Welcome to Art of Citizenry

Welcome and thank you for listening to Art of Citizenry podcast.

This podcast explores the intersection of social justice, personal journeys, and power dynamics. I am Manpreet Kaur Kalra, your host and in-house storyteller.

I want to take a moment to share with you the inspiration behind this podcast.

Over the years, I've traveled across six continents, spending extended periods of time in cities and villages around the world. As the stamps in my 52 page passport continued to multiply, so did my passion to do something impactful. My travels left me with a deep rooted desire to “do good” and be a part of a bigger change in how we create, sell and consume products. I started a small retail business. I wanted to better understand supply chains and how a sustainable business can do good. During that journey, I realized two things: the first, that impact does not scale like a business and secondly that sometimes doing good does more harm. Like so many other social entrepreneurs, what I failed to recognize at that moment was that my small business alone could not solve generations of structural inequity.

This podcast comes out of my experience as a social entrepreneur and advocate for inclusive brand narratives. Over the past few years, I have worked with purpose-driven businesses dedicated to producing things ethically. Through my work, I have seen the many ways in which doing good can create great impact, but I have also discovered the ways in which it can reinforce cultural stereotypes and colonial power dynamics.

Over the course of each episode, we will explore topics of social justice through the lens of identity and impact. This podcast is dedicated to creating a space for listeners to reflect and challenge themselves. Talking about difference is uncomfortable, but true change in the way you navigate through life can only happen if you are willing to navigate through discomfort. Doing good in an unequal world requires giving ourselves the space to reflect and approach inequity with humility.

Whether you are an aspiring social entrepreneur, an academic or social justice warrior, I hope this podcast gives you the opportunity to learn something new.

I look forward to you joining me as we explore the art of citizenry.