Purposeful Empathy with Anita Nowak

Vitiligo can make you feel visible in all the wrong ways. In this special series devoted to widening our circle of empathy for people who often feel marginalized or misunderstood, watch this powerful episode featuring Aiesha Robinson—a youth speaker who helps teens face their insecurities and recognize their worth. Drawing on her lived experience of being diagnosed with Vitiligo at 18 and the loneliness, stigma, and mental health challenges that followed, Aiesha shares how she moved from self-hatred to self-acceptance, and why a simple smile can be a radical act of inclusion. She also introduces Born to Rise, her storytelling platform that creates community through vulnerability and truth, reminding us that no matter what we’re facing, we all have the capacity to stand tall. Together, we discuss: Bullying and shame—and how resilience is built How self-empathy expands through human connection How affirmations work best when paired with real, actionable steps What young people need from us right now to feel seen and supported This conversation is about learning to see people fully—and helping every person feel valued, included, and at home in their own skin. 00:00 Preview 01:05 Introduction  02:43 About Aiesha Robinson 06:14 What is Vitiligo? 10:07 Aiesha's backstory 16:35 The impact of Vitiligo on mental health 22:25 The power of affirmations 26:42 How Aiesha handles ignorance and hurtful comments 29:57 Living with Vitiligo in public 32:01 How vulnerability creates strength 34:55 What is Born to Rise? 39:28 How to become your own best friend 42:39 Strategies for teens to overcome self-doubt 47:48 Aiesha Robinson’s Purposeful Empathy story CONNECT WITH AIESHA ✩ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/aiesha-robinson/ ✩ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aiesharobinson_/?hl=en ✩ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aiesha.robinson.33 CONNECT WITH ANITA ✩ Email purposefulempathy@gmail.com  ✩ Website https://www.anitanowak.com ✩ Buy a copy of Purposeful Empathy http://tiny.cc/PurposefulEmpathyCA ✩ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/anitanowak/ ✩ Instagram https://tinyurl.com/anitanowakinstagram ✩ Podcast Audio https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyPodcast ✩ Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/anitanowak.bsky.social SHOW NOTES ✩ Born to Rise https://www.instagram.com/borntorise.mtl/ ✩ Living Dappled https://www.instagram.com/livingdappled/?hl=en ✩  BORN 2 RISE - The Aiesha Robinson Vitiligo story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTFnwKXHKls Video edited by Jad Misri, Green Horizon Studio