Mother Tree Network

Meet Valerie Bowden, a young mother who after living in Ethiopia for eight years returned to the U.S. with her family and founded a business that connects African talent to entrepreneurs in the U.S. and Canada.

Charity and aid in Africa often do more harm than good, creating an inequitable relationship. 

Business partnerships offer a win-win model for fairer relationships.

When I asked Valerie if she ever doubted herself when creating Crdle she said “No.  It was a burning inside me that I couldn’t NOT do.”  Too many Africans on the continent were telling her fair business relationships was what they needed, not “aid.” So she turned that social work ethic, including that of listening to people and supporting their leadership, to becoming an entrepreneur herself and a partner with small businesses and entrepreneurs in Africa. 

On this episode of Mother Tree Network, Valerie joins us to talk about her organization Crdle, which connects African entrepreneurs and skilled individuals with partners in the global marketplace. 

Valerie shares cultural differences between Ethiopian and US work culture and how building relationships can enhance productivity. 

Valerie and I talked about the Ethiopian cultural differences that could benefit American work culture, including:

• Centering relationship
• Making people more important than time
• Moving at the rate of trust

Valerie has a five-month old baby and when I asked how she manages a start up and her young family, she said that she prioritizes self-care.  

She gets up at 4:30am every morning and begins her day with three hours of quiet, movement, journaling, and coffee.  She also gets 7-8 hours of sleep every night because her body breaks down without that minimum.  

How does she do all of this and run a business?

Partnerships.

She has a Ugandhan partner who handles a lot of the back-end business aspects so that she can focus on spending her days promoting African talent and match-making.

Sustainably paid African partners can benefit both entrepreneurs seeking to expand their operations and those looking to start a side hustle. 

Paying a fair wage helps to reset  the balance towards more fair relationships and business endeavors. 

• Valerie challenges stereotypes about people from different cultures and encourages trying new things to learn and grow. She has worked with non-profits in African communities and realized that many charities do not make a real impact, and some actually cause damage. By adopting a business approach, Valerie creates win-win partnerships where both parties benefit and there is a more fair and balanced relationship.
  
  
• Valerie shares how African businesses can offer unique and cool products that aren't found in the US. She cites an example of how entrepreneurs can source white label products from Africa instead of going to platforms like Alibaba for generic products. Additionally, she mentions how small startups and businesses can find affordable talent in African countries with a lower cost of living, thereby creating more cost-effective business solutions.
  
  
• The podcast shares how everyone can play a vital role in helping Africa's growth and development, aligning their values with financial investments through Crdle. Valerie emphasizes that ethics and values from the helping professions can be creatively applied to make an impact in various fields, including business.

If you want to Regenerate your Racial Justice, please join our Soul Journey to the Summer Solstice.  We go beyond self-care.  We're going to reawaken your ancestral and earth connections so that you can Regenerate and Roar with L

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Mother tree Network Podcast--Where  Earth Wisdom Meets Racial Justice and Women's Leadership.

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• Align with the moon cycles,
• Choose myths that empower you,
• Get the most out of the summer season and the foods that support your heart.

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Mother tree Network Podcast--Where  Earth Wisdom Meets Racial Justice and Women's Leadership.

Want to become your unlimited self and evolve the planet?

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https://www.dramandakemp.com/podcast

While I was in the North Georgia Mountains, I got a chance to talk with Shannon Mitchell and Christine Gautreaux, co-owners of Women Connected in Wisdom.  Their business model includes an online community, podcast, book, and an annual conference where authors speak.

Both women live in Atlanta and have multiple businesses.

Shannon bowled me over when she shared during the interview that she took her unemployment checks during Covid to start up her business SheaLo Glow.

Now three years later this twenty-something queen has a storefront shop as well as an online business!

Shannon also shares her story of a 12-year separation from her mother and her mother's family, and how it affected her  identity and connection to her cultural community.  We also learn about her positive relationship with Christina and how they both prioritize openness and honesty.  

Christine, a professional speaker and social worker, has written books that have opened doors for her and given her opportunities to speak at conferences and events. Christine noticed that many other women had incredible stories and voices, but had not yet been published. 

Together she and Shannon, decided to create a podcast and a compilation book featuring 18 authors, most of whom had never been published before. Their mission is to get these stories and voices out into the world and into the hands of readers. Christine believes that books are valuable tools for entrepreneurs and caregivers alike and can open doors that might not otherwise be available.

Called Women Connected in Wisdom, the book and podcast focuses on the eight dimensions of wellness and the importance of uprooting oppression, acknowledging the unique challenges faced by Black women. The podcast also includes recommendations for books each episode.

Shannon shares her love for shea butter and their skincare routine. Lastly, we hear about Christine’s love of her  Interplay performance group in Atlanta that deals with big historic issues through movement and storytelling.

Resources Mentioned in Show

Womenconnectedinwisdompodcast.com

https://www.shealoglo.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Stillpoint-Self-Care-Playbook-Caregivers-Breathe/dp/1732370400

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Mother tree Network Podcast--Where  Earth Wisdom Meets Racial Justice and Women's Leadership.

Want to become your unlimited self and evolve the planet?

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https://www.dramandakemp.com/podcast

This week I'm sharing lessons from my experience Living in a Tiny House in the North Georgia Mountains.

The idea of a month away came during the Winter Solstice Virtual Retreat. Leading up to the retreat I felt a need to journey with plants, and I said yes to this intuition even though I did not want to leave my beloved trees and I wasn't sure how i would lead the Winter Solstice Virtual retreat on the road.  

Nonetheless, I traveled to California and stayed with a friend who offered a tarot reading. There it came up--spend a month alone. This got reinforced during my plant journey where I told myself to spend a month alone--preferably somewhere warm--was my heart's desire. 

To spend a month alone required me to put myself first. 

It meant leaving my husband, my son, the house, the dog, the land we tend, my routines, all of the known for the unknown.

But the payoff was enormous.

• I felt myself regenerating my energy as I walked the forested land nude when it was warm enough but always shoeless.
• I cried face down on the land when sexual abuse wounds got activated.
• I prayed for healing and wisdom when foster kid trauma got activated.
• By being mostly alone, I did not have the normal distractions.
• I couldn't project the blame onto others.
• I start this episode With my funniest memory and what the crows told me soon after I arrived.

You can listen here to discover my biggest big takeaways:

1. Slow is Good!
   
   Concentrate on the soil of my being rather than the seeds of my desires, projects and outward work. Good soil will cause seeds to sprout and root well--easily. Tend the soil--more than your ideas and plans--if you want your garden to produce.
   
   
2. I was not afraid or lonely. 
   
   The land and the crows, and the coyotes kept me company. I felt adopted into "the family of things" as Mary Oliver says.
   
   
3. Saturn is in pisces--and we've got some unfinished healing from 1993-96.

I have been able to see how this celestial movement reflected a previous time in my life where I "pretended" everything was okay but was struggling mightily with boundaries and self-care. 

Many of us will get to spiral through whatever was difficult regarding emotions and boundaries if we were alive in 1993-1996.

Please, leave a review.  It will help others to find the podcast.

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Mother tree Network Podcast--Where  Earth Wisdom Meets Racial Justice and Women's Leadership.

Want to become your unlimited self and evolve the planet?

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https://www.dramandakemp.com/podcast

Easter and Passover give us the opportunity to reflect on an experience of injustice or not being loved and use it as a doorway for transformation.

For me that was the gift of the situation where the champion women's basketball team at LSU was slighted by the White House and mainstream narratives in 2023.

You can google it if you want more details.

My point in sharing this is to let you know about the healing journey that I've chosen to SLOW DOWN and pay attention to in the last few days and to share some wisdom from my Sister Colleague and Wisdom Keeper,  Rev. Dr. Stephanie R. Burns.

The first thing I acknowledged to myself and now to you is that this situation triggered old and deep pain.

Of not being loved.

Not being cherished.

Not being claimed and celebrated.

I was feeling angry, sad, and scared.

Second, I did not engage my social media feeds or my friends via text.

Instead I went up the mountain on Spirit's Knob and asked to be healed of my triggers--the part of me that is caught up in Old, Historic and Collective Hurts.​

As I walked barefoot, I murmured to plants, trees and stones along the way.

In this interview with Dr. Burns you will hear what happened next and the medicine that all of us can take from something like this.

You can follow Dr. Stephanie R Burns on LinkedIn and Instagram.  You can support her on patreon at Spirit Grove.

For more on ancestral healing, check out my Healing Ancestors and Liberation Master Class.

https://www.dramandakemp.com/offers/tz4VYBBL

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Mother tree Network Podcast--Where  Earth Wisdom Meets Racial Justice and Women's Leadership.

Want to become your unlimited self and evolve the planet?

Go here to get the Mother Tree podcast + Show Notes sent to your inbox

https://www.dramandakemp.com/podcast

Imagine what it would be like for you to observe things getting ever more chaotic with banks failing and former presidents being arrested WITHOUT slipping into panic, social media plunges, or overwhelm.

Imagine you feel connected with the intelligence and rhythms of nature rather than the 24-7 news cycle which is full of scarcity, violence, and impending doom.

You have values.

You have people and plants and animals you love.

You decide you do something for yourself and the whole planet.

You take a deep breath and decide to be guided by your vision not your fears.

This is what a vision board is!

A vision board is a sacred reminder of what you stand for, what your heart desires, and the vibration you hold on behalf of us all--You return to it periodically to re-orient yourself when things get hard because you will see that sometimes the hard stuff helps you get to your vision!

That's why I created my own vision board last year.

It worked so well that I'd like to invite you to join me this year!

I am hosting a Vision Board Party for Healers and Feelers Rooted in Justice!

A vision board is a visual representation of what you’d like to experience, feel, see or be in the coming year.

Vision Boarding (aka treasure mapping) doesn’t have to be selfish or materialistic.

Think of a collage filled with images and words that inspire you to take care of yourself, contribute and connect with others and the planet.

Would you like to check it out?

Go to this link:

Vision Board Party for Healers and Feelers Rooted in Justice!

When I look at my vision board today, I realize I’ve manifested much of what was on there:

• I’m in a luxurious tiny house in the beautiful Georgia Mountains as I write this.
• I am about to release a new album on April 30 called Message from the Trees.
• I’ve hosted three retreats this year for Sister Queens, for the Winter Solstice and for the Spring Equinox – all of which fulfilled on my desire to share knowledge about spiritual mysteries.

This year as we enter a period of economic and political chaos, it’s more important than ever to stay focused on your heartfelt desires and the actions you are willing to take to experience them.

Emotions and mindset matters.

Actions infused by fear, scarcity, and us vs. them thinking will not help in the long run.

What will help is action in alignment with a vision, a heartfelt desire, an inspiration.

This is how you avoid overwhelm, despair, and exhaustion.

The Vision Board Party for Healers and Feelers Rooted in Justice is for YOU!

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Mother tree Network Podcast--Where  Earth Wisdom Meets Racial Justice and Women's Leadership.

Want to become your unlimited self and evolve the planet?

Go here to get the Mother Tree podcast + Show Notes sent to your inbox

https://www.dramandakemp.com/podcast

Biz and I started by talking about motherhood and resisting the urge to protect our adult children from hard stuff in life.

Biz said she now asks “What do you need from me?” as a way to give and to respect her sons’ autonomy.  Asking that question puts the power in their hands.

Little did I know that I'd use this exact question one day later when a young friend was in crisis.

And, then again when my college friend had a sudden family death.

It's a beautiful way to support someone without overdoing it!

Then I asked Biz abut Internal Family Systems, a form of inquiry that she uses in her therapy and coaching practices.

Internal Family Systems is a way to acknowledge the many different parts inhabiting ourselves–and listening and validating those parts rather than dismissing or exiling them.

Biz took time in the moment to acknowledge and comfort the part of her that felt insecure about answering questions about IFS.  It slowed down our conversation and helped me to connect with the part of myself that feels pushed and would like to slow down too.

Biz also shared her racial justice journey, including times when her fear stopped her and how she keeps listening and learning.

We also talked about why she re-branded her podcast from Woman Worriers to Awaken your Wise Woman.

Finally Biz pulled a card from the Divine Abundance oracle deck by Tosha Silver--with the intention of supporting our listeners.  She chose the Inner Child Card.

This card is all about being gentle and compassionate with one’s self.

Elizabeth Cush, LCPC, is a women's life coach, a licensed clinical professional counselor, and business owner in Annapolis, MD. She's also the host of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast.  Biz has worked in the mental health field for over 18 years and is a certified clinical trauma professional. She incorporates the body, mindfulness, and meditation into her work.

As a life coach, she helps sensitive midlife women, who feel stressed and overwhelmed find balance, flow, and ease to fully enjoy the beautiful life they've created.

You can find out more about her at ElizabethCush.com or checkout her podcast Awaken your Wise Woman which is truly a treat!

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Mother tree Network Podcast--Where  Earth Wisdom Meets Racial Justice and Women's Leadership.

Want to become your unlimited self and evolve the planet?

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https://www.dramandakemp.com/podcast

This is a lovely conversation and with a heart practice that will elevate your consciousness.  

Dr. Elsbeth shows us how to move life force energy up to your heart and then your third eye so that it gets more and more refined before it becomes mind.

This will help you to shift your consciousness.

We do a special heart breathing exercise that is so simple but powerful.

I was tingling after that.

We discuss:

Feminine power and creativity.

Life force energy is the same as sexual energy.

The importance of feeling anger and sadness and dialoguing with yourself about where they are coming from.

Then using that information to make a choice.

You don’t have to do a spiritual bypass.  You can witness these difficult feelings without becoming those feeling states and lowering your vibration.

Elsbeth Meuth, Ed.D., was born and raised in Germany and holds a doctorate in education and a master’s degree in music. Her academic career includes associate professorships at Musikhochschule Nordrhein-Westfalen in Germany and Berklee School of Music in Boston as well a research fellowship at the University of Indiana, Indianapolis. She is an ontological design coach and a certified Tantra Yoga teacher. In her previous life as a management consultant at Business Design Associates, founded by Dr. Fernando Flores, she worked with clients in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

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Mother tree Network Podcast--Where  Earth Wisdom Meets Racial Justice and Women's Leadership.

Want to become your unlimited self and evolve the planet?

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https://www.dramandakemp.com/podcast

This episode brought me to tears twice!  Which is a good thing because, as Dr. Sina tells us, the liver and tears and the drive to change go together!  

So, all of my empathetic friends --go ahead and cry.  Your liver will thank you!

Dr. Sina shares how her body got her attention and caused her to leave her medical career and a surgery residency with lots of debt and no clear path forward.  But she trusted herself and went on to study Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) which she loves, and now she is thriving.  

Dr. Sina describes her first acupuncture appointment where she found herself crying for the first time in years--and how she came to see the need for healing her whole body, mind and spirit.

We also talk about the distinction of quitting a job or a profession but never quitting on yourself.

Sina gives us some good advice about eating and energy as we shift from winter into spring. 

Learn why spring is the time of year of the Wood element in Traditional Chinese Medicine and what that means for you?

 Why the Liver and the Gall bladder are so important as we transition into Spring.

Sina also recommends specific foods to support you as your body wakes up from the slowness of winter. (Green foods, radishes, sour citrus fruits, bitter greens, chicken)

She regularly teaches an online class called “R3set" online. Focus is resetting your relationship to food in 3 weeks. For more on her classes and services, go to http://chicagohealingcenter.com

We also talked about the Spring Equinox.  To find out more about my Spring Equinox Virtual Retreat please go here:  https://www.dramandakemp.com/spring-equinox-virtual-retreat-sp

Dr. Sina Smith’s Bio

Dr. Sina Leslie Smith is a medical doctor and licensed acupuncturist who is also trained in homeopathic, integrative, culinary, and functional medicine and has 3 advanced degrees in physiology & biophysics, medical education, and acupuncture. She was the Director of Integrative and Culinary Medicine at SIU School of Medicine before returning to private practice as the Medical Director and Founder of Chicago Healing Center and to teaching at UIC College of Medicine.  Dr. Smith is a fellow and former board member of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, currently serves on the Assembly and as Chair of the Communications Committee for the Integrative Health Policy Consortium, and is chair of the Illinois State Board for Acupuncture. She teaches classes online about resetting one’s relationship to food that are accessible to anyone in the country (ChicagoHealingCenter.com), is a public speaker, and author of several academic articles, including the soon to be published “State of Acupuncture in the United States” white paper.

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Mother tree Network Podcast--Where  Earth Wisdom Meets Racial Justice and Women's Leadership.

Want to become your unlimited self and evolve the planet?

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https://www.dramandakemp.com/podcast

This episode an invitation for Women of Purpose--

Women who have come to earth at this time to carry out important work that will elevate our perspectives and evolve our whole planet.

If you're like me, you might feel a little uncomfortable with that description.

You don't think you're more important than anyone else and you feel insecure when people call you powerful.

You know all too well your mistakes, your weaknesses, your fears and anxieties.

But, Queen, that just means you need a trusted space to share vulnerably and receive authentic feedback and suggestions.

And not just suggestions from other Women of Purpose but also from earth mama, nature, fungi, animal kin and your divine support team.

We are in an exciting time when things are falling apart and energies from younger generations, from the natural and celestial worlds are conspiring for our evolution.

Your dream, your vision, your deep pleasure, your gift, your energy are all needed.

But the problem is that this stuff gets in the way:

• Self-Doubt and Self Criticism
• Exhaustion from doing social justice out of obligation, guilt, and "should"
• Loneliness
• Not spending enough time connecting with nature and with yourself as part of nature

You know what I really want for you?

And for me?

I want courage, reassurance, partnership and fun.

I want help with pacing and not doing everything all at the same time.

I want to circulate money amongst us--paying generously for each other's gifts in such a way that everyone wins.

I want us to stop worrying about failing and stay focused on our personal definition of success.

We're not meant to do our thing alone--even introverts need to connect with others sometimes.

So, I invite you to step into your Greatness this spring.

Use the Spring Equinox as a doorway, a portal to be your unapologetic, growing, creative and powerful self.

Whether you call yourself a leader, a lifelong learner, a teacher, a queen or a woman of purpose--

I invite you to take the long weekend preceding the Equinox, when the sun is returning for longer days, to

• Connect with nature's wisdom and compassion for you
• Create new friendships with women across race and age who are also rooted in Love and Justice
• Focus on your dream/your purpose and say yes to what it needs as a next step
• Play and have Fun all along the way!
• Please join me at our Spring Equinox Virtual Retreat!

Called "Dip your toe in the water," this retreat is all about Fun, Friendship, and Focus for Women of Purpose.

Go here for more information and to sign up!

Support the show

Mother tree Network Podcast--Where  Earth Wisdom Meets Racial Justice and Women's Leadership.

Want to become your unlimited self and evolve the planet?

Go here to get the Mother Tree podcast + Show Notes sent to your inbox

https://www.dramandakemp.com/podcast