In this episode, I sat down with Gody Zayobi, my college friend and impromptu French tutor from our days living on the same floor in the service and leadership residential learning community. Gody shares his journey of immigrating from Congo to North Carolina and learning English through immersion with little support. We talk about his passion for soccer and coaching youth, the importance of representation in his coaching and educational roles, and his commitment to advocating for multicultural needs and accommodations.

Gody opens up about what he misses about Congo, making a life for himself in the US and his journey as a recently married man. He beautifully describes how graduating university and visiting Congo more frequently allowed him to be "born again in the family" - reintroducing himself and learning who his siblings have become in their adulthood. This was a heartfelt conversation about bridging two worlds, the power of reconnection, and finding purpose through serving others.

Video on Spotify! For the first time in three seasons, I'm not the one asking the questions. My kindred, Kelsey Gaude, flipped the script and put me in the guest seat for this special episode.

In this intimate conversation, I share my own journey of creating a colorful life - the chapters that have shaped me, the community that sustains me, and the relationships that have taught me how to love and be loved. We dive deep into my experience of losing my mother and how grief has become one of my greatest teachers. I open up about the pivotal moments that led me to living more authentically and the ongoing work of liberation that happens when we choose vulnerability over perfection.

Kelsey, who knows me better than most, asks the questions to creates space for me to reflect on what it means to build bridges from inner wisdom to collective liberation, and how our personal healing work ripples out into our communities.

This conversation feels like a full-circle moment, being held and witnessed by someone who has walked alongside me through so many of these stories. It's a reminder that we need our people to help us see our own growth and grace.

Make sure to check out the bonus episode where our friends submitted questions that sparked even more beautiful revelations!

In this second part of my conversation with Dr. Jerrold Roy, my uncle Jerry takes us deeper into the roots of our family's resilience. He shares powerful stories about my grandfather's entrepreneurial spirit: from running a photography studio that captured memories for Black families, to owning a grocery store that grossed six figures in the 1970s. Through these stories, my uncle reveals where his own audacity and courage as a Black man navigating predominantly white spaces came from: our ancestors who refused to be limited.

But this conversation gets beautifully vulnerable as my uncle J reflects on love, relationships, and the inner work we all must do. He opens up about a conflict with one of his brothers that taught him profound lessons about projection and taking responsibility for our own hearts. In his 70s, he's still growing, still learning, still becoming. What a testament to the grace that flows through generations!

This is more than family history, it's a masterclass in resilience, vulnerability, and the ongoing work of being human. Let it inspire you to dig deeper into your own family stories and never stop growing, no matter your age.