Giving With Hamaila: Radiotopia
I'm doing something a little bit different today. It's still a nonprofit - or based under one - but this week, I'm donating to Radiotopia - a podcast network that hosts some of my most favourite podcasts around.
My brother introduced me to 99% Invisible in October of 2016. I gave it a listen. Thought it was just okay. Months later, I was looking for a podcast to listen to and stumbled upon The Pool and the Stream. The 99% Invisible episode about Alver Aalto, skateboarding, Donnell Garden, and the kidney bean shaped pools of southern California. That was it. That was all it took and I became obsessed.
It's become my filler podcast - the one I use to fill in any time I need something to listen to. There's over 300 episodes right now so I go back, find one that looks interesting and hit play. I've heard the very first episodes, a lot in the mushy middle, and every single one for the last year and a half. Now I have two podcast apps on my phone - one to keep my place in the 99% Invisible catalog and one to stream everything else. (That wasn't why I got two podcast listening apps, but that's what its become.)
Through 99% Invisible, I started exploring other podcasts under the Radiotopia flag - Criminal, the Allusionist, Mortified, What Trump Can Teach Us About Con Law and I just started The Memory Palace. I still have yet to explore Ear Hustle, Radio Diaries, This is Love among many others.
These shows are incredible. They are all so well produced and provide relevant, interesting material. And they rely on the monetary support of the community around them. Every fall, Radiotopia does a fund drive. I donated last year and I will again this year. I learn so much from these podcasts and they are how I chose to spend a substantial amount of my time - so even though I'm a student who works part time and am developing my own small business I can spare a few dollars a month.
One day I hope to donate more, but till then, won't you join me in ensuring that we get quality, creative content through the best podcasts around. They're shooting for 25,000 donors by 12/20. We're at 20,242 right now. Click here to pitch in whatever you can. Every little bit helps - even just a dollar.