" The rhythm of activism that was expected of [the Sandy Hook families] and the rhythm of my survival were two different rhythms, and I had to pick one to survive. I chose my survival."

Amongst many things, Nelba Márquez-Greene is the mother of Ana Grace, one of the 26 people that lost their lives in the Sandy Hook shooting. In this chat with Nelba, we talk about the trauma, grief, activism, and systemic injustices she has faced since losing her daughter to gun violence.

As a licensed therapist, Nelba beautifully breaks down the intersection of grief, trauma, and injustice, the role that Christian Nationalism and anti-Blackness play in gun violence, and the wins she has celebrated in the fight to decrease gun violence in America.

Friend, I hope this chat speaks to your soul like it did mine. Here are some of the ways you can take action after listening:

• Learn about the families that lost someone at Sandy Hook: https://mysandyhookfamily.org/
• Support the work being done at The Ana Grace Project: https://www.anagraceproject.org/
• Find a local organization that is helping to decrease Gun Violence in your area

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"Even when people [experiencing homelessness] do come into the traditional healthcare system, they're treated terribly... I have heard [firsthand] that they were treated more poorly in the healthcare system than they were on the streets."

As the CEO of Healthcare In Action, Dr. Indu Subaiya works with people experiencing homelessness on a regular basis. She is here to share what their real challenges are and to bust the common myths floating around about this crisis.

We chat about the role healthcare plays in homelessness, the positive impact of “street medicine,” and why we need all types of social services and people to come together to help solve this problem.

Hit play for this compassionate and educational chat with Dr. Indu about homelessness and the innovative healthcare solutions that are making a difference today. Thanks for being here, friend!

Connect with the Healthcare In Action team at https://www.healthcareinaction.org

Chat with Nicole over on Threads at https://threads.net/nicolewalters

Get the rest of the links and resources from this chat at https://nicolewalters.com/episode520

WATCH this chat on YouTube at https://nicolewalters.com/youtube

Sponsors:

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"Public Health at its core is about community. It is really about... our collective thriving. It's been turned into this idea of control and mandates and authority, when really it's very altruistic at its core."

Friend, there is SO much to talk about when it comes to the state of Public Health in our country right now. Thankfully, infectious disease epidemiologist Dr. Jessica Malaty Rivera is here to break it all down with facts and compassion.

From the purpose and complexities of Public Health to vaccine safety and germ theory versus terrain theory, Dr. Rivera covers a lot of ground. If you're like me, you're going to come out of this chat feeling smarter and more compassionate for people that may live differently than you.

Don't miss this chat with Dr. Jessica Malaty Rivera and as always, thanks for being here with an open mind!

Find Dr. Rivera on IG: https://www.instagram.com/jessicamalatyrivera/

Let's keep this chat going in my DMs or over on Threads @NicoleWalters

Get the rest of the links and resources from this chat at https://nicolewalters.com/episode519 and WATCH this chat on YouTube at https://nicolewalters.com/youtube

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"I would go out and it was just a bunch of wild animals who wanted to mate... and I just didn't wanna deal with it anymore so I was like, let me go online, everyone's talking about the apps and it just seemed chiller."

I know firsthand that trying to find someone worth dating is not easy. Whether online or in-person, it just seems harder to find someone.

As a second chancer, who started dating again in my late 30s, I didn't want to play and I also wanted to feel as comfortable and safe as possible. So I got on Bumble, and it worked out!

In this chat, Alex and I share why we both got on Bumble, what attracted us to each other, and how our first conversation went! Friend, this is a chat you want to go watch on YouTube because we're sharing the pics that got us interested in one another!

If you're serious about finding a good match, you've got to try Bumble.

Let's keep this chat going over on IG or Threads:

https://threads.net/nicolewalters

Get the rest of the links and resources from this chat at

https://nicolewalters.com/episode518 and watch this chat on YouTube at

https://nicolewalters.com/youtube

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" Nobody should ever make you feel like you are not good enough to be somewhere. I realized I had been creating a safe space for me... but we all have different visions of what a safe space is."

Pilates Instructor and Physical Therapist, Jessica Valant, is here to talk about accessibility and shifting trends in the fitness and wellness industries.

Jessica shares candidly about her lived experience in the Pilates Industry, the progress that has been made to be inclusive, and what still needs to be done so that everyone is truly welcomed. We also chat through the impact of capitalism on fitness, the role of social media, and the need for genuine human connection in fostering body positivity and healing.

Some days it feels like progress is made and other days it feels like we're moving backward but this chat will help put all of that into context as it comes to our bodies. Thanks for being here with an open mind!

Find Jessica on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@Jessicasvalant

Connect with me over on Threads: https://threads.net/nicolewalters

Get the rest of the links and resources from this chat at

https://nicolewalters.com/episode517 and watch this chat on YouTube at

https://nicolewalters.com/youtube

Episode Sponsors:

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" I don't have some amazing strategy or some How-To book that I'm keeping to myself. I'm just trying things and figuring it out. I'm a girl who just bought a microphone and started throwing spaghetti at the wall and never really stopped."

Les Alfred went from no listeners, zero star reviews, and recording in her closet after working her 9-5 to hosting a podcast that everyone wants to listen to. In this chat with Les, we get to hear what was happening behind the scenes in those early days to what worked (and didn't) along the way.

Les shares the reasons her show recently rebranded - in content and in name - and why she's decided to embrace the word "luck." Les may look lucky from the outside but she shares how she handles the responsibility of having a large platform in 2025.

Friend, do not miss this chat with Les Alfred!

Listen to She's So Lucky: https://pod.link/balancedblackgirl

Connect with us both on Threads @LesAlfred and @NicoleWalters

Get the rest of the links and resources from this chat at

https://nicolewalters.com/episode516 and watch this chat on YouTube at

https://nicolewalters.com/youtube

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"That little voice within us... listen to it. Even when people around us try to drown us out, try to tell us no, try to gaslight us, try to tell us HOW we're feeling, WHAT we're thinking... listen to it because it's always right."

Friend, I am honored to bring you this honest and vulnerable chat with Brooke Baldwin, a celebrated journalist and former CNN anchor.

We chat about Brooke's experiences in journalism, her departure from CNN, and her insights on the media industry today. Brooke shares the personal journey she has been on, including finding her voice, growing in her faith, and her determination to leave a lasting impact by sharing her truth and encouraging women to use their voices.

There are so many opinions about journalists, what their motives are, and if we can trust them in 2025. Brooke is the real deal and my hope is that you walk away from this chat with more understanding of what it's like being a journalist.

Thanks for being here! Slide into my DMs on IG or chat with me on Threads @NicoleWalters.

Read Brooke's Substack: https://unravelingwithbrooke.substack.com/

and grab her book, Huddle: https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/huddle

Get the rest of the links and resources from this chat at

https://nicolewalters.com/episode515 and watch this chat on YouTube at

https://nicolewalters.com/youtube

Episode Sponsors:

Use code WALTERS at checkout for 15% off your entire order at www.vionicshoes.com when you log into your account. 1 time use only.

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Produced by Dear Media

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“The two things you're not supposed to talk about are politics and religion. But if you don't talk about those things, what are we even doing?”

Former evangelical pastor Brian Recker is here to share his lived experience with modern Christianity, the Christian Nationalism movement, and why maybe Hell isn’t what we thought it was.

Brian shares his experiences transitioning from a fundamentalist background to becoming an evangelical pastor, and the turning points he faced within the church, especially during the first election of Donald Trump.

We chat about the cost of linking faith with the fear of Hell and the necessity of engaging with marginalized communities like Jesus did. Brian explains why we should consider divesting from harmful systems and instead embrace a spirituality rooted in love and empathy rather than fear and exclusion.

This chat is not just for Christians but for anyone living today so don’t miss it, friend!

Grab Brian’s upcoming book, Hell Bent, at BrianRecker.com

Thanks for being here! Slide into my DMs on IG or chat with me on Threads @Nicole Walters

Get the rest of the links and resources from this chat at https://nicolewalters.com/episode514

And watch this chat on YouTube at https://nicolewalters.com/youtube

Episode Sponsors:

Use code WALTERS at checkout for 15% off your entire order at www.vionicshoes.com when you log into your account. 1 time use only.

Caraway’s cookware set is a favorite for a reason, it can save you up to $190 versus buying the items individually. Plus, if you visit Carawayhome.com/nicole you can take an additional 10% off your next purchase.

Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“ I gotta follow my heart this time. I can't get caught up in my ego. And I've been caught up in my ego for 15 years!”

This is Part 2 in our chat with seasoned Music Executive, Chris Anokute! Chris shares the dark sides of the music industry and why he decided to walk away after 20 years.

Chris and I chat about the ethical compromises people make for fame and money and the spiritual and moral awakening that followed his exit. He then shares how he fell into mentorship and why he isn't looking back.

Don’t miss Part 1 of this chat when Chris shares how he became a Music Industry Executive and Insider at such a young age.

Thanks for being here, friend! Find Chris on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/chrisanokute/ and slide into my DMs at Nicole Walters!

Get the rest of the links and resources from this chat at https://nicolewalters.com/episode513

And WATCH this chat on YouTube at https://nicolewalters.com/youtube

Episode Sponsor:

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“If you want to come out here to get rich, if you want to come out here to get accolades, you're in for a rude awakening because it’s a dark industry and the only thing that gets through is the light.”

Chris Anokute, the prominent music executive and artist development specialist, is here to chat about his journey and profound impact on the music industry.

From humble and scrappy beginnings to founding Young Forever Inc., to playing a pivotal role in launching global superstars, Chris shares how he did it and the faith that carried him the whole way.

We chat through how Chris reconciles his faith with working in a secular industry and his personal transformation towards using his voice for mentorship and spreading hope, marking a new chapter in his life.

Don’t miss Part 2 of this chat when Chris shares why he left the music industry and what this next chapter looks like for him.

Thanks for being here, friend! Find Chris on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/chrisanokute/ and slide into my DMs at https://www.instagram.com/nicolewalters/

Get the rest of the links and resources from this chat at https://nicolewalters.com/episode512

And WATCH this chat on YouTube at https://nicolewalters.com/youtube

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Produced by Dear Media

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