Your Body Knows

Silicon Valley’s first female African American CEO Shellye Archambeau invigorates women of color to live unapologetically ambitious–in our personal and professional lives.  An experienced CEO and Board Director with a track record of accomplishments building brands, high performance teams, and organizations, Shellye currently serves on the boards of Verizon, Nordstrom, Roper Technologies, and Okta...

Founder and creative Maricel Sison encourages women of color to move past their fear, take risks and embrace their unique journey as Principal and Marketing Director at California's premier DJ school, the Beat Junkie Institute of Sound and founder of Ladies of Sound LA, the official womxn’s division of the Beat Junkie Institute of Sound. A first-generation Filipino, Maricel’s creative journey...

Educator, activist and community organizer, Alex Purple inspires women of color to lean into community and sisterhood as a part of their healing journey as founder of Women of Color (WOC) Sister Collective, a platform for creating community and collaboration with BIWOC through circles, events, workshops, healing, & empowerment. Born first-generation in Los Angeles, Alex grew up with limited be...

Congolese-American writer, mother, and advocate for women Chloe Dulce Louvouezo empowers women of color to move past discomfort to embrace their divine purpose as author of Life, I Swear , in which she explores nuances and insights around intimate topics of identity, mental wellness, and healing, told through the lens of women from the Black diaspora.  Raised by a single mother and a host of other...

Mental health advocate and digital creator, Priscilla Agyeman calls for women of color to seek community as a part of their wellness & mental health practice as CEO & founder of Saddie Baddies™, a virtual safe space for people of color to destigmatize mental health and initiate collective healing. Born first-generation to African parents, Priscilla grew up feeling the unspoken pressure of...

Passionate creator, innovator and skilled connector Zoila Darton wants women of color to embrace and own their journey as CEO & creative director of WORD Agency, an LA based creative agency dedicated to culturally rich storytelling, brand elevation & experiential marketing. A proud afro-Latina, Zoila’s career began more than 15 years ago, with success in the entertainment industry; startin...

Welcome to Season 3!  We’ve got money on our mind. $$$ Wealth generator Linda Garcia empowers women of color to expand our imagination of what’s possible and to dream big as CEO & founder of In Luz We Trust, kicking off our third season of The Motif Podcast.  A Cali native and proud Latina, Linda Garcia spent 17 years working in the TV and film industry helping well-recognized TV networks, mov...

Singer, songwriter and musician Mary Akpa empowers women of color to own their gifts and offerings to the universe in the season 2 finale of The Motif Podcast. A Nigerian-American artist with African and jazz influences in her music, Mary’s career has spanned over two decades and four continents, ultimately bringing her home to self and on a healing journey of self-evolution. Joined by host Shanet...

Entrepreneurs, creators and sisters Donna & Joanne Vo encourage women of color to pursue their creative passions as co-founders of Ladies First, a community helping all women in pursuit of their fullest potential. Born and raised in the SF Bay area to immigrant Vietnamese parents, Donna and Joanne took on two different professional paths before joining forces to create multiple businesses toge...

Writer, poet and spoken word artist, Dhayana Alejandrina emboldens women of color to hold onto their purpose as author of Agridulce : a poetry and prose collection and combination of emotions, thoughts, and experiences. Born in the Dominican Republic, Dhayana’s story begins with her discovering her passion for writing at the age of nine, influenced by everything from her Caribbean upbringing, to h...

Medical expert, speaker and author, Dr. Nita Landry encourages women of color to optimize their health, shatter limiting beliefs, and become the best version of themselves as contributing co-host of the Emmy award-winning talk show, The Doctors. A board certified OB/GYN, Dr Nita’s career trajectory follows a non-traditional path, bridging the gap between her love for health and entertainment to ed...

Entrepreneur, designer and stylist Karen Perez empowers women of color to stay steadfast in their dreams, as founder and CEO of Second Wind in episode 38 of The Motif Podcast. A first-generation American, Perez opens up about how her family and roots influenced her love and appreciation for fashion and design from a young age. Joined by host, Shanetta McDonald, Karen shares her inspiring story of...

Cannabis Educator Cynthia Villamizar empowers women of color to give themselves the grace to explore new possibilities as founder and owner of cannabis education platform 'Cyntivee.' In this week's episode of The Motif Podcast, Cynthia and host Shanetta McDonald join in conversation and get authentic about their journeys to individuality, self-growth and discovering joy when they al...

Conscious Influence Strategist, Falyn Satterfield emboldens women of color to be in alignment in all areas of life, especially when it comes to work and our soul’s purpose, as founder of Spiritual Bad Bitch. In this week’s episode of the Motif Podcast, Falyn walks us through her evolution from a sheltered upbringing, to dissolving societal conditions and having an expansive life and life’s work, s...

Entrepreneur and creative Cleo Ellis encourages collaboration over competition among women of color as Director of Brand Partnerships at creative agency Coco + Cowe, and co-host of the podcast Conversations with Coco + Friends. Born and raised in Toronto where she’s currently based, Cleo walks us through her non-traditional career trajectory, from her beginnings in Public Relations to entrepreneur...

Business executive, wife and mother, Elizabeth Lascaze inspires women of color to heal at their own pace, as a self-described, postpartum depression warrior. In episode 34 of The Motif Podcast, hear Elizabeth’s story as she lets us into her journey of a complicated pregnancy, followed by a challenging, yet healing postpartum experience. Joined by host, Shanetta McDonald, Elizabeth offers insight i...

Host, Actress, Producer and Writer Megan Thomas reminds women of color that no matter what, they are worthy, as Head of Production for All Def and co-host of the podcast, Mommy Needs A Break. Born to an Asian Mother and Black father in Kentucky, Megan’s story touches on the sensitivities of growing up mixed race in the south, and how defining her sense of self at a young age prepared her for how t...

Entrepreneur Julissa Prado emboldens women of color to not let anything stop them from giving their gifts to the world, as founder and CEO of Rizos Curls in episode 32 of The Motif Podcast. A Latina born and raised in Mid-city Los Angeles in predominantly Black and brown spaces, Julissa, discusses beauty standards that many women of color face, and how hair is more than just hair, but rather an ex...

In episode 31 of The Motif Podcast, sex and relationship therapist, Shadeen Francis empowers women of color to embrace and claim their sexual agency and comfort, as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. A first generation Canadian, Shadeen opens up about her intersectionality along with how race and gender expectations shaped her experiences and identity growing up and her journey to becoming...

On episode 30 of The Motif Podcast, LA-based portrait and lifestyle photographer, Amanda Lopez, opens up about her journey as a creative and how her Mexican-American roots influenced her work. Hosted by Shanetta McDonald, both she and Amanda hone in on the importance of asking for help, encouraging women of color to not be afraid to ask for what they need. Connect with Amanda : https://www.amandal...

In episode 29 of The Motif Podcast, award-winning expert in education, business development and plant-based living, Dr. Key Hallmon discusses the journey to discovering her purpose, and how her love for the Black community, shaped by her Mississippi upbringing, evolved into her founding The Village Market Atlanta, a marketplace experience premiering carefully selected diverse Black artisans, maker...

Healer, artist and creative, Ellen Bowles reminds women of color to practice self-compassion and spiritual autonomy in their healing journey as an astrology and tarot reader, and ancestral healer. Listen to this week’s episode hosted by Shanetta McDonald and hear Ellen’s story as she opens up about her path to embracing her cultural identity, through understanding and accepting her ancestors.  Con...

Wellness entrepreneur, Kimberly Dillon, reminds women of color that their life is bigger than their work as a cannabis creative and founder of Frigg , a plant-based hair, beauty and wellness line. In episode 27 of The Motif Podcast, Kimberly opens up about everything from experiencing loss at an early age, to coming to terms with her intersectionality, and the trajectory of her non-traditional car...

Singer and multi platinum song writer, Chikk, gets candid about her journey as an artist and path to self discovery while encouraging women of color to trust the God in them in this week’s episode of The Motif Podcast. From facing prejudice within music the industry and working with artists like Iggy Azalea and Chris Brown, to surviving a life threatening car accident, Chikk’s story is one filled...

Award winning actress, writer and author Iman Milner shares about her creative journey along with wisdom on expectations, growth, and acceptance, with us women of color in episode 25 of The Motif Podcast. With host Shanetta McDonald, Iman discusses her experience growing up in Detroit, a predominately black world at the time, and the culture shock that came after leaving. She lets us into what it...