I've Been Thinking...

Navigating the experience of being a Woman of Color in business can be difficult and not always easy to explain. Kaylan Clemons brings to our platform a shared experience with many other women of color in trying to navigate the unspoken but often career-defining challenges of being incorporated into the corporate culture but not necessarily included. How does one navigate showing strength but not being labeled difficult or showing leadership without being called controlling? How does one bring their authentic self to their work when that is not often understood or appreciated? Kaylan and I chat about this unique path.

In Part 2 of my conversation with Nicole Johnson, we delve deeper into the carried trauma of racial injustice. Her recounting of the times in which she has faced and survived racial gaslighting and oppression in the workplace is one that many will find both enlightening and sadly familiar. How does one navigate the betrayal of supposed allies? What does it take to get the point of accountability for the spaces and places that invite Black actors in only not to be safe spaces for them? How do we do the work of healing ourselves enough to be a part of the solution? Nicole Johnson, an artist, storyteller, and advocate walks us through her personal experiences with racial trauma, how she's working through her own healing and why her new initiative EDIFY is her commitment to equipping others with the tools to bring equity to all the spaces they inhabit.

About M.O.V.E:

In her junior year of high school Nicole Javanna Johnson established Javanna Productions a non-profit 501c3 organization that presents a yearly effort entitled M.O.V.E. (Motivation Opportunity Vision Entertainment). In this effort, members are given the resources, encouragement and platforms needed to creatively raise funds and awareness for social issues and causes. Through M.O.V.E Practical Learning curriculums and artistic production activities, members of all ages participate in civics, artistry and community service in after school, summer programming and week-long traveling intensives year round.

Website: https://www.proudtobeamover.com/

Instagram: @proud2bamover

Nicole Johnson is an artist, storyteller, and facilitator who has dedicated much of her career to helping artists dig deeper into their own stories and leverage them for social change. As one deeply connected to spaces and places where social justice is being actively discussed, Nicole brings a unique perspective about how Black actors and artists can be more comfortable claiming their authentic creative space while holding the systems we navigate accountable. During this episode we discuss her production company and the M.O.V.E. initiative she founded which helps young artists learn how to move for the causes they care about artistically; the reckoning of our creative industry; and why now more than ever the need for honesty and transparency is critical for healing our creative sector.

About M.O.V.E:

In her junior year of high school Nicole Javanna Johnson established Javanna Productions a non-profit 501c3 organization that presents a yearly effort entitled M.O.V.E. (Motivation Opportunity Vision Entertainment). In this effort, members are given the resources, encouragement and platforms needed to creatively raise funds and awareness for social issues and causes. Through M.O.V.E Practical Learning curriculums and artistic production activities, members of all ages participate in civics, artistry and community service in after school, summer programming and week-long traveling intensives year round.

Website: https://www.proudtobeamover.com/

Instagram: @proud2bamover

You may not know her name but Myunique Ferguson is the woman behind a popular Christian Instagram account @instagramforbelievers. She is a blogger, youth pastor and reluctant social media influencer who has created a space where more than 80,000 believers access inspiration, hope and community. However, as the country reeled from the heightened focus around race and justice, Myunique discovered that balancing her desire to highlight social justice with her commitment to creating a space for believers to be connected more difficult than anticipated. How does one navigate the desire to show-up fully in the spaces and places where they are called. Myunique is a woman whose love of God and faith has pushed her to be honest about the things and causes she believes are at the heart of a nation at the cusp of change. She shares with us how she navigated showing the Black face behind the popular Instagram account, the difficulty navigating those who don't want their faith tainted by "politics" and why she believes that her mission and purpose hasn't changed despite the ever-changing times.

Sammetra Daniels joins the I've Been Thinking...platform to share a candid conversation about the nuances of being Black in business. We discuss how the current focus on diversity and inclusion in the workplace is shifting the conversations around perceived equity in business; what sustainability in diversity and inclusion work looks like for Black people; and why doing the "work" of educating within the spaces we occupy is a balancing act that must be navigated carefully. Sammetra shares her history growing up in East Palo Alto, CA, a predominantly Black community just outside the tech epicenter on the West Coast and how she has grown comfortable occupying more spaces as her most authentic self.

Pursuing a career in the arts can be riddled with heartbreak, restarts, and tons of self-reflection. The ability to tenaciously pursue your creative path while navigating the specific challenges of being a woman of color can be even tougher. Luckily, there is a community of amazing Black actresses and performers committed to uplifting and facilitating space for their fellow sisters. Ashley Versher is an amazing film, tv, and stage actress who spent time with me chatting about the unique sisterhood of Black Actresses and why this is a moment to be even more committed to authenticity of self, experience, and expression through our craft. Speaking with Ashley was a bit like coming home. She's that rare mix of thoughtfulness, genuineness, and love of the industry. We discuss how to be a part of the change of the industry we love all while taking care of ourselves emotionally and mentally.

Somewhere at the intersection of Black femme art, creative and personal agency, and Black Womxn wellness you'll find visual artist and Brand owner Doriana Diaz. Doriana spent some time chatting with us on the I've Been Thinking platform. Her assuredness in who she is as an artist and a womxn is an example of the space many Black female creatives are finding themselves. With newfound agency as the collective affirmation around the Black experience continues to grown Doriana shares her insights on how to be rooted in your creative work, how to stay true to your authentic voice, and the power of never questioning the audience and communities you serve. She is an absolute shining jewel in the Black digital creative space.

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While much of the country grapples with racial justice, equity in the business space, and a shifting narrative around diversity and inclusion, Black and Brown women are creating and holding space for the amplification and the affirmation of their experiences in life and in business. Guest Kastoory Kazi shares with us her experiences as a Bangladeshi-American woman navigating the business world. We discuss the unique challenges women of color face when navigating career growth, authenticity in their work lives, and the nuances of being a Brown versus Black woman in business. Kastoory is a skilled marketer working at the intersection of creative and growth marketing for many years in NYC. She's an amazing businesswoman and a friend.

In this episode of I've Been Thinking we have an in-depth discussion with International Career Coach, Altruist, and Recovering Management Consultant Eli Bohemond. With Broadway closed until 2021 and the entertainment industry on an indefinite hold many artists are struggling to find ways to pivot careers in the short-term to meet their financial needs. Eli shares the ways creatives can navigate the ambiguity and uncertainty of the current job market. Eli helps us identify the skills and abilities that creatives have that can be transferrable to the job market today. We discuss the power of leaning into your authentic artistic personality and why the desire to do more during this forced downtime may not be the best use of your time and energies. Trust me, you'll learn a lot and walk away with tangible steps to implement today!

About Eli Bohemond:

After navigating 5 successful career transitions from management consulting, business development, start-ups, and higher education, Eli’s spent the last 6 years supporting 2K+ individuals across 90 countries with purposeful career and life transitions of their own. He’s built, inspired, and led teams of 100s of career coaches to support 1000s of career changers in landing meaningful jobs with a 93% placement rate at global companies like WeWork in NYC and SEVEN Career Coaching and Hult International Business School in London. He is a co-founder of Your Career Strategy and a top-ranked workshop facilitator who is striving to make coaching more accessible to millions of people.

LinkedIn: : https://www.linkedin.com/in/elicareercoach/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamelibohemond/

Website: www.yourcareerstrategy.com - coming soon

Is your mind clamoring with all the stimuli from the world around you? As creatives our minds are fertile ground for imagination and innovation but, has your busy creative mind been in overdrive lately? Dr. Jessica Borushok, The Busy Mind Psychologist, stops by the I've Been Thinking podcast to help us get unstuck from our busy minds so we can live our best and most authentic lives. A registered clinical and health psychologist, award-winning author, and trainer in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dr. Jessica works one-on-one with clients and through her popular course, Busy Mind Reboot, to teach adults how to break unhelpful patterns of avoidance and develop healthier relationships with their busy minds.

Website: www.busymindreboot.com

Instagram: @busymindpsychologist

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/busymindpsychologist