The Celebration

This week’s episode, with special guest Nurjahan Boulden, is so important and powerful. Nurjahan was 21 years old when she was shot with an assault rifle in an attack that killed the man next to her. That one night changed the trajectory of her life. Even as she moved on to become a teacher and mother of three, PTSD and complications from the bullet wound continually threatened her future. 13 years later, she is now recognized as ... Read more

We’re joined today by the talented Ameerah Sanders, who spoke with me about her own struggle with depression, self-acceptance, and her journey to becoming a professional comedian. I appreciate how Ameerah spoke openly and from the heart. While we did share a lot of laughs (especially since Ameerah is a hilarious comedian), we also took the conversation to some very deep and very real places. You’ll appreciate the insights and tru... Read more

What?! It’s my Birthday! Each year, as a way to intentionally reflect, I share a special birthday edition of T.H.E. Celebration. This year has seen so many blessings come my way, and I am so grateful for them. Even those challenging days, when I lay awake at night worrying what my next move should be, brought opportunities for growth. Ultimately, 31 has been a great ride. To jump into a 32nd year that is grounded in gratitude, I’... Read more

This week, my guest is the awesome facilitator Andrea Hodos. In Andrea’s own words, we talk about “Jewish things” – what Judaism means to her and how it came to inform her life. We talked about her specialty, which is creating meaning and building empathy by putting things (and people!) in relation to one another, and also about Passover (specifically, what it means to her and her family)! Andrea Hodos is the director of Moving To... Read more

This week’s episode is a special compilation of poetry from the past Live and Online: Expression Sessions. It brings together the free writes that participants created and shared during our time together. If you are looking for your poetry and spoken word fix, this episode is for you. The Live and Online: Expression Session is a monthly writing workshop that brings together writers, creatives, and poets from around the world. T... Read more

On today’s show, I interview NBC’s talented Nadjah Nicole. We talk about inspiration and purpose (a usually interconnected duo) as well as the practice of staying true to yourself and your community. Nadjah Nicole, a previous contender for NBC’s Emmy Award winning TV show The Voice, is a Delaware native. She was introduced to 10 million viewers during her 10 week run on the show, and is a talented singer and songwriter who has ama... Read more

Today, I talk to educator Amreen Karmali about the power of education and founding The Real Talk Project. Amreen and I mostly discuss gender justice, allyship, intersectionality, and approaching difficulty with creativity and love. We also ponder ideas of shame and guilt and how they play into both approaching patriarchy and patriarchy itself. Amreen Karmali has been an educator and organizer for over 15 years. She spent 10 years ... Read more

Today, my guest is Muslim-American sketch comedian Summer Adhal. Summer is interested in authentic stories and using comedy to relay them. We unpacked a whole load of topics during this episode, including the Muslim-American experience, being a woman on the comedy scene, hijab, and perhaps even Summer’s cat. Since this coming Wednesday, March 27, is Muslim Women’s Day, this is particularly timely episode. Summer is a good friend ... Read more

This week, I’m joined by poet-entrepreneur Lady K. We talk about one of Lady K’s passions, ART, and its ability to act as self-care, activism, and expression. Lady K is a fourth year student at the University of Florida double majoring in African American Studies and Political Science, with a specialized tract in International Relations and a minor in Arabic. Upon graduation, she will attend law school. On campus, she is active wi... Read more

This week’s episode is a live Q&A session from my Inner-Power Group Coaching session. I really believe there is a ton of value in this one, and a lot of questions you may have are likely to be answered. We cover: The best way to start a podcast How to grow your audience as a musician How to create products that sell Efficient ways to create content Ways to connect with new clients If you are passionate about learning how to gr... Read more

My guest this week is double-duty social worker and fitness guru Sumiyah S. Mshaka. Sumiyah and I talk about a bunch of complex social phenomenon including trauma, experiential change, and social work. Sumiyah is a LCSW and group fitness instructor who comes from a family with a legacy of social justice. After graduating from the UCLA MSW program in June 2004, Sumiyah began her extensive career in social justice advocacy, youth de... Read more

On this week’s episode of THE Celebration, I interview Minister Kat the founder of KittyRose Lyfestyle. Minister Kat and I discussed the power of prayer in our day to day activities, its manifestation and how taking a leap of faith can help us break new ground and boundaries. She believes that the practice of self love and trust will ultimately propel us to follow our dreams. She left the corporate world in 2003 and went on to c... Read more

This week, we are joined by Los Angeles community leader Umar A. Hakim. We draw on Umar’s expertise and experience to discuss self-awareness, leadership, and transforming a charitable cause into advocacy and action – especially in non-profit and activist circles. A native of the city of Compton, Umar is the Executive Director of the ILM (Intellect, Love, Mercy) Foundation and holds degrees in both business management and ethical l... Read more

On this week’s episode, I interview spoken word artist Abstract C.I.M. Abstract and I tackle self-love and self-respect as the key to fulfillment and happiness. We also talk about the importance of knowing yourself and being self-reflective, and how Abstract incorporates it into her poetry. Abstract C.I.M is a spoken word artist and speaker. She has won and placed in several poetry slams and competitions across the country, and ... Read more

On this week’s episode I interview activist, facilitator, and my good friend, Lloyd Wilkey. I have had the honour of working with Lloyd over the past 6 years. Lloyd has had a huge influence on the way I view dialogue, facilitation, youth development, and conflict mediation. During our interview, Lloyd shared his experience of being both a Black Lives Matter activist and at the same time training and working with police office... Read more

On this week’s episode, I interview Los Angeles based Arielle Miller Cohen - registered Yoga Teacher, Lifestyle Coach, blogger and writer. Arielle and I talk about the importance of personal accountability, internal motivation, and cultivating a growth mindset. We also discussed how to break free from limiting beliefs and live your truth. As a health and wellness enthusiast, she believes strongly that people’s lives can be chang... Read more

Tira Yasmine is a poet, author, life coach, jewelry designer and entrepreneur. In this week’s interview she shares how her grateful attitude has helped create what she calls her “recipe for magic”. Part of Tira’s magic recipe is being a firm believer in God, which has resulted in inner power and peace. This power and peace has propelled her into being an ardent change agent. She uses her art and writing to create holistic chan... Read more

On this week’s episode I interview author, poet and activist Shelby Birch from her Peace Corp assignment in South Africa. Shelby shares some of the highlights and surprises of her service. She also reflects on her activism, and how overcoming challenges, has helped shape her worldview and aided her in becoming her best self. Shelby brazenly tells her story through her writing, and her strong belief in wisdom, artistic freedom... Read more

I wanted to start 2019 with a unique episode, and that’s exactly what we’ve got for you here. You were all given a chance to submit questions at the end of 2018. I didn’t get a chance to read these questions before Adaora Nwandu posed them to me in our interview. We had a great time doing this episode, as no one holds me more accountable than Adaora, and she’s hilarious as she does it. You get to hear about our own plans for the f... Read more