Brown, Brainy & Beautiful

This episode is about how art can be used as a platform to address critical topics. In this particular case, with an ongoing, and by experts confirmed, genocide of the Palestianian people, I spoke with a London based American artist who continuously speaks out on the matter.  Not too long ago I bumped into content he made, where he does a typical Get Ready With Me tutorial video. And each step of...

Following up on a Watermelon Liberation episode where the focus was on how important educating oneself is on Palestine and the power boycot, this episode sheds light on an example of resilience and community building.  A special place in central London, in the middle of Holborn, will transcend all your senses to the middle east. I would cycle past it on my way home from work time and time again. A...

In this episode we will be talking about culturally competent care, because with generational shifts and increases in mental health demand across the board, it is an uncomfortable and exhausting thing to have to explain your values, culture, religion, or any other trait that you identify with, to your therapist. I have experienced it myself more than a decade ago, where I felt there was an unneces...

In this episode we will be talking about liberation, specifically Palestine. The horrors  we have been and unfortunately still are witnessing on our screens leave many of us heartbroken, furious and uncomfortable. The topic of the occupation of Palestine and its struggle for liberation has been an ongoing one for many decades. There are many opinions fuelled by underlying assumptions and misinform...

Have you ever sensed something when you engage with another individual and you can’t really pinpoint what it exactly is? This could be in the relationships you have in your life, communities you engage with or at work. When you have two people in the mix interacting with each other, dynamics occur - which basically is a pattern of behaviour between two people that impact the way they interact and...

There is a lot said about gender in its broadest sense in society. Specifically here, the focus is on what it takes to be a woman in this world in the first place? When do you know whether it is your intuition guiding you or a voice in your head being comfortable with what is familiar to your nervous system? A lot to cover, so tune into this conversation where holistic coach Valentina and myself u...

This episode is part of a 3-episode special, dedicated to a sex education topic that has been and remains a taboo or even unknown amongst many people: the topic of vaginismus. In this short series of three episodes, you will learn about this psychological condition which contracts pelvic floor muscles in the vagina so that absolutely nothing can enter the vagina - or it can in a very painful way....

This episode is part of a 3-episode special, dedicated to a sex education topic that has been and remains a taboo or even unknown amongst many people: the topic of vaginismus. In this short series of three episodes, you will learn about this psychological condition which contracts pelvic floor muscles in the vagina so that absolutely nothing can enter the vagina - or it can in a very painful way....

This episode is part of a 3-episode special, dedicated to a sex education topic that has been and remains a taboo or even unknown amongst many people: the topic of vaginismus. In this short series of three episodes, you will learn about this psychological condition which contracts pelvic floor muscles in the vagina so that absolutely nothing can enter the vagina - or it can in a very painful way....

Normaal gesproken wordt deze podcast in het Engels gemaakt. Dit keer een uitzondering, omdat het een authentiek gesprek is tussen 3 bekenden, die al jaren zich hard maken voor een eerlijke transitie om klimaatverandering tegen te gaan. De aanleiding voor dit gesprek is dat één van de drie (Ralien), recentelijk een boek heeft geschreven over het thema en wat er nodig is voor échte verandering richt...

In this episode we will be talking about everything hormones focused on female physiology. I’m joined by Holly Dunn ( hollydunn.co.uk ), who is a clinical nutritionist and specialist in amenorrhea (a term for missing periods), hormones and mental health. Over the years I’ve come to year more and more about my hormones and the female physiology in general, and yet feel like there is SO much to educ...

In this episode we will be talking about tea. Not just any type of tea, but specifically the story of the blush Pink-coloured Kashmiri Chai. Joined by London-based Pink Tea Cafe founder and owner Tabassum, we dig into the different layers and depth of Chai. She covers so many aspects of its rich history and legacy, in the midst of the, in the West, normalised Chai Latte beverages you are probably...

In this episode we will be talking about Black hair. With loads of insightful events that have been organised during Black History Month, I ended up at a presentation and Q&A on the book Hairvolution , specifically about black hair. The authors Saskia Calliste and Zainab Raghdo were keen to join me in this conversation to share their own stories as well as the common thread from all the black...

In this episode we will be talking about food. But not any random type of food. We will dig into African food and how a Londoner took the initiative to roll up her sleeves, educate herself as well as others to bring this food and its well deserved appreciation to the masses. And with masses I’m talking: supper clubs, kitchen residencies, a restaurant, a successful cookbook, podcast.  I want t...

In this episode we will be talking about the effects of COVID-19 on mental health. We’re now in the phase in which many people across the globe have been vaccinated and slowly but surely restrictions are eased across countries. But looking back, what impact did the pandemic have on mental health? And what can we do to recover whilst transitioning to a new normal? So, as I'm recording this I am lit...

In this episode we will be talking about the concept of vulnerability. A couple of years ago research professor Brené Brown went viral with her TEDtalk on this topic. As a researcher she defines the concept of vulnerability by uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure. Having collected 13.000 pieces of data over a period of 12 years, she ultimately concluded that vulnerability is about taking coura...

In this episode we will be talking about diversity and inclusion in the workforce. A topic that increasingly has been advocated by organisations - by means of really caring or fear of missing out and losing organisational legitimacy.  You can easily get into a rabbit whole when you ask the question: HOW to attain such an inclusive workforce? And how to avoid it becoming an act of window dress...

In this episode we will be talking about curls and its identity dynamic, as I'm joined by fellow curly, Dutch-Moroccan women: Ikram and Ilham. What made us embrace our curls? And how does this tie into the bigger scheme of self-acceptance? Tune in to hear what we found out beneath our popping curls.

Keepin' it real with inspirational conversations.