I've Been Thinking...

In this empowering episode of 'I've Been Thinking...' podcast, host Bryetta Calloway warmly welcomes the dynamic and inspiring Soyini Chan Shue, owner of City Safe Partners. Soyini, a trailblazer in her industry, opens up about her journey navigating a sector largely dominated by white men and her relentless drive to create a space where people of color can also thrive and excel.

The conversation kickstarts with Soyini sharing her experiences working in the security sector, an industry that has not traditionally been representative of people of color. She speaks candidly about the challenges she faced, the prejudices she had to overcome, and the strength she harnessed to rise to the top of her game. Soyini’s courage and tenacity serve as an inspiration for countless individuals who find themselves in similar situations.

As the discussion progresses, Soyini delves into her vision and mission for City Safe Partners. She highlights the importance of providing opportunities for people of color, not just as a pathway towards diversity and inclusion, but as a fundamental right. She believes that nurturing and enabling talent, regardless of race, leads to innovation and progress that benefits everyone. She passionately describes her endeavors to transform City Safe Partners into a diverse and inclusive powerhouse.

The latter part of the episode revolves around Soyini’s fervor for entrepreneurship. Being a business owner herself, Soyini shares her insights on starting and scaling a business, emphasizing resilience, perseverance, and adaptability as key attributes for success. She also discusses how her entrepreneurial journey has allowed her to create impactful changes and advocate for a more equitable landscape in the business world.

This episode is a heartfelt and motivating exploration of Soyini Chan Shue's professional journey. Her story, a testament to her passion and determination, is sure to inspire listeners, reaffirming the belief that we have the power to overcome the odds, break barriers, and redefine the norm. Tune in to get inspired by Soyini's story and learn about her extraordinary contributions towards fostering diversity, inclusion, and entrepreneurship.

A conversation with Founder and Business Designer, Nagela Dales about the journey to not grow her start-up but support the start-up journey of other founders. Join us for a conversation with Nagela, a first-generation Caribbean founder and Brooklyn girl who leads with curiosity and uses humor as a tool for real connection.

Her ability to use imagination for healing, liberation, and community intimacy is to be admired. She is a designer and strategist dedicated to building things designed to reallocate time, social, financial, and health wealth to Black and Brown people in their everyday lives.

She is a strong advocate for the dignity of the work, ideas, creative expressions, innovations, and opportunities of Black and Brown people here in America and throughout the diaspora.

In episode three of I've Been Thinking...podcast we chat with Dr. Taniqua Miller a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist with a special focus on midlife/menopause health. After 14 years of practice, Dr. Miller took a step back from clinical care to center herself and her journey of burnout. She is a wife, mother of three children, and the founder of TaniquaMD, an educational platform for women in midlife. She shares how she navigated the pain and shame of burnout, the specific challenges Black women face when navigating professional pause, and how she created a life, and company, that now supports her living a boundless life.

Just in time for Liver Cancer Awareness Month, we interview Donna R. Cryer, JD Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Global Liver Institute. GLI is the only patient-driven liver health nonprofit operating across the US, EU, and the UK. GLI convenes the NASH, Liver Cancer and Pediatric and Rare Liver Disease Councils, as well as the Liver Action Network, collectively more than 200 organizations.

In the episode we chat with Mrs. Cryer about how she has channeled her personal experience as a patient with inflammatory bowel disease and a liver transplant recipient into professional advocacy across a career in law, policy, consulting, public relations, clinical trial recruitment, and nonprofit management.

At GLI, Mrs. Cryer has raised more than $10 million for liver health initiatives. Among her many accomplishments with GLI, she developed a program featured by the White House on Solving Organ Shortage/Transplantation. She has launched numerous other successful programs at GLI, including the Cure Campaign, Advanced Advocacy Academy (A3), Liver Matters Blog, Liver Matters Health Policy Memo, the NASH Council, the Liver Cancers Council, and the Pediatric and Rare Liver Diseases Council.

With tech layoffs and job offers being rescinded, all against the backdrop of an impending recession and a never-ending pandemic, career anxiety is at an all-time high. We're talking all about professional anxiety, career fear, and work worry with Clinical Psychologist, Author, and Content Creator Dr. Jessica Borushok, Ph.D., C.Psych. Dr. Jessica helps busy minds get unstuck, out of their own way, and back to their best selves. Through one-on-one work in private practice and her popular course, Busy Mind Reboot: 30 Days to Your Best Self, Dr. Jessica has helped hundreds of productive procrastinators, overwhelmed high-achievers, recovering perfectionists, and self-proclaimed "control freaks" transform their relationship with their thoughts and optimize their world. As an award-winning author and recognized expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dr. Jessica has co-authored numerous books and self-growth tools, including The ACT Deck.

She has been featured in The List TV, Art of Charm Podcast, Thrive Global, and The Good Men Project. Follow Dr. Jessica at any one of the links below.

Therapy: https://www.busymindreboot.com

Website: https://www.busymindpsychologist.com

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theacttherapist

tiktok: @theacttherapist

youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU32xZFYYe0D2CQD9g4AawA

One of my favorite guests to date, Tia Fowlkes joins the podcast to share how she navigates bringing her authentic self to every space she occupies. Tia is a recent Computer Science graduate of Michigan State University. While her minor was in business, she entered the tech industry to explore her passion for customer satisfaction and fostering a culture of diversity & inclusion. Tia joined Google in February 2021 as program manager for the Beta Testing team within Google Hardware. As a Detroit native, she spends her free time making websites, sewing, and raising her french bulldog, Zeus!

Tia is also a freelance website designer who helps students and professionals improve their resumé by transferring it to their personal website. She also helps small businesses that are looking to establish their website before an upcoming launch.

You can receive a free consultation at www.tialeefowlkes.com.

Season 2, Episode 2 brings a conversation about Black Female Artistic Vision with artist Stephanie Gowdy also known as Alyrical. She is a visual artist born and raised in South Florida. As an artist, Alyrical works with acrylic on canvas along with mixed media graphite and charcoal on paper for portraits. Despite her many struggles in life such as being diagnosed with epilepsy, divorce, and literally losing sight, and becoming legally blind Alyrical continues to use her inner vision to live out her purpose.

Alyrical's vision is that art can be for everyone, using it to not only create awareness for multiple topics but bring society together.

One of her favorite bible verses is Proverbs 29:18 "where here is no vision people perish."

Alyrical refuses to allow her life setbacks, health issues, or the loss of her sight to stop her from sharing her vision and inspiring others to follow their dreams.

Website: www.alyrical.com

IG: @alyrical

As an actor, there is so much uncertainty in trying to build a career and for many artists, 2020 has meant an unplanned pause in your career. Maggie Bera, the creative mind behind Actor Aesthetic is an NYC based actor, blogger, and podcaster who has dedicated hours to helping actors prepare for a career and navigate the industry. Maggie is such a clear voice to thousands of young actors trying to understand their place in this ever-changing career. Maggie shares with us how adaptability is the career-defining trait of our industry. To learn this new industry is the next best step for those who want to still pursue a career in the theatre.