Happy Friday BU&Y Family! Episode 23 of the Between Us & Y’all Podcast is available for your listening pleasure. This is our FINAL EPISODE for Season 1!! This has been such an awesome journey. Nafees & I have learned so much from all of our guests and look forward to what’s to come in future Seasons. We thank you for your support, for listening in, and for being a part of our BU&Y family. We appreciate you!

In this final episode, we are joined by one of our favorite Mama/son duos and dear friends Mama Adero & her son Nadir. We have been friends with them for close to ten years, with Nadir being one of Nafees’ first best friends, so it is only appropriate that we end Season 1 with this type of friend & guest just as our first guests to the podcast were also of this same friend type. Mama Adero ‘Nas’ as we affectionately call Nadir has always been an amazing resource to Nafees and I and so many others and we are grateful for having them in our lives. We learned so much from them in this episode as we discussed the topic of International & Interacial Relations, focusing on Maintaining your identity.

As families of African centered, religious, and any other tight-knit community type within communities of African descent, we want to create space for our young people who come from these backgrounds and who need to be prepared to enter general society at some point. We want to arm our young people with the tools to communicate, do business, etc. with people who don’t look and think like them while also teaching them how to maintain their unique identities during those processes.

Sometimes this process may involve a conversation about topics that are not comfortable for certain families who are not in favor of interracial or even international relationships/friendships of the same race or community type. Although it may be uncomfortable, creating space for this type of dialogue will allow our families to work through differences before they become things that cause communication blockages or other breakdowns in our family structures. When our young people are able to function successfully on the foundations set at home in the larger society, it is then that we can learn about the lessons we have instilled in them.

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It was awesome to hear Nafees & Nas dialogue on their experiences of entering into community & educational spaces that were drastically different from what they were used to and how they endured. It was also encouraging to learn how Mama Adero has supported Nas in this new path in life and how that process was very similar to my own.

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We give thanks for everything shared with us and our listeners on the topic and hope you will too. 

About our guests:

Mother, wife, Virtual Assistant at Kilombo

Rising Senior Prescott College (Regenerative Ecological Design major), Musician

Business advertised: Nzuri Drummers: thenzuridrummers.com

On IG @nzuridrummers Shirts advertised in this episode:  Nzuri drummers Mama Shirt

Family motto: “If you get, give, if you learn, teach.”-Maya Angelou

In this episode, we are joined by my beautiful and dear friend Mama Ayo & her dynamic daughter Noni. Mama Ayo is a community Mama who has assisted in both raising & educating so many children, including Nafees. Her example as a mother & friend is one that I’ve worked to model after, and am grateful for. Noni is amazing in so many ways, and we are so grateful for having her on the podcast as our second young adult female voice. We are discussing the topic of Social Media, focusing specifically on understanding your brand/image being virtually created, and how to make the best of one’s presence on any social media platform.

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As parents, social media is something that we saw being created and evolved into a world of its own. It changed the way we communicate, how we do business and so many other aspects of life. We have made the changes necessary to create our own social media presence, but taking the time to understand this process for our young people whose lives have always included social media is very much necessary.

Whether we are opening a dialogue about social media safety or what types of images/virtual brands we are all aiming to create, having an open mind and intentional space for this conversation in our family discussions can be an eye-opener in many ways. As Mama Ayo stated, “Social media branding is almost like a performance and it shows who we really are.” Understanding your young person’s social media brand, and allowing them to understand yours can really help our families understand who we are in the virtual and real world.

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We give thanks for everything shared with us and our listeners on the topic and hope you will too. Listen to the full episode here: https://anchor.fm/betweenusandyall

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About our guests:

Ayo Nkita Mayala: Mother, wife, educator.

Noni: Daughter & rising sophomore at Spelman College.

Business highlighted Adinkra styles: Clothing line: IG @adinkrastyles (Shirts in episode: Sankofa t-shirts)

Family motto: “Simba Simbe. Hold up that which holds you up.”

Happy Friday BU&Y Family! Episode 21 of the Between Us & Y’all Podcast is available for your listening pleasure. We are down to the first of our last three episodes in Season 1 !!

In this episode, we are joined by a creative & powerful Mama son duo, Myriam Dondzina & her son Azariah Richardson. We are discussing the topic of Unbiased Topics, focusing on Appearance/Presentation & Work Ethic. 

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As parents, many of us are sticklers of how all of our family members present ourselves to the public. Many of us believe that every member of the family is a representative, and with that we want every representation to be a good one. Some of us really take the saying, “Cut from the same cloth” to heart. We want our family members to match our clothing and character inside and out. This can all be very overwhelming and confusing for our young people when we don’t create space for open dialogue about the process.

We also have to consider that our young people are seeking to be unique and nonconforming to societal norms. They want to stand out and make a statement that presents something new. Learning the intentions behind their style choices can start with fair and honest conversations void of judgment or negativity.

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This conversation was so impactful. Nafees and I had a chance to explain our views on being African centered Muslims presenting ourselves to our community. We loved learning how that was received and shared in terms of core values for Myriam and Azariah. They blessed us with examples of ‘radiating your best self with your appearance’ and how that may or may not be a thing when looking for a mate. We also discussed our family’s approach to work ethic and how we work together inside and outside the home. We learned so much, and loved the playful and insightful dialogue shared!

We give thanks for everything shared with us and our listeners on the topic and hope you will too. 

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About our guests:

Business highlighted: Org co-founded by Myriam: Capoeira Angola: Martial Arts group: FB Grupo Nzinga de Capoeira Angola / Atlanta

Family motto: “Don’t procrastinate, Celebrate” & “There’s a thousand ways to get things done, so just do it.”

In this episode, we are joined by an amazing Mama son duo, Reshelle & Amir Abdul Malik.   We are discussing the topic of Community Contribution, focusing on how this contribution has an effect on daily life and the extent that the expectations of one’s parents play into what or how a young person contributes to their communities. 

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This topic is one that is often either overlooked or presented without instructions or insight. Although we as parents may have a strong desire or life goal to offer some type of community contribution, assuming our young people want to contribute in the same manner is not only unfair, but it is unrealistic. Including some form of dialogue on how giving back to the community has impacted our lives individually and collectively as families is helpful. It also allows our family members to understand the dynamics and purpose of why we give back at all.

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We learned so much from both Reshelle & Amir in this episode. Reshelle is both an entrepreneur and Educator who along with her husband Tariq have been giving back to the community through their nonprofit and in a variety of other ways. Amir spoke with confidence on how he understands what standards his parents have put in place for him and his siblings to live up to. He also shared how his parents have been very strong supporters of his personal ventures and were the first to purchase items needed to start his own business designing shoes. So we are proud to say that this family is modeling what community contribution looks like at home first!

We give thanks for everything shared with us and our listeners on the topic and hope you will too. 

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About our guests:

Business highlighted: Shahidah’s Organic BlendsWomb teas: Loose leaf teas

Family motto: “Work first, then play.”

Happy Friday  BU&Y Family! 

In this episode, we are joined by the amazing Mama Jana Johnson Davis and her two powerful young men Kobi & Khari.  We are continuing the conversation on the topic of Money Management, focusing specifically on Investment Ideas & Monetizing Hobbies.

In our last episode, we were discussing ways to save our money, how to budget it, and bank account management. Once we have those important factors in place, we can benefit greatly from exploring the topics of investing and monetizing hobbies. We are living in a time where a simple idea or hobby can easily turn into a very lucrative business. Being open to a conversation about these topics allows our families to not only support each other but to also develop what could be a means to financial freedom for generations to come.

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We were very grateful for the insight shared by Mama Jana on how she and her husband Mawuli have been very intentional about allowing their son’s creativity and personal visions to have the freedom to thrive. Oftentimes, children of two very public and influential parents are not given this type of freedom and are expected to mirror the lives of their parents with no room for even the slightest desire for change. Both Kobi & Khari are entrepreneurs along with being students, and they spoke freely, confidently, and affectionately about what it feels like to have discussed their investment ideas with their families and friends then saw their hobbies turn into goals achieved with monetary gains. How dope is THAT?!

The relationship between Jana and her young men reminded us so much of our relationship. You can tell that the young men love their parents so much and seem to have a soft spot for their Mama & a sweet spot for their Baba. You can also tell this family has done their homework on both investment ideas and monetizing hobbies.

We give thanks for everything shared with us and our listeners on the topic and hope you will too. Listen to the full episode here: https://anchor.fm/betweenusandyall

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About our guests:

Businesses highlighted:

Family motto:

“Do what you love and everything will come after that.”

“Just do the work and everything will fall into place.)

“The will to win is nothing without the will to prepare.)

Happy Monday  BU&Y Family! Episode 18 of the Between Us & Y’all Podcast is available for your listening pleasure.

In this episode, we are joined by my Dope Virgo Mama & friend, Isylah Haynes, and two of her young men Kaysean and Najee’. We are opening a conversation on the topic of Money Management, focusing specifically on Budgeting vs Spending and Bank Account Management.

This is a topic that we all have to give dedicated attention to both being educated on and learning a variety of ways to manage the details. Learning to save your money as well as methods of effective spending are skills that are necessary for any career choice or life path. Having open and honest conversations early on with our young people about these topics ensures that they are not uneducated about any aspects associated with their family's fiscal matters.

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This conversation was really cool because the entire family is made up of entrepreneurs. Any entrepreneur will tell you that money management is one of the most important tools for the success of any business. Being uneducated about what happens or is happening to your money can mean either the growth or stagnation of your business. Mama Isylah shared so many tips on how she manages her businesses as well as how she models healthy saving practices with her party of five.

It was powerful to hear from both young men as they shared their visions, current works, and overall purpose for choosing the entrepreneur career path. One day they may become fathers who will have very lucky families to be recipients of their investments and knowledge on the subject of money management.

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We enjoyed this episode very much, and hope you will too. 

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About our guests & businesses highlighted:

Isylah Haynes: Mama of 5,  Photographer: Hardknock Mamas (Media company), specializes in prenatal portraits, professional chefs: Homegirls catering, Doula program: Gentle spirited doula services, Partner in: Quest Life: Custom masks, culturally inspired pieces. Find on Isylah Ife on IG.

Kaysean: Authentic Kloth: @authentickloth (IG/Facebook) [email protected]

Najee’: Music artist (conscious/soul), publisher, audio recorder: smoovejee Twitter: 1smoovejee, Music: Itunes: @smoovejee

Motto: “Love each other, be fair with one another, be understanding, stick together, combine your resources, and if no one else has your back...we do.”

Happy Friday  BU&Y Family! Episode 17 of the Between Us & Y’all Podcast is available for your listening pleasure. 

In this episode, we are joined by my beloved friend Drea D'Nur and her beautiful daughter Sehrea to continue the conversation on Navigating Adulthood. We are focusing on making a name for yourself as it relates to your family’s legacy, and how to remain connected to your family after moving out. 

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Every family has a legacy, and every member of that family contributes to it. Aiding our young adults in the process to ensure they are both present and intentional about their contribution is very necessary. We can also be intentional collectively about what remaining connected looks like for our young people after they begin to spread their young adult wings, whatever that looks like. 

This was our first time having a mother/daughter duo on the podcast! It was such a special moment, and the insight shared was powerful. It’s so very important to include the feminine perspective in a podcast like ours which aims to create safe spaces for mothers and sons to discuss important topics.

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We aim to raise young men who are effective communicators in every way possible. Engaging our young women in these developmental conversations early on allows for well-rounded perspectives.

We learned so much from Drea & Sehrea. They were open, honest, and full of so much love.

We enjoyed this episode very much, and hope you will too. 

*About our guests:

Drea D’Nur: Mother, music artist, entrepreneur. Follow on all outlets (Drea D’Nur.)

Sehrea: Music artist, writer, oldest of five, producer, and college student. Follow on IG: (sehreandayu)

Business highlighted: Feed Buffalo @feedbuffalo owned by Drea D’Nur. This is Buffalo New York's first Halal food access resource center. Learn more at Feedbuffalo.org (IG, FB)

Family motto: “What is our way? LOVE! 💜💚

Happy Monday BU&Y Family! Episode 16 of the Between Us & Y’all Podcast is available for your listening pleasure.

It was truly a pleasure to have our Oakland family to join us for this episode. My little community cousin from the Bashir family joined us! Nafeesah is the daughter of Bro Jeffery Bashir, who I grew up believing was my birth uncle due to his closeness with my father and overall family. She has grown into a lovely mother, friend, and great person. Nafeesah & her son Ajai joined us to begin a very important conversation on the topic of Navigating Adulthood focusing on: Understanding bills & Moving out vs being kicked out. So many of us parents never had a chance to have a conversation with our parents or elders about this topic.

We knew bills existed and we knew they needed to be paid in order to avoid some form of discomfort or even homelessness. When we take time to really go over how bills work discussing things like; what therms mean for the electric bill, or learning how many gallons of water your family uses on the average per month, or even if you are discussing how there is more than one gas service to choose from in one’s city...this really helps to prepare our young adults to be able to successfully pay bills one day on their own.

There is also the important topic of moving out vs getting kicked out. There are many families who never really have a series of conversations about this. There is just an assumed date in time that our young adults will be ready to venture out on their own, or face the demise of being put out and left to fend for themselves. Neither of these strategies is effective. This conversation should start a long time before their exit day comes and should occur when your family is ready for it to occur. Allow your young adults to express their views, plans and we hope that you feel secure in the support you are able to offer them.

This was such a great conversation. I’m so proud of Nafeesah and her young man for all of the beneficial information shared with us and our listeners on this episode. We hope that you enjoy it as much as we did!

About our guests:

Nafeesah Bashir: Oakland native, Mama & Wife.

Ajai: Rising junior in high school & athlete.

Family motto: “Anything worth having, you're going to have to work for it.”

Business highlighted: Leslie Andrews photographer: https://www.leslieandrewsphotography (dot com)

https://www.midtowncollectiveatlanta (dot com)

We are so happy to have Mama Yinka Winfrey and her young man Ayinde to join us for this episode. They joined us to continue our conversation on Navigating Resources focusing on understanding what is known as an ‘esusu’ also known as a ‘sou-sou’. An esusu describes traditional forms of cooperation in African societies where groups of individuals contribute to informal savings and credit associations for their mutual benefit. This conversation is timely as there are many currently participating in esusus around the country to either make up for financial setbacks they are facing due to the global pandemic or simply to participate in collective economics with friends and family.

As a people, we have always been resourceful and much more productive with the collective support of any kind, especially the financial kind. Including our young people in conversations and even chances to participate in the collective economics our families participate in provides them with valuable lessons that will benefit both them and our families for generations to come.

We are also discussing religious vs human resources, defining and discussing these types of resources as we understand them. Including this in the conversation allows for our young people to understand why we may invest in the resources that are necessary to support our faith practices, as well as to help them utilize the resources available through the people in their lives. This was a very informative and powerful conversation, and we hope that you both benefit from it and enjoy as much as we did!

A little about our guests:

***Mama Yinka: Mother, owner of the business highlighted in this episode: Ruby Royal Floral: Floral arrangements/floral design: IG: @rubyroyalfloral: Phone: 770 882 9515

***Ayinde: Rising 10th grader, avid reader, accomplished young academic, and overall great young man.

Family motto: “7 principles to live by: 1. Live life well 2. Have fun 3. Be happy 4. Make mistakes/Own them and learn with them 5. Travel & explore yourself and the world 6. Eat well 7. Be happy”

We are glad to be back! Episode 14 of the Between Us & Y’all Podcast is available for your listening pleasure.

Really grateful to have my good friend and amazing Mama Keitra Bates and her son Baraan to join us for this episode. They joined us to begin a conversation on Navigating Resources. We are specifically focusing on understanding how city resources work and really understanding what utilizing the skills within your network means. How appropriate is this topic in a time like this?

As we aid in raising our young men and women, there is an assumption that they will automatically learn how to navigate and benefit from the resources offered within their city, State, etc. when they are on their own. This is however a skill that needs to be explained in great detail early on, especially in a society plagued with things like gentrification, red-lining, etc. As their first teachers, we owe it to them to include this important topic in our family conversations. We also owe it to ourselves as parents to benefit from the resources available around us in every way.

Mama Keitra and her young man were a joy to learn from. They were very laid back and full of pure wisdom. We shared laughs and great discussion. This conversation was amazing. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

**A little about our guests:  Mama Keitra is the founder of ‘Marddys’ shared kitchen facility (featured on NPR and other local news stations), a wife, mother, community advocate and friend. (Find more information at marddys.com)  Baraan: 15 year old game developer and rising high school Junior.  Family motto: “Who’s job is it?” (If you don’t do the job, you’re leaving it for someone else)