In this episode we have esteemed T&T natives, Michele McIntosh Ross & Mikalla Hodges on set to discuss everything Trinidad & Tobago. Jason and I ask the ladies about their culture growing up on the island, what they love, what they miss, and what they can live without when it comes to Trinibago.

This episode blossomed out of the previous episode about black expats. Tameka made it clear that she prefers Trinidad as a place of refuge. It was prudent to have her close Trinibago friends on the podcast to give a relevant account of what it's like to live on the island.

If you want to learn more about Trini history, follow Dominic Kalipersad on IG

The best thing Trinidad and Tobago is known for is Carnival. Just the link out for more expansive information.

Interested about Trinidad and Tobago in general, click on this link.

In this episode, we explore the expat desires from a few perspectives. We discuss the individual research we conducted, where we'd like to live as an black expat and why. Tony chimes in to share his experiences in Mauritius and Paris. The panel mentioned places like Panama, Canada, Costa Rica, Trinidad & Tobago, Ghana, Spain, Germany, Scandinavia, Singapore, Mexico, and Portugal to live.

Important points divulged during the discussion were language barriers and being honest about why you're moving to another country and for how long. Lastly, the panel expressed how they would like to be seen in another country. The main answer: Human

Links to explore

Panama

https://youtu.be/2whTNvTF8KA?si=ExjEZDhm-sxKShUI

Best Countries for Black Retiree Countries

https://youtu.be/ac9YPdlvrh0?si=UMfBWxVUV_9f7fvz

Portugal

https://www.youtube.com/live/87hQwU2RaiU?si=8HoS05LqTk_xLMtb

Best Places for Black Families

https://youtu.be/ib8zTdU_DZE?si=oMEOKhQCY6kZ8uNP

Join us on this episode as we explore the world through the eyes of Rasheed Stevens, founder of the Youtube channel Underground Retail. Rasheed shares with us his passion for the history of fast food restaurants, vacant retail buildings, and the nostalgia of stores from the past.

Jason and I revel in this conversation because it ties so nicely with urban planning woes we are both familiar with. Rasheed also shares his predictions for the future based on the trends of today. Below are a few Underground Retail to dive into this world yourself and keep up with Rasheed's next projects.

Official Blog

Instagram

Facebook

Patreon

Youtube

Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music Unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pixabay

In this episode, our special guest, Matilda Larson, discusses her journey as a member of a First Nations tribe, going to college, and working her way into the field of community planning. With her we dive into the plight of those who live on reservations and the external threats to their ancestral lands. We also touch on Matilda's work in rural NY State and how she works to improve the quality of life through transit options. This episode will eventually lead into another episode about Matilda and her family and their experience sourcing all of their food locally and composting---stay tuned!

Name of Matilda's mom's clan: Qiwaghmii

Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Music Unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠⁠⁠Pixabay

Join us on this episode about the Great Migration that many African Americans took between the 1910's and the 1970's. The heart of the conversation is about how trains were heavily utilized during this time period to assist with uplifting many African Americans out of Jim Crow to a better life up North and out West. However, in today's time, though there are more opportunities there are less ways of getting to them without the use of a car.

There's an extra bonus 15 minutes from an interview with Tameka's cousin Donaflyn Crawford. He gives a vivid description of his mother's travels during this time period.

Here are a few helpful links for reference:

Description of the Great Migration

Trains and the Great Migration

Maps of the Railroads During Great Migration

The Train that Carried the Great Migration

Central of Georgia Railway

The Pullman Porters

The Negro Motorist Green Book

Maya Angelou, the Streetcar Conductor

Nancy Hanks Train from Atlanta to Savannah

Music by ⁠⁠⁠Music Unlimited⁠⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠⁠Pixabay

In this episode, we catch up with fellow planner Chris Silveira who is currently a transit planner in Snohomish County for Community Transit. He is the manager of the Swift BRT program and has had a myriad of experiences implementing transit solutions. We discuss transit planning from an east vs west perspective. We also touch on issues of funding, ridership, public trust, and the need for political support. Listen in to find out what transit friendly countries we would choose to work in if we had to go back & start our careers all over again!

Community Transit

Chris Silveira

Music by ⁠⁠Music Unlimited⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠Pixabay

Gen-X series Part 2

Such a special episode speaking with my girl Ayanna Floyd. We explore her world beginning in Toledo, OH and journeying to Los Angeles, CA. We follow the ups and downs that black writers face, dating in Hollywood, and we dive into the notions of the Writers' and Actors' Strikes. There's also a bonus nugget where we discuss adoption and Ayanna's take on what prospective parents can sometime face.

Ayanna's IMDb

Music by ⁠Music Unlimited⁠ from ⁠Pixabay

We're back! We've started off ending our hiatus with a welcomed conversation with my good friend Dr. Monica Minton. She talks about her walk through life as a Gen-X'er on a non-traditional path. We touch on being a single mom in high school, the education she obtained while working full-time , getting her Ph.D, taking care of her parents, as well as her unconventional path to love.

We plan to do more Gen X speaks conversations as we highlight a generation that's often overlooked but has a lot to say!

Atlanta Matchmakers (formerly Single Atlanta)

Music by Music Unlimited from Pixabay

This episode features special guest Haythem Shata, a civil engineer who has extensive expertise on the watersheds and stormwater management within Atlanta, GA. We take a deeper dive into how Atlanta developed along ridges and how the lowlands in between (and the people living there) suffered due to flooding and environmental injustices. We also touch on biosolids, water treatment centers & the high costs of infrastructure affecting transit projects. Here are a few links of interest:

Music courtesy of Music by Penguin Music

In this episode we dive into the A in STEAM with guest (and good friend) Shayla Johnson, owner of Scarlet Crane.  She talks about her education and career journey at Georgia Tech and the Art Institute of Chicago.  Shayla gives us insight into the world of the arts, how she's made a career of the arts, and what she would have done differently.

Scarlet Crane

Georgia Tech School of Industrial Design

Art of Institute of Chicago

Detroit Artists Market

Music courtesy of Music by Penguin Music