Monuments to Me

Today on the Monuments to Me podcast, we’re joined by Ensa Huger. Ensa is an accountant, speaker, author, consultant, and entrepreneur enthusiast. She’s an Atlanta native and accounting graduate from George State, and she loves all things finance and empowerment.

In today’s episode, Ensa is sharing the tools, information, and resources to help Black women grow in the finance space, build wealth, and pursue financial empowerment. Together, we discuss Ensa’s unique approach to finances as fitness. We also discuss how to identify your financial decisions as wise choices or ones that come from an emotional place. We talk about budgeting, how Ensa helps businesses get financially healthy, and why corporate America is a toxic environment – especially for Black women.

This is an episode with all the tools you need to achieve financial freedom and feel empowered with your financial situation. So tune in and take notes; you won’t want to miss this.

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]

A few episodes ago, we discussed fibroids and how it affects Black women. Today, Dr. Soyini Hawkins joins the Monuments to Me podcast to chat more in-depth about understanding infertility, reproductive justice, and how you can take your own fertility into your own hands. Dr. Soyini Hawkins is a Gynecologist who specializes in the minimally invasive surgical management of fibroids, endometriosis, and pelvic pain. She is specifically dedicated to helping Black women own their respective fertility journeys.

In today’s episode, Dr. Soyini Hawkins shares her wealth of knowledge from understanding infertility along with other ailments associated with reproductive health, such as endometriosis and PCOS. She shares lifestyle changes that individuals can explore in order to support their fertility, how Black women specifically can protect their fertility and advocate for reproductive health, and why it’s so important to be respectful of other reproductive choices in the name of reproductive justice.

This is an incredibly important episode for Black women and women everywhere. So tune in, take notes, and use the knowledge that Dr. Soyini Hawkins shares to empower your reproductive health and choices.

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 are joined by one of the most well-known couples in the South on today’s episode of the Monuments to Me podcast.

Brandé Elise, a voiceover actor and TV host, and Danielle Gray,  a marketing strategist and graphic designer, join us today to share all about their company, Unoia. Established in Atlanta, Unoia has taken the CBD world by storm with their tinctures, gummies, topicals and CBD for pets. Brandé and Danielle share their journey in the marijuana industry, and they help us understand the difference between CBD and THC. 

They also share how their products are centered around finding peace and different mindfulness practices, the importance of representation as Black and queer women, and how they manage to juggle their love and business relationship. Get ready to get hooked in as Danielle, and Brande’s energy and charisma can be felt right through the microphone.

 So tune in and learn all about CBD, THC, representation, business, and love.

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]

Today’s episode of the Monuments to Me is going to be a spicy one. We’re joined by none other than Medinah Monroe and Kiki Said So, the brilliant, bright, and funny duo behind the Cocktales: Dirty Discussions podcast.

Medinah and Kiki are removing the thin, laced veil between dating for purpose and dating for pleasure. They talk about sex in a completely unfiltered way that paves the way for liberation, full expression, and allowance to ask for what you want. They share their thoughts on body counts (and what society might deem as a “respectful” number), the biggest misconceptions on sex from a female perspective, how to up your sex game, and how to take your dating beyond pleasure.

This episode removes all the stigmas around sex, so join Medinah and Kiki for this fun and oh-so-intimate discussion and learn how you can spice your sex life up unapologetically.

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

Tyi @tyi.mccray

Akilah @akilahffriend

Kiki @kikisaidso

Medinah @coffeebeandean

And please email the show at [email protected]

What is the role that Black women play in moving industries and infrastructure within their communities? Akilah and Tyi speak with Dr. Key Hallmon and Kellye Britton to dive deep into the ways Black women in business, youth, and small business initiatives within Atlanta are ever-thriving and ever-growing.

Dr. Key Hallmon is the founder of 3 companies and a partnership, including Village Market, Village Retail, and an amazing nonprofit, Our Village. She is also the co-founder of Three Ten Studios and has spent the last couple of years celebrating and amplifying Black businesses. Through her and her business’s efforts, they’ve been able to make a substation economic impact in the city of Atlanta by contributing $7.3 million dollars in direct sales to Black businesses.

Kellye Britton, inspired by Dr. Key’s journey, has also started 3 businesses after having worked in the music industry for 13 years. For the last four and a half years, she’s been working at a nonprofit organization that focuses on youth development and education.

In this incredibly insightful episode, Dr. Key and Kellye share their wealth of knowledge on running a business and entrepreneurship. They discuss how new entrepreneurs can decide which direction to take when it comes to nonprofit and for-profit businesses. They also discuss the different tactics for each business type, their drive to build their own empire, and the key mindset that is most commonly seen in successful entrepreneurs. Dr. Key and Kellye share their personal opinions of the most important trait to have as an entrepreneur at any step of the journey, and they discuss the power of the Black dollar, not only when it comes to starting businesses but as it pertains to the American economy as a whole.

Tune in to this educational and inspirational episode to hear Dr. Key and Kellye’s advice and stories as Black women in the entrepreneurship space.

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

Tyi @tyi.mccray

Akilah @akilahffriend

Dr. Key Hallmon @drkeyhallmon

Kellye Britton @_themissb_

And please email the show at [email protected]

Today, Akilah and Tyi are joined by Anana Parris and Ecleynne Mercy. Both Anana Parris and Ecleynne Mercy are daughters of revolutionaries, and they live up to their ancestry by being radical revolutionaries paving the way for self-care and rest for Black women. 

Anana Parris is an excellent and devoted mom to her son. She focuses on liberation and her devout love for supporting Black women. Ecleynne Mercy is an attorney who has carried her ancestral revolutionary spirit with her. She’s also a part of the founding base of the wellness and injustice group, as well as a phenomenal creative writer.

In this episode, Anana and Ecleynne share how they came together to do the remarkable work that they do. They discuss how they collectively decided that self-care, justice, and activism are 3 inseparable words. Then, both women share why the act of self-care, especially as it pertains to Black women, is an incredibly revolutionary act. From redefining self-care from bubble baths to little daily acts that check in with yourself, to assessing and fulfilling your spiritual and emotional needs, this episode is a must for anyone who wants to practice the act of self-care and rest.

Tune in as Anana and Ecleynne share their incredibly inspirational stories while also bestowing a great self-care exercise for you to practice moving forward. 

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

Tyi @tyi.mccray

Akilah @akilahffriend

Anana @ananajohariharrisparris

Ecleynne @mercylaw_ga

And please email the show at [email protected]

In today’s episode of the Monuments to Me podcast, Akilah and Tyi are speaking with Ashley Gardner and Tanika Valburn about fibroids. This is an important conversation for women everywhere, whether you’re new to the term fibroids, or have heard it before and are unsure of what it means.

Tanika Valburn is a journalist by trade who is also the founder of the White Dress Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of uterine fibroids and ensuring that anyone who suffers from fibroids is able to manage life. Ashley Gardner is a project manager at Google by day and content creator by night. She is passionate about equity and diversity and uses her digital platform to talk about lifestyle, including her experience getting a hysterectomy at the age of 32.

In this episode, Tanika and Ashley explain what fibroids are and why it is so important, especially for Black women, to have this conversation more frequently and openly. Then, they explain the surgical and medical terms commonly associated with fibroids in a more digestible way as Ashley opens up about her personal experience. The topic of having open conversations regarding feminine health, becoming your best health advocate, and considering your mental health along with your physical health.

This is an incredibly important conversation aimed at educating and supporting you in becoming your best health advocate. So tune in, take notes, and get ready to learn from these inspirational women.

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

Tyi @tyi.mccray

Akilah @akilahffriend

Ashley @growingwiththegardners

Tanika @wecanwearwhite

And please email the show at [email protected]

Dating in 2022 can feel like the hunger games, but does it have to be? Tyi and Akilah tackle the questions we've all had about finding our true match.

This week they are joined by celebrity dating coach Damona Hoffman who has been coaching singles on how to find love online and offline for over 15 years and host of podcast Dates & Mates and Koereyelle, entrepreneurs and host of the Girl Stop Playin Podcast, where she encourages women to stop playing with their potential and start working for what they want in life and love.

These two dynamic women share how they see the dating space and what would be their top tips for those of us looking for love.

So if you're wondering if it's time to make a change in your dating strategy or you're just looking for some motivation to keep going, this episode is for you!

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

Tyi @tyi.mccray

Akilah @akilahffriend

Koereyelle @koereyelle

Damona @damonahoffman

And please email the show at [email protected]

9-5 jobs can feel all-consuming. Oftentimes, people in the corporate world don’t feel like they have the time and space to explore their hobbies and interests, or even spend time with their families. If this is you, or you’ve just been laid off of your 9-5 job, listen up. Life is short, it’s probably time to switch things up!

Between the two of them, Tyi and Akilah have a wealth of knowledge and experience in leaving corporate life to pursue other endeavors. In this discussion, Tyi and Akilah aim to shift the narrative around leaving your 9-5 job by talking about what it really means to leave corporate life and pivot in your career.

From getting laid off to confidently leaving your day job, this conversation dives deep into what it’s like to be fresh out of corporate life and the crucial steps you need to take before leaving your job.

If tomorrow is not promised, do you want to give your full day to what you’re doing right now?

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

Tyi @tyi.mccray

Akilah @akilahffriend

And please email the show at [email protected]

What does it mean to be a Black woman? This is a question that garners a very diverse response. Denene Millner and Sharonda L. Britton join the show to help us answer this question while exploring the current state of Black womanhood.

Denene Millner is a New York Times bestselling author and frequent contributor to publications such as NPR, Essence, and Glamor. Sharonda L. Britton is the VP of customer relations and customer relationship marketing at Loewe. 

Bringing their wildly different backgrounds to the table, Denene and Sharonda highlight the important fact that Black women are not a monolith. Throughout the discussion, you’ll find differences in opinions and experiences, all of which are valid in and of themselves. Starting with Denene and Sharonda’s respective thoughts on the current state of Black womanhood, the conversation then moves into how both of them respectively achieve success while balancing resilience and accomplishments. 

This conversation dives deep into the issues of authenticity and assimilation, the distinction of Black women as compared to other women, and thoughts on spaces created for Black women. We invite you to tune into this conversation to experience the different viewpoints and opinions on what the current state of Black womanhood is today.

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

Tyi @tyi.mccray

Akilah @akilahffriend

And please email the show at [email protected]