Verbally Effective

We define psychology as the study of behavior and mind. My guest for episode 44, Justin Dodson, is an expert in this field practicing as a mental health therapist who is currently pursuing his PhD. I wanted this UT Chat alum to come on Verbally Effective Podcast to share his insight as we often hear the term “mental illness” quite a bit lately. How do you know if you have mental issues? Are you bipolar? What is anxiety really? At what point do you need to get a prescription? These are just some of the topics we discuss in addition to the many stigmas that come along with seeking professional help. We even tap into where it all begins at the adolescence phase of your life. Justin even shares a few breakthrough experiences he’s had in his life dealing with bullying and racial profiling. I would say this is one of those episodes you definitely want to listen to from beginning to end so you don’t miss anything.

In part one of my podcast episode with the legendary Howard Q aka The Teflon Don, we discuss some of the developmental stages of his life and career. Howard was a gypsy of sorts being an army brat growing up in the Westwood area. His love for music ignited at a very young age as his father was a musician. Upon graduating from Hillcrest, he ventured off to college at Tennessee State University majoring in computer science. As a member of the band at TSU, Howard quickly transitioned from carrying crates for local DJs to becoming one of the founding members of Voice Entertainment. Howard shares quite a few memories during his college years but one duly noted is his initiation into Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. Listen closely as he also describes how he navigated the delicate balance of corporate life and the underground world of nightlife which birth the Collegiate Connection. If you’re in my age range you may remember frequenting Denim & Diamonds back in the day hearing Howard on the mic whose words would make anyone blush. Of course he goes into detail on how he used “sex” as a unifier for party goers. We close the pod out with Howard informing us on his latest project with Studio 3. Unfortunately we did not have enough time to capture all the juice in one episode. Keep your eyes and ears open for part two in the very near future.

The inaugural Verbally Effective Podcast live show was definitely one for the books. Held at my alma mater, Lemoyne Owen College, I had 6 dynamic panelists in the areas of activism, music and collegiate royalty. Topics on the agenda included social media, voting and music. Tune in and hear some insightful discussion in a live setting during LOC's homecoming.

My guest and I for episode 41, Mickell Lowery, go way back. Back to our days as business majors at our beloved HBCU, LeMoyne Owen College. It was great catching up with Mickell as he has been busy making major moves. We touch on quite a few things such as his upbringing and how he made the decision to become a Magician. As a proud graduate of LOC, we dispel all stigmas associated with our historic institution. Being that we just celebrated homecoming, we both were reminiscing on the good ole days on campus where it all began. Quite a few Kappa and AKA stories were shared. Fast forward to today. Mickell is the newly elected Shelby County Commissioner for District 8 in Memphis. He discusses his role and how he plans to make an impact. Fully decorated with numerous accolades throughout his career, Mickell breaks down the referendums on the table for the upcoming election and stresses the need to vote on November 6.

Atlanta native Cynthia Daniels has leveled up the event planning world in the city of Memphis. Although she’s only been here for less than a decade, her impact is explosive. You may have been to one of her signature events such as Memphis Black Restaurant Week, Top 40 Under 40 Urban Elite Professionals, Level Up Conference, Black Christmas Expo or Black Bridal Expo. She has built an empire of opportunities under Cynthia Daniels & Co. to make an economic influence this city has not seen in a long time. As you will hear on episode 40, Cynthia truly believes that black excellence should be celebrated in a city comprised of majority African Americans. You will also notice that I wanted to dig a little deeper into what shaped this powerful woman. This podcast is full of fun facts about Cynthia’s upbringing in Atlanta, her academic experience at Alabama A&M University, pledging Delta Sigma Theta, her short-lived music career and the reasons behind her pivotal transition to Memphis, TN. We even delve into her dating life or lack thereof at the moment. Notice I said at the moment. If you know Cynthia or even follow her on social media, you know that she is a hip hop head, specifically 90’s genre. I even attempted to quiz her on some Old School Hip Hop to no avail. Take a listen to episode 40, as Cynthia and I catch up and explore life changing moments that have led her to flourishing in the birthplace of the blues Memphis, TN.

The life of a woman is filled with a never ending balancing act. Giving everyone and everything an equal amount of time is impossible! At the end of the day, prioritization is key to keeping our sanity. My guest for episode 39, Jerica Phillips, shares how she accomplishes this very thing while recognized as a leading journalist on WMC Action News 5. Jerica and Ena cover a wide range of topics including some very personal chapters never publicly exposed. From growing up in the church to becoming a mother at a very young age, Jerica beat the odds at every level both personally and professionally. Take a listen as my Soror and I delve into sisterhood, going viral and natural hair chronicles. This UT Knox Alum also touches on her work with Black Girls Code, Project Homeless Connect and the Code Crew Community. We even had time to share a few words regarding Kanye West recently attending the White House in addition to rapper Fabolous being indicted on domestic abuse charges. Towards the end of the podcast, Jerica shares how she was finally comfortable after one year that her youngest child Jewel was diagnosed with Down Syndrome. Jewel’s journey is one that you definitely need to hear as you discover the innocence and endless possibilities of her life.

Media insiders are fully aware of the challenges faced with the sense of urgency placed upon having the most up to date news at any given second. Today there are so many platforms to rely on to seek information. My guest for episode 38, Jessica Gertler, has witnessed the evolution of TV news as it engages in a delicate dance with social media. Being a California native, Jessica has adapted well to the southern comforts of Tennessee. This UT Knoxville alum has fully embraced Memphis as a proud citizen and as a reporter on WREG news. We discuss quite a few stories she’s covered that were unforgettable in addition being more health conscious and her many “Dog Mom” adventures. The episode closes with Ena and Jessica playing a game entitled “Real News vs. Fake News” examining headlines from Memphis, pop culture and politics.

Being an entrepreneur has its rewards. But when you're able to invest in your community and create opportunities for the disenfranchised, the rewards are more fruitful. Orange Mound native, Kelvin Woods, is my guest for episode 37. He is the founder and co-owner of The Tee Shirt Lab, a screen-printing and apparel decoration company. Kelvin walks us through growing up attending Overton High School and having a gift for the arts. He attended UT Chattanooga and caught the entrepreneur bug very early in college. Upon graduation, he worked in corporate america but soon walked away after acquiring equipment to start a t shirt company at the age of 24. He's been excelling ever since opening locations in Nashville, Memphis and currently exploring other markets to penetrate. Kelvin is a family man and Christian who keeps his eyes on the prize. Take a listen as Kelvin talks about some of struggles and successes he's encountered as a minority business owner, his creation of Black Art*ish and sitting on the Board of Directors for Juice Orange Mound Project.

Sociology is the study of development, structure and functioning of human society. My guest for episode 36, Wendy Marie, holds a SOCY PhD and is currently an Assistant Professor at her alma mater University of Memphis. Although she eventually worked her way into this position, the road was filled with many peaks and valleys. At four months, Wendy was adopted by a white working class couple and raised in Memphis, TN. Her story begins with identifying the obvious differences both internally and externally. Upon graduating UofM, Wendy worked as a case manager and transitioned into the world of nightlife as a VIP hostess. It was here at the nightclub where she discovered people were using this social space to create and maintain identity. In 2012, she began her graduate studies at the University of Maryland. Her dissertation examined the effects of ideologies about race, family, and national belonging on Korean adoptee's identity formation. Wendy is very active in the Korean adoptee community where in Memphis the Asian American population is only 1%. In addition, my soror is a published author and has a blog discussing two of her favorite things: eats and reads.

After meeting my guests for episode 35, The Dudley Boys (Mario and Carlos), I soon discovered that the art of "checking" is a sport. You may have seen them come down your Instagram timeline with a two sided screen displaying their victim of choice on one side and them ruthlessly lashing out checks on the other side in a video. We laugh and joke because this art form is amusing especially if you are not the person being targeted. In addition, what makes this comedy duo different is that one member has a disability that he utilizes as his super power. Their chemistry is amazing. This is comedy in its purest form. But what I learned from the Dudley Boys is that this skill is very lucrative and can also be a gift and a curse. Their inboxes are often flooded with requests as a result of this newfound fame. Take a listen as Mario and Carlos discuss paid promotions, video appearances, family, topics they stay away from and bringing positivity to the city of Memphis.