Swaady Martin: Diversity is Our Collective Superpower

Black History Month BONUS release drop! We remastered three episodes with prominent black expat leaders of the Bali community, centering on the intersectionality of consciousness, spirituality, activism and plant medicine. On this episode, we sit down with the legendary Swaady Martin, one of Africa’s most recognized young leaders, influencers and tastemakers. She’s a multi-awarded serial entrepreneur most notably of YSWARA (a socially-conscious gourmet tea company contributing to the reversal of the African commodity trap) and a changemaker-activist who has founded Tounche Global Consciousness Summit (events that have brought consciousness transformation to 2000 diverse individuals worldwide), a Racial Reconciliation Circle in honor of James Patterson (her father and former Black Panther Party Leader of Brooklyn), and THE LOVINGKINDNESS BOMA (a collection of children’s books to cultivate greater love, kindness and compassion within the family). Formerly a GE executive of 10 years, she pursued her own hero’s journey that has evolved over continents and projects at the intersection of inner growth activism, conscious entrepreneurialism, and her great love for Africa. Among her many honorable accolades, she’s been named on Oprah Winfrey’s “O Power List” for Africa in 2014.

In this dynamic conversation, we cover her life’s journey in these core explorations:

• What it was like to grow up as the daughter of a Black Panther Party Leader in Brooklyn, and how early life exposure to activism influenced her worldview later on as an “inner world activist”

• Her love for her corporate days as a former GE executive, stemming from her lifelong dream of becoming a businesswoman as early as 6 years old 

• Making the transition from corporate to conscious (and serial) entrepreneur of YSWARA and how this business brought her love of African culture, values and ancestral wisdom to the forefront of business storytelling

• The impact YSWARA had on the local African communities and plantations she’s worked with, which is more relevant than ever today in what Harvard deems as “the age of corporate social justice”

• How diversity is missing from the healing + consciousness communities worldwide, and why Tounche Global Consciousness Summit emerged to meet that gap with new voices, perspectives and cultures 

• The critical work of running a weekly James Patterson Racial Reconciliation Circle (named in honor of her father’s role as Black Panther Party Leader) in light of George Floyd’s murder and the explosion of racial injustice worldwide 

• The inspirations and intentions behind writing a collection of children’s books that places diverse girls at the forefront of storytelling

• Her love letter to Bali and how this oasis of beauty and biodiversity has supported her during these COVID crisis times

More about the show: https://www.digseedgrow.com/thealtnormal-podcast

Produced by Resonance™, the creative practice of Dig | Seed | Grow

This show is hosted at Destination Outpost, a coliving and coworking community based out in Bali.