34 episodes
Inspira | Erika Mueller Chen Erika Mueller Chen
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- Business
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5.0 • 14 Ratings
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The Inspira Podcast with Erika Mueller Chen provides career advice and stories from global change-makers in Sport for Development, Social Impact, and the Diplomatic Service.
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33. Elena Mercedes Haro (Guatemala & Peru) - How can sport achieve social & economic development goals in Latin America?
Erika speaks to Mercedes about her SDP insights across Latin America and the Middle East, and her goal as an IOC Young Leader to facilitate sports for protection activities for migrant children.
Elena Mercedes Haro is a former member of the Women’s Saber National Fencing Team of Guatemala. She holds a Master’s degree in Sports Management and a Bachelor’s in International Relations. Her goal is to generate transformative change in and through sports to accomplish both social and economic development goals in Latin America. Mercedes is currently an active IOC Young Leader, and works in the development sector in Jordan.
Through her IOCYL project, "Talento en Movmiento" (Talent on the Move), Mercedes aims to facilitate sports for protection activities for migrant children to support their psychosocial well-being, especially if they have suffered from family separation or have been returned abruptly to their home country. Additionally, these sports activities will support the inclusion of women or youth in income-generating opportunities.
Mercedes' LinkedIn, Instagram, IOCYL Profile
Erika’s LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/erikamchen
Resources:
IOC Young Leaders Program
Right to Play in Jordan
Generations for Peace
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
Fencing for inclusion in Singapore
Olympic Refugee Foundation
Rising Phoenix film
International Platform on Sport and Development aka Sportanddev
GIZ Resources & GIZ Learning Lab
German Sport University Cologne
Episode Info:
Episode recording date: October 24, 2022.
See Erika’s LinkTree for episode transcript.
“The Podcast Intro” by “Music_Unlimited” was retrieved from Pixabay. Licensor's Username and Licensee Username - erika_mueller.
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed by the Guests of the Inspira Podcast do not necessarily represent the official policy or position of any Agency of the United States Government, or any organization public or private. -
32. Pauline Msungu (Kenya) - How can sport help women develop their voices in Kenya?
Erika speaks to Pauline about her experiences as an IOC Young Leader, and how she founded Beyond Sport_Kenya - a youth-led project in Rift Valley part of Kenya that works towards advocating for and promoting gender equality in and through sports.
Pauline Msungu is a football player in the Kenyan Women Premier league and a youth ambassador for the Bundesliga Youth Ambassadors’ project in Kenya. She studied Bachelor of Commerce, Purchasing, Supplies Chain Management, and Procurement, from Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology. Pauline is passionate about football and gender equity and believes that sport is a powerful tool that creates positive social impact. Her ideal world is one where human rights are protected regardless of age, gender and sexual orientation. As an IOC Young Leader, Pauline founded Beyond Sport _Kenya, which is a youth-led project in Rift Valley part of Kenya that works towards advocating for and promoting gender equality in and through sports. Through football coaching mentorship, and community led development, the project aims to develop a more inclusive community where both genders are treated equally regardless of their social status, age, gender and/or sexual orientation.
Pauline’s LinkedIn & IOCYL Profile
Erika’s LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/erikamchen
Resources:
Beyond Sport_Kenya Website, Instagram, Facebook
IOC Young Leaders Program
streetfootballworld now known as Common Goal
Episode Info:
Episode recording date: March 16, 2023.
See Erika’s LinkTree for episode transcript.
“The Podcast Intro” by “Music_Unlimited” was retrieved from Pixabay. Licensor's Username and Licensee Username - erika_mueller.
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed by the Guests of the Inspira Podcast do not necessarily represent the official policy or position of any Agency of the United States Government, or any organization public or private. -
31. Sophia Papamichalopoulos (Cyprus) - How can sailing promote peacebuilding in Cyprus?
Erika speaks to Sophia about her experiences as an Olympian and IOC Young Leader, and how she founded Winds of Change - an initiative that aims to create the first bi-communal Cypriot sailing team that will sail around the divided island together.
Sophia Papamichalopoulos is an Olympic alpine skier who competed at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games, together with her brother. After graduating from the Paracelsus Medical University of Salzburg, she is now a resident doctor at the Department of Visceral Surgery and Transplantation of the University Hospital in Zurich. Next to her medical career, Sophia tries to remain engaged in sports and the Olympic Movement. In 2018, she was appointed to the World Sailing Medical Commission. She also contributed to the Athlete365 Space at the Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang in 2018. In 2021, Sophia was selected as an IOC Young Leader and founded “Winds of Change”, a project aiming to create the first bi-communal Cypriot sailing team that will sail around the divided island together.
Sophia's LinkedIn, Instagram, IOCYL Profile
Erika’s LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/erikamchen
Resources:
Winds of Change GoFundMe
Winds of Change Website, Instagram, LinkedIn, Newsletter
IOC Young Leaders Program
PeacePlayers International
Episode Info:
Episode recording date: March 11, 2023.
See Erika’s LinkTree for episode transcript.
“The Podcast Intro” by “Music_Unlimited” was retrieved from Pixabay. Licensor's Username and Licensee Username - erika_mueller.
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed by the Guests of the Inspira Podcast do not necessarily represent the official policy or position of any Agency of the United States Government, or any organization public or private. -
30. Oscar Mwaanga (Zambia & UK) - Why must we decolonize Sport for Development?
Erika speaks to Dr. Oscar about his experience inspiring the SDP movement in sub Saharan Africa at the turn of the century, the importance of education and knowledge sources, his positionality, and the need to decolonize SDP and higher education.
Dr. Oscar Mwaanga is an esteemed academic and activist with a long history of accomplishments in the fields of Higher Education, Sports Industry, and International Sport for Development. He currently serves as the Programme Director of International Sport Management at University of London, as well as an Emeritus Associate Professor with Solent University (UK). As a Fellow at the University of London Centre for Online and Distance Education (CODE), Dr. Mwaanga leads CODE's Decolonising Working Group to promote social justice through research initiatives on decolonisation within education systems worldwide. Additionally, he pioneered the Sport for Development movement in Sub-Saharan Africa which resulted in several successful programmes and organizations such as Kicking AIDS Out Movement, EduSport Foundation, Go Sisters Programme, etc.
Impressively, Dr. Oscar is the first Zambian to receive a PhD in sport and is the first Zambian to be appointed Professor of Sport. He will be a Visiting Professor starting in 2023, focused on decolonization at Kwame Nkrumah University in Zambia.
Oscar's LinkedIn, Twitter, U of London Profile
Erika’s LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/erikamchen
Resources:
International Sports Management Postgraduate Certificate at University of London
EduMove - Education through Movement
Decolonizing an International Curriculum
Decolonizing Digital Education
Decolonization in Practice (2017)
Episode Info:
Episode recording date: March 9 & April 4, 2023.
See Erika’s LinkTree for episode transcript.
“The Podcast Intro” by “Music_Unlimited” was retrieved from Pixabay. Licensor's Username and Licensee Username - erika_mueller.
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed by the Guests of the Inspira Podcast do not necessarily represent the official policy or position of any Agency of the United States Government, or any organization public or private. -
29. Nicole Matuska (USA) - How can we democratize philanthropy & center feminist voices in Sport for Development?
Erika speaks to Nicole about democratizing philanthropy, gaming and esports, and how Women Win serves as a global multi-dimensional women’s fund guided by the vision of a future where every girl and woman exercises their rights.
Nicole Matuska is the Global GRLS Director at Women Win, and has been working with Women Win in various capacities since 2011 in the U.S. and globally. Currently, Nicole has taken on the strategic lead of girls’ rights through sport initiative at Women Win, working with implementing partners across the development, sport and women's rights sectors to advance the playing field that empowers adolescent girls and young women to exercise their rights through sport and play. Together with partners, Women Win has impacted the lives of over 4 million adolescent girls and young women in over 100 countries. Graduating with a journalism degree from Northwestern University, Nicole received a Fulbright scholarship in 2006 to study women’s football in Morocco, and ended up staying 10 years in the country working with local and international organizations using sport as a tool for girl's and young women's empowerment.
Nicole's LinkedIn
Erika’s LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/erikamchen
Resources:
Women Win
ONSIDE Fund: Gender Justice In Sports
The ONSIDE Fund: ONSIDE Gaming
Episode Info:
Episode recording date: March 6, 2023.
See Erika’s LinkTree for episode transcript.
“The Podcast Intro” by “Music_Unlimited” was retrieved from Pixabay. Licensor's Username and Licensee Username - erika_mueller.
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed by the Guests of the Inspira Podcast do not necessarily represent the official policy or position of any Agency of the United States Government, or any organization public or private. -
28. Cathy Neap (Papua New Guinea) - How can sport prevent gender based violence in PNG?
Erika speaks to Cathy about leadership, gender based violence in Papua New Guinea, and how sport can lead to multiple positive developmental outcomes in society.
Cathy Neap works for the National Rugby League (NRL) in Papua New Guinea managing the NRL-run, DFAT-funded League for Life sport for development program in PNG, and has worked for the program since 2014. Cathy has represented her country in both codes of rugby, and was the inaugural captain of the PNG Orchids (the country’s national women’s rugby league team) when it was formed in 2017, leading her nation at the world cup that year. She also stars in the internationally-released documentary about the team, Power Meri (Powerful Women). Cathy is from Kapomanda Village in Wabag District of Enga province in Papua New Guinea, located in the highland's region of PNG.
Cathy's LinkedIn
Erika’s LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/erikamchen
Resources:
Power Meri Film (Powerful Women)
NRL expands community reach in Papua New Guinea
Sport celebrated as a bridge to development by Australian High Commission
The power of Rugby League in PNG by Lowy Institute
Save the Children
Episode Info:
Episode recording date: March 19, 2023.
See Erika’s LinkTree for episode transcript.
“The Podcast Intro” by “Music_Unlimited” was retrieved from Pixabay. Licensor's Username and Licensee Username - erika_mueller.
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed by the Guests of the Inspira Podcast do not necessarily represent the official policy or position of any Agency of the United States Government, or any organization public or private.
Customer Reviews
Can I review my own podcast?
Yes - I'm doing it, reviewing my own podcast :) Thank you to everybody who has offered a note of support or encouragement during my journey, and for fueling me with motivation to create this passion project! I am having so much fun hosting, learning, and designing implementing conversations with incredible global leaders. It’s an honor to provide this platform and to demystify the Sport for Development sector. Thank you to my inspirational guests, my amazing listeners, and anyone who has explored my global resource hub. I hope these tools support you on your path. Cheers! ~ Erika M. Chen
Unlocking the Secrets of Success: An Inspiring Podcast for Sports and Development Professionals
As someone who has always been passionate about sports development and peace sector, I am constantly on the lookout for ways to learn and grow from others who have walked the same path and achieved success in the space.
Inspira has truly been a game-changer for me. Hosted by Erika Mueller Chen, the podcast provides an amazing opportunity to dive deep into the journeys of her guests and gain valuable insights to help us on our own personal journeys within the sector. Erika is a fantastic host who does an exceptional job of making her guests feel at ease and providing a great mixture of deep conversations and lighthearted dialogue to keep the audience engaged.
One of the things I love about Inspira is that every guest offers a unique perspective on the space, so not two episodes are alike. This has been incredibly valuable for me in terms of expanding my knowledge and gaining a deeper understanding of the field.
The podcast is also a great resource for networking, as guests share their insights on how to network not only in the space, but in general. This has been incredibly helpful for me, as networking can be a daunting task, and hearing from others who have successfully navigated it has been inspiring.
In addition to the podcast, Erika has also created an amazing resource guide for the space that has been an invaluable tool for me. The guide is a self-paced master's degree of the ins and outs of the sector, and when coupled with the podcast interviews, it truly provides a wealth of knowledge that has helped me to create actionable steps to start or enhance my career in the space.
Overall, I would highly recommend Inspira to anyone who is serious about the sports development and peace sector, sports diplomacy, or who just wants to listen to some exceptional conversations around the topic. It has been an incredible source of inspiration for me, and I'm sure it will be for many others as well.
Very informative
As a college professor I am always looking for resources to share with students. Erika and her guests do a great job highlighting the power of sport development. Whether you are just staring out in the field or a seasoned veteran, I strongly recommend this podcast.