THE CHAIR

On this episode, I had the honor of speaking with seven Black women who have spent decades in the Navy. They allow me into their world to begin to understand what a hair journey looked like in the Navy for them. We get the opportunity to hear stories about their time in bootcamp, on the ship, and shore duty. Additionally, we learn how these women advocated for the change of hair regulations for th...

On this episode, I had the honor of speaking with seven Black women who have spent decades in the Navy. They allow me into their world to begin to understand what sisterhood and mentorship looked liked to them in the Navy. Enjoy! Their Bios (The ones provided and shorten for word count purposes): Michele (she/her) - Michele Robinson Ewing is a retired naval officer with 27 years of distinguished s...

On this episode, Shai paints the picture of her hair journey and how it has intersected with her identity of growing up as a biracial (Black and white) person, what hair has to do with confidence and self love, and falling in love with the process of getting to know yourself. Enjoy! Her Bio: Shai is a 31-year-old flight attendant with a globe-trotting spirit and a deep love for travel, sports, and...

On this episode, Shai gives the ins and out of what it means to be a flight attendant. She highlights the the oddities that flight attendants do on layovers, how compassion and empathy are necessary traits in customer service, and reminding all that are interested in this profession to understand that you are alone a significant amount of time. Enjoy! Her Bio: Shai is a 31-year-old flight attendan...

On this episode, Aaleyah takes us on a hair journey. She shares stories from the perm to the big chop, to falling in love with her curls, leading to a disaster at the salon, which led to her finding her way to having a beautiful head full of locs. Enjoy! Her Bio: Aaleyah is a dynamic therapist, creative, and healer specializing in Dance/Movement Therapy. With a strong academic and clinical foundat...

On this episode, Aaleyah allows us openly on her journey of becoming a dynamic therapist specializing in dance and movement therapy. She takes us on a rollercoaster of emotions though career changes, illnesses, and accidents. It is an absolute honor to be able to hold space of stories of this magnitude. Enjoy! Her Bio: Aaleyah is a dynamic therapist, creative, and healer specializing in Dance/Move...

On this episode, Aaleyah allows us openly on her journey of becoming a dynamic therapist specializing in dance and movement therapy. She takes us on a rollercoaster of emotions though career changes, illnesses, and accidents. It is an absolute honor to be able to hold space of stories of this magnitude. Enjoy! Her Bio: Aaleyah is a dynamic therapist, creative, and healer specializing in Dance/Move...

On this episode, Devenia, Periana and I talk what it means to navigate PWI (predominantly white spaces) as Black people, advice given about our hair as young girls into our adolescence and how it evolved, and what is one of our favorite things about being Black. Enjoy! Their Bios: Devenia Cordette (she/her) is an ever-proud black womyn from the south side of Chicago. She is deeply passionate about...

On this episode, Devenia, Periana and I talk mentorship. We dig into a conversation unpacking what mentorship looks like, redefining it, and how Professor Dr. Dozier poured into us as students and shaped us for the better helping us define what mentorship should look like. Enjoy! Their Bios: Devenia Cordette (she/her) is an ever-proud black womyn from the south side of Chicago. She is deeply passi...

On this episode, Devin Tyler a friend from college gives us a glimpse through stories into the world of entrepreneurship as the founder and CEO of Tenacity which connects college students to paid project-based work at startups. We also get the chance to hear about his hair journey. Come along and learn about the recent story of falling in love with his bald head and full beard. Enjoy! His Bio: Dev...

On this episode, Devin Tyler a friend from college gives us a glimpse through stories into the world of entrepreneurship as the founder and CEO of Tenacity which connects college students to paid project-based work at startups. We learn how he thinks about creativity and what that has to do with the number of pivots he's taken. Enjoy! His Bio: Devin Tyler is the founder and CEO if Tenacity, a...

On this episode, AL is the co-founder and director of Mike & Al's Basketball League. AL has known me since I was a teenager and he has been running the league since then. AL tells the connection between Bone Thugs -N-Harmony and his hair journey. He shares what it felt like to go bald so early and what its like parenting and helping his children along their hair journeys. Enjoy! His Bio:...

On this episode, AL is the co-founder and director of Mike & Al's Basketball League. AL has known me since I was a teenager and he has been running the league since then. He deep dives into how he picked up the mantel, what it means to care for community, and to do it ALL on limited resources with doubters looming overhead. Enjoy! His Bio: Aljemall Peeples serves as the co-founder and dir...

One this episode, Mitch dives into what he believes are the trappings of masculinity and ways to consider expanding our view points when looks at youth, especially boys. He shares stories about his male friend group breaking apart with his bachelor party being the central example unraveling masculinity into tangible ways of looking at manhood and opening up conversation surrounding youth developme...

On this episode, Mitch lays out his identity map and holds the hands of the audience along the journey of explaining how he has thought deeply about various elements of his identity and how they have shaped him. Hair being a significant part of his journey. Enjoy! His Bio: Mitch Gayns is a 35 year old content creating contrarian from just north of Boston. Often described as "the guy you'...

On this episode, Mitch dives into his explanation of the word articulation and its importance to him and his belief system. Articulation is the foundation of Mitch's way of making sense of the world and the people in it. Come listen as Mitch helps the audience understand how articulation is central to all his interactions and how that moves into the conversation of identity. Enjoy! His Bio: M...

BeYouT (pronounced Beauty) takes us on her hair journey. This multilayered journey encompasses all facets of hair, an evolution with her relationship with water, and what a hair journey looks like after going through chemotherapy, beating cancer, and thriving on the otherside as a survivor.  Her Bio:  BeYouT (pronounced Beauty) is a poet who was born and raised in the suburbs of Boston. She had be...

BeYouT (pronounced Beauty) opens up her heart and shares how anxiety is a compass to be aware of something greater that is to come. Along her many customer service facing jobs BeYouT has developed a spiritual menu and shares stories of her medium practices and how her grandfather is the "doorman" between her and the spirit world. Come listen and learn as I have this episode. Enjoy! Her B...

On this episode, I had the honor of interviewing 3 Black women who are in the field of healthcare, specifically nursing. They allow me into their world and share stories of what a hair journey looks like in nursing for a Black nurse, personal examples of microagressions and bias, thoughts on representation and diversity initiatives, and the reasons they stay in nursing through all the madness.  Th...

On this episode, I had the honor of interviewing 3 Black women who are in the field of healthcare, specifically nursing. They allow me into their world and share stories of what it is really like being a Black nurse, what sisterhood looks like in nursing, and areas of change that need to happen for the betterment of the profession.  Their Bios:  Na'Blahge (she/her) At 28 years old, Na'Bl...

On this episode, Dr. Tee, a data scientist allows us into her world of data science.  Dr. Tee and I became friends in college. Dr. Tee highlights the importance of letting people explore to find their passions, especially when they do not fit traditional pathways, how storytelling is what drew her into data science, and  a hair journey that keeps evolving. Enjoy! THE CHAIR (S2/Ep16) — Pick a Squar...

On this episode, Dr. Tee, a data scientist allows us into her world of data science.  Dr. Tee and I became friends in college. She shares the road of how she got into data science with a background in neuroscience and biology and shares stories educating us on what BIG Data looks like today. Enjoy! THE CHAIR (S2/Ep15) — An Electric Moment I’m Your AWARD WINNING Host Dreme.  I’m a Black woman, an e...

On this episode, Vic, a multi - hyphenate creative and has also been trained in birthwork. I had the opportunity to get to know in college shares stories working as a Black nonbinary person supporting safe birthing practices in Chicago and brings us into their hair journey from the big chop to the excitement and feel of beard and belly hair. Enjoy!  Their Bio: Vic (they/them) is a Chicago-based no...

On this episode, Vic, a multi - hyphenate creative and who has been trained in birthwork. I had the opportunity to get to know in college shares stories surrounding their current passion projects critiquing corporate America and choosing to do something different in a world hugging and holding on to capitalism. Enjoy!  Their Bio: Vic (they/them) is a Chicago-based nonbinary producer of intentional...

On this episode, this was my first ever Live Roundtable in June 2025 hosted at Just Bookish Bookstore with the lovely guests from the House of Calypso. The House of Calypso includes the mother, Neon Calypso and children Killah Croc, Lavender, Izzy Ready, and Hazel Afrodite. Boston based drag artists of color creating and perform in various arts medium who took the time to sit down with me in THE C...