Meet German Villegas,  a youth worker who conducts interviews about healthy masculinity on The Modern Manhood Podcast and jaws about hockey with his buddies on Your Team Sucks.

German has been interested in podcasting for awhile, and had a music one that didn't go anywhere. Hockey turned out to be more fruitful terrain for a lively debate, hence Your Team Sucks, where fans of three different teams chirp each other and discuss various hockey-related happenings. That's where I first became aware of German.

Your Team Sucks is fun, but it's clear that German's deeper passion lies in The Modern Manhood Podcast, which he started this year to initiate conversations between men about being men. In the course of his work, German has observed that men often have trouble talking about their vulnerabilities, and he wanted to create a safe and empathetic space to do so.

The podcast is affiliated with Men Edmonton,  a movement to empower men to speak out against violence and to take on positive roles. It is most certainly not affiliated with "men's rights activists." The Modern Manhood Podcast is a feminism-friendly place. 

German made these interesting recommendations:

• Michael Cameron's blog at passionpridepurpose.com;
• YEG People, especially the one with Blake Loates and her We All Believe In You project 
• Linda Hoang's food and lifestyle blog at linda-hoang.com
• Megan McCormick's Mastering Health

The Modern Manhood Podcast is on iTunes, on Facebook, and on Twitter (@modernmanpod). It also has a GoFundMe campaign to help German further his work.

Your Team Sucks is on iTunes, on Facebook, and on Twitter (@ytsshow).

German himself is on Twitter, too: @germanNOTgerman. And if you ever get an opportunity to talk to him in real life, do it. He is such a joyful person.

This episode was one of several recorded at the Makerspace at the downtown Edmonton Public Library on 100in1Day. Watch for more conversations captured that day in the coming weeks.

 

This week’s Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by Taproot Edmonton, a new member-supported home for local stories created with the community and not just for it. Mack Male explains the origins of the name and why the stories are free but membership isn't in this episode.

If you’d like to help create a new way to sustain how-and-why journalism in our city, join Taproot today.

Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.