Daughter of American converts to Islam, Umm Zakiyyah is the internationally acclaimed author of the If I Should Speak trilogy and the novels Realities of Submission and Hearts We Lost.  Her novels have been used in universities in America and abroad including Indiana University-Bloomington, Howard University, University of D.C. and Prince Sultan University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. She writes about the interfaith struggles of Muslims and Christians, and the intercultural, spiritual, and moral struggles of Muslims in America. Umm Zakiyyah’s work has earned praise from writers, professors, and filmmakers and has been translated into multiple languages. Currently, her first novel If I Should Speak is being contracted for a movie. In 2008, Umm Zakiyyah was awarded the Muslim Girls Unity Conference Distinguished Authors Award. Umm Zakiyyah also writes under her birth name Ruby Moore.    Website: ummzakiyyah.com or themuslimauthor.com Facebook: facebook.com/ummzakiyyahpage Twitter: twitter.com/uzreflections YouTube: youtube.com/uzreflections The following music was heard in this episode: Deborah Bond - Say It Laura Mvula - Green Garden

In this episode, Kat chats with soul singer, Wayna (@waynamusic).  To check out more music from Wayna, head over to her Soundcloud page.    The following music was heard in this episode: Maimouna Youssef - We're Already Royal Laura Mvula - Green Garden Wayna - Amazing

In this episode, Kat chats with Amina Carter (@womansphere), CaShawn Thompson (@thepbg), Christine Johnson (@ChristineCelise) and Karen Parker (@LFAWorks) about 2013 stories, lessons and insights. 

Kat is back with another episode of More Music Wednesdays. Check out the tracks featured in this episode:   Quadron - [un]Average Fruit (Ahmed SirourRemix) Dezeray Dawn -Chameleon (Applejac's Sounds of Mecca Remix) Massé - Blick Bassey (DJ Stylus Sol Power Edit) Kenny Wesley - Feels Good Christiana Essien - Black Ladies Are Funky Ladies Amel Larrieux - A Million Sapphires Wayna - Echo Daniel Crawford - Summer Breeze B.J. Smith - Umi Says Deborah Jordan - You Could Be Here Julie Dexter - New Again (Mig's Steppers C)

In this episode, Kat chats with Renina Jarmon, author of "Black Girls Are From the Future: Essays on Race, Digital Creativity and Pop Culture."  Want to learn more about Renina? Follow her on Twitter  Check out her blog, New Model Minority    The following music was featured in this episode: All Cows Eat Grass - Daydream Eric Roberson - Mr. Nice Guy Carolyn Malachi - Orion

Here's another great set of music curated by Kat! The following songs were played in this episode: Chris Dave and the Drumhedz - Cosmic Slop Daniel Crawford - Dillafornia 4 Mix Zo! feat. Carlitta Durand and 1 O.A.K. - New in Town (Happy) Kenny Wesley - The Real Thing Asheru feat. Funk Ark and Sitali - Funky DC Joy Jones - Tell Me How (Applejac's Big Drums retouch) Wayna - Echo Quadron - [un]Average Fruit (Ahmed Sirour Remix) Janelle Monaé feat. Esperanza Spaulding - Dorothy Dandridge Eyes Wayna - Send it Away Dezeray Dawn - Chameleon (Applejac's Sounds of Mecca Remix)

*due to technical difficulties some portions of this podcast have been edited from the recording. Dezaray Dawn is an exciting new artist on the future soul scene, possessing a voice, which resonates with a wealth of bothemotion and experience. Combine that with the solid rhythms of bass and percussion and futuristic sounds of electronica, and you have one the most talented young artists of future soul.  Want to learn more about Dezaray Dawn? Check out her bandcamp page Follow Dezaray Dawn on Twitter

The following music was featured in this episode:   Positive Flow- Children of the Sun feat. Heidi Vogel Dezeray Dawn - Over It Fat Freddy's Drop - Clean the House Janelle Monàe - Dorothy Dandridge Eyes (feat. Esperanza Spaulding) Blick Bassey - Massé (DJ Stylus Sol Power Edit) Reel People feat. Tony Momrelle - Golden Lady J Dilla - Sounds Like Love (Instrumental) Frank Ocean feat. Andre 3000 - Pink Matter (Boddhi Satva Ancestral Soul Remix) Erykah Badu - 20 Feet Tall (Yoruba Soul Mix)  Positive Force- Phaedra's Flight Quadron + Ahmed Sirour - [un]Average Fruit (Ahmed Sirour Remix) Tiny Hearts- Snowcold The Foreign Exchange - Daykeeper (Instrumental)

Toronto born Nigerian Singer-Songwriter Artist TolumiDE is the Entertainment Director for FestAfrica – The largest African Festival hosted in Maryland (FestAfricaUSA.com) and a Art Director for her Graphic Design & Marketing company (tolumide.com) Connect with TolumiDE Learn more about FestAfrica. Follow FestAfrica on Twitter   The following music was heard in this episode:   Jose James - Trouble James Blake - Retrograde Chris Dave - Just The Thought Christiana Essien - Black Ladies Are Funky Ladies Moonchild - Back To Me Dare - Higher

Beatrice a former Marine and entrepreneur since 2008. After making candles and room sprays for a few years, her friends and family all wanted to know why she was keeping them hidden from the world! Kat talks with Bea about he growing company and what it means to be an entrepreneur. Get in touch with Bea! website url : www.senteurexotics.com facebook: https://www.facebook.com/senteurbrands Twitter: @senteurexotics

R. Kayeen Thomas is an author, poet, playwright, hip-hop artist, journalist, and social justice advocate. He self-published his first book, Light: Stories of Urban Resurrection, during his junior year at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. His novel, Antebellum, has garnered praise from such notables as Dr. Michael Eric Dyson and received acclaim from numerous publications, including Publishers Weekly. Most-recently, Thomas was nominated for a 2013 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Debut Author. His third novel, The Seven Days, was released on April 16, available everywhere books are sold. Thomas resides in Washington, D.C., with his wife and daughter. Want to get in touch with R. Kayeen Thomas?  Contact Natasha T. Brown, M.S. of Think Brown Ink 

Lisa Martin has over 10 years of experience working with arts and cultural events primarily in the Nation’s Capital, including the Smithsonian Folklife Festival as well as a wide variety of embassy events. The executive director of the Silver Spring Town Center, Lisa Martin joins Kat to discuss the importance of community spaces and the effect of public art.

Christine Johnson is dedicated to diversifying the technology entrepreneurial landscape through a multi-pronged approach which includes community building, education, resources and access to key industry leaders.  Determined to make her vision a reality, Christine combined her entrepreneurial skills and passion for technology to found IamDTech (formerly DiversiTech) in 2010.IamDTech was created in response to an overwhelming outcry for greater depth of inclusion for African-American, Latino, Asian, Middle Eastern, LGBT and Women within the technology entrepreneurship community. IamDTech is one of the fastest growing minority organizations in the country and has been recognized by Washington Business Journal, Black Enterprise, TechCrunch, Silicon Bayou and other publications nationally. Stay in touch with Christine: http://iamdtech.com/ The following music was featured in this episode: Lansana's Priestess - Donald Byrd Broken Samba - 4Hero Oblighetto - J Dilla Ne'a Posey - Spin Me  

When asked, 'Who is DJ Senyo?'    DJ Senyo hails from Ghana but grew up outside of Washington, DC. His earliest memories of being introduced to music are of his dad’s Alpha Blondy, Jimmy Cliff, and Bob Marley records. They are also of taping new wave, alt-rock and grunge off the radio in DC to listen to on vacation in Ghana.  DJ Senyo came up in the rave scene in Montreal, dancing to jungle and he started DJing house and UK garage in 2000. He even worked with the Mighty Soul Champion Crew in Boston in 2002-2003. DJ Senyo has been DJing for over 10 years, always tapping into his cultural heritage, but with a focus towards the future, toward community building, and innovating. Stay in touch with DJ Senyo Like him on Facebook

Shauntrice Art is the creator of NappyQueen.com Art & Apparel. She was born & raised in Louisville, KY and is expecting her first child. She has exhibited her art across the world and has started a blog for rising entrepreneurs and mothers like her. She hopes to fully emerge herself in the independent business this year. Stay in touch with Shauntrice:   Twitter Facebook   The following music was heard in this episode: Smells Like Teen Spirit (Applejac Broken Mix) - Tamara Wellons State of The World - Ne'a Posey Life - Havana

Goldie E. Deane  is a playwright, scholar, artist and teacher of hip-hop culture. As a student of theatre, music, and creative writing for over 20 years, Goldie has gained recognition for her professional work as a spoken word artist and poet, and actor and playwright. Full of humor, heart, and passion she is noted for bridging the generational gap in the hip-hop community. A self-proclaimed "hip-hop womanist", she is mostly known for her work "HERstory: Love Forever, Hip-Hop".  A graduate of Howard University's Theatre Arts Department, Goldie started early at building a community where young women of the hip-hop generation could express their opinions and share their talents. Since 2002 Goldie E Deane, has dedicated much of her energy and work to her organization F.R.E.S.H.H. Inc, Females Representing Every Side of Hip-Hop. F.R.E.S.H.H.  Is a non-profit hip-hop womanist organization that reinforces what is bold resilient powerful and brilliant in black girls.   Stay in touch with Goldie Deane: www.freshhinc.org  www.facebook.com/freshhincorporated www.twitter.com/freshhinc  

As part of the growing scene of artists in Jos, Kahli Abdu started his journey in 1996, becoming part of the group “11:30″, later becoming “Eltophelli” (together with Jesse Jagz, now of Chocolate City Records) in 2006. Kahli then moved to the U.S in 2005 and met with Chief Willis (of Basement Batman) and later with producer Kid Konnect. With the beats they provided, Kahli recorded several songs, which ended up, on his first mixtape “The Grind Theory”. A few years later, he put together his second mixtape “Ministry of Corruption”, and shortly after, he started and compiled his “Rebel Friday” Season 1. Kahli is currently working on several projects including a follow up to his well received project with Kid Konnect: The Bandits EP. Kahli recently released a mixtape titled Band of Rebels, which is available for free at republiqrecords.com. Kahli Abdu is the founder of the Republiq Records label and, under the label, will be looking to progress in the music industry as well as produce, manage and collaborate with other artists. Connect with Kahli Abdu: www.republiqrecords.com Facebook  Twitter

Adrienne, the Soul Power Coach™ is a Speaker and Coach for highly creativeproblems solvers and entrepreneurs who struggle with procrastination, doubts,fears, over-thinking, good excuses, and stubbornness. Adrienne knows exactlyhow to confidentially coach Helpers who get overwhelmed being there foreveryone else, but are uncomfortable being helped. The Soul Power Coach™has practical tools for the accomplished, respected, workaholic feeling isolatedand frustrated because the people around them are behaving badly, or theyjust want life to be more fun. Clients come to the Soul Power Coach™ needingmore focus, organization, consistency, and courage to move even the mostimpossible obstacles out of the way and feel more unspeakable joy. Adriennehas several ways to work herself out of a job by showing clients how to accesstheir own Soul Power immediately and more consistently. Learn more and get$275 of do-it-yourself coaching tools free at soulpowercoach.com Stay in touch with Adrienne: www.soulpowercoach.com Follow The Soul Power Coach on Twitter

Bill grew up on a dairy farm in central Minnesota near a small town, Princeton. After completing hisundergraduate degree in accounting from St. Cloud State University in 1985, he worked for Coopersand Lybrand in Minneapolis as an auditor for three years. He then left Coopers and Lybrand toobtain and MBA in Finance from Indiana University. After he graduated from Indiana University,he worked for 3M Company in the Finance organization for 17 years in various locations – St Paul,Minnesota; Austin, Texas; Bangalore, India; and Atlanta, Georgia. Then Bill joined the Peace Corpsin his 40s as a Community Development Volunteer in Albania. His first book called Follow MyDream is a collection of his monthly email letters to family and friends during the two years he wasa Peace Corps Volunteer. He now works as a Finance Manager with the American Red Cross inWashington, DC. Purchase his book here Like William Trunk on Facebook   The following music was heard in this episode: Let's Get High - Louie Vega EOL Remix Be Kool - All Cows Eat Grass I'm Not Giving Up - All Cows Eat Grass

In this episode, Kat chats with The LSP Writers about some of their favorite holiday picks!  Follow our LSP writers on Twitter: Shonda Goward: @Slg_on_kellyst  Sharon Cyrus: @silentstylist Sharon Burton: @TheArtinista  Keya Mayesha: @KeyaMaeesha     The following music was heard in this episode: Dzihan & Kamien - DabudeiDam Funk - Don't Give UpJazzy Jeff & Ayah - TelephoneSouphonic Soundsystem - Mr. SparkleWaajeed - Big CityIllvibe - Indigo ChildYesterday's New Quintet - Life's Angels