Welcome to JOY January - a mini series! The aim is for you to finish these episodes with more joy to start your 2024. Who better to lead us than the most joy filled musician around - the incredibly talented bandleader and drummer of the award-winning jazz group Ezra Collective, Femi Koleoso. When Femi hits the drums, the world listens. He is on a mission to bring joy to all through music. His career has seen him play all across the world including with Gorillaz and Jorja Smith, and last year Ezra Collective became the first ever jazz act to win the prestigious Mercury Prize. Femi’s heartfelt acceptance speech highlighting the importance of London’s youth clubs went viral. This episode is the perfect antidote to that post Christmas slump. Annie and Femi discuss the difference between happiness and joy, the importance of music, how his upbringing in a Nigerian Christian household shaped his mindset, faith and joy, the importance of gratitude and most importantly, how you can bring more joy to your own lives through small changes. Here’s to a joyous 2024! Find Femi on instagram and twitter @femiondrumsChanges is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we get ready to bid farewell to 2023, it’s time to retrace the highs and lows of the year as we bring you our annual Changes End of Year Special! Annie is joined by comedian, tv presenter and co-host of the new political podcast Pod Save the UK, Nish Kumar. Together they dive into some of the year's biggest political, cultural and societal changes, offering their perspectives on the moments that defined 2023; a year of war and conflict, AI becoming more powerful (can it replace Nish?), Prince Harry’s memoir, Barbenheimer, the Women’s World Cup, Russell Brand being exposed, the Beckham documentary and so much more. You can listen to Pod Save The UK here or whereve you get your podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pod-save-the-uk/id1683411536Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Addressing loneliness is a public health issue as important as tobacco or obesity”.In a world that is more interconnected than ever via technology and social media, why do so many of us feel lonely? And how can we change that?Dr. Vivek Murthy, the 21st Surgeon General of the United States is the man putting loneliness at the top of the public health agenda. Nominated by Barack Obama and Joe Biden as ‘the Nation’s Doctor’, his ground-breaking work on the physical and mental impact of social disconnection is changing the narrative around loneliness and shifting much of the shame and stigma that exist around this topic.In this significant conversation Dr. Murthy and Annie discuss what loneliness actually looks like, their own personal stories of loneliness and tips for how you can address loneliness in your own life.To find out more:Twitter: @Surgeon_General Instagram: @u.s.surgeongeneral Facebook: @U.S. Surgeon General  For all of Dr. Murthy’s priority issue areas, please visit surgeongeneral.gov/prioritiesYou can buy a copy of Dr. Murthy’s book ‘ Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World here: https://www.vivekmurthy.com/together-bookDr. Murthy also hosts his own podcast called House Calls with Dr. Vivek Murthy, you can find it anywhere you listen to podcasts or at surgeongeneral.gov/housecallsLoneliness charities: https://www.samaritans.org/ and https://www.campaigntoendloneliness.org/Annie’s article about loneliness:https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jul/09/dj-annie-macmanus-it-was-a-shock-to-realise-i-was-lonelyChanges is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘I am a woman but a different kind’. The double Olympic gold medalist and three time World Championship winner Caster Semenya has spent her entire adult life trying to change people’s minds on the definition of womanhood. One of the most recognisable intersex women in the world with a condition called DSD (differences in sex development), Caster’s has an elevated level of testosterone, which according to World Athletics, must be reduced by taking hormones in order for her to be allowed to compete professionally in women’s races. She took those hormones for six years but now refuses and is no longer able to run. Instead, she is fighting for change. Most recently, Caster took her case to the European Court of Human Rights where she won a discrimination case against World Athletics, but it doesn’t change her right to compete. Following the release of her brilliant new book The Race To Be Myself,Caster speaks to Annie about her upbringing, the moment when her gender was first questioned on the world stage, differences and discrimination, why sport will never be fair, being a mother to two girls and her ultimate purpose.You can buy a copy of The Race To Be Myself here.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can we alter the course of climate change? One woman who can answer with authority is the internationally recognised leader on global climate change, Christiana Figueres. An absolutely remarkable woman, Ms Figueres was formerly the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Demonstrating immense diplomacy, resilience and determination, she successfully orchestrated negotiations with 196 countries to reach the historical Paris Agreement of 2015. Now hugely decorated, she is the co-founder of an organisation called Global Optimism, co-host of the podcast “Outrage & Optimism” and the co-author of the recently published book, “The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis".As the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) approaches next week, Ms. Figueres sits down with Annie to explain where the world is right now - what has been agreed, what needs to be done and importantly, what YOU can do. As well as discussing climate change, she explores her own changes, reveals her greatest obstacles and shares the influence of her father in making her the woman she is today; one who, with stubborn optimism makes the impossible possible. This is an important episode for anyone who wants a better future for our planet.You can buy a copy of The Future We Choose here: https://www.globaloptimism.com/the-future-we-choose Find out more about Christiana Figueres here: https://christianafigueres.com/#/Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlotte Church is full of surprises. An opera singer turned alt-pop star and political activist who’s now turned to nature and sound healing. Famous at 11 with a no 1 album in the classical charts at 12. She celebrated her 15th birthday at the Grammys, sang for the pope, the queen and presidents including at George Bush’s inauguration and even sat a GCSE exam at the White House. She has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide. Her fame was stratospheric but she always remained true to her roots.Since then, she has changed a lot, experimenting with music, hosting her own chat show on channel 4 and her famous club night Charlotte Church’s Late Night Pop Dungeon as well as being a political activist, always under the scrutiny of the press and the public eye. Today, Charlotte and her family live in rural Wales where she is very connected to nature and runs a new wellness retreat called The Dreaming. She is as outgoing and fun as ever with an infectious laugh. Here, she talks to Annie about her ‘hardcore childhood,’ her passion for activism and improving people’s lives, why criticism is fuel, staying normal and how she learnt to cry again.You can book The Dreaming here: https://www.thedreaming.co.uk/Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Born in Jamaica to a father who belonged to the 'strictest and most radical sect of Rastafari', Safiya Sinclair was made to wear dreadlocks and subjugated from a young age. She was forbidden from climbing trees, riding a bike, wearing trousers, and told her virtue was in her silence and submission. Rastas were ostracised in Jamaica and Safiya’s dreadlocks came to define her. In her isolation, Safiya’s only refuge was when her mum introduced her to literature and poetry, which changed the trajectory of her life. Now a writer and Associate Professor of creative writing at Arizona University, Safiya has written an astonishing memoir ‘How To Say Babylon’. Already tipped to be one of the books of the year, Safiya shines a light on the female experience of this particular sect of Rastafarianism, juxtaposing her harrowing experiences with the use of luscious and beautiful prose. The writer Marlon James said of How To Say Babylon; “ To read it is to believe that words can save.”Here, in a truly captivating conversation, Safiya talks Annie through her changes.You can find out more about Safiya and the 'How To Say Babylon' and buy a copy here: https://safiyasinclair.com/home-how-to-say-babylonChanges is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Described by Lena Dunham as ‘the bard of modern love’, Dolly Alderton is an award-winning author and journalist, as well as agony aunt for the Sunday Times with her phenomenally popular column Dear Dolly. Her books have all become Sunday Times Bestsellers and her brilliant memoir Everything I Know About Love was adapted into a TV series last year. Her other books include her first novel Ghosts, and Dear Dolly, a collection of her agony aunt columns. Now, she is back with a brand new novel Good Material written from the perspective of a man, which is out on 9th November.In this very open conversation, Dolly talks to Annie about going through puberty, heartbreak, societal expectations of women, being 35, single and child free, handling success and so much more. You will want to share this episode with every friend that you know who is dealing with heartbreak or wanting to feel reassured about their relationship status. Enjoy. You can pre order Good Material here.Changes is a deaf friendly podcast, transcripts can be accessed here: https://www.anniemacmanus.com/changes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2010, aged 22, whilst on leave from deployment to Iraq, Chelsea Manning leaked half a million US military incident reports on Wikileaks. She had 12 hours before her flight back to Iraq and was relying on a wifi connection at Barnes and Nobles. Chelsea knew she’d lose her job but instead she was made an example of by the military and lost her anonymity and her freedom. Since then she has also changed her name and her gender, her identity being something she had questioned for many years. Chelsea has always claimed that she released the information in the public interest to expose human rights abuses and discrepancies in public awareness. Some celebrated her, some condemned her as a traitor. Prior to her trial she was kept in military prison for three years and was subjected to solitary confinement for eleven months. Eventually, she was given a 35 year sentence. It was whilst in prison that Chelsea came out publicly as identifying as a woman. In 2017, seven years into her sentence, Chelsea wrote President Obama a letter pleading for her release and he commuted her sentence. Chelsea now lives in Brooklyn New York, she has written a memoir called README.txt, referring to the file name she used for the leaks and she has a documentary called XY Chelsea on Amazon Prime and Apple TV. Here, she joins Annie to talk through these monumental moments of change in her life, her life before Iraq, experiencing homelessness, war and prison - three extreme situations, and exactly what freedom is.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beloved Bolton broadcaster Sara Cox discusses her career in broadcasting, including her time at Radio 1 and Radio 2. They talk about her transition to television and her successful memoir and novel. They also reflect on their partying days in the 90s and discuss the impact of choices. The conversation includes stories of their chance meetings with their partners and their future plans and ambitions, including a dream of owning a farm.