Two Bees In A Pod

The Bees review our book of the month for September, "My Sister, The Serial Killer" by Oyinkan Braithwaite. We explore various themes that we encountered in our reading of this thrilling story, including pretty privilege and colorism. We discuss family dynamics and how abuse may have shaped the relationship between the central characters in this novel. Opening music from UpbeatMusic https://uppbea...

In this fourth episode of our series on grief, The Bees are joined by Josiane who shares her experience of pregnancy loss and subsequent traumatic, life threatening childbirth experiences. We discuss the disparate treatment of Black women in the American health care system and the importance of advocating for yourself. Josiane also talks about the emotional toll of her experiences, where she found...

In the third epsiode of our grief series, The Bees are joined by Sidney Ngochi, who shares his experience of losing his wife suddenly. Sidney talks about his grieving process, the importance of family and community in navigating single parenthood, and offers valuable insights and advice for others who may be facing similar experiences. Opening music from UpbeatMusic https://uppbeat.io/t/richard-bo...

In the second episode in our series on grief, The Bees are joined by Ning Tendo, grief guide and dream researcher, and author of ⁠ Death Song In Green ⁠ . We share personal stories about our experiences with grief, and Ning discusses the impact of cultural rituals, and the importance of community in the grieving process. She shares how experiences in her life have shaped her and led to the work sh...

This month we're doing a series of episodes on the topic of grief. Whitney Asaha joins us for our first discussion, to share her experience with grieving the loss of her parents when she was a teenager. She shares how the grieving process was different with each loss, and how cultural norms can provide support and also alienate grieving people. Opening music from UpbeatMusic https://uppbeat.io...

*This episode includes discussions of child abuse.* The Bees review our book of the month for August, which was "Butter Honey Pig Bread" by Francesca Ekwuyasi. We discuss themes of magical realism in the book, and relate them to beliefs and practices from Cameroon and other African countries. We talk about generational trauma and how it manifests in each of the women centered in this sto...

The Bees are joined by Ozoz Sokoh, culinary anthropologist and food historian, curator of the Kitchen Butterfly blog and Feast Afrique digital library. Ozoz shares the inspiration behind her work, and some eye opening discoveries she has made on her journey exploring the history and evolution of West African cuisine on the continent and across the diaspora. Opening/Closing music from UpbeatMusic h...

The Bees are joined by Anim Aweh, a licensed mental health therapist, certified clinical health educator and co-founder of Aweh Support . Anim sheds light on the lack of mental health support in immigrant communities and the need for culturally competent therapists. We discuss some reasons why immigrants may be resistant to seeking out mental health care and how we can overcome barriers to access....

The Bees are joined by Ashangndowah Akwo, co-founder of myNkwa , a digital savings app helping Cameroonians meet their financial goals. He discusses the challenges he faced as a startup founder and the importance of failure in the entrepreneurial journey. He emphasizes the need for resources and support for young entrepreneurs in the African startup ecosystem. Opening/Closing music from UpbeatMusi...

The Bees reviewed our book of the month for July, which was "Travelers" by Helon Habila. We discuss the experiences of the immigrants in this book, and consider how their experiences in Europe compare to our own experiences as immigrants in America. We talk about the realistic portrayal of migrant experiences and prevailing attitudes towards African migrants. Opening/Closing music from U...

The Bees catch up on recent events, sharing our takes on trending topics including the U.S. presidential race. Please note this episode includes discussions of violence and may not be suitable for young or sensitive listeners. Opening/Closing music from UpbeatMusic https://uppbeat.io/t/richard-bodgers/botswana License code: CNXX5ILE1JOBZYM2

A replay of one of our most popular episodes from Season 1. The Bees are joined by Gbemi Adekoya, a licensed psychotherapist, counselor, and board certified assistant behavior analyst (BCaBA) to discuss parenting approaches across generations and borders. Coach G helps us understand different parenting styles, and helpful approaches to consider when trying to correct unwanted behavior. Learn more...

The Bees are joined by Daniel Tse, founder of Cameroon Advocacy Network. Daniel shares with us his personal journey navigating the U.S. immigration system and how these experiences inspired the work that his organization does. We discuss recent wins, challenges in the immigration system, and how the Cameroonian community in the diaspora can support a better future back at home and here in the U.S....

This week on Two Bees in a Pod, the Bees reviewed our book of the month for June, which was "Under The Udala Trees" by Chinelo Okparanta. We discuss recurring themes in the book including war, grief, and homophobia. We considered familiar experiences described such as the practice of children being "adopted" to be used as domestic workers, and societal pressure on women to marr...

The Bees are joined by Stephen Fusi, CEO and founder of Dream Big Snacks and Root Flavors. Stephen shares with us his journey of opening and operating a potato chip factory in Bamenda, Cameroon. (For our British audience, that would be potato 'crisps'!) He discusses his inspiration for the company, overcoming unique challenges and abiding by principles against the odds. Opening/Closing mus...

The Bees are joined by Teresa Morcho, founder and CEO of Stud Model Project. Teresa discusses her work to create a diverse and inclusive network for stud models from around the world, in an industry where such representation is lacking. She also shares her journey as a Cameroonian immigrant in the US, prejudice against LQBTQ individuals in the community, and the choice to living authentically as o...

The Bees are joined by Helen Nde, curator of Mythological Africans. Helen shares insights on myths, folktales, and spiritual practices across the continent, and the impact of colonization on the preservation and dissemination of this knowledge. We discuss the perspectives of Africans on our collective culture, and what we choose to reject or accept as culturally authentic.

We're back with a second season of our podcast and we have visuals! (Check out our YouTube for full length videos and IG for reels). In this episode we're catching up on what we got up to on our break, world events, and internet nonsense. Warning: this episode includes mentions of domestic and sexual violence. Opening/Closing music from UpbeatMusic https://uppbeat.io/t/richard-bodgers/bots...

It's our season finale! This week we're celebrating Bee Lola's birthday, a majestic solar eclipse, and 26 episodes of this incredible journey. We're so grateful for all your support, feedback, and for coming along with us as we strive to create content that is authentic, entertaining, thoughtful, and most of all the kind of podcast that we would love to tune in to every week. We lo...

The Bees give our takes on cultural representation in various art forms, and discuss our early influences and experiences with literature and film. We talk about the role of social media in exposing artists and content creators to a global audience. Opening/Closing music from UpbeatMusic https://uppbeat.io/t/richard-bodgers/botswana License code: CNXX5ILE1JOBZYM2

The Bees review our March Book Of The Month, "Honey and Spice" by Bolu Babalola. We compare our reactions to this genre of romance, discuss familiar themes of second generation immigrant experiences, and some lessons we took away from the characters' stories. Opening/Closing music from UpbeatMusic https://uppbeat.io/t/richard-bodgers/botswana License code: CNXX5ILE1JOBZYM2

This week the Bees are catching up on recent events in U.S. and international news, as well as other unserious matters that have been trending on social media. Opening/Closing music from UpbeatMusic https://uppbeat.io/t/richard-bodgers/botswana License code: CNXX5ILE1JOBZYM2

In honor of Women's History Month, The Bees share the stories of four women we think everyone should know, and talk about more. Opening/Closing music from UpbeatMusic https://uppbeat.io/t/richard-bodgers/botswana License code: CNXX5ILE1JOBZYM2

To kick off Women's History Month, the Bees discuss our views on the history and current state of feminism. We share our perspectives on trending online discussions and how that may be impacting women's views on feminism. (This conversation was centered around cishet women and heteronormative relationships, as that is the limited pool of experience from which we draw, and we acknowledge th...

The Bees review our February Book Of The Month, "Chain-Gang All-Stars" by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. We share our thoughts on how the book ties a fictional dystopia to the present reality of the U.S. prison industrial complex, and our society's ideas of entertainment. Opening/Closing music from UpbeatMusic https://uppbeat.io/t/richard-bodgers/botswana License code: CNXX5ILE1JOBZYM2