I am so excited about this conversation with the incredible organizer, writer, and healer, Yolo Akili Robinson. We had a great talk about everything from being an uncle, the healing journey, future books, the authentic self, to the intersection of male privilege, the patriarchy, race, and queerness. I particularly enjoyed how Yolo described his own healing journey and how he created what he needed and then shared it with the world through BEAM, as well as our discussion on what being gender non-conforming means to each of us. We ended with a fruitful talk about the scarcity mentality, and Yolo sharing what he is in the middle of reading! You can also check out Yolo's first book, Dear Universe wherever books are sold and read his essay in the new anthology, You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience, edited by Tarana Burke and Brené Brown.
Guests Bio:
Yolo Akili Robinson is an award winning writer, healing justice worker, yogi and the founder and executive director of BEAM (The Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective). BEAM is a national training, movement building and grant making organization dedicated to the healing, wellness and liberation of Black communities. Yolo has worked primarily in three areas: Batterers intervention/family counseling with Black men and boys, HIV/AIDS, and healing justice/wellness work. In 2018, Yolo was awarded the prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Foundation "Health Equity Award" for his work. He was also featured at the 2020 BET Awards for an "Empowerful spotlight", highlighting his work facilitating the vision of BEAM. His writings and work have appeared on Shondaland, GQ, Women's Health, USA Today, Vice, B.E.T, Huffington Post, Cassius, Ebony, Everyday Feminisms and much more. He is the author of the social justice themed affirmation Book "Dear Universe: Letters of Affirmation & Empowerment for all of us" and a contributor to Tarana Burke and Dr. Brene Brown's anthology "You Are Your Best Thing."
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