Greetings Glocal Citizens!

This week, we’re flashing back to my trip to Cape Town last November. I met my guest, Yaliwe Clarke through sister-to-sister connection, literally. Her sister and mine are friends and as we (my sister and I) were in SA together our meeting was inevitable. Yaliwe, who is of Zambian and British parentage found her way to South African nearly two decades ago from Zambia, where she spent most of her life. She is the immediate past Director of the African Gender Institute at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Prior to this, since 2000, she worked with civil society organizations and interacted with a wide range of social justice activists, peace-builders/conflict resolution practitioners, diplomats, and peace and security personnel in over 11 countries in Africa. She is a skilled conflict resolution practitioner, trainer, and facilitator who has experience in assisting nonprofit organisations, and government officials across the African continent, particularly during her time as a Senior Trainer at the Centre for Conflict Resolution, based in Cape Town. Alongside this work, Yaliwe has taught and written on African Feminism, peace, security, and development at the University of Cape Town since 2008. She has a Ph.D. in Social Development that investigated the micro-politics of women’s ‘peace activism’ in northern Uganda. She is also interested in post-conflict reconstruction processes; social change processes in times of crisis; and notions of respectable femininity, marriage, pleasure, and (hetero)sexuality in Africa. In entrepreneurship, she is co-founder of Maliya Tours & Transfers which focuses on travelers seeking out sites and histories in South Africa that are distinct from those in other countries and based on hers and her co-founder's experiences living in the Western Cape. If you’re ever in the Western Cape, definitely book your tours with Maliya. We did and they did not disappoint!

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Special Guest: Yaliwe Clarke.

Greetings Glocal Citizens!

This week’s episode and herstory really hit close to home. We recorded this interview on Ghana’s Independence Day, March 6th--or 6th March as we say in Ghana. And while days like this are meant to be celebrations of freedom and recognition of the work and struggles that went into the founding of the republic, my enthusiasm was half-hearted. If Africa, Africans and all people of the African Diaspora are honest with ourselves we have to accept that decolonization is an unfinished job. There is work to do. I, like my guest this week accept it and for me, I am reminded and empowered to ramp up the why of Glocal Citizens and my passion for manifesting a new world. My guest, Brooklyn sistren, and neighbor, Valerie White is as committed and has shown this commitment in a 30+ year career dedicated to economic and social empowerment across the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Valerie is currently Senior Executive Director of LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) NY where she is responsible for leading the expansion strategy promoting LISC's statewide efforts to create an economic and community development ecosystem addressing deep-rooted systemic inequities. She is also broadening her scope of impact knowledge sharing with groups such as United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa).

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How is Valeries unwinding?

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Special Guest: Valerie White.

Women’s Month Greetings Glocal Citizens!

If it’s March then it’s all about herstories here on the podcast and first up we’re in London by way of Hopkinsville, Kentucky with mental health futurist, Sara Reed. She is an empathic leader, mental health futurist, and practitioner in psychedelic-assisted therapy. I came across Sara’s work when listening to a session the Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Global Summit last year, and my curiosity was piqued hearing Sara describe her work and it’s impact. She has spent her early career examining the ways culture informs how we diagnose and treat mental illnesses. As an advocate for health equity in psychedelic medicine, Sara hopes to make treatments more safe, affordable, and effective to those in need.

Before joining the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College in London as a the lead Psychedelic Research Therapist in Psychopharmacology, she participated as a study therapist with the MDMA therapy for PTSD clinical trials sponsored by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). While working with MAPS, she advocated for health equity in psychedelic therapy and co-led the first ever MAPS MDMA-assisted psychotherapy training for clinicians of color.

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Correction Note: In our conversation about plant derivatives of some synthetic medicines Sara mentioned that DMT is present in Ibogaine. She wanted to be sure that listeners are aware that it is not. While they are close relatives, DMT is not in Ibogaine. Read more about it here.

Special Guest: Sara Reed.

Greetings Glocal Citizens!

This week on the podcast it’s flashback February. Inspired by last year’s Black History Month compilation episode, for this week, also dedicated to Black History Month, I’ve selected glocally speaking, mindset hacking and solution-scaping excerpts from conversations over the past year. Starting with the Science Mercenary, Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi on how reconceptualizing our ideas on time and how the evolutionary continuum of human intelligence need not be as complicated as we think. Cognitive-Behavioral Research Scientist, Dr. Juleen Christopher reinforces his thoughts by introducing us to her mindset hack, a technique called positive intelligence and how a commitment to telling ourselves and living a story contrary to those embedded in social injustice are at the bedrock of her activism. Cultural practitioner, Kobby Graham furthers the story as he elaborates on his mindset hack - collaboration and how its revival in the African psyche is critical to progress. Communication specialist and cultural curator, Samba Yonga then illustrates how our African histories reinforce this collaborative ethic and is using her museum as the narrative activism necessary to reinform a new now. Finally, glocally speaking, the Money Maker, Eric Collins, puts his money where his mouth is investing in the change that he and his partners at Impact X Capital intend to see in black communities across Europe.

The common thread in my selections is activism which is the why of Black History Month. Waking each morning in parts of the world rife with injustice is itself an act of courageous resistance. We must challenge ourselves to uplift untold stories and unheard voices, so that by valuing global Black histories, we can collectively build, simply put, a better today. That is the definition of Glocal Citizenship.

Visit the links above for full episodes and extended show notes.

Special Guests: Eric Collins, Hakeem Oluseyi , Juleen Christopher, Kobina Ankomah Graham, and Samba Yonga.

Greetings Glocal Citizens!

I’m back in Accra and it’s HOT and HUMID, but thankfully not so dusty--I’ve successfully evaded the Harmattan! A significant contrast to the environs for my guest this week who dials in from her hometown of London, England. Raised between London and Brooklyn with roots in Jamaica, Aruba and Donimica, Marlea Edwards was drawn to the creative arts from theatre to photography, storytelling, mythology and anthropology from an early age. She is an award-winning, multi-disciplinary creative artist and creative consultant with a key focus on visual storytelling and connecting to audiences. She is CEO and founder of Me + You Films, a boutique production company. As a global, independent professional creative director, producer, director, writer, filmmaker, and edit producer, her early career and work includes working on award-winning BBC shows like Top Gear, Strictly Come Dancing and Eastenders 25 Live, to the London 2012 Olympic Games, London and New York Fashion week and Lenny Kravitz’s Strut Tour. Other Brands and Clients include Endemol, BBC, Tom Ford and Tom Ford Beauty, Gucci, DVF, Kohl’s, FarFetch, Lush Cosmetics, Preen and ITN Productions. Her latest project, Garms: Black Culture's Influence on British Fashion, a one-off documentary deep dive into the world of Black British fashion and culture premiers this week on Wednesday, February 21st.

Where to find Marlea?

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Special Guest: Marlea Edwards.

Greetings Glocal Citizens!

Kicking off February, we have a double-header in conversation with another Stanford Alum and fellow “Track Girl.” Born in Vietnam and raised in New York, Dana Weeks is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of MedTrans Go, a healthcare technology start-up based in Atlanta, GA. Prior to MedTrans Go, she co-founded the Black Angel Tech Foundation, created to support and increase the number of underrepresented minorities in technology. She has also held positions at AT&T, Pfizer, and in several innovative entrepreneurial ventures. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of The Westminster Schools of Atlanta, and has served as Treasurer of the Atlanta Chapter of Jack & Jill, a Board Member for Blue Owl Capital, and a Board Member for the Alliance Theater of Atlanta. She also serves on several Task Forces and Committees at both Stanford and Columbia Business School, including serving as a co-chair of the Stanford LEAD Council, a member of the Stanford Humanities & Sciences Council, and a founding member of the Women’s Circle at Columbia Business School. It was lovely catching up on the many paths Dana has walked since our days hop, skipping and jumping at the Stanford Stadium.

Where to find Dana?

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Special Guest: Dana Weeks.

Greetings Glocal Citizens!

Kicking off February, we have a double-header in conversation with another Stanford Alum and fellow “Track Girl.” Born in Vietnam and raised in New York, Dana Weeks is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of MedTrans Go, a healthcare technology start-up based in Atlanta, GA. Prior to MedTrans Go, she co-founded the Black Angel Tech Foundation, created to support and increase the number of underrepresented minorities in technology. She has also held positions at AT&T, Pfizer, and in several innovative entrepreneurial ventures. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of The Westminster Schools of Atlanta, and has served as Treasurer of the Atlanta Chapter of Jack & Jill, a Board Member for Blue Owl Capital, and a Board Member for the Alliance Theater of Atlanta. She also serves on several Task Forces and Committees at both Stanford and Columbia Business School, including serving as a co-chair of the Stanford LEAD Council, a member of the Stanford Humanities & Sciences Council, and a founding member of the Women’s Circle at Columbia Business School. It was lovely catching up on the many paths Dana has walked since our days hop, skipping and jumping at the Stanford Stadium.

Where to find Dana?

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Special Guest: Dana Weeks.

Greetings Glocal Citizens!

This week’s episode comes to us courtesy of a dinner hosted by EP 22/23 guest, Kwame Acheampong. Kwame and my guest, Stephen Newton are longtime colleagues that recently rejoined forces at Aleph Group, Inc., a global digital advertising platform that connects brands with every digitally connected user in Africa where Stephen currently serves as the Managing Director Sub-Sahara Africa. With Jamaican lineage, born and raised in the US Mainland and Virgin Islands, Stephen departed the US in 1998 and currently calls Cape Town, South Africa home. With over 25 years of C-suite experience, Stephen is a seasoned leader and connector in the digital innovation space, especially on the African continent. His expertise spans various sub-sectors of the digital ecosystem, such as connectable devices, affordable data, local and relevant content, promoted content, ubiquitous payment mechanisms, and trusted delivery mechanisms. He has led the launch and commercialization of some of Africa's biggest digital players, such as Google, InMobi, Positivo BGH, and Datafree. He also serves as the Chairman and Co-Founder of The Illuminate Africa Group Ltd, a consultancy that facilitates Africa expansion goals for businesses. He is passionate about empowering African youth and entrepreneurs with digital skills and opportunities.

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Special Guest: Stephen A. Newton.

Greetings Glocal Citizens! I am sincerely grateful to my community of Glocal Citizens, especially as former guests have been delivering on sharing life experiences with me and the podcast in their communities. My guest this week is someone I met last December in Ghana while catching up with Nydia Swaby in Accra and I’m happy to share her story. Washington, D.C native, Tara Aura Purnell is a meditation guide, ritual artist, certified yoga teacher, and wellness-prenuer empowering people to feel better more of the time. She curates wellness events for marginalized communities as Co-Founder of Blind Seed, which nurtures growth for city-dwellers with an interest in clean living and self-expansion. As an adolescent equity and inclusion activist, after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, she went on to become a writer, creative producer and brand marketing strategist before shifting her focus to health and healing arts. Her current work as a wellness organizer, pleasure activist and food justice advocate centers inclusive, holistic approaches to collective care and wellbeing.

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Special Guest: Tara Aura Purnell.

Greetings Glocal Citizens!

“The labor movement was the principal force that transformed misery and despair into hope and progress.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

On Monday of this week, we celebrated global visionary, activist and minister, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. For many, it is a time to reflect on how far the US and the world have progressed concerning civil/human rights for Black and colonized peoples. Dr. King’s work, especially as the Civil Rights Movement began casting a wider net on the levers of social and economic exclusion, was very much focused on supporting workers--dignity in labor. My guest this week has us fully engaged in reflection as he has spent his career focused on labor. Born and raised in Denmark, Tobias Bavnsgaard is an experienced International advisor and development program manager with more than a decade of international experience working and living in developing countries. After living in Mozambique, Tanzania, Bangladesh and a stint back in Denmark, he and his family are currently based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. From early in his career, unions played a key role affording him a strong background in labor organizations and working with development projects and programing in the civic and social sectors on the local, national and international levels.

His international profile began to take shape in 2012, with the production of “The Good Growth,” a documentary making a critical assessment of the social impacts of economic growth by comparing the reality in Brazil, Philippines and Ghana against each other and to the Danish context. The documentary has been translated into English, Spanish, French and Arabic to reach a wide base of international trade union leaders and activists.

With the advent of a more digitized world, the future of work and the evolution of work spaces are very necessary ongoing conversations. I hope this episode provides a foundation of knowledge and framwork for how to consider solutions leading to better long-term outcomes for global workers.

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Special Guest: Tobias Bavnsgaard.