The Stand Up Speak Up Story:  Special Edition with Founders Karla and Zach

The Stand Up Speak Up Story: Special Edition with Founders Karla and Zach

Author: Stand Up Speak Up December 27, 2017 Duration: 1:03:10
If you’ve listened to Stand Up Speak Up before, then you’ve heard the voice of host Karla Stephens-Tolstoy. Usually, she’s helping tell the story of others, but you might not have known that Karla herself has led a pretty interesting life! She’s a Canadian-born & raised entrepreneur, businesswoman, volunteer, mom… and those are just a few of her titles! Karla overcame learning disabilities, and eventually landed the title of CEO at Vodafone, one of the biggest telecom companies in the world. She’s proven that with hard work, nothing is out of reach. Also on her journey Karla has worked many interesting jobs, hosted a community TV show called “Chit Chat”, started a dating app and website called Tokii, and more. Today, we sit down with Karla to hear her story, and later her son Zach joins to talk about the mother-son team behind Stand Up Speak Up. Host: Karla Stephens-Tolstoy Receive our newsletter, contribute show ideas and feedback by emailing: karla.tolstoy@standupspeakup.ca  Support the show: www.standupspeakup.ca/give/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Stand Up Speak Up is a space for raw, honest conversations about survival and resilience. This podcast moves beyond simple inspiration, delving into the complex realities of overcoming trauma and systemic discrimination. Each episode features firsthand accounts from individuals who have faced profound challenges, offering more than fifty distinct stories of perseverance. Listeners will hear not just about the struggle, but about the active, often difficult work of healing. The narratives explore how people rebuild their lives and identities after hardship, focusing on the practical and emotional steps taken to move forward. By centering these personal journeys, the podcast creates a collective testament to human strength. It argues that listening to others can be a powerful catalyst for recognizing our own capacity for growth. The discussions naturally unfold with empathy, avoiding sensationalism while honoring the gravity of each experience. This is a podcast for anyone interested in the deeper layers of societal and personal recovery, where true crime elements intersect with profound cultural and human stories. It asserts that understanding survival in all its forms is crucial, and that everyone deserves a path to peace.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 59

Stand Up Speak Up
Podcast Episodes
The Disappearance of Delaine Copenace:  Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:37
Reporter Drew Penner travels with Anita, the mother of a 16-year-old native girl named Delaine who went missing in 2016. We retrace her last known steps, in an effort to get a better understanding of the issue of missing…
The Disappearance of Delaine Copenace:  Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:00
This is the first episode in a series about missing and murdered native women in Canada. We head to Kenora, Ontario to tell the story of Delaine Copenace, a 16-year-old aboriginal girl who went missing in 2016 and was fo…
The House of Mayhem Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:16
There is a disproportionate number of homeless LGBTQ teens on the street, but most people don't talk about it. House of Mayhem is talking about it. House of Mayhem is a new tv series about LGBTQ youth in the foster syste…
Burst the Bubble:  Serial Killer Poetry [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:51
We talk a lot about mental health and fighting your inner demons. But what happens when those demons take over? It's a sad conversation, but one that we need to have. That's why this episode takes a look at serial killer…
A Foster Care Survivor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:32
Jenny Maher has been through a lot. Growing up with a mentally ill mother, she was in and out of the foster system. Jenny experienced some bad things in her childhood, but she managed to overcome them. Today, she is an i…
A John's Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:44
Who pays for sex? Why do they pay for sex? Often, without even knowing it, Johns are supporting sex trafficking operations. In this human trafficking awareness series, we examine prostitution from John's point of view. H…
A Pimp's Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:52
Part of our human trafficking series, this episode delves into the mind of a pimp. How does he think? How does he control the victims of sex trafficking? Listen for some answers. Understanding modern-day slavery is the f…
Human Trafficking:  A Victim's Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:47
Human trafficking is a hard conversation to have, but it needs to be spoken about. This episode is part of our human trafficking series, a series designed to spread awareness about the prevalence of modern-day slavery. W…