On this episode, we're joined by Kui Mwai, journalist, podcaster, and producer. As a writer, Kui covers entertainment, beauty, culture, and health international publications including Well&Good, Blavity, Bustle, Refinery29, ELLE UK, and Cosmo UK. Through her writing, she has been able to open up conversations about identity and culture.

Seeking change to manifest the life she envisioned for herself, Kui moved to Nairobi in September 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this intimate conversation, Kui shares her journey of moving back to Kenya in 2020, the inspiration behind it, and how it has allowed her to explore her Kenyan heritage and uncover deeper meaning in her life. We talk about navigating her own perceptions of identity and discovering how to connect with her Kenyan heritage without being fluent in any of the languages native to Kenya. We talk about finding work-life balance with a bi-coastal career. Kui also shares the Kenya-based beauty brands that she's currently enjoying and her latest entrepreneurial venture creating her beauty brand, Karibu Skin--which she describes as a love letter to Kenya and a celebration of its rich culture through the lens of beauty.   

"I didn’t speak the language, my American accent always caused a laugh riot, and I didn’t know a lot of the music my family listened to. I felt disconnected from my family and myself and was consumed with the things that made me different"

"When the pandemic hit, I decided to take a chance and move to Kenya to explore my roots and find the inspiration I was missing. I was amazed to find that all the missing pieces of my life suddenly came together in Nairobi, and I found a beautiful life and many amazing opportunities."

Connect with Kui Mwai:

Instagram: @kuimwai

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kuimwai/