It’s been 26 years since Melonee was last in San Francisco, but this time she talks about the full circle experience of being a fellow with The Peace Studio and beginning her training as a creative peacebuilder. How do you go from unhoused teen to hosting a podcast with a friend you met in college? There are people you meet along the way that can change your life for the better.

OTPW Friends welcomes thee Vrita Delaine who was the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs at The University of Southern Mississippi (TO THE TOP!). Guess who cried first? What does it mean to give someone their flowers? Can leadership be ordained? Could you hold down your career while living apart from your husband for 16 years? This is a discussion on the accidental mentors of our life who can change our trajectory in a heartbeat. We still have plenty of questions for Mrs. Vrita because her daddy also spoke 3 languages!! She’s just a little Black girl from Choctaw County, Alabama who grew up to be a graceful and respected African American lady who is in “her bag” literally.

Leave us voicemail cuz we’d love to hear what you think of the show OR if you have a question that you’d like for us to discuss on that show, that would be dope too. But for real tho, whatchu bout to do?

Here’s a good read: Mentoring While Black & FemaleThe Gendered Literacy Phenomenon of Black Women Mentors by Juanita Johnson-Bailey (The University of Georgia), Tennille Lasker-Scott Thei (University of Georgia), and Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz (Teachers College)