Latest / Skin Anarchy / Demi-Leigh Tebow , Miss Universe 2017, & Woman of The Hour- Wisdom of Women Exclusive - E.437

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Demi-Leigh Tebow , Miss Universe 2017, & Woman of The Hour- Wisdom of Women Exclusive - E.437 · Skin Anarchy

• 0:03
  SPEAKER_03: The forces of the after only you can stand in their way.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_03: Journey across the expanse of the open world sanctuary.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_03: Five powerful classes of progress of the figure play style.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_03: Adventure with your friends.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_03: The four player co-op with cross play across progression of the platform.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_03: Welcome to the four.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_03: Available now, rated and premature.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_03: Have the banner or visit this episode's page to learn more.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: Hey guys, before the episode starts, I just wanted to pop in and really say how much I am in awe of everything that Demi shared with this episode.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: I wanted to actually come on here for the episode and really echo what you're about to hear, which is going to be this wonderful, wonderful woman talk about things that are so near and dear to even my heart, and I know to so many of you out there.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: And so I really urge you listen to this episode and you know take her advice and tune in to how we can all really do our part when it comes to topics like, you know, child trafficking, human trafficking, how do how do we alleviate these terrible, terrible uh atrocities in our world?
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_00: Um this is just a little sneak peek of what Demi really dives into and explains um she has been doing such amazing work on the ground for this um ever since she was crowned, and I just cannot tell you how in awe of her I am for really fighting this fight and doing it the right way and with true enthusiasm behind it and just real value and and authenticity.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_00: So I just wanted to pop in and say that I think that we need more women such as this.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: And if you're a publicist and you're tuning in and you're uh listening to this, please reach out to us if you have or you represent someone um who is using their platform like them like Demi is, and you know, let us know if we can host them because I would love to keep these kind of conversations going.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: They're fundamental to the DNA of why I created skincare anarchy, which is the idea that we need to have these candid conversations and learn from the people who have the big platforms, learn from the people who are out there doing that work and using their platforms for good, like Demi.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: So again, I urge everyone listening.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: Um, if you know any publicists, if you know any celebrities that might also be doing this kind of work or anything that's just truly coming from a wonderful place, please reach out to us.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: You can reach me directly.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: My email is ekta at skincareanarchypodcast.com.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: Or to keep it simple, you can also email us at skincareanarchy at gmail.com and we get all of our all of your emails.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: It may take us a minute to reply, but we get through everything and we hear all of you.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: So I hope you enjoyed this episode.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: And huge shout out um from my fiance to Tim Thibault.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: He's a huge fan of Tim's, and um I know that Tim is going to enjoy this episode as well because uh him and Demi are really um you know made for each other in the sense that they're two very, very kind people, and what they're doing is truly extraordinary.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: So enjoy the show and let us know what you think.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks, guys.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: Hi guys, welcome back to your favorite podcast, Fitzma Anarchy.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: This is such a special, special episode.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: I cannot even begin to say I am so humbled and honored for this guest because I'm a huge fan of her, obviously, as you know, a celebrity, as somebody who I just am in awe of, you know, as just like an everyday person, right?
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_00: But it and more so as a human being.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: I'm obsessed with her work.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, she is really a woman that is not just you know talking the talk, but she is walking that walk every day in everything she does.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: So I can't wait to introduce you guys to former Miss Universe of she represented South Africa and the pageant, uh Demi uh Lee Thibault.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the show, Demi.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: I am so honored, like I said, to host you.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_02: Dr.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_02: Isa, thank you so much for having me.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_02: I love what you do and um love what this podcast is about.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_02: So thank you so much for having me.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_02: I'm so honored.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh, I the honor is mine, Demi.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: Honestly, I like I said, you know, huge fan of your work, but I I want to learn everything from you, you know, just hear it from your, you know, from you directly.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: And so I would love if you could walk us down memory lane um in terms of, you know, how you got inv involved in pageantry and then how all of that transpired to you becoming, you know, um first Miss South Africa and then going on to win the crown as Miss Universe in 2017.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_02: Well, first I just want to say I'm so honored that you invited me to be on this podcast because I have been listening to so many of the interviews that you've done in the past.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_02: And I just wonder if it was right.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_02: I am not a scientist, I am not a field expert.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_02: So I will I have my story to share, I have my personal story to share, and I'll be doing that.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but Nan, I have learned so much from so many of the people that you have had conversations with and have interviewed, and I've learned so much from just you personally with regards to skincare and beauty and the industry and the science behind it.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_02: So um I feel like I've been educated, even just uh, you know, listening to your podcast.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_02: So thank you for having me.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_02: You know about it, Dr.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_02: Isaiah.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_02: I feel like I I never really knew that I necessarily wanted to become Miss South Africa or Miss Universe.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_02: Growing up in South Africa, so many of the former Miss South Africans were just amazing role models to me.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, so many of them till they who I watched growing up, up, you know, went on to become amazing businesswomen, philanthropists, leaders in their communities, um, great representatives for our country.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_02: Um that I've always admired.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_02: And so as a little girl, you know, I love the pretty makeup and the ball gowns and the dress up and the whole pageantry behind everything.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_02: It was it was fun watching.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but it wasn't until I was probably, you know, becoming a teenager that I realized, gosh, like, you know, I I don't necessarily want to be Miss South Africa, but I want to be a Miss South Africa type of woman.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_02: And that's always been something that I feel like I've aspired to do.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_02: I remember, you know, in middle school, um, I always wanted to take part in everything.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_02: I wanted to um I, you know, would get up really early in the morning every single day to go and train because I I loved running running uh long distance.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, my coach and I she was like, okay, anyone that's willing.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, I might not have always been the best athlete, but I know I I was one of the most willing ones out there.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um, yeah, that's come from women that have gone before me that's inspired me, that's um laid the groundwork for me to be able to come after them.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_02: And my education was really important to me.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm thankful that I've had the opportunity to study.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_02: I graduated in business management and entrepreneurship.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and very shortly after my graduation, I entered Miss South Africa and I decided to give it a go.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and it's kind of a long process.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, I was like, it was kind of an eight-month kind of lead up at that point of interviews and man, it was stressful, and all these challenges that they kind of put you through to try and find the right the right person.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_02: So I knew, hey, I I don't I don't necessarily want to come back and do this all over again in a year or two.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_02: So like let's give this a shot, let's do our absolute best, let's be as prepared as we possibly can be.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and I entered and um, you know, by the grace of God, I I won the title.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_02: I always say whatever is is made for you is not going to miss you.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and if it's not meant for you, then something better is made for you, and there's a different door that is going to open.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_02: But we still have to be willing and work and bring our part, do our part.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_02: Um the Miss Universe side of things.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_02: So once you win your national title, you get to represent your country um at an international pageant.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_02: And Miss South Africa allowed me to compete at in the Miss Universe uh pageant, which was really my dream um to be able to represent my home country on an international stage.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, what an incredible honor.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_02: The one of the biggest honors of my life, honestly.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we at that point had not won a title, a Miss Universe title in 39 years.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_02: So South Africa had had a little bit of a long drought at that point.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: I was gonna ask you that.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, it was 39 years.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_00: 39 years, yeah.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_02: And before that, we've only had one winner from South Africa in the Miss Universe pageant.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_02: So um, you know, there was a little bit of pressure.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_02: I was like, okay, South Africa, we've we've got to do this, we gotta show the world what we're made of, you know.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_02: And so when I won Miss Universe, I can genuinely say that it really did not feel like just a personal victory, but it felt like a victory for all the young girls and all the young boys from a small town, from a country on the south end of Africa that has a dream.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, it felt like a victory for for for all of South Africa, not just for myself.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so really one of the greatest honors of my life.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh, I love that.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, I first of all, let me just say the fact that you started off and I the beautiful things you said about the podcast, and I can't tell you how much that means to me.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: Like I'm not crying on air.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, I'm not gonna do it, but you brought tears to my eyes.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_00: Happy tears, happy tears.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_00: Happy tears, really happy tears, very thankful tears.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I can't thank you enough for saying that.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I'm so happy to hear that you enjoy the show, but also just listening to you explain this, you know, this world um of embarking into pageantry.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, yeah, I mean, I feel like you really embody what I when I grew up watching Miss Universe, right?
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_00: Like I grew up watching it.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_00: I was, you know, I'm I'm a daughter of two immigrants.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_00: So when we came here, my mother didn't know English.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't know English, you know.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_00: So we would watch the pageant, right?
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_00: And like every year it was like a thing my mom and I did.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_00: And I remember watching, you know, and rooting for countries like South Africa, even as a young child, and and being like, yes, we have to, you know, like those are the countries I wanted to win as a kid.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_00: And like, you know, when I look back on those experiences, it's like I completely resonate with what you said, which is you were doing it for not just yourself.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_00: It was a it was a way to symbolize everything that you knew that South Africa stands for and for the people of the nation.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, I mean, just understanding that whole philosophy itself, it just just really resonates with me and it shows me how deep of a thinker you are in the sense of like really thinking about humanity overall.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_00: That is so important.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: And honestly, for me, even as a kid, when I was watching that pageant, that's what it stood for.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: Honestly, Demi, like it's that pageant stood for that, is highlighting women like you that are not only like obviously, yeah, we all as women, we love makeup, we love all these things, but the passion, the humanity, the work, the you know what I mean, that that aspect of it is what even as a kid drew me in.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_00: And to see you still, you know, even after the pageant, you know, you're still resonating that message out there, you're still putting it out there, doing the good work, walking that walk.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, that's huge.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_00: And I can't tell you how much as a woman I appreciate everything you've done and you continue to do because that's the real work.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I mean?
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's like winning something and then like becoming a celebrity is one thing, but then to really apply that platform and make it count is what I just love that you do.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: So thank you for everything.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_02: But I, you know, in all honesty, I have to say that there is definitely a time period, probably after handing over my crown, um, where I actually feel, and this might be surprising to you or some of your listeners, but where I actually feel like I went through a period once I handed over that title, um, where I had the least amount of confidence that I've ever had in my life, where it was a transition period where I wasn't sure what was next.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_02: And, you know, so moving continents.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_02: I I met my well now husband um somewhere in the middle of all of that, and you know, moving continent, just the whole process going through that, but also figuring out well, you know, I have this previous title, I I have this now platform, but but what do I do now?
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_02: Where to now?
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I don't know if that, you know, I think that happens to all of us at some point in our life.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_02: It might be once you graduate from that dream, you know, degree that you've strived or worked so hard for, once you've reached that uh that job title, that paycheck that we've worked towards, or moved to your dream city, or whatever that might be, made that sports team, you know, I think we all kind of get to a point in our life where we're like, gosh, like, what now?
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_02: Where's the self-confidence?
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_02: Why, why do I not have that confidence anymore?
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_02: And something that I've realized, and it's definitely not something that I came to realization that, you know, overnight, it took a couple of probably years for me to really figure that out.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_02: But I think I actually put so much of my confidence and my what I thought was my purpose in something that was temporary.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_02: Literally, I had I slipped that crown off of my hand and handed it over to you know a very, very deserving new winner.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_02: But in the same moment, I felt like I handed over my confidence, my purpose, my passion, what I thought was at the time, um, at the same at the same moment.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_02: And so I really had to work to figure out well, who are you, Demi?
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_02: What what are you really passionate about?
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_02: And um, you know, I I found I feel like my life schooling and purpose and something that I feel like is bigger than just myself, and something that is not just temporary and something that has the ability to impact hopefully many other lives.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and I'm grateful for that.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_02: It was a hard road getting there.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but I feel like once you find that passion and that purpose, it's it's hard not to want to live that out every single day.
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_00: No, oh my gosh, yes, 100%.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, just to like even like you know, kind of really touch on what you said, it's so important that I'm so glad that you mentioned this.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for bringing this topic up because you know, even as someone as accomplished as yourself, and you know, you felt that that makes me just I I I think about it because I've also gone through that, as all of us have, right?
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, for all the listeners out there, whenever we, like you said, Demi, we accomplish something great in our eyes, there's this vacuum that's left behind once that's over.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_00: And it's like not a vacuum of like, okay, you never end up feeling like, okay, I did it.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I mean?
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_00: You always end up feeling like, oh, well, what now?
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_00: You know, like what now?
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_00: And and where do I go from here?
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_00: And so I know that a lot of women, you know, resonate with exactly what you said.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm so glad to hear you with your platform say that because, you know, that's something that I think young girls, especially nowadays, they need to understand that you're never going to have 30 years of just nonstop success.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_00: That's just not a thing, you know.
• 15:30
  SPEAKER_00: You're always gonna have those ups, downs, sideways, you know what I mean?
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_00: You're gonna feel like you're flipped over your head on some days and other days you're on top of the world.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_00: But at the end of the day, that persistence and that dedication, and like you said, like finding that higher meaning in what you're doing, that's what's gonna make that real change in the world.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_00: And so with that, I want to ask you uh a very, you know, important question for me, even as a woman, is you know, what are the things to you like on a daily basis?
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: I know you have so many wonderful things that you're doing in terms of charity, uh charitable work and you know, just like I said, your work with women directly, but like on a day-to-day basis, like when you get up, like what is it like for you in terms of getting into the mode of, you know what, today I'm gonna conquer this day.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna go forward and do what I need to do.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_00: What is your um routine like on an average day, if you don't mind my asking?
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, um, gosh, on a on an average day, I feel like it it looks so different every single day.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I I don't have a nine to five, so so every day kind of looks different.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_02: I um I really try to take care of myself and my body by fueling it with good nutrition um so that I can be my best every single day.
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, I feel like sometimes when my skin breaks breaks out, it's kind of like my body's like message to me, like, hey, you're you're not doing something right here, you're not helping me out the way you should be, you know, you're feeling me with a bunch of nonsense because I do really have such a crazy sweet tooth.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so something that's fun for me to kind of always figure out is finding healthy treats, or I I I'm not a great cook or baker, but I love trying to figure out um, like I'll try something at a healthy shop or a restaurant, I'll try and imitate it back back home.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_02: So it's kind of a hobby for me.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but just you know, fueling my body, I think, is such a big part of my everyday routine.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_02: I take a bunch of uh probiotics and prebiotics, um, just greens.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I've learned that the food in the US can sometimes be very deceiving.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_02: I grew up in a very, very small town back in South Africa called Sechfield.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_02: And I grew up literally buying our weekly groceries on the Saturday farmers market where the farmers from the surrounding areas would come together, and that's where you bought your groceries.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_02: Everything from you know, homemade yogurt to eggs to salads to your meat, whatever you needed, you know, that's kind of where we shopped.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_02: And even the local grocery stores would source locally.
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_02: So you kind of, you know, knew what what you what you would eat um a little bit better.
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_02: And I've I feel like I've developed issues with my body that I haven't had before since moving um to the US.
• 18:17
  SPEAKER_02: And that's something that I've had to be more conscious of.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I can eat a loaf of bread back home and I'd be fine.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but I feel like in the US that's a different, a different story.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_02: I think a lot of people probably agree with me.
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not the scientist.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_02: I don't know, maybe you could explain that.
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_00: No, I agree with you 100%.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, I'm even gonna, I'm gonna honestly, I'm not trying to cut you off, but I was having this exact conversation with the founder of Novos.
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I I don't know if you've heard of the brand, but they're basically focused on like longevity science rather than like, you know, anti-aging and all the buzzwords.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_00: And we were talking about this, and I literally said to him, I said, you know what, Chris?
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_00: The weirdest part about all this is my grandparents, so my parents are from India, we're from North India, rural India, you know, and I was born there, grew up there for a while, and I still remember this day.
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_00: My grandmother, I mean, we were an agriculture family, you know, they were an agriculture family, so everything was grown in their own fields and picked and ground up, and everything was the epitome of organic, you know what I mean?
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_00: So I mean, they they lived, both of my grandparents lived to be beyond centennials.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_00: Like my grandfather was 106 when before he passed away.
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_00: My grandmother was 102 before she passed away.
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_00: And these they lived simple lives, they didn't have this exuberant US lifestyle that we're used to, you know?
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_00: So the food is definitely I hear you there.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I there's definitely something to be said about how important those like natural communities are when it comes to like how we're getting our food, where we're getting our food, you know what I mean, and the options that are provided to us.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_00: So 100% agree with you.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_02: I'll tell you a funny story.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_02: So when I first moved to the US, I lived in New York City, and um, you know, grocery shopping in the city is not always easy.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_02: So a lot of things are ordered online, and you know, I would always try and pick like the organic berries and avocados and options.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_02: And I was heading out on a two-week trip, and my roommate and I we kind of had very similar diet, similar tastes and food.
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_02: So I would like cut half the avocado, make a couple eggs, and you know, leave the other half for her.
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and she she'd be like, Yeah, yeah, I'll you know, I'm gonna eat it.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna eat it now.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_02: And so anyway, I leave it in the fridge, didn't even wrap it.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_02: She's about to come eat breakfast.
• 20:27
  SPEAKER_02: You know, avocados be fine for five minutes.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I left on my two-week trip and I came back.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, oh my gosh, it's so sweet.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_02: My roommate left her half of avocado for me in the fridge.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_02: Well, no, that avocado was perfectly in shape, not a brown spot anywhere on it.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_02: Like, like she had just put it in the fridge for me, and it was just it was perfect, perfect two weeks later.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_02: That's weird.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_01: It's very weird.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, that's very and bell peppers would literally just they would just not even go old, they would just kind of uh what's the word, like look like plastic that's melting.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, I've had a couple of weird incidents incident incidences, yes, that I, you know, that I haven't experienced um back home yet, but um, you know, anyway, so I think it's just wherever we are, we have to be conscious of how we're feeling our bodies.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I you know, I think our bodies will tell us sooner rather than later.
• 21:33
  SPEAKER_02: Um, it's the way it was designed when we're not giving it the nourishment and nutrition that it needs.
• 21:39
  SPEAKER_02: So that's a just a big part of I feel like if there's a routine in my life, because every day looks different, but if there's some form of a routine that I have, that is that is always something.
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_02: I always have my little microgreen sachet with me, my bottle of water, my uh, you know, uh probiotics, prebiotics, just Things that I know I need to keep my body um in the best condition to be able to be my best.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 22:08
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 22:08
  SPEAKER_00: And you know what?
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_00: Beauty does begin from the inside.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_00: And it begins with what we eat and how we live our lives based on what we eat.
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, I love what you said.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_00: I I really love what you said that you know that is a part of your routine because I cannot tell you, Demi, how many times I have to like tell people, you know, whether it's on a patient level, whether it's not through the podcast, whatever, is like you gotta take care of your body first, okay?
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_00: And your skin, you know, obviously, we're we started in our skincare podcast, and people always, you know, they'll ask questions like, well, how do I take care of my skin?
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_00: You know, what's the best brand to use?
• 22:41
  SPEAKER_00: And it's like time and time again, I myself as a consumer keep coming back to these fundamentals that you just described here, which is just you got to find the right stuff, guys.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you got to invest in your nutrition, you gotta invest in, you know what I mean, the things that are gonna give you those natural antioxidants.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_00: And and, you know, please don't buy the bell peppers that don't go bad.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, and the avocados that don't go bad, you know, do your homework where you're getting your nutrition from.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, that is such an important message.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_00: And especially, you know, I just want to say, like, really give you uh kudos, Demi, for saying that because I know with um there's a lot of misconception about the pageantry world, and there's a lot of misconception about the modeling world and stuff where people think that they have to starve themselves and stuff.
• 23:25
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, you absolutely don't.
• 23:27
  SPEAKER_00: You just have to eat really healthy, you know, and I think that's something that women don't they don't talk about enough, you know what I mean, even though that's the reality of it.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_00: It's like, you know, you have beautiful, beautiful models that you see, but they're not starving themselves, guys.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_00: They're just eating really well, you know.
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, I I love what you said.
• 23:46
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I mean, coming from the pageantry, you know, world with this universe, when I competed, it it really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_02: You can literally never compete again.
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_02: You you know, you have to win your national title, and then you get to go and compete on the international stage.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_02: So it's not like you know, the Olympics where in four years you can come back and and try again.
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_02: Um, not that I'm an Olympic athlete quality by any means.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_02: Let's not get that picked up, okay?
• 24:15
  SPEAKER_02: But you know, it's not like you can come back in four years and compete again.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_02: So it really was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_02: And um, there was, I wouldn't say I had an uh unhealthy relationship with food at the time.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_02: I, you know, I definitely ate to feel my body, but it there was a point where you know I trained so hard.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_02: I wanted to be my best in every single aspect.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_02: So this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_02: I wanted to be able to look back and say, you know what, I gave it my absolute all.
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_02: There is nothing that I could have done or should have done differently to be the best representative of who I am or my, you know, representative at for South Africa.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_02: But there definitely was a time where I felt like food was work and it wasn't just for enjoyment, and I'm such a foodie.
• 25:05
  SPEAKER_02: I I love, I like told Yurio has such a big sweet tooth.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, where it really kind of became a routine instead of enjoyment.
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_02: And so, you know, I kind of did what I needed to do to look my best, to be my best, to feel my body for what it needed.
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_02: But there was a time where I was like, if I see another protein shake, that's not gonna go down good.
• 25:27
  SPEAKER_01: So let's change things up a little bit.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_00: No, I you know, that's that's so real.
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I love that.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_00: And I agree with you.
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_00: I think that, you know, it's a whole different mindset.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_00: Like what you described.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, you're it's like literally training for like a marathon, you know what I mean?
• 25:40
  SPEAKER_00: Like you're getting ready to perform at your your best capacity, you know, your full capacity totally makes sense, you know.
• 25:46
  SPEAKER_00: And then that's really that's so different than because now what I see is like all these, like, you know, we we are riddled with social media, like just talking about body positivity and images and all this.
• 25:57
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, okay, that's cool.
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_00: I'm here for it.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_00: But what I'm not here for is people putting misinformation out there, you know what I mean?
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_00: Like you're an expert, you've been through this, you've done the the real stuff, like you've won that crown, you've done so.
• 26:11
  SPEAKER_00: For you to sit here and tell me, like, Ecta, no, it's about like, you know, you train obviously for the day, but you eat well.
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, that is so powerful.
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_00: And I I want that message to resonate with everyone that's listening.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_00: And if you're especially a younger uh woman and you're growing up and you have, you know, whatever you may feel about your body, just keep in mind that you don't have to hurt yourself to look your best, you know, because you know, here's proof right here, you know what I mean?
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_00: You're absolutely stunningly gorgeous, and you know, you take care of yourself.
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, I mean, it's just I think that's an important message for young girls to get out there.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_00: But I want to actually ask you, I I I have a very specific question because um you obviously have amazing skin, you know, and so I want to know, like, you know, growing up in South Africa, obviously we know, you know, sun exposure is a completely different level, you know, living somewhere like South Africa versus like, for example, Wisconsin, right?
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_00: So it's like, um, you know, I want to know your tips and your tricks.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_00: Like, what are the things that you've done maybe even growing up or even now when you go back home that really have helped your skin and making sure that you're doing everything you can to protect it, to keep it healthy, to keep it the way that you like it to be.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I mean, I grew up always hearing sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen, and I would put sunscreen on my face.
• 27:25
  SPEAKER_02: And actually, this would probably lead us into a different topic, but I would put sunscreen in my face and man, my eyes would just start watering, and I would kind of and I don't have sensitive skin.
• 27:37
  SPEAKER_02: I feel like I actually have very strong skin.
• 27:39
  SPEAKER_02: I don't have sensitive eyes in general, but sunscreen would just get me every time.
• 27:43
  SPEAKER_02: I've tried all types of sunscreen, and it would just make my eyes teary, it'd make me sneeze even, you know, make my eyes red, watery, just for like literally the rest of the day.
• 27:55
  SPEAKER_02: I could go and wash my face and it would just affect me so badly.
• 27:59
  SPEAKER_02: So I probably did not wear as much sunscreen as I should have when I was younger.
• 28:06
  SPEAKER_02: And it wasn't until um, you know, until about probably two and a half years ago where I found a clean product that I tried and I was skeptical.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_02: I was like, okay, this clean product, like, you know, is this even gonna work?
• 28:20
  SPEAKER_02: Will it even stay on?
• 28:21
  SPEAKER_02: Is it gonna, is it gonna wash off?
• 28:23
  SPEAKER_02: Like, is it gonna sweat all?
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_02: Like, you know, really, and I actually have a birthmark here on my um the side of my skin, and people always come up to me and they're like, uh, honey, you have some eyeshadow on your chink.
• 28:33
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, no, it's actually a birthmark.
• 28:36
  SPEAKER_02: And in summertime, it always gets darker.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, the the sunscreen that would burn my eyes.
• 28:41
  SPEAKER_02: I would like always just put it on here so that it could kind of protect my birthmark a little bit, so it doesn't get so dark.
• 28:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but it wasn't until I found um this clean brand, it's actually Beauty Counter, um, that I started using about two and a half years ago, if not longer.
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_02: Well, honestly, probably three years ago now, where I just absolutely fell in love with sunscreen.
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_02: Um, it's a clean product.
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I literally use it as a moisturizer.
• 29:08
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I mix it with my moisturizer.
• 29:10
  SPEAKER_02: Some days I'll just use it as my moisturizer.
• 29:13
  SPEAKER_02: And it was the first time that I felt like my eyes weren't burning, I wasn't sneezing, feeling getting all these kind of like allergic symptoms to a product.
• 29:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and I started digging into the brand, I started digging into the the rest of their products.
• 29:29
  SPEAKER_02: I love using a vitamin C serum.
• 29:31
  SPEAKER_02: Um, it's lit, I use it every single day.
• 29:34
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and there's so many other products that I've grown to really love.
• 29:40
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and it's so funny because now that I've been using and I've I kind of switched over completely to only using um clean skincare.
• 29:48
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, I would, you know, in all honesty, I think from a makeup perspective, there's still certain products that I just haven't found as good of a product.
• 29:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, makeup is hard.
• 29:59
  SPEAKER_00: Makeup is hard.
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_00: Makeup is hard.
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_02: Like if you want to have a dewy look, if you want to just like every day, like right now, I'm just wearing like a tinted moisturizer with this with the SPFN, and um, I just I put a little concealer under just on spots that I need it, right?
• 30:14
  SPEAKER_02: So sometimes I mix and match, but makeup, I'm still I'm I feel like we're making progress, you know.
• 30:20
  SPEAKER_02: Every few months I feel I'm like, okay, this is a good, this is a good one, this is a good one.
• 30:23
  SPEAKER_02: But skincare really has become the I feel like if you had to ask me, Demi, do you would you prefer like just having a good skincare routine or like just a good cover-up foundation?
• 30:36
  SPEAKER_02: I will always pick that skincare because it nourishes my skin, it makes my skin feel good, not just look good.
• 30:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so that's something that I've been really focused on.
• 30:47
  SPEAKER_00: You you mentioned Beauty Counter, right?
• 30:49
  SPEAKER_00: That was like number okay.
• 30:51
  SPEAKER_00: I gotta I I gotta get them on the show because I have heard great things about beauty counter.
• 30:55
  SPEAKER_02: So you have to get them on the show.
• 30:58
  SPEAKER_02: They are an incredible company.
• 31:00
  SPEAKER_02: Something that really drew me, other than just their awesome products.
• 31:04
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, their products are fantastic.
• 31:06
  SPEAKER_02: I love them so, so much.
• 31:08
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but something that really resonated with me a lot and that I actually did not know about until I started using their products was how big the Mika and vanilla industry is in contributing to labor trafficking.
• 31:25
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so I'll give you a short version.
• 31:27
  SPEAKER_02: Um, a couple of years ago, back in 2017, broad daylight, peak hour traffic, um half past five in the afternoon in Johannesburg, South Africa.
• 31:36
  SPEAKER_02: I was on my way to an event.
• 31:37
  SPEAKER_02: I was all dressed up, stopped at a red traffic light, and got surrounded by five armed men with guns pointing to my head.
• 31:44
  SPEAKER_02: Oh my god.
• 31:46
  SPEAKER_02: I sat at that traffic light, in a way, uh having some form of idea of knowing what to do because my dad had always sent me on safety driving courses and self-defense courses.
• 31:58
  SPEAKER_02: And um, you know, growing up in South Africa, I think unfortunately we have a high crime rate.
• 32:04
  SPEAKER_02: That is no joke.
• 32:05
  SPEAKER_02: Violence against women and children is a serious problem that needs to be addressed.
• 32:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I love my home country, but these issues do exist and many women face it.
• 32:18
  SPEAKER_02: So you kind of grow up thinking through scenarios like this.
• 32:21
  SPEAKER_02: And I knew going to the second destination was wherever they wanted to take me was not a good idea.
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_02: And the second thing I remembered was the throat.
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so first I tried to get out of the vehicle and and run away, but they grabbed me, pushed me back into the vehicle, said, something to the extent of get in, you're going with us.
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_02: And at that moment, I realized no, the second destination is not going to get better than this big avenue, half past five in the afternoon, peak hour traffic, broad daylight, with hundreds of people around me.
• 32:51
  SPEAKER_02: And the second thing I remembered was the throat.
• 32:53
  SPEAKER_02: So I grabbed the steering wheel, I punched the guy as hard as I could in his throat, and I ran away.
• 32:59
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my god.
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_02: The most dramatic part of that story was running up a big avenue, bumper to bumper traffic, knocking on 30, 40, maybe 50 cars, and no one would stop to help me.
• 33:10
  SPEAKER_02: That was pretty traumatizing.
• 33:12
  SPEAKER_02: That might have been the most traumatizing part of the whole story.
• 33:16
  SPEAKER_02: Oh my God.
• 33:17
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 33:18
  SPEAKER_02: I would just fast forward a good couple of years, um, just for the sake of time.
• 33:23
  SPEAKER_02: But that incident opened my eyes to the evil of human trafficking, something that I did not know existed in the year 2017.
• 33:33
  SPEAKER_02: And I think once your eyes have been opened to something like that, if you decide to not do anything, yeah, in a way, this might be really harsh, but in a way, I feel like that's this evil in itself.
• 33:46
  SPEAKER_00: If you just no, it is, it is, it's no, that's not harsh at all.
• 33:49
  SPEAKER_00: That's not harsh at all for you to say that.
• 33:51
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna literally, you just had a a very special part in my heart, very because I am so this is this is what I meant when I said I love your work, because I know that this that's an initiative you're very passionate about.
• 34:04
  SPEAKER_00: And this is why I felt like she's like, I feel like she's a kindred spirit because whenever I hear about child trafficking or or human trafficking, Demi, I kid you not.
• 34:13
  SPEAKER_00: You know that feeling you get about certain topics like in your gut that is just like you can't stop yourself, like you want to do something, like you know what I mean?
• 34:21
  SPEAKER_00: Like there's no, there's no way to contain the emotion you feel about it, you know?
• 34:26
  SPEAKER_00: And that's for me also one of those.
• 34:28
  SPEAKER_00: And the fact that you have shared that story, I mean, I'm so sorry that you went through that.
• 34:32
  SPEAKER_00: And you're right, it's a huge problem, not just in South Africa.
• 34:35
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I come from India and this is a daily, daily thing.
• 34:39
  SPEAKER_00: And what's crazy is that we talk all day about irrelevant stuff on media, but no one wants to talk about the millions of young girls that are kidnapped on the daily in these other countries, and no one even covers the news, no police officers out looking for them.
• 34:55
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I mean?
• 34:56
  SPEAKER_00: Like that kind of stuff.
• 34:57
  SPEAKER_00: No one talks about that.
• 34:58
  SPEAKER_00: And so I'm so thankful to you for bringing this up.
• 35:01
  SPEAKER_00: I I want you to continue, but I just wanted to chime in and say, no, you're you're absolutely on point for being passionate about this.
• 35:07
  SPEAKER_00: We need more people to be passionate about this.
• 35:10
  SPEAKER_02: Well, um, I I appreciate that, exactly.
• 35:12
  SPEAKER_02: Well, to make a long story short, my eyes were opened.
• 35:15
  SPEAKER_02: Um, as I ran up that that, you know, big avenue, no one would stop for me.
• 35:20
  SPEAKER_02: But eventually a young woman in an old little car pulled over, nearly causing a big accident, you know, pulled over the all three lanes, stopped, led me into her car.
• 35:31
  SPEAKER_02: She kind of had to lean over and like unlock the little car knob, if you know what I'm saying.
• 35:35
  SPEAKER_02: Like it was such an old little car.
• 35:37
  SPEAKER_02: But that was that was all she had.
• 35:40
  SPEAKER_02: But she she was willing to use what she had where she was to help someone that was in need.
• 35:47
  SPEAKER_02: And after working through the trauma of that incident, um, you know, finally, probably a couple months later, being confident enough to get into my car behind the steering wheel and drive it myself again.
• 36:02
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, I think I realized, wow, Demi, like hopefully you will never be one of the 30, 40, I would even say 50 cars that decided not to see, that decided not to hear, that pertainment that, you know, that turned a blind eye.
• 36:17
  SPEAKER_02: Hopefully you will never ever be one of those 30, 40, 50 cars, but that you will always be that one girl that is willing to use what she has, where she is at, with what she's got to help someone in need.
• 36:30
  SPEAKER_02: And that led me to learning, you know, more about gender-based violence, violence against women and children, specifically back in my home country.
• 36:38
  SPEAKER_02: And it just kind of snowballed to me then learning about human trafficking that there's an estimated 40.3, probably closer to 50 million people at this point that is strapped in one of the biggest evils I believe our world is facing in this day and age is human trafficking.
• 36:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, as I start work, you know, using cleaner beauty products, I realize, wow, Damien, you're so passionate about the fight against human trafficking.
• 37:05
  SPEAKER_02: But look, the the products that you literally put on your face every single day has the possibility of contributing to labor trafficking, which is just a different form of human trafficking.
• 37:18
  SPEAKER_02: Um, the vanilla and Mika industry, Mika, for listeners that might not know, and uh it's a you you'd know how to describe this even better, but it's the shiny, the shimmer that we get in the cosmetics, you know, it also cars use it a lot, a lot of interior, you know, design products have it in.
• 37:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but like the shimmer that's on our eyes, you know, that's that's in our the highlighter that's so popular.
• 37:42
  SPEAKER_02: Where is that shimmer coming from?
• 37:44
  SPEAKER_02: And unfortunately, in things like the Mika and vanilla industry, as I've learned, it's so hard to kind of date where things you can see where the factory is, right?
• 37:53
  SPEAKER_02: You can go and see, okay, the factory is great, like good ethical standards, above uh living wage uh payments.
• 38:00
  SPEAKER_02: But where does that mika, where does that vanilla, where are those products sourced?
• 38:05
  SPEAKER_02: Um and as a consumer, you know, I felt responsible for not contributing to something that I can't track down.
• 38:14
  SPEAKER_02: It's a very hard thing to track down, but there are companies that have made it their mission to know where their products are coming from.
• 38:22
  SPEAKER_02: I actually think Beauty Counter sources from uh someplace in the US where you know companies that know where that plant is, where they're getting the physical raw materials from.
• 38:35
  SPEAKER_02: And um, I've decided, you know what, if I'm committing my life to fighting for victims of human trafficking, I now serve on multiple boards, both nationally and internationally, for victim for survivors of human trafficking, providing long-term restoration and care programs.
• 38:52
  SPEAKER_02: How can I be a hypocrite by using products that are not sourced ethically, that are not produced ethically?
• 38:59
  SPEAKER_02: And it's a once again, I probably don't do it perfect, but I am going to try my absolute best to know where my products are coming from.
• 39:08
  SPEAKER_02: And as consumers, you know, we have so much power just by supply and demand, basic, you know, if we don't demand the products that are bad for us.
• 39:20
  SPEAKER_02: And unfortunately, a lot of those products are also the more affordable products, you know, which is a whole different conversation.
• 39:26
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but we can at least try to do some investigating on our part, on our end.
• 39:32
  SPEAKER_00: I 100%, I 100,000 percent agree with you.
• 39:35
  SPEAKER_00: I love what you said in every way, because um, you know, just to even add more context to what Demi has explained here so beautifully and and very accurately about Mika, I mean, you know, just to give you guys an idea, I um was my father is a very prominent researcher, and um, you know, he's internationally acclaimed for his work, especially in lung uh physiology and lung health and lung toxicology.
• 39:59
  SPEAKER_00: And a lot of the work that he's done was around these such factories that were producing things like Mika or not Mika specifically, but anything that is produced in a factory, like for example, like you know, um different metals, right?
• 40:13
  SPEAKER_00: Like metal workers, like metal factories and stuff, and all these other um different things that we don't really think about, like where these sort things come from.
• 40:21
  SPEAKER_00: But in reality, the building of a factory doesn't represent the working conditions inside of it.
• 40:26
  SPEAKER_00: I'm sorry, it just doesn't, you know, and that's something that I fully hundred percent like I know is a reality because I've seen my father do like research funded by the government my whole life around this.
• 40:38
  SPEAKER_00: Like, and you know what's crazy is is the kind of things that you develop working in these factories.
• 40:44
  SPEAKER_00: Like no one ever talks about that.
• 40:46
  SPEAKER_00: Like the people who work in these factories, the people who are, you know, um working for sourcing for these factories, they're getting exposed to high levels of certain toxins and certain things that are going to end up causing things like COPD or lung disease or you know, God forbid, cancer, you know, in some form.
• 41:05
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's a real problem.
• 41:07
  SPEAKER_00: So at the end of the day, like you said, Demi, you know, it's not about just one label of saying this is this is what human trafficking is or this is what abuse of a human being is.
• 41:18
  SPEAKER_00: No, it's about understanding that everyone deserves a certain level of just being able to be human and live a you know in life of integrity and good health.
• 41:28
  SPEAKER_00: And if you don't stand up for that, then to me, I'm with you when you say, like, if I believe in the idea of if you turn a blind's eye, then you're the same as the person who's causing the damage directly.
• 41:41
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 41:41
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're turning a blind's eye to something that's wrong, you're part of that problem.
• 41:46
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, I I don't I I don't agree with any of those people that say, well, that's not my problem, or oh, I don't have to worry about that because my company isn't even involved.
• 41:56
  SPEAKER_00: Well, you should all be involved, you know, because this is humanity.
• 41:59
  SPEAKER_00: That's the whole point of humanity is to help each other, you know.
• 42:02
  SPEAKER_00: So I I really I I'm here with you on that.
• 42:04
  SPEAKER_00: I love what you're doing and what you stand up for.
• 42:07
  SPEAKER_00: That's that's really, really beautiful.
• 42:09
  SPEAKER_02: Sweet.
• 42:10
  SPEAKER_02: I, you know, I think it's uh I and this is something I found myself in before, where you know, I you kind of get paralyzed by wanting to help, seeing the problem, seeing the issue, but just not knowing what to do.
• 42:23
  SPEAKER_02: And I think it's so easy to get paralyzed by because it can be overwhelming, right?
• 42:29
  SPEAKER_02: It's how do you where do you even start?
• 42:31
  SPEAKER_02: You know, how do you stop human trafficking?
• 42:34
  SPEAKER_02: It's uh you know, I hope one day um I'm I'm out of a job when it comes to that.
• 42:39
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I I hope so.
• 42:40
  SPEAKER_02: I know in our lifetime that will probably not happen because of the tremendous evil that we do face every single day.
• 42:48
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but I've realized that we all have a gift, we all have a talent, and it doesn't mean that you know it looks the same, except the way you help people with your medical uh, you know, background.
• 43:04
  SPEAKER_02: There's no way that I could ever contribute the same way that you're contributing.
• 43:08
  SPEAKER_02: But we all have something special um that we can contribute in order to affect and impact someone else's life for the better.
• 43:18
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 43:18
  SPEAKER_00: And Debbie, thank you so much for such kind words.
• 43:21
  SPEAKER_00: But I I I you know respectfully disagree with you.
• 43:24
  SPEAKER_00: I think your work is just as important, if not more.
• 43:27
  SPEAKER_00: And I really believe that in my heart, I believe that, you know, if you approach a good cause with an open heart and a real, like, you know, a genuine need and desire and fire to help, you're gonna find a way to do it.
• 43:42
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I mean?
• 43:43
  SPEAKER_00: Like you really are.
• 43:44
  SPEAKER_00: And I like I feel like there's so many people, and the reason I say that is there's so many people that are the exact opposite of like, you know, how you and I are having this beautiful conversation.
• 43:52
  SPEAKER_00: They're they're sitting there and they're like, Yeah, you know, I'm gonna help.
• 43:55
  SPEAKER_00: They don't actually do it.
• 43:56
  SPEAKER_00: And I look at people in general, and then nobody specifically.
• 44:00
  SPEAKER_00: I'm just saying in general, I look at people and I think to myself, how do you sleep at night knowing that you could have helped somebody, even one person, and you didn't?
• 44:07
  SPEAKER_00: Like you gave the horrifying example of you being in that situation as a young woman and nobody even batting an eye.
• 44:15
  SPEAKER_00: That happens every day on in every single part of the world.
• 44:20
  SPEAKER_00: Western culture, eastern culture, Middle Eastern culture, everywhere.
• 44:23
  SPEAKER_00: We, you know, as human beings, I don't know when we got so disconnected from, and I'm sorry to bring this up, but I'm a firm believer in God.
• 44:31
  SPEAKER_00: Like I am a very, very firm believer.
• 44:33
  SPEAKER_00: I was raised in a family of, you know, my mother instilled those values of being a good human.
• 44:38
  SPEAKER_00: It has nothing to do with religion.
• 44:40
  SPEAKER_00: It just a matter of just, you know, I believe in being a doing as good as I can.
• 44:44
  SPEAKER_00: And I know, Demi, you are also very much, you know, inclined in that direction.
• 44:48
  SPEAKER_00: And I believe that if you really want to do good, you're going to, and you need to start looking inside of yourself and figuring out as people, what can I do on a daily basis that's going to benefit someone's life in some way?
• 45:01
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I think that's a good place to start, like for a lot of people.
• 45:05
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, that I see so many, and the reason I'm saying this, I see so many people saying, Well, I'm I'm nobody, you know, I've got no platform, I've got nothing.
• 45:13
  SPEAKER_00: So I want to ask you, Demi, like, what's your advice for those kind of people that think that, you know, just because they're not a superstar or they don't, they're not a celebrity, or they don't have a platform such as yours or even ours here at Syncurarchy, what what what do you think they can do to help in this cost specifically of human trafficking?
• 45:29
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 45:29
  SPEAKER_02: Um, well, one, most of us are probably not going to run in and be able to rescue victims out of a human trafficking situation, right?
• 45:39
  SPEAKER_02: Most of us might not have like the um psychological background, um, clinical background in order to help victims of human trafficking, but there are people out there that really have an amazing gift and that are very, very good at what they do.
• 45:56
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm very honored to be able to work alongside so many of them, you know, every single day.
• 46:02
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, there might be volunteer opportunities.
• 46:06
  SPEAKER_02: There might be a need to put up a safe home.
• 46:09
  SPEAKER_02: Maybe you know someone that owns a mattress company or a you know a homeware store, or we all have something that we can add.
• 46:18
  SPEAKER_02: And I I would just say, I would just say, don't be paralyzed by the fear of not doing enough.
• 46:27
  SPEAKER_02: I think not be paralyzed by the fear of not doing anything.
• 46:32
  SPEAKER_02: Um that that should be that should be the fear to not do anything at all.
• 46:39
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I hope that come came out right.
• 46:41
  SPEAKER_02: English is still my second language, by the way.
• 46:43
  SPEAKER_00: So you're doing a great job.
• 46:46
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it's my second language too.
• 46:47
  SPEAKER_00: I think we both, you know, I stumble too.
• 46:50
  SPEAKER_00: Don't worry.
• 46:50
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 46:51
  SPEAKER_00: I make up words sometimes, not gonna lie.
• 46:54
  SPEAKER_00: You know, right, right.
• 46:55
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you know, don't be scared to try.
• 46:59
  SPEAKER_02: I think as long as we are willing, um, we will find a way.
• 47:03
  SPEAKER_02: We will we will look for a way.
• 47:04
  SPEAKER_02: When we are willing to to to work towards something, to contribute towards something, your eyes are going to be open, your heart is going to be open to see where those opportunities are.
• 47:15
  SPEAKER_02: Connect with people that might already be in this field, you know.
• 47:19
  SPEAKER_02: I think pride can sometimes creep in.
• 47:21
  SPEAKER_02: I know it has for me where I'm like, okay, I have to reinvent the wheel and do it better.
• 47:27
  SPEAKER_02: But there are people that have already invented that wheel and it's running very smoothly.
• 47:32
  SPEAKER_02: You know, maybe you can connect with organizations like that um to see how they can, how, how they can use your help.
• 47:40
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 47:41
  SPEAKER_00: That's solid.
• 47:42
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, that's solid advice.
• 47:43
  SPEAKER_00: And I agree with you.
• 47:43
  SPEAKER_00: That's you know, I hadn't even really even thought about that actually.
• 47:46
  SPEAKER_00: You made a really good point with like the like if you have a friend that owns, like, you know, like a company that sells like things you need to live, basically, like a mattress or yeah, like a furniture store or something, you know.
• 47:56
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, 100%.
• 47:57
  SPEAKER_00: I never even thought about that.
• 47:59
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know what's crazy, Demi?
• 48:00
  SPEAKER_00: I'm I'm gonna share this with you.
• 48:02
  SPEAKER_00: It was a college experience I had, and just just for fun, I just want to share it because you brought up this this topic.
• 48:07
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I had a friend in college, and this guy was so interesting because he would come to class, right?
• 48:13
  SPEAKER_00: Like he was pre-med with me.
• 48:15
  SPEAKER_00: He would come to class, great student, got great grades, you know, did his thing, very quiet though, you know, stayed to himself.
• 48:22
  SPEAKER_00: You know what's crazy?
• 48:24
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't know a thing about him for a year and a half, and I found out there used to be this abandoned church.
• 48:29
  SPEAKER_00: I went to universities and study for everyone listening um for undergrad.
• 48:32
  SPEAKER_00: There was a church on UC's campus that was abandoned.
• 48:35
  SPEAKER_00: And this kid used to live in that church.
• 48:38
  SPEAKER_00: And you know what he told me a year and a half after?
• 48:40
  SPEAKER_00: I it took me so long to even talk to him.
• 48:43
  SPEAKER_00: But what he told me was, you know, I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for the a few people who bring me goods every day just to help me out, just to help me like survive.
• 48:51
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, that's just like you know what I mean.
• 48:52
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's it's a small story, but it opened my eyes even back then about like, yeah, you can make a huge difference if you just see someone that's in need, and like you said, like if you know that there's one thing you can offer that's not gonna be breaking your bank or breaking your life, just do it, you know, just do it.
• 49:09
  SPEAKER_02: And like don't I get I get chills, you said he was in mid school with you, right?
• 49:13
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, my my mother-in-law wrote a book called Ripple Effects, and it talks about the ripple effect of goodness that can come from even just one small seed that we plant.
• 49:24
  SPEAKER_02: And look at those few people, you know, that impacted his life, that gave him the opportunity to go to school to become a doctor, hopefully.
• 49:32
  SPEAKER_02: I'm sure, you know, he's on the front lines, impacting so many lives, because a few core people were willing to help him out when he needed that the most.
• 49:45
  SPEAKER_00: 100%.
• 49:46
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, and that's the thing with kindness is that kindness never goes unrewarded.
• 49:51
  SPEAKER_00: That's another thing I've always noticed.
• 49:53
  SPEAKER_00: It never goes unrewarded and it never goes unnoticed because it doesn't either, yeah.
• 49:59
  SPEAKER_00: It's like it doesn't cost you a single dime, it doesn't cost you nothing.
• 50:03
  SPEAKER_00: You just have to be a be a person, you know.
• 50:06
  SPEAKER_00: Not even I'm not even gonna say good person.
• 50:08
  SPEAKER_00: We're all good humans at the end of the day.
• 50:09
  SPEAKER_00: We're human beings.
• 50:10
  SPEAKER_00: It's in our nature to be good.
• 50:12
  SPEAKER_00: We just have to do it.
• 50:12
  SPEAKER_00: So I hear you.
• 50:13
  SPEAKER_00: I I'm all about that mentality of like, you know, really paying it forward.
• 50:17
  SPEAKER_00: And you know what I find to be so interesting, Demi?
• 50:19
  SPEAKER_00: And one of one of the biggest reasons why I was so excited when you said yes to coming on the show was this idea of women are always at the front lines with paying it forward.
• 50:28
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I mean?
• 50:29
  SPEAKER_00: Like we're always the ones that are like, you know what, let's step up, let's do it.
• 50:33
  SPEAKER_00: And so from that, I want to get you like your wisdom, some words of wisdom from you about being a woman and being in this position where now you are really passionate about creating this change and just what that means to you as a woman.
• 50:47
  SPEAKER_00: You know, what does it mean to be a change maker as a female in today's landscape?
• 50:54
  SPEAKER_00: Gosh.
• 50:56
  SPEAKER_00: I know it's a loaded question, right?
• 50:57
  SPEAKER_00: It's like it's a big one.
• 50:59
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I I think it's amazing that we have women that that fight for other women.
• 51:07
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's amazing that we have um, you know, I always say we we might get hurt, we might get bruised, but if we stand together as women, we can be unbreakable.
• 51:19
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I actually started a woman empowerment uh course a couple of years ago after the carjack situation that was that was called unbreakable.
• 51:26
  SPEAKER_02: Um and something I'm I'm very passionate about.
• 51:30
  SPEAKER_02: But you know what, I also think that that we need men that back us.
• 51:37
  SPEAKER_02: I have uh few core men in my life that I am so grateful um are in this fight against human trafficking with us.
• 51:47
  SPEAKER_02: You know, the biggest consumer of specifically online sexual exploitation of children are US-based consumers, middle-aged white men.
• 51:59
  SPEAKER_02: If there was no demand, the supply would not have a need to meet that demand, if you know what I'm saying.
• 52:08
  SPEAKER_02: And we need more, I think empowering one another as women is amazing, but we need men that back us.
• 52:18
  SPEAKER_02: You know, we we need men that stand up for women getting abused every single day, get raped every single day back in my home country.
• 52:27
  SPEAKER_02: It's something women face every single day.
• 52:30
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and and we need men backing us.
• 52:34
  SPEAKER_02: We we need as a community, as a country, as a whole, we need to be standing together.
• 52:41
  SPEAKER_02: Um women are standing together.
• 52:43
  SPEAKER_02: You know, when I always say when when when one woman wins, it's not just a personal victory, it's a victory for all women.
• 52:50
  SPEAKER_02: If you do great, that's great because it's it's a victory for for all women.
• 52:55
  SPEAKER_00: Um and humanity, right?
• 52:57
  SPEAKER_00: It's like a victory for humanity.
• 52:59
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, that's I love that.
• 53:00
  SPEAKER_00: I and honestly, I'm so glad you said that because I um about the about the part of having men really back up our efforts.
• 53:07
  SPEAKER_00: I couldn't agree with you more.
• 53:09
  SPEAKER_00: I remember um, you know, like when I was just I was talking to my fiance, who's a huge fan of your husband, by the way.
• 53:15
  SPEAKER_00: I I know I told you before a call, but one of the you know what he the first thing he said to me about your husband?
• 53:19
  SPEAKER_00: Tim is one of the coolest dudes I've ever seen because he knew that he's also like, you know, you two are so similar in in your qualities that you share, right?
• 53:29
  SPEAKER_00: About this idea of being just helping people, right?
• 53:32
  SPEAKER_00: So that's what like it's like when you can get a person that doesn't even know you and you you like can get them to say, like, the first thing about you isn't you're a celebrity, you're this, you're that.
• 53:42
  SPEAKER_00: No, first thing that comes out of their mouth is that's a good human being, right there.
• 53:46
  SPEAKER_00: That's a person who I you know trust as a human.
• 53:49
  SPEAKER_00: That is beautiful.
• 53:50
  SPEAKER_00: And so when he said that to me, I was like, oh my God, I can't wait to interview Demi because she's gonna be, you know, it's just gonna be so great.
• 53:56
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm I love what you said and I agree with you.
• 53:59
  SPEAKER_00: I think men really need to get behind this, and there are good men out there that do that.
• 54:03
  SPEAKER_00: And I, you know, for those of those, those of you listening who are in that in that bracket or you know someone like that, please, you know, take time out and and reward them or just give them some accolades for doing that.
• 54:15
  SPEAKER_00: Because honestly, we live in a world now where men are more, you know, they're put down more than anything sometimes, you know what I mean?
• 54:22
  SPEAKER_00: And so it can be very, I can see it being a very like awkward thing now where men are scared to speak up.
• 54:28
  SPEAKER_00: But those of those of you out there that do speak up, you know, hats off to you for real.
• 54:32
  SPEAKER_00: That's a real talk, you know.
• 54:34
  SPEAKER_00: But I mean, I'm glad you brought that up.
• 54:35
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and and you know, I know I'm biased, but my husband is is one of the biggest heroes in my life.
• 54:41
  SPEAKER_02: I look up to him so, so much.
• 54:44
  SPEAKER_02: His just absolute passion for people and his love for people and fighting for some of the most vulnerable people around the world is um one of the other greatest honors of my life in order to be able to witness that.
• 54:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and yeah, it's that there are there are amazing men out there, some that I know personally that have literally physically put their own lives at danger in order to stand up for women that are vulnerable, that are in need um of someone coming, running after them, fighting for them.
• 55:17
  SPEAKER_02: And I cannot ever thank them enough.
• 55:20
  SPEAKER_02: Um as a sister, you know, as a woman, I cannot ever thank them enough.
• 55:26
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so yeah, kudos to them and to to all the men out there that that aren't scared to stand up, that aren't scared to speak up.
• 55:33
  SPEAKER_02: We need you, we appreciate you, we see you, and I hope that you can continue to empower other men to do the same and to hold them accountable to do the same.
• 55:43
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 55:44
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh, I love that so much.
• 55:46
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, 100%.
• 55:47
  SPEAKER_00: I completely agree.
• 55:48
  SPEAKER_00: And Demi, this is this hour has just flown by.
• 55:51
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I could live for days.
• 55:54
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 55:55
  SPEAKER_00: Well, you know I'm gonna bother you to come back, right?
• 55:57
  SPEAKER_00: You know I'm gonna I have to do it.
• 55:59
  SPEAKER_00: At least anytime, girl, anytime.
• 56:02
  SPEAKER_00: I hope everyone listening, you have loved this conversation as much as I have.
• 56:07
  SPEAKER_00: It has been, I seriously, from the bottom of my heart, it's been an honor to host you.
• 56:13
  SPEAKER_00: And I am your biggest fan.
• 56:15
  SPEAKER_00: I love what you're doing.
• 56:17
  SPEAKER_00: You are truly the kind of woman I believe we need in this world, the kind of women that we want to talk about that we need to exist.
• 56:26
  SPEAKER_00: Here we go, guys.
• 56:27
  SPEAKER_00: Here she is.
• 56:28
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 56:29
  SPEAKER_02: So just you know, just hey, before we hit out, one one fun fact.
• 56:34
  SPEAKER_02: So um, I don't know if you you you're from India.
• 56:37
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm I'm guessing you love Indian food.
• 56:40
  SPEAKER_02: And I hope that's consumption.
• 56:42
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, so uh fun fact my neighbor is Indian and she always like whenever she's cooking, she always makes me the most amazing uh Indian meals.
• 56:52
  SPEAKER_02: Love my chicken tikamala, my butter chickens, my lamb curries.
• 56:57
  SPEAKER_02: But on another note, so growing up in South Africa, I grew up with a lot of Indian influence in our food.
• 57:04
  SPEAKER_02: Um, South Africa, I believe, has the second biggest Indian population outside of India in the world.
• 57:12
  SPEAKER_02: So we grew up.
• 57:13
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, my mom we grew up cooking with Indian spices because it just we had such a big influence in South Africa.
• 57:20
  SPEAKER_02: So well, that's where that heart comes from then.
• 57:22
  SPEAKER_00: I see now, I see that love in your heart.
• 57:25
  SPEAKER_00: That's where you know people always say about Indian food that it's from the heart, it's always from the heart.
• 57:29
  SPEAKER_00: It is you know what it makes sense now, Demi.
• 57:32
  SPEAKER_00: It's all coming together.
• 57:34
  SPEAKER_00: That's so cool.
• 57:35
  SPEAKER_00: That's so cool.
• 57:36
  SPEAKER_00: You know what?
• 57:36
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna have to have, I'm gonna have to have my mom pay you a special visit and bring something.
• 57:41
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, you're so hey I'll make this going.
• 57:43
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I'm a foodie, so um, I always I I always love trying something new.
• 57:48
  SPEAKER_00: Well, huge hello to the auntie next door that brings you beautiful food and and thank you so much for sharing that.
• 57:53
  SPEAKER_00: That's that's really uh heartwarming for me to hear that.
• 57:57
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 57:57
  SPEAKER_00: It's a little piece of cold.
• 57:58
  SPEAKER_01: She's not gonna feel it's not gonna be heartwarming for her if she hears she's an auntie.
• 58:02
  SPEAKER_01: So I wouldn't tell her that part.
• 58:07
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I mean it with all respect in my life.
• 58:09
  SPEAKER_01: I know, I'm just giving you part time.
• 58:11
  SPEAKER_01: I'm just giving you hard time.
• 58:12
  SPEAKER_00: But this was no, Debbie, this was wonderful, and and you're such a rock star, and I I can't thank you enough.
• 58:17
  SPEAKER_00: And for everyone listening out there, please listen to this episode again, you know, just to inspire yourself and and learn and and figure out how to make your mark in this world because you know what, that's really the goal here is to find our own ways and our own methods to make a difference.
• 58:33
  SPEAKER_00: So um, you know, I can't thank you enough, Demi.
• 58:36
  SPEAKER_00: And for everyone listening, I can't thank you guys enough for even keeping us on air and tuning in like you do.
• 58:41
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for all the love you show us.
• 58:43
  SPEAKER_00: And I would love to hear your feedback and your comments or any questions you might have.
• 58:47
  SPEAKER_00: I will definitely do my best to pass them to Demi's team if you have any questions for her.
• 58:51
  SPEAKER_00: But uh, thank you for tuning in and I will be back next time.
• 58:55
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much.
• 58:55
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you, Dr.
• 58:57
  SPEAKER_02: Bye bye.
• 58:59
  SPEAKER_00: Hey guys, so I hope you love that episode.
• 59:02
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• 59:07
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• 59:09
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• 59:24
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• 59:41
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• 59:45
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• 59:50
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• 59:55
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• 1:00:01
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• 1:00:06
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.