The Nancy Ruffin Show

This  week Nancy talks with nationally recognized poet, performer, educator and activist, Roya Marsh. Roya who is a Bronx, New York native, is the Poet in Residence at Urban Word NYC and works feverishly toward LGBTQIA justice and dismantling white supremacy. 

In this week's episode, Roya discusses her debut book, dayliGht, how the project was born and how she almost went to blows with a man in her graduate program. In the hour long conversation, she shares why much of her work focuses on centering women, masculine-of-center women, butch women much like herself; she discusses her career as poet/performer, her work as an educator, how she's had to pivot due to the pandemic, and how she has used her trauma to triumph and heal.

Trigger warning: The themes of sexual abuse, molestation, & suicide are discussed in this episode.

About Roya:

Roya’s work has been featured in Poetry Magazine, Flypaper Magazine, Frontier Poetry, the Village Voice, Nylon Magazine, Huffington Post, The Root, Button Poetry, Def Jam’s All Def Digital, Lexus Verses and Flow, NBC, BET and The BreakBeat Poets Vol 2: Black Girl Magic(Haymarket 2018).

In Spring 2020, MCD × FSG Originals published Roya Marsh’s dayliGht, a debut collection of experimental poetry exploring themes of sexuality, Blackness, and the prematurity of Black femme death—all through an intersectional feminist lens with a focus on the resilience of the Black woman.

You can connect with Roya on her social media platforms:

Instagram: @ChampagnePoet

Facebook: Roya Marsh

www.blkjoy.com

This week Nancy sits down with NYC Mayoral Candidate, Dianne Morales. Dianne made history when she launched her campaign as the first Afro-Latina to run for NYC mayor. A lifelong Brooklynite, Dianne discusses her plans to revitalize the city's economy, improve the NYC educational system, defund the police and provide adequate housing for all. Dianne also answers your questions on gentrification, recidivism, the school to prison pipeline and helping small businesses amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. Listen. Share. Subscribe.

To learn more about Dianne Morales or to donate to her campaign visit: www.dianne.nyc

Connect with Dianne on her social media platforms:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dianne4nyc/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dianne4NYC

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianne4nyc/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dianne4nyc

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dianne4nyc/

In this week's episode Nancy discusses the outrage about the Netflix film Cuties, the passing of the honorable Ruth Bader Ginsberg and what her death means for this country and the Supreme court, she shares her upcoming fall programming and workshops and challenges you to ask yourself if you're living a purpose driven life? She shares how she discovered her own purpose and gives you practical tips on how you can begin to discover yours.

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In the Season 3 premiere Nancy sits down with philanthropist and entrepreneur, Rosa Garcia, to discuss her journey as a business owner. The 31 Agency founder shares the trials and triumphs that have contributed to her success, why  she's so passionate about empowering other women, how she juggles the dynamics of motherhood, and why she refuses to let fear stop her from pursuing her dreams. 

If you've ever questioned your purpose,  felt like the world was against you, or felt like a prisoner to your past then this episode is for you. Listen. Share. Subscribe.

If you love this episode leave us a rating and a comment.

Connect with Rosa at the links below:

Instagram: @ms_rg0131 @motthavenbar @31agency @kreatekafebronx

As we navigate through this critical moment in history it's important to have the difficult conversations about race, systemic racism, and how even in the midst of our greatest storms, God is always with us.   

In this week's episode, I sit down with award winning children's book author Sulma Arzu Brown to discuss racism in America. During our conversation we talk about what it means to show up, ally-ship from our white community, loving like Jesus loved, and how we hold companies accountable for true diversity and inclusion in the workplace.  

About Our Guest:  Sulma Arzu Brown is an award winning children's book author. Her books Bad Hair Does Not Exist/Pelo Malo No Existe and My Hair Comes With Me can be purchased on Amazon and you can connect with Sulma on Instagram at @nopelomalo_sulma.

In this week's episode, Nancy sits down with Puerto Rican-Dominican journalist Ashley Jimenez to talk all things beauty. Ashley, the former Senior Beauty Editor at Latina Magazine and current Beauty Director at HOLA! USA discusses her journey as a journalist and why it's important to keep pushing forward no matter how difficult things get. Ashley also shares the bold move she made that secured her first internship at Cosmo for Latinas, the importance of representation, and why she wants to see more  women of color in the boardrooms in the beauty industry. She also shares her favorite beauty brands and drops some tips on how to feel and look beautiful during this pandemic.

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Connect with Ashely on Instagram @Ashestogoodvibes

It's no secret that the coronavirus pandemic has impacted how many organizations are conducting business given our current circumstances. With many businesses shifting to remote work and working from home models and the food industry relying heavily on their take out/delivery services to keep their businesses afloat, the arts and theater industry have also had to pivot in how they get their art to consumers.  

In this week's episode, Nancy sits down with Melisa Ramos, Director and lead curator of the Pregones Puerto Rican Traveling Theater to discuss the 21 Islands International Short Film Festival and how the arts & culture sector is quickly adapting to virtual events. Melisa also discusses her career journey,  the importance of storytelling and why she credits her grandmothers as her biggest inspiration. If you’re an artist or creative you definitely want to make sure you’re tuned in.  

Subscribe. Listen. Share. To access the 21 Islands International Film Festival finalists and view the films here.  To connect with Melisa you can find her on Facebook & Instagram. 

*Producer’s Note: In this episode Melisa is mentioned as the Lead Director for Pregonnes PRTT erroneously. Melisa is the Lead Curator of the 21 Islands International Film Festival brought you by Pregonnes PRTT.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, self-isolation or quarantine is one of the key strategies in “flattening the curve” of infection rates. But with more and more families living in lock-down, isolation periods among families staying within their homes, and not having physical contact with those outside can start to take its toll. 

In this week's episode, Nancy shares tips and strategies on maintaining your sanity during covid-19 and what you can do to survive self isolation and each other.

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Millions of people are working from home, schools are closing and grocery store shelves are empty. There are so many sources of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s normal to feel some anxiety when a global infectious disease impacts every realm of your life.  In this week's episode, Nancy talks about how she's been coping with the Coronavirus pandemic, shares her thoughts as a healthcare worker, the actions the public hospitals are taking to prepare and shares tips for managing anxiety & stress during times of fear and uncertainty.

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