The Celebration

On this week’s episode, I interview spoken word artist Abstract C.I.M.

Abstract and I tackle self-love and self-respect as the key to fulfillment and happiness. We also talk about the importance of knowing yourself and being self-reflective, and how Abstract incorporates it into her poetry.

Abstract C.I.M is a spoken word artist and speaker. She has won and placed in several poetry slams and competitions across the country, and has toured and performed with artists such as Def Jam Poet Red Storm and Tyrese Gibson. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a Creative Writing Concentration and a minor in Theatre at Georgia State University.

A native of Augusta, GA, Abstract is thriving and advancing towards her goal of running an all-inclusive creative and corporate writing business in her newfound home of Atlanta while touring the world to spread her messages of love and self-worth.

I hope you enjoy this deep and inspiring episode!

On this week’s episode I interview activist, facilitator, and my good friend, Lloyd Wilkey. I have had the honour of working with Lloyd over the past 6 years. Lloyd has had a huge influence on the way I view dialogue, facilitation, youth development, and conflict mediation.

During our interview, Lloyd shared his experience of being both a Black Lives Matter activist and at the same time training and working with police officers. Lloyd is an advocate of what he has coined “Mindful Policing”. His work is centred on social justice, dialogue, equity and inclusion.

In celebration of Black History Month, Lloyd also graciously and beautifully shares his singing talents with us. Lloyd is the co-founder of Diverse City Consulting and LA Riot Boxing.

On this week’s episode, I interview Los Angeles based Arielle Miller Cohen - registered Yoga Teacher, Lifestyle Coach, blogger and writer.

Arielle and I talk about the importance of personal accountability, internal motivation, and cultivating a growth mindset. We also discussed how to break free from limiting beliefs and live your truth. As a health and wellness enthusiast, she believes strongly that people’s lives can be changed positively through intentional movement.

Popularly known as “The Girl with the Purple Hair’’, her no holds barred approach to living life and accepting challenges has inspired many to intentional conscious living Through her yoga classes and writing, Arielle seeks to bring people and community together, and help them experience holistic fitness from the inside out.

Arielle also works as a public school teacher and has a Master’s Degree in Leadership.

Tira Yasmine is a poet, author, life coach, jewelry designer and entrepreneur. In this week’s interview she shares how her grateful attitude has helped create what she calls her “recipe for magic”.

Part of Tira’s magic recipe is being a firm believer in God, which has resulted in inner power and peace. This power and peace has propelled her into being an ardent change agent. She uses her art and writing to create holistic change, a reflection of her belief that gentleness can also create effective change.

Check out this engaging episode on Tira’s recipe for living your best life.

On this week’s episode I interview author, poet and activist Shelby Birch from her Peace Corp assignment in South Africa.

Shelby shares some of the highlights and surprises of her service. She also reflects on her activism, and how overcoming challenges, has helped shape her worldview and aided her in becoming her best self.

Shelby brazenly tells her story through her writing, and her strong belief in wisdom, artistic freedom, and expressionism shines through. Her most recent published book, ‘Lit’ is a powerful illustration of how she uses poetry as a mirror to examine issues on womanhood, blackness, awkwardness, and heartbreak.

I wanted to start 2019 with a unique episode, and that’s exactly what we’ve got for you here. You were all given a chance to submit questions at the end of 2018. I didn’t get a chance to read these questions before Adaora Nwandu posed them to me in our interview.

We had a great time doing this episode, as no one holds me more accountable than Adaora, and she’s hilarious as she does it. You get to hear about our own plans for the future, as well as some of the ways we’ve responded to the highs and lows of 2018, and how I don’t let likes on social media run my days either.

There will definitely be more chances to submit questions in the future, but in the meantime enjoy our stories from our life experiences these past months and years.

During the interview, I mentioned an inspiring post by @Advil and promised to link his profile for you. Here it is!

https://twitter.com/Advil/status/1075088494048014337

This is the last day of my year of courage. Over the last 12 awesome months, I’ve shared thoughts on courage from my various interviewees, culminating the last two weeks with discussions that were purely about courage.

With the wonderful insights we received, we move into 2019 brimming with courage - to fulfill our own hopes and dreams. To be courageous leaders for ourselves and our communities.

When it comes to making our way, there is a bridge that connects the extremes within us. Walking that bridge and finding the balance is leadership.

Here are 4 bridges that I have focused on in this year of Courage.

Reflection and Decisions
Short Game and Long Game
Discipline and Go With the Flow
Reps and Rest

As we cross from 2018 and 2019, I wish you a year bridging those parts within you as you move forward in Courageous leadership.

Welcome to Part 2 of the Courage Talks. If you experienced last week’s episode and many of my previous work this year, you’ll know that this is my Year of Courage.

I have tried to explore the definition of courage beyond just heroic and dangerous acts of valor. While this is certainly courage, I also wanted to highlight what courage looks like in our everyday lives.

This year I have been asking guests about their own personal experiences of courage. Many of these interviews happened after a fun and leisurely visit or dinner at my house, so the sample of guests is pretty wide-ranging.

In this second part of the Courage talks, you’ll hear the thoughts of people from different backgrounds, professions, and perspectives dive deep into who their courage role models are, what courage looks like, and how you can become more courageous.

Even after talking about courage, every week, for the past year, I still found so many gems listening back to these interviews.

I hope you enjoy this concluding part of the Courage Talks!


Featuring:

Sadiya Sassine
FB: Sadiya Sassine

Rasha Goel
IG: @rashagoel

Adam: Adam Blake
IG: @adamblakeactor

Na'ilah Mu'ied
IG: @poeticnubia

Tress Glenn:
IG: @TressGlenn

Anna Sambrooks
IG: @anna_sambrooks

Rayesa Gheewala
IG: @rayesagheewala

Ione Butler
IG: @ionebutler

If you regularly tune into my work, you’ll have heard me say many times that this is my Year of Courage.

We often associate courage with heroic and dangerous acts of valor alone, such as saving someone from a burning building or putting yourself in harm's way. While this is certainly courage, I also wanted to highlight what courage looks like in our everyday lives.

Throughout this year I have asked my guests what courage looks like in their life. At the same time, during 2018, I have been asking friends these same questions. During a dinner party, or while people were over at my house, I’d invite them to step into my studio, where I would walk them through the same set of questions around courage.

During this two part episode, you get to hear their responses. Ranging from diverse backgrounds, professions, and perspectives, the participants of this episode dive deep into who their courage role models are, what courage looks like, and how you can become more courageous.

I am so excited to share this year long process and journey with all of you in this double episode. I hope you enjoy part 1 of Courage Talks!

Featuring:

Sadiya Sassine
FB: Sadiya Sassine

Rasha Goel
IG: @rashagoel

Adam: Adam Blake
IG: @adamblakeactor

Na'ilah Mu'ied
IG: @poeticnubia

Tress Glenn:
IG: @TressGlenn

Anna Sambrooks
IG: @anna_sambrooks

Rayesa Gheewala
IG: @rayesagheewala

Ione Butler
IG: @ionebutler

Slam's life quote is "Sometimes a Nightmare Can Lead to a Dream".
 In this week’s interview Slam shares how the quote, as well as writing and poetry, have motivated and helped Slam in life. It has also led her to her dream; working with kids in the foster care system and helping people all over.

Florida native Slam Anderson was born the fourth of five children raised by a single mother. Slam spent the important adolescent years in Foster Care, and knew from an early age she’d have to forge her own path. So regardless of these early challenges, she still gained admission to the University of South Florida, where she graduated with a Bachelors in Creative Writing and is now working on her Master in Social Work.

Slam is a strong advocate of ‘Youth’ social welfare, and works in the community to promote literacy, self-empowerment, awareness, domestic violence, social justice and most importantly LOVE for ourselves and for others.

Check out this powerful and moving episode.