A recognized leader in the DEI field and Ashley’s mother, Cynthia Featherson has always been the backbone of her family. However, she has rarely asked for what she needs in return. As she gets older, Cynthia realizes that keeping her world small and her feelings bottled up does not serve her. She attributes this new-found awareness to Ashley. Throughout the years, Ashley has encouraged her mom to speak her truth unapologetically. In this episode, Cynthia shares the difficulties she faced growing up as the only daughter, granddaughter, and niece in her immediate family. And she tells us how Ashley’s openness has taught her to be more vulnerable. 

Jurassic World: Dominion actress DeWanda Wise is allowing herself to take risks and give God the steering wheel.  DeWanda says because she and her family didn’t have a lot growing up, she “was always a person who questioned, naturally, the status quo.” She shares how her intuition, even at a young age, has shaped the stories she gets to tell in her work. DeWanda explains how she has come to realize her purpose in life is “to bear witness and continue to be a mirror, to my friends and to society at large.” DeWanda says she has learned to lean into — even love — uncertainty as she navigates her career and family life.

Originally aired by NPR's The Limits with Jay Williams on 7/19/22.

Emmy-nominated actor Colman Domingo discusses the power of intentional art, his recent projects, and coping with loss.

Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, actress and author Michelle Williams has been perfecting the art of manifestation. Michelle tells us what happens when she speaks about her greatest dreams and fears out loud and says that you must “put voice” to your ambitions for them to happen. She tells Ashley about her battle with depression, acknowledging that even at times when “we think we’re unscathed physically,” our mental health can be heavily impacted. Michelle shares how following her intuition continues to serve her, and how she was able to take the time during the pandemic to heal and “get loved on.”

This week, Ashley welcomes Dear White People costar Griffin Matthews to dig into the promises made over the course of their lives. Griffin details his upbringing in the suburbs of Pittsburgh from experiencing racism in his youth to finding community in college and healing from those past hurts at Carnegie Mellon. He discloses how the Supreme Court’s landmark decision on gay marriage empowered him to dream of marriage and how that commitment impacted his relationship with now husband Matt (affectionately known as Butch). Griffin and Butch have since become foster parents to two young boys, and like all new parents, faced a lot of uncertainty. Griffin challenges Ashley to expand her definition of a life promise fulfilled and reveals what the pandemic taught him about dreaming into the future. Griffin's credits also include HBOMax’s The Flight Attendant, Amazon’s ROAR, and the upcoming Marvel series She-Hulk.

To get to her breakout role as Mercedes on Glee, Amber P. Riley made some hard choices that eventually led her to the life she’d always dreamed of. But, as she tells Ashley, it didn't happen overnight. Amber’s relationship with the Glee cast was tested through real-life experiences they navigated together, including some she describes as “trauma bonding.” She also discusses the tragic losses of several of her Glee castmates. Throughout the different seasons of her career, Amber has come to accept that she can’t control everything and moved beyond chasing a rockstar lifestyle to finding peace and meaningful ways to celebrate her wins.

Hip Hop rising star Lady London is known for her unique flow and powerful freestyles. Unlike some of her most memorable lyrics, her success hasn’t been improvised. Lady London explains to Ashley why she believes “stagnancy is the same as regression” and how she finds growth in times of being uncomfortable.  She shares her struggles with being “subject to public scrutiny or subject to whatever people have to say” on social media. She discusses how she used her darkest times to find the importance of prioritizing her mental health above all else.  Lady London shares how intentional work and studying her craft created opportunities that catapulted her to musical stardom. 

Ashley’s husband Darroll Jenkins Jr. reveals the changes and challenges he overcame to become the life partner he is today.  Darroll, who is now a sports agent, talks about letting go of his basketball dreams and what it took for him to build an abundant life with Ashley. Darroll admits to being a selfish boyfriend at the start of their relationship, but now lives to love and support Ashley for a lifetime. Darroll and Ashley tell the emotional story of how they made it down the aisle and what keeps them leveling up to be their best selves, both individually and together. 

Actress and singer/songwriter Naturi Naughton-Lewis’ greatest trials have become her greatest triumphs. Ashley and Naturi chart her journey from singing in her church to stardom becoming the final member of the platinum-selling girl group 3LW. The two-time NAACP Award winning actress recounts making the difficult decision to leave 3LW at its height and details the decade it took her to get over the pain it caused her.

Naturi explains how she held on to the unwavering belief that her best days were ahead of her. The New Jersey native shares how she emerged out of those trying times as an actress with credits in Hairspray on Broadway, the blockbuster film Notorious and the hit television show Power. Now a newlywed, she opens up about finding love after a season of heartbreak and learning to embrace her light and love herself after years in an industry that she says devalues dark-skinned women. Naturi also gives Ashley the exclusive on her recent heart-to-heart with former 3LW bandmate Adrienne Bailon and how they’re choosing to “lead by example” as they rekindle their friendship as adults. 

Ashley chats with close friend and critically acclaimed actress Aisha Hinds about her path to replenishment. Aisha has appeared in a number of hit series including 9-1-1, True Blood and The Shield. She made her mark with a powerful performance in Underground playing icon Harriett Tubman. In this vulnerable conversation, Aisha reflects on how her parents’ divorce left her feeling fractured as a young girl and led to her “pursuit of wholeness.” Aisha discusses how her church family stepped in during a trying time in her youth and helped her get back on the right track. She also reveals how she’s paid that restoration forward with her nephew. Aisha celebrates her “destiny advocates” in the industry who challenged her to dream bigger and pursue iconic roles that have forever shaped the trajectory of her career.