Weeds & Wilds Conversations

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Part 1/2

Bay area native Latonya Tigner is transforming street dance into an academic movement as an assistant professor of dance at the University of California, Berkeley.

Born in Oakland and raised alongside her twin sister, Tigner credits her family's Southern roots for shaping her journey from a first-generation Californian to a visionary cultural guardian. In this interview, Tigner discusses creating "Dancing Cyphers" to examine codified techniques across the African diaspora. She details how studying the technique that empowered her to connect popular movements directly to traditional West African dances. Today, her mission is to strip away studio hierarchy and ensure dance remains an accessible, daily necessity for all.

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Comment below with your biggest takeaway from her journey.

Connect & Support: Learn more about Dancing Cyiphers: https://www.instagram.com/dancing_cyiphers/

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In this episode, host Kyonda sits down with entrepreneur, caterer, and college graduate Alondrea "LaLa" Crooms for a candid conversation about resilience, motherhood, and breaking generational cycles. Crooms opens up about the heavy burdens of her youth in Oakland, navigating profound personal loss while pregnant and finishing school, and why she ultimately chose to relocate to Chico for a fresh start.

From servicing clients on her couch to launching her own catering company and earning two college degrees, Crooms shares how she turned isolation and adversity into the driving force for her future.

Tune in for an inspiring discussion on what it truly takes to step out of survival mode, rebuild your life, and bloom where you're planted.

Follow Chef LA: @_ChefLa

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#AlondreaCrooms #ChefLa #bayareafoodie #breakfastbuffet #ptsd #LaLa #Healing #womeninbusiness #weedsandwilds

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In this episode, attorney and nonprofit founder Te'Reisha Graves sits down to discuss her remarkable journey from Richmond, California, to the courtroom. As a first-generation college graduate who headed to law school with just two suitcases, Graves reflects on the challenges of navigating higher education, overcoming personal adversity, and passing the rigorous California Bar Exam.

Key Discussion Points

• Roots and Resilience: Growing up in the inner-city of Richmond and finding the self-motivation to pursue higher education against the odds.
• The Legal Journey: Navigating Cal State East Bay and Florida A&M University College of Law before establishing a career in insurance defense, personal injury, and juvenile dependency law.
• Two Suitcases and a Dream: The mission behind Graves' upcoming nonprofit dedicated to mentoring aspiring lawyers, providing scholarships, and offering mental health support.
• Healing and Boundaries: Candid insights on overcoming an abusive relationship, prioritizing therapy, and establishing healthy personal boundaries.

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Martini La’Rossi—mother, U.S. Army veteran, and the visionary entrepreneur behind Mawamo, an upscale bath, body, and home fragrance brand. Born and raised in Richmond, California, Martini’s journey is a powerful testament to resilience, real-world education, and the strength of a multigenerational household.

In this inspiring interview, Martini shares how she navigated the traps of her youth, walked away from rigid structures that didn’t fit her spirit, and ultimately founded Mawamo as a birthday gift to herself—naming the brand after her angel and rainbow babies. Discover how she pivoted from simple candle-making into a luxury home fragrance and beauty brand curated specifically by Black women, for Black women. Martini dives deep into her philosophy of "pouring from your overflow," learning to save yourself first, and building a community space holder where everyone feels seen, heard, and held.

✨ Shop Mawamo & Experience the Mood: https://www.mawamo.com

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

In this profound and deeply personal episode, I sit down with holistic wellness practitioner Fatimah Hanif to discuss her incredible journey from the culinary world to becoming a certified healer and community leader. Fatimah opens up about her own path to healing, confronting childhood trauma and and the pursuit of stillness. We dive deep into how unhealed wounds can manifest into toxic adult behaviors—and more importantly, how to finally break that cycle.

As an award-winning "Woman of the Year" for her community work, Fatimah shares her expertise across multiple healing modalities to help you align your mind, body, spirit, and soul. In this episode, we cover: • The Healing Journey: Fatimah’s transition from the culinary arts to finding her purpose in holistic wellness. • Confronting the Past: The realities of shadow work, processing trauma through EMDR, and finding your voice after abuse. • Vibrational Wellness Explained: How modalities like sound healing (and why the 432 Hz frequency matters), Reiki, astral surgery, and color therapy work to clear blockages. • The Mind-Body-Soul Connection: Understanding the heart as the center of healing and how trauma physically affects the body. • Where to Start: Practical, actionable advice for beginners, including how to create a safe space at home, the power of stillness, and tips for meditation and journaling.

Resources Mentioned: Be sure to check out Fatimah’s book, "I'm Tired of Being Toxic" and its companion journal, available now on Amazon. https://a.co/d/0gvWXyhr Connect with Fatimah: If you are interested in personalized healing plans, consultations, or learning more about sound healing, reach out to Fatimah to start your journey.

Remember to give yourself grace and trust the process. http://www.imaintainwithfatimah.com/