Jasraj (“Jazz”) Hothi

I’ve spent time today in the ‘Near Southside Cultural District’, a revitalised community in Fort Worth and an example of an upstart that has been injected with funding that has allowed local arts venues and businesses to pop up and bring life back to a once-derelict area.

These communal spaces are the lifeblood of any downtown area, and we can truly use our dollars to “vote” to support them — and not just the online businesses and platforms we have come to rely on and whose interests are not at the local level.

It is up to US to support our local spaces and enable them to bloom — in-person gatherings, where in arts, hospitality or commerce, are the lifeblood of our communities. By investing in these local businesses, we are investing in the health of our neighbourhoods.

🎙️ #18: A revitalised neighbourhood in downtown Fort Worth

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In this episode I open up on why I became a Christian, specifically in the context of family values and healing from a lust and pornography addiction which took hold whilst I was in my teens.

Having searched far and wide for answers to help me better understand and move through this addiction, I came across Christian couples on YouTube talking about this topic and the rest, as they say, is history.

🎙️#17: Family, lust & why I became a Christian

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(please note: this narration makes various ‘end of life’ references. listener discretion is advised)

Yesterday, the dog who was the reason I arrived in Texas passed away.

I’ve only known Tibby a few weeks, but is the first creature I have changed diapers for, both young and old in his nature, and he has certainly helped teach me about how precious life is.

Whether it was our little walks around the block, sitting together on the sofa in the evening, or him just toddling around me nearby with his little bell… Tibby, you were loved and you will be remembered.

Thank you for bringing me to Texas, Tibby.

Rest well, little buddy. 🕊️

🎙️ #16: An ode to a dog

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Since arriving in Fort Worth, Texas a few weeks ago, I’ve had the opportunity to immerse myself in the local theatre scene here.

In this episode I reflect on the what I’ve been getting from the performing arts, including a performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime at the Theater Arlington — first released as a 2003 a book I read as a teenager and whose story I found it interesting to experience through this stage adaptation, particularly given the nature of the lead character and my own neurodivergent assessment just over a year ago.

I also mention my having been a “creator” for the last 10 years… I believe every artist, whether a writer or a musician or a dancer or an actress, needs to think of themselves as a CREATOR in today’s world. I’ll be expanding more on that in a future blog post. You can check out my new site and subscribe to receive my latest blog content @ www.jasraj.co

🎙️ #15: My ongoing immersion in the performing arts

ps. I recorded this indoors on the Voice Memos app on iPhone ~ I apologise for the ‘tinny’ audio

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With funding for the creative industries being an ongoing struggle, and the performing arts long being under-appreciated and not recognised for the immense value they bring to the health and the income of local communities… in this episode I reflect on how we can transform our local arts centers.

As a member of one local theater in Dallas-Fort Worth, attending the KD Conservatory College of Film & Dramatic Arts last night, and off to watch another show this evening, I am experiencing the vibrancy of the local arts scene.

With the artistic hunger, the people, and the technology at our disposal, there must be a way to better fund our arts programmes, our artists and our arts spaces… for the betterment of all.

Our communities deserve thriving arts spaces, and I believe the answer to is to start with tiered, crowd-funded campaigns to fund local arts.

This is something that Amphibian Stage is doing and ~ if enough of us vote with our dollars and put our money into these spaces ~ the impact and the income that can be generated is significant!

🎙️ #14: Funding our performing arts centers

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As a recently baptised Christian, I share something I like about Jeff Bezos, ex-hedge fund manager turned billionaire founder of Amazon. Each day brings new opportunity.

🎙️ #13: What I like about Jeff Bezos

The journey of mental health and trauma recovery is a delicate one, and I am being reminded that I need to be just as KIND to myself, as I am towards others.

As I build a business that supports mental healthcare specialists, the need for rest is one that I need to be very aware of. The healthy personal habits I build for myself will impact the clients I serve, the partnerships I build, and the people I lead.

In today’s recording I share my thoughts on traditional healthcare and imagine what a new way of doing things might look like. I also introduce a digital summit that I’m putting together this Summer.

🎙️ #12: Traditional healthcare & how it could be improved

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Promotional poster for 🎬 I Care A Lot (2020)

I am currently reading a book called Dead Eye Trilogy, by Cmdr. Burt Avedon.

Like so many men and women, Burt had an illustrious career of military service ~ our veterans proudly put themselves in the line of fire, so we can experience the freedoms we

Like many service-people, however, Burt recounts in his book a particular experience which no man or woman should ever have to endure.

There are so many of these hidden stories of abuse amongst our veterans. Many of them having to compartmentalise and survive with their conditions, untreated. They deserve our utmost respect and we ought to do everything we can for them, for what they have given of themselves ~ physically and psychologically.

God bless our veterans and the many 🎙️untold stories they are carrying with them.

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newsletter: https://jasraj.kit.com/41a0d4234e

As I dip my toe back into the world of personal branding as an adult, in this episode I talk about snapchat — used by hundreds of millions of adults and teens around the world.

The platform is especially problematic when it comes to the sending of explicit and unsolicited pictures. I share some of my own experiences on there as a teenager, why I believe sending these sorts of pictures isn’t a good idea for ourselves OR other people. Given my own struggles around lust and pornography, I also share what I’m reading today that is helping me to exist on the platform in a healthy manner — namely, the Book of Proverbs.

🎙️ #10: Unsolicited pics on snapchat

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