Writing Black Joy

This week, my guest is Dalia Kinsey, a nutritionist, speaker and author, who works at the intersection of holistic wellness and social justice.

Dalia and I talk about:

Identities, how we identify and how the language of identities is personal and changes over time.

Health vs healthcare and how our daily experiences and emotions including joy impact our health behaviours. 

Why Dalia wrote a book specifically for BIPOC and LGBTQIA folks.

How Dalia worked up the courage to write a book proposal and get a traditional publishing deal.

And so much more. 

You can check out season 1 and other season 2 guests of Writing Black Joy over on https://www.writingblackjoy.com/

You can find more about Dalia at https://www.daliakinsey.com/

If you want to support us you can join our Patreon community over at https://www.patreon.com/safiyarobinson

If you are outside of Barbados, you can find Dalia's book Decolonizing Wellness on Amazon. Use this link, or find the region that is closest to you 

You can follow me on Instagram on https://www.instagram.com/safiyarobinson77

If you want to know about working with me, go over to https://www.safiyarobinson.com/

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My guest this week is Alicia Chantal and she is the owner of Fresh Look Editing based in Canada. She writes and edits non-fiction and is also a mom to 3 boys.

One thing that Alicia and I discussed were the different ways and backgrounds that folks who come to writing and editing have. One of the reasons that I have shared editors and a literary agent this season is to show you a few of the folks who support writers on their journey. Writing is often thought of as a lonely journey but the reality is - you can make so many connections as a writer with other professionals who are there to help polish your work, help you get visible and share it with the world. So I hope you find this conversation helpful.

In addition, Alicia shared very openly which I really appreciate and she and I talked about:

Healthcare and the importance of having a writer and editor to break down the jargon and increase the understanding that people have about their own health.

The importance of surrounding yourself with people who champion your ideas.

The conversations that she and her family has and some of her experiences raising biracial children.

The collaborative nature of editing.

Understanding the editorial style of a publication when you are submitting your work to them.

Different avenues for using your skills as a writer.

The fresh prince of Bel-Air.

Inclusive language and the "alive" nature of language.

Frozen vs Encanto.

And so much more!

You can check out season 1 and other season 2 guests of Writing Black Joy over on https://www.writingblackjoy.com/

If you want to support us you can join our Patreon community over at https://www.patreon.com/safiyarobinson/

You can find Alicia at https://freshlookediting.ca/

You can follow me on Instagram on https://www.instagram.com/safiyarobinson77

If you want to know about working with me, go over to https://www.safiyarobinson.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week I am joined by Yvonne Ator, and she is also a multipassionate writer at heart, who writes haikus, newsletters, poetry, and whatever else takes her fancy. She is also a coach for high performing, stress adled individuals who have hit a wall and want a different life but don't know where to begin.

Yvonne has a heart for idealists and heart centered helpers. Yvonne and I talk about WDS - the World Domination Summit. If you wanna know what it is, I'd have to say it's a gathering of creatives. I'm going to get into trouble for saying that it's a conference but it's hard to describe it to anyone who hasn't been there.

I've actually had a couple of other guests I've met through WDS - Jeff Harry from season 1 and Gary ware whose episode dropped a few weeks ago. So when you hear her mentioning WDS, that's what it is!

Yvonne and I talk about:

her writing journey and how writing was a constant part of her background.

How pressure to go into a "traditional profession" meant that she dismissed her writing abilities for many years.

Why she is taking back the term "idealist"

Her journey with writing daily haikus and building the habit of consistently creating and sharing them - no matter if they were good or not.

How she moved out of hiding in plain sight,

And so much more. And as always, I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

You can check out season 1 and other season 2 guests of Writing Black Joy over on https://www.writingblackjoy.com/

If you want to support us you can join our Patreon community over at https://www.patreon.com/safiyarobinson/

Learn more about Yvonne over on https://www.yvonneator.com/

Follow Yvonne on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yvonneator/

You can follow me on Instagram on https://www.instagram.com/safiyarobinson77

If you want to know about working with me, go over to https://www.safiyarobinson.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week I am joined by Kim Howard. Kim is a podcaster and a seasoned marketing professional, book club host and a long time friend who I am so happy to have with me. 

She has a solo podcast Our One-Sixty-Six about Barbadian history, and she gives us a taste of her curiosity and knowledge in this episode.

We also talk about 

You can check out season 1 and other season 2 guests of Writing Black Joy over on https://www.writingblackjoy.com/

You can listen to Our one sixty six on your favourite podcast app or over on https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1863602.rss

You can listen to Do it fuh Grantley - a life and finance podcast on your favourite podcast app or over on https://www.fortressfund.com/podcast/

Follow Kim on Instagram over on https://www.instagram.com/ouronesixtysix/

If you want to know about working with me, go over to https://www.safiyarobinson.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week I am joined by Gary Ware.

Gary is many things as you will hear shortly - a self proclaimed creative catalyst, and corporate facilitator. He is also a master at play and that is something we dive into as we talk about his upcoming book which is all about play.

Gary and I talked about his writing process and how he completed his “play-book'' as someone who has dyslexia and ADHD and how he brought play into the process.

He also talked about seeing the world as a proving ground vs as a playground of possibilities, illustrations for a book that isn’t a children’s book, working with a graphic designer or facilitator and the importance of collaboration in the book writing process.

You can check out season 1 and other season 2 guests of Writing Black Joy over on https://www.writingblackjoy.com/

You can jump on his mailing list to be the first to know when his book comes out over at https://www.breakthroughplay.com/

Gary also suggested that you take a look at the magic of Eric Jones and I found a clip here on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL9U4UXnezA

Gary and I talked about one of our favourite books The Night Circus and you can find it here https://www.amazon.com/Night-Circus-Erin-Morgenstern/dp/0307744434

If you want to listen to my interview with Jeff Harry then go over to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSL8OFnO3Iw

Follow Gary on Instagram over on https://www.instagram.com/garyware/

If you want to know about working with me, go over to https://www.safiyarobinson.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you want to support us you can join our Patreon community over at https://www.patreon.com/safiyarobinson

You can check out season 1 and other season 2 guests of Writing Black Joy over on https://www.writingblackjoy.com/

If you want to read (or listen to) my blog posts about the lessons learned after season 1 then read over here for part 1 and part 2.

If you want to know about working with me, go over to https://www.safiyarobinson.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you want to support us you can join our Patreon community over at https://www.patreon.com/safiyarobinson

You can check out season 1 and other season 2 guests of Writing Black Joy over on https://www.writingblackjoy.com/

If you want to read (or listen to) my blog posts about the lessons learned after season 1 then read over here for part 1 and part 2.

If you want to know about working with me, go over to https://www.safiyarobinson.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Todays guest is Cherise Wiltshire, a fun and spirited woman of God who loves travelling the world, biking and enjoys finding that hidden literary discovery in any and every bookstore.

She has recently penned her own book - Hearts Cry - a devotional designed to strengthen your Christian walk. In her professional life, Cherise is a successful entrepreneur who runs her own business consulting firm, Wiltshire Consultancy International.

Cherise and I talk about our spiritual journeys, dealing with loss, how Cherise wrote and published her devotional, her creative practice and so much more.

You'll also get to experience some of her fun personality and encouraging nature.

If you want to support us you can join our Patreon community over at https://www.patreon.com/safiyarobinson

You can check out season 1 and other season 2 guests of Writing Black Joy over on https://www.writingblackjoy.com/

If you are outside of Barbados, you can find Heart's cry on Amazon. Use the link below, or find the region that is closest to you https://www.amazon.com/Hearts-Cry-Daily-Journey-Jesus/dp/1632694964/ref=sr_1_1

Watch Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Ted talk - The Danger of a Single Story https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?language=en 

You can read my blog post "Things I miss about God" at https://www.safiyarobinson.com/more-questions-than-answers/2021/12/18/things-i-miss-about-god

Learn more about Cherise and find her social media profile on https://www.writingblackjoy.com/

If you want to know about working with me, go over to https://www.safiyarobinson.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week I am joined by Kerra Bolton, an award winning producer and director, as well as a writer.

She is also the CEO/Founder of Woodbine Films, which specializes in first-person, narrative nonfiction that examines the meaning of community, connection, and identity in the Black community.

Her directorial debut, RETURN OF THE BLACK MADONNA, is currently in production. The documentary traces her epic quest to learn to swim, dive, and map sunken slave ships with Black marine archeologists.

She is also working on a book Water in my bones and we discuss both of these projects today.

Kerra and I talk about her commitment to Black joy after a long career in diversity and equity work, transmuting pain and trauma into joy, the process of making a documentary and holding multiple roles in that process, and the research process for the documentary.

We also talked about the importance of endurance during the film making process. In addition, we also discussed - women’s health and Kerra’s experience of fibroids, and the significance of the high prevalence of fibroids in Black women, learning how to swim, fear of open water and epigenetics, and so much more.

This conversation went to so many places, and is a really important testimony to how we can cultivate joy in our lives, even against a backdrop of pain or trauma. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

If you want to support us you can join our Patreon community over at https://www.patreon.com/safiyarobinson

You can check out season 1 and other season 2 guests of Writing Black Joy over on https://www.writingblackjoy.com/

You can donate to The Return of the Black Madonna and also sign up to Kerra’s mailing list over on www.kerrabolton.com

You can follow Kerra on Instagram over @kerrabolton and also follow @returnoftheblackmadonna

If you want to know about working with me, go over to https://www.safiyarobinson.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week I am joined by Philip Robinson, a children's book author and songwriter.

Philip is a Bajan currently residing in the United Kingdom. He has written plays, poems and songs since childhood, and believes that diversity needs to be celebrated as a norm rather than a tension that divides.

He is the author of 2 children’s books which we will be discussing in our conversation today.

Philip and I talk about beauty standards - particularly in children’s books and fairy tales, and the lack of association of Black girls with beauty in children’s stories, how inspiration for stories comes from so many different places, finding the time to write, illustrations of Black characters for children’s books, self-publishing vs traditional publishing of children’s books, and how comparison affects creativity, and so much more.

You can check out season 1 and other season 2 guests of Writing Black Joy over on https://www.writingblackjoy.com/

Nia and the Kingdom of Celebration is on Amazon. Use the link below, or find the Amazon region that is closest to you. https://www.amazon.com/Nia-Kingdoms-Celebration-Philip-Robinson/dp/1999892305/ref=sr_1_1

Daddy you cannot play Santa Clause is on Amazon. Use the link below, or find the Amazon region that is closest to you. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daddy-cannot-play-Santa-Claus-ebook/dp/B07M9D8BXT/ref=sr_1_1

Early in the conversation, I mentioned a podcast I could not remember the name that talked about diversity in the publishing industry. The podcast is called "Balancing Stories" (previously Balancing Cultures) and the guest's name was Lisa Davis who shared that "Diversity in books starts within". https://balancingcultures.com/episode-26/

We also mentioned Atul Gawande's Reith lectures and you can find them over on https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04bsgqn/episodes/player

Follow Philip on instagram over on https://www.instagram.com/kingdomsofcelebration/

If you want to know about working with me, go over to https://www.safiyarobinson.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.