In this special episode of the podcast Joe talks to his good friend Nate Cole about his latest album "I Will Guard Your Broken Bones." 

Joe and Nate discuss what it was like making a record entirely in quarantine, what themes are present throughout the record, and what Nate hopes folks get out of the record.

Joe and Nate also discuss other topics which have been top-of-mind for both of them over the last year, including 'what's in a mindset?' Come detox from life and get a window into these two friend's lives.

To quickly and easily leave a rating/review for this podcast please go to: 

https://ratethispodcast.com/dtalkspodcast

Thanks to Snuffy for this episode of the podcast!

Snuffy is a clothing brand about empowering you to show your weird - unapologetically, with bravery and confidence. 10% of profit goes to LGBTQ+ organizations led by Trans* people of color. Shop online now at snuffy.co

Also, thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast!

In this episode of the podcast Joe talks to author/illustrator/cartoonist Dana Simpson about her entire body of work AND life in ~45 minutes! 

Seriously though, Dana Simpson is an incredible person who created the type of cartoon she wanted to read and it has spawned into an amazing project known as "Phoebe and Her Unicorn". Dana and Joe dig into her early work with "Ozy and Millie" and how one contest produced her most famous work. They also dig into how artists tend to use their work to process what they're currently going through. It's a fascinating discussion we hope you enjoy!

Dana Claire Simpson, a native of Gig Harbor, Washington, first caught the eyes of devoted comics readers with the internet strip Ozy and Millie. After winning the 2009 Comic Strip Superstar contest, she developed the strip Phoebe and Her Unicorn (originally known as Heavenly Nostrils), which is now syndicated in newspapers worldwide.

Simpson’s books have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list, and won the Washington State Book Award and the Pacific Northwest Book Award. She lives with her spouse and her cat in Santa Barbara, California.

To quickly and easily leave a rating/review for this podcast please go to: 

https://ratethispodcast.com/dtalkspodcast

Thanks to Snuffy for this episode of the podcast!

Snuffy is a clothing brand about empowering you to show your weird - unapologetically, with bravery and confidence. 10% of profit goes to LGBTQ+ organizations led by Trans* people of color. Shop online now at snuffy.co

Also, thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast!

In this episode of the podcast Joe talks to both author Megan Wagner Lloyd and illustrator Michelle Mee about their fantastic book Allergic.

Joe digs into details about the book, compares his youth to that of Maggie in the book while both Megan & Michelle provide outstanding advice to any aspiring authors/illustrators. 

It was a fantastic conversation and Allergic is a fantastic book - be sure to pick it up from your favorite local bookstore today!

At home, Maggie is the odd one out. Her parents are preoccupied with the new baby they’re expecting, and her younger brothers are twins and always in their own world. Maggie thinks a new puppy is the answer, but when she goes to select one on her birthday, she breaks out in hives and rashes. She’s severely allergic to anything with fur!

Can Maggie outsmart her allergies and find the perfect pet? With illustrations by Michelle Mee Nutter, Megan Wagner Lloyd draws on her own experiences with allergies to tell a heartfelt story of family, friendship, and finding a place to belong.

To quickly and easily leave a rating/review for this podcast please go to: 

https://ratethispodcast.com/dtalkspodcast

Thanks to Snuffy for this episode of the podcast!

Snuffy is a clothing brand about empowering you to show your weird - unapologetically, with bravery and confidence. 10% of profit goes to LGBTQ+ organizations led by Trans* people of color. Shop online now at snuffy.co

Also, thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast!

In this episode of the podcast Joe welcomes good friend and fabulous author Jessica Lahey back to the podcast to discuss her latest book "The Addiction Inoculation."

Joe and Jessica get into a great discussion about this book, Jess' own struggles with addiction, and how you can lay the groundwork, now, to help your kids with any future problems. 

Enjoy!

To quickly and easily leave a rating/review for this podcast please go to: 

https://ratethispodcast.com/dtalkspodcast

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by Snuffy!

Snuffy is a clothing brand about empowering you to show your weird - unapologetically, with bravery and confidence. 10% of profit goes to LGBTQ+ organizations led by Trans* people of color. Shop online now at snuffy.co

This episode of the podcast is also brought to you by Empire Toys!

Rajani LaRocca believes that promoting diversity in children’s literature leads to empathy, and empathy makes the world a better place. She writes middle grade novels and picture books. Some of her books reflect her experiences as an immigrant, book nerd, and foodie; some explain medical topics to kids. And some are just ideas that pop into her head and won’t go away. 

In this episode of the podcast Joe talks to author, and doctor Rajani LaRocca about 2 of her books "Red, White, and Whole" & "Much Ado About Baseball". 

They discuss Rajani's background as an author, the reasons why she wrote each of the books, and the importance of representation in children's literature.

Enjoy!

13-year-old Reha, the daughter of Indian immigrants, is torn between two worlds—one with her parents and her Indian community, and one with her friends and 1980s pop culture. But then her mother falls ill, and she is torn in a different way. This middle grade novel-in-verse is about America and India, heritage and fitting in, Hindu mythology and 80’s pop music, holding on and letting go.

Trish moves to the town of Comity, MA and finds herself on the same summer baseball team as her math competition rival, Ben. The two 12-year-olds have to set aside their dislike for each other in order to help their team win, but the team is terrible. When a booklet of math puzzles claiming to reveal the “ultimate answer” arrives, Trish and Ben start solving them, and the team’s luck seems to turn around…or is that because of the unusual snacks they’re getting from the new snack shop in town, the Salt Shaker? When excitement then leads to tragedy, can Trish and Ben find the answer to the ultimate puzzle, or will they strike out when it counts the most? This companion novel to Midsummer’s Mayhem combines math, baseball, food, and magic.

To quickly and easily leave a rating/review for this podcast please go to: 

https://ratethispodcast.com/dtalkspodcast

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by Snuffy!

Snuffy is a clothing brand about empowering you to show your weird - unapologetically, with bravery and confidence. 10% of profit goes to LGBTQ+ organizations led by Trans* people of color. Shop online now at snuffy.co

This episode of the podcast is also brought to you by Empire Toys!

Nick Silvestri is a brilliant fashion designer/artist who has been a very close friend now for a few years. He has sponsored the show for awhile now and is FINALLY coming on The DTALKS Podcast to share how he built Snuffy! In this episode we talk about art, fashion design, the origins of Snuffy, and even share some personal anecdotes. It's a very fun episode, lots of laughs, and even a few tears. Enjoy!

To quickly and easily leave a rating/review for this podcast please go to: 

https://ratethispodcast.com/dtalkspodcast

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by Snuffy!

Snuffy is a clothing brand about empowering you to show your weird - unapologetically, with bravery and confidence. 10% of profit goes to LGBTQ+ organizations led by Trans* people of color. Shop online now at snuffy.co

This episode of the podcast is also brought to you by Empire Toys!

Jeremy Nunes is one of the most interesting people I've had the pleasure of speaking to throughout the course of this podcast. The man is a current stand-up comedian, former Mayor, and former Professional Wrestler. Yes, Jeremy Nunes has done it all and he stops by the podcast today to cover each of those topics.

We primarily discuss his latest stand-up special "Who's With Me!?" but we also discuss his upcoming book "You Can't Write City Hall" sharing interesting stories and tidbits about his time as Mayor of his town. Jeremy is a delight and I cannot wait to have him back on the podcast!

To quickly and easily leave a rating/review for this podcast please go to: 

https://ratethispodcast.com/dtalkspodcast

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by Snuffy!

Snuffy is a clothing brand about empowering you to show your weird - unapologetically, with bravery and confidence. 10% of profit goes to LGBTQ+ organizations led by Trans* people of color. Shop online now at snuffy.co

This episode of the podcast is also brought to you by Empire Toys!

Matt Houk is a man of many talents. Creating Empire Toys the 1st and only Vintage Toy Store in Keller, TX., and Mindfully Elite mental and performance training for athletes and coaches he is all about giving back to the community.

Having known Matt for a number of years I was very excited to sit down for a chat with him, little did I know the journey he would take me on. He shared funny stories, and emotional ones to show how much both of these ventures mean to him. Take a listen, I think you'll enjoy it!

To quickly and easily leave a rating/review for this podcast please go to: 

https://ratethispodcast.com/dtalkspodcast

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by Snuffy!

Snuffy is a clothing brand about empowering you to show your weird - unapologetically, with bravery and confidence. 10% of profit goes to LGBTQ+ organizations led by Trans* people of color. Shop online now at snuffy.co

This episode of the podcast is also brought to you by Empire Toys!

With toys and action figures from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and today, Empire Toys is a one-stop-shop for a trip down memory lane and a chance to reclaim what was once yours (but likely sold at a garage sale )

Adam Kullberg is the Education Program Manager at Pop Culture Classroom. He joined the team in 2015, after serving as an outreach teacher and volunteer for the organization throughout 2014. Before that, he earned his MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona and MA in English Literature from the University of North Texas. Since joining PCC, he has helped develop PCC’s outreach programming, pop culture-based workshops, and curricula, including a range of educational programs at Denver Pop Culture Con offered each year to teachers and students of all ages. In his free time, he enjoys playing lacrosse and binging corny action movies.

The need for innovative literacy education in Colorado inspired Pop Culture Classroom and its education programs. As teachers, artists, writers, parents, and all around pop culture activists, each of us has personal experience with the transformational power of comics and other pop culture media. We believe that literacy, creativity and creative thinking are essential abilities for our children as they prepare to navigate both the successes and challenges of life.

Pop Culture Classroom was founded in 2010 as Comic Book Classroom, a Colorado charitable organization focused on enhancing and improving student’s learning experience through the use of comic book media. At the same time, the founders of Comic Book Classroom also created the Denver Comic Con event.

The STC curriculum has been offered by schools, educators, libraries, and community organizations all across Colorado and beyond. The curriculum has expanded to include a comprehensive collection of reading materials, instructional videos, interactive activities and arts-based handouts designed to help students investigate storytelling, build art and literacy skills, and eventually create their very own comics. Completed entries are then published in a class collection.
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On this episode of the podcast Joe invites long-time friend Adam Kullberg to the podcast to discuss his work with Pop Culture Classroom. Joe & Adam discuss the various mediums used to drive life lessons home for students, how we can continue to evolve our way of learning, and what's on the horizon in a post-COVID world. 

To learn more about Pop Culture Classroom CLICK HERE

#PopCultureClassroom
#beabetterdad

To quickly and easily leave a rating/review for this podcast please go to: 

https://ratethispodcast.com/dtalkspodcast

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by Snuffy!

Snuffy is a clothing brand about empowering you to show your weird - unapologetically, with bravery and confidence. 10% of profit goes to LGBTQ+ organizations led by Trans* people of color. Shop online now at snuffy.co

The DTALKS Podcast has also been ranked #9 in the "Top 40 Detox Podcast You Must Follow in 2020" according to Feedspot.com for our work in the Cultural Detox space. Thank you so much to the Feedspot team! 

https://blog.feedspot.com/detox_podcasts/

Tanael Joachim is a standup comedian who has made appearances on Gotham Comedy Live on AXS TV and on Good Day New York on FOX. He is based in New York City but was born and raised in Haiti. Tanael has a very laid back, smooth, and conversational style and he jokes about race, society’s idiosyncrasies, and the inherent contrast between life in Haiti and America. Some people say his humor is smart and eye-opening; he would probably agree with these people.

Tanael performs regularly at some of the best clubs in New York, including Gotham Comedy Club, The Stand Comedy Club, New York Comedy Club, Eastville Comedy Club, to name a few and the best alternative shows, such as Comedy at The Knitting Factory and Night Train at Littlefield. He's been a featured performer at SF Sketchfest in San Francisco, the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival. He's also performed at the Laughing Skull Festival in Atlanta, the Underground Festival in Washington D.C and was one of the 8 finalists in the Boston Comedy Festival in 2016. He's also an Op-Ed contributor for The New York Times

Tanael wants to tell jokes for a long time and be great at it. Because he really cares about that. And, he wants you to come along for the journey.

Stand-up comedian TJ stops by the podcast to promote his special "January 3rd." TJ discusses his comedy origins, why the craft is so important to him, and how he is adapting to what 2021 might bring. TJ is a fantastic comedian on the rise, to learn more about him or to watch his stand-up special be sure to go HERE

#January3rd
#beabetterdad

To quickly and easily leave a rating/review for this podcast please go to: 

https://ratethispodcast.com/dtalkspodcast

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by Snuffy!

Snuffy is a clothing brand about empowering you to show your weird - unapologetically, with bravery and confidence. 10% of profit goes to LGBTQ+ organizations led by Trans* people of color. Shop online now at snuffy.co

The DTALKS Podcast has also been ranked #9 in the "Top 40 Detox Podcast You Must Follow in 2020" according to Feedspot.com for our work in the Cultural Detox space. Thank you so much to the Feedspot team! 

https://blog.feedspot.com/detox_podcasts/

On January 15, 2017 CEO Michael Odiari founded Check after he was pulled over during a traffic stop and quickly found himself looking down the barrel of a policeman’s gun. As a person of color, he knew that this would likely not be his only negative interaction with the police and that there was a whole community of people with similar experiences.

From that incident on he has set out to bridge the communication gap between police and motorists. The Check App utilizes video calling technology to replace the initial interactions during a traffic stop. Instead of approaching a vehicle to obtain a motorist's information, leaving the officer vulnerable on the side of the road, police will be able to see Driver Licenses, Registration, and Insurance of the motorists.

Motorists will be able to see vital information about the officer who is pulling them over. These initial interactions over video can help both parties communicate better and even help save the lives of both the officer and the motorist. 

Michael & Zachary from Check stop by the podcast to discuss the creation of their app, how it's progressing so far, and how they envision this app helping all people moving forward. To get more information about the app, or to sign up, CLICK HERE

#CheckYourself
#beabetterdad

To quickly and easily leave a rating/review for this podcast please go to: 

https://ratethispodcast.com/dtalkspodcast

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by Snuffy!

Snuffy is a clothing brand about empowering you to show your weird - unapologetically, with bravery and confidence. 10% of profit goes to LGBTQ+ organizations led by Trans* people of color. Shop online now at snuffy.co

The DTALKS Podcast has also been ranked #9 in the "Top 40 Detox Podcast You Must Follow in 2020" according to Feedspot.com for our work in the Cultural Detox space. Thank you so much to the Feedspot team! 

https://blog.feedspot.com/detox_podcasts/

Shani Mahiri King is a law professor at the University of Florida, where he is director of the Center on Children and Families and an Associate Director of the Center on Race and Race Relations. King received a B.A. from Brown University, a J.D. from Harvard Law School, and a Mst. in International Human Rights Law from Oxford University, and he is an active writer and scholar in the area of children’s rights and family law. King is the father of a nine-year-old daughter and a six-year-old son, for whom he wrote this book, as well as the picture book Have I Ever Told You? (2019).  

About the Book:

Shani King on Why He Wrote This Book: “I wrote this book for my children and for all children who need an inspirational voice grounded in their own history. Think of any field of endeavor and Black innovators have made vital contributions. The Black women and men introduced in this book are but a small handful of those innovators. They were all kids once. They all overcame obstacles because they all believed in themselves. My goal is for all kids to see themselves in these pages. And, I hope this book contributes to the understanding that all kids, and all people, are central to the American narrative and the human experience.”

Shani came on the podcast to discuss why representation matters, why he wrote his latest book "Have I Ever Told You Black Lives Matter?", and what Black History Month means to him. It's a fantastic conversation I hope you'll enjoy it. And be sure to go pick up a copy of his book today!

#HaveIEverToldYou
#beabetterdad

To quickly and easily leave a rating/review for this podcast please go to: 

https://ratethispodcast.com/dtalkspodcast

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by Snuffy!

Snuffy is a clothing brand about empowering you to show your weird - unapologetically, with bravery and confidence. 10% of profit goes to LGBTQ+ organizations led by Trans* people of color. Shop online now at snuffy.co

The DTALKS Podcast has also been ranked #9 in the "Top 40 Detox Podcast You Must Follow in 2020" according to Feedspot.com for our work in the Cultural Detox space. Thank you so much to the Feedspot team! 

https://blog.feedspot.com/detox_podcasts/

Fawn Germer is the irreverent, beloved best-selling author of nine books including the Oprah book, Hard Won Wisdom. She has been a keynote speaker for more than 80 Fortune 500 companies and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize four times for her work as an investigative reporter. Fawn’s first book was rejected by every major publisher in the United States, but Fawn would not give up until it was the No. 1 nonfiction bestseller that Oprah loved.  Her newest book Coming Back, was released by St. Martin’s Press in January, 2021. The book shows how to turbocharge your career by changing the way you change.

Fawn is an inspiring storyteller and life adventurer. She’s learned plenty the hard way, and is as authentic as they come. She interviewed hundreds of the most accomplished leaders of our times, including famous CEOs, prime ministers, presidents, Nobel Peace Prize winners, scientists, Academy Award winners and many other trailblazers who revealed that success is born in risk, and power comes from consciously disabling your doubt and self-esteem issues.

Fawn Germer stops by the podcast today to discuss her latest book "Coming Back: How to Win the Job You Want When You've Lost the Job You Need" 

She provides advice for folks who have lost their job due to COVID-19, folks who may be re-entering the work force, or folks who may be entering the workforce for the first time. She provides tons of advice which is helpful for people of all ages. Make sure to grab her book today!

#ComingBack
#beabetterdad

To quickly and easily leave a rating/review for this podcast please go to: 

https://ratethispodcast.com/dtalkspodcast

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by Snuffy!

Snuffy is a clothing brand about empowering you to show your weird - unapologetically, with bravery and confidence. 10% of profit goes to LGBTQ+ organizations led by Trans* people of color. Shop online now at snuffy.co

The DTALKS Podcast has also been ranked #9 in the "Top 40 Detox Podcast You Must Follow in 2020" according to Feedspot.com for our work in the Cultural Detox space. Thank you so much to the Feedspot team! 

https://blog.feedspot.com/detox_podcasts/

Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist, and public theologian. A former college English teacher and pastor, he is a passionate advocate for “a new kind of Christianity” – just, generous, and working with people of all faiths for the common good. He is a faculty member of  The Living School and podcaster with Learning How to See, which are part of the Center for Action and Contemplation. He is also an Auburn Senior Fellow and works closely with the Wild Goose Festival, the Fair Food Program, Vote Common Good, and Progressive Christianity. His recent projects include an illustrated children’s book (for all ages) called Cory and the Seventh Story and The Galapagos Islands: A Spiritual Journey.  His newest book is  Faith After Doubt (January 2021) which makes the bold proposition that only doubt can save the world (and your faith).

In this episode of the podcast Joe welcomes back author, theologian, and good friend Brian McLaren back to the podcast to discuss Brian's latest book "Faith After Doubt". What should one do with their faith or spirituality after they've confronted all of their doubts? Brian answers these questions and discusses his thoughts on the 2020 Presidential Election. We enjoyed having Brian return to the show and look forward to his next appearance on the podcast.

#FaithAfterDoubt
#beabetterdad

To quickly and easily leave a rating/review for this podcast please go to: 

https://ratethispodcast.com/dtalkspodcast

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by Snuffy!

Snuffy is a clothing brand about empowering you to show your weird - unapologetically, with bravery and confidence. 10% of profit goes to LGBTQ+ organizations led by Trans* people of color. Shop online now at snuffy.co

The DTALKS Podcast has also been ranked #9 in the "Top 40 Detox Podcast You Must Follow in 2020" according to Feedspot.com for our work in the Cultural Detox space. Thank you so much to the Feedspot team! 

https://blog.feedspot.com/detox_podcasts/

Steve Dypiangco is an American filmmaker. He was a Producer of Marketing and Distribution for Luke Matheny's Oscar-Winning short film, God of Love. 

Dypiangco's most recent film (and also web series), which he co-wrote and co-directed with Patrick Epino, is Awesome Asian Bad Guys, which stars a number of Asian American actors who played villains in 1980-1990s action movies, such as Al Leong, Yuji Okumoto and George Cheung. 

A digital media exec turned entrepreneur, Stephen is the co-founder of Dadventures (hellodadventures.com), an early stage startup helping parents find fun things to do with their kids.

Dadventures was born out of a series of conversations between our Co-Founders, Steve and Devon, around the struggles and pitfalls of being a dad, which led to discussing Steve’s fateful trip to Disneyland. Focused on giving his daughters the best Disneyland experience possible, Steve meticulously researched every ride and polled his kids on which ones they were the most interested in. He even measured their heights just to make sure they’d be able to ride.

The result was an amazing family experience – riding 8 rides in less than 2 hours! Steve’s daughters were thrilled, and Steve was happy to have given his kids a great experience. But no one was happier than Steve’s wife, who got to enjoy a full day of parental success without having to do any of the planning. Dadventures helps parents figure out what to do and the easiest ways to do it, so parents can focus on being present with their kids.

Steve and I discussed the origins of Dadventures, how he has evolved the company in the midst of Covid-19, and what we can look forward to in 2021 and beyond. We also discuss his film career and how representation on screen matters for our children. If we want to make a more inclusive world we need to ensure everyone is represented on screen. Thanks for coming on the show Steve, we cannot wait to have you back on the show!

#Dadventures
#beabetterdad

To quickly and easily leave a rating/review for this podcast please go to: 

https://ratethispodcast.com/dtalkspodcast

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by Snuffy!

Snuffy is a clothing brand about empowering you to show your weird - unapologetically, with bravery and confidence. 10% of profit goes to LGBTQ+ organizations led by Trans* people of color. Shop online now at snuffy.co

The DTALKS Podcast has also been ranked #9 in the "Top 40 Detox Podcast You Must Follow in 2020" according to Feedspot.com for our work in the Cultural Detox space. Thank you so much to the Feedspot team! 

https://blog.feedspot.com/detox_podcasts/

Jarrett and I discussed his first forays into art, the overwhelmingly personal memoir "Hey, Kiddo", and his current YouTube series "Draw Every Day" among other topics. Jarrett realizes his work, and his words, can inspire people of all ages and seeks to use his incredible talent to make the world a better place. His focus on empowering children fits right into the core focus of The DTALKS Podcast: to make the world a more inclusive place for all! Thanks for coming on the show Jarrett, we can't wait to have you on again!

#DrawEveryDay
#beabetterdad

To quickly and easily leave a rating/review for this podcast please go to: 

https://ratethispodcast.com/dtalkspodcast

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by Snuffy!

Snuffy is a clothing brand about empowering you to show your weird - unapologetically, with bravery and confidence. 10% of profit goes to LGBTQ+ organizations led by Trans* people of color. Shop online now at snuffy.co

The DTALKS Podcast has also been ranked #9 in the "Top 40 Detox Podcast You Must Follow in 2020" according to Feedspot.com for our work in the Cultural Detox space. Thank you so much to the Feedspot team! 

https://blog.feedspot.com/detox_podcasts/