Generation Motivation: The Podcast

With high profile appearances on NBC's The Voice, The Jennifer Hudson Show, and singing the National Anthem at the WNBA's Atlanta Dream game before she even graduated from high school, singer Mikaela Ayira's trajectory is skies the limit. We got to sit down with the talented artist as she talks about her aspirations, faith, and giving back to the community through her organization &quo...

In the Season 7 opening episode for the podcast, I sit down with Marvin Hagler Jr., son of legendary boxer Marvelous Marvin Hagler. We both talk about the grief of losing of fathers, how we cope, lasting legacies, and advice for those fighting to overcome the loss of a loved one. Follow us on IG: @nicewiththatpen @champhagler Follow me on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podcasterofthepeople/feat...

I had the opportunity to interview the dynamic duo of Tanya Harris and Jerome Fleming of the "My Forking Life" viral cooking show. With Tanya's on-screen personality and delicious recipes coupled with Jerome's creative spirit behind the scenes, this power couple was able to turn their passion into success and bring a fresh, new perspective into the cooking space. What's more fulfilling than being...

I had the opportunity to interview Lieutenant Commander Gideon Esuzor, who is a member of the US Public Health Services. Two years ago, Gideon and I conducted an interview for the podcast during the height of COVID. He's back to give insight on this side of the COVID epidemic and his thoughts on how we should proceed in the future using his Triple R approach (Remember, Respect, and Retain). He...

(S6: Ep 4) - When faith drives you , give God the wheel. Little did I know that when I was taking my son to meet his new driving instructor, not only was he going to get tips on learning to drive, but also tips on learning to navigate through life with confidence and excellence. My guest, Alonzo Thornton, is not only a driving instructor, but he's also a biblical educator, artist, blogger, and so...

(S6 : Ep 3). I had the opportunity to sit down with talented singer and songwriter Aryee' The Gem. The Saint & Citizen Music Group signee just released her latest single and new video for "To It," which is on track to be a summer anthem. Not only does her passion for her craft shine through in her upcoming EP, but so does her commitment to being a positive force in her community....

(S6: EP 2) - I had the opportunity to have a sit down with Candace Haynes. Not only is she a choreographer, creative director, dancer, singer and actress, but she's also a boss! She's the CEO of Consulting For Creatives, an entertainment consulting agency. Although her portfolio ranges from working with the likes of TLC, Keith Sweat, Teyana Taylor, Gabrielle Union and appearing on / choreographing...

To kick off Season 6, I had the pleasure of interviewing fellow NCA&T alumnus, Felicia Bittle. She is the owner of FABstyles, LLC, an image and style consultation business based out of Charlotte, NC. Felicia talks about how following her passion caused her to step away from a lucrative career in accounting. She also touches on the endowment she established in honor of her grandmother, giving b...

(Part II)  Having been featured in the NY Times, ABC 7, on CNN and various media outlets, my next guest is one of the most inspirational individuals I've ever come in contact with. Shot at the age of 13 yrs old and paralyzed from the waist down, Jeff Williams has relied upon the use of a wheelchair for the past 41 years.  While he may be confined to the chair physically, he's the polar o...

(Part 1)  Having been featured in the NY Times, ABC 7, on CNN and various media outlets, my next guest is one of the most inspirational individuals I've ever come in contact with. Shot at the age of 13 yrs old and paralyzed from the waist down, Jeff Williams has relied upon the use of a wheelchair for the past 41 years.  While he may be confined to the chair physically, he's the polar op...

I had the opportunity to sit down with Derek St. Hilaire of the G League's South Bay Lakers. He talks about his passion for basketball and the training he puts in daily, making the leap from the NCAA to the G League, aspirations of making it to the NBA, and advice for young ballers looking to take their game to the next level.     #generationmotivation #podcasterofthepeople #derekst...

I sat down with award winning author Lana Reid as we analyzed her insightfully triumphant book "Basements and Blossoms: A Few Recollections of the Ugliness That Made My Life Beautiful." In the book, she discusses the healing process she went through as she suffered the traumatic loss of her husband to senseless gun violence, along with other life lessons she learned along the way. She is also the...

I had the opportunity to sit down with Emile from Emile's Creations. He's a dope hip hop photographer/creative out of NY.  Not only has he been able to capture hip hop heavyweights such as Rah Digga, Cormega, Jim Jones, Dave East, Juelz Santana and more through the lens, but he's also creating his own narrative through his faith-based clothing line. He talks about how his faith has helped to...

In this episode, I sat down with fellow NCA&T alumnus Jerome Fletcher as he reflects on his first year as City Manager of North Port, FL. He talks about his goals for helping the city rebuild and heal as they suffered through the devastation of Hurricane Ian, the high profile murder-suicide of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie (who lived in North Port), and other major occurrences during his brief t...

(S5: Ep 9)   On this special Christmas Eve edition of the podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing teen actress Avery Jordan.  Avery talks about her acting/musical experiences from currently being the face of Macy's Santaland website as Eve the Elf to her time performing with the popular kids franchise "Kidz Bop".  She also shares advice for those looking to get into the entertainment industry,...

(S5: Ep 7) I had the opportunity to sit down with Eboni Haynes, PHD, MBA in the midst of a Community Health & Wellness Forum that she organized at St. James UMC . In addition to being the church's Health & Wellness Ministry Chair, she is also CEO of The Mahogany Group, an Assistant Professor at Virginia Union University and an Adjunct Professor at the University of South Carolina. She is on a miss...

(S5: EP 6) I had the opportunity to interview elite basketball trainer S.R. at the Tony Delk Basketball Academy. He talks about how God and basketball helped anchor him when he lost his parents at a young age. His goal is to not only train the youth physically with basketball techniques and tips, but also mentally with words of wisdom. The talk that he gave my son after their training session was...

(S5: Ep 5) I had the opportunity to chat with Youth Minister Zoe McDowell from Bethel World Outreach Church in Brentwood, TN. Her passion for leading the youth has come back full circle. She spoke about growing up in the ministry with both of her parents being pastors, overcoming her fears by walking in faith and what advice she would give to the youth that are feeling lost in the shuffle.  (Subsc...

(S5: Ep 4)  In this episode, I volunteered and participated in a 3K Community Cancer Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It was organized by St. James UMC and had a great turn out. I interviewed Rev. Karen Webster-Parks and got insight on her commitment to helping to raise awareness in an effort to finding a cure. It was beautiful to see the bond and fellowship that was on display during the e...

(S5: Ep 3)  My latest guest, musician / guitarist Ross May, uses his extraordinary gift of music to inspire his community to use their voices. He's performed acoustic renditions of classics with elite hip hop talent that includes the likes of Erick Sermon, Can-I-Bus, Layzie Bone and more and it's all chronicled on his YouTube platform "Bars And Guitars".  Ross talks about how he got his start in m...

(S5: Ep 2) This is Part II of my interview with Cormega. He delves more into the making of The Realness II, reconnecting with Nas for the song "Glorious", making sure to give back to the community and what he wants his legacy to be. The Realness II  is now available on all platforms. Go support ... www. GenerationMotivation.com #cormega #generationmotivation #podcasterofthepeople #podcast

(S5 : Ep 1) I had the opportunity to sit down with hip hop legend Cormega, as we came back full circle from our initial meeting and interview 20 years ago. Mega just recently dropped his critically-acclaimed album "The Realness II," which is a follow-up to his classic "The Realness" that dropped two decades ago. In Part 1 of our 2 part interview, Cormega touches on his hop influences, preserving t...

For the Season 4 finale, I wanted to do something a little different. I interviewed my kids, not only highlighting some of their accomplishments, but also to get their youthful perspective on issues plaguing society. They speak on building self-esteem and confidence, believing in yourself, goal setting, forming good study habits and walking in faith. Saniyah ends our episode and season with a spec...

(S4: Ep 14) The field of education is one I hold with the utmost regard. My parents were both teachers for 30+ years. With that being said, I had the opportunity to chat with David Rogers Jr., who is currently in his 24th year as a high school teacher. With him teaching senior students especially, Dave talks about the weight of making sure they are prepared for the real world upon graduation. He s...

(S4: Ep 13) I had the opportunity to chat with Millicent Ryan of Keller Williams Realty. She spoke about her passion for not only helping people find their dream homes, but also educating them on the benefits of obtaining financial freedom and building generational wealth through property ownership.