Good Ancestor Podcast

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I’m thrilled to share our final bonus episode of 2021 Good Ancestor conversations.(You can find our first bonus episode here)As you listen to these wonderful excerpts from Episodes 50 through 59 you will find all the joyful emotions come to surface. What a glorious way to end our podcast listening year with our special guests who have uplifted our spirits and showed how to continue to live the life of a Good Ancestor.

As we close out this year it is my honor and pleasure to bring you the first of two bonus episodes highlighting our memorable episodes this wonderful year.We wanted to close out this year with a celebration of all of the wonderful guests we've had the pleasure of speaking with this year. Thank you for sharing your time this past year, which as Layla mentioned in the introduction of this episode is the most valuable thing in the world. We are grateful for our Good Ancestor community.Happy listening to our Good Ancestor Podcast highlights from Episode 41 through 49. Here are their respective links as we bring you the first of our special bonus podcast:

In this episode, I speak with best-selling author, lawyer, filmmaker, educator, and civil rights leader, Valarie Kaur.Valarie Kaur’s debut book, See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love is our Good Ancestor Book Club selection for the month of November 2021.Valarie Kaur is a renowned civil rights leader, lawyer, best-selling author, award-winning filmmaker, educator, innovator, and celebrated prophetic voice. She leads the Revolutionary Love Project to reclaim love as a force for justice. Valarie burst into American consciousness in the wake of the 2016 election when her Watch Night Service address went viral with 40 million views worldwide. Her question “Is this the darkness of the tomb – or the darkness of the womb?” reframed the political moment and became a mantra for people fighting for change.In the last twenty years, Valarie has won policy change on multiple fronts – hate crimes, racial profiling, immigration detention, solitary confinement, Internet freedom, and more. She founded Groundswell Movement, Faithful Internet, and the Yale Visual Law Project to inspire and equip advocates at the intersection of spirituality, storytelling, and justice. Valarie has been a regular TV commentator on MSNBC and contributor to CNN, NPR, PBS, the Hill, Huffington Post, and the Washington Post. A daughter of Sikh farmers in California’s heartland, Valarie earned degrees at Stanford University, Harvard Divinity School, and Yale Law School. Valarie’s debut book, See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love, was released in 2020 and expands on her “blockbuster” TED Talk.

In this episode, I speak with Black poet, Jasmine Mans.Jasmine Mans is a poet from Newark, New Jersey. Her recently published book, Black Girl, Call Home (Penguin Random House) has been named one of Oprah’s Most Anticipated LGBTQ Books and a TIME Magazine Must Read, to name a few; and Jasmine herself named as Essence’s #1 Contemporary Black Poet to Know.Jasmine’s poetry has gone viral many times over on YouTube. She has opened packed shows for Mos Def and Janelle Monae; and performed at such esteemed venues as the Kennedy Center, Broadway's New Amsterdam Theater, the Wisconsin Governor’s Mansion, and the Sundance Film Festival. Mans also participated in "Brave New Voices", an 8-episode poetry documentary on HBO. Jasmine is a contributor to the 1619 Project and co-hosted the Kennedy Center’s Arts Across America series alongside renowned poet Jason Reynolds. Jasmine is also the voice behind Ulta Beauty’s MUSE campaign. Jasmine created the company Buy Weed From Women, where she sells her own designs in support of women working in the cannabis industry.

In this episode, I speak with embodiment practitioner and leadership coach, Thérèse Cator.Thérèse is a mother, a trauma-informed embodiment practitioner, leadership coach, artist, and founder of Embodied Black Girl, a global community that stands for the embodied liberation of Black women and femmes and women of color everywhere. Embodied Black Girl is devoted to creating a safe space for Black women and femmes and women of color to heal from intergenerational trauma, racialized stress, and colonial conditioning in service of our individual and collective liberation and healing.Her work deeply explores the shadows and gifts of humanity and bridges leadership, spirituality, healing, somatics, mindfulness, decolonization, and social change. Thérèse deeply believes that healing is both personal and political; spiritual and corporeal.In 2020 alone, Thérèse led many healing circles for the Black community, attended by nearly 5,000 folks. She also led Becoming Human, a series of lessons for white people to dismantle white supremacy, for thousands of people. Thérèse’s work has been featured in Forbes, Motherly Magazine, Mind Body Green, and Women’s Health Magazine.Thérèse grew up in Brooklyn, New York. These days you can find her hanging out with her son watching or building trains and tending to her plant babies.

In this episode, I speak with writer, speaker, and lawyer, Savala Nolan.Savala Nolan is a writer, speaker, and lawyer. Her first book, Don’t Let It Get You Down: Essays on Race, Gender and the Body is our Good Ancestor Book Club selection for the month of October 2021. Savala is executive director of the Thelton E. Henderson Center for Social Justice at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. She and her writing have been featured in Vogue, Time, Harper’s Magazine, The New York Times Book Review, the Boston Globe, and more. She served as an advisor on the Peabody–winning podcast, The Promise. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family.Don't Let It Get You Down is a powerful collection of 12 memoiristic essays - lyrical and magnetic in their cadence - that offer poignant reflections on living between society’s most charged, politicized, and intractably polar spaces—between black and white, rich and poor, thin and fat.Content warning: in the opening of this conversation, Savala shares her connection to her second great grandmother who was murdered at the hands of racist vigilantes in the 1890s.

In this episode, I speak with the anti-bias facilitator and mental wellness advocate, Leesa Renée Hall.Leesa Renée Hall is an anti-bias facilitator who has helped over 65,000 leaders with quiet, gentle, and highly sensitive personalities go on an Inner Field Trip® to explore their unconscious biases so they protect their energy, stand on the side of justice, and become better ancestors.In 2017, Leesa embarked on a personal journey of writing half a million words over 365 consecutive days. Over that year she used questions to help her unpack her own unconscious biases around her race, gender, religion, ancestry, and nationality. This led her to the work that she does today, leading thousands of people through her signature body of work called the Inner Field Trip®, a process of self-reflection using guided questions and reflective writing.Leesa is also the host of the Inner Field Trip Podcast where she hosts conversations with those who have advice on how to Stumble Bravely, and the creator of the Inner Field Trip card deck, which includes 40 guided prompts to help people uncover their hidden stereotypes so they can be more courageously on the side of justice and create a future without bias.

In this episode, I speak with author, speaker and behavioural & data scientist, Pragya Agarwal.Pragya Agarwal is a behavioural and data scientist, who has worked as a consultant and speaker for the United Nations, UNESCO, Environment Agency, NHS, UK Police Commissioners, Cabinet Office, and US Defence Services, and various international universities including Oxford, Cambridge, Columbia, Koblenz, Imperial College and more. Pragya has held a Leverhulme Fellowship and senior academic positions in US and UK Universities for over 12 years. She has also held fellowships at University of California- Santa Barbara, University of Melbourne and Johns Hopkins University.Pragya is the author of a number of academic books and numerous scholarly articles, and three non-fiction books and many articles for a general audience. Her writing has appeared in Guardian, Prospect, Forbes, Huffington Post, BBC Science Focus, Scientific American, WIRED and New Scientist, Wellcome Collection, as well as magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Stylist, Elle and so on. Her creative non-fiction writing also appears in a number of literary magazines. Besides non-fiction books for adults, she has also recently written her first book for children. She is a two-time TEDx speaker and has appeared as an expert on many international podcasts and shows such as NPR, BBC Women's Hour, BBC Radio 4 'The Spark' and Darren Brown's podcast 'The Bigoted Brain'.Pragya moved to the UK from India 20 years ago, and now lives in the north of the country, near the sea, with her family. She has three children, a dog and a cat.

In this episode, I speak with the co-authors of 'What's your Story? ', Rebecca Walker and Lily Diamond. Rebecca Walker is a bestselling author, editor, and cultural critic who has contributed to the global conversation about race, gender, culture, and power for over two decades. She has spoken at over four hundred universities, conferences, literary festivals, and corporate campuses around the world, and is a co-founder of the Third Wave Fund, an organization that supports women and transgender youth working for social justice. Rebecca has won many awards, and was named by Time magazine as one of the most influential leaders of her generation. She lives in Los Angeles.Lily Diamond is a writer, educator, and advocate working to democratize wellness through storytelling, accessible practices for inner and outer nourishment, and revolutionary acts of self-care in relationship to our earth and human communities. Lily is the author of the bestselling memoir-cookbook Kale & Caramel: Recipes for Body, Heart, and Table, and her work has been featured in the New York Times, VICE, Healthyish, Women’s Review of Books, Refinery29, and more. She lives in Maui, Hawai‘i, where she grew up, on occupied native Hawaiian land.

In this episode, I speak with Novelist and Journalist, Dawnie Walton.Dawnie Walton was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. She earned her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop (2018) and holds a journalism degree from Florida A&M University (1997). Formerly an editor at Essence and Entertainment Weekly, she has received fellowships in fiction writing from MacDowell and the Tin House Summer Workshop.She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband.

In this episode, I speak with Sunday Times and Irish Times best-selling author, academic, and broadcaster, Emma Dabiri.Emma Dabiri is a teaching fellow in the African department at SOAS, a Visual Sociology PhD researcher at Goldsmiths and the author of Twisted: The Tangled History of Black Hair Culture and What White People Can Do Next. Both books are Sunday Times, Irish Times and Waterstones bestsellers.Emma is a regular presenter on the BBC and a contributor for The Guardian. She has presented several television and radio programmes, including BBC Radio 4’s critically acclaimed documentaries Journeys into Afro-futurism and Britain’s Lost Masterpieces. Her writing has been published in a number of anthologies, academic journals, and the national press. She lives in London.Emma's bestselling book Twisted / Don't Touch My Hair is our second book selection for Good Ancestor Book Club. Find out more about the book club at www.goodancestorbookclub.com.

In this episode, I speak with the meditator, writer, and speaker, Diego Perez, also known as Yung Pueblo.Diego Perez is the writer behind the pen name Yung Pueblo. The name Yung Pueblo means “young people.” It serves to remind him of his Ecuadorian roots, his experiences in activism, and that the collective of humanity is in the midst of important growth.Diego’s favorite word, liberation, took on a deeper meaning once he started meditating vipassana. Through writing and speaking, he aims to support the healing of the individual, realizing that when we release our personal burdens, we contribute to global peace.Diego has over a million followers on Instagram who connect deeply with his poetic words of wisdom and self-reflection. His work focuses on the reality of self-healing, the movement from self-love to unconditional love, and the wisdom that comes when we truly work on knowing ourselves.His first book, Inward, quickly became a bestseller on Amazon and his second book Clarity & Connection is now available.

In this episode, I speak with Xicana medicine woman and decolonial healer, Dr. Rocío Rosales Meza.Dr. Rocío Rosales Meza, is a Xicana/Mexicana seer, decolonial healer, speaker, writer, mother, & Counseling Psychology Ph.D. Dr. Rocio’s path is that of a medicine woman, she is not a Licensed Psychologist, as she is not aligned with the colonial field. Dr. Meza’s work is at the intersections of decolonizing, spirituality, and wellness. She walks and works in between the earthly and spiritual realms and often feels her work is “too decolonial for the spiritual world and too spiritual for the decolonial world.” She lives at the intersections to bring in the new that is being asked to be birthed in this space and time.Dr. Meza deeply believes in dismantling the white colonial capitalist patriarchy as she believes it is these very systems that have made us unwell. She believes that this work begins with self in decolonizing the mind to unlearn harmful colonial programming because it is people that uphold systems.Dr. Meza primarily works with Black, Indigenous, womxn and femmes of color in her sacred virtual community, The Decolonial Healing Collective. She also offers teachings to all folx wanting to learn about decolonizing the self and decolonial healing. Dr. Meza has also recently made space to work with white folx wanting to deprogram and unlearn white colonial programming so they can serve as accomplices in the movement.As a medicine woman, Dr. Meza knows that collective healing and liberation begins with healing self so that we can then act in ways to bring back the times of harmony and balance with all of humanity, Mother Earth, and all of creation. She honors her Indigenous lineage and Elder Pampamesayoq Don Alejandro Apaza from the Q’ero Inca Nation for opening her heart to do this work with all folx to help birth the new world we are seeking.

In this episode, I speak with New York Times bestselling author, Robert Jones, Jr.Robert Jones, Jr. is a writer from Brooklyn, N.Y. He earned both his B.F.A. in creative writing and M.F.A. in fiction from Brooklyn College. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Essence, Gawker, and The Grio. He is the creator of the social justice social media community, Son of Baldwin. He is currently working on his second novel.Robert’s instant NYT bestselling book The Prophets is our first book selection for the brand new Good Ancestor Book Club. To find out more about the book club visit www.goodancestorbookclub.com.

In this episode, I speak with climate justice and antiracism activist, Mikaela Loach.Mikaela Loach is a climate justice activist, the co-host of The Yikes Podcast, writer and a 4th-year medical student based in Edinburgh, Scotland.In 2020, Forbes, Global Citizen and BBC Woman's Hour named Mikaela one of the most influential women in the UK climate movement. Her work focuses on making the climate movement more inclusive and focusing on the intersections of the climate crisis with oppressive systems such as white supremacy and migrant injustices.Her activism has been featured in the BBC, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Elle and VICE. She uses her Instagram platform and The Yikes Podcast to communicate the need for system change, climate justice and the dismantling of white supremacy.

In this episode, I speak with award-winning British science journalist and broadcaster, Angela Saini.Angela presents science programmes on the BBC, and her writing has appeared in New Scientist, The Sunday Times, National Geographic and Wired. Her latest book, Superior: the Return of Race Science, was a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize and named a book of the year by The Telegraph, Nature and Financial Times. Her previous book, Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong, has been translated into thirteen languages. Angela has a Masters in Engineering from the University of Oxford and was a Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.In 2020 Angela was named one of the world's top 50 thinkers by Prospect magazine, and in 2018 she was voted one of the most respected journalists in the UK.

In this episode, I speak with creative, entrepreneur, educator, and speaker, Sinikiwe Dhliwayo.Sinikiwe Dhliwayo is steadfast in her belief that Blackness and humanity are inextricably linked. She is driven daily by a deep desire to change the narrative of what it looks like and feels like to be well. Whether making yoga and meditation accessible to those who need the practice most or telling stories of marginalized folks through elevated photo and video, Sinikiwe is dedicated to creating a more equitable and just society. Her work and efforts to make the wellness space more equitable can be found in Beyonce, Byrdie, Dame, Goop, Well and Good, and Refinery29. Her previous teaching and speaking engagements include The Re-Treat, Create and Cultivate, The Wing, Unwell Conference, Lululemon, Goop League, Summit, Faherty Sun Sessions, and Girlvana.

In this episode, I speak with British-Nigerian media executive, writer, and satirist, Nels Abbey.Nels Abbey is a British-Nigerian media executive, writer, and satirist. Prior to any of the above he was a senior banker in the financial district of London. He is a former BBC executive, a Clore Fellow, a Penguin Fellow, a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts and sits on the boards of various companies. His writing work has been published in every major quality British newspaper and many magazines.He is a social and political commentator and regularly appears on Channel 4 News, Newsnight, Radio 4, Times Radio, LBC and Sky News. He is also the founder of the Black British Writers' Guild. Think Like a White Man is his first book.Think Like a White Man is a satirical self-help book which explains the rules by which mediocre white men continue to get ahead. It is one of the first satirical books on race by a Black British author, and is an incisive and timely examination of racism today.

In this episode, I speak with American novelist, Kiley Reid.An Arizona native, Kiley Reid is a recent graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where she was the recipient of the Truman Capote Fellowship. Her New York Times-bestselling debut novel, SUCH A FUN AGE, is currently in development by Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad Productions and Sight Unseen Pictures.The novel was longlisted for The 2020 Booker Prize and a finalist for the New York Public Library’s 2020 Young Lions Fiction Award, the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award, the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work by a Debut Author, and the Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award. Kiley’s writing has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Playboy, December, Lumina, where her short story was the winner in the 2017 Flash Prose Contest, and Ploughshares, where her short story was the winner of the 2020 Ashley Leigh Bourne Prize for Fiction.Kiley lives in Philadelphia.

In this episode, I speak with advocate, storyteller, and minimalist, Christine Platt.Christine Platt is a passionate advocate for social justice and policy reform. From serving as an advocate for policy reform to using the power of storytelling as a tool for social change, Christine’s work reflects her practice of living with intention. She holds a B.A. in Africana Studies, M.A. in African-American Studies, and a J.D. in General Law.Christine has written over two dozen literary works for people of all ages. When she’s not writing, Christine spends her time curating The Afrominimalist—a creative platform chronicling her journey to intentional living.Christine is a member of the Association of Black Women Historians, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, and serves as an Ambassador for Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. She is also a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.Christine regularly partners organizations on educational initiatives including Teaching for Change, Turning the Page, An Open Book Foundation, First Book, Eaton Workshop, PEN/Faulkner Foundation, and Writers and Artists Across the Country.She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Lee Montessori Public Charter School in Washington, DC.

In this episode, I speak with yoga practitioner, author and founder, Susanna Barkataki.An Indian yoga practitioner in the Shankaracharya tradition, Susanna Barkataki supports practitioners to lead with equity, diversity and yogic values while growing thriving practices and businesses with confidence. She is the author of the 2020 book Embrace Yoga’s Roots: Courageous Ways to Deepen Your Yoga Practice, for people who want to teach or learn yoga and are unsure about integrating their values into their practice without disrespecting ancient yoga philosophy.Susanna is founder of Ignite Yoga and Wellness Institute and runs 200/500 Yoga Teacher Training programs. She is an E-RYT 500, Certified Yoga Therapist with International Association of Yoga Therapists (C-IAYT).With an Honors degree in Philosophy from UC Berkeley and a Masters in Education from Cambridge College, Susanna is a diversity, accessibility, inclusivity, and equity (DAIE) yoga unity educator who created the ground-breaking Honor {Don’t Appropriate} Yoga Summit with over 10,000 participants.

In this episode, I speak with counseling psychologist and educator, Dr. Mariel Buquè.Dr. Mariel Buquè is an Afro-Dominican counseling psychologist and educator. She provides clinical care and teaches courses at Columbia University and Columbia University Medical Center in the areas of culturally-responsive delivery of mental health care and the decolonization of eurocentric therapeutic practices. Her clinical work focuses on healing the wounds of intergenerational trauma for Black, Indigenous, People of Color.Dr. Buquè focuses on delivering racial healing therapeutic practices and workshops and conducting mental health and anti-racism workshops across the United States in the areas of structural racism, cultural competency, implicit bias, and microaggressions, as she believes in the liberation of our minds and of oppressive systems as necessary qualities of our overall wellness.

In this episode, I speak with journalist, author, and academic, Ruby Hamad.In 2018, Ruby Hamad's Guardian article, ‘How White Women Use Strategic Tears to Silence Women of Color’ became a global flashpoint for discussions of white feminism and racism and inspired her debut book, White Tears/Brown Scars: How White Feminism Betrays Women of Color. White Tears/Brown Scars has received critical acclaim in Australia and overseas where it has just been published in the US, Canada and the UK.Ruby was a long-time columnist for former Fairfax Media's feminist flagship Daily Life and her writing has also featured in The New York Times, Prospect Magazine, The New Arab, and more.The sixth of seventh children of Lebanese-Syrian parents who fled to Australia at the height of the Lebanese Civil War, Ruby now splits her time between Sydney and New York. She is currently completing her Ph.D. in media studies at the University of New South Wales, in Sydney, Australia.

In this episode, I speak with writer, speaker, consultant, and brand strategist, Tayo Rockson.Tayo Rockson is a writer, speaker, consultant, podcaster, professor, and brand strategist who runs UYD Management - a strategic consulting firm that helps organizations incorporate sustainable diversity and inclusion practices.As the son of a diplomat, Tayo grew up understanding the nuances of multicultural diversity while living on 4 continents. He has leveraged his experiences to establish himself as an authority in communicating effectively across cultures and personal branding by gracing various stages including TEDx, the prestigious Chautauqua Institution as well as the United Nations.Tayo's most recent accomplishments include writing the bestseller Use Your Difference To Make A Difference and launching the national anti-racism campaign called #LetsTalkBias.

In this episode, I speak with author, screenwriter, and actress, Reema Zaman.Reema Zaman is a Bangladeshi-American author, screenwriter, and actress. She is the author of the memoir I Am Yours and the dystopian novel Paramita. I Am Yours was adopted into the curriculum of several high schools through an innovation grant by the Oregon Department of Education, and is currently in development to become a movie. Reema's essays have been published in Vogue, The Guardian, Salon, and other major outlets. She writes about family, relationships, love, sex, politics, science, social justice, feminism, and anti-racism. Reema was born in Bangladesh, raised in Thailand, and currently lives in Portland, Oregon, with her rescue teacup chihuahua, Fia the Fierce.

In this episode, I speak with a freedom worker, author, speaker, poet and youth mentor, Dr. Jaiya John.Dr. Jaiya John was born into foster care in New Mexico, and is an internationally recognized freedom worker, author, speaker, poet, and youth mentor. Dr. Jaiya is the founder of Soul Water Rising, a global rehumanizing mission that has donated thousands of Dr. Jaiya’s books in support of social healing, and offers scholarships to displaced and vulnerable youth. Dr. Jaiya writes, narrates, and produces, the I Will Read for You podcast, and is the founder of Freedom Project, a global initiative reviving traditional gathering and storytelling practices to fertilize social healing and liberation.He is a former professor of social psychology at Howard University, has authored numerous books, and has spoken to over a million people worldwide and audiences as large as several thousand, including national and international conferences, schools, Indigenous reservations and communities, prisons and detention centers, shelters, and colleges.Dr. Jaiya is a National Science Foundation fellow, and holds doctorate and master’s degrees in social psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, with a focus on intergroup relations and identity development. As an undergraduate, he attended Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, and lived in Kathmandu, Nepal, where he studied Tibetan Holistic Medicine through independent research with Tibetan doctors.

In this episode, I speak with anti-racism campaigner, Tedx speaker and writer, Nova Reid.Often described as a force to be reckoned with, Nova Reid is an anti-racism campaigner, Tedx speaker and writer. Nova uses her background in mental health to support people to be the change they want to see in the world by unlearning their racism from the inside out.

In this episode, I speak with writer, speaker and spiritual teacher , Yasmine Cheyenne.Yasmine Cheyenne is a writer and spiritual teacher who helps people create their self-healing practices. Through speaking, her workbooks and courses, she helps her students navigate the sometimes tougher parts of self-healing work and integrate it into all areas of their lives.

In this episode, I speak with artist, author, activist, and transformational leader, Sonya Renee Taylor.Sonya Renee Taylor is a National and International award-winning writer and performer, best-selling author of two books The Body is Not An Apology: The Power of Radical Self Love and Celebrate Your Body and Its Changes Too, and founder and Radical Executive Officer of The Body is Not An Apology (TBINAA), an international digital media and education company committed to radical self-love as the foundational tool of social justice, whose content reaches over 1 million people monthly.She has shared her work and activism across the US, New Zealand, Australia, UK, Scotland, Sweden, Germany, Canada, Brazil, and the Netherlands. Sonya has been seen, heard, and read on HBO, BET, MTV, TV One, NPR, PBS, CNN, Oxygen Network, The New York Times, New York Magazine, MSNBC.com, Today.com, Huffington Post, Vogue Australia, Shape.com, Ms. Magazine and many more.She has shared stages with such luminaries as the late Amiri Baraka, Angela Davis, Sonia Sanchez, and others. In 2016, Sonya was a guest of the Obama White House, where she spoke about TBINAA’s work at the intersection of LGBTQIAA+ issues and disability justice. Sonya currently resides in New Zealand where she is an inaugural fellow in the Edmund Hilary Fellowship for global impact change makers.

In this episode, I speak with historian, journalist, poet, organizer, and mending practitioner, Dr. Maytha Alhassen.Dr. Maytha Alhassen primarily sees her labor as that of a freedom doula and an engaged wit/h/ness reviving the traditions of the feral femme. She is a historian, journalist, poet, organizer and mending practitioner. As a journalist, she worked as an on air host on Al Jazeera and The Young Turks, also field reporting for such outlets as CNN, Huffington Post, Mic, Boston Review. In 2017 she received her Ph.D. in American studies and Ethnicity from USC and gave a TED talk on her ancestral relationship to Syria.Maytha has co-founded multiple social justice organizations including the Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative, the Social Justice Institute at Occidental College and Believers Bail Out (a Muslim abolition group). Currently, Maytha writes for Hulu series Ramy, is a Visiting Professor in Peace studies at Chapman university, offers yoga, meditation and reiki workshops and is trying to find time to write some books.

In this episode, I speak with award-winning yoga instructor, author and advocate, Jessamyn Stanley.Regarded as a leading voice on intersectional identity and 21st-century yoga, Jessamyn has won many awards for her social influence and unique approach to wellness. With an articulate message of representation and visibility, Jessamyn also speaks across the country, advocating for body acceptance, female empowerment as well as African American and LGBTQ inclusion.Jessamyn has been featured in many media outlets including The New York Times, Good Morning America, Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Allure, Buzzfeed, Shape, Out Magazine, New York Magazine, The Guardian, and Forbes. She broke boundaries for plus size bodies with her 2019 cover of Yoga Journal. In early 2020, Jessamyn was featured in Adidas' Reimagine Sport Campaign, challenging old stereotypes and celebrating movement of all kinds.

In this episode, I speak with #1 New York Times bestselling anti-racist educator and consultant, Tiffany Jewell.Tiffany Jewell is a Black biracial writer, antiracist educator and consultant, and mama. She is in her 15th year as a Montessori educator and nearing two decades of work in schools with young folks, families, and educators. Tiffany loves to bake bread, build LEGOS with her 8yo and 4yo, and loves watching British detective shows. She spends a lot of time dreaming up how she can dismantle white supremacy and re-imagining liberatory schools. In January her first book, This Book Is Anti-Racist, made its way into the world and it definitely won't be her last book!

In this episode, I speak with a social entrepreneur, investor and speaker, Nicole Cardoza.Nicole is the founder and Executive Director of Yoga Foster, a national nonprofit that empowers educators with yoga and mindfulness resources for the classroom. She's also the founder of Reclamation Ventures, a fund that invests in high-potential, underestimated entrepreneurs making wellness more accessible in their communities. She teaches accessible and friendly yoga classes that blend movement and reflection.

In this episode, I speak with author, influencer, and founder of Make Motherhood Diverse, Candice Brathwaite.Candice Brathwaite is a mother of two, an influencer, and the founder of UK based initiative; Make Motherhood Diverse, which seeks to challenge the usually singular narrative of motherhood. She is the author of the 2020 Sunday Times Bestseller I Am Not Your Baby Mother, a thought-provoking, urgent and inspirational guide to life as a Black mother.

In this episode, I speak with writer, pleasure activist, filmmaker and performance artist, Junauda Petrus-Nasah.Junauda Petrus-Nasah is a writer, pleasure activist, filmmaker and performance artist of Black-Caribbean descent, born on Dakota land. Her work centers around wildness, queerness, Black-diasporic-futurism, ancestral healing, sweetness, shimmer and liberation. She is the co-founder with Erin Sharkey of Free Black Dirt, an experimental arts production company. She is the writer and director of "Sweetness of Wild" a poetic-episodic film series themed around Blackness, queerness, biking, resistance, love and coming of age in Minneapolis. Her first YA novel, The Stars and The Blackness Between Them is a Coretta Scott King Award Honor Book. She lives in Minneapolis with her wife, child and family.

In this episode, I speak with author, speaker and anti-racism educator, Monique Melton.Monique Melton is an anti-racism educator, published author, international speaker, coach and host of the Shine Brighter Together podcast. She is also the founder of Shine Brighter Together, a community dedicated to healthy relationships & diverse unity.Monique travels the world speaking at conferences and events on topics related to anti-racism, personal growth, diversity, and relationships. She has been published in magazines, featured in blogs and podcasts, and has touched the lives of people all over the world. Monique is a natural big-bold dreamer and a deeply rooted woman of faith. She is a proud Navy wife to her high-school sweetheart, and a loving mother to two little ones. She has a BA in social science with an emphasis in sociology & psychology and two years of graduate school education in Clinical Counseling from Johns Hopkins University. Monique believes it's not all about your comfort, but it's about your growth.

In this episode, I speak with award-winning performer and writer , Sarah Jones.Called a "master of the genre" by The New York Times, Sarah Jones is a Tony® Award-winning performer and writer known for her multi-character, one-person shows (Broadway hit Bridge & Tunnel, originally produced by Oscar® winner Meryl Streep, and her current, critically-acclaimed show Sell/Buy/Date).Renowned as “a one-woman global village”, Sarah has given multiple main-stage TED Talks garnering millions of views, performed for President and First Lady Obama at the White House, and developed a docu-series based on her characters with Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment. Sarah has also appeared in film and TV projects ranging from Sesame Street to Broad City to the Oscar nominee, Marriage Story. Most recently, Sarag launched Foment Productions, a social justice-focused entertainment company. Sell/Buy/Date the play, which was commissioned by the NoVo Foundation, was its first production.

In this episode, I speak with author, transformational speaker, and top 20 recording artist, Justin Michael Williams.From growing up with gunshot holes outside of his bedroom window, to sharing the stage with Deepak Chopra, Justin Michael Williams knows the power of healing to overcome. He is an author, top 20 recording artist, and transformational speaker who is using music and meditation to wake up the world.When he was younger, Justin always wanted to be a singer, but a lifetime of being bullied, teased, and abused, made him give up his dream. Then after a seminal moment with his dying grandmother, Justin woke up—and his debut album premiered in the top 20 of the iTunes charts next to Britney Spears and Taylor Swift. He has since been featured by Billboard, Grammy.com, SXSW®, and shared on stages alongside some of the most compelling leaders of our time, including Marianne Williamson, Deepak Chopra, and Chaka Khan.With over a decade of teaching experience, Justin has become a pioneering voice of color for the new healing movement—between his podcast, keynotes, and motivational online platforms, Justin’s teachings have now spread to more than 40 countries around the globe.Justin is dedicated to using his voice to serve. To being a beacon of hope for those who are lost, and to making sure all people, of all backgrounds, have access to the information they need to change their lives.

In this episode, I speak with award-winning journalist, author and an internationally-recognized speaker, strategist and advocate for maternal and infant health, Kimberly Seals Allers.A former senior editor at ESSENCE and writer at FORTUNE magazine, Kimberly is a leading voice on the socio-cultural and racial complexities of birth, breastfeeding and motherhood. She is the director of the Maternal and Child Health Communication Collective, a national consortium of over 80 organizations working collectively to shift the narrative of maternal and infant health issues, funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.Kimberly was recently named one of “21 Leaders for the 21st Century” for 2018 by Women’s eNews for her decades of media advocacy work. A frequent contributor to The New York Times , Washington Post, Slate and others, her online commentaries received over 10 million page views last year. Kimberly’s fifth book, The Big Let Down—How Medicine, Big Business and Feminism Undermine Breastfeeding was published by St. Martin’s Press in January 2017. In 2018, she founded Narrative Nation, a non-profit that creates community-centered media and technology to eradicate health disparities.A graduate of New York University and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, Kimberly is a divorced mother of two who lives in New York City.

In this episode, I speak with writer, stylist and consultant, Aja Barber.Aja Barber is a writer, stylist, consultant and speaker whose work focuses on the intersections of feminism, colonialism and race in regards to our clothing and how we choose to consume. Aja is a prolific writer and micro-blogger on Patreon and Instagram, where she creates spaces for deep learning and inquiry into the ways that systems of power affect our buying habits.

In this episode, I speak with author, mental health advocate and historian, Blair Imani.Blair Imani is a writer, mental health advocate, and historian living at the intersections of Black, Queer, and Muslim identity. In addition to being a public speaker, Blair is the author of Modern HERstory: Stories of Women and Nonbinary People Rewriting History (2018) and Making Our Way Home: The Great Migration and The Black American Dream (2020). She is also the official ambassador of Muslims for Progressive Values, one of the oldest progressive Muslim organizations to support the LGBTQ+ community. Blair has been featured in Essence, Out Magazine, THEM, Broadly, and more.

In this episode, I speak with social change activists and co-founders of Race and Resilience, Michelle Johnson and Kerri Kelly.Michelle Cassandra Johnson is an author, yoga teacher, social justice activist, licensed clinical social worker and Dismantling Racism trainer. She approaches her life and work from a place of empowerment, embodiment and integration. She has been leading anti-racism trainings for 22 years. Michelle has experience working to dismantle systems of oppression inside corporations, mid-size organizations and small non-profits including Google, Lululemon, the ACLU-WA and many more. With a deep understanding of trauma and the impact that it has on the mind, body, spirit and heart, much of her work focuses on helping people better understand how power and privilege operate in their life. Michelle explores how privilege, power and oppression affects the physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and energy body.Kerri is the founder of CTZNWELL, an emerging movement to mobilize people into a powerful force for the wellbeing for all. Kerri is recognized across communities for her inspired work to bridge transformational practice with social change and politics. She’s been instrumental in translating the tools of wellbeing into practical application and social action in the public and private sector, working in collaboration with community organizers, spiritual leaders, policy makers and corporate executives including William Morris Entertainment, Congressman Tim Ryan, Lululemon, Marianne Williamson, People's Action Group and more.

Mona Haydar is a Syrian-American rapper, chaplain, poet, and MA in Christian Ethics. Billboard Magazine named Mona's breakout hit "Hijabi" one of 2017's best protest songs and one of the top feminist anthems of all time. Her "Ask A Muslim" project, created in the wake of the Paris and San Bernardino terrorist attacks, garnered international attention and extensive press. The project was featured on the series "The Secret Life of Muslims" and remains the most-watched episode of the series. As an MA student, she worked as a chaplain at NYU and studied post colonial theology. 

In this episode, I speak with author, Healer and Transformational Coach, Jennifer Arnise.Jennifer Arnise is an author, Healer and Transformational Coach who is dedicated to helping Black women heal their deepest emotional pain so they can experience more joy, pleasure and purpose in their life. She lives in Atlanta with her son and their dog Bella.

In this episode, I speak with writer, illustrator and spoken Jasmin Kaur is a writer, illustrator and poet living on unceded Sto:lo territory. Her writing, which explores themes of feminism, womanhood, social justice and love, acts as a means of healing and reclaiming identity. As a spoken word artist and creative writing facilitator, she has toured across North America, the UK and Australia to connect with youth through the power of artistic expression.One of The Tempest’s 40 Women to Watch in 2019, her work has been celebrated at the American Music Awards by musical icon Jennifer Lopez and shared by celebrity activists, including Tessa Mae Thompson, Reese Witherspoon, Cara Delevigne and Sophia Bush. She has been featured in Harper’s Bazaar India, Huffington Post, The Indy 100, KaurLife Magazine, Sikh Formations Journal and other publications. ​

In this episode, I speak with designer, advocate, writer and founder of Slow Factory and The Library Study Hall, Celine Semaan.Celine Semaan is a modern ambassador of cultures, fostering communication across industry, policy, academia and the broader citizen population. Her research focuses on circular design & communication, translating complex concepts and systems into approachable stories that resonate with a wide audience. Celine’s work in sustainability has made her a recognized expert; her non-profit education initiative Study Hall, incubated at MIT Media Lab, is now an official partner of the United Nations and holds an annual summit at the UN headquarters in New York. As a writer her work has been published in New York Magazine The Cut, Elle USA, and Vogue as well as studied in universities; as a designer she has been recognized and exhibited in museums around the world. She lives and works in New York, leading research on Regenerative Aesthetics within her company Slow Factory.

In this episode, I speak with best selling author, educator, and motivational speaker, Rebekah Borucki. Rebekah “Bex” Borucki, founder of BEXLIFE® and the BLISSED IN® wellness movement, is a mother of five, TV host, meditation and yoga guide, and birth doula. She has taught meditation as a profound act of self-care that can be executed effortlessly and effectively to hundreds of thousands of individuals online and in exclusive workshops and public events. Rebekah’s mission is to make mental-health support and stress-management tools accessible to all. For more information, visit www.MotherloadBook.com.

In this episode I speak with Ramon Stephens, Executive Director at The Conscious Kid.Ramon Stephens is a PhD student at the University of California, San Diego and Executive Director at the Conscious Kid. His research focuses on recruitment, retention, resilience and student voice for Black students and marginalized student groups, he is currently researching Black graduate experiences at UC San Diego. Ramon has created, developed and supported student-driven, culturally-relevant curriculum and programs for various Universities, High Schools districts, Schools and nonprofits across California, Washington and Washington D.C. Currently, his research supports UC San Diego and San Diego Unified in the development and implementation of a district wide ethnic studies curriculum. Ramon has presented his research at conferences including Stanford's Race Inequality Language (RILE) conference and the American Educational Research Association (AERA) conference.

In this episode, I speak with best selling author, educator, and motivational speaker, Leah Vernon.Leah V is an international Hijabi social media influencer, award-winning author of new memoir: Unashamed: Musings of a Fat, Black Muslim, motivational speaker, educator, and content creator. Her content has garnered over a million views combined, and she has been featured in hundreds of media platforms from The New York Times to Buzzfeed. This Detroit-native was inspired to start blogging in 2013 because there wasn't enough inclusion in the media. Her goals are to continue to spread style and self-love to underrepresented groups and to spark a fashion revolution.

In this episode I speak with Olivia Alaso and Kelsey Nielsen, two members of the advocacy campaign No White Saviors.Olivia and Kelsey are both trained social workers who have worked in the field for years. Olivia is born and raised in Uganda, Kelsey has spent around 5 years in-country working in various capacities. No White Saviors very much started as a joint outlet to see many of the harmful aspects of white saviorism in Uganda exposed. Coming from two very different experiences with a common goal, Olivia and Kelsey work together to confront the issues surrounding global racism and white supremacy.

In this episode, I speak with best selling author, activist, and speaker, Robin DiAngelo.Dr. DiAngelo is Affiliate Associate Professor of Education at the University of Washington. In addition, she holds two Honorary Doctorates. Her area of research is in Whiteness Studies and Critical Discourse Analysis. She is a two-time winner of the Student’s Choice Award for Educator of the Year at the University of Washington’s School of Social Work. She has numerous publications and books, including What Does it Mean To Be White? Developing White Racial Literacy. In 2011 she coined the term White Fragility in an academic article which has influenced the international dialogue on race. Her book, White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism was released in June of 2018 and debuted on the New York Times Bestseller List. In addition to her academic work, Dr. DiAngelo has been a consultant and trainer for over 20 years on issues of racial and social justice.

In this season 1 bonus episode author, storyteller, social historian, playwright, and creative word artist Leesa Renee Hall interviews me!This conversation between me and one my dearest friends is raw, uncut and real. I hope you enjoy it!About Leesa Renee Hall:Leesa Renee Hall is an author, facilitator, social historian, and creative word artist. After writing half a million words over 365 consecutive days, Leesa helps highly sensitive introverted leaders (HSIL for short) use the art of self-inquiry to question their unconscious biases so they create truly inclusive communities, companies, and corporations. Leesa is on the Advisory Committee for Awarepreneurs, and her tips have been featured in American Express OPEN, Globe & Mail, and Inc. Magazine, along with television, radio, and podcast appearances. Find out more about Leesa at www.leesareneehall.com.

In this episode I speak with best selling author, activist, and speaker, Glennon DoyleGlennon Doyle is the author of the #1 New York Times Bestseller LOVE WARRIOR, a 2016 Oprah’s Book Club selection, as well as the New York Times Bestseller CARRY ON, WARRIOR. She is the founder and president of Together Rising, a nonprofit organization that has raised $15.5 Million for women, families, and children in crisis. Glennon is an activist, speaker, and thought leader who believes that a Love Warrior's journey is to rush toward her pain and allow her pain to become her power. She lives in Florida with her wife and three children. Follow @glennondoyle to experience Glennon's hilarious and unapologetic writing about parenting, mental health, addiction, recovery social justice, faith, and connection.

In this episode, I speak with author, birth doula and leader, Latham Thomas.After giving birth to her son Fulano in 2003, Latham Thomas set out on a mission to help women reclaim birth. A graduate of Columbia University & The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Latham is a maternity lifestyle maven, world renown wellness leader and master birth doula on the vanguard of transforming the wellness movement. Named one of Oprah Winfrey's Super Soul 100, Latham is bridging the gap between optimal wellness, spiritual growth, and radical self care and is the go-to-guru for modern holistic lifestyle for women. She authored the bestselling book titled, “Mama Glow: A Hip Guide to a Fabulous and Abundant Pregnancy”, foreword by Dr. Christiane Northrup in 2012 and most recently published bestseller OWN YOUR GLOW: A Soulful Guide to Luminous Living and Crowning the Queen Within. Latham serves on the TUFTS University Nutrition Council and is also a member of the Well + Good Council where she provides expertise in women's wellness, pregnancy and self-care. In March of 2018, Latham released the meditation audio program, BEDITATIONS: Guided Meditations and Rituals for Rest and Renewal. She teaches at universities and teaching hospitals around the country, helping to improve the pateint labor and delivery experience.

In this episode I speak with political creative, Sassy Latte. Sassy Latte incorporates their love of makeup and fashion into their social justice work by juxtaposing hyper feminine, glamorized, and provocative photos with thought-provoking, political captions to encourage discussions regarding intersectional feminism and body politics. In other words, Sassy believes that the worlds of intellect, politics, and fashion/makeup can co-exist and empower one another.

In this episode, I speak with writer, curator, and speaker, Lachrista Greco.Lachrista Greco is the creator of Guerrilla Feminism and The Guerrilla Feminist. She is a writer, speaker, curator, and maker. Lachrista is a cis, white woman who writes and speaks about feminism, digital activism, sexual violence, learning disabilities, sexual health, and more. She has an M.A. in Women's & Gender Studies, and is currently pursuing a second Master's Degree in Library and Information Science.

In this episode, I speak with author, and director of the Feminist Press, Jamia WilsonJamia Wilson has contributed to The New York Times, Rookie, Refinery 29, Glamour, Elle, The Today Show, CNN, BBC, and more. She is the author of Young, Gifted, and Black and wrote the oral history in Together We Rise: Behind the Scenes at the Protest Heard Around the World. She co-authored Road Map for Revolutionaries: Resistance, Advocacy, and Activism for All. The former Women, Action, and the Media Executive Director, TED Prize Storyteller, Planned Parenthood Federation of America youth organizer, and former Vice President of Programs at The Women’s Media Center. Her most recent book for youth is Step Into Your Power: 23 lessons on how to live your best life which will be released on March 5, 2019.

In this episode, I speak with wealth and success coach, Dr. Frantonia Pollins.Dr. Frantonia Pollins, affectionately known as The First Lady of Empowerment, is the founder & CEO of The First Lady Lifestyle & Leadership Academy, an exclusive membership movement which offers the ultimate in business mentoring and life coaching services designed to empower 1,000,000 women worldwide to conquer their fears about money & wealth; inspire them to discover their own uniquely Divine & powerful purpose on the planet and guide them as they create successful businesses that will transform the world and leave a multi-generational legacy of wealth.As a wealth & success coach to thousands of women around the world, Frantonia’s goal is to be your personal guide on your journey from being a woman burdened by D.E.B.T. to that of one who is TRULY living a life of Wealth, Freedom & Purpose.

In this episode, I speak with womanist scholar and activist EbonyJanice Moore.EbonyJanice Moore is a Hip Hop Womanist, scholar and activist doing community-organizing work, most specifically around black women’s body ownership as a justice issue. She is the founder of Black Girl Mixtape, a multi-platform lecture series created to center and celebrate the intellectual authority of black women. She founded BGM Institute, an online school offering classes that center POC - doing the work of decolonizing education and offering coaching and consulting that is decolonizing authority.Her research interests include issues pertaining to blackness, woman-ness, and spirituality - most specifically black women's use of spirit, conjure, and/or the supernatural as a tool to impact social justice, and the pluralism of Black Christianity and the interconnectedness of the Southern Black Christian experience with Indigenous African religions and African Spirituality.EbonyJanice has a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology and Political Science, and a Master of Arts in Social Change with a concentration in Spiritual Leadership, Womanist Theology, and Racial Justice. She is the host of the Black Girl Mixtape Podcast, Rap Theology Podcast, and has a webseries called #PreachEb.

In this episode, I speak with author Austin Channing Brown.Austin Channing Brown is a leading new voice on racial justice, and author of I’M STILL HERE: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness. Austin is committed to exploring the intersections of racial justice, faith and black womanhood. Her workshops are one of a kind, infused with justice, pop culture, humor, and truth-telling. Whether she is being interviewed, lecturing, or leading a workshop, Austin is sure to elicit a full range of emotions as she invites you to celebrate blackness with her.Her first book released in May 2018, shot to the top 20 of Amazon's bestsellers list. For months it has continued to sit in the top 20 in “Christian Social Issues” and “Memoirs of Social Activists”. IM STILL HERE has received acclaim from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and a host of other reviewers. Even Chelsea Clinton and Brene Brown have tweeted about this memoir. IM STILL HERE has been featured in Religion News Service, On Being, The Chicago Trib, Shondaland, Popsugar, Relevant, BitchMedia, WNYC and more. Austin is excited to unpack the themes of IM STILL HERE with her passionate readers. Her writing can also be found in Sojourners Magazine, Relevant Magazine, and other places around the web. Book her to talk about racial justice, black womanhood, or the writing process- just know Austin holds no punches as she equally challenges and invites listeners through story.Austin attended North Park University where she earned a degree in business management. She also has a masters degree in social justice from Marygrove College in Detroit, MI. Since earning her masters, Austin has worked with nonprofits, churches, and universities for the advancement of racial justice and reconciliation.Austin lives in Grand Rapids, MI with her husband, son and very spoiled puppy (who made an appearance on the podcast!).

In this episode, I speak with social justice activist & writer, Rachel Cargle.Rachel Cargle is an activist, writer, and lecturer. Her activist and academic work are rooted in providing intellectual discourse, tools, and resources that explore the intersection of race and womanhood. Her social media platforms boast a community of almost 180k people where Rachel guides conversations, encourages critical thinking and nurtures meaningful engagement with people all over the world.Rachel is also a dynamic entrepreneur. Her organization The Loveland Group houses a family of companies that are dedicated to lifelong culture, opportunity, and learning.Rachel is currently living in NYC and attending Columbia University where she is studying anthropology and women's studies.