Questions to Hold with Casey Carroll

How do we become sustained in our work?

Join us in an honest conversation with Ayesha Walker (she/her) exploring how through our work we can build sustainability not just for the organization, but also for ourselves, our families and our communities. 

Ayesha Walker is an exceptional mother, social entrepreneur, artist and teacher. She is an alchemist, creating opportunities for herself, family and community to transform pain into passion and empathy into action. She is the co-founder and chief executive officer of BE-IMAGINATIVE, a collective of exceptional artists, powerful healers and impactful community leaders who are dedicated to healing black, indigenous and brown communities through creative storytelling. Their vision is to allow grief to alchemize us in ways that transform our deepest pain into our greatest power and passion.

BE-IMAGINATIVE was born out of our need to be a different kind of activist. Our model consists of community healing retreats, artistic interpretation, and community celebrations that strategically focus on the counter narratives of disruptive hope, healing, agency, and love, all rooted in the collective honoring and celebrating of our ancestors. We know that narratives are very powerful, and are very careful of how we tell stories about the experiences that we have had in this country. Choosing to be a source of light, we stand in the affirmative and touch on the power of hopefulness in our stories.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• How we can take care of ourselves and build an organization 
• The art and practice of asking the question and trusting in the answer that comes to guide the next steps in your life and work
• The power of a collective model
• The edges and expansiveness in bringing your whole self
• How to let the ancestors guide your work

Connect with Ayesha:

• Instagram: @eshiitaughtme | @beimaginativecollective
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayesha-walker
• Website: be-imaginative.org/

Connect with BWB

• wearebwb.com
• @we.are.bwb
• Casey LinkedIN
• Cait LinkedIN
• BWB Linkedin

Be sure to subscribe on Apple or Spotify, and leave us a 5-star rating + review!

Podcast Song: Holding you by Prigida
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/prigida/holding-you
License code: CELWR55ONTDIFRSS

How do we develop leaders who care? What does care in the workplace look like?

Join us in honest conversation with Taylor Elyse Morrison (she/her) exploring the role of care in the workplace,  and what skillsets leaders need  in order to support care and wellbeing on their teams

"The world doesn't just need more leaders—it needs more leaders who care."

Taylor Elyse Morrison turned being bad at self-care—and being firmly convinced of every human’s potential—into a career. She’s the founder of media company Inner Workout, and the author of a book by the same name. Recently named one of Fortune’s 10 Innovators Shaping the Future of Health,  Taylor is tired of aspirational 'wellness as usual.' Instead, she builds businesses, content, and experiences that make well-being and personal development more accessible. You're just as likely to see Taylor facilitating a workshop at a Fortune 100 as you are to see her talking about TikTok and body image with a high school class. Wherever she goes, Taylor's sure to use her coaching, mindfulness, and movement training to meet people where they're at and offer actionable steps towards creating a world without burnout.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• Three key questions to ask to get into the heart of care in our work life 
• Why it matters that we start by understanding how we hear from ourselves and developing our capacity to listen from within
• How intention and interest are at the core of care
• Taylor's definition of self care as "listening within and responding in the most loving way possible."
• What it could look like to measure wellbeing on a team
• How to get to know yourself and your unique needs through Inner Workout's Take Care profile

Connect with Taylor:

• https://innerworkout.co
•  https://instagram.com/taylorelysemorrison
• Take Care Assessment
• https://innerworkout.co/inner-workout-book
• Co-creating possibility as the leading lady at Jubilant‍
• Reclaiming the concept of lifestyle business ownership as the co-founder of the Lifestyle Business League
• Making coaching more accessible at Gateway Coaching, a Jubilant brand

Connect with BWB

• wearebwb.com
• @we.are.bwb
• Casey LinkedIN
• Cait LinkedIN
• BWB Linkedin

Be sure to subscribe on Apple or Spotify, and leave us a 5-star rating + review!

Podcast Song: Holding you by Prigida
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/prigida/holding-you
License code: CELWR55ONTDIFRSS

What does it mean to be in relationship to questions? What does it mean to BE a living question ourselves?

Join us in honest conversation with Avery Kalapa (they/them) exploring the juicy, sometimes scary, and always revealing space that exists when we unhook from familiarity and open ourselves to new possibilities. 

"And so to be in a relationship with questioning to me is almost to be in a relationship with that deeper, more mystical spiritual truth element where it's like, what is actually true for me? And of course I can't help but relate this to transness because for me, the journey of gender has been very much a spiritual journey at uncovering, and a discovering and a turning towards, 'oh, what is this thing that is unknown but that is blooming? What is this seed that is planted in the dark but wants to bloom?' And I don't know what's going to grow, and I don't know what changes it may bring to my life, but I know it needs to bloom. "

Avery Janeczek Kalapa (they, them) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher,  community weaver at Sadhana Support Collective, and queer + trans wellness organizer; eRYT500, YACEP, BFA, with 20+ years experience. 

Celebrated for their enthusiasm, devotion, and depth of technique, Avery's teaching uplifts inner healing rooted in collective liberation.

They center integrative functional anatomy, nervous system regulation and stability to support queers and other counter-culture yoga lovers to break the burn out cycle, be nourished, strong, and spiritually powerful without bypassing the wisdom of their body and lived experience. 

Avery’s a parent, gardener, creator; a white, trans, nonbinary settler based in unceded Tiwa land, Albuquerque NM. 

In this episode you’ll hear:

• An exploration of the relationship of transness and questioning
• How answers can provide a false sense of security, while questions invite us into a deeper relationship with the unknown 
• What conditions are needed to allow us to enter into a state of questioning, and how Avery creates this environment in their yoga offerings and practice
• Why questions are key if we are interested in divesting from patterns, conditioning and trauma 
• How to cultivate the yogic teaching of Viveka ("discernment")
• Why it matters to have affirming yoga spaces, especially for folks who hold marginalized identities
• What possibilities "might open up if I’m allowed to want what I want? If I'm  allowed to need what I need, and let that be on the surface and not the subconscious? Where might that lead us?"

Connect with Avery:

• @yoga_with_avery
• yogawithavery.com 
• Sadhana Support Collective

Connect with BWB

• wearebwb.com
• @we.are.bwb
• Casey LinkedIN
• Cait LinkedIN
• BWB Linkedin

Be sure to subscribe on Apple or Spotify, and leave us a 5-star rating + review!

Podcast Song: Holding you by Prigida
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/prigida/holding-you
License code: CELWR55ONTDIFRSS

We're live! Celebrate the podcast launch and listen in as BWB co-owners Casey Carroll (she/her) and Caitlin Fitzpatrick (she/her) share the origin story of Questions to Hold, and why they believe holding questions is an act of resistance, presence and devotion. 

This one is dedicated to all the questioners out there - past, present and future. We see you. We love you. We need you. 

In this episode you’ll hear:

• How we explore questions in our work as a rejection of dominant culture’s hyperfocus on doing as the primary way to advancement and achievement
• Why we need questions to transform our internal worlds and revolutionize our institutions and industries for the better
• The intuitive process that led to the Questions to Hold card deck
• How questioning is an essential business practice for change
• How none of this would be possible without rest

Resources mentioned in the episode:

• Grace Lee Boggs, What Time Is It On The Clock Of The World?
• Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic
• Rilke -> Joanna Macy and Anita Barrows talking about Rilke
• Krista Tippett, On Being

Connect with BWB

• wearebwb.com
• @we.are.bwb
• Casey LinkedIN
• Cait LinkedIN
• BWB Linkedin

Be sure to subscribe on Apple or Spotify, and leave us a 5-star rating + review!

Podcast Song: Holding you by Prigida
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/prigida/holding-you
License code: CELWR55ONTDIFRSS

What is balance? 

Join us in honest conversation with writer, educator, digital strategist and equity-inclusion facilitator, Tristan Katz (they/he) as we explore questions at the heart of activism, impact and self care. 

Tristan holds space for learning and unlearning about gender as it relates to trans inclusion and queer competency, and teaches marketing practices to foster business growth from a justice and equity-focused perspective. They have been named one of Yoga Journal’s 2021 Game Changers. They serve on the Board of Directors at Accessible Yoga—a non-profit working, through education and advocacy, to share the teachings and benefits of yoga with those who have been marginalized, and to identify and remove barriers to access, build strong networks, and advocate for an accessible, equitable yoga culture.

We first met Tristan in 2021, and with so much mission and vision alignment, immediately dove head first into collaborations. BWB has learned so much about how to create safer spaces and deeply engage in solidarity work through their trans inclusion counsel. 

In 2021, Tristan spoke at a BWB conference on a panel titled: Activism in Action: Centering Impact. The conversation was so epic that we decided to start this conversation from some of the seeds and lingering tendrils of that discussion. 

In this episode you’ll hear:

• What it means to show up in solidarity work and activism
• How their very existence can be seen as activism
• The journey to find balance in the working to live and living to work equation
• How they are learning to truly take care of themself 
• Why finding joy is more important at the end of the day than committing yourself to working

Connect with Tristan

• @tristankatzcreative 
• www.katz-creative.com
• https://www.katz-creative.com/events

Connect with BWB

• wearebwb.com
• @we.are.bwb
• Casey LinkedIN
• Cait LinkedIN
• BWB Linkedin

Be sure to subscribe on Apple or Spotify, and leave us a 5-star rating + review!

Podcast Song: Holding you by Prigida
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/prigida/holding-you
License code: CELWR55ONTDIFRSS

What is the role of ritual? 

Join us in an honest conversation with Sadee Brathwaite (she/her) exploring the role of ritual in our lives and work. 

Sadee is an Artist and Minister/High Priestess of Maåt.  She makes drawings and paintings, figurative and abstract, about archetypes, symbols, ancient cosmologies, beliefs and myths.  As an ordained Minister/High Priestess, Sadee advises people in life, in creativity, and in spirituality.  Her calling, either through art or advising, is to help people heal and grow as spiritual, enlightened beings. 

Sadee combines her 20 years of artistic exploration and 12 years as a Priestess of Maåt, to create 30 Days of Affirmation. An affirmation deck focused on facilitating growth and healing.

BWB met Sadee in 2021, and the collaboration sparks flew. In addition to having Sadee lead group ritual and affirmation sessions for our community, we also partnered to create The Affirmation Coloring Book, with many more creative collaborations planned for the future. 

In this episode you’ll hear:

• Examples of ritual in everyday life
• How art making can be a sacred process 
• The power of words to call things into existence
• Why affirmations are such an empowering tool, especially in dark times
• How to shift energy and change frequency with affirmations

Connect with Sadee:

• Sadeebrathwaite.com
• @sadeebrathwaite
• https://www.30daysofaffirmation.com/

Connect with BWB

• wearebwb.com
• @we.are.bwb
• Casey LinkedIN
• Cait LinkedIN
• BWB Linkedin

Be sure to subscribe on Apple or Spotify, and leave us a 5-star rating + review!

Podcast Song: Holding you by Prigida
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/prigida/holding-you
License code: CELWR55ONTDIFRSS

What is a big gorgeous goal?

Join us in an honest conversation with executive coach, entrepreneur, speaker and trainer, Julie Ellis (she/her) as we explore questions at the heart of growth and unlocking potential, specifically for female-founded companies and leaders. 

Julie Ellis is an executive coach to corporate leaders and scaling entrepreneurs. Her unique experience and expertise stems from twenty-five years of working first in the corporate world and then as a leading Canadian entrepreneur. She is a co-founder of the award-winning company Mabel’s Labels, one of Canada’s greatest small-business success stories.

In 2022, Julie released her book: Big Gorgeous Goals: How Bold Women Achieve Great Things. BWB supported the book launch through visual branding and strategic counsel, and were elated when Julie asked if the Questions to Hold card deck could be featured in book gift and influencer boxes. 

 In this episode/conversation you’ll hear:

• How to cultivate a big gorgeous goal 
• Strategies and tools for staying on the edge of your comfort zone for personal and professional growth
• Key ingredients for running a business
• How to pull yourself out of the weeds of comparison
• Why we’re not just what we’ve done or what we’ve been doing

Connect with Julie

• www.julieellisandco.com 
• www.biggorgeousgoals.com
• @thejulieellis
• @biggorgeousgoals 
• Linkedin
• Facebook 

Connect with BWB

• wearebwb.com
• @we.are.bwb
• Casey LinkedIN
• Cait LinkedIN
• BWB Linkedin

Be sure to subscribe on Apple or Spotify, and leave us a 5-star rating + review!

Podcast Song: Holding you by Prigida
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/prigida/holding-you
License code: CELWR55ONTDIFRSS

What impact am I having?

Join us in honest conversation with Multi-Hyphen Media founder, Randi Matthews (she/her) as we explore how our actions and intentions lead to impact and legacy building. 

Randi Matthews is a veteran of the entertainment and influencer marketing world with over a decade of practical experience. As CEO and Founder of Multi-Hyphen Media, Randi is paving the way for underrepresented executives and talent to have a voice across new media and marketing industries, owning the intersection of media, technology, entertainment, and culture. 

Randi is also the co-producer of an upcoming documentary, Deliver Us, telling the story of how black midwives are challenging one of the most complex health care systems in the world by creating solutions for the Black maternal crisis, on their own terms.

In 2021, Randi and BWB co-created the self-guided course - The Making of Social Media - to support other small business owners in creating a social media marketing strategy that centers personal power and choice, and optimizes content practices for maximum business—and personal—benefit.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• How a lack of people of color (specifically women of color) in the marketing and entertainment industry led Randi to start her own agency
• Why "recognizing opportunity doesn't always come with much notice."
• How motherhood drives and motivates Randi's success
• The role of legacy building when aligning intention and impact
• Documentary film as a tool for change  and community storytelling

Connect with Randi

• https://www.multihyphenmedia.com/
• @multihyphenmedia 
• Randi on LinkedIn
• https://www.deliverusdoc.com/

Connect with BWB

• wearebwb.com
• @we.are.bwb
• Casey LinkedIN
• Cait LinkedIN
• BWB Linkedin

Be sure to subscribe on Apple or Spotify, and leave us a 5-star rating + review!

Podcast Song: Holding you by Prigida
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/prigida/holding-you
License code: CELWR55ONTDIFRSS

What is erotic wholeness?

Join us in honest conversation with somatic sex and intimacy expert, Darshana Avila, as we explore questions far beyond the surface of your typical sex talk. 

Darshana Avila (she/her; they/them) is nurturing a culture of Erotic Wholeness. Many know her from her groundbreaking work on Netflix’s Sex, Love & goop where she shared her trauma-informed, nature-based, justice-oriented approach to somatic sex and intimacy education. 

We know Darshana for all of those things and as a beloved friend, colleague, and someone whom we deeply respect for the earnest care she offers others to embrace their erotic nature and thrive in their life and relationships. We are proud to have partnered with Darshana to develop their brand over the last couple of years as they increased their visibility and expanded their industry impact. 

In this episode you’ll hear:

• Darshana’s three pillars of erotic wholeness
• How claiming your eroticism is connected to individual and collective liberation
• Why it is so important we talk about sex in community
• The deets on “It’s okay to ask” - a shame free zone to normalize and ask questions about sex
• How Darshana sees erotic wholeness as culture building and movement work

Connect with Darshana

• darshanaavila.com
• @eroticwholeness
• It's Okay To Ask
• Pathways to Pleasure waitlist (Jan 2023)
• Sex, Love & goop

Connect with BWB

• wearebwb.com
• @we.are.bwb
• Casey LinkedIN
• Cait LinkedIN
• BWB Linkedin

Be sure to subscribe on Apple or Spotify, and leave us a 5-star rating + review!

Podcast Song: Holding you by Prigida
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/prigida/holding-you
License code: CELWR55ONTDIFRSS