Shows
No Crystal Stair PodcastUntitled EpisodeIn this special episode of No Crystal Stair Podcast, Habeebah pays tribute to her beloved brother, Hashim Rasheed, by welcoming the first male guest to the show. Habeebah sits down with Archie Green, widely known as The Cope Dealer, a remarkable individual who is a son, mental health advocate, hip-hop artist, and the founder of Peel Dem Layers Back—a non-profit organization with a mission to educate, empower, and equip Black men and boys with the essential tools needed to live mentally healthy lives through healing hang-outs and cultural artistic expression, all while representing the hip-hop culture.Dur...2023-06-2452 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastCutting The Unforgiveness Chord with Kyonna F. BrownIn this episode of No Crystal Stair Podcast, host Habeebah engages in a profound conversation with Kyonna F. Brown, The Forgiveness Expert. Kyonna's inspiring story encompasses multiple roles in her life as a mother of a son, suicide survivor turned advocate, pastor, author, and owner of Pooch Styles pet care salon. Kyonna reveals the mental imprisonment she endured before finding herself behind bars for a challenging four-year period. She opens up about the struggles she faced while desperately seeking the love and acceptance of her absent father. Kyonna shares her transformative journey of forgiveness, which began by extending forgiveness...2023-06-2348 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastFashion, Confidence, and Community: Empowering Tall Women with Tiffany LewisIn this episode, host Habeebah sits down with Tiffany Lewis, a remarkable woman who wears multiple hats: mother of three, community servant, Army Veteran, and the Founder of TJL Collections. Tiffany's brand caters specifically to tall women, providing fashion that combines style, fit, and length.Tiffany opens up about the unique challenges faced by tall women when it comes to self-confidence. She shares her personal journey and how she has navigated through the complexities of embracing her own height. Additionally, Tiffany sheds light on the impact of the pandemic on her business and the wider fashion industry...2023-06-1347 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastHealing the Mothers and DaughtersHabeebah sits down with Alta Felix, a mother of three plus two step-children, mother-daughter relationship expert, and founder of Sacred Heart Circle Experience, a space for mothers and preteen daughters to recreate the terms of their relationship. Alta shares how she overcame the challenges of creating a friendship with her mother and their relationship in the present moment along with how the role of other maternal figures has influenced her calling and purpose. Alta offers listeners the opportunity to engage with their children with love and care, as opposed to through the attitudes and beliefs of others....2023-05-1252 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastBe Independent and Economically FreeHabeebah sits down with Gloria Ware, the mother of a free-thinking adult son and founder of two successful businesses: Get The Bag and GTB Advisors. Gloria shares her personal story of setting boundaries as a working mother, which was a first step toward liberating herself from the limiting beliefs that work life so often demands. She cautions listeners about the cost of holding a scarcity mindset and explains how the path of entrepreneurship opens the door for mothers to exercise choice. Gloria also invites listeners to tap into the rich history of Black women entrepreneurs for inspiration to persevere...2023-04-2550 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastThey Ain't Ready for MeHabeebah sits down with Rabbi Tamar Manasseh, an ordained Rabbi, a mother of two, and founder of MASK (Mothers and Men Against Senseless Killings), an organization focused on interrupting violence and crime by building a sense of community and shared responsibility that teaches children to grow up as friends rather than enemies.Rabbi Tamar shares that as a Jewish person of faith and Black mother she is uniquely positioned to act in response to the difficulties facing the Black community by responding to the command to leave the world a better place than she found it. She a...2023-04-1147 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastAdvocacy Ain't EasyHabeebah sits down with Attorney Corey Minor Smith, a mother of two sons, mental health advocate, and author of #Driven, a personal memoir of caregiving for a loved one (her mother) with severe mental illness and the “drive” to propel forward through the obstacles. Corey shares the challenges of mental health advocacy and the importance of boundaries in the relationship with her sons along with her mother. Corey offers listeners her story (both on the show and a physical book) and how she continues to support her mother despite the complex nature of their relationship as a result of sever...2023-03-2848 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastToday I Am Going to LiveHabeebah sits down with Rennee Hubb Johnson, a mother, grandmother and author as she tells the story of how she went from "bound to found." Rennee shares her experiences after becoming a mother during her teenage years and she describes the challenges she had to overcome in order to find peace and fulfill her purpose as she raised her children and younger sister. Rennee offers listeners her testimony as to how healing her relationship with her mother and growing in her relationship with God helped her overcome self-doubt, thoughts of suicide, and the limiting beliefs that others tried to...2023-03-1441 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastCreate Your Own BeautyHabeebah sits down with Carleeka Basnight-Menendez, a mother to two sons and international consultant, speaker and author who offers her wisdom on navigating menopause and the many physical, emotional, and psychological changes that accompany this period of women's development. Carleeka encourages listeners to remember that they are are the experts when it comes to their bodies and minds and she urges women to define beauty for themselves, especially during this time. She also invites listeners to cultivate healthy habits to support being our best selves.Listeners can find Carleeka at https://carleeka.com/ and on social media...2023-02-2747 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastBuilding Our Capacity to Advocate for Our ChildrenHabeebah sits down with Trina Jones, a mother of three, who is using her personal knowledge of special education to assist parents and caregivers who need help navigating the public eduction system when their children have unique learning needs. Trina shares the story of building her own, and her children's advocacy skills so that both her children, and especially her daughter would get the support they needed. She also shares practical strategies parents and caregivers can use engage their children's teachers and create a dialogue that makes it possible for our kids to be seen, understood and supported.2023-02-1446 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastNobody Has to Walk AloneHabeebah sits down with Rachel Socorro, a SurThriver and mother to two sons as she shares her powerful story of overcoming. Rachel describes how she survived human trafficking, began her healing journey and helped her sons to heal, and ultimately began to live a life of faith and service. Rachel also shares her passion for supporting other people to achieve wellness. She is a sits on the Survivor Advisory Council of The Greater Cleveland Collaborative To End Human Trafficking and is the founder and director of a nonprofit organization, Total Life Wellness, that focuses on guiding, advocating, and facilitating h...2023-01-3148 minNo Crystal Stair Podcast"Let's Get Prepared Today"Habeebah sits down with Kori E. Whisenant a mother to two boys and licensed attorney in the State of Ohio who has spent her career in the fields of Estate Planning, Probate Administration, and Guardianship. She shares her passion and urgency for Black mothers to prepare for the unanticipated as well as the inevitable through legal estate planning and protection.Listeners can learn more about estate planning and probate administration or sign up for Kori's newsletter and events by way of her website https://www.kwhisenantlaw.com/resources-and-events. Kori can be found on Instagram at...2023-01-1748 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastBlack Motherhood Moments That Moved Us in 2022 Part 2Donnella Jefferson and Erica Merritt return to No Crystal Stair Podcast to help Habeebah count down the Black motherhood moments that inspired them most in 2022. (Part 2 of 2)https://www.instagram.com/nocrystalstairpodcast/https://twitter.com/nocrystalstrpod2022-12-3137 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastBlack Motherhood Moments That Moved Us in 2022 Part 1Donnella Jefferson and Erica Merritt return to No Crystal Stair Podcast to help Habeebah count down the Black motherhood moments that inspired them most in 2022.https://www.instagram.com/nocrystalstairpodcast/https://twitter.com/nocrystalstrpod2022-12-311h 34No Crystal Stair PodcastAbundance through Inner Work and IntentionHabeebah sits down with De'iona Monay, a mother and entrepreneur who is using and sharing her knowledge of critical financial skills in service to the economic well-being of teens and adults. De'iona describes how doing inner work has helped her overcome limiting beliefs and she shares how being intentional in relationship to her businesses and to herself, her own mother, and her son has helped her find peace and build a life that allows her to experience success and to help others.Learn more about De'iona at www.deionamonay.com and support her work of building young...2022-12-2744 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastLocking Arms to #HelpUsFindUsHabeebah sits down with Derrica and Natalie Wilson who are mothers, sisters-in-law, and founders of Black and Missing Foundation, a transformational organization bringing national attention to the plight of Black families whose loved ones are missing. Derrica and Natalie share what inspired them to create an organization dedicated to making sure that when Black children, adolescents, and adults are missing, their cases receive adequate resources from law enforcement and attention from local and national media in order to "help us find us." Listeners are encouraged to watch the award winning documentary series, Black and Missing, on HBO to learn mo...2022-12-1343 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastRemembering Who We AreHabeebah sits down with Phyllis "Seven" Harris, a fierce advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and transformational non-profit leader. Seven has over 25 years of non-profit experience and is the executive director of the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland. She is also the co-founder of Sage and Maven, a consulting business that specializes in equity and inclusion, social justice, non-profit management, and leadership development. Seven offers listeners an intersectional perspective as she shares her experiences in leadership and advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community and talks about how she sustains the capacity to do the work that the community needs. She also...2022-11-2942 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastAnswering the CallHabeebah sits down with author, personal growth coach, and consultant, Carmen Hall, to discuss her work and experiences as she stepped fully into her purpose, navigating uncertainty and discomfort but guided by God, to respond to her calling to use her gift of writing to empower others. She candidly shares how mothering her three sons and two daughters influences and is influenced by her work in the mental health wellness space. And she helps listeners understand the depth of healing that Black mothers are seeking given the societal factors that have caused trauma and harm. Listeners can f...2022-11-0943 min
Groove with PortiaThe Present within Being PresentOn this episode of Groove with Portia, I am joined by Habeebah Rasheed Grimes, CEO of PEP. Tune into our discussion to hear how Habeebah remains present during each moment of her day along with the importance of healing our inner child. Habeebah sheds light on how she began her podcast “No Crystal Stair” and what she enjoys the most about motherhood.Connect with Habeebah https://www.habeebahrgrimes.com/2022-11-0257 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastA Servant and SuperheroHabeebah sits down with Marlia Hall whose story of faith and obedience to her calling brought her through a season of despair to the point of fulfilling not only her own dreams, but helping other women to fulfill their dreams as well. Marlia and her team at her consulting agency, M Bryonne LLC, "show women how to obtain daily peace, live in purpose, and have prosperity." Marlia and Habeebah talk about what it takes for Black mothers to change the narrative for ourselves and our children through the development of new habits and ways of being that i...2022-10-1741 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastA Light in the DarkHabeebah sits down with Meryl Johnson, a retired teacher, member of the Ohio Board of Education and a fierce advocate for young people, particularly who are marginalized and facing the most difficult of circumstances. Meryl's life of service and activism is a testimony to the cultural tradition of "othermothers" who nurture and protect children who are not biologically their own. This cultural tradition of people of African descent was first shared with No Crystal Stair Podcast listeners by Dr. Shemariah Arki. Meryl provides listeners a testimony for how meaningful and absolutely essential othermothers are in our community and in...2022-10-0445 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastThat's the Warrior in MeIn this first episode of season 2 of No Crystal Stair Podcast, Habeebah is joined by Michelle Bell, founder of M-PAC Cleveland and co-founder of Together We Rise. Michelle discusses the deep grief she lives with in the aftermath of her son’s murder and how she honors his memory through relying on faith, activism, and love of community. She explores the impact of her son’s death, the pain of knowing his killer has not been brought to justice, and the passion that has been ignited within her to combat gun violence. She also shares about meeting with President Biden...2022-08-2947 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastReflections on Season 1Habeebah shares her reflections on the first season of No Crystal Stair Podcast and what's next for the show.https://www.instagram.com/nocrystalstairpodcast/https://twitter.com/nocrystalstrpod2022-08-2323 minNo Crystal Stair Podcast"Squeeze the paint. Pick up the brush. Swipe. Repeat."In this final conversation of No Crystal Stair Podcast's first season, Habeebah sits down with Lawna Gamble, founder of Willow Cove Art & Wellness Boutique, as she shares her pathway to self-healing and self-acceptance after experiencing debilitating mental and physical health challenges. Lawna describes the ways her son has been a source of wisdom, encouragement and inspiration throughout their relationship, particularly as she does the work to live more fully in her purpose while reclaiming and redefining her professional identity. Throughout this episode, Lawna and Habeebah talk about the harmful impact of transgenerational and racial trauma on Black...2022-08-021h 02No Crystal Stair PodcastAt The Intersection of Motherhood and Shaping ChangeHabeebah sits down with Erica Merritt, founder and principal consultant of Equius Group, as she shares her experience in parenting and providing for her son while completing her undergraduate and graduate education, and ultimately starting a successful business in service to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) in the education and non-profit sectors. She describes the many ways that her work in the DEIB space has been informed by her son's experiences from childhood to adulthood. In this conversation, Erica and Habeebah discuss anti-equity / anti-justice efforts that are sweeping the U.S. in response to the m...2022-05-041h 18No Crystal Stair PodcastA #BlackCommaFeminist PerspectiveHabeebah sits down with @blackcommafeminist Dr. Shemariah J. Arki to talk about how she brings a Black feminist perspective to parenting and the ways that mothering her adolescent sons informs her activism and work. Habeebah and Dr. Arki tap into the power of Black feminist theory as they explore the dynamics of motherhood, lineage, freedom dreaming, and making space for the next generation of Black scholars.This episode was recorded on the ten year anniversary of the murder of Trayvon Martin. We honor his life and his mother, Sybrina Fulton, for her grace, generosity and courageousness as...2022-03-161h 17No Crystal Stair PodcastFrom Promise to PurposeHabeebah sits down with Yvonka M. Hall, Executive Director of The Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition (NEOBHC), as she shares the ancestral and post-traumatic wisdom that inform her life, work and motherhood. Yvonka shares how life-changing loss, clarity of purpose, and connection to the community shape her vision for Black health and well-being. During our conversation, Yvonka encourages listeners to read the Kerner Commission Report, which was released in 1968 and identified institutional racism as the root cause for the despair and destruction plaguing Black urban communities. The recommendations in the Kerner Commission Report remain extremely relevant and u...2022-02-221h 21
Healing Centered ConversationsEpisode 17: Pursuing Healing and Justice with Habeebah Rasheed GrimesLearn more about the Healing Centered Conversations PodcastAbout Habeebah GrimesHabeebah’s Twitter bio reads “Mother | Wife | School Psychologist | Afrofuturist | Shaping Change as CEO of @pepcleveland” Habeebah has a passion for lifting up the kids she serves at Positive Education Program, who have complex mental health needs, largely rooted in complex developmental and transgenerational trauma. Habeebah also is the host of the No Crystal Stair Podcast.Show HighlightsHabeebah Grimes… Afrofuturist, School Psychologist, Change AgentCEO of Positive Education Program (PEP) Clev...2022-02-0536 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastBeloved ReclamationIn the spirit of reflection, remembering and reclamation, Habeebah flips the script and sits down with therapist and founder of Willow Cove Art & Wellness Boutique, Lawna Gamble, to share her own observations, insights and beliefs as it relates to motherhood. Habeebah dedicates this episode to the memory of her brother, Hashim, reclaiming joy and humanity for herself, Hashim, and their family through the sharing of her narrative.No Crystal Stair Podcast believes in and celebrates the healing power of storytelling and personal narrative development. Our founder and host also believes that culturally-centered stories allow the descendants of...2022-01-0948 min
Education SuspendedOur Constellation of CareIn our episode today we sit down with Habeebah Grimes. We consider what would need to change so the system around our teachers promotes routines for us to be well at work. Habeebah shares with us what can happen when the needs outweigh what our system can support and the vulnerabilities that exist for our most marginalized students.
Habeebah Rasheed Grimes has made serving Northeast Ohio’s most vulnerable children her life’s work. She is a speaker, non-profit executive, and creator of No Crystal Stair Podcast. As CEO of Positive Education Program (PEP), Habeebah leads a staf...2021-10-2551 minNo Crystal Stair PodcastNurturing Dreams and Navigating GriefHabeebah sits down with her cousin, Sabrina Michelle Crawford (known to loved ones as Michelle), a school principal and mother to two adult sons. Michelle shares her journey nurturing the dreams and aspirations of her sons while navigating a career in education and grieving her own mother, who passed away while Michelle was in college.During their conversation, Habeebah and Michelle spend some time discussing disparities in school discipline that impact Black students. According to data from the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, Black students are more than twice as likely to be su...2021-09-261h 30