Greetings Glocal Citizens!
This week on the podcast we have Part 1 of a two-part conversation centering a favorite topic of mine - education. The effectivenss of LinkedIn and it’s networkinng superpower facilitated our connection through common connects, Adja Maymouna Sakho and Laureen Adams.
My guest, fellow educator Kwame Sarfo-Mensah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Temple University. For nine years, he served as a middle school math teacher. Currently, he is the founder of Identity Talk Consulting, a global educational consulting firm that specializes in developing K-12 teachers into identity-affirming educators. Throughout his 17-year career as a classroom teacher, author, and consultant, Kwame has worked in the United States, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, and Zambia.
Additionally, Kwame has earned numerous accolades for this work, which include being honored as the 2019 National Member of the Year by Black Educators Rock, Inc. and being recognized as a Top Education Influencer by brightbeam, Inc. in 2021 and 2022.
His newest book, "Learning to Relearn: Supporting Identity in a Culturally Affirming Classroom", recently won the 2025 IPPY Award for Best Education Commentary Book and the 2024 Foreword INDIES Gold Book Award for Best Education Book.
Another dimension of Kwame’s glocal citizenship is the way that he, as a “trailing spouse” has forged forward despite the obvious challenges and has found success and expansion in his craft. I hope your listening will shed additional light on the ways that borderless mindsets are indeed manifesting a new world!
Where to find Kwame?
On Amazon
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On Facebook
On Youtube
What’s Kwame reading and watching?
The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Untold Fall of Favre
Coach Prime
Other topics of interest:
About Mampong, Ghana
Where is Nsima, Ghana
About the Akwamu Empire
Lusaka, Zambia
A bit about Nyanja and other Zambian languages
Education past and present in Sierra Leone
Why Are All of the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum
Special Guest: Kwame Sarfo-Mensah.
Greetings Glocal Citizens!
This week on the podcast we have Part 1 of a two-part conversation centering a favorite topic of mine - education. The effectivenss of LinkedIn and it’s networkinng superpower facilitated our connection through common connects, Adja Maymouna Sakho and Laureen Adams.
My guest, fellow educator Kwame Sarfo-Mensah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Temple University. For nine years, he served as a middle school math teacher. Currently, he is the founder of Identity Talk Consulting, a global educational consulting firm that specializes in developing K-12 teachers into identity-affirming educators. Throughout his 17-year career as a classroom teacher, author, and consultant, Kwame has worked in the United States, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, and Zambia.
Additionally, Kwame has earned numerous accolades for this work, which include being honored as the 2019 National Member of the Year by Black Educators Rock, Inc. and being recognized as a Top Education Influencer by brightbeam, Inc. in 2021 and 2022.
His newest book, "Learning to Relearn: Supporting Identity in a Culturally Affirming Classroom", recently won the 2025 IPPY Award for Best Education Commentary Book and the 2024 Foreword INDIES Gold Book Award for Best Education Book.
Another dimension of Kwame’s glocal citizenship is the way that he, as a “trailing spouse” has forged forward despite the obvious challenges and has found success and expansion in his craft. I hope your listening will shed additional light on the ways that borderless mindsets are indeed manifesting a new world!
Where to find Kwame?
On Amazon
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On Facebook
On Youtube
What’s Kwame reading and watching?
The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Untold Fall of Favre
Coach Prime
Other topics of interest:
About Mampong, Ghana
Where is Nsima, Ghana
About the Akwamu Empire
Lusaka, Zambia
A bit about Nyanja and other Zambian languages
Education past and present in Sierra Leone
Why Are All of the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum
Special Guest: Kwame Sarfo-Mensah.
Greetings Glocal Citizens!
The spirit of summers past visits with us this week; it’s another Glocal Citizens @5flashback forward episode. In 2023, my guest this week, Hawa Kombian joined us for a two part conversation while she was based in her adopted home country, Canada. Today she's back in Ghana spreading new wings as a leadership strategist, resilience coach, and organizational advisor dedicated to helping mission-driven organizations sustain their impact without sacrificing their people.
With 14+ years of experience in social impact leadership, public speaking, and organizational change, she has worked with leaders across North America, Africa, and Europe to prevent burnout, build resilient teams, and create lasting cultural shifts at both the individual and organizational levels.
And that’s where we’re picking up this week’s conversation. As a sought-after speaker and facilitator, she integrates mental resilience, emotional intelligence, and strategic leadership to help leaders navigate high-pressure environments without falling into unproductive burnout loops.
Where to find Hawa?
Hawa Kombian Consulting
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On Soundcloud
What’s Hawa reading?
Dead Money by Jakob Kerr
Other topics of interest:
Gambaga, Ghana
About Najong #1
“Yaya hanya” and other beginning Hausa
P4 Pilates, Accra
Kukun Open Mic in Accra
Special Guest: Hawa Kombian.
Greetings Glocal Citizens!
This week on the podcast we have another gift from the Glocal Citizens community. In this two part conversation we meet Dr. Osei Alleyne. A joint PhD in Anthropology and Africana Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and former inaugural postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Experimental Ethnography at Penn, Dr. Osei also holds an MA in Communications from Temple University. A still active internationally touring professional Canadian Hip hop artist and Spoken word poet of Trinidad & Tobago extract, his field research employs a multi-modal ethnography of Reggae, Rastafari, Afrobeat and Hip-hop performance communities and related social justice movements across the African diaspora, with an emphasis on the black Atlantic nexus between Jamaica and Ghana. We recently met while he was in Ghana working on his forthcoming book, Dancehall Diaspora: Rastafari and Rudeness in the African Postcolony, thanks to consumate connector, Muhammida el Muhajir. As Assistant Professor of Media Studies and Production at Temple University, his writing repertoire spans African diasporic art and philosophy movements such as afrofuturism, afropolitanism and afropessimism. In this conversation, Dr. Osei offers an insightful glimpse into the spaces he has navigated in honing this and his other crafts.
Where to find Osei?
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On YouTube
What’s Osei watching?
First Peoples Documentary
Other topics of interest:
About Trinidad and Tobago
History about Carnivals in the Black Diaspora
The Book of African Names
On Africana Studies
About Liberia’s Edward Wilmot Blyden
About The Black Star Line,
Garveyism, and The Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League
About Ethiopianism
Alex Haley’s Roots
Association of Black Anthropologists
Zora Neale Hurston, Novelist and Anthropologist
About Cheik Anta Diop
About what was to be Akon City
Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael), Debate 1967
About Cultural Theorist Stuart Hall
About Author and Scholar, Paul Gilroy
Martin Bernal and Black Athena
Reggie Rockston and HipLife
About Shatta Wale
What is the Theory of Mind
Black Holes and the Macro Universe
Special Guest: Osei Alleyne.
Greetings Glocal Citizens!
This week on the podcast we have another gift from the Glocal Citizens community. In this two part conversation we meet Dr. Osei Alleyne. A joint PhD in Anthropology and Africana Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and former inaugural postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Experimental Ethnography at Penn, Dr. Osei also holds an MA in Communications from Temple University. A still active internationally touring professional Canadian Hip hop artist and Spoken word poet of Trinidad & Tobago extract, his field research employs a multi-modal ethnography of Reggae, Rastafari, Afrobeat and Hip-hop performance communities and related social justice movements across the African diaspora, with an emphasis on the black Atlantic nexus between Jamaica and Ghana. We recently met while he was in Ghana working on his forthcoming book, Dancehall Diaspora: Rastafari and Rudeness in the African Postcolony, thanks to consumate connector, Muhammida el Muhajir. As Assistant Professor of Media Studies and Production at Temple University, his writing repertoire spans African diasporic art and philosophy movements such as afrofuturism, afropolitanism and afropessimism. In this conversation, Dr. Osei offers an insightful glimpse into the spaces he has navigated in honing this and his other crafts.
Where to find Osei?
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On YouTube
What’s Osei watching?
First Peoples Documentary
Other topics of interest:
About Trinidad and Tobago
History about Carnivals in the Black Diaspora
The Book of African Names
On Africana Studies
About Liberia’s Edward Wilmot Blyden
About The Black Star Line
Garveyism, The Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League
About Ethiopianism
Alex Haley’s Roots
Association of Black Anthropologists
Zora Neale Hurston, Novelist and Anthropologist
About Cheik Anta Diop
About what was to be Akon City
Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael), Debate 1967
About Cultural Theorist Stuart Hall
About Author and Scholar, Paul Gilroy
Martin Bernal and Black Athena
Reggie Rockston and HipLife
About Shatta Wale
What is the Theory of Mind
Black Holes and the Macro Universe
Special Guest: Osei Alleyne.
Greetings Glocal Citizens!
This week’s guest, Tina Mbachu Obodozie first joined me in conversation in 2021, thanks fo the #BWiD Connect Whatsapp group. Since our first chat, she has shifted to a bi-continental lifestyle, based mostly in Nigeria as the new Exectuive Director of the Innovate Africa Foundation, while also managing her business activities in Canada. As a business and sustainable development expert specializing in business design, social impact assessment, and strategy development, her cross-sector career includes technology, natural resources, and the creative economy, where she has led teams, formed partnerships, and built development programs and incubators supporting market-creating innovations. Tina has worked with organizations like DMZ-a Toronto-based tech incubator and global startup ecosystem as well as Plan Canada, securing millions in funding and driving social and economic change. A recognized thought leader and ecosystem builder, she was named The Peak Emerging Leader 2024 in the Entrepreneurship category.
Where to find Tina?
@catalyst Venture
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
What’s Tina reading?
Conjure Women by Afia Atakora
Other topics of interest:
About World Product Day
What is Product Development all about?
More about Innovate Africa Foundation founder, Christian Idiodi
What is a susu?
Republic Day Greetings Glocal Citizens!
This week’s guest is another Glocal Citizens connection. In spring 2024, Amma Gyampo reached out to me me about connecting me with a like mind in education. And that was the beginning of ongoing conversations with Laureen “Laury” Adams. With over 20 years of experience spanning both international and U.S. contexts as a classroom teacher, school leader, coach, designer, and professor, Dr. Laury possesses a unique skill set. This includes shaping innovative curricula, effectively supporting learning communities of all sizes, and coaching leaders to drive impactful change. Her design background informs her expertise in project-based learning approaches, performance assessment, and liberatory praxis. She collaborates with schools and education organizations to design critical, responsive, and loving curricula, assessments, and professional learning opportunities. Laureen is the founder and Executive Director of the Tutu Institute of Education for Liberation. As well as Senior Director of Professinal Learning at ASCD Ghana.
Among her other roles on boards and consulting she is a research Fellow and Adjunct professor at Claremont Graduate University She recently co-authored This Teachable Moment: Engaging Our Kids in the Joy of Learning to support parents and caregivers with providing project-based learning experiences at home. Download your free copy and #listenandlearn more about Laury’s work in session at SXSW EDU 2025.
Today, July 1st, Ghana marks its 65th Republic Day. Our conversation speaks to many of the themes we continue to work to realize as the country sheds its colonial character as a sovereign, free republic with Ghanaians leading and steering our social and economic destiny.
Where to find Laury?
https://www.liberatorylove.com/
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On Facebook
What’s Laury reading?
One Day, Everyone Will Have Been Against This by Omar El Akkad)
Finding Your Leadership Soul by Carlos R. Moreno
What’s Laury watching?
Forever, a new series
Other topics of interest:
About Long Beach, California
NYC Teaching Fellows Program
Envsion Academy Charter School
Teach for America
Sponsors for Educational Opportunities
'Love” in Twi
Greetings Glocal Citizens!
I met this week's guest last month as a fellow AfroTalks 2025 speaker. Our collective charge for the event was to present our ideas about the "how" of Pan-African progress from mindset, to skills development to migration policy and the future of work. While I shared insights from the future of work salon series, our guest this week, David Hutchful participated on a panel discussing skills development. Born in Ghana, David is a passionate technologist, entrepreneur, educator, and design thinking expert dedicated to building tech-driven solutions in emerging markets. With over 25 years of experience in software development, he has led teams to create award-winning innovative platforms that drive business and social impact in Ghana and abroad.
As Co-Founder and CTO of Yemaachi Biotech (YC21), he is working to build the most diverse genomic database to advance precision oncology. Previously, he co-founded Bloom Impact, led technology innovation at Grameen Foundation, and worked at Microsoft Research. His expertise spans Fintech, Health tech, and Biotech, with a focus on leveraging technology for meaningful change--all topics we touch on in our conversation.
Where to find David?
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On Facebook
On YouTube
What’s David watching?
Dept. Q on Netflix
What’s David riding and a few motorcycle clubs in Accra:
Yamaha XSR900
Ultimate Riders MC
Hotwheels Ghana MC
Biker Girls GH
Other topics of interest:
Apam, Ghana
Adukrom, Ghana
About Abelempke, Accra
What is the Africa Rising Movement about?
About Ahaspora
Why did nurses and midwives in Ghana go on strike?
Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) in Ghana
About Kasapreko
About WACCBIP - West African Centre for Cell Biology and Infectious Pathogens
GDPR - General Data Protection Regulation
+233 Jazz Bar and Grill
Empire of AI by Karen Hao
Special Guest: David Hutchful.
Greetings from East Africa Glocal Citizens!
Well, kind of…this conversation was recorded last weekend from Nairobi on the eve of Father’s Day and a day after the opening of my guest, Michael Soi’s current joint exhibition, The Print Press an exhibit of woodcut prints by various Nairobi based artist at the Alliance Francaise Nairobi 13th June to the 29th of June. I met Michael in his studio at The Go Down Art Centre when I first visited Nairobi in February and after an inspired conversation I wanted to be sure to share his story here. As you’ll hear, he has been working in Nairobi since 1995 after completion of his fine art and art history studies. His distinctive work is inspired by contemporary life in Nairobi providing a photographic diary of Nairobi and is a satirical commentary of social, economic and political trends. His work explores relationships – intergenerational, interracial or generally what he calls the economics of love, commercial sex work and popular culture within the context of globalization & consumerism. A wonderful aspect of Michael’s visual storytelling craft is that he’s figured out the hacks that make his art accessible on many levels from the curious observer to the serious collector. Listen and learn more!
Where to find Michael?
On Artsy
On Instagram
On Facebook
What’s Michael watching?
About Planetary Parades or Syzygy
Other topics of interest:
About Machakos, Kenya
About Ancent Soi and the 1972 Munich Olympics
About the Kuona Trust Residencies
National Museums of Kenya
About [Kenya’s second President Daniel arap Moi
Special Guest: Michael Soi.
Greetings Glocal Citizens!
We’re picking up more momentum toward African progress sharing the stories of dynamic diasporans making impact in the reparatory justice space. On the eve of Africa Day, I attended the premier screening of Omitted, a short film exploring reparatory justice and the legacies of colonialism by Lavinya Stennett, founder of The Black Curriculum. Raised in the UK with Jamaican roots, she founded The Black Curriculum in 2019 at age 22 shortly after finishing her studies at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) which included a study abroad program in New Zealand. Her learning and experience with indigenous communities in New Zealand joined with her activism as a student at SOAS are the framework for the craft of truthtelling that is at the core of The Black Curriculum.
Believing in the power of education, social impact and youth social entrepreneurship, her work has been recognised globally from Vogue and GQ to the historic Freedom of the City of London Award in 2024. She also has written on social and cultural themes throughout the African diaspora for outlets including the Guardian, Black Ballad, Quartz Africa.
Expanding her entrpreneurship journey, in 2024 Lavinya co-founded the Racial Impact Collective, an initiative supporting social entrepreneurs and seeking equity in the grant making world. The future is brighter with knowing that there is a generation fo social innovators with creative talents like Lavinya committed to justice for marginalized peoples.
Where to find Lavinya?
https://www.lavinyastennett.co.uk
TheBlackCurriculum.com
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On Facebook
On YouTube
What’s Lavinaya reading?
Material World by Ed Conway
Free: Coming of Age at the End of History by Lea Ypi
Other topics of interest:
Portland and Saint Thomas, Jamaica
Barbados and the Welcome Stamp Visa - Note: the capital is Bridgetown, not Christ Church
The SOAS Walter Rodney Prize
Dream New Scholarship
Univrsity of Waikato
About the Treaty of Waitangi and the latest on the [protest haka in the New Zealand’s Parliament seen around the globe](linkhttps://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/5/new-zealand-parliament-suspends-maori-mps-who-performed-protest-haka)
About Omitted production partner, Transmission
About Peace First
Special Guest: Lavinya Stennett.
Greetings Glocal Citizens!
As we hit the halfway mark on 2025 our treat this week is a thought-provoking conversation with Wana Udobang, a multifaceted writer, poet, performer, curator, and storyteller based in Lagos, Nigeria. I met Wana last year during the Pa Gya! Literary Festival in Accra where she faciliated her own unique writing workshop - “Comfort Food” a storytelling and poetry workshop that uses food as a conduit to explore memories, history, joy, and healing which was born out of her culinary quality time during the pandemic. In this lively conversation we cover Wana's extensive body of work which encompasses her journey of becoming a creative professional in Nigeria, her spoken word albums and how she has honed her craft building a framework for entrepreneurship using various storytelling platforms.
Where to find Wana?
wanaudobang.com
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On YouTube
What’s Wana reading?
Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun](https://sarahladipomanyika.com/work/like-a-mule-bringing-ice-cream-to-the-sun-book.html) by Sarah Lipado Manyika
All Fours by Miranda July
The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
What’s Wana watching?
Conclave
The Substance
What’s Wana listening to?
Florence and the Machine
Other topics of interest:
About the Ibibio people of Nigeria
Def Poetry Jam
About Nnedi Okorafor and Akata Warrior as seen in the new Forever series on Netflix
Special Guest: Wana Udobang.
Greetings Glocal Citizens!
This week we have another flashback forward episode with experienced television host, reporter, producer, public speaker, published writer, and returning guest, Ivy Prosper. Since leaving her role working with the Ghana Tourism Authority she’s laser focused on her creative media company, Prosper Creative Group, which produces content, consults with clients and supports projects in the creative industries. As an advocate for empowering women and girls, she’s been outspoken on issues regarding self-esteem, positive body image and gender equality; she recently launched The Ivy Prosper Show as a platform dedicated to telling these stories.
Where to find Ivy?
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On YouTube
On Facebook
On Pintrest
Listen to Ivy on Farm Radio International’s Nature Answers
Get your copy of Ivy’s book Your Essential Guide to Moving to Ghana
Other topics of interest:
Tema at the Center of the Earth
Maternal Health Channel Founder Kwesi Owusu
About St. Catharine’s and the Underground Railroad
About Sambra City
About Gated Housing Estates in Ghana
Special Guest: Ivy Prosper.
Greetings Glocal Citizens!
This week Hélène Himmer, a French national with roots in the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, now based in Portugal joins me in conversation about her current work at African Futures Lab (AfaLab) leading a project on climate reparations. I met Hélène last November at FORGE: Harnessing Creative Arts for Reparatory Justice, a convening of artists, media, cultural workers, civil society, and government leaders across Africa, Europe and the U.S. to further the movement for reparations. The event took place in Accra, Ghana and featured Glocal Citizens Esther Armah, Makmid Kamara, and Nyamal Tutdeal as facilitators. In addition to meeting so many dynamic diasporans I was introduced to organizations like AfaLab, an international non-profit organization supporting racial justice movements in Europe and Africa through conducting research and developing policy and legal strategies to empower civil society actors and public and private institutions in their fight for justice and reparations. Currently the Policy and Advocacy Officer at AfaLab, Hélène is a committed activist and professional with a diverse background in human rights law, corporate social responsibility and international development.
Her activism began in her early teens with a youth organization focused on education, youth rights and inclusion. She then spent several years working for racial justice in France. Moving to the corporate sector, Hélène worked in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in start-ups and technology companies. However, her passion for social impact led her to international organizations where she specialized in advocacy, project management and partnerships. Her work has focused on climate justice, peacebuilding, anti-corruption, women's empowerment, youth cooperation and inclusive societies across Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and the MENA region.
Where to find Hélène?
AfaLab Policy Paper "Unlocking Climate Reparations: Key Obstacles in the Emergence of a Climate Reparations Framework"
Listen in on AfaLab’s Season 3 Podcast Future Perfect | futur antérieur on Climate Reparations
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
What’s Hélène reading?
REDD-Monitor
Other topics of interest:
[Brittany, France](linkhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brittany)
A bit about Guadeloupe
Who is Dr. Farhana Sultana?
About the Loss and Damage Fund
Center for International Environmental Law
Special Guest: Hélène Himmer.
Greetings Glocal Citizens!
This week’s guest is a dynamic activist that I had the pleasure of working with while distibuting a documentary (see other topics of interest) featuring the work that has become his origin story in the world of Pan-African development. Hamzat “Hamzy!” Lawal is a global citizen, community organizer, an award-winning advocate and humanitarian who has successfully led grassroots campaigns in over 40 African countries. He specializes in practical issues associated with climate change, open data, advocacy and development policies affecting rural and deprived communities. He is the Founder of Follow The Money, a home-grown, Pan-African grassroots, data-driven initiative currently in 10 African countries. As the Chief Executive of Connected Development (CODE), an organization he also founded, CODE won the ONE Africa 2016 Award recognizing, rewards, and advances the exceptional work of African organizations; dedicated to helping the continent achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
When he is not social entrpreneuring, Hamzy sits on the Executive Board of the largest Youth Movement in Africa: African Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYICC), and has joined his voice on different platforms and policy influencing coalitions across Africa such as the Not Too Young To Run movement which drives youth political inclusion. And also serves as an Education Champion with the Malala Fund, organization working for a world where all girls can learn for 12 years and lead without fear.
This is definitely a listening and learning opportunity with wonderful insights into the work of empowering the youth that are poised to lead the Continent.
Where to find Hamzy?
On LinkedIn
On Facebook
On Instagram
What’s Hamzy reading?
Love Does not Win Elections by Glocal Citizen Ayisha Osori
Other topics of interest:
The documentary that started it all Perspective
About Kogi State, Nigeria and the Ebira people
About #SaveBagega
Another side of Bauchi State
Special Guest: Hamzat Lawal.
Greetings Glocal Citizens!
This week returning guest, Yasmina Fagbemi, is flashing forward with us with an update on her latest projects and evolving glocal citizenship. Having emigrated to the United States in the 1990s, she began her career in marketing with major international corporations. Building on this experience, she developed her network to fuel her passion for cinema. She produced her first documentary, "Bigger Than Africa," a film highlighting Yoruba culture that was featured on Netflix. She went on to develop multiple projects and met Gabriel Souleyka, with whom she founded Tioleja Films to bring original projects to life that contribute to Africa's growing prominence in global cinema. The film "My Soul is a Witness" has been announced in pre-production across global media outlets. Her new feature film, "The Soul of Africa," directed by Gabriel Souleyka, will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this May. As an editor and publisher, she is committed to publishing stories that others don't tell. Be sure to check out her socials for updates on where you can view or read more about African stories that are worth getting to know more about!
Where to find Yasmina?
https://tiolejafilms.com
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On Facebook
On TikTok
What’s Yasmina reading?
Tioleja Titles
What’s Yasmina watching?
Sinners
Other topics of interest:
Le Festival des Divinités Noires
About Lomé, Togo
About Aného, Togo
About Abrahamic Religions
Pavillon Afrique @ Cannes
More about the persecution of Blacks in the Nazi camp system
More about Joy-Ann Reid
Special Guest: Yasmina Edwards.
Greetings Glocal Citizens!
This week on the podcast, after the inspiring conversation in our last episode with Wesley Watkins about The Jazz & Democracy Project and more, I couldn’t resist giong back into the GC archives for an encore presentation of my conversation with Maestro Wynton Marsalis. We recorded this conversation when the podcast was just a toddler, back in the days when we were just “doing something” and not yet “manifesting a new world.” It was also on the eve of the 2020 election, however, like so many of our conversations the topics and insights remain evergreen. How far we’ve come and continue to carry on!
Check out the original show notes for more on his bio and topics of interest.
Where to find Wynton?
www.wyntonmarsalis.org
The Jazz @ Lincoln Center Orchestra
On YouTube
On Facebook
On Instagram
On Spotify
What’s Wynton reading?
American Founders: How People of African Descent Established Freedom in the New World] (link http://americanfoundersbook.com) by Christina Proenza-Coles
Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" by Zora Neale Hurston
Special Guest: Wynton Marsalis.
Greetings Glocal Citizens!
This week’s conversation comes in two parts. Like it’s geographical spread, northern hemisphere to southern hemisphere, think of this two part discussion as a way of engaging both hemispheres of your brain--the creative and the analytic. My guest is fellow Stanford alum and founder of The Jazz & Democracy Project® (J&D), Wesley “Dr. Wes” J. Watkins. After several years working in the education sector, Dr. Wes launched the program in November 2009 at Rosa Parks Elementary School, located in San Francisco's historic Fillmore District. J&D is a music integrated curriculum that utilizes jazz as a metaphor to bring democracy to life, enrich the study and teaching of history, government, civics and culture, and inspire youth to become active, positive contributors to their communities. He first proposed the curriculum as part of his undergraduate honors program at Stanford’s School of Education and later conducted research for his undergraduate honors thesis at Oxford University where he engaged and learned from music educators at both local elementary schools and world renowned secondary institutions. Now based in Sydney, Australia, J&D has traveled to countries all over the world and, in these times of global social transition, Dr. Wes anticipates continued opportunities to feature and further innovate using tools that will leave lasting impact on the ways that youth and educators approach building and living in their communities and beyond.
Where to find Wesley?
On LinkedIn
On Facebook
On Instagram
On YouTube
Who’s Wesley listening to?
Joseph Solomon
Other topics of interest:
Activist Oakland, CA
Northern Beaches, Sydney Lifestyle
United States Studies Center
Crikey! or Kriky!
Flat White vs Latte
Geechi Taylor
Find Rachelle Farrell, Meshell N’Degeocello, on J&D
Ledisi
Christian McBride
Betty Carter + Ray Charles
Episode 47 featuring Wynton Marsalis
Jazz for Young People @ Lincoln Center
Check out the Chris Botti SF Show
About Robert, Bobby and Madison McFerrin
Special Guest: Wesley J. Watkins.
Greetings Glocal Citizens!
This week’s conversation comes in two parts. Like it’s geographical spread, northern hemisphere to southern hemisphere, think of this two part discussion as a way of engaging both hemispheres of your brain--the creative and the analytic. My guest is fellow Stanford alum and founder of The Jazz & Democracy Project® (J&D), Wesley “Dr. Wes” J. Watkins. After several years working in the education sector, Dr. Wes launched the program in November 2009 at Rosa Parks Elementary School, located in San Francisco's historic Fillmore District. J&D is a music integrated curriculum that utilizes jazz as a metaphor to bring democracy to life, enrich the study and teaching of history, government, civics and culture, and inspire youth to become active, positive contributors to their communities. He first proposed the curriculum as part of his undergraduate honors program at Stanford’s School of Education and later conducted research for his undergraduate honors thesis at Oxford University where he engaged and learned from music educators at both local elementary schools and world renowned secondary institutions. Now based in Sydney, Australia, J&D has traveled to countries all over the world and, in these times of global social transition, Dr. Wes anticipates continued opportunities to feature and further innovate using tools that will leave lasting impact on the ways that youth and educators approach building and living in their communities and beyond.
Where to find Wesley?
On LinkedIn
On Facebook
On Instagram
On YouTube
Who’s Wesley listening to?
Joseph Solomon
Other topics of interest:
Activist Oakland, CA
Northern Beaches, Sydney Lifestyle
United States Studies Center
Crikey! or Kriky!
Flat White vs Latte
Geechi Taylor
Find Rachelle Farrell, Meshell N’Degeocello, on J&D
Ledisi
Christian McBride
Betty Carter + Ray Charles
Episode 47 featuring Wynton Marsalis
Jazz for Young People @ Lincoln Center
Check out the Chris Botti SF Show
About Robert, Bobby and Madison McFerrin
Special Guest: Wesley J. Watkins.
Greetings Glocal Citizens!
On this first day of April, we are trying to fool you, but just slightly. Though herstories month has just ended, we have the treat of catching up with one of featured voices from last week’s compilation episode. Returning with an update on Fourth Phase which was in the launch phase when last we caught up in 2020, is co-founder Nana Eyeson-Akiwowo. Nana is a dedicated social entrepreneur and humanitarian with a strong commitment to advocating for accessible healthcare for under-resourced women, children, and families. As the co-founder of Fourth Phase, she focuses on operations and our giving back program. She also founded non-profit, African Health Now (AHN), which is dedicated to providing vital health information and services across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Prior moving into entrepreneurship, Nana had a successful background in media, having worked with prominent titles such as Honey, Suede, and Essence. And also held positions at the Clinton Global Initiative Foundation and New York Mission Society. Her philanthropic efforts have been recognized globally. In 2017, she received the prestigious title of Humanitarian of the Year from the National Council of Ghanaian Associations, recognizing her impactful contributions. She was acknowledged with a New York State Senate Proclamation acknowledging her commitment to health advocacy. She has also received the Andrew Heiskell Humanitarian Award by Time Inc.
Catching up with Nana is an absolute delight, between learning all about the business of Fourth Phase to mompreneurship, I think you’ll feel welcomed into a world of innovation in a serious health area with a touch of light-heartedness. In case you missed our previous conversations, links are below.
Where to find Nana?
On Glocal Citizens
On Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/neyeson/)
Fourth Phase on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/fourthphasebox)
Healing After Birth Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/7omQUhHgJPC6o56eApAt1m?si=2d8aeab756fd4a9c)
What’s Nana watching?
The Golden Girls
The Cosby Show
Chicago Fire | PD | Med | Justice
What’s Nana listening to?
Beres Hammond
Other topics of interest:
Fourth Trimester in Websters Dictionary
Dr. Edward Brown in practice
About Dr. Andrew Alexis and his new program Skin of Color Savvy
Where to find Dr. Ama Alexis
About the TOMS model
Special Guest: Nana Eyeson-Akiwowo.
Greetings Glocal Citizens!
Every March since launching the podcast, we dedicate the month to women - it’s our Women's Herstory Month series. Closing out this year’s series are excerpts from conversations over the years with Glocal Citizens working to empower, develop, support and uplift women in Africa and beyond.
We’ll hear social development scholar, author and facilitator, Yaliwe Clarke discussing her craft and how feminism has always been native to her being. Nana Eyeson-Akiwowo shares how her NGO, African Health Now inspired the innovative fourthphase box solving for the unspoken and overlooked needs of women postpartum. Daisry Obal tells us how her work in policy informed and inspired her to build the Oyayone Foundation dedicated to transforming Namibia one mother at a time. With a passion for building solutions that matter, Tiambi Simms, co-founder of social enterprise, SheFarms shares what her guiding question, “How are we going to feed 9.7 billion people by 2050?” means in practice. And Aissata Sidibé N'dia, president and founding member of Yelenba-Women in Action shares how their concrete actions approach has been impactful in supporting African women and girls to help themselves to improve their daily lives. In case you missed the full episodes, check out the links below.
In these monumental times we are traversing, I leave you with these thoughts as you “listenandlearn:
"You are the author of your own story. Write it boldly, rewrite it fearlessly, and inspire others with every chapter."
Where to find Yaliwe?
Episode 214
Where to find Nana?
Episodes 42 and 43
Where to find Daisry?
Episode 134
Where to find Tiambi?
Episode 142
Where to find Aissata?
Episode 59
Special Guests: Aissata Sidibe N’Dia, Daisry Obal, Nana Eyeson-Akiwowo, Tiambi Simms, and Yaliwe Clarke.
