Shows
Divine KonversationsLatinx in Duluth: Finding Belonging and Building Community in the NorthlandWhat does it mean to build belonging in a place where you’ve never seen yourself reflected?For me, this episode wasn’t just another conversation—it was a piece of home. A piece of identity. A reminder that our stories, our families, and our roots are deeply intertwined with the soil we stand on, even when that soil is frozen half the year in northern Minnesota.In this episode, I sat down with two incredible women—Susana Pelayo Woodward and Melisa Gomez Romo—to talk about what it means to be Latinx in Duluth.This...
2025-11-171h 09Divine KonversationsAm I “Black Enough”? Biracial Identity in MinnesotaWhat does it mean to belong when you’re never quite “enough” for either side? Growing up biracial in Minnesota, that question followed us into classrooms, workplaces, and even the most ordinary spaces—like the grocery store or the dentist’s office.In this episode, it’s just the two of us—Tatianna and Tatiana, aka T²—sitting down to have a conversation we haven’t shared much about publicly: what it’s like to be biracial in Duluth, MN. Our stories are different—I grew up in an all-white adoptive family in Superior, while my co-host spent s...
2025-09-1559 minDivine KonversationsLegal kidnapping is real—and it’s happening to our childrenThat’s not an exaggeration. It’s not a headline. It’s the reality that Kelis Houston has been fighting against for over a decade—and in this conversation, she doesn’t hold anything back.Kelis Houston is the Executive Director of Village Arms and Chair of the NAACP’s Child Protection Committee. She’s a policy consultant, advocate, trainer, and—more than anything—a relentless voice for justice. What started as a job at a youth shelter became a life calling after she witnessed firsthand the racial disparities and trauma inflicted by the child protection s...
2025-09-011h 12Divine Konversations“Don’t Be Silenced”: Advocating for Our Children with Special NeedsWhat do you do when the system doesn’t see your child the way you do?As a parent of a Black child with autism, that question isn’t just theoretical—it’s a daily reality. And today’s conversation is one I’ll carry with me for a long time. Mikilia Carroll is a fierce advocate, the founder of Aid for Autism, and most importantly, the mother of three—including her son Logan, who has shaped her life and calling in the most profound ways.This episode wasn’t just informati...
2025-08-2532 minDivine KonversationsIEPs, Bias & Braids: What Schools Need to Understand About Our KidsWhat does advocacy look like when you’re juggling survival, culture, and a complicated system?Sometimes, it looks like showing up. And sometimes, it looks like sending someone in your place—because your child still deserves to be seen.This week on Divine Konversations, I sat down with Jebeh Edmunds—a powerhouse voice in education and cultural consulting, and someone I deeply admire. Jebeh spent 18 years as a classroom teacher and now leads Jebeh Cultural Consulting, where she helps bridge the gap between schools and the BIPOC families they serve...
2025-08-1831 minDivine KonversationsHow CPS Cases Really Start—What Every Black Parent Needs to Know About Child ProtectionWhat does it really take to protect and preserve Black families in a system that was never designed with us in mind?This episode is personal. It’s layered. And it’s needed.We’re talking about what triggers Child Protection cases, how families can advocate for themselves within the system, and the very real harm that comes when biases and bureaucracy collide with Black parenting.ChaQuana is a mother, a grandmother, a wife—and a former social worker who’s worked in our community for years. Her perspective is rare and so necessary...
2025-08-1133 minDivine KonversationsParenting, Protection, and the Power of Showing UpWhat if the system was never built to protect us—but we rose up and did it anyway?There’s a moment in this episode that stopped me in my tracks. We were talking about navigating systems that weren’t designed with us in mind—school systems, child protection services, medical systems—and someone said: “They just have a title. They’re broken people, too.” That stayed with me.Because what do you do when the help you need comes from people who don’t understand your story?You g...
2025-08-041h 16Divine KonversationsFrom Harm to Healing: Why This Podcast MattersWhat if the thing that broke you becomes the very thing you build with?This podcast started from a promise—to my mother, to my daughter, and to every young mom still fighting to be seen.I’m Deyona Kirk, founder of Divine Konnections and host of Divine Konversations. This episode is s story about pain, purpose, and why this work is so personal. I had my first child at 12. I’ve been through foster care, homelessness, and addiction. I know what it’s like to be counted out. And I al...
2025-08-0423 minDivine KonversationsWelcome to Divine KonversationsEpisode 1 and 2 coming August 4th 2025!🙌 Stay Connected + Keep the Conversation GoingWebsite: https://www.divinekonnections.org/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/divinekonnectionsinc/Follow Deyona on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divine_konnections_inc/
2025-08-0100 min
Prophetic Justice PodcastDiscovering the Calling to Serve: Deyona's Inspirational Promise to GodOn this episode of Prophetic Justice, Tatiana and her guest, Deyona, talk about her journey of faith and how it intersects with her personal and professional life. Both share how God is calling them to be more authentic and prioritize Him in her household. Deyona speaks on the importance of self-care and finding balance between work and family. They both reflect on their past mistakes and how God has redeemed them, reminding us that nothing is ever wasted in our lives. Join us to hear more about their inspiring stories of redemption and perseverance. Thanks for listening...
2023-06-0654 min