Actor, poet, musician and social activist Antonio David Lyons joins Listen To Your Footsteps to talk about grief, ancestors and what it means to keep stepping through every open door.

Raised between Jamaican, Bahamian and African American worlds, Antonio traces how dance, poetry and libraries became early places of healing and imagination, long before New York stages or South African screens.

He shares how a stalled career in Los Angeles led to depression, envy and a promise to protect his soul, eventually pushing him to leave Hollywood, move to South Africa and rebuild an authentic lane across acting, house music, racial justice workshops and foundation leadership.

From Hotel Rwanda and Generations to the Valerie J MaynardFoundation and Georgetown University, his story shows what a true portfolio life can look like when you stop waiting for permission.

The conversation moves deep into grief, as Antonio reflects on losing his mother, stepmother and mentor, and learning that “you must hold yourself” while staying rooted in Yoruba spirituality and the belief that he is his ancestors and his ancestors are him.

Together with host Kojo Baffoe, he explores therapy, ocean rituals, responsibility to family and why some people are drawn to chaos while others discipline themselves towards peace.

If you are wrestling with loss, thinking about leaving an industry to save your soul, or wondering how to build a creative portfolio life that actually feels like yours, this episode offers language, companionship and a gentle push towards your next open door.

Recorded at Vodcast TV