Let's Talk: Passion & Purpose with Nicole Thomas

In this episode Nicole Thomas welcomes award-winning Nigerian-born expressionist painter Doba Afolabi , whose vibrant work celebrates Yoruba culture, movement, and storytelling. From drawing with charcoal in his mother's kitchen in southwest Nigeria to exhibiting his work in galleries, art fairs, and private collections around the world, Doba shares an inspiring journey of resilience, faith, and a...

What does it mean to truly feel at home in yourself? In this episode host Nicole Thomas sits down with Dominican writer and educator Nicole Jorge for a heartfelt conversation about identity, creativity, and finding the courage to embrace your calling. Nicole shares her journey from simply loving to write to confidently calling herself a writer. Together, they discuss writing between cultures and l...

In this episode of Let's Talk: Passion & Purpose with Nicole Thomas, Nicole sits down with award-winning, Guyanese-born, Bajan-heritage award-winning author and columnist Yolanda T. Marshall to explore the power of storytelling, the importance of representation in children's literature, and preserving Caribbean culture through books. Yolanda shares how writing poetry at just eight years old ev...

In this episode, Nicole Thomas sits down with independent filmmaker Jason Hayes, also known as Jay D. Hayes, for a powerful conversation about creativity, purpose, resilience, and protecting your dream. Jason shares his journey from a quiet child growing up in Mississippi to becoming a filmmaker whose work has been featured on HBO, PBS, BET, and film festivals around the world. He opens up about o...

Guest: Ashley Cowger is an award-winning author whose short story collections include On the Plus Side (Galileo Press) and Peter Never Came , winner of the Autumn House Press Fiction Prize. What makes someone a writer? In this episode, Nicole Thomas sits down with Ashley Cowger to discuss writer identity, creativity, rejection, revision, and the habits that help writers stay connected to their cra...

Guest: Emmanuel Senaya Fianu, Ghanaian Craftsman Host:  Nicole Thomas  Emmanuel Senaya Fianu’s journey from carving scrap wood as a young boy in Ghana to exhibiting his work on international platforms is a powerful story of perseverance, purpose, and dedication. In this conversation, he shares how he discovered his passion for carving, the challenges he faced from family and friends who questioned...

What does it take to cross the bridge from storyteller to finally calling yourself a writer? In this episode, Nicole sits down with award-winning author Annell López to discuss her debut short story collection, I’ll Give You a Reason. Together, they explore identity, immigration, imposter syndrome, rejection, and the creative courage it takes to fully commit to your voice. Annell shares her journe...

In Episode 51 of Let’s Talk: Passion & Purpose with Nicole Thomas, host Nicole Thomas sits down with Bronx-born abstract artist and visual storyteller Bleu Pablo (Elijah Wrighton) for a powerful conversation about creativity, resilience, and building legacy through art. Bleu opens up about the mental and emotional realities of the creative journey—from battling imposter syndrome and self-doubt...

In this episode of Let’s Talk: Passion & Purpose with Nicole Thomas, host Nicole Thomas sits down with abstract artist Damon Mescudi to explore how art becomes a mirror, a coping mechanism, and a form of service. Damon shares how he moved from corporate graphic design to a purpose-led art practice, why he believes “your art exposes you,” and how community, not celebrity, drives his work. If yo...

In this episode, Leslie Short – Author, Founder of The Cavu Group, and Culture & Brand Strategist – sits down with host Nicole Thomas to explore what it really means to lead with courage, culture, and purpose. They discuss her journey from ballet to global business, being “the first” in rooms not built for her, and the movement behind her memoir Someone Has to Be the First—a call to stop waiti...

In this episode, Nicole Thomas sits down with Keisha-Gaye Anderson — award-winning poet, author, visual artist, and educator — for a grounding conversation on creativity, purpose, and authenticity. Keisha shares how she moves through different “seasons” of creativity, from poetry to visual art, while balancing work, grad school, motherhood, and everyday life. Together, they explore a more holistic...

In this episode, Bakare Mubarak, Founder and Creative Director of BILARTERAL, Global Culture and Youth Ambassador, and Co-founder of Expedition 54 Ltd, joins Nicole Thomas to explore how art functions as soft power and a universal language. He shares how African art, culture, and the creative economy can shift the global lens on Africa, unite the continent and its diaspora, and inspire a new globa...

In this episode, Nicole Thomas sits down with Temika Walker, founder of BlacBeutyNo9, LLC and creator of B4 UR SKN®, a Brooklyn-based Black-owned, plant-based skincare brand. Temika shares how her Guyanese roots, lifelong battle with acne and dry skin, and career in fashion and the cosmetics industry inspired her to create a clean beauty line that blends natural ingredients, cultural storytelling,...

In this episode of Let’s Talk: Passion & Purpose with Nicole Thomas, Nicole sits down with painter Sangho Han to talk about the realities of being an artist. From early beginnings to developing a personal voice, Sangho shares how doubt, isolation, and intensity shape both his work and creative process. They discuss the pressure of becoming an artist, working intuitively across materials, and t...

How do you build a sustainable life as an artist—and keep creating over years, not just moments? In this episode of Let’s Talk: Passion & Purpose with Nicole Thomas, Nicole sits down with visual artist and educator Patrick Schmidt to explore what it really takes to build a creative career. From an unexpected start in a college drawing class to developing a distinctive visual language rooted in...

In this episode of Let’s Talk Passion and Purpose, Nicole Thomas sits down with Stacia Morris—2025 Women Innovator honoree, author, educator, and executive leadership coach. From a small island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to corporate leadership at IBM and global financial literacy work, Stacia shares how she turned setbacks into a life of service, mentoring, and money confidence. You’ll hea...

In this episode of Let’s Talk: Passion & Purpose with Nicole Thomas, Nicole sits down with Krystal Glenn (SmartVideo Girl)—media producer, storyteller, and author—to explore how to rewrite your story, release limiting beliefs, and step into authentic self-love. Krystal shares her journey from studying accounting to stepping into media and storytelling, and how she moved from telling other peop...

In this episode of the podcast, host  Nicole Thomas sits down with Sylvia Barchue, an author, healthcare leader, and innovator with more than 35 years of experience in critical care and healthcare leadership. Sylvia shares her journey from training as a nurse in London to becoming a senior leader at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center in the Bronx , where she helped design intensive care units,...

In this episode, guest Antoy Grant, an ICF-credentialed coach, execution strategist, and former president of the ICF NYC chapter, shares how creativity becomes powerful when vision turns into action. Antoy shares her journey from growing up in Jamaica writing poetry under an apple tree to building a career in acting, producing, and coaching. She discusses creativity as more than having ideas—it’s...

Poet and teaching artist Sarah Alayne Martin joins the podcast to explore creativity as a tool for identity, healing, and community transformation. As executive creative director of Talk to Me Nation, she designs trauma-informed arts and wellness programs for families impacted by incarceration and violence, integrating poetry, storytelling, and somatic practices into community healing spaces natio...

In this episode, multidisciplinary artist Canessa Thomas shares how a life-altering chronic illness led her from writing to faith-led abstract art—and how creativity became a pathway to healing, purpose, and resilience. She opens up about creating through limitation, trusting intuition, and “doing it scared” despite fear and imposter syndrome. What you’ll gain from this episode:  ·  How to keep cr...

In this episode, Nicole Thomas sits down with Dorinda Walker—equity architect, inclusivity innovator, President of Expectant Media, and author of Protected by Purpose —to explore how faith, legacy, and purpose can transform even the most difficult beginnings. Dorinda shares how discovering her great-grandfather’s journey from young immigrant to millionaire in 1920s Newark reshaped her vision for g...

Alexander Boyce is an artist and creative visionary who transforms challenges into opportunities, using his multidisciplinary talents to challenge stereotypes and celebrate black culture. Through music, visual art, and fashion, he demonstrates the power of resilience, passion, and purpose. His journey reveals how creativity can emerge from necessity and how believing in oneself can overcome societ...

In this intimate and inspiring conversation, artist Gabriela Domville takes us on a profound journey through her creative life, revealing how art has been a powerful tool for healing, self-discovery, and social consciousness. From her early experiences of creativity to navigating personal challenges, Gabriela shares how her artistic practice has evolved, blending multiple mediums and symbolic stor...

Andrew Wong  is a New Jersey-based paper artist originally from Hong Kong. Trained in fashion design at Parsons School of Design in New York and Paris, his creative path took a turn during the pandemic when he returned to art after years away. What began as handmade paper creations for his children evolved into  10past9 , a practice rooted in quiet, late-night creativity. To learn more about Andre...