Enlighten: Uplift & Inspire

My guest today is Kalia Brooks. Kalia is a curator, exhibition maker, and educator. As an exhibition maker, Kalia is dedicated to bringing people closer to the creative process, while bringing the creative process closer to people. She creates exhibitions that are community engaged, making cultural, social and political statements, that tap the healing power of art. Kalia has been or is currently an adjunct professor at Columbia University, New York University, Parsons School of Design, Pratt Institute of Fine Arts, and Cooper Union, integrating art history, sociology, culture, race and art into her courses. 2017 held huge milestones for Kalia: she moved to a new community, completed her dissertation for her PhD. in Aesthetics and Art Theory, planned her wedding, and discovered her mom was diagnosed with cancer. Kalia appreciates all the lessons learned in these transitional years, which helped set in motion all that she is manifesting now. I am so inspired by Kalia’s wisdom, creativity, and dedication to social justice. Follow the link below for Kalia’s website to explore recent exhibits, exciting upcoming exhibits, and how to sign up for her newsletter. I encourage you to join me for Kalia’s next project in the Fall of 2019, when The Institute for Research in African American Studies at Columbia University will hold a Symposium, commemorating the 400 year anniversary when Africans first landed in Jamestown. It’s fascinating that the early seeds of democracy and the early seeds of slavery happened at the same time. Enjoy the podcast! Links: www.kaliabrooksstudio.com

My guest today is Lou Del Bianco. Lou is a storyteller, actor, singer and author. Lou has been an artist-in-residence, he's created after-school programs, developed character education programs, facilitated mutli-cultural programs, and performed at assemblies, theaters, libraries, community centers & senior living facilities. His children’s music album from the early 90s was a favorite in our home when our daughter and son were little. His charismatic, playful energy has won the hearts of audiences of all ages. In addition to publishing an illustrated children’s book about Abraham Lincoln, Lou has recently published a book about his grandfather, “Out of the Shadow of Mount Rushmore: The Luigi Del Bianco Story, An Italian Immigrant’s Unsung Role”. Lou’s grandfather was originally not given credit for the tremendous role he played in creating this national monument. Lou took it upon himself to make sure the world knew Luigi’s story. Finally in 2017, Mount Rushmore acknowledged the unique and critical role his grandfather played in refining the faces of Mount Rushmore; giving them humanity, soul and even a twinkle in their eyes. Lou’s book documents the odyssey that Lou endured to honor his grandfather. Check the links below for Lou’s website to see his performance schedule, awards, and video clips. You’ll also find a link to to order Lou’s book and learn more about the compelling story of Lou’s once unsung hero grandfather. Enjoy the podcast! Links: Lou's Web Site luigimountrushmore.com Through Lincoln's Eyes: A Fight for Luigi Del Bianco's Legacy (video)

My guest today is Josh Finn. Josh is a gifted furniture maker, business owner, and humble advocate for bringing woodworking skills to vulnerable youth. I am proud to be related to Josh,  he is my first cousin. We have hired him to build furniture in 3 rooms of our home, each project an artistic masterpiece with the essence of Josh’s soul infused in all his work.  Influenced by his father, who had been a sculptor and taken the family to museums and cathedrals, Josh resonated with the elegant simplicity of the Shakers. In his early 20s, Josh worked for a furniture maker in Scotland and a cabinet maker in Brooklyn, NY before opening up his own shop in upstate New York 20 years ago. Last summer Josh spent 3 weeks in Malawi, Africa helping to create a trade school for Mzuzu International Academy, one of the educational programs sponsored by Maloto, the non-profit organization that feeds, educates, and empowers those affected by the AIDS epidemic in Malawi. This disease had wiped out a generation of caregivers, teachers, and community leaders; and left thousands of children orphaned. (Listen to my episode with Maloto Founder, Anna Msowoya-Keys to hear more about her organization). Josh lay the foundation for a vocational program by teaching woodworking and furniture making skills to 12 engaged youth and plans to return to Malawi this summer for 6 weeks. Josh honesty speaks of his dyslexia and learning issues; appreciating his beloved wife’s gift as a speech therapist who understands how his brain works. He honors his mother, who was the first to believe in him, as he is very present to her as she ages; describing that it is easy and joyful to have her such a close part of his life. Check out the show notes below for Josh’s website, email address and be inspired to hire Josh for your furniture needs. You’ll also find links to Josh’s Go Fund Me page, where you can support his transformative efforts with the youth of Malawi. Enjoy the podcast! Links: Go Fund Me: Josh Finn’s Trade School in Malawi Website: www.joshfinn.com Email: [email protected] IG: @joshfinn1965 Anna Msowoya-Keys on the Enlighten: Uplift & Inspire Podcast Maloto

My guest today is Jenevieve Louise Pluhowski. Jenevieve has her own skin care business, is a gifted yoga teacher (on the mat and in the hammocks), is a certified doula and fills in when needed with her husband’s catering business. Jenna was 33 weeks pregnant when we recorded this conversation so she is now very close to delivering her son, which she plans to do through a home birth. Jenna studied to become an esthetician in her high school BOCES program for cosmetology, then later went to the International Dermal Institute, and worked for different spas, before opening up her own business, 8 years ago, specializing in facials. Jenevieve’s parents both practiced transcendental meditation, so since she was a child, Jenna had a strong meditation practice. Her meditation practice served her well, particularly when she and one of her sisters were arrested in Nebraska for marijauna possession and sentenced to 2 years in prison. Jenevieve openly talks about how this disturbing experience changed her life, opened her eyes into a world that she knew so little of. It was in prison that Jenevieve learned of the transformative work of James Fox, who started bringing yoga into the San Quentin prison 25 years ago. Jenevieve understood the healing power of yoga so once released, she immersed herself in a yoga teacher training, as well as trauma-informed, mindfulness-based yoga. Check out the show notes below for links to Jenevieve’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, and to sign up for any of your skin care needs. Look for the wonderful yoga and aerial classes she will soon be teaching again at Soul Flyte, here in Nyack, NY. Join me in sending Jenevieve and her husband Julian, blessings for a lovingly supportive home birth delivery of their healthy son! Enjoy the podcast! Links: FB: Jenevieve Louise LLC, Skincare IG: @jenbelieve www.prisonyoga.org - Prison Yoga Project Soul Flyte - Nyack’s first boutique AntiGravity® yoga and fitness studio

My guest today is Jon Lampley. Jon is an incredibly gifted multi-instrumentalist and one of the most generous musicians I’ve witnessed, enthusiastically giving of his heart and soul every time he is on stage. Jon developed tuba skills in middle and high school ensembles while playing trumpet in church. He majored in Jazz Studies at The Ohio State University, where he met and collaborated with similarly-driven friends, at their college house on Hunter Ave. In homage to that college house, Jon (trumpet/sousaphone), Dan White (saxophone) and Chris Ott (trombone/beatbox) formed the dynamic band Huntertones. All three wrote music for the band, and recently the compositions have had a more collaborative process. Their soulful rhythm section consists of John Hubble on drums, Adam DeAscentis on bass, Justin Stanton on keys/trumpet, and Josh hill on guitar, blending jazz, hip-hop, R&B, with an infectious New Orleans vibe. Huntertones motto is to have their audience feeling better leaving than when they came in, winning the joyful support of fans around the world. After graduating from OSU, Huntertones was selected to be travel ambassadors for American Music Abroad, through the U.S. State Department, a cultural exchange program. Their travels to share their original music in Barbados, Ecuador, Togo and Zimbabwe had a profound impact on each musician individually and definitely as a group musically. Jon witnessed in Africa that there was no separation between singing and dancing, they are one in the same! Which explains what delights me in watching Jon perform; he embodies the joy and gracious spirit that resonated with him so deeply, as African musicians taught song, instrument and movement together. Since he was a junior in college, Jon has been the touring trumpet player for the platinum selling rock band, Of A Revolution (O.A.R.). When Jon is not touring with Huntertones or O.A.R., you can catch him performing with Jon Batiste’s “Stay Human”, the house band on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Check the show notes for links to all of Jon’s creative projects! Enjoy the podcast! Links: jonlampley.com huntertones.com FB: Jon Lampley IG: @jonlampleymusic IG: @Huntertones