Monuments to Me

This episode is focused 100% on Only Fans and it is an amazing one.  Akilah and Dawn have an open and honest conversation on the platform Only Fans and is it good or bad for black women.  Is it a tool for over-sexualization or a tool for growth and change?  Is it setting black women up for their future or is it setting them up for a let down.

A lot of perspective is discussed on this episode but we want you to come to your own conclusion.

Listen closely and share your thoughts and feelings.

To learn more about our hosts, check out their Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter pages.

Instagram:

Akilah- @akilahffriend

Dawn- @_dawnmontgomery

Monuments To Me Show: @monumentstome

Dawn - YouTube: @BreakofDM and Twitter: @_dawnmontgomer

We are moving mountains in this week’s episode with Kim Carter. She is a Top 10 CNN Hero, Founder and Ambassador for Time for Change Foundation, President & CEO of Center for Housing Advancement and Motivational Projects (CHAMP), author of Waking Up To My Purpose, and a proud Black woman in America. But none of that came easy.

Kim shares how she overcame homelessness, incarceration, addiction, and more and found a way to better herself in a system that perpetuates inequality. She opens up about her journey of going through the worst of the worst, to finding her purpose of helping other Black women by creating resources that empower disenfranchised individuals, starting programs to help women like her, and building communities where Black women are centered to help them thrive. 

More importantly, through doing, living, existing, and being enough for herself, Kim shows that the rest of us don’t have to do anything extra, nor do we have to endure the pain and trauma, to be deserving of love, care, and protection. She challenges us to know that we are enough as we are. If you are looking for motivation to step into your power, advice for facing imposter syndrome, or a sign to know that you, as a Black woman, are enough, tune in to get fired up.

To stay in the know with Kim’s programs, upcoming projects, pick up a copy of her book, or connect with her personally, visit www.timeforchangefoundation.org and www.kimschamp.com and follow her on Instagram: @kimcarter4408

To learn more about our hosts, check out their Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter pages.

Instagram:

Akilah- @akilahffriend

Dawn-  @_dawnmontgomery

Monuments To Me Show: @monumentstome

Dawn - YouTube:  @BreakofDM  and Twitter: @_dawnmontgomery

A distressing reality for Black women is that we are three to four times more likely to experience pregnancy-related deaths than white women. That’s why it was important for us to bring on Tracie Collins, former Doula and midwife of 17+ years and CEO and Founder of the National Black Doula’s Association (NBDA), to discuss the importance of having Black doulas and/or midwives when it comes to birthing.

Tracie shares personal experiences as well as expert insight on how the NBDA is a resource for Black birthing people, trends or things that have stayed the same in the industry over the years, and how Black and brown people are reclaiming what was stolen from them and rediscovering our value in the birth space.

Dawn also shares her own birth story including how she almost died and what saved her, while Akilah shares her reservations about pregnancy. Whether you are a mother or not yet, you never want to be one or can’t, this episode is relatable for all. It stresses the importance of how representation empowers birthing people to invest in actively choosing a birthing team from a doula, midwife, medical team, and anyone else that will create a space for them to feel safe and supported through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

Tune in to hear from three different perspectives on Black womens’ birth and learn key ways you can advocate for yourself as a birthing person.

For all birthwork, doulas in your geographic region, or training as a birth professional, visit the NBDA at www.blackdoulas.org and follow @nationalblackdoulas on Instagram.

To connect with and learn more from Tracie, visit www.traciecollinsofficial.com or follow her on social media.

Instagram: @traciecollins

Facebook: @traciecollinsofficial

TikTok: @iamtraciecollins 

YouTube: @Tracie_Collins

To learn more about our hosts, check out their Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter pages.

Instagram:

Akilah- @akilahffriend

Dawn-  @_dawnmontgomery

Monuments To Me Show: @monumentstome

Dawn - YouTube:  @BreakofDM  and Twitter: @_dawnmontgomery

Things get spicy this week while we explore the topic of embracing sex and our sexualities with Samia Burton, an Intimacy Coordinator and Sexual Educator. Samia is the CEO and founder of Sexual Essentials, helping people create the sex lives they want through education and events. She is also the Owner and Founder of SE Media Group, just opened up SE Content House, and is the host of Not Just Another Sex Podcast.

Nothing is off limits as our conversation touches on everything from foreplay, emotional intimacy, sex toys, orgasms, sexual love languages, and sexual liberation. But we dig deep as Samia confronts a lot of hard truths on how we, as women, act when it comes to these matters. Truths like: how we can be extremely judgmental; how we can become defensive and mean when we get hurt; or how easily we point the finger at men or someone else when there’s a problem of dissatisfaction when we don’t actually know what we want.

Having no shame to ask the real questions, listen in to hear how Samia has achieved a deeper level of sexuality through speaking her own truth, learn how sex goes beyond physical pleasure, and be empowered to acknowledge what you want toexercise your own sexuality.

For 50% off any Sexual Essentials masterclass and 15% off thigh high socks, use the code NJASP at thesexualessentials.com.

To connect with and learn more from Samia, check out the following Instagram pages.

Personal: @miabuggzy

Education: @sexualessentials

Podcast: @notjustanothersexpod

Events: @se.xperience

Content House: @secontenthouse

To learn more about our hosts, check out their Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter pages.

Instagram:

Akilah- @akilahffriend

Dawn-  @_dawnmontgomery

Monuments To Me Show: @monumentstome

Dawn - YouTube:  @BreakofDM  and Twitter: @_dawnmontgomery

Mental health, especially as a Black woman, is a difficult thing to talk about, but it’s one of the most important topics that we can discuss. Though she is already very vocal and public about it, Dawn opens up about her own journey with mental health through the years while Akilah navigates the conversation as someone who recently started her own mental health journey. 

Our discussion explores Dawn’s lived experiences that include generational trauma, being diagnosed with bipolar disorder at a young age, what led to her starting therapy at the age of 9 and why she still continues seeing a therapist today, how she became a mental health advocate, and much more. 

This solo episode with our co-hosts can get uncomfortable, but it’s real and it’s raw. Tune in to be inspired by Dawn’s story, get a fresh perspective on how and why seeking help for our mental health is not just for when things are bad, and to hear where she’s at in her journey today. 

To learn more about our hosts, check out their Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter pages. 

Instagram: 

Akilah- @akilahffriend

Dawn-  @_dawnmontgomery

Monuments To Me Show: @monumentstome

Dawn - YouTube:  @BreakofDM  and Twitter: @_dawnmontgomery

Last season, Monuments to Me, set out to create a safe space for Black women to feel, to create, and to just be. Coming back for season 2 shows that what we tried to do from the beginning was enough - and there’s no stopping us as we continue to build a community for Black Women by Black Women to talk about things that are important to them. 

This new season begins with returning co-host Akilah Ffriend introducing a former listener turned new co-host, Dawn Montgomery, and a sneak peek into some of the topics they’re going to discuss in future episodes. From cheating, to relationship and family dynamics, to activism, and more, there’s going to be lots of exciting conversation ahead.

 Tune in to this speed-dating style introductory episode to get to know your hosts, how they feel about the upcoming season, their travel plans for the year, and their dream for Black Women. 

Connect with us further by following us on social media:

Akilah - Instagram: @akilahffriend

Dawn - YouTube: @BreakofDM, Instagram and Twitter: @_dawnmontgomery

Podcast - Instagram: @monumentstome

https://www.instagram.com/monumentstome/ 

https://www.instagram.com/akilahffriend/ 

https://www.instagram.com/_dawnmontgomery/ 

https://www.youtube.com/@BreakofDM/

Today, as we close out season 1, we bring the Monuments to Me podcast back home as we talk about how black women are winning and the huge role REVOLT plays in this space. We are joined by Monique Chenault, president of REVOLT News at REVOLT Media & TV (a cable network owned by Diddy which specializes in creating and cultivating programming for Black audiences), Head of REVOLT Studios, Atlanta, and creator of REVOLT’s series, “Black Girl Stuff”.   A UCLA grad who started in local news, her journey as a writer and executive producer has led her to become a non-fiction programming specialist with 25 years of industry experience and four Emmy nominations.

In this episode, we discuss how Black women are having an extraordinary renaissance right now after being in the background for so long. We discuss how REVOLT News intentionally elevates, recognizes, and puts Black women and their stories at the forefront. We also explore the importance of Black people having their own media outlets to uplift our stories.

Join us for this discussion about the significant role of diverse non-fiction media in Black communities and how it is helping Black women win by ensuring they are represented and allowing them to be their real selves.

Black Girl Stuff

Today on the Monuments to Me podcast, we’re here to talk about voice amplification. More specifically, we’re discussing how we amplify the voices of Black women, especially when everyone doesn’t have a microphone. To help us navigate this discussion, we’re joined by Christal D. Jordan and Ardre Orie. Christal is a journalist and writer for newspapers and radio before noticing the lack of opportunities for Black women’s voices to be heard. Now, she’s a publicist, author, and YouTuber who talks about relationships and things that Black women talk about amongst themselves. Andre is a celebrity ghostwriter, the founder of 13th and Joan Publishing House, and the executive producer of Lipstick Monologues. In this episode, we 

discuss how we even begin amplifying our own voices. We discuss the obstacles and gatekeepers of our voices in the mainstream media. We also discuss the effects of finding your own voice, overcoming the range of emotions once your story is published, and the issue of sharing traumatic experiences in our stories as Black women. 

Join us for this discussion about the responsibilities we have when it comes to amplifying voices of all types, the struggles of amplifying voices that you might not agree with, and the different ways to distribute the voices that need to be heard.

Tune in to this episode and be inspired.

To learn more about our hosts and guest, make sure you check out their below pages.

Tyi @tyi.mccray

Akilah @akilahffriend

Ardre Orie

Christal D. Jordan

Monuments to Me Show: @monumentstome

And please email the show at [email protected]

What does it mean to be full and comfortable with being yourself within the constraints of the mainstream media industry? Sharron Reed and Ann Hill Bond join us today to discuss how Black women in media can make their mark while finding joy and authenticity.

Sharon Reed is a news anchor in major markets, such as Atlanta and Cleveland. She’s worked on National Television as a correspondent and morning host. Ann Hill Bond has been a journalist for the past 6 years, a mother to 3 children, and someone with a strong footing in the historian and preservation world. They joined the Monuments to Me podcast to chat all about being Black women who have made their mark in both the journalism and media fields.

We discuss the sustainability of Black Press and Black News, the difference in experience between print and being an anchor on air, and how to get power back when it comes to owning your own voice within the constraints of mainstream media. Together, we touch on the idea of entrepreneurship and how Black women are creating their own opportunities and so much more.

Tune in to this episode and get ready to be inspired by Sharon and Ann.

To learn more about our hosts and guest, make sure you check out their Instagram pages.

Tyi @tyi.mccray

Akilah @akilahffriend

Monuments to Me Show: @monumentstome

And please email the show at [email protected]

We have a very special episode of Monuments to Me, all about self-expression, creativity, and telling your story.

Tamika Newhouse is a natural-born creator and storyteller. She has written and published 18 books, and she runs an independent publishing house called Delphine Publications, where she’s published well over 300 titles. Kimberly Jones is a New York Times bestselling author, NAACP Image award nominee, GC Germany Voice of the Year, and Route 100 most influential African Americans. She’s also a filmmaker and a mother.

Both influential ladies join us today to chat about the purity of reading and how we can encourage more people to engage with it. They also share how they’re able to bring a story to life as artists and writers, the gaps and opportunities that still exist in the literary space for Black women, and how Black women can make their mark in their own version of activism.

We discuss authenticity and the most how both of them are able to hold on to that in the literary world. This is an empowering episode that reminds Black women to feel empowered through their stories. Tune in and hear the words of encouragement from Tamika and Kimberly, so you can exercise your creativity and take control of your story.

To learn more about our hosts and guest, make sure you check out their Instagram pages.

Tyi @tyi.mccray

Akilah @akilahffriend

Monuments to Me Show: @monumentstome

And please email the show at [email protected]