Soil, Shadow, and Spirit

In this episode of Soil, Shadow, and Spirit, Nikki Silvestri sits down with Shirley Johnson for a profound conversation on codependency, leadership, and the essential act of being. Together, they explore the pressures Black women face in leadership, how over-functioning leads to burnout, and the importance of integrating presence and self-care into their roles.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

1. A clear definition of codependency and its impact on leadership.
2. Why presence is a radical and powerful leadership tool.
3. Personal stories on how Black women navigate self-care and community leadership.
4. How land and nature offer healing and grounding for Black women leaders.

Tune in to explore how Black women can lead through presence and reclaim their full selves in the process.

Links of Note:

• Soil, Shadow, and Spirit Retreat Series
• Soulistic Wellness

Series Executive Producers: Kalliopeia Foundation and Soil and Shadow

Sound Engineering: Sonya Harris

Music: Galen Silvestri

Host: Nikki Silvestri

Special Thanks: Shirley Johnson and Noni Limar

In this episode of Soil, Shadow, and Spirit, Nikki Silvestri gathers Sarai Crane, Denicia Carlay, Idrissa Simmons, Nataki Garrett, and Shirley Johnson for a heartfelt dialogue about sisterhood, healing, and envisioning the future. Together, these Black women reflect on their experiences of navigating motherhood, reclaiming ease, and finding strength in shared vulnerability as they hold space for each other in their roles as mothers and community leaders.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

1. How mutual support among Black women leaders empowers them to face challenges with resilience.
2. The role of sisterhood in addressing and healing from generational trauma.
3. Personal insights on balancing leadership with self-care and honoring the sacred feminine.
4. Reflections on ancestral wisdom and how it shapes their personal and professional lives.

Join us for a powerful conversation that celebrates the strength of Black women coming together to heal, grow, and uplift one another.

Links of Note:

• Soil, Shadow, and Spirit Retreat Series
• Village is Possible
• Pahara Institute

Series Executive Producers: Kalliopeia Foundation and Soil and Shadow

Sound Engineering: Sonya Harris

Music: Galen Silvestri

Host: Nikki Silvestri

Special Thanks: Sarai Crane, Denicia Carlay, Idrissa Simmons, Nataki Garrett, Shirley Johnson, and Noni Limar

In this episode of Soil, Shadow, and Spirit, Nikki Silvestri welcomes Dr. Janice Mackey and Dr. Marléna Gaspar to explore the connections between Black motherhood, community, and the land. The conversation reveals how these women are navigating the balance between nurturing their families, leading communities, and finding personal healing through deep connections to land and spirit.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

1. The role of community in providing a safe space for Black women to express and validate their needs.
2. How grounding practices and land stewardship are part of the journey toward self-discovery and growth.
3. Personal stories from Dr. Mackey and Dr. Gaspar on how they hold space for their families and communities during turbulent times.
4. Reflections on the intergenerational impact of Black women leaders who transform communities through shared love and resilience.

Listen in as we celebrate the unbreakable bonds of community, family, and land that sustain Black women leaders.

Links of Note:

• Soil, Shadow, and Spirit Retreat Series
• Young Aspiring Americans for Social and Political Activism

Series Executive Producers: Kalliopeia Foundation and Soil and Shadow

Sound Engineering: Sonya Harris

Music: Galen Silvestri

Host: Nikki Silvestri

Special Thanks: Dr. Janice Mackey, Dr. Marléna Gaspar, Noni Limar

In this episode of Soil, Shadow, and Spirit, Nikki Silvestri sits down with Zephrine "Gemma" Hansen for an intimate conversation on the intersection of motherhood, leadership, and neurodiversity. Gemma, a storyteller, advocate, and community connector, shares her journey of raising children diagnosed with autism while balancing her own evolving roles as a mother, veteran, and land steward.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

1. How neurodiversity has reshaped Gemma’s understanding of leadership and community care.
2. Reflections on the challenges of motherhood, family, and the unexpected lessons learned from creating a non-traditional family unit.
3. Insight into the importance of play and creativity in leadership, and how embracing these elements has deepened her connection to her children and work.
4. Gemma’s vision for building intentional, supportive communities for Black mothers and neurodiverse individuals.

Join us as we explore the profound intersections of leadership, family, and care.

Links of Note:

• Soil, Shadow, and Spirit Retreat Series
• Hampden Farms

Series Executive Producers: Kalliopeia Foundation and Soil and Shadow

Sound Engineering: Sonya Harris

Music: Galen Silvestri

Host: Nikki Silvestri

Special Thanks: Zephrine "Gemma" Hansen and Noni Limar

In this episode of Soil, Shadow, and Spirit: Transforming Leadership, Nikki Silvestri is joined by Dannielle Thomas and Melissa Colbert Taylor for a vibrant discussion about the role of play, joy, and community in leadership. They explore how Black mothers are leading with resilience and grace, while also prioritizing healing, creativity, and the power of play.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

1. The significance of play and creativity in leadership, and how it can unlock new parts of ourselves.
2. Reflections on how Black mothers are creating sustainable communities that honor both joy and grief.
3. Insights into the long-lasting impacts of the Soil, Shadow, and Spirit retreat series on personal and professional growth.
4. How leadership for Black women is evolving, combining skills like discernment, emotional intelligence, and strategic care.

Dive into this episode to learn how play, creativity, and intentional community-building are reshaping leadership and personal transformation.

Links of Note:

• Soil, Shadow, and Spirit Retreat Series
• Mama Fund
• Roanhorse Consulting

Series Executive Producers: Kalliopeia Foundation and Soil and Shadow

Sound Engineering: Sonya Harris

Music: Galen Silvestri

Host: Nikki Silvestri

Special Thanks: Dannielle Thomas, Melissa Colbert Taylor and Noni Limar

In this episode of Soil, Shadow, and Spirit: Building Resilience: Leadership, Grief, and Community, Nikki Silvestri brings together Jessica Handy and Meadow Carter Vindell for a moving dialogue about the ways Black women leaders are building resilient communities amidst personal and societal upheaval. They reflect on how displacement, motherhood, and community leadership have shaped their journeys.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Stories of navigating life transitions, such as moving away from beloved homes and communities, and the emotional toll of these changes.
• Reflections on the power of intentional community building, and how Black mothers uniquely lead and nurture.
• Conversations on the importance of holding space for grief in times of change and how this grief can coexist with hope.
• How to develop the skills to lead during moments of conflict and uncertainty.
• Personal accounts of rebuilding and planting roots in new spaces, while fostering community support.

Tune in to explore how leadership and community intertwine during times of disruption.

Links of Note:

Soil, Shadow, and Spirit Retreat Series

Greenstone Farm and Sanctuary

Healing Gardens

Kiss the Ground

Series Executive Producers: Kalliopeia Foundation and Soil and Shadow

Sound Engineering: Sonya Harris

Music: Galen Silvestri

Host: Nikki Silvestri

Special Thanks: Jessica Handy, Meadow Carter Vindell, and Noni Limar

In this episode of Soil, Shadow, and Spirit: Skills for Motherhood, Leadership, and Life, Nikki Silvestri sits down with Black mama leaders Danielle M'Kali, Fanta Toure, and Haven Hill to explore the connection between creative self-expression, shadow work, and the nurturing of communities.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Insights into the power of creativity as a tool for healing, especially through the lens of Afrofuturist planning and artistic self-expression.
• Reflections on shadow work: What it means to face one’s own fears, habits, and hidden aspects, and how it transforms leadership.
• The critical role of Black women in building nurturing, resilient communities and villages, and the ways they are reweaving traditions of collective care.
• Heartfelt stories of finding peace, connection, and joy through community and nature, even in times of instability and crisis.

Join us as we dive into the creative, spiritual, and communal practices that Black mama leaders are using to create a future of resilience and abundance.

Links of Note:

• Soil, Shadow, and Spirit Retreat Series
• Nexus Community Partners
• Open Road Fund
• Girls First Fund

Series Executive Producers: Kalliopeia Foundation and Soil and Shadow

Sound Engineering: Sonya Harris

Music: Galen Silvestri

Host: Nikki Silvestri

Special Thanks: Danielle M'Kali, Fanta Toure, Haven Hill and Noni Limar

In the inaugural episode of Soil, Shadow, and Spirit: Skills for Motherhood, Leadership, and Life, we explore the powerful and transformative journey of Black mama leaders. This episode dives deep into the genesis of Soil, Shadow, and Spirit, a leadership development space designed for and by Black women who are navigating the complexities of motherhood, leadership, and community care.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The genesis of Soil, Shadow and Spirit as a transformative leadership development space for and by Black mama leaders.
• A conversation about unity consciousness, the avoidance of polarized thinking, and finding a balanced perspective.
• A look at lost traditions of community care and how simple acts of remembering and reviving these practices have a profound impact.
• The concept of radical hospitality in leadership, where providing thoughtful and nurturing environments is a foundational act in creating the emotional safety required for personal change.

Join us as we delve into the wisdom, resilience, and spirit that drive Black women leaders to shape a better future for themselves, their communities, and society as a whole.

Links of Note:

• Soil, Shadow and Spirit Retreat Series
• Noni Limar

Series Executive Producers: Kalliopeia Foundation and Soil and Shadow

Sound Engineering: Sonya Harris

Music: Galen Silvestri

Host: Nikki Silvestri

Special Thanks: Noni Limar and the women of Soil, Shadow and Spirit