sniper platoon. While deployed in Mosul, Iraq, he participated in hundreds of combat and humanitarian missions. Through a newfound interest in meditation, he gained understanding that eases the pain of the past and offers real hope for healing in the present. Simple breathing exercises gave Tom what medication, therapy, alcohol, and drugs couldn’t: the chance to heal a soul he didn’t even think he had anymore. He pursued meditation training and discovered breathing techniques that he teaches to veterans.
Productivity and Hindsight // 2 February 2020

Listen to the episode // Hosts Katelyn Darrow and Kenneth Jeon discuss productivity and hindsight and how to get a clear vision in 2020. Katelyn shares her top tips to increase productivity which include starting with the most challenging tasks firsts, making lists, unplug, and taking breaks. The hosts interview author of Letters to Freedom, Dr. Patti Ashley who ascertains the best way to know what we want is to use a little hindsight to determine what it is that we don’t want. Patti talks about her familial relationships, how journaling helped her to write her book through her sorrow, healing shame, expressing grief, authenticity architecture, and creating vision boards for the future. Kenneth’s Hindsight 2020 takes us to the movies with the newfound recognition and status of foreign films, including Korean film Parasite that is sweeping the awards seasons.
Overcoming Overwhelm // 26 January 2020

Listen to the episode // Overwhelm has become a word that is foremost in every teen’s vocabulary. Katelyn Darrow hosts a critical program that will help all listeners to overcome feelings of overwhelm. Reporter Brigitte Jia launches this episode with personal stories and common obstacles of daily life. Finding support is essential. Resilience doesn’t mean putting on a strong front. Depression and mental illness don’t discriminate. Even in the most picture-perfect life, confusion and turmoil are often lurking beneath the surface. For a teenager in a world where anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses are commonplace, life can sometimes feel impossible. Katelyn interviews author of Beneath the Surface, Kristi Hugstad, who provides information, encouragement, and tactical guidance If someone you love is suffering from any of these issues, it’s important to be able to recognize the warning signs of mental illness and know where to turn for help. Katelyn closes the show with journaling as stress relief.