The Global Renaissance Podcast

I often talk about my belief that we are all individually obligated to contribute positively society, but I recently stepped out of a period of my life in which I was making intentional efforts to limit my active political and social engagement to a certain degree. The goal of this was to "protect my peace;" I often felt like trying to make the world a better place was a futile pursuit that only l...

One of my hopes when starting this podcast was that my guests would make return appearances and we could observe their growth in real time: this episode is evidence that my hope is coming true. I interviewed my cousin, Bethany, for my fourth episode back in October of 2021 and discussed her life as a full time hair braider. Almost 2 years later Bethany has elevated from a hair braider renting a bo...

Let's face it, we live in a world where talent and skill are not always rewarded and this is especially true in the music industry. I was fortunate enough to connect with PicoDaGuy back in June and was immediately impressed by his musical gifts. Though his music generally fits within the Hip-Hop and RnB genres, PDG has a unique sonic versatility that turned me into a fan. In this interview we disc...

For as long as I can remember I've had a strangle relationship with self-expression. I've always had a lot to say, but couldn't always decipher what thoughts were appropriate to share and when. Though this hasn't hindered me in any significant outwardly fashion, I've found the internal battles it's caused to be burdensome and am now simply choosing to say as much of what is on my mind (within reas...

Life is hard. Each of us face a unique set of challenges we are forced to overcome in order to make it to the next day, and we are constantly bombarded by negativity and despair in the media we consume. How are we supposed to remain hopeful in a world that seems to be crumbling around us? While I don't yet have the solution, my good friend Kaelin and I spent this episode trying to get a little clo...

Now more than ever we are being told of the importance of mental health awareness, but many of us lack the space and support to appropriately address the things we deal with. Through her non-profit, Heavy Hearted Convos, Nay Lassiter is creating a space for athletes and others to recognize, embrace, and overcome their mental health challenges.  If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review an...

Happy Valentines Day! Along with it being the holiday of love today, I've been reading Bell Hooks' All About Love over the last month or so and thought it would be appropriate to discuss an idea and concept that is culturally pervasive yet poorly understood. Though se all have different notions of what love is and different experiences with it in our lives, I think everyone can agree that it is a...

Though we often take them for granted, our cell phones are very powerful tools that have the potential to be life changing if utilized appropriately. A prime example of this is Dooley vs. Rizz Gottie who is currently building a digital platform bringing Boston together through content creation. For all the things he has overcome personally, the most admirable part of Dooley's journey is that he is...

New year, new faces on the podcast! In the first episode of 2023 I am joined by my treacherous twin, Nellisha Leonce, a current senior at Howard University. Nellisha is an active champion of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, spending the last year educating high school students across Massachusetts on the opportunities and options that exist at such schools. Given how formative my coll...

It is often said that the best art is born out of pain. Amanda Shea has experienced her fair share of hardship, challenges, and trauma throughout her life yet she has managed to convert each of those experiences into inspiration for her work. As a spoken word artist, activist, teacher, community leader, and mother, Amanda consistently shines her light for the benefit of others despite the obstacle...

A few days prior to the recording of this episode, one of my personal favorite albums of all time, good kid, m. A.A.d. city, turned 10 years old. Though I was just 13 years old at the time of its release, the themes found throughout the album resonated with me deeply and played a significant role the development of my identity as a young man. I ask every guest I interview who and what has influenc...

Diaspora (noun): the dispersion of a people from their original homeland. Africa is by no means a monolith; there is an amazing diversity of people and culture both on the continent and across the world. Though the distinctions of the various African cultures should be acknowledged and celebrated, it is also important to highlight the commonalities and build community among all of Africa's childre...

Over one year and 20 episodes later, I've decided it's time to highlight my own voice. I started this podcast as a way to explore my curiosity in how other people choose to express themselves through their work and passions. I've had the privilege to interview people ranging from longtime friends to people I met for the first time the day of the interview, and over through that process, have learn...

With over 1000 points scored in high school and college, the UMass record for most 3 point field goals made in a single game, and the second most career 3 point field goals made in UMass history, Carl Pierre is a certified bucket... he's also never beaten me in a one on one. Carl is one of the many friendships I made in high school that has become a bond closer to brotherhood than anything else. I...

The world of music is vast and many talented people go overlooked in the space, but Sham Wes and Twin Beats have no intentions of getting lost in that shuffle. Sham Wes is a recording artist from Everett, Massachusetts while Twin Beats is a producer from Chelsea, Massachusetts. Though neither hail from cities that are well known for music, they have both started to build a name for themselves in t...

In a social media age where everyone and everything is recorded, the people behind the camera are more vital than ever and Tyler Santos is one of the best. Hailing from the Dorchester section of Boston, Tyler (more commonly known as Santos) is an unheralded staple in the city's music scene. He has shot music videos for a number of Boston's top artists like DTheFlyest and is now expanding his clien...

For most people, the thought of doing anything in front of a large audience is anxiety-inducing–Katrina Kincade is not most people. From reporting the news on TV to competing in pageants across the country, Katrina relishes the opportunity to publicly display her bubbly personality. She has won multiple awards for her journalistic exploits and just recently became the newest reporter for CBS Bosto...

Success is a moving target and looks different for everyone, but to have written and self-published a book, become President of Harvard College's Undergraduate Council, and be accepted into Harvard Law School all by the age of 22 is quite a string of successes by any metric. Born and raised in Hattiesburg, MS, Noah Harris has done more than overcome the odds, he is a living example of what success...

It is not everyday that you come across someone who has been ranked the number one athlete in their country or someone who is the founder of a startup company, Chris Egi is both. Coming from just outside of Toronto, Chris was the top ranked high school basketball player in Canada by his sophomore year and eventually landed at Montverde Academy in Florida for his senior year where he played with th...

One of my favorite things about the world of art is that there is so much room for diversity and collaboration, and my two guests for this episode are perfect examples of that. Though they are not biologically related, Phonse and Jordan are about as close as any two brothers could be. Phonse (artist name 4onzii) is primarily a recording artist and Jordan is his musical consultant, but neither of t...

College is a time in which many people figure out who they are and who it is they want to be. In her four years at Tufts University, Amma Agyei has established herself as a leader in a multitude of areas. She is the first Black woman to be elected as student body president of the school, a position which she currently holds, and is also a content creator and influencer with tens of thousands of fo...

With February being Black History Month, my cohost Tchorzky and I discuss the growth of our personal identity, specifically related to race. Figuring out who you are as a young person is a trying process for anyone, but growing up in the Greater Boston area and both attending the same predominately white private school from 7th though 12th grade made our journey of self-discovery one that was inex...

Happy Black History Month everyone! As we move into a new month I decided to switch up the format of the podcast. This episode I am joined by my longtime friend Tchorzky as a cohost to talk our talk. We discuss a number of topics that I posed to my Instagram followers on my story throughout the previous week ranging from our religious adherence to our relationship status. If you like this episode...

The recreational use of marijuana is legal in 18 states and decriminalized in another 13, with legal sales in the US nearing $15 billion in 2021. Regardless of your personal feelings surrounding the substance, it is undeniable that its use is becoming more acceptable, and with that has come more opportunity for enterprise. Two young men who are taking advantage of this opportunity are Oliver Prude...