You Are Who You Think You Are

In this episode, Kelli and Kendra close out the year with a wide-ranging, grounded conversation about celebration, grief, creativity, and stepping into the next season with intention.

Kendra reflects on turning 50 and hosting a party that became a collective experience of joy, freedom, and Black community. The conversation moves into how the holidays can activate grief and mental health challenges, especially as family roles shift and elders become ancestors.

They talk about vision boards as a serious practice, not a trend, and how intentions show up even when you are not consciously tracking them. The episode also names the tension between rest and ambition, visibility and humility, and why letting your work be seen is not the same as bragging.

As always, Kelli and Kendra reflect on friendship, creativity, and what it means to protect what is sacred while still showing up fully in the world.

Related Links: 

1. Kendra’s Birthday party as referenced by Kelli King-Jackson
2. Black Girls Heal Podcast Episode You Don’t Have to Be the Family Savioras referenced by Kelli King-Jackson
3. Annual Clarity Retreat with Dr. Kerry Ann Rockquemore as referenced by Kelli King-Jackson
4. Pattern Beauty as referenced by Kendra Ross
5. Cécred as referenced by Kendra Ross
6. Raphael Saadiq as referenced by Kendra Ross
7. Support the Podcast as referenced by Kendra Ross

Hit our group chat to ask us a question or send us feedback on what you're enjoying about the show!

Kelli King-Jackson is a certified professional coach to Black women leading in white spaces. In addition to coaching, she works with organizations truly committed to justice for Black women by providing philanthropic advising, facilitation, and speaking services. Learn more about Kelli's work here: https://www.iamkelli.com/

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_01 (00:05):
The views shared this episode represent Kelly and
Kendra, not our mama, partner,church, job, or sponsor.

SPEAKER_00 (00:17):
It is December 19th.
I'm not quite sure how we gothere.

SPEAKER_01 (00:22):
Of 2025.
That means I'm 50 years old andsome dates.

SPEAKER_00 (00:26):
Woo! Happy birthday.
Wow.
Do you want to tell the peopleabout your the most spectacular
party of my life?
Um, sure.
We're gonna have the producerput a little clip of Kendra in
her in her fancy um outfits withthe plur with that's plural,

(00:48):
y'all.

SPEAKER_01 (00:50):
Yeah, so well how about I mean maybe it might be
more interesting for you to talkabout my party.

SPEAKER_00 (00:57):
Oh wow.
Um one, I was really proud thatyou have grown-up resources to
do grown-up shit.
Um you got to have the the partyof all of our dreams.

(01:20):
So Kendra had um these lovelyladies who had feathers and
sequins and top hats greet us atthe door with champagne on the
tray.
And I was like, I wasn't ready.
I don't have my camera.
And then it was a beautifulbread, and then it was a live

(01:45):
band, and then to the left itwas a bar, and then across from
the bar it was this lady who washand-engraving your glasses, and
then when you look past her, onthe right was a very interactive
photo booth.
On the left was a a spread oflike pastas and things of that

(02:05):
nature, and you kept going, thenthere was a salad bar, and then
you ended with the quiet areawhere you could go have a smoked
some brown liquor, some smokedbrown liquor.
It was a whiskey bar.
Whiskey bar, and it had thebeautiful couches and the

(02:25):
pillows, and then we call thatwe call that soft seating soft
seating.
I'm sorry, there's soft seating.
And then on the tables werecoasters celebrating Kendra's
50th birthday.
It was just top tier.
Oh, and then after the band wasdone, we did a DJ.

SPEAKER_01 (02:44):
So the best in the land.

SPEAKER_00 (02:47):
Kendra's aunt had the Holy Ghost out on the
streets.
My husband had his PrinceFashion.
Your husband was mistaken, hewas mistaken for the
entertainment.
My husband was mistaken for theentertainment.

SPEAKER_01 (03:02):
He had the time of his life.
He sure did.
I'd love to see it.
Him and my dad probably had themore fun than anybody there.
He had such a good time.
My mother my mother wasirritated because she's like, I
looked through all the picturesand I only see myself in a few.
Where was I?
Why wasn't I not in morepictures?
Tell her me and her was probablyin the corner somewhere.

(03:24):
Right.
I said you got to be out.
Now my dad was in almost all ofthem.
Because he was on the dancefloor.
You gotta be on the scene to beseen, sis.

SPEAKER_00 (03:32):
Now, mommy Ross conducted the choir of all
choirs.
I hope you can put some video ofthat somewhere out into the
ethos.

SPEAKER_01 (03:42):
I've received videos from several people of that.
Um, I'm gonna also ask Corey ifthe photographer videographer
from CLW Creators, which didamazing work, I need to um post
his video clip on my IG.
I might actually do that tonightor tomorrow.
Probably do it tomorrow.
So I can write a really good umcaption thanking him and all the
other vendors, but I'm sure heprobably captured it.

(04:04):
Um there's bits of it in thelittle video um sizzle reel that
he did.

SPEAKER_00 (04:09):
And mommy Ross was clear.
If you can't sing, just slips.

SPEAKER_01 (04:14):
She said, hush.
Oh, and she does that for realat family events.
So that was not even for show.
Um Yeah, somebody at work waslike, Oh my god, I loved your
choir director.
I was like, You mean my mother?
She was like, Oh my god, thatwas your mom.
I missed that part.
I was like, Yes, that's mymother.

SPEAKER_00 (04:33):
She's like, Oh the cute part though for me was you
in the back being the juniorconductor.

SPEAKER_01 (04:39):
Yeah, because I know everybody in the corner couldn't
see her.
So, you know, that's very sweet.
Because I knew if people didn'tfollow the instructions, she
would get mad what she did.
Another crazy part was when Iwas on stage giving my toast to
myself or to the crowd and tothe party and um having my
little moment thankingeverybody.
My dad was busy talking becausepeople had to tell him to hush.

(05:01):
And at first, people was like,shh, they didn't know he was my
dad.
And then Tanika went over andwas like, Dad, you gotta you
gotta hush.
She's up there talking.
Matter of fact, she just shoutedyou out, you ain't here because
she was too busy talking.
Yo, the funniest, I I won't namenames, but somebody in my life
who I love, uh a young man whois one of my various self-care

(05:22):
practitioners, told me yesterdaythat he met my dad with his
partner.
And once my dad figured out thatthey were actually a couple, he
said that my dad was like, Oh, Isupport you.
Like he wanted them to know thatlike, you know, like, you know,
I'm down, I'm good, and y'allgood.

(05:44):
Yes.
And I was like, I'm sorry.
He's like, no, I loved it.
He said it was like such like hemeant it from the heart.

SPEAKER_00 (05:50):
I was like, and did, and did.

SPEAKER_01 (05:54):
That, yeah, that was hilarious.
My time was had, my littlesister had a ball with me.
Oh, he's he said I was theshizzy.
Yes.
That's what he thought.
It was really sweet.
My brother and and and hispartner, Patrice, looked like
they were having a good time.
All my college friends, uh, somewere more active, some were back

(06:16):
in the whiskey bar with backthere chilling.

SPEAKER_00 (06:19):
It was beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 (06:20):
Uh, it was beautiful.

SPEAKER_00 (06:21):
Yep.
We've talked about it in the podbefore, but just a lot of
gratitude to have friends for solong.
Um I didn't realize so manypeople didn't have friends.
Um, and we have an amazing groupof friends.

SPEAKER_01 (06:38):
I am rich.
Yeah.
Now it's not like T.S.
Madison.
I'm rich.
Pardon me?
I'm rich.
I'm rich not because of dollars.
I am rich because honestly, myrelationships.
Um, and I and actually I always,and when I don't say like key to
my success, but like literallymy key to like how I'm able to
do anything that I'm able to do,because I'm always running

(06:58):
around being all things to allpeople, is because of the people
I have in my in my in myorganism.
And and I was it was presentthere.
Everybody who came to the partywho knows me but doesn't like
they're not like friends,friends, we're like, oh my God,
like you could feel the love inthe room, you know?
Yeah.
It's like your your people washolding you down.
Absolutely.

(07:18):
So yeah, I I I I I spent myretirement, a part of my
retirement to do it.
Michael, she did not mean that.
It was well, I I did though.
He if he knew how much, Michaelwould probably stop spending me
for like a good 90 days.
Um, but it was worth it.
It really was because it was oneof those things that like if it
was over tomorrow, I like Iknow, you know, I I it was a

(07:43):
moment in time.
And for me, I had people who Iknow.
Someone said it to me there.
He was like, Kendra, you had noidea.
Like, I didn't know I needed tobe here, but now that I'm here,
like I needed to be here.
He's like, this young man, hewas like, he moved to Pittsburgh
actually for jobs there, and hesaid, I haven't experienced this
kind of blackness in Pittsburghsince I've been here.

(08:05):
And he's he's been in Pittsburghfor probably five, six years.
He was like, he's like, but youhave everybody in here, not just
black people.
He's like, but I haven'texperienced it in this way.
And he's like, you have no ideahow much I needed this.
And then I had another familyfriend who said to me, Kendra,
like, oh man, you don't knowwhat that did for me.
And Tanika told me before theparty, she's like, Kendra, you
keep beating yourself up aboutthe money, but you're not just

(08:26):
doing this for you.
You're doing this for the peopleyou love.
You want them to have anexperience.
And I and she was right.
And then that was what made meexcited.
So after everybody kept tellingme, oh man, that was one of the
best parties I've ever been to.

SPEAKER_00 (08:37):
I've told everybody.
I was like, I'm gonna I'm gonnasneak you a video, but I'm gonna
check for, you know, see if Ican put it, put it to the
people.
But yes, I want everyone to seewhat it looks like to just be
free, even if it's for a couplehours.

SPEAKER_01 (08:53):
That's what it is.
It's a it's a it's a it's it wasa kind of marooning for me.
It was like, listen, for thesefive hours in this space right
now, we gonna be who we wanna bewith who we wanna be it with.
Um now Pittsburgh was cold ashell, but we was cute.
It was we was cute.
I was it was we was hot in therebecause we were sweating and
dancing, and um, it's funnybecause I I had such an amazing

(09:18):
time, but I didn't get toexperience the party in the way
other people did.
Because you know what I mean?
So like I ain't have no food.
All I had was the sliders at theend, which is what I was
grateful.
I had a portobello slider andsome fries.
Didn't get any pasta, no salad.
I didn't get any.
I there were supposed to bepasta d'oeuvres.
Did you see a passer d'oeuvre?
There were passer d'ours.
Okay, good.
Okay, I'm gonna make surebecause I paid for d'oeuvres.

(09:39):
Um yeah, I I didn't get I didn'teven get to drink my signature
drink.
I forgot that I put uh HugoSpritz on my um Was that the
purple?

SPEAKER_00 (09:50):
No, that's the French whatever.
That one, that that, that iswhat uh Prince activated.

SPEAKER_01 (09:58):
That was great.
So shout out to Greg.
Greg was was part of thecuration of the of the alcoholic
beverages because he came to mytasting.
Kudos, right?
And he started talking aboutdrinks.
I said, no, you would think thisis your party.
He said, Well, it sort of is.
I turned 50 this year, too.
I said, You're right.
Go ahead.
You can just love it.
So um he was the curator of thehim and Alexis.

(10:18):
Shout out to Alexis Allen, um,my um illustrious celebrity uh
event planner.
Yes.
Um yeah, they they curated mostof the drinks.
I curated the one drink Icurated, I forgot to order.
Then I was mad at the end, like,man, I didn't even get my
spritz.
Well, thanks for having wine.
Thank you.
People kept bringing me waterlike I was drunk.

(10:39):
I literally had one drink thewhole time.

SPEAKER_00 (10:41):
They just didn't want you to be dehydrated from
all the sweating and things.

SPEAKER_01 (10:45):
I yes.
I literally had if you I had acouple of sips of a champagne
when I walked in, then I had twohave two quarters of two
different versions of AperolSpritz because I kept putting
them down and forgetting it.
Hilarious.
But like I said, and I didn'tget none of the engraved
glasses.
But again, I got the experienceto have all the people came from

(11:08):
all walks of life.
I know, right?
That's crazy.
My my chiropractor was like,because he was there.
I love my chiropractor, hiswife, and my trainer.
Um, because my chiropractor ownsmy gym.
He was like, You got an eclecticmix of of friends.
Uh he's like, I love mychiropractor.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It was great.
Anyway, yeah, I I feel blessed.

(11:30):
I we've I've posted some thingson the socials.
I will post uh like my versionof it because I was reposting
other people's stuff, likevendors, and then we will
somehow incorporate some clipsand stuff or pictures in our
post for the for this episode.

SPEAKER_00 (11:45):
Awesome.
So with that what else has beenhappening in the group chat?

SPEAKER_01 (12:31):
Um preparing for our trip to the continent.

SPEAKER_00 (12:34):
Yes, we are going to Ghana in February, which is
coming very coming up less than60 days.

SPEAKER_01 (12:44):
We're going to Ghana to celebrate our other dear
friend's 50th birthday.

SPEAKER_00 (12:50):
True.
Wow.
Um, so we've been talking aboutGhana and vaccinations and all
the things.
What else have we been talkingabout?
We've been talking about mentalhealth and how the holidays can
be very uh activating for a lotof people.
So sending a lot of love,especially those who live in

(13:13):
cold climates, who are missingthe sunshine right now.

SPEAKER_01 (13:18):
Yep.
Yeah, this this also like thiswill be my second crimp
Christmas without a grandparent.
Um last year, I really loved theway my family we came together,
and like grandma's absence waslike palpable, but we also had a
joyful time.
Um, but it also felt weirdbecause in that instant, my Aunt

(13:40):
Janet, my mom, and Greg's mom,and my other aunt, Wendy, other
people who are in their 60s and70s became the elders to us
because they were they werealways like the next slayer.
But now that grandma's gone,like Aunt Janet is the matriarch
of the family, and it's verystrange.
But it's uh it's it's ablessing, you know.
That's why it was a blessing tolike to have a praise, a praise

(14:03):
break moment with her at mybirthday parties because she is
now our matriarch.

SPEAKER_00 (14:06):
So that's interesting.
You say that I put a post thatmy sister-in-law um texts me a
picture yesterday, I guess itwas, of us with her and her
husband, me and my husband withher and her husband.
And she didn't really sayanything.
She just sent it and I heard atit, but I was like, oh wow, like
she really people, the familygives her a hard time because

(14:27):
she always got the phone outtaking some pictures.
And I was like, oh, but she isthe historian, and she really is
now the matriarch.
We only have one eldercousin-ish, right, who's living.
And so I was like, her theirparents are gone.
And so I was like, oh, and shealso keeps us connected.

(14:50):
Like, she makes sure we go outfor date night and she makes
sure people come to the housefor Thanksgiving or after
Christmas.
And I'm just like, oh, she's tooyoung to be a matriarch, but she
is like fully the right personto be to be in that role.
And so I just before I forgot,because I'm trying to stop when

(15:10):
I think of someone, I just did alittle post for her on Facebook
to say, you know what,sister-in-law, I got memories
everywhere because you make surethat we always capture the
moment and that we have the timetogether.
So kudos to the matriarchs,young and old, who help shepherd
our families to where we need tobe.

SPEAKER_01 (15:34):
Yep, for real.
I'll share.
I saw that.
Um, and yeah, I I I think I'vetaken on the role of family
historian.
I'm the one that, like, beforeeverybody, I said, yo, before
everybody leave, let's get thisplay.
Every Thanksgiving Christmas.
Um, I am I'm always the personwho said we got to get a picture
because of that reason.
Because it's like everybody'slike, oh, another picture.
But I'm like, we take forgranted that everybody in that

(15:54):
picture is gonna be here again.

SPEAKER_00 (15:55):
Yeah.
Interesting, you say that.
My my brother was teasing mebecause I have a screensaver.
I had a screensaver of me as ayoung child because some of the
work I'm doing in therapy, I'mjust trying to get to know
myself again from that age.
And so my new picture is apicture, I'll have to send it to

(16:17):
you, but it's me and my grandma.
Which my father's mother.
And she was my caretaker.
She she was the person I stayedwith.
Um, my mom is um, she's aprofessional, she's a worker.
And so she went back to workwithin like six weeks after I

(16:38):
was born.
And my grandmother was mycaretaker.
But some of the things I've beenworking on in therapy are about
the fact that that's what when Ilearned how to be a caretaker
because my grandmother was adiabetic.
And so she and I are doing alittle work together, my and my
grandma.
So um, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 (16:59):
That's interesting.

SPEAKER_00 (17:00):
It is.
It's a it's a weird time ofyear.
Like I think a lot of missingpeople and wondering and
reflecting, all those things arehappening.

SPEAKER_01 (17:12):
Absolutely.
Um, that lots of reflection.
You know, as well as I'mreflecting for lots of things
because where we arepolitically, uh my new you know,
milestone age, um, you know,where my parent the age ages my
parents are, you know, um,because you know, I'm the eldest

(17:33):
daughter, you know, and so I'myou know, I'm always thinking
about like what is what does allthis mean for everybody else?
Um my where I'm at in my career,where I'm at in my my
relationship.
Um, you know, where I'm at withas like my auntie, like my
nieces and nephews who I watchedbe born.
One of them's about to graduatefrom high school, which is wild.

(17:56):
So yeah, I I I I feel that.
I feel that deeply.
And I feel that for otherpeople, and just it's hard for
me to see other people goingthrough things for many reasons
because I'm a I'm an empath.
But I also recognize that likejust as when good is in good is
in the neighborhood, that meansit's coming your way.
When when not so good's in theneighborhood, it means it's
possible that it's coming yourway too.

SPEAKER_00 (18:18):
Yeah.
It's interesting you say thatbecause um as a recovering
church girl, I have beenlearning about my horoscope,
which, you know, was notsomething that we did when I was
growing up.
Um and to your comment, I wassharing with someone how some of

(18:40):
the hard stuff that washappening in my family this week
made me run to the pattern atbecause I was like, oh,
something is happening in mysign.
And I remembered, because I havemy notes about my sign in my
phone, that I have a grandcross.
And so people with a grand crossin their sign have periods of

(19:02):
really high highs and then likeextreme opposite of really low
lows.
And I was like, oh, that is whatis happening.
It explains this entire year.
It has been rough.
And I was like, oh yeah, thatmakes perfect sense.
But what I love about theknowledge of this of my son is

(19:27):
the high, I know the high iscoming back.
And my highs be dope.
So yeah, I'm going through hellright now, but when it when it
flips, can't tell me nothing.
And I just have to remember tolike preserve a little bit of
that to carry me when it getsbad again.

SPEAKER_01 (19:45):
So yeah.
Yeah, having that knowledge isawesome because I I remember um,
you know, I used to have muchlower lows than I have now.
Um think thank thankfully.
But I remember like um,especially when I would have
deep pain when I was dealingwith fibroids and other stuff, I
would say the mantra, allsuffering is temporary, all

(20:06):
suffering is temporary, allsuffering is temporary, all
suffering.
And so um I I haven't had to usethat as much.
Um I feel like I pain andstruggle, suffering is the way I
navigate it.
It is just different.
But I think that's interesting.
I don't know if I what my signand all that stuff means with

(20:27):
that, but I definitely canrelate to that period of life
where that was the truth for me.
I also can relate to periods oflife when things were going
well, like like peak momentsthat the way hormones.
and adrenaline and all thatstuff worked that like as soon
as I would get to a peak, Iwould naturally get dark.
Even when I was like forinstance, I would have a great

(20:47):
show.
And then on the way home fromthe show I'd be crying and start
going into a depression and Icouldn't tell why.
So that just I don't know whatwhat made me think of that, but
that just made me think of justlike the fragility of our uh of
our psyche and how we have tohave those tools.
We have to have tools and wehave to have remembering of
things like, okay, wait aminute.

(21:08):
I've been here before this ishow I can navigate this.
I got the tools.
And I think in a time like thisand the holidays this is where
we really need all the tools.
Where we need all the tools.

SPEAKER_00 (21:20):
We need all the tools one thing I jokingly said
in my group chat is I told mytherapist how lovely that you
take care of yourself and wantto spend the time with people
you love and that you'll be offfor the next two weeks.
I just want you to know you willlikely come back to some chaos
in my life because my family andthe holidays do not do well
together.

(21:41):
So yeah I'm happy for her.
I hope she gets a lot of restbecause she earned every every
dime when she gets better.

SPEAKER_01 (21:50):
Yeah.
Yeah I'm sure I'll I have onemore session with my um
therapist on Monday and thenknowing her I'll probably won't
talk to her again until afterthe meeting.

SPEAKER_00 (22:02):
It's interesting we're talking about this right
now because I was listening to apodcast episode.
I'm gonna shout shout them outbecause I thought it was a
really great episode this isBlack Girls Hill um and the
episode is you don't have to bethe family savior and I said so

(22:25):
you just gonna you're just gonnado me like that so I've been
getting dragged all week I'vebeen getting dragged all week
about not saving the people fromtheir lives um and as they say
in recovery spaces giving peoplethe dignity of their own
experience.

SPEAKER_01 (22:41):
Yeah that's that's that's real I wanted with one of
my other best friends I won'tcall the one out but there's a
short list so you're gonna knowone of them.
I had that conversation with hertoday because she told me
yesterday that her body isshutting down.
She's tired but then she alsotold me well I have to do this
because I told such and such Iwas gonna wait and then I'm like
you're doing a lot of tellingsuch and such you're gonna and

(23:02):
the reason why I can say this toher is because she does the same
stuff to me and then we'rereflecting.
I'm just I'm like girl you canyou keep carrying too much.
We keep carry too much and andand the as we wind down in this
winter break I need you to takea winter break.

SPEAKER_00 (23:18):
Because we're not going into a new year with all
this 2026 is about to be a doozywe gotta we gotta we gotta
prepare we gotta prepare I'vebeen doing some of my end of
year reflection um and my as Ishared in an earlier episode my
word of the year was fortify andI felt pretty good about how

(23:40):
that showed up in my life butI'm trying to figure out what
what my reflection is telling meabout what my word will be for
next year.

SPEAKER_01 (23:51):
That was a great reminder because I always I
always like doing that you knowmy reflection time and pulling
off that um hold on I'm tryingto find I'm trying to find the
workbook it's the what's thelady that you whose thing you
know the annual clarity retreatwith Dr.
Carrie Rockmore I can put thelink in the chat I have the
workbook somewhere oh I see itthe annual clarity retreat

(24:14):
workbook that that that it isyes so I use that just to kind
of like distill down everythingbut my you you you reminded me
this is my for those who arejust listening I'm pointing
behind me in my office to myvision board which I do every
year I've been doing every yearfor the past probably 10 15

(24:35):
years 15 years.
And my theme for this year wascreativity is my superpower
faith is my foundation and on itI had myself and I never I
didn't even think about thiswhen I was planning my party I
had a thing that says the 50slet's celebrate like a party and

(24:56):
then there's a woman in likesort of a vintagey reddish
dress.
And like the kind of the themeof my party is represented here
but I didn't even refer to thiswhen I was planning the party at
all.
That's how a manifestationworked you know about there's a
there's about me doing musicagain I started to to tweak the
recording and me singing againand I I was gonna sing at my

(25:16):
party which I did not because Ijust felt like I didn't want to
feel pressured.
But the next week that SaturdayI did a holiday show that my uh
friend was producing um and Isang live in front of an
audience in a snowstorm but forthe first time in many years.
So I I was able to I was able tomanifest that so all I'm saying
is that vision boarding is apractice that works and it's

(25:41):
amazing how I'm like oh Ihaven't looked at my vision
board in a while and I look backlike oh snap like but I'm using
this I'm referencing this everyday even if I don't think I so
um so yeah I I I um I'm excitedum for the time I'm gonna spend
during the break working on myreflections and stuff and

(26:02):
thinking about what I want mynew year remember they'd have a
vision board party yeah we canhave it online because I do mine
on Canva now I used to do it youknow with with magazines and it
was I had a hard time likeletting go of it first and then
once I started using Canva Ifell in love with using doing
Canada and I felt like I couldbe more creative.

SPEAKER_00 (26:22):
And as you see well you can just print it out send
it to Kinkos or your your localuh print shop and they can I
just get it shipped in my house.

SPEAKER_01 (26:32):
Awesome.

SPEAKER_00 (26:32):
And I still and I have another you know I have the
other ones I take pictures ofthem every year so I can
reference them but um yeahhaving an online vision board
board party would be we may dothat let us know when you listen
to the episode if we invite youwould you come to a vision board
party yeah that'd be great.
I used to do vision boardparties you know for with a

(26:54):
couple of friends at my house umespecially when I first moved to
Pittsburgh and I first bought myhouse that was one thing I used
to do with Danelle and Tanikaand the kids and Melita you know
um so yeah Melissa I'm so sorrythat I didn't recognize that I
was talking to you at the partyy'all I I knew she looked like
Melita's mom but it just didn'tcross my mind that that's who I

(27:17):
was talking to.
I said her message on LinkedIn Iwas like I'm I'm making up for
not knowing who I was talking toclearly we need to spend a
little more time together.

SPEAKER_01 (27:27):
Speaking of Melita's mom, Miss Josie we celebrated
her 80th this week she turned 80today wait no her birthday's
eighth she turned 80 on the 8thand then we had they had a party
for her this past Sunday withanother snowstorm but people
came out was it Sunday orSunday?
It was Sunday it was Sunday umit was beautiful her Melita and

(27:49):
her brother threw her their mama80th birthday party so we
celebrated another Sag we had agood time the food was bomb
diggy I forgot the name of thecaterer but a black woman
caterer um a time was a time washad um so it's been a very
celebratory time Mr.
Will's birthday shout out to Mr.

SPEAKER_00 (28:05):
Will his birthday was two days after mine on the
6th we got a lot of sagges inthe in in my and what do y'all
act like I think I know but I'mmaking I'm I have Sagges um well
I make a distinction betweenNovember Sagges and December
Sagges.

SPEAKER_01 (28:21):
There's some crossover tanika Tanika is a
November Sag.
There are lots of ways where wedo crossover where we I we are
the most justifying Negroes likewe will justify anything.
Like you're making my whole lifemake sense keep going yeah yeah
yeah yeah like I'm not likeDanelle and Tanika always bring
up the example of like I'll belike yeah just I'm letting y'all

(28:42):
know I'm not shopping no more soif you tell me if I if you see
me trying to buy something likeI'm not supposed to be shopping.
I've I did this to them one timelike eight years ago or whatever
and they never let me move itdown.
And then like maybe 30 dayslater I was like yeah I got to
go get this thing.
Oh wait no you said you wasn'tshopping no more I said I oh
yeah I know that but I have theno you said you wasn't shopping
no more.
Well and then I will justify andstand on business and not even

(29:06):
like feel bad or not nothingbecause I'm like I have found a
justification for my behaviorand there's nothing you're gonna
say to make me feel like Ididn't do what I was supposed to
do.
Ooh you are giving me someinsight today thank you.
So parenting a parenting a Saglike me is difficult and and
sneak so there's lots ofintersections but then I think
me as a December uh woman uh Sagis lots there's lots around big

(29:32):
adventurists and travelers andall that stuff and I have some
of that um some sagges aresupposed to be like super like
sensual and stuff I don't havethat part um you know um very uh
I want very um blunt I guess ortransparent they gonna say that

(29:55):
they're general j Sag isgenerally the ones that'll say
the thing in the room that needsto be said but nobody else wants
to say it.
How about that?
Um but you know we're a firesign and I think I I think I am
very saggy I think I'm kind oftextbook saggy.

SPEAKER_00 (30:13):
Interesting wow yeah I was on a call with a client
who's a Leo and she explainedsomething to me and I said you
just helped me understand mygrandgirl I thank you for the
light that's all I needed so asmuch as church people be feeling

(30:38):
some kind of way about the signsthe people followed the stars
did they not did they notweren't they charting in things
like there there is a biblicalpiece to this it's not just all
man influenced if you will butso it's interesting.

SPEAKER_01 (30:59):
Yeah there's a there's a there's a drop of like
things most things don't justfall out of the thin air there's
a drop of something there whywhich is why people what what
happens is people take it runwith it and make a grift out of
anything.
You know even real things rightso but yeah I just don't like
when people like wholly rejectthings like well that's not a

(31:19):
that's not a thing.
Well it is a thing or like evenlike when racist try to come for
Kwanzaa and say Kwanza is amade-up holiday and Christmas is
not it is such a made-up holidayyeah like we the but no we are
not denying the birth of Christbut what we're not gonna do is
pretend like Christmas wassomething as it as we were
celebrating it's something thatwas written in the text as a a

(31:40):
foregone conclusion.

SPEAKER_00 (31:42):
Oh speaking of so Joanne Reed ended up in a
firestorm because she sharedthat young person's um analysis
historical analysis of jinglebells and then she decided to
take it one step further and Iforget the the name of the

(32:05):
ancient festival that Christmasis rooted off of but uh we'll
put it in the show notes becauseI was like Joy is having way too
much fun at how this uh youngperson has made the church
people lose their ever lovingminds.

SPEAKER_01 (32:20):
Because Jingle Bells is not a song about the reindeer
we every year we find out youknow more and more about how
everything is like literallyeverything is racist say it
again in the in the era in theera of we ain't allowed to say
race or races or black or brownor a woman or independence or

(32:42):
justice or equity or belongingor blah blah blah blah blah blah
blah blah crazy times hey oh ohthis is also the day for those
who listen to this on thehistorical record in the future
today is again December 19 2025and this is the day that after
24 hours after a bogus vote theyrenamed the Kennedy Center the

(33:05):
Donald J.
Trump and the John F.
Kennedy Memorial Center for thefor the arts first of all
there's too many the's that'swhere you already went wrong it
says this literally on the wallit says the Donald J.
Trump and the John F.
Kennedy like what are we doinghere?

(33:25):
What are we doing here?
And then you've seen our ourgood sis from this the great
state of Ohio who is on theboard what's her name oh the
black woman who said they mutedher yeah got muted during the
vote which they claim wasunanimous yeah what a time to be

(33:46):
alive where lies are like knownlies are paraded as the truth
it's one thing for people to notknow and then later find out
it's a lie but you y'all justdon't even know the truth you
you are a liar and the truth isnot in you is basically what I'm

(34:06):
trying to say lies lies usingliars alibi remember that song
about Evo It can happen a timechild I I I I I thank God every
day that I never really didleave the life that I thought I

(34:27):
wanted to live for part of mylife which was to be like a
signed RB phenomenon because itjust feels like back to your
high you know highs are veryhigh and lows very lows I feel
like there's a moment in timewhere there's people who came up
in the lives that we thought wewanted had like what seemed to

(34:49):
be these ultimate highs but thelows be low end yeah the lows be
low end and the stars just befalling yeah it's it's it's very
um did I already talk about thetime when my uncle was trying to
work on getting getting me to beuh in in vogue I do not think no

(35:10):
so at one point some at onepoint what's the man's name
something pain he's RonnieDeVaux's uncle or something but
Ronnie DeVoe's uncle used to manlike used to be like the he used
to like choreograph and stufffor new edition and do all stuff
and at one point I think hestarted working with In Vogue
this is when I I guess when theyhad already started to like

(35:31):
break off and not be the fourwomen anymore.
And it was like two stayed onand two went away and they were
looking for new people and thatis around the time when I was in
the Oprah magazine which waswhich came out September 2001.
September around September 11thyeah um it was just it was just
um I was I was 25 yeah and myuncle showed it to them um and

(35:57):
and they were like oh yeah youknow and she sings it and my
uncle was like talking you knowyou know mention it and I was
like oh yeah I would auditionbut then it just never came
together.

SPEAKER_00 (36:05):
I was like can you imagine if I would have ended up
Invogue my life would becompletely listen and the way
they did that girl my lord um Iknow someone who knows her and
so she was very very distraught.
But yeah you know people justgonna people every time.

SPEAKER_01 (36:24):
Speaking of Invogue in Oakland California have to I
think I mentioned this a fewmonths back um but I have to
really shout out Raphael Sadiqfor his one man show that he did
he just he's been on tour doinga one man show where I thought
it was just gonna be him anacoustic guitar just like being
doing an acoustic show.
No, this man is like listen I'mabout to be 60 I'm in my

(36:45):
introspective bag and he did anactual one man show where he
talked about growing up inOakland he talked about his
family there was so much abouthis life that I I learned that
day I knew that um DwayneWiggins his brother who passed
away was his half brother but Ididn't really know the dynamics
of his family and who who wasraised and who and how he it was

(37:08):
it was incredible and it wasbeautiful it was touching um and
you know just to know that hisbrother passed and we've since
lost you know D'Angelo but alsojust a reminder of like how much
at that moment in time Oaklandwas like an epicenter of so much
you know important music in thattime period.
But shout out to Rafael Sid Imean you know he we knew he was

(37:31):
that that dude and he was agenius but like like legit.

SPEAKER_00 (37:34):
Awesome yeah yeah you mentioned D'Angelo and I
just want to say when peopleinvite you to their funerals for
their loved ones let's stop withthe pictures and the taking the
pictures and the posting thepictures when people ask you to
to not do that.

unknown (37:52):
Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 (37:52):
It's just so disrespectful.

SPEAKER_01 (37:54):
Yeah it's um it's just part and parcel of like
this idea of needing to be asthey say in Hamilton in the room
where it happens.
Even people who are always inthe room where it happens get
gassed sometimes by being in theroom where it happens and you
know I won't pretend like thereare moments in time and there

(38:15):
are still moments in time in mylife where I want to be in the
room where it happens.
But not to that extent wherelike I want to like you know
lessen the sacredness of that.
Like we need to still havespaces of sacredness spaces of
like okay I was there you know II know this seems like a non
sequitur but it just reminds meof when we went to Soaksonic and

(38:36):
we were all like oh man we can'thave our phones but man the
experience we had because wecouldn't have our phones like
you had to be there was the realthing.
Like whoever was there at thatmoment for the show that we went
to which was our first concertpost pandemic we were still
technically in the pandemic butyou know what I mean um like you
know there's a there's there'ssacredness to that and let's
embrace that and I think youknow I want to chastise the

(38:59):
people but I also just thinkthat like we've created a
culture where we where nothingis sacred anymore.
So we need to get back to that.
And we can make it that rightlike we can set we can set a new
a new trend of presence yeahbecause just like scrolling is
an addiction I think alwayshaving to document everything on

(39:19):
your phone is an addictionbecause and I you know I could
be the first to make recentlyI've been doing like like you
know what like I'ma take my I'mgonna do my little 30 seconds
and then I'm gonna put my phonedown.
Yes but that's when I'mrecording and capturing my
scrolling game is still too toointense.
It's way too intense.

(39:39):
Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 (39:40):
Well I'm trying to figure out the balance of being
plugged in and being checked outum because I just have a lot of
work to do and I just want to Iwant to grind for myself next
year.
I have some personal goals thatI'm work you know starting to
write out and really want towork toward um I said next year

(40:01):
is not the year for for me to bemodest.
I need to be talking about thework that I'm doing and so just
trying to figure out what is thethe harmony that I want to
achieve with all of that umbecause I do want to protect my
my wellbeing but I also stillwant to be engaged in community.

SPEAKER_01 (40:19):
So just thinking about that a little bit that's
that's yeah I I um I fully Ifully fully fully support that I
do think you know I I saidsomething to somebody recently
we were talking about my myfavorite film of all time all
about Eve and in in one of thescenes One of the protagonists,

(40:41):
Addison DeWitt, says, um, it'sjust as forced not to toot your
horn as it is to toot it tooloudly.
And these are the things I'vebeen telling specifically women
and the women of all color, notjust black women.
It's like like they like I hadto tell a person who works for
me, they're like, it's okay tolike post about something great

(41:01):
you did on LinkedIn.
Oh, I don't want to be on therebragging.
But you actually did do it.
You're not bragging, like youactually did do the thing.
Um, somebody wanted to likequote them in um in an in a post
about something.
And well, I don't know, shouldmy name be in the quote, it'll

(41:21):
seem like I'm bragging aboutwhat we did.
And I'm like, y'all, it's notbra, it's not bragging to tell
the truth.
And like, and part ofstorytelling is telling our
story too.
Like, we can't tell everybodyelse's story and then leave our
leave ourselves out of theequation because what I want to

(41:41):
happen is somebody say, oh man,how did you do that?
I'm glad you asked.
Yeah, we I'm not with that.
And um, I'm not like now, Idon't, I don't uh, I don't
necessarily speak of my work inwhatever arena as much as other
people would like me to.
But that's one set of people.
There are other people whothink, like, Dad, Kendra, you be

(42:03):
everywhere.
You on LinkedIn, you on this,you on that.
Like, yes, my platform is howI'm able to do the work that I
do.
You know what I mean?
And so I if I if I don't have aplatform, if I don't provide the
information on the platform,whether that be speaking
engagements or posts.
Absolutely.
Um, and as long as your heart ispure and you check your

(42:24):
yourself, but hey, yeah, talkyour your shiz.
Like, mm-mm.
Absolutely.
We don't have to bebraggadocious.
And actually, in fact, I find alot of the people who try to be
a lot of the people I haveworked with over the years, I
have been on earth long enoughto experience people who try to
act, they try to act overlyhumble, but on the low, they're

(42:46):
doing all the conniving thingsto take the credit and to to
take people's positions.
The false modesty.
Yeah.
Yes.
Yeah, you got the credit.

SPEAKER_00 (42:56):
No, that's real.
I mean, I was talking to acolleague, and she's like, I
just want my work to speak foritself.
Your work can't speak, it's nothuman.
Like, yeah, you you have to beable to, and you can tell
stories in a way that upliftsthe work if and up and the
collaboration and all thethings.
But if you created it, it's okayto say, yes, this group that I

(43:19):
created has been doing some dopework, and I'm so proud to be in
community with X, Y, or Z.
There's a way to do it thathonors your values and your and
your positionality, but then youcan't be complaining somebody
else is getting all the shine,and you think they ain't shit.
Like, we have to be able to bepresent in those spaces.

SPEAKER_01 (43:38):
Listen, for 17 years, I tried to let my work
speak for me at anotherorganization.
And it it did not bode well forme.
It didn't, I won't say that.
I had a good career there.
But you know, I was like, oh,I'm, you know, I'm I'm a
hustler, I'm gonna do the work.
And people recognize that, but Iwasn't rewarded for it.
I was just like, okay, yougotta, you get to keep your job.
You're the worker.

(43:59):
Yeah.
Right.
But what I what I find now isI'm in my leadership bag.
Like, I'm in my like, oh man,like actually, my storytelling
is gonna be through the peoplethat I work with.
So, like most recently I postedon LinkedIn, LinkedIn.
So, like, we do a blog postabout the work that we do.
Uh, last year I wrote it.
This year I was like, they werelike, Well, who should author

(44:20):
it?
I'll be like, Well, the personwho helped me write it was our
research assistant.
Can we just make her the author?
Like, it don't have to be me.
Everybody knows I'm the head ofsocial impact.
So, so then I was able to postthis young woman who has been
working with me, who justgraduated from college, authored
it.
Here's my team, my team.
And for me, when my team, and Idon't mean this, I'm not even
trying to be fake modest aboutit.

(44:40):
When my team is is on fire, Ifeel good because I'm like, you
know what I mean?
Like, it's that brings me somuch joy.
And that's when I realized,because when I when I was asked
to do some like interimleadership work at my my
company, I'm like, man, do Iwant to be in the grind of the
day-to-day of doing the IC work,or do I want to be a role
manager and a leader?

(45:01):
I'm like, I'm a good leader.
Yes, you are.
And I can get people to likethink about it.
There's me doing a bunch ofthings and having one impact.
There's me leading 10 people andgetting them to where the point
where they can have impact.
And then it's like, as a team,we're kids.
Yes.
You know what I mean?
I don't need it, ain't about me,but and and it's a win-win

(45:23):
because we all get to shine.

SPEAKER_00 (45:24):
Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 (45:25):
But there's so many people who have not experienced
that.
They have not experiencedleaders who want to see them
shine.
That's true.
Like, and I also am at the pointwhere I'm confident in myself
that like, like, everyone on myteam can do really dope things,
but ain't nobody me.
Not meaning like I'm better thanit's just like I have a unique
positionality, a unique way thatI'm entering into this

(45:47):
situation, and they have theirown unique thing, and their
thing is not my thing, you know.
Yay.
So yeah, I'm I'm all about as asyou develop your theme for 2026,
I'm all about like owning yourpower.
I'm all about like, you know,like like you are you you are
that, you know, like you are whoyou know how they always say
online, like she she is who shethinks she is.

(46:08):
You are, you know, I was like,oh well, you know, I am who God
thinks.
Yes, but you are who you youthink you are too.
So who do you think you are?

SPEAKER_00 (46:16):
And don't be saying bad things about yourself.
I always tell my family, don'ttalk about my husband or my
daughter.
Like, I wouldn't let nobody elsetalk about you, so I'm not gonna
let you talk about yourself.
And we we have to be that forourselves.
Some of the ways that we havelearned to be self-critical when

(46:36):
we feel like we fall short orwe, you know, we we aspire to
something greater and it's justfeeling hard or difficult to get
there.
Mm-mm, baby, you got up thismorning and you put in the time,
we're gonna celebrate becauseit's it's one, sometimes one
inch at a time to move towardsthe things that we say we want.

SPEAKER_01 (46:55):
Amen.
Let me tell you something.
What the first dope thing aboutbeing 50 is that like you can
even have a moment of likeself-critique, but it doesn't
have to be like, it doesn't haveto be drawn out, it doesn't have
to be like a a punching session.
It could just be like, oh girl,what was you thinking there and
move on?
Like, for instance, I look atpictures from the party, I was

(47:17):
like, oh man, my I didn't, youknow, when I started dancing, my
my corset was coming to loose asmy belly was big and my thing
was showing, and I was like, oh,that just meant I was having a
good time.
Let that have been 10 years ago.
I'd have been like, oh my God,this is devastating.
This is showing.
Or like, you know, I wish Iwould have sung.
But then I but then I was like,I know how I get when I don't

(47:38):
perform better and I want tohave a good birthday.
But then on Saturday, Iperformed at the holiday show,
and I felt more liberatedsinging at that show than I had
felt in probably since I was akid, you know?
And like, even though I like Ihad one part I was like, okay, I
messed up on that.
But then I was like, oh, but Irecovered nicely.
You know, like my mentality atthis point of like, of like

(47:59):
things not being perfect or, youknow, um, and being able to be
self-critical in a moreaffirming way, like, oh, you
know, and move on from it.
Oh man, like I think that's thebest part about being 50.
And I remember when I turned 40,people were like, wait till you
turn 50.
It's different.
Uh it's different.
And so like I think that's oneof the things, like, as at this

(48:20):
point, where I already I wasstarting to feel it in my late
40s, but like already feel like,man, like, you know, okay.
Like, for instance, I always sayI want to get this bull toxed.
Maybe I will, maybe I won't.
But if I if I want to, it's myprerogative.
But it's not like, oh, I'm gonnadie.
I'm ugly if I do it.

(48:40):
Let's go together.
Yeah, because this, it justdrives me crazy.
I hate looking at a picture andI see that.
But it doesn't mean I hate it.
I hate myself.

SPEAKER_00 (48:49):
My um, I told you my neighbor one night texted me and
was like, You want to come overfor a Botox party?
I was like, I need a little morenotice.

SPEAKER_01 (49:00):
I can't just That's how you know she lives over the
people with the money because wedon't have a Botox party with
me.

SPEAKER_00 (49:05):
It's a Botox.
I need to think about it.

SPEAKER_01 (49:07):
I live very much in a Tupperware Tupperware
neighborhood.
She lives in a neighborhood tohave Botox party.

SPEAKER_00 (49:11):
I was like, oh my.

SPEAKER_01 (49:13):
But yes.
That's funny.
You should go.
You should you should have goneand just said, you know what?
I would like to just watch andsee how it goes.
And maybe next time I'llparticipate.

SPEAKER_00 (49:22):
No.

SPEAKER_01 (49:24):
Take a bottle of uh wine over, a little chardonnay.
Think about and observe.

SPEAKER_00 (49:30):
Yeah, interesting, interesting.
Um, anything else good in thegroup chat?

SPEAKER_01 (49:38):
It amazingly, we haven't had her heard as much
about Sacred and um we have not.
We have not heard about Sacredrecently.
No, that's not true.
So not in our group chat.
So Danelle, Tanika, and I have afriend, old uh she's our she's
like our big sister sis.
She's in her 60s, artist,creative, and she's retired now.

(50:03):
Um we used to be in a readinggroup with her.
And she watched, she listens tothe podcast, so she's gonna
curse me out when she hearsthis.
But she hates B.
So she can't stand her.
She's like, I don't know.
Why y'all like her?
I can't stand her.
Oh wow.
She's gonna send me and Danellea picture today talking about.
I I wish I would have known thiswas her product before I start

(50:24):
using it, but this is the bestscalp conditioner I've ever had,
and it was some sacred.
I said, you just hating for noreason.
She's like, no, this product isamazing, but like I wish I would
have known it with her, Iwouldn't have bought it.
And missed out on on yourscalp's blessing.
Imagine, imagine.
Hilarious.
Hating a black woman that much,and you a black woman.
She's like, I just don't get it.

(50:45):
I don't, I can't stand it.
She don't like that heroworship.
I was like, that's what it is.
But I'm like, be mad at the hatethe game, not the player.
Right?
But when she when she sent thatsacred picture, I was crying.
I won't lie.
The sacred products are amazing.
Even though I'm still teampattern beauty, but I really do
like the sacred, um, especiallythe um clarifying champion.

(51:06):
But I like that.

SPEAKER_00 (51:07):
I bought a mini set, I'm gonna have to give it a try.
Give it a try.

SPEAKER_01 (51:12):
Um so one thing I want to just talk about is like
things you might want otherpeople to hold you accountable
for.
I know some things we can speakof and some things we cannot.
I was supposed to work on an umacademic article idea that was
that's due December 31st for ajournal coming out in 2027.
Um and Sarah, my dear friend,who was also on my dissertation

(51:34):
committee, gave me someresources to read, and I have
not read any of them.
I think it's December 19th.
I don't know that I will be in aposition to present to um submit
for that journal.
When is it due?
It's due to December 31st, but Ican't remember if it's just an
abstract or for its actualmanuscript.
I have to look.
But um, even if I don't submitfor that, I still need to like

(51:56):
read during this break.
Not I'm not only to write awhole paper, but I need to like
do some of the work towardsthat.
So basically, what I was gonnado is take um some of my
dissertation research and kindof write an article from it, but
from like autoethnographystandpoints since my since I was
like squarely in all the work Iwas doing anyway as a black
feminist researcher.

(52:18):
Um, and so I'd like to revisitthat.

SPEAKER_00 (52:20):
I love it.

SPEAKER_01 (52:22):
Do it.
I'm down to co-work anytime.
Yes, and I'm just saying thatout loud because so Kelly can
hold me accountable, but alsosome random people on the listen
to the pod can send me IG ummessages messages and be like,
hey, whatever happened with thatarticle, you just write it.
Yeah, don't withhold hold yourgifts from the world.
The other thing I'm gonna do isreach back out to my uncle and

(52:44):
say, Hey, I think he may be inCalifornia right now.
I need you to go to the studioand mix those four songs.
I need to put them out.
Awesome.

SPEAKER_00 (52:51):
Yes.
Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 (52:52):
Kendra has some good stuff for us.
I also want to like, I also verymuch so want to get back into
the studio with a band and do ajazz EP.
Yes, holy ghost.
I I have been I've been framingit out and been talking about it
for years, but I was like, letme finish what I have.
But um, yeah, after singing onSaturday, I was like, oh yeah,

(53:13):
no, I need to do this.

SPEAKER_00 (53:14):
Oh, that'd be so beautiful.
Kind of beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 (53:18):
And it don't have to be no long drawn out thing.
It could be four songs.
Okay.
I'm gonna start with that foursong.
EP is long enough for four orfour, four or five the most.

SPEAKER_00 (53:26):
I love it.
I look forward to it.
Are you writing?

SPEAKER_01 (53:31):
Um, I speaking of writing, where's my little auto
go?
Craig bought me one of them autogo things.
What's the auto go?
Auto go is a little box likethis big.
Um, it's basically a recordingstudio.
It's this big and it it syncswith your with your iPhone, but
the quality of the mic is reallygood.

(53:52):
And then in the iPhone, there'san app that comes with it, and
it's like you can do like alittle, I think it's like two or
four track, you know, mix withlike guitar or music, whatever.
So I can record it pretty vocal.
So it's a good thing to use whenyou're writing and stuff.
Nice because you can get itthere.
So he bought it for me lastChristmas, I believe.
And I haven't really I I'vetested it out and I've carry it

(54:13):
with me when I go places, but Ihaven't been using it.
So but I need to find it becauseit's in here.
It must be in my first surface.
Okay.
I don't want to lose that.

SPEAKER_00 (54:21):
Well, stay tuned.
Um, I have some big writinggoals for next year.
So I'm building out a lot ofco-working time and have a
schedule I'm working on for andjust trying to be realistic with
my work schedule, like reallymaximizing Friday, Saturday, and
Sunday to get a lot of it done.

(54:44):
Um, so that's happening.
Um, I really want to amplify mybusiness next year.
Um, so really thinking aboutwhat that looks like.
And I I made a commitment.
I spent a lot of time inbuilding other people's business
business this year, and nextyear I'm not doing that.
I need to amplify this podcast,I need to amplify my work uh uh,

(55:09):
you know, on a whole.
And so that feels reallyimportant.
Um I haven't been walking, andso I'm ready to get back on my
treadmill.

SPEAKER_01 (55:20):
Same as I look at my walking pad right in front of me
that I haven't been on inmonths.

SPEAKER_00 (55:24):
Yeah, so those are like some top ones, but I just
try I'm trying not to make toomany.
Um, I'm gonna stick withtherapy.
As long as she keep me keeptaking my insurance, we're gonna
keep rocking.
Um, so yeah.
I'm looking forward to 2026.
Um obviously, geopolitically,I'm not, but I'm really trying

(55:48):
to put that in its owncompartment and let that be what
it is and let my life be whatit's supposed to be.

SPEAKER_01 (55:58):
Yeah, I I want to stay off of it.
I'm glad all we talked abouttoday was the the the Kennedy
Center debacle because I'm I'mit feels good not to talk about
it.
Um, yeah, I would love to likeyou know, as we wrap up, think
about what it would be like todo an episode that's kind of
like the vision board party.

(56:19):
Like a special vision boardspecial.

SPEAKER_00 (56:21):
I like it.

SPEAKER_01 (56:22):
That'd be cool.

SPEAKER_00 (56:23):
Okay.

SPEAKER_01 (56:26):
Well, I mean, what are the takeaways?
I mean, it's just it's just beena uh a very fluid conversation
per usual.

SPEAKER_00 (56:33):
My takeaway is shine your light.

SPEAKER_01 (56:37):
Oh, that makes reminds me of my party when it's
like shine your light, huh?
Shine your light.
Um uh ow.
Um, yeah, I love that.
Shine your light.
Yep.
Okay, then my takeaway uh is mytakeaway is I guess what I said

(57:00):
earlier is that you are who youthink you are, so who do you
think you are?

SPEAKER_00 (57:08):
Yeah, I love it.
Awesome.
Well, we're nearing the end ofthe season, y'all.
So we will keep you posted onour finale date.

SPEAKER_01 (57:23):
Yes, but I also just want to say shout out to
Independent Podcasts.
This is a self-funded podcastfunded by us, for us, by us,
produced by our dear friend andproducer, Dr.
Leatra Tate, who is also apodcaster and a podcast producer

(57:44):
and a professor and a scholarand all the things.
Um, and although we are gratefulfor um, you know, the crew that
we have, also shout out to Joe,our creative producer who does
our socials and stuff.
But um, you know, it would begreat if you could go on to our

(58:04):
website and consider become abecoming a subscriber and a
member so that we can get someadditional support in doing this
work.
Um, or go to our website and buysome merch because we have some
cool This Woman's Work merch.
So in this season, you know,just asking that if you believe
in the This Woman is workmovement, that you consider

(58:24):
supporting it in whatever wayyou can.
Um, because we would like tocome back again next year and
continue to do this.

SPEAKER_00 (58:30):
But you'll have to have some coin to make that
happen, y'all.

SPEAKER_01 (58:33):
Yeah, yeah, because we we we we we have invested in
ourselves, but now it's time forthe seed that we planted to grow
and and and bear some good juicyfruit.
Yes.
And that's the truth group.
Um, but yeah, we look forward totalking to you again soon.
Until then.
Take care, y'all.