Trials to Triumphs host Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins is joined by her close friends Nia Jervier, Courtney Sauls, Tiffany Johnson and Yaani King Mondschein for a kiki about new motherhood, dating, changing careers and learning to enjoy each season of their lives. Ashley’s self-described “Destiny Advocates” share the moments they realized they could be themselves with each other and how they lean on each other for support through personal challenges. The friends take us back to the beginning of their relationships and discuss how they continue to make space for one another in their evolving worlds. 

Adventurer and author Zim Flores went from living on a shoestring budget to building multiple successful niche businesses. In her conversation with Ashley, Zim confesses that even as children, she and her brother were like “little grown adult kids.” She kept cultivating an independent spirit as she explored many career paths. From the university biology lab where she cloned a gene, to her experience living full-time in India, Zim discovered a talent for diving into adventure which evolved through travel and entrepreneurship. The savvy business mind launched a boutique travel agency, Travel Noire, cultivated from her observation that “people who look like me are often the ones that are traveled to, but we’re not the travelers.” She has since stepped away from Travel Noire to expand her business ventures elsewhere, and learned that becoming financially free meant “being able to own your time.” Now Zim shares her experiences to advise others on creating generational wealth for themselves and their families.

Before creating Now with Natalie and Beyond the Surface, Natalie Manuel Lee shed her former identity as a woman of faith who stayed in her comfort zone. The HIllsong Channel star tells Ashley she gained a new understanding of “death” as she recounts leaving her brother’s leading fashion label, Fear of God, to discover her own purpose as a vessel for fearless conversations. Natalie describes her “coldest winter ever” surviving postpartum depression and how that dark season helped her blossom. The faith-led showrunner outlines how jettisoning the past propelled her into a true purpose, and why it’s important not to “abort the process” necessary for transformation. She affirms that when life leads her to “unbecome,” she gets closer to being the woman she was always meant to be. 

The author, professor and public speaker describes how tackling fears and accepting failures has changed her life—in the best possible way. But Ashley cringes at the word failure, so Luvvie offers a new perspective on how shortcomings can create “a better version of you” in the long run, opening up opportunities for growth. Luvvie and Ashley get into why one of the best cures for self doubt is affirming the trust others have in you when they’re “loaning their power” to you. One of Luvvie’s biggest secrets to success is leaning on her tribe for support and asking others for help. She says doing so “is life’s best cheat code.” She encourages Ashley and others not to “hoard our dreams” because you never know who has the keys to doors to achieve your goals.

Trials to Triumphs host Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins always knew she was destined to inspire others. In this special live episode, Jennifer Pauline, founder of With Creators, interviews ABFJ about how evolving her career helped fulfill that destiny.  Ashley recalls her agent’s cautionary words when she first moved to LA: the road to success is “an uphill battle.” Over the years, that wisdom propelled Ashley whenever she felt stuck. Today, with this show and other opportunities, she continues to trust God to surprise her with ways to manifest her purpose. 

In this episode of the Real Good podcast, host Faith Salie sits down with Center for Economic Inclusion Founder and CEO Tawanna Black to talk about how anti-racist action on a local and regional scale incites widespread change, and why diversity and inclusion is good economics. If you like what you hear, listen and subscribe to Real good wherever you get your podcasts!

The mother of two and CURLBOX founder underscores how looking at things differently has allowed her to achieve her dreams and approach motherhood with grace and intention. Myleik talks with Ashley about learning to “sit with that discomfort” of rejection and allowing herself to be bold to create opportunities for herself. Myleik stresses the importance of playing the long game and embracing career pivots. She says working gigs that she was overqualified for eventually led to reaching her dream job. When Myleik realized she’d “need to be really intentional” about finding fulfilling work, she launched CURLBOX and never looked back. She opens up about how becoming a mother offered a new perspective on her own upbringing, and allowed her to give her mother, and herself, some necessary grace.

Television and podcast host Kamie Crawford has been in the spotlight her entire adult life. And though it has meant praise and success, fame hasn’t been easy. In her conversation with Ashley, the former Miss Teen USA relishes being a role model for her younger sisters and other Black girls, an honor she feels destined for. Kamie talks about the difficulties of being perceived as not being ‘Black enough’ or thin enough to be considered a Black Teen Miss USA. Now, Kamie lives confidently in her own skin and inspires others to be their authentic selves. 

Best-selling author Alex Elle is the first to acknowledge that learning to love and be loved has been a lifelong effort for her. The renowned speaker tells Ashley that her mother-in-law was “the first woman to make me feel worthy of love.” She recounts her earliest memories of receiving that unconditional love, and admits that she didn't think she was capable of loving others before she met her husband. “I needed to be willing to love myself,” she says, before she could receive love. The healing expert gets frank about initially mistaking dysfunction, chaos, and heartbreak for love. Today, Alex focuses on making intentional space to craft her legacy, because “the joy work” is integral to break the cycles of generational trauma. 

Navigating risks and uncertainty has been a major theme in CNN Anchor and Senior Political Correspondent Abby Phillip’s career. Often the only Black woman in the room, Abby confides in Ashley how she overcame imposter syndrome and gained the confidence to show up and shine in spaces that have not always welcomed her. Abby celebrates her parents, immigrants from Trinidad and Tobago, who took big risks for their children and encouraged her own approach to life and motherhood today. Abby also reflects on how she developed a passion for politics and found her path, the crucial role of Black voters and what she’s most excited about reporting on in this year’s midterm elections.