Parrish The Thought

Episode 184: Phelosha Collaros | America could end up like Colombia's violent 1950's civil war unless we change now!

Welcome back to the show, my beautiful listeners.

I’m so excited to share today’s conversation with you. My guest is Phelosha Collaros, the visionary founder of DepolarWise.com, a powerful community platform built with one purpose in mind: to bridge the ever-growing political and ideological divides that threaten to tear us apart—not just here in America, but across the globe. Phelosha’s mission is about making connections, one person at a time, to foster understanding, compassion, and common ground where we so desperately need it.

Phelosha's passion for this work comes from a deeply personal place. Her mother, born in Colombia, witnessed firsthand the devastating consequences of a polarized society. During the violent period known as La Violencia, her own community turned on each other with such brutal fervor that they were willing to kill Phelosha’s grandfather simply because of his political beliefs. Over the course of nearly a decade, that civil war claimed more than 200,000 lives, leaving deep scars on the Colombian nation.

While the example I just shared is extreme—and thank goodness, we’re not there yet—it’s a stark reminder of the dangers when division turns into dehumanization. And make no mistake, we are seeing alarming signs of that same toxic divide here in the U.S. over the past decade or so. If we’re not careful, we could follow that same path. But here’s the thing: we don’t have to. The power is in our hands.

To heal, to shift the narrative, and to stop the cycle of hate that we’re trapped in, we need to get uncomfortable. We need to step outside our echo chambers and face the discomfort of truly learning about each other—especially about those who see the world differently than we do. It’s a process, but it’s a process that can begin today.

So, I encourage you to listen closely, because this conversation offers hope and practical ways we can be part of the solution. The miracle of unity isn’t as far off as it might seem—it just requires us to take the first step.

Let’s dive in.

 

COMMUNICATION, BOOKS and REFERENCES

DepolarWise.com - http://depolarwise.com/
Email - info@depolarwise.com
Phelosha's TED Talk - https://shorturl.at/JgHMa
La Violencia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Violencia
Braver Angels - https://braverangels.org/
I Never Thought of It That Way -
Uncomfy Podcast - https://www.byuradio.org/uncomfy 

Episode183 Thiefane Magre | Those pesky Trump tariffs and what they really mean.

Our guest today is Thiefane (pronounced TFN) Magré, founder and CEO of Prouduct. They help entrepreneurs and businesses with product global sourcing. We've asked him on the show again to try and make sense of the tariffs Donald Trump has been hammering for the past election cycle.

He does a simple dive into what it means for all of us. Hint. Tariffs may not mean what you think they mean.

#Prouduct #MadeInChina #TrumpTariffs #Tariffs #Trump #China #UkraineWar #FollowTheMoney #GlobalSourcing #ChangeBehavior #ProtectEconomy 

Episode182 Bridgette and Laney Casey | Watching our dad nearly die. The kids perspective

My guests today are Laney and Bridgette Casey. Last year I interviewed their parents, Matt and Celeste. Over three years ago Matt was diagnosed with an extremely rare illness called Neuroendocrine cancer. It almost took his life and so often so much of the attention, although well deserved, goes to the person suffering. Often times the family can sometimes get overlooked even as they are suffering along side the sick or injured one.

This is Matt's story through THEIR eyes. The eyes of the children. Have your tissues handy.

Listen to Matt and Celeste's original story here https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parrish-the-thought/id1348128086?i=1000636743479

#NeuroendocrineCancer #CancerSucks #FamilyFirst #NetCancer #ZebraStrong #CancerCard  #CaseyFamily

Episode 181: Journalist Julie Rose | The evolution of media. Exactly the same, totally different.

My guest today is 20 year veteran radio journalist Julie Rose, host of two insightful podcasts on BYU Radio; Top of Mind and the Uncomfy podcast.

Several weeks ago I was invited to be guest on her Uncomfy podcast sharing a profound pivot in my own life that has helped change my perspectives on so many things. (Here is that episode - https://youtu.be/Q5RZVtV3ijk?si=DWxNIFyftUfWh-F5)

Julie is such a great interviewer, having done more than 10,000 interviews, she was such a joy to talk to that I decided to have her on my show to share her story of how she got into this world of storytelling. She is a wise thinker and so easy to talk to about so many things.

Find Her Shows

Top of Mind - https://www.youtube.com/@topofmindpod
Uncomfy - https://www.youtube.com/@uncomfy.podcast
BYU Radio - https://www.byuradio.org/

You can also find these shows on your favorite podcast platforms in addition to YouTube

#BYURadio #NPR #WaitWaitDontTellMe #RadioJournalism #JulieRose #UncomfyPodcast #TopOfMindPodcast #AllThingsConsidered #MorningAddition #Allsides

Episode 180: Kenn Solomon | Denver Nuggets supermascot "Rocky" revealed after 33 years behind the mask.

I recently had the chance to sit down with my longtime friend, Supermascot Rocky, the iconic face (or should I say fur) of the Denver Nuggets, whom I've known for over 33 years. In a candid and heartwarming interview, Rocky (Kenn Solomon) finally reveals the secrets behind the mask after all these years. We've shared so many memories together, from thrilling courtside antics to behind-the-scenes moments that fans rarely get to see. Hearing him talk about his journey, how he brought joy to fans, and the stories that shaped his larger-than-life persona was nothing short of amazing. The bond we've built over three decades only deepened as he peeled back the layers of the character that has captured the hearts of so many. Especially the ins and outs of raising three young (not so much anymore) boys in the shadow of their cartoon dad and the massive effect it has had on their lives. 

#DenverNuggets #SuperMascotRocky #Rocky #OriginalJazzBear #JonAbsey #CharlesBarkley #MyThreeSons #DetroitPistonsHooper #JohnElway #DenverBroncos #MascotHallOfFame #CadeSolomon #DrakeSolomon

Episode 179: Kenny Wyland | A conservative argument against Trump...from a liberal.

Welcome back to the show. Thank you for being here. My guest today is Kenny Wyland, a small business owner and real estate investor. This episode was originally designed to have two average American guys talking about why one of them loves Trump and one does not. For the sake of understanding either "side". 

Sadly my conservative Trump fan had scheduling conflicts and in the interest of time we had to move on without him. Stay tuned for a follow up with just him as soon as possible. I try to be as balanced as possible on this show.

Kenny puts forth a decent and fairly conservative argument about why Donald Trump could be dangerous for democracy. 

The conversation may surprise you. And all of us ought to be very concerned.

In Trump's Own Words

FoxNews Story

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#LoveTrump #AnyoneButTrump #HarrisWalz #RomneyObama #ProtectTheConstitution #Leftism #Conservatism #TrumpIsHitler #ConstitutionTrumpsAll #TerminateTheConstitution #FoxNews #LiberalMedia #NewYorkTimes

Episode 178: Alicia Keller | Three Bridges, VP of Sales, talks luxury living in Utah County

Hello ladies and gentlemen and whoever else is listening.

My guest today is Alicia Keller, VP of Sales for the brand new luxury living community in south Utah County called Three Bridges in Salem, Utah. 

She gives us a sneak peak into the origin, vision, and progress of this amazing new high-end golf and amenity-rich community nestled between the base of Tower Mountain and the community of Salem.

The golf course has been designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr

#ThreeBridges #BetterThanDaybreak #VerticalMembership #LuxuryLivingSalemUtah #LuxuryGolfUtahCounty #TheNewParkCity #GolfersParadise #ResortLiving #HighEndLuxuryLiving #RobertTrentJonesJr

Episode 177: Elizabeth Allen and Ellie Higginson | State champion cheerleaders. It ain't all lipstick, skirts and jumping around.

Ladies and gentlemen and whoever else is listening, once again, welcome back to the program.

I have two special guests today. They are Elizabeth Allen and Ellie Higginson, former and current Utah State cheer champions from Salem Hills High School. They reveal the not-so-secret world behind the scenes of competitive cheer teams. 

It's a grueling level of physical, emotional and mental commitment to be the best in state several times over. Plus the sisterhood created by a shared love of the sport has bonded these girls as life-long friends.

Full disclosure. Your humble host was a cheerleader at Utah State University back in 1991 so I get to chime in with my similar experiences and perspectives.

#SHHS #SalemHighSchool #SalemHighSchoolCheer #CheerSisterhood #MoreThanLipstick #UtahStateCheerChampions #NotMeanGirls