For the episode #40 of We Belong, we met the inspiring Cecilia Said Vieira. She is a Social Entrepreneur, Marketing & Communication Expert and Founder of the podcast 'Ceci, Do You Love Me?'. Cecilia is a Luxembourger with a Brazilian background and during her studies in Berlin she noticed that many Luxembourgers live in a "bubble" from which many don't dare to venture out. She wanted to change this through her successful podcast that deconstructs prejudice and sparkles meaningful conversations across Luxembourg. In conversation with Cecilia, we discussed her target audience and the ways she engages and reaches the Gen Z. As a culture enthusiast, she also hosts and produces the culture podcast "Kulturpur" by culture.lu to provide a platform for Luxembourgish artists. With the support of André Losch Foundation.
For the #39 episode of We Belong, we met Sarah Zitouni, the mind behind the 150k followers Instagram account “PowHer Ta Carriere”! Based in Sweden, Sarah spends 80% of her time working as a Director of Strategy in the automotive sector and 20% of her time coaching women to gain confidence and advance their careers. After years thriving to find her place in a male-dominant sector, today she shares her lessons learned with more than 150k women via social media, she coaches them and she just published a book called PowHer Ta Carriere. In conversation with Sarah, we discussed how she overcame her impostor syndrome as a female engineer and how crucial self-branding is to get promoted and recognised in the workplace.
For the #38 episode of We Belong, Co-Founders Yasmine & Jana did a Q&A to introduce our new leadership program: PowHer! PowHer is a journey towards transformation, growth, and making a positive impact. For 10 months, a cohort of young women will benefit from workshops and individual coaching sessions to develop their leadership skills. Our Co-founders discussed what motivated them to launch PowHer and their goal to equip young women with the essential skills and unwavering confidence needed to drive meaningful change in society. PowHer is a program developed with the support of André Losh Foundation. Find more here: https://www.webelongeurope.com/powher-project
For the #37 episode of We Belong, we were in Luxembourg for a discussion with Aymeric Kabore, an activist and a Diversity & Inclusion professional. Aymeric shared his experience arriving to Luxembourg at a young age and how he found an armony in self-defining as an Afro-European. We also spoke about gender identity and how intersectionality make us unique in our lived experiences. This episode is part of a project in collaboration with Soul of Nations.
For the #36 episode of We Belong, we were in Luxembourg for a discussion with Maimuna Djalo, who works as an Educator. Maimuna opened up on her experience as she faced several episodes of discrimination by peers and teachers when she was a child. These difficult moments prompted her to become a teacher and she shared with us the importance to bring more representation into the educational sector. This episode is part of a project in collaboration with Soul of Nations.
For the #35 episode of We Belong, we were in Luxembourg for a discussion with Igor Tchappi, a Research Associate at the University of Luxembourg. Igor shared his passion for computer science and how the lack of data can lead to biases. He is currently working on a research at the intersection of AI and Social Inclusion and we discussed the need for more scholarships for people with diverse backgrounds to pursue a PhD. This episode is part of a project in collaboration with Soul of Nations.
For the #34 episode of We Belong, we were in Germany for a discussion with Oumou Aidara, an photographer, a director and a committed environmentalist. We discussed their passion for photography, sports and film. Their work explores issues of identity, belonging, psychology, nature and society. Oumou also opened up on their experience living in Berlin and how language can influence individuals. This episode is part of a project in collaboration with Soul of Nations.
For the #33 episode of We Belong, we had an intimate discussion with our Co-Founder Jana Degrott, that also counts as one of the youngest elected politicians in Luxembourg and in Europe. Since the age of 16, Jana has been active in politics and by the age on 21 she was elected as a Local Councilor in Luxembourg. Recognised Obama Leader by the Obama Foundation, Responsible Leader by the BMW Foundation and Goalkeeper by the Gates Foundation, she is a role model for many aspiring female leaders. In conversation with Jana, she recalled her first elections compared to the current elections she is campaigning for. She also opened up on the mental health struggles she faced due to her political work and how she found her sense of belonging. Episode in partnership with Get the Trolls Out.
For the #32 episode of We Belong, we traveled to Paris to meet Salwa Rajaa, a Model with Moroccan backgrounds who advocates for inclusivity in the fashion industry. In the past few months, Salwa’s story was covered by several French media where she shared her experience as an Arab model. One day, she found herself having her name changed to “Sylvie” during a casting. For a long time Salwa felt ashamed of her identity, but today she is confident about who she is and bold to speak up to call for inclusion. In conversation with Rajaa, she shared with us the meeting that changed her career and prompted her to become a model, but also the difficulties she faced in the industry and what motivated her to speak up in order to foster change.
For the #31 episode of We Belong, we traveled to Paris to meet Élisabeth Moreno, a French-Cape Verdean businesswoman and politician. Mrs Moreno served as Minister for Gender Equality, Diversity and Equal Opportunities at the French Prime Minister's Office. Previous to that, Mrs Moreno worked for giant tech companies as Dell, France Telecom and she was the Managing Director for HP Africa before receiving a call from the French Prime Minister’s office that changed her destiny. Under Moreno's leadership, the French government successfully introduced a bill intended to protect victims of domestic violence, allowing doctors to break patient confidentiality if they believe a life is "in immediate danger". In conversation with Mrs Moreno, we discussed her journey moving from Cape Verde to France with her family in the late 1970s, her management style as a Female Executive in Tech and her ambitions to bridge the gap between public and private sectors. Her key advice to our listeners is: Dare to try!