Conversations from the Diaspora

In this episode, I'm joined by New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller, Uwem Akpan, as we discuss his book, New York: My Village. We discussed a number of topics, including:  how to sustain your own culture in new cultural environments;  the role of media in influencing and perpetuating hate and misunderstanding;  ways that we can fill the gaps to building bridges of understanding in the...

To close out Black History Month, we hosted a live panel discussion with the Afrimerican Academy High School youth where they discussed their experiences as black students in predominantly white institutions in the Greater Boston area. This restorative conversation was on the plight of today's black students that carry on the legacy of Ruby Bridges. How far have we really come since November 14th,...

To close out Black History Month, we hosted a live panel discussion with the Afrimerican Academy High School youth where they discussed their experiences as black students in predominantly white institutions in the Greater Boston area. This restorative conversation was on the plight of today's black students that carry on the legacy of Ruby Bridges. How far have we really come since November 14th,...

In this episode, I'm joined by Marlon Solomon, founder and president of the Afrimerican Cultural Initiative . He shares how his Nigerian and African-American upbringing led him to create an organization focused on building bridges of cultural understanding in the African diaspora through education, technology, and travel. He speaks on some of the challenges facing communities of color in the Bosto...

In this panel discussion to kick off Kwanzaa, we aimed to address some of the deep rooted issues within the Black American and continental African communities and tried to find ways forward. We opened up with who lives in us, before going into past hurts and misperceptions, discovered similarities between both groups, and shared our admirations of each other. Could this be the great reconciliation...

In this episode, I’m joined by a special guest (who has decided to stay anonymous) as she shares her journey of trying to connect with her biological father’s side of the family. Through tears and laughter, she shares how her father’s absence affected her relationship with men, how therapy has helped her process her feelings about her dad, and the advice she has for others who are in a similar sit...

In this episode, Chinwe Ononuju and I discuss what and who are some of the drivers of cultural revitalization among African immigrant children, particularly of the millennial generation. We also considered who is responsible for maintaining culture (past and present) and some ways that our generation can do a better job in being intentional about passing on our cultural heritage to the next genera...

In part 1 of this video, I'm joined by Leeda Nwafor to discuss why he felt it was important to go back to his home country of Nigeria and serve in the National Youth Service. Throughout the course of the video, we also discuss the challenges he faced navigating the Nigerian sociopolitical system, whether or not he would recommend a year of service for those in the diaspora, and what he learned abo...

In part 2 of this video, Leeda discusses how social justice movements in the diaspora influence movements in our home countries, the ways that the Nigerian national youth service can be improved, and how he hopes that the diaspora can help drive positive change back on the Continent.    Visit our website: https://buildingafricasfuture.today/ Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/buildingaf...

What’s love got to do with it? Join us as our panelists take a comparative look at relationships in the African diaspora. Full livestream here: https://youtu.be/lvAfoaarB60 Become a panelist and let your voice be heard! If you are interested, please fill out the Circle Series Panelist application form. If selected, we will reach out and let you know the next steps. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/J...

What’s love got to do with it? Join us as our panelists take a comparative look at relationships in the African diaspora. Full livestream here: https://youtu.be/lvAfoaarB60 Become a panelist and let your voice be heard! If you are interested, please fill out the Circle Series Panelist application form. If selected, we will reach out and let you know the next steps. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/J...

In this episode, I’m joined by Bayo Adegbembo of Genii Games and we discuss the importance of African language study and cultural preservation, particularly for those of us living in the diaspora. Bayo also shares with listeners how to make meaningful cultural connections that will help you on your journey to learning more about your heritage.   —  To get in contact with Bayo, you may reach him at...

In Part 1 of the Motherland Series , I'm joined by Kea Simmons, U.S. military veteran and co-founder of World Views Travel Group. She shares her love for purposeful traveling and investing in the African Continent through her organization, as well as the different ways in which she is able to give back to the communities and supports the local businesses in the various countries she travels to. Ke...

In this episode, I'm joined by Rukia K., author of Latina Looks Like Me/ Latina Como Yo. She discusses why she dedicated her book to her inner child, what life was like growing up in Michigan in a Tanzanian-Panamanian home, the constant need to explain her Afro-Latino heritage, and how she shares her multicultural heritage with her son.  Rukia K. is the author and founder of Latina Looks Like...

(Part 2): In honor of 2021’s Black History Month theme on representation, identity, and diversity in the black community and family, I partnered with the Afrimerican Cultural Initiative along with my panelists to moderate this event to discuss the role of the extended family and fictive kinships, whether it still takes a village to raise one another, and the changing roles of women in our world to...

(Part 1): In honor of 2021’s Black History Month theme on representation, identity, and diversity in the black community and family, I partnered with the Afrimerican Cultural Initiative along with my panelists to moderate this event to discuss the role of the extended family and fictive kinships, whether it still takes a village to raise one another, and the changing roles of women in our world to...

Hi BAF Family! Happy new year to you all once again, and welcome to SEASON 2 of Conversations from the Diaspora, a Building Africa's Future podcast!  In this episode, I reflect on the 20 things that I learned in 2020. What are some things that you learned in the past year? Do you resonate with any that I included in this list? Check out the video of this episode on YouTube: BAF - Convers...

In this episode, I'm joined by Mr. Curtis Raynold, a retired Secretary of the UN Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters with over 30 years of experience at the United Nations. We discussed diversity and inclusion at the UN and other global organizations/spaces, how the UN has changed in the past 75 years, and whether we still need the UN in today’s world. He shares his experienc...

In this episode, I’m joined by Anne Alobwede, author of Scars to Stars: A Memoir. She shares her story of coming to the U.S. as an international student, going to nursing school, becoming a registered nurse, and getting involved in a toxic relationship that ultimately led to her imprisonment. She emphasizes the importance of asking for help from loved ones, finding therapy through writing and shar...

In this episode, I’m joined by Anne Alobwede, author of Scars to Stars: A Memoir. She shares her story of coming to the U.S. as an international student, going to nursing school, becoming a registered nurse, and getting involved in a toxic relationship that ultimately led to her imprisonment. She emphasizes the importance of asking for help from loved ones, finding therapy through writing and shar...

In this bonus episode, I was interviewed by Chinwe of Aunty Chi's Igbo Class ( @igboclassauntychi ). We shared a light discussion about my experiences being raised with African, specifically Nigerian, upbringing in the United States, and how I feel that growing up with these multiple cultural identities have shaped my worldview today. I highlighted the importance of young people being intentional...

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Temi Aregbesola-Okere. Her passion for women’s empowerment, public health education and promotion, particularly as it relates to healthcare disparities in our communities led to her creating the Omugwo Box, establishing the Ireti Foundation, and the 'Live Your Best Life Momma' online course. In Part 1 of this episode, we discuss why our voices and concerns aren’t...

In this (relatively short) episode, I highlight some of the things I am excited about at the moment, such as finishing grad school and the audiobook narration I'm currently working on titled A Mother's Promise: A Civil War Survivor and Her Pursuit of the American Dream . I also discuss the importance of names as it relates to our cultural heritage, reflect on the 11 years since my dad's passing an...

In this episode, I'm joined by my good friend and brother, Rev. Stefan Weathers Sr., to discuss his experiences living as a black man in America from his first police encounter as a teenager coming home from school, to the legacy of policing and slavery, the need for reallocating police funds, the importance of having representation in the classroom, in positions of leadership, and elsewhere, and...

In this panel discussion, I'm joined by 4 lovely women from different parts of the African continent and we discuss our experiences as African women as it relates to our cultural identity, how we see ourselves as Black African women within the conversations surrounding black lives matter, what it would take to have a truly unified Africa, things we saw our mothers doing growing up that we wou...