The Back to Me Podcast

Congratulations, Graduates! As we close out Mental Health Awareness Month, our host and founder, Yoli Tamu invites you to pause and reflect on the difference between performing for approval and living with purpose. Using her personal freshman-year story as the backdrop, she explores how boredom, peer pressure, and the desire to fit in can quietly shape our choices if we’re not paying attention. If...

Our ‘Campus Care Collective’ series for Mental Health Awareness Month continues with Elise Sturdivant, Vice President of Student Affairs at Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Moorhead. Mrs. Sturdivant shares how higher ed chose her after growing up surrounded by educators, advocates, admissions recruiters, and financial aid support that helped her feel she belonged, even as a young...

For Mental Health Awareness Month, we continue our ‘Campus Care Collective’ series with Dr. Jerell Hill, Dean of Counseling and Guided Pathways at Los Angeles City College. This Education Leader, author, and international speaker feels privileged to transform student struggles into strength. From full academic scholarship recipient to administrative healer, Dr. Hill shares lived wisdom from his ne...

It's Mental Health Awareness Month, and we're launching our “Campus Care Collective” series with William Middlebrooks, Deputy Athletic Director, Leadership Strategist, and Basketball Program Director at Lincoln University in Oakland, California. From college basketball player to high school coach at age 18, Coach Middlebrooks shares how mental health fuels athletic success and lifelong prosperity....

This Financial Literacy month has truly been inspiring our students to take their financial futures to the next level! Our ‘Money Masterclass’ series continues with Eric Clay, Financial Wellbeing Coach at Operation HOPE, who turned his own student credit struggles into a mission teaching families how to build credit health that lasts. Mr. Clay reveals how credit tells your life story and breaks do...

Our ‘Money Masterclass’ series for Financial Literacy Month continues with Anika Jackson, USC Annenberg Professor of Digital Media Management, founder of Your Brand Amplified, and co-host of Mediascape and Zen Power Hour. This entrepreneurship powerhouse shares how she went from club promoter to thriving brand-builder by teaching clients and students to first know themselves as a brand. Ms. Jackso...

We’re back from Spring Break and we hope you had some time to rest! Financial Literacy Month is here and our ‘Money Masterclass’ series of well-sought after financial educators and professionals are going to make you want to share them with all of your friends! This series opens with Patricia Kelly, University of California, Santa Cruz Lecturer, Speaker, and Financial Literacy Advocate, who is als...

Our ‘Women Leading with Heart’ series for Women’s History Month closes powerfully with the return of Dr. Theresa Price, CEO and Founder of The National College Resources Foundation (NCRF) - home of the renowned Black College Expo and Latino College Expo. This beloved community trailblazer shares her philosophy and secrets to living and investing in a spiritually filled life. She believes being sma...

Our ‘Women Leading with Heart’ series for Women's History Month continues with Dr. Khalilah Doss, the Vice President for Student Affairs and Strategic Enrollment Management at California State University, Fullerton. This first-generation Jamaican track scholar became an educational trailblazer who simply wanted to “be who I needed.” Dr. Doss shares why seeing the humanity in students—as someone’s...

Women’s History Month continues with our ‘Women Leading with Heart’ series! In this week’s episode, we spotlight an emerging change-maker in education, the Assistant Director of the First Gen Scholars Program at Jackson State University, Ms. Shandell Lewis. She is a first-generation college graduate, former counselor, and passionate advocate for Mississippi education that is bridging K-12 and high...

To wrap up our Love Series, “Rooted in Love”, we dive into agape love—selfless, unconditional care for others with LaMar-Octavious L. Scott, Vice President of Student Affairs at LeMoyne-Owen College. As a leader at the fifth oldest HBCU, Mr. Scott shares his journey from early ministry roots to helping students develop unapologetic critical thinking and global cultural understanding. Spirituality...

As we continue our ‘Rooted in Love’ series, this week’s episode explores the power of conviction and community love with Marita Asamoah, a first-generation Political Science major at Coppin State University. Born in the Bronx and raised partly in Ghana, Marita brings a global perspective to student leadership as Vice President of the NAACP and Chief Justice of Coppin’s SGA Executive Board. Dedicat...

Love in college can feel like the biggest story of your life, but what if it’s actually the classroom where you learn who you are? In this week’s episode of our ‘Rooted in Love’ series, our host and founder, Yoli Tamu takes you back to her years at Howard University to share real experiences with dating, music, and self‑discovery on and off campus, from supper‑club stages to difficult conversation...

For our annual ‘Love Series: Rooted in Love’ kickoff, we explore the power of self-love with Dr. D’Wan Carpenter, a board-certified physician in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and founder of DJC Medical Group. Blending evidence-based lifestyle medicine with faith, Dr. Dee shares how balance, preparation, and spiritual grounding can help prevent and even reverse chronic conditions like heart...

We’re wrapping up our “Honor Your Gifts and Say Yes” series with a powerful conversation on turning vision into real opportunities for students. Dr. William Syms, Vice President of Student Services, Enrollment Management and Equity Initiatives at West Los Angeles College (WLAC), shares how his journey has shaped his passion for advocacy and college access. He unpacks a bold Vision 2030 plan for st...

We’re back for the new semester, celebrating our 200th episode as we continue the “Honor Your Gifts and Say Yes” series! This week, we honor a trailblazer turning hardships into leadership legacy! We are thrilled to invite back the reigning Miss Coppin State University and graduating Health Science scholar, Catherine Trumata-Addey. Catherine urges students to reach beyond Coppin State and build th...

We hope everyone had a restful, peaceful, and joy-filled Thanksgiving! This year has given us all reason to pause, reflect, and identify our own personal calling amidst uncertain times. In this week’s episode, we welcome educator, author, and wellness consultant, Stacey Y. Clark. Stacey shares how she’s helped clients ages 17 to 70 connect their purpose to an authentic life they truly enjoy living...

Have you ever been misunderstood for simply being outspoken? In the final episode of our “Owning Your Strength” series, we’re joined by Director, Producer and LMU MFA candidate, Taja Dominique. Taja shares how she transformed her outspoken spirit into creative projects, mentorship, and by founding her own company, InspiredbyTaja Productions.⁠ Raised by artistic parents and supported by powerful me...

When was the last time you seriously considered building agency for yourself? In this episode of the “Owning Your Strength” series, we’re joined by Dell Ivy, Program Manager for Student Experience at the University of Houston’s CT Bauer College of Business. As a second-generation college graduate, Dell draws from his journey as a TRIO Coordinator and the child of nontraditional college graduates....

Life’s challenges are inevitable, but what if you could face them with an invincible spirit? In this episode of the “Owning Your Strength” series, our host and founder, Yoli Tamu explores five powerful ways to tap into your inner strength. Whether you’ve felt your inner powerhouse before or not, these practical strategies will help you build confidence and resilience, no matter what comes your way...

As the holiday season approaches, it’s time to take inventory of our inner strength as we prepare to navigate societal challenges with resilience and joy! In the first episode of our new series, “Owning Your Strength,” we are joined by Kwynn Townsend Riley, Director of the Office of Black Student Services at Loyola Marymount University. This award-winning poet, author and first-generation graduate...

This week for our “Ready, Set, Leap” series, our host and founder, Yoli Tamu welcomes the very student who first inspired her to begin serving college students years ago! In this episode, we meet Rwanda Carter, ASW, PPSC, Psychiatric Social Worker for LAUSD’s Black Student Achievement Plan (BSAP). Born in Belize and raised in Watts, Rwanda shares how her parents’ sacrifices inspired her to uplift...

As part of our ‘Ready, Set, Leap’ series, we welcome back Feminine Energy Therapist and Master Energy Healing Yogi, Dr. Zerri Gross. In this week’s episode, Dr. Z reveals how to identify and balance your feminine and masculine energies to boost both self-awareness and social awareness. Discover how masculine energy—driven by production, action, and survival—helps you get things done, while feminin...

This month, we introduce our ‘Ready, Set, Leap’ Series! Dr. Brunson from Spelman College opened the series with an inspiring episode for future educators. In this week’s episode, our founder and host, Yoli Tamu challenges us to embrace change and take bolder risks as we step into the next chapter with faith and intention. Quiet the inner critic, strengthen your focus, and build the resilience need...

The landscape of education is evolving in the midst of policy changes across the country. In this week’s episode, we are joined by Dr. Fatima Brunson, Tenure-track Assistant Professor of Education at Spelman College. Dr. Brunson shares how federal shifts are reshaping learning environments, disproportionately impacting students and educators. Despite this politically charged climate contributing t...