Odyl Rozendaal is a psychologist and walking coach, who loves the summers in Amsterdam, getting lost in beautiful and old villages in France and there is something about beachlife, about the sea, the ocean that makes her feel humble. She started with rollerskating to feel more connected to her inner child and feels the most free when she dances, something she never wants to give up. In this episode we talk about the power and benefits of walking coaching, what Odyl means when she says she...

Abbiola Ballah (she/her) is the founder and CEO of Phern Education Studios, an organisation that is a catalyst for change in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging space. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, Abbiola has spent the past 20 plus years living, studying and working in Japan, the US and Belize. An educator for 17 plus years, she has held leadership roles in various educational institutions, focusing on creating inclusive environments in these spaces, being especially...

Nani Jansen Reventlow is an award winning human rights lawyer specialised in strategic litigation at the intersection of human rights, social justice and technology. Nani is also the founder of Systemic Justice , a new organisation that seeks to radically transform how the law works for communities fighting for racial, social and economic justice.  Nani has an extensive background in promoting human rights in the digital context and in defending journalists and activists in some of the most...

Olena Gyrenko is a very proud Ukrainian soul. A dedicated, and happy but also often tired mama of Sophia and Lev. She is a caring daughter, not the worst friend and a loving but often whining wife to an amazing Dutch man called Leon.   This episode is probably one of the rawest and most honest Salt conversations I have ever had. Olena tells us about her life in Ukraine, of what it means to claim the streets and how her diasporic journey brought her to the Netherlands. How it feels to be far...

What characterizes our path in becoming diversity workers who strive towards achieving diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and intersectional justice in our societies? It usually starts with a memory, with witnessing an injustice that stays with us forever, and becomes ingrained into who we are.  For Kaumudi Goda it began with a memory about her grandmother who could not step out of the house because she was a widow and people believed encountering a widow first thing in the morning...

Mohamed Triki is a 22 year-old Tunisian podcaster working on Borjouliya podcast, the first and so far the only podcast focusing on toxic masculinity in Tunisia.   Mohamed grew up in Tunis, in a middle-class family, went to public school and has very nostalgic memories about his childhood, his large community of friends and the neighborhood he has been living in. He studied business administration and his passion for feminism and storytelling led him to the world of podcasting. His keen...

Nicolette Lazarus describes herself as a mid-life woman, with a 100% record of getting through bad days. This is something she thinks we all should remind ourselves of when facing those challenges we all experience that we never think we'll get through. Originally from the UK, she has lived in Amsterdam with her partner for over 16 years and now considers it to be her home. As a people person, she’s passionate about genuine human connection and exploring the things that we often collectively...

On a Monday evening in March I met with Sofi Antonellini in a safe brave space of vulnerability and radical honesty. We had a deep, emotional, and essential conversation.  Sofi is a very special person, and was one of my guests in season 1 episode 15. Many of you wonderful people wanted to hear more of Sofi. I received many messages asking me to bring them back. In March I felt the time was right to have another conversation. I met a different Sofi, a person who is embracing the rebirth of a...

Eva is a psychologist and art therapist who runs her private practice in Amsterdam and online globally. She has worked in the private and public sector, in psychiatric clinics, educational settings, with survivors of sexual violence and in refugee camps.  During her work in refugee camps across Greece she encountered art therapy and saw the positive effects it has on people first-hand. How it can offer a safe space for exploration, play, healing and change. As a result she decided to become...

Lieke Boot is the head of student welfare at the University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Lieke and I met a few years ago at the daycare our kids attended. After getting to know each other we met many times in the park, for long walks and long talks. A while ago I asked her if she wanted to speak on SALT and Lieke's answer was an immediate yes. However, it took two years until we set up the actual recording and when speaking with Lieke I realized why. Because now was...

What is a memory that you have that had an impact on your life? is a question I was asked in episode 37 by Ina from indieslittlecrafts . Her question triggered something unexpected and as a result, I have been asking all my guests about their memory ever since. Because something happens when we unleash our untold stories, when we remember them, and share them. They lead to unexpected openings and gatherings, connections and breaking of silences.  This is both Salt's 50th episode and its 2nd...

After 7.5 years as an innovation and concept designer, Mérida Miller decided to leave the corporate world to follow her passion: learning and working hands-on with people to create a ripple effect impact. Driven by human-centric design and a love for empowering solutions Project Fearless was born. A non-for-profit organization that offers after school courses for girls and genderfluid youth between the ages 9 and 14 to get hands-on, break stereotypes and find their voice. To be part of an...

This is part 2 of 'Activism Works - Black Pete is Racism' where Lieke Koningen, Simone de Bies and I discuss why Black Pete is racism, and how it is connected to the Dutch colonial legacy and linked to institutional racism. We focus on the importance of recognizing power relationships and being antiracist. An we discuss how an inclusive Sinterklaas festivity can look like and how kids are ready to be educated on racism.   Above all though, we recognize the long-lasting resistance struggle...

This episode (which consists of two parts) is about the Dutch Sinterklaas festivity and specifically the figure of Black Pete. It firmly states that activism works and that Black Pete is Racism.  To discuss this important and challenging topic I gathered with two fabulous people: Lieke Koningen and Simone de Bies.  Lieke is a mother, a life coach, community builder and event producer. An award winning teacher, dancer and workshop developer who lives with her family in Amsterdam, The...

J.A.D.E full name Joanna is a 23 year old multifunctional artist from Amsterdam. She makes music, creates beats, sings, creates drawings, works as a model and studies at the Herman Brood Academie in Utrecht in the Netherlands to be a music industry professional.  Regarding her music Joanna feels mostly at home in NEO soul. She started her music career in 2018 and her songs talk about trauma, heartbreaks, and things we experience as people, things that are part of our journeys. Joanna finds...

Melanie Jacob (she/her/hers) is a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Consultant (DEI&B). She holds a BA (Hons.) in French & Spanish from the University of the West Indies and an MA in Communications, Media & Public Relations from the University of Leicester. Originally from the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia, she has lived in Barbados, Martinique, Lyon and now, Paris. As a result of her diverse personal and professional experiences, she became intent on exploring matters...

Maryanne O’Hara is the author of the memoir LITTLE MATCHES, FINDING LIGHT IN THE DARK, published by HarperCollins. LITTLE MATCHES was inspired by a blog that Maryanne kept while her daughter Caitlin, who was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at the age of 2, was waiting for a lung transplant. Caitlin got her transplant, finally, but it was too late. She’d had to wait too long. Her family lost her in December of 2016. She was 33. The book LITTLE MATCHES was Maryanne's way of making sense in...

Djanifa da Conceicao is a a midwife with her own practice in South Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Through her work Djanifa realized that important information that can be extremely helpful before, during and after childbirth does not reach everyone. It is either hard to find or you have to have to pay for it.  Therefore, Djanifa started the Youtube channel Verlosmoeder to offer education, motivation and advocacy for (almost) moms, parents and birthing people. It is where she shares her...

Charissa Promes is a journalist, podcast host, coach, writer and mother of three. After more than ten years of experience as a performing dancer and six years in the media, she changed her life. Because when motherhood came to her she experienced uncertainty, mental challenges and social isolation. Therefore, she decided that she wanted to support and connect with others to experience a more beautiful beginning of motherhood. So Charissa founded mommy conversations where she brings together...

Rochelda Kemper is a 19-year old girl who is following her dreams. Everything in her life is about rest and relaxation. Rochelda grew up in a loving family with three younger sisters and is very close to her family and relatives. At a young age she was very quiet, felt things around her, captured energies, situations but she did not do anything with that. She thought it was nothing when you feel something that is not right.  In recent years, Rochelda has focused on her self-development,...

One day I got a call from my neighbor and friend Maria Smirnioti telling me that she would like to share her mental health journey that is centered around her experiences of living with depression on Salt. We came together and started talking openly. The result is a very honest, raw and compassionate conversation with Maria describing, how she has broken her chain, through speaking her truth and how sharing her story has given others permission to do the same.  You will hear us talking about...

Laurie Nash is a single mum to her beautiful son and the founder of Askr Creative , a content marketing and copywriting business for creative entrepreneurs and coaches. In 2020 Laurie began her journey towards a diagnosis for bipolar after 10 years of trying to face mental health alone.  In this episode we speak about Laurie's mental health journey, the stigma around mental illness, medication, motherhood and mental illness. With this episode and other's to come we want to fight the stigma...

Zina Malas is a Sexual Health educator based in Amman, Jordan. Zina is a single mom to two lively girls and an intersectional feminist, who uses a shame free, body positive approach to her teachings and is an ally to the LGBTQI+ community. Zina is also an avid reader who is always happy to strike up a conversation with strangers. In this episode we speak about shame and guilt in relation to sex and sexuality, healthy communication about sex in a relationship, pornography in general and with...

Keren Dunaway is an activist and researcher from Honduras who was born with HIV. Keren comes from an activist household and her parents were one of the first in the country to speak openly about their and Keren’s HIV diagnosis. Together they set up Llaves, one of the first organizations in Honduras that uses strategic communication for HIV prevention and advocacy. After her father‘s loss, her mother continued the important work Llaves does to fight against the stigma and discrimination people...