Checkbox Other with Nikki Innocent

Most Gen Zers and Millennials were living on their own before the pandemic, but almost a third moved back home as COVID struck for many reasons, and two-thirds of those who moved home are still there, trying to find a new normal between child and roommate. Today's episode features Tanya Barrett, a first-generation Jamaican-American, who shares her wisdom on finding herself in the face of life's challenges. Tanya talks about recently moving back home, rebuilding relationships with her parents in her thirties, discovering new versions of herself, and healing old wounds. All this while also navigating the challenges of interpersonal conflicts and change in the workplace. This episode shows how storytelling creates space for us to tap into the transformative power of vulnerability and shared humanity while cultivating inclusive wisdom.

For show notes and more info, visit nikkiinnocent.com/podcast

Did you know women make 85% of travel decisions and two-thirds of all travelers but are still considered a niche group in the travel industry? Today's guest, Beth Santos, talks about her journey to creating Wanderful, her company focused on closing the gender gap in the travel market by reaching over 45,000 women each year centering an international community of travelers and content creators through a thriving online membership network, local chapter events in 50+ cities, global summits and small group trips on a mission to improve travel for all women. Nikki and Beth discuss how traveling alone can unearth the most personal discoveries, challenge preconceptions and foster an inclusive society.

For show notes and more info, visit nikkiinnocent.com/podcast

Life is fragile. It's something we hear a lot but so often we glaze over or brush past the impact of a sudden, abrupt reckoning that death brings. In this episode, Nikki discusses the complicated feelings that come with losing someone unexpectedly and far too soon. She honors her friend Jemail who passed away. In this difficult time, Nikki reminds us of the importance of feeling all our big feelings and in times of loss, reaching out to a loved one to ask for help is valuable in the process of healing.

For show notes and more info, visit nikkiinnocent.com/podcast

Imagine staring in the eyes of people who see you and those who look like you as a threat and asking them to discuss their fear. Our guest, Bushra Amiwala, did just that. She's the youngest Muslim elected official in the United States and talks about the key moments of her political journey in the face of opposition so far including her experience running for office as a college freshman. She shares what it's like to rebound after a political defeat, what goes into being a Board of Education member, the experience of being discounted because of your age, why representation matters and holds the potential to connect us despite difference. Bushra offers wisdom for those who don't feel represented and shares her framework for everyday leadership.

For show notes and more info, visit nikkiinnocent.com/podcast

Layoffs seem to be happening day after day with each wave leaving people feeling more lost. In this episode we share a live conversation between Nikki and Kt McBratney, previous guest and co-founder of Owntrail to talk about how to cope with an abrupt layoff. Nikki offers concrete tips and tools, mindset reframes and unconventional tactics to regain your sense of confidence after the emotionally, mentally and professionally complex rollercoaster of job loss.

For show notes and more info, visit nikkiinnocent.com/podcast

How often have you heard about slavery from the perspective of the enslaved people who were forced to be there? In this episode, Brigette Janea Jones joins Nikki to talk about her experience of being the first Black tour guide at the Belle Meade Plantation in Nashville, TN. She chronicles her journey from being a visitor to tour guide to program creator to Director of Equitable Partnerships focused on intentional reparative action in the community as a result of the impact of chattel slavery. Can you imagine what our understanding of the human experience would be like if we had the opportunity to witness history from multiple perspectives? Jones' pivotal Journey to Jubilee program humanizing the African American enslaved experience on the plantation gives us an idea. Brigette shares wisdom on how reframing and sharing a more full story of history has the unique ability to activate empathy across identity, generation and background.

For show notes and more info, visit nikkiinnocent.com/podcast

The days of leaders ruling through fear, intimidation and dehumanization are numbered. We're shifting from a fascination with identity, power and privilege to prioritizing empathy, authenticity and inclusion. In the face of this change, the old way of doing things is looking more and more outdated. Lately, we've been seeing the negative impact of oppressive leadership models that operate within the traditional principles of patriarchy and white supremacy. In this episode, Nikki discusses specific real life examples of how these destructive tactics are playing out in high profile, public facing situations. Transparency and technology are transforming leadership by empowering individuals to make informed decisions and revealing how leaders operate in crisis, all while current economic instability is exposing the weaknesses of a traditional hyper-capitalistic value system. Right now, we need leaders that are adaptable, empathetic, and inclusive, and are not threatened but catalyzed by diversity and uncertainty.

For show notes and more info, visit nikkiinnocent.com/podcast

"Where are you from?" is a question that so many of us who don't fit the mold are met with in a white-centric society. But what if you are from, influenced and impacted by so many people, places and cultures around the world? In this episode, Lilly Bekele-Piper talks about her experiences of being born in Ethiopia, immigrating at a young age to the US and then in her adulthood moving back to East Africa to plant her roots while also growing her global presence through her work with the US Government and in her own passion project of amplifying the stories of folks on the African continent and the diaspora through her podcast Selam and Hello. In this episode, she shares wisdom about the importance of viewing the world through a lens of humanity, connection and critical thinking.

For show notes and more info, visit nikkiinnocent.com/podcast

In our current culture, death isn't a topic that we spend much time understanding. More often than not, the topic of death results in a subject change, a tidal wave of emotions or a sense of detachment. Last week, Damar Hamlin, a professional football player collapsed on live TV during the NFL's Monday Night Football game and millions of people around the country and the world had a real time experience of having to grapple with how fragile our lives are. After years of the pandemic, we have been surrounded by the very real impact of death, grief and loss at levels most of us have never experienced. And as one year closes and another begins, we are honoring the rebirth of the calendar while also honoring the passing of last year. In this episode, Nikki talks about how important it is for us to reclaim our relationship to death, grief and loss in order to live more freely in the time we have while we're alive.

For show notes and more info, visit nikkiinnocent.com/podcast

As you step into the potential and planning for 2023, there can be a lot of pressure to have everything figured out or a perfect step-by-step process mapped out to achieve your goals flawlessly. This episode invites you to reframe your relationship to resolutions and rather than seeing them as a mountain top or a rigid finish line, allowing them to be a directional nudge to explore with the focus on bearing witness to yourself in the present moment. Goal setting is important, but so often we set goals and blindly strive for them without understanding whether or not the path we're taking is working for us or if the goal is truly what we want when we are in the process of moving towards it. Nikki discusses some resources that might help you as you chart your forecast for 2023. Also, she shares a bit about how the fact that Haitian Independence Day and the New Year fall on the same date have impacted her life and how she looks at working towards a more inclusive, authentic future for both herself and the world around her.

For show notes and more info, visit nikkiinnocent.com/podcast