Over $7 billion in medical debt for almost 4 million people has been abolished by the charitable work of RIP Medical Debt. Yvette speaks with its president and CEO, Allison Sesso. Allison shares that RIP Medical Debt was established for the sole purpose of reducing the medical debt burdens of low-income individuals with limited capacity to pay their medical bills. In this inspirational episode, Yvette explores with Allison her history of working to help those in need.

Yvette explores health and well-being with Dr. Michael Greger, a physician, author and internationally recognized speaker on nutrition, food safety and public health issues. Dr. Greger runs the popular nutritionfacts.org website and shares his perspective on living a long and healthy life. Notably, he was invited as an expert witness in defense of Oprah Winfrey at the infamous "meat defamation" trial held in Texas.

Yvette’s inspiring talk with Austin Whitney will move the listeners to a new understanding of the power of one’s attitude towards life and living. Austin, the Founder and Board President of Accessible Festivals and the President of Ten Fifty Entertainment, was paralyzed from the waist down as a result of a car accident after his senior year of high school. Through an inspirational message shared with Austin by his uncle and shared with Yvette in this episode, he did not let anxiety and depression rule his life circumstances. He lives an amazing, joyful and fulfilling life making festivals, concerts and other events accessible to differently abled individuals. 

Yvette enjoys an engaging conversation with Alysia Reiner, who played "Fig" Natalie Figueroa on Orange is the New Black. The Netflix series was groundbreaking with diverse representation not only in terms of its cast but also the issues that were addressed. The diversity extended to gender and LGBT identities. Alysia is a SAG Award winning actress, producer and activist whose talents have been demonstrated across the acting arena.  

Mentioned in this episode:

• Livari
• YourIzzy.com

William J. Barber III, who works as the Director of Climate and Environmental Justice at The Climate Reality Project founded by former Vice President Al Gore, shares with Yvette his commitment and knowledge in the area of environmental and climate justice. He is co-chair for the North Carolina Poor People’s Campaign Ecological Devastation committee. He is interested in the renewable energy field and clean economy, specifically in initiatives that are being taken to promote opportunity for low-income communities and communities of color.

Yvette talks with fellow Georgetown University Law School alumnus Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League. As did his father, Ernest Nathan "Dutch" Morial, before him, Marc served as a prominent Mayor of New Orleans before leading the nation's largest historic civil rights and urban advocacy organization. 

Dr. Joanne Gabbin, a professor for 37 years at James Madison University where she was a powerful force for social justice and a visionary leader, talks with Yvette about her groundbreaking work. As a professor of English and African American literature, Dr. Gabbin became the director of the Honors program and the founding executive director of the Furious Flower Poetry Center. She has received numerous awards for excellence in teaching and scholarship and has also been inducted into the International Literary Hall of Fame for Writers of African Descent.

Yvette talks with Dr. Winnifred Brown-Glaude, professor of African American Studies and Anthropology at the College of New Jersey, about her diversity work in higher education.  Dr. Brown-Glaude's publication Doing Diversity in Higher Education: Faculty Leaders Share Challenges and Strategies uses universities' case studies to examine the underestimated role that faculty plays in improving diversity on their campuses. A Margaret Mead quote, Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has, expresses the integral power of professors.

Yvette explores the legacy of apartheid in South African with a white South African, Nico de Klerk, and a black South African, Jabu Zwane, who have had a friendship spanning decades. Nico has written a book, No Fit: My 1700 Mile Walk from Apartheid, and Jabu is the founder of the Mindset Development Institute and serves as a global speaker and coach.

Yvette sits down for an interview with Daphne Rubin-Vega: an amazing, talented actress, singer, songwriter and dancer. Daphne has two Tony Award nominations to her credit: one for her role in Rent as Best Actress in a Musical, and the other for her performance as Conchita in Anna in the Tropics. In 2021, Daphne played the role of Daniela in In the Heights, earning praise for her performance from critics.