TURN it up!

Ravia sits down with Edmonton designer Suvi Sharma to trace how her nani’s (maternal grandmother's) underpaid embroidery work for luxury houses shapes her brand Silver's Wind's mission today. We talk identity, confidence, and what it looks like to build a modern fashion brand that gives credit, names makers, and pushes back on cultural erasure. 

• Suvi’s nani as the core inspiration and a window into artisan labour behind luxury fashion 
• Moving from India to Canada and holding onto Indian-ness in public style 
• Family mindset as the source of confidence and creative risk-taking 
• Leaving corporate marketi...

Ravia talks with UK fashion designer Jasmine Kaur about building an ethical brand (House of Tuhi) rooted in Sikh Punjabi identity, and how curiosity helps her find a creative voice in spaces that rarely reflect her community. We dig into sustainability, culture washing, and what it means to wear your story proudly while imagining a future-forward Punjab. 

• The origin of Jasmine label and why Sikh Punjabi stories feel diluted in mainstream fashion 
• What it feels like to study fashion as a Sikh Punjabi woman and carry the weight of representation 
• The lack of accessible Sikh fashion l...

The TURN Team interviews Raf Saperra at K Days in Edmonton and talk about living between cultures while staying grounded in Punjabi roots. We dig into what fuels a creative renaissance, how he handles criticism, and why real fans matter more than inflated numbers.

• Growing up in South London with mixed friend groups shaping identity and sound
• Advice for kids of immigrants on exploring other cultures while learning their own roots
• Why Renaissance is a sonic rebirth built on risk and integrity 
• Filtering feedback by answering to the artist within and building confidence through craft 

The Edmonton Heritage Festival returns to Hawrelak Park with fresh upgrades, new groups, and the same unmatched feeling of a city coming together. We talk with Rob from the Edmonton Heritage Festival Association and Scott Murray from presenting sponsor Robertson College about access, activations, and how to plan a full day that goes beyond the food. Here's what they get into:

• What “success” looks like for a presenting partner through real community connection 
• Why returning to Hawrelak Park feels like a homecoming for Edmontonians 
• What stays the same on site and what changes with access this year 

Sogand talk with Manni Uppal about losing her 11-year-old son, then choosing to turn grief into growth by carrying his legacy forward. We unpack what healing actually looks like day to day, from therapy and faith to neuroplasticity, signs, and the words we repeat to ourselves. 

• Choosing purpose and legacy while still having dark moments 
• Post-traumatic growth and identity after loss 
• Showing real emotions online and why healing is not linear 
• Seeking professional help and being open about therapy 
• Grief as waves and how patience changes the process 
• signs, synchronicities, and training the mind to notice...

Sapreet talks with the Minister of Education and Childcare for Alberta, Demetrios Nicolaides about the province’s new education spending and what it’s meant to change inside real classrooms. We dig into student growth, classroom complexity, rural access to specialists, and how parents and educators can track whether the new supports actually work:

• Budget 2026 investments tied to class size and classroom complexity 
• Enrolment growth of roughly 90,000 students in four years and what that pressure looks like in schools 
• How complexity teams are staffed and how they support teachers day to day 
• Examples of one-on-one inte...

Ravia sits down with Dr. Kate Bykowski to get clear on what nurse practitioners do in Alberta and why Nurse Practioner (NP) led primary care could ease the pressure created by family doctor shortages. We also dig into midlife women’s health, the messy reality of internet and AI medical advice, and what better access to perimenopause and menopause care could look like. 

•  What nurse practitioners can diagnose, prescribe, and manage in Alberta 
•  How primary care works as a first entry point and why continuity matters 
•  The funding and compensation barriers that limit NP-led clinic capacity 
...

Sogand brings back the joy of school supplies and show how colour, texture, and simple crafts can make your brain feel safer, steadier, and more engaged. In this episode, Sogand connects nostalgia to real psychology and give you a low-cost way to reduce stress and build focus without chasing perfection. 

• Back-to-school supply nostalgia as a doorway to play and comfort 
• Colour psychology and visual novelty that boost attention and motivation 
• Childhood associations through autobiographical memory and sensory cues 
• Distinctive effect and colour-coding for stronger recall and learning 
• Dual coding theory and why visual notes feel more...

Sapreet sits down with Dr. Sunny Singh to talk about how a childhood vision challenge grew into a career in optometry and a multi-city clinic expansion. We also dig into the real work behind entrepreneurship, why giving back matters, and how cultural representation shapes confidence for the next generation.

• How early eye health struggles shaped Sunny’s path into optometry
• What it takes to run an optometry clinic beyond patient care
• Expanding practices across Calgary and Edmonton while managing growth
• Building Harmani and why the team believes in Alberta real estate
• Delayed gratification, reinvestment...

Ravia sits down with Kanwar Sandhu and Sonny Sekhon to explain why the Brick Invitational Hockey Tournament at West Edmonton Mall feels like the loudest, most electric week in youth hockey. We share the traditions, the history, and the new push to build leadership and inclusivity alongside elite U10 competition. 

• What The Brick Invitational Hockey Tournament is and why it’s best on best U10 hockey 
• The shock factor of watching 9 and 10 year olds play at a pro level 
• How 472 alumni reaching the NHL changes how you see the rink 
• Favourite memories from the tournament...

We talk with Edmonton City Councillor Keren Tang about what record rainfall reveals about stormwater capacity, flood response, and what residents can do before the next surge hits. We also connect everyday local issues in Ward Karhiio from schools and safety to transit operations, fireworks rules, disability policy anxiety, aging in place, and the realities of infill redevelopment. 

• How Edmonton’s drainage system works day to day and why surge events overwhelm it 
• Where residents can report flooding concerns and how the city and Epcor respond 
• Homeowner prep basics like sump pumps, downspouts, and clearing ea...

We sit down with Edmonton artist JR Rhodes to unpack the meaning behind Awaiting King and why he’s ready to share a more personal, culture-rooted sound. We talk perfectionism, faith and family, plus the real behind-the-scenes work that turns singles into an EP people can live with. 

• The idea of being “chosen” while still waiting for the moment 
• Taking control of production and mixing to protect authenticity 
• Learning when to stop chasing perfect and actually release the art 
• Drawing inspiration from South Asian heritage, God, and his grandmother Elvira 
• Journaling and writing from differen...

We talk about climate anxiety as a real, complex response to climate change, and we name the grief, anger, guilt and dread that can come with it. We also focus on why this lands differently for the South Asian diaspora and share practical ways to cope without slipping into hopelessness. 

• Defining climate anxiety as an umbrella term that includes more than anxiety 
• Explaining why it is not a DSM diagnosis while still being legitimate and measurable 
• Personal triggers like adult allergies, rising pollen and wildfire smoke 
• Research snapshots on prevalence and who reports higher level...

Ravia traces how Mendhi moves from a humble desert plant to one of the most meaningful wedding rituals across South Asia, North Africa, the Middle East, and the diaspora in Canada. I also dig into what modern Mendhi nights look like now, and what respect and safety should mean when henna goes global. 

• The rise of new wedding add-ons like Y2K parties and what that says about changing culture 
• What henna is, how lawsone stains skin, and why the plant lasts for weeks 
• Henna’s history from ancient Egypt to the Indian subcontinent and beyond ...

Music is a direct line into memory, emotion, movement, and focus because the brain encodes sound alongside our life experiences. We connect the research to real life tools, from rhythm for rehab to playlists and nature sounds for nervous system regulation. 

• How the hippocampus links songs to autobiographical memories and strong emotions 
• What research suggests about music and memory recall in Alzheimer’s and dementia 
• Why rhythm activates motor networks and supports social bonding 
• How rhythmic auditory stimulation can help movement after stroke and in Parkinson’s 
• How music listening can boost creative thinking a...

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We unpack the rise of Bakra parties and why this newer pre-wedding event is showing up across Punjabi weddings in Canada and other diaspora communities. We explore how food, sports, social media, and changing gender norms turn one night into a cultural signal about what modern tradition can look like. 

• What a Bakra party is and when it happens in the wedding week 
• Possible origins including goat references, blue-collar yard culture, and men’s hangout rituals 
• How ladies-only sangeets shift toward family and co-ed events 
• Modern Bakra party formats including themes, jersey nights, games, and gro...

We dig into how movies and TV shape what people believe about mental illness, from fear-based villain stories to glossy “tortured genius” myths. We also highlight what healthier representation looks like when shows normalize therapy, medication, recovery, and real human complexity. 

• Villainization tropes that use diagnosis as a motive for evil 
• Split as an example of DID being linked to danger 
• Cultivation theory and how repeated images reshape “reality” 
• Stats on violence portrayals and why they stick in the audience mind 
• Lack of racial diversity in mental illness representation on screen 
• Eomanticization of mental illness through...

We talk with registered psychologist Komal Kumar about how to choose a therapist when counselling is new and confusing. We break down credentials, confidentiality, and fit so you can walk into a first appointment with more clarity and less fear. 

• Differences between therapist, counsellor, registered psychologist, and psychiatrist 
• Why regulation matters for ethics, accountability, and complaints 
• What provisional psychologists are and why supervised practice can help 
• When to start therapy, including preventative mental health care 
• Common fears about stigma, weakness, and cultural privacy 
• How confidentiality works and the narrow exceptions 
• What to expect in a f...

We look at gratitude through neuroscience and psychology, and why it can feel like a lifeline when the world gets heavy. We share evidence-backed reasons gratitude works, plus simple practices you can use in minutes to shift attention without pretending problems do not exist. 

• Evidence that regular gratitude supports well-being and optimism 
• How gratitude engages brain networks tied to reward and moral cognition 
• Negativity bias and how mindfulness helps us notice good 
• Gratitude as a relationship-strengthening emotion that builds trust and reciprocity 
• Links to resilience, less rumination, better sleep quality, and healthier patterns 
• How grief...

We trace Blitzkrieg’s journey from a Punjabi household in Mississauga to UK breakthroughs and two decades of work shaping South Asian Canadian hip hop. We also get real about surviving cancer and a motorcycle crash, then turning that urgency into music, live performance, and a culture-first business. 

• Growing up in Toronto between Punjabi media at home and hip hop outside 
• Discovering representation through Apache Indian and starting to rap early 
• Getting played by Punjabi MC and landing opportunities across the UK scene 
• Choosing education and marketing work to build stability alongside music 
• Being dia...

We talk with Alberta Opposition Leader Naheed Nenshi about why the proposed referendum is effectively a vote to start leaving Canada, even if it’s framed as “process.” We break down the legal roadblocks, the economic risk, and what a stronger Alberta inside Canada could look like if leaders focus on getting results instead of feeding anger. 

• Why a “process” vote still triggers an Alberta separation path 
• How the Supreme Court guidance and the Clarity Act shape any referendum 
• Why referendum uncertainty can drive away investment and stall major projects 
• The Brexit comparison and what a decade of f...

We chase a too perfect story about Jugni’s origins and end up face to face with how misinformation spreads through oral history, newspapers, and diaspora retellings. We also map what Jugni becomes across Punjabi folk music, spirituality, film, and migration, and why she still feels like the sharpest voice in the room. 

• A village elder’s Jubilee torch claim and why it felt so believable 
• Tracking the story to a 2005 Punjabi Tribune article and later translations 
• The date problem: Victoria’s Jubilee versus the 1906 timeline 
• Alternative etymologies: jugnu as firefly, roots tied to light, and gram...

We trace Sikh Heritage Month in Canada through the hard parts and the breakthroughs, from early migration and exclusionary laws to the RCMP turban fight and Sikh political firsts. Then we pivot into South Asian wedding culture and lay down a primer on why marriage can feel like a community project, plus what the “marriage market” does to people under pressure. 

• Spring energy leading to overcommitting and burning out 
• Marathon training nerves and asking listeners for tips 
• Why April is Sikh Heritage Month and how Vaisakhi fits 
• Early Sikh diaspora routes through empire and military service...

We break down why South Asian weddings can feel like pure joy and pure pressure at the same time, from the marriage market to the modern wedding economy. We look at how status, community expectations, and social media push celebrations bigger, pricier, and harder to navigate. 

• Pressure to marry as a social obligation tied to family status 
• Mental health strain from constant questions and expectations 
• Conspicuous consumption and why weddings become public status displays 
• Diaspora “new money” dynamics and the urge to one up 
• Event inflation from blended South Asian and Western traditions 
• D...

We break down LGBTQIA+ language in plain terms, then connect it to the mental health realities queer South Asian people face in Canada. We talk about respect, heteronormativity, colonial roots of homophobia, family honour pressure, and why culturally relevant mental health services can be hard to find but deeply needed. 

• A journaling prompt for summer obligations and burnout 
• What 2S LGBTQIA+ letters mean in everyday language 
• Why names, pronouns, and identity are about basic respect 
• Heteronormativity and how it shapes stigma and scapegoating 
• Intersectionality and why queer South Asian experiences are unique 
• Family exp...

We sit down with two Donovans to preview Edmonton’s festival season and the big collaboration that connects Taste of Edmonton, K-Days, and the Great Outdoor Comedy Festival. We break down what’s free, what costs money, why affordability matters, and how the Eat Play Laugh pass turns one summer weekend into a city-wide plan.

• Free entry and free stage performances at Taste of Edmonton 
• Food tickets model and why ticket pricing stays unchanged since 2018 
• Spotlight on local independent restaurants and community impact 
• Great Outdoor Comedy Festival at Kinsmen Park and the outdoor “bring a chair” vibe 

We meet Hardy Singh in Edmonton during his first Canada tour with Karan Aujla, and trace how a kid raised in Dubai turns family celebrations into a global Bhangra mission. We talk about building teams worldwide, pushing dancers into headline slots, and what it takes to make passion pay. 

• First Canada tour energy and why Edmonton crowds matter 
• Early Bhangra influence through family celebrations in Dubai 
• Starting a Bhangra group in 2011 and learning online when local teachers were scarce 
• Growing from college competitions to paid performances and bigger opportunities 
• Taking Bhangra workshops worldwide and t...

We make a science-backed case for bringing whimsy back into adult life, not as a cute extra but as a real way to train cognitive flexibility and improve wellbeing. We connect play, creativity, and positive emotion to dopamine, brain networks, stress recovery, and practical habits you can start even on a tight budget. 

• why whimsy depends on cognitive flexibility and prefrontal cortex shifting 
• how creative activities and novelty help loosen rigid thinking patterns 
• a simple reset exercise that turns “I’ll never get this right” into progress 
• why playfulness activates the default mode network and dopamine seeki...

We break down why imposter syndrome can feel louder during uncertainty and why it often targets high performers, not beginners. We connect self-doubt to locus of control, anxiety, burnout, and the pressure to keep moving the goalpost instead of taking in real wins. 

• Defining imposter syndrome as persistent self-doubt despite evidence of competence 
• Imposter syndrome not being a formal DSM diagnosis while still feeling intense 
• Internal vs external locus of control and how it shapes confidence and resilience 
• recognising how upbringing bullying caregivers peers and work culture affect self-belief 
• small acts of agency and self...

We pay tribute to Asha Bhosle and trace how her voice became the soundtrack of Indian cinema across eight decades. I reflect on reinvention, the stories we project onto famous women, and why a legacy can outlast the moment a legend is gone. 

• Asha Bhosle’s passing at 92 and why her work matters 
• The scale of her career with 10,000 recorded songs 
• Growing up in the Mangeshkar musical household 
• Finding an identity beyond Lata Mangeshkar’s shadow 
• The producer phone call that triggers a full reinvention 
• Versatility across classical, Western-influenced, folk, qawwali and ghazal styles 
• P...

We revisit boundaries through a South Asian diaspora lens and get specific about what happens when limits are too rigid, too porous, or missing altogether. I connect healthy boundaries to the circle of control so you can stop burning energy on other people’s reactions and start choosing what you can realistically carry

• Boundaries as capacity and sustainability in relationships 
• Why collectivist and family-oriented cultures need clear limits 
• Rigid boundaries as an impenetrable wall and how they show up at home 
• Porous boundaries as overgiving and the line between care and self-erasure 
• Healthy boundaries as a...

We talk with Alberta’s Minister of Education and Childcare about new expedited teaching certificates designed to bring more certified teachers into classrooms sooner. We press on timelines, safeguards, and what “faster” looks like while keeping Alberta’s standards firm. 

• Four new pathways to become a certified teacher in Alberta 
• Easing pressure from growing enrolment and fuller classrooms 
• Keeping teacher quality standards and conduct requirements unchanged 
• Assessing internationally educated teachers and bridging gaps with added coursework 
• Bringing tradespeople into Grades 7 to 12 to spark interest in the trades 
• Measuring success through certificates issued and annual evaluati...

We look at what mental health research is saying about Sikh communities, and why getting help can feel harder than it should. We connect stigma, racism, migration stress, and identity to practical barriers in Canada’s mental health system, then talk about what culturally safe care can actually look like. 

• The difference between “Sikh” and “sick” and why naming matters 
• Stigma in families and the pressure of reputation 
• Low use of mental health services despite real need 
• The gap after diagnosis when people still cannot access care 
• Loneliness and disrupted spiritual practice for Sikh migrants 
•...

We sit down with Fateh to trace how Canadian Punjabi and South Asian music grows from a few scattered gatekeepers into a real national scene. We also unpack why he writes for connection over clout and how “Jadu” came together through real friendship with Mickey Singh. 

• The early days of making Punjabi music in Canada and why artists once had to look abroad 
• Brampton as a hub alongside rising scenes in Calgary and Vancouver 
• Building touring infrastructure across Canada and wanting to reach more provinces 
• Creative mindset of writing from the heart instead of chasing crowd...

We talk with Alberta’s Minister of Education, Minister Nicolaides, about the province’s $600 million investment in modular classrooms and why the plan focuses on speed. We break down what modular classrooms are, how quality standards work, and how the Schools Now program aims to relieve enrolment pressure while new schools are built. 

• What a modular classroom is and how it is built off-site 
• Why modulars are used as a temporary stopgap for overcrowded schools 
• Alberta’s enrolment growth and the time gap between demand and new builds 
• Quality, safety, and government specifications for modular units 

We ask Naheed Nenshi, the leader of the official opposition of Alberta, why Alberta’s government is stepping into electoral boundary drawing and what that could mean for fairness at the ballot box. 

We talk through how gerrymandering works, why courts may get involved, and why public pressure still matters even when politics feels heavy. 

• Why Canada relies on independent boundaries commissions to protect fair elections 
• What changed between the interim report and the political blowback on the final report 
• How a new advisory panel without public hearings shifts power toward government control 

We connect caste to the music we stream and the pride we carry, tracing how power moves through South Asian culture from temple traditions to Punjabi pop. We sit with Sikh commitments to equality, name how caste discrimination shows up in Canada, and look at how Dalit artists use music to document life and fight back. 

• Defining caste as a system of birth-based hierarchy and why the four-varna model misses lived reality 

• Naming Dalit as a reclaimed identity and why caste persists despite being outlawed 

• Linking Sikh Heritage Month to the gap between equality...

We celebrate Vaisakhi with Alberta’s Opposition Leader Naheed Nenshi and dig into what the day means beyond the festivities. We connect seva to leadership, community resilience, and the choice to push back against division with steady acts of service. 

• Vaisakhi as a time to reconnect with faith, family, and shared values 
• Seva as the foundation of community life and public service 
• Nagar Kirtan as a religious procession that builds neighbour-to-neighbour connection 
• A story of a bird fighting a forest fire as a guide for responding to racism and hate crimes 
• The Guru Nanak Free K...

We sit down with Anmol Magic to trace his path from learning magic during months of bed rest to landing major stages with his Out Of This World Tour. 

We also get into the real mechanics behind his success, from restaurant gigs in Canada to the psychology and storytelling that make audiences come back. 

• Turning an accident into a focused practise period 
• Choosing to never be average and chasing big stages 
• The pressure and payoff of India’s Got Talent auditions 
• Navigating family concerns about cards and perception 
• Performing hundreds of shows then faci...