In this episode of Adult ISH, we’ve teamed up with Hopelab, a social innovation lab working to remove systemic barriers to youth mental health.

HopeLab just published a study that highlights how LGBTQIA+ Gen Z youth form deep emotional bonds with social media creators, impacting their mental health and sense of identity. Hopelab’s survey of 1,715 young people ages 13 to 22, reveals how these parasocial relationships provide validation and community, offering much-needed support that many lack in their offline lives. For many, TikTok and Instagram aren’t just for fun — they’re lifelines for self-expression and community. 

Co-hosts Nyge Turner and Christian Romo have conversations with Hopelab principal researcher Mike Parent and Angel Joy Flores (@arkangeljoy), a transfemme content creator, streamer, performer, and coach, focused on celebrating LGBTQ+ lifestyle and visibility. 

Adult ISH is produced by YR Media and brought to you by PRX’s Radiotopia. Be sure to follow all our socials @YRAdultISH!

Show your support for Adult ISH with a five-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or by making a donation at: YRMedia.org/Donate. THANK YOU!

Season 11 of Adult ISH is coming to a close, and we wanted to observe Pride Month by revisiting an all-time favorite episode that centers around the LGBTQ+ community and how you choose to express yourself. 

When we produced our “Drag Me” episode last June, there were more than 270 anti-LGBTQ+ bills being considered by state legislatures. 2023 ended with state lawmakers considering a total of 510 anti-LGBTQ+ bills. While more than 200 were defeated, 84 laws passed. And so far this year, 500-plus anti-LGBTQ+ bills have already been put forward. 

Adult ISH hosts Nyge Turner and Dominique “Dom” French are joined by former producer Georgia Wright as they talk with Bay Area drag queens Panda Dulce and Poison Oakland about their unique journeys into the joyful world of drag and how performers are fighting back against those trying to silence them.

Adult ISH is produced by YR Media and brought to you by PRX’s Radiotopia. Be sure to follow all our socials @YRAdultISH!

Show your support for Adult ISH with a five-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or by making a donation at: YRMedia.org/Donate. THANK YOU!

How have Xicanx artists in California used political posters as a medium for social change over the decades?  

Gilda Posada, associate curator at the Oakland Museum of California, talks with YR Media contributor Christian Romo to discuss “Calli: The Art of Xicanx Peoples,” an exhibit capturing the history of art activism, identity, and intersectionality through political posters and contemporary art installations.

Adult ISH is produced by YR Media and brought to you by PRX’s Radiotopia. Be sure to follow all our socials @YRAdultISH!

Show your support for Adult ISH with a five-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or by making a donation at: YRMedia.org/Donate. THANK YOU!

Brown v. Board of Education ended school segregation 70 years ago this month. How has education changed for Black students since?

Adult ISH is featuring a special episode of MindShift, a podcast from KQED that “explores the future of learning.” 

In a conversation that points out an often-ignored downside to desegregation in education, MindShift host and YR Media alum Nimah Gobir chats with Bettina Love, author of “Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal,” and co-founder of the Abolitionist Teaching Network.

The conversation explores how the Supreme Court ruling on Brown drastically reduced the number of Black teachers working, the impact of Ronald Reagan’s school crime policies on Black students, and how reparations can be used to repair some of the harm done to Black children in the education system. 

Adult ISH is produced by YR Media and brought to you by PRX’s Radiotopia. Be sure to follow all our socials @YRAdultISH!

Show your support for Adult ISH with a five-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or by making a donation at: YRMedia.org/Donate. THANK YOU!

What kind of adult do you want to be? How do you evolve into that version of yourself?

Adult ISH host Nyge Turner is joined by YR Media contributor Christian Romo, as he connects with Elise Hu, author, journalist, and host of TED Talks Daily – about the challenging steps she took after high school to become an adult. Elise shares why it’s important to ask for help, the power in finding mentors, and gently reminds us that you always have a chance to evolve

Adult ISH is produced by YR Media and distributed by Radiotopia from PRX. Be sure to follow all our socials @YRAdultISH!

Show your support for Adult ISH at: yrmedia.org/donate. THANK YOU!

We are living in a loneliness epidemic, according to the U.S. Surgeon General. And, it’s a global problem. A recent international Gallup survey showed nearly one in four people report feeling lonely - with young adults reporting the highest percentage of loneliness. So, we wanted to help by focusing on important relationships in your life, like platonic love. 

Host Nyge Turner brings his best friend, Josiah Percia, to Adult ISH to talk about the work they put into maintaining a long-lasting friendship. We also feature YR Stars Nubia, Jalen, and Ny’annah, who share how they show and receive love with their friends.  

Adult ISH is produced by YR Media. Be sure to follow all our socials @YRAdultISH!

Our podcast is distributed by Radiotopia from PRX. Please show your support for Adult ISH during our fundraiser by making a donation at: https://on.prx.org/Adultish. THANK YOU!

17 million households were facing food insecurity at some point in 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s more than 12 percent of people having trouble getting a proper diet, including young folks.

Adult ISH host Nyge Turner leads YR Media youth presenter Christian Romo and co-host Dominique French through some ways Black and brown people are filling a need for quality food. Bing Turner of Heritage Farmers Market breaks down how food deserts reflect systemic classism. Laura Navarro and Luis Jacobo of Urban Tilth share how their neighborhood farm is cultivating a community. And, pop-up restaurant operators Josh Yos and Yared Gebru of Tiny’s World in Oakland talk about how lack of access to diverse ingredients can bring down a restaurant’s menu. 

Adult ISH is produced by YR Media. Be sure to follow all our socials @YRAdultISH!

Our podcast is distributed by Radiotopia from PRX. Please show your support for Adult ISH during our fundraiser by making a donation at: https://On.PRX.org/AdultISH. THANK YOU!

Songs like “Imagine” by John Lennon, “Fight The Power” by Public Enemy, and “Alright” by Kendrick Lamar have all become anthems that inspired people to stay in the fight for what they believed in. They were also a direct reflection of the cultures of their eras. Music continues to impact the world, and those behind the music are driving that change. 

Adult ISH host Nyge Turner connects with two music festival founders. Modi O, who started Trillectro. And, Carmena Woodward, also known as DJ Red Corvette, an entrepreneur who co-founded Women Sound Off. We also catch up with YR Media alum and music producer Jason Valerio a.k.a. Trackademicks. All three award-winning creators help us explore how they use music as a tool to build community & impact society. 

Adult ISH is produced by YR Media and brought to you by PRX’s Radiotopia. Be sure to follow all our socials @YRAdultISH!

About 4.2 million people between the ages of 12 and 24 experience some form of homelessness each year in the United States, according to the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty. Adult ISH host Nyge Turner connects with Emi Nietfeld, who wrote “Acceptance,” about her experience navigating being unhoused while studying at Harvard University. Emi shares resources that can help young people manage housing insecurity and explains why youth homelessness is less about personal responsibility and more about a preventable systemic problem. 

Adult ISH is produced by YR Media and brought to you by PRX’s Radiotopia. Be sure to follow all our socials @YRAdultISH!

How do your thoughts and emotions change going into adulthood? We know growing up is hard, but what about it is so challenging? Host Nyge Turner explores the emotional tax of growing older and shares tips on transitioning from “young” to “young adult.” Joining us in this conversation is Stephanie Santos LCSW, who specializes in providing individual therapy to teenagers and young adults who struggle with anxiety and depression. Nyge also brings in Adult ISH production assistant Jalen Black to ask some personal questions about trying to adjust to college life with AJ Deloney LCSW, a staff therapist at UChicago Student Wellness at the University of Chicago.

Adult ISH is produced by YR Media and brought to you by PRX’s Radiotopia. Be sure to follow all our socials @YRAdultISH!

In March, the American Library Association (ALA) announced 4,240 unique book titles were requested to be banned from schools and libraries last year. The latest number of attempted book bans sets a new record, by a 65-percent increase over 2022’s previous highpoint (since the ALA has been tracking book censorship statistics). Nearly half of the books targeted are written by or about people of color and/or on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Adult ISH hosts Nyge Turner and Dominique “Dom” French kick off season 11 by speaking to Traci Thomas, host of “The Stacks” podcast, and Scott Stuart, author of “My Shadow is Purple,” about how removing access to books can cause harm.

Adult ISH is produced by YR Media and brought to you by PRX’s Radiotopia. Be sure to follow all our socials @YRAdultISH!