An Update From Kestrel: why she’s embracing sorting, shedding and creating space & why we should welcome the in-betweens in life, sustainability and fashion

Episode 332 features Kestrel (just me!) in the second-ever solo episode of the show. With a focus on Kestrel’s reemergence after having her second child, she shares some of the things that have been on her mind during this postpartum era, the power of sorting, what “release” has meant to her over this last year, what she’s shedding and what’s she’s embracing. It’s very personal, raw and vulnerable — one of the ways Kestrel always loves to connect with you all.

“Maybe this whole episode is sounding disconnected from what you generally hear in the sustainability and fashion realm. But – if you’ve been around for a while, you know that I am not exactly the voice of the typical narrative. I like to push beyond binaries. I want to explore the nuances. I don’t want to put people, things or ideas into boxes. These in-betweens are where SO MUCH can thrive, if we let it and give it space to breathe.” -Kestrel 

August THEME —
WELCOMING THE IN-BETWEENS IN LIFE, SUSTAINABILITY & FASHION

When I started the show back in 2016, I never thought I would be into doing solo episodes. My mind was clear that I wanted to welcome guests onto the show and to really focus on learning, listening and sharing multifaceted ideas from solutionists working at the intersections of fashion and sustainability. 

And that general intention hasn’t wavered. BUT surprisingly, in moments of change or transition, I have felt pulled to connect with you all on my own – just me and my thoughts. It gives me the chance to connect in a really honest, personal, and vulnerable way. It’s maybe weird, but I almost feel like having a podcast – a space to dump my thoughts, musings, learnings, challenges – it’s really cathartic, and at times, healing as well. 

Throughout this brief episode, you’ll hear:

+ Welcoming a new baby
+ Honoring the mothers in Gaza
+ Postpartum shifts — the importance of sorting, releasing, and closing doors
+ Creating space — what prioritizing looks like with two kids
+ Rooting more deeply into my truth — a new endeavor & a book project

Links & quotes from the show:

• Gaza on my mind — IG post by Evelyn Escobar (@evelynnworld) that Kestrel highlights

• Organizations and resources to support mothers and families in Gaza —
  The Sameer Project
  Healing Our Homeland
  Free Kitchen Gaza
  We Feed Gaza
  Heal Palestine
  Medical Aid For Palestine
  USA For UNFP
  Anera

• “THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. The fact that we can have this space to share openly about so many things that make us human is an absolute blessing. When I initially started this show to simply talk about fashion and sustainability – I never imagined I would learn so much about who I am and who I want to be in the world. Turns out – sustainability starts with each one of us. Looking in the mirror and getting clear about ourselves, tuning into our communities that surround us, leading with curiosity and care, and above all – thoughtfully questioning everything along the way.”

• Follow Kestrel (Conscious Chatter) on Instagram