The Culture Talk Collective

In this episode, we invite some familiar faces to the mic! Pai’s parents share their story of how they met and got engaged. Pai’s mother, a Zambian, and Pai’s father, a Zimbabwean, tell us about the journey of intercultural dating and engagement. 

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HIGHLIGHTS

•  Donald was born in Matsai but had a hybridized upbringing because his parents were missionaries in Zimbabwe.
• Maud’s dad was Zambian and her mother was Zimbabwean. She was born in Zambia and moved to Zimbabwe at 18 years old. She did not know the language, culture, or values of Zimbabwe. 
• They met at church and were set up for a blind date by their pastors. 
• Creating a value system before meeting your spouse is important because your values will be the compass that dictates the kind of spouse you will marry. 
• A support system is the bedrock of African culture.
• Their engagement process was infused with Zimbabwean, American, and Christian elements. 
• Make sure to study, learn, be an observer and understand the culture of your partner.
• You cannot be in a thriving intercultural relationship without being in a community. 

Resources mentioned:

• Join our free Facebook community! - The Culture Talk Community. 
• Sign up for our mailing list at theculturetalkcolllective.com for free resources and episode drops!

Thank you to our editor, Carmel Kundai, for editing this episode.

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In this episode, we talk about the dangers of Cultural Appropriation and how we need to learn to be people that focus on Cultural Celebration. Join us as we share stories of how we have practiced cultural celebration in our marriage, and more importantly, give you the tools to celebrate your partner’s culture. 

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HIGHLIGHTS

•  What is cultural misappropriation?
• • Cultural appropriation is the adoption of an element or elements of one culture or identity by members of another culture or identity. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from minority cultures. (Wikimedia) 
• Why is Cultural Appropriation dangerous?
• •  It objectifies the values and symbols of one's culture and history.
  •  It's counterfeit for diversity.
  • It erases the identity of the curator.
• Cultural Celebration 
• • We have coined this term because we believe that cultural preservation and intentionality come through the celebration of one's culture. For example, When we got married, we had a Zimbabwean rehearsal dinner in which we brought Pai’s culture in the process and Christina’s family had the opportunity to participate.
• How to practice Cultural Celebration
• •  Be aware of the cultural context.
  •  Learn, understand and value the story. 
  •  Give credit where credit is due.

Resources mentioned:

• Join our free Facebook community! - The Culture Talk Community. 
• Sign up for our mailing list at theculturetalkcolllective.com for free resources and episode drops!

CONNECT WITH US

Instagram – @theculturetalkcollective

Facebook – @theculturetalkcollective

Website - theculturetalkcollective.com

In this episode, We tell a story about an experience we had when we registered our son’s name for a birth certificate when he was born. This experience spurred us to talk about the importance of appreciating names that may be foreign to the majority culture. We also have three special guests that share with us some of their experiences of having a foreign name in the United States. 

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HIGHLIGHTS

• Pai and Christian share their story about trying to register their son’s birth certificate. 
• Our friend, Kriselle, founder of  Empowered in Color, shares with us the importance of taking pride in your name. Empowered in Color “strives to be a place to find people you can support or purchase products/services from marginalized groups. It strives to be a place where you can connect or collaborate with someone who looks like you. It strives to be a place where you can come into a community and not be "othered" for being who you are. It strives to celebrate the diversity and creativity of the people around us.”
• Pai’s brother, Teve explains to us his journey in being confident in his identity, which included people pronouncing his name correctly.
• Our friend, Wale from Nigeria teaches us that the simple act of remembering and pronouncing one’s name correctly is one of the biggest acts you can do in making someone feel valued. 

Resources mentioned:

• Join our free facebook community - The Culture Talk Community. 

CONNECT WITH US

Instagram – @theculturetalkcollective

Facebook – @theculturetalkcollective

Website - theculturetalkcollective.com

Whether you’re dating or married, there is an added layer of nuances and protocols that most intercultural couples have to navigate through. In this episode, Pai and Christina share tips on navigating intercultural relationships. By no means is this a comprehensive list, but here are ten pointers that will help you thrive in your relationship!

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HIGHLIGHTS

Dos 

1. Try new foods.
2. Ask questions. 
3. Be patient in your communication. 
4. Learn your partner's language. 
5. Celebrate your differences.

Don’ts

1. Address your in-laws by their first name. (Unless they initiate it or their culture permits!)
2. Don’t make assumptions. 
3. Let your partner be the museum guide for their culture.
4. Be a Culture SteamRoller.  
5. Don’t say that something in someone’s culture is wrong. 

Resources mentioned:

• The Culture Talk Community

CONNECT WITH US

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Facebook – @theculturetalkcollective

Website - theculturetalkcollective.com

In this episode, Pai and Christina share their new journey as parents. Like many new parents, they are learning so much about themselves and their little one. However, as an intercultural and interracial family, they have an added layer of learning and understanding they have to navigate through. Join them as they talk about what they are learning! 

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HIGHLIGHTS

• Before having a baby, lay a strong foundation as husband and wife. What are your values for your family? What do you want your children to grow up knowing about their parents' cultures?
• When raising an intercultural family, you can’t be a control freak. Part of raising a child in your intercultural family means you are raising your child intentionally in a community, so that means other people are going to do things differently, and that’s OK. It’s good for your child.
• Introduce baby to intercultural foods! For instance - we gave baby porridge with peanut butter the other day.
• Creating an atmosphere that is inclusive of both cultures starts with the person who is from the “dominant” culture. Because we live in the US, Christina has to be intentional about doing things that point to Pai’s culture. 
• Surround your kid with people who look like him and who are from your “home” culture and all cultures.
• There is no such thing as one size fits all. 

Resources mentioned:

• The Culture Talk Community

CONNECT WITH US

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Facebook – @theculturetalkcollective

Website - theculturetalkcollective.com

We’re back and excited for Season 2! 2020 was tough for all of us. The entire world experienced the same fear, hopelessness, and uncertainty. Join us as we process our triumphs, losses, and teachable moments from 2020. We’re also excited to announce the launch of The Culture Talk Community, a private Facebook group for intercultural/interracial couples! Our desire is to create a vibrant and safe place in which you can ask questions, meet other couples and grow together. 

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HIGHLIGHTS

• 2020 Highlights for the Mushayamundas
• 2020 Challenges for the Mushayamundas

The Lessons That We Learned From 2020:

1. Champion Empathy
   • “For me, Christina, I realized I needed to champion empathy with people who I felt like did NOT have empathy towards what we were experiencing. I realized I was harsh in my attitude and some of the words I said towards people I disagreed with.”
2. Love extravagantly 
   • In 2020, we were reminded of how unpredictable life can be. We learned that tomorrow is not given as we witnessed millions of people be affected by the epidemic. We are choosing to love with abandon. To pursue our dreams and to focus on what truly matters in life. 
3. Seek community
   • We can’t do life alone. We need people that we trust to walk alongside us as we navigate the trials of the journey of life. We learned that we need to continue to seek community. Because of this lesson learned, we decided to create a community for intercultural couples! You’re invited!

Resources mentioned:

• The Culture Talk Community
• Shalom Sisters 
• Anti-Racism Resources

CONNECT WITH US

Instagram – @theculturetalkcollective

Facebook – @theculturetalkcollective

Johnson moved to the United States from Nigeria. While in University, he met Rasheka, a Memphis native, and they quickly fell in love. Rasheka would soon realize that Johnson had no idea of the racial complexities of being black in America. Tune in to hear their journey of love and discovery of what it means to be an intercultural black couple. 

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HIGHLIGHTS

• Johnson and Rasheka Osazee are happily married and have two beautiful kids. Johnson works as a Registered Nurse and Rasheka is a Human Resource specialist and U.S military veteran. They are passionate about debt freedom, and wealth acquisition as millennials of African descent. They are a generous family who also leads a nonprofit that serves youth in North Memphis.
• A love and matchmaking worth listening to! We’ll give you a hint. Tinder and Instagram!
• When Johnson moved to the U.S, Rasheka had to teach him how to act as a black man so he will not be perceived as a threat. 
• How they are processing being black in America as an intercultural, black couple.
• We will be launching a private Facebook group, soon! To join the CTC, please add your email to the Google Form here.
• Anti-Racism Resources

CONNECT WITH US

Instagram – @theculturetalkcollective

Facebook – @theculturetalkcollective

Johnson moved to the United States from Nigeria. While in University, he met Rasheka, a Memphis native, and they quickly fell in love. Rasheka would soon realize that Johnson had no idea of the racial complexities of being black in America. Tune in to hear their journey of love and discovery of what it means to be an intercultural black couple. 

SUBSCRIBE

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HIGHLIGHTS

• Johnson and Rasheka Osazee are happily married and have two beautiful kids. Johnson works as a Registered Nurse and Rasheka is a Human Resource specialist and U.S military veteran. They are passionate about debt freedom, and wealth acquisition as millennials of African descent. They are a generous family who also leads a nonprofit that serves youth in North Memphis.
• A love and matchmaking worth listening to! We’ll give you a hint. Tinder and Instagram!
• When Johnson moved to the U.S, Rasheka had to teach him how to act as a black man so he will not be perceived as a threat. 
• How they are processing being black in America as an intercultural, black couple.
• We will be launching a private Facebook group, soon! To join the CTC, please add your email to the Google Form here.
• Anti-Racism Resources

CONNECT WITH US

Instagram – @theculturetalkcollective

Facebook – @theculturetalkcollective

We’re excited to have our first guest on the Culture Talk Collective! Our friend, Tina McDaniel has spent the majority of her career working in the field of human resources for a major corporation. Since leaving her corporate role, Tina has spent the last few years pursuing her passion for race reconciliation and justice. She is a facilitator with Be the Bridge, a race reconciliation group. In this episode, we talk about grief and trauma, the importance of taking care of yourself, and how to become a bridge builder. 

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HIGHLIGHTS

• We need to hold space for lament and grief. There is no timeline to grief and it’s important that we create places for people to share their pain, anger, and despair. 
• As a black person, you don’t have to respond to every white person that asks you questions. It’s important to refer them to resources so they can do the work of reading and learning alongside being in relationship. 
• Self Care is so important during this season. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Lean into counseling, friends in other mental health resources during this emotionally exhausting time.
• Many people are looking for next steps in their work towards anti-racism. We’re big advocates for Be the Bridge!
• Be the Bridge is a nonprofit that empowers people and culture toward racial healing, equity, and reconciliation. 
• You can be part of a Be the Bridge chapter in your community or you can join a Facebook community. There a units and guides that you get to work through.
• Tina’s Book Recommendations:
• • Be the Bridge 
  • Stamped from the Beginning 
  • Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria: And Other Conversations About Race
• We will be launching a private Facebook group, soon! To join the CTC, please add your email to the Google Form here.
• Anti-Racism Resources

CONNECT WITH US

Instagram – @theculturetalkcollective

Facebook – @theculturetalkcollective

Lament: A passionate expression of grief or sorrow. Many of us around the world witnessed George Floyd get murdered by a police officer. It grieved all of us to the core. The sad reality is that his brutal death is only a symptom of an underlying problem that we face in the United States. Join Pai and Christina in a vulnerable conversation as they lament. For further learning on Anti-Racism, we have compiled a list of resources in our show notes. 

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• We will be launching a private Facebook group, soon! To join the CTC, please add your email to the Google Form here.
• Anti-Racism Resources

CONNECT WITH US

Instagram – @theculturetalkcollective

Facebook – @theculturetalkcollective