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She's So LuckyObserve Where You Are [YOU Better! Podcast]We’re warming things back up! New episodes of Balanced Black Girl are coming soon, but in the meantime we’re revisiting some inspiring conversations you need to hear.Tune into this episode I had the opportunity to guest on for the YOU Better! podcast hosted by Kiesha Garrison. YOU Better! is a weekly conversation with personal development speaker and facilitator Kiesha Garrison. The podcast is all about self-discovery that considers what we are really up against in society.In this episode, we talk about the self-development trap – this seemingly endless pursuit of things we can fi...2023-09-1253 minShe's So LuckyObserve Where You Are [YOU Better! Podcast]We’re warming things back up! New episodes of Balanced Black Girl are coming soon, but in the meantime we’re revisiting some inspiring conversations you need to hear.Tune into this episode I had the opportunity to guest on for the YOU Better! podcast hosted by Kiesha Garrison. YOU Better! is a weekly conversation with personal development speaker and facilitator Kiesha Garrison. The podcast is all about self-discovery that considers what we are really up against in society.In this episode, we talk about the self-development trap – this seemingly endless pursuit of things we can fi...2023-09-1253 min
YOU Better!Season Two ReflectionsIt’s the end of season two of You Better! This episode features a compilation of Kiesha's reflections, questions, and conversations with this season’s guests.If you’ve listened to season two, enjoy returning to the most powerful moments from these episodes. And if you’re tuning in for the first time, let this compilation point you to some must-listen episodes for your podcast queue.Make sure you listen to the end of the episode to hear about her new project Hey, Black Seattle! Episode Resources:Hey, Black Seattle!Contact...2023-07-1534 min
YOU Better!Rise Together with Rhonda Joy McLeanIn this inspiring final interview of the season, Kiesha talks with Rhonda Joy McLean, a celebrated attorney, entrepreneur, leadership consultant, and co-author of The Little Black Book of Success.Rhonda shares her family heritage and pivotal life lessons, including her experience of integrating a school at age thirteen in the Jim Crow South.Kiesha and Rhonda also discuss high achievement, depression, and mental health — making this episode a must-listen for anyone wondering how successful individuals prioritize their mental and emotional well-being.Rhonda is a phenomenal human who offers her wisdom with an open he...2023-07-0855 min
YOU Better!Pay Attention to Your Impact with Dr. Lauri ConnerIn this moving and thought-provoking interview, Kiesha talks with poet and educator Dr. Lauri Conner. Together, they explore the value of personal reflection in shaping character and discuss freer, more open-minded ways to think about education. Dr. Conner also reflects on her young life and shares some vulnerable and difficult lessons she learned, leading to a discussion on the importance of compassion & accountability.Dr. Conner is a Cave Canem fellow whose poems have appeared in Calyx, Seattle Review, and other journals and anthologies. She holds a Ph.D. and an MFA from the University of Washington and ha...2023-07-0143 min
YOU Better!Question Societal Norms with Dr. Amber ThorntonIn this episode, Kiesha is joined by Dr. Amber Thornton, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Default Parenting + Millennial Motherhood Wellness Expert, and the Founder of Balanced Working Mama, where the mission is to support millennial mothers in creating a life of more balance and wellness.It is important that we - for our individual and collective wellbeing - break free from confining social norms and cultural conditioning that don’t serve us. And this is why Dr. Amber is a person I appreciate deeply because that is exactly what she helps people do. Her current teaching is focused on...2023-06-2445 minYOU Better!Learn to Love Your LayersIn this solo episode, Kiesha reflects on why we should love all parts of ourselves and live our layers.She explores a few common ways we lose touch with ourselves. And offers suggestions for returning and reconnecting, time and time again.She also shares an exercise for figuring out when and where you’re denying yourself so you can connect with your ideal self and your most supportive community.Grab some pen and paper, then tune in to learn how to love your layers. And if you want to share anything that comes up...2023-06-1718 min
YOU Better!Find Your Burning Yes with Celine BrozovichAt the height of her career, Celine Brozovich was experiencing severe health issues and fell into a deep depression that pushed her to the edge of her life. After watching her mother battle similar issues with little success, she decided to make matters into her own hands by becoming a Lifestyle Medicine Coach.Celine is the founder of Baykenji Health and the creator of the E.L.M. tree method for improving your Emotional Intelligence, Lifestyle Medicine, and Mindset. She believes in helping people achieve health and happiness through self-acceptance, good nutrition, reconciliation, and movement....2023-06-101h 02
YOU Better!Heal Through Sound with Stephanie Ann BallHave you ever wondered if music could help you heal? In this episode, Kiesha is joined by Stephanie Ann Ball to discuss just that.Stephanie is a professional classical singer who performs in curated concerts across the country, as well as a sound meditation facilitator who holds space for people to hear healing sounds. She is also a Certified Hypnotherapist and Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Mental Emotional Release.Together, they discuss how post-college and mid-Covid anxiety led her to take a non-traditional path in the world of performance and sound. They...2023-06-0347 min
YOU Better!Unleash Your Uniqueness with Bernice YeIn this fun and inspiring episode, Kiesha and Bernice Ye discuss how sometimes we must go against everything we’ve been taught to find the path that fits who we are. Together, they unpack how embracing your unique perspective is a key to a happy life.Bernice is a comedian, first generation Chinese-American, and producer of the multicultural comedy show Fine Imports in Santa Monica, CA. In her journey to living as her true self Bernie has boldly rejected confining cultural norms to take ownership of her path forward. From an intense and demanding Chinese grade school ed...2023-05-2746 min
YOU Better!Process Feedback With CareIn this solo episode, Kiesha reflects on how we can receive and process feedback while staying true to ourselves.She explains why processing feedback requires knowledge of the self and knowledge of the source. And she shares a story about feedback she received after an internship that shows how critical feedback can actually tell us our superpowers.She also reflects on the messiness of feedback, including how some people will give you feedback that sends you where they want you to go and when positive feedback can be clouded by contemporary -isms.Listen...2023-05-2023 min
YOU Better!Be the Example with Heather BurrisIn this heartfelt episode, Kiesha and Heather Burris dig deep into what it means to set an example for their children and in their communities.Together, they talk through Heather’s pandemic journey, one that brought a deep grief that taught her the importance of leaning on and receiving God’s love through community. They also discuss her book and why she embraced it, as well as her personal relationship with God and how sessions with her therapist help her be the best version of herself.Heather Burris is the Immunization Division Chief at the Dist...2023-05-1359 min
YOU Better!Be a Rebel of Kindness with Aaron AblemanIn this spiritually-rich episode, Kiesha talks with proud father, artist, actor, producer, author, and activist, Aaron Ableman.Aaron shares his unusual life story, from being born in Michael Douglas’s basement to traveling the world for his award-winning work to support children and families.Together, they discuss the challenges of being renaissance people in a world that encourages hyper-specialization, the lack of systemic support for parenthood, and what it means to be a Rebel of Kindness.Episode Resources:Follow Aaron on InstagramVisit Aaron’s WebsitePre-order Aaron’s Book Rebels Of Kindness: How Loving...2023-05-0639 min
YOU Better!Curate Joy with Aramis O. HamerWelcome back to YOU Better! We’re so excited for season two of the podcast.Today’s episode is full of vibrance and joy as Kiesha talks with Aramis O. Hamer (AO for short), an exuberant artist and spiritual woman. Together, they follow Aramis’s journey as she decided to pack up her life with her husband and move from her hometown of Chicago to Seattle for nursing school, only to discover that the kind of healing she truly felt called to do was through art.Now, Aramis paints enormous and beautiful murals all over Seattl...2023-04-291h 06
YOU Better!Redefining Self with Tomasina BooneTomasina Boone is the founder of The Curls and Natural Hair Beauty Place, a unique space that is the only service provider of it’s kind in Sydney to provide a retail shop for great quality products and a beauty space dedicated to the care, maintenance, and styling of naturally curly hair. As a former Essence Magazine Advertising Beauty Director, Tomasina moved to Sydney, Australia 15 years ago with her hubby (lawyer and former NAACP board member) and 1 year old daughter.When leaving the USA she was constantly asked two questions: one, are there any Black people there? And...2022-12-201h 09
YOU Better!Value Life with Kaska AdoteyeKaska Adoteye, Ph. D. has held many hats, being a data scientist, author, investor, and entrepreneur. He has taken his skills from Wall Street to Silicon Valley and is known for his technical excellence across domains. He is also the author of the thought-provoking and insightful book Theory of Mind. The book, among other things, follows his story of discovering he has a rare and potentially lethal brain malformation, as well as the failed journey to treat it. The experience left him rattled, but also allowed him to gain empathy, compassion, and get closer to those around him. 2022-12-1344 min
YOU Better!Get Strategic with Tonya FewellThis episode features Tonya Fewell, J.D., a highly driven woman who is truly powered by purpose. She has made her life’s work the work of walking other people through radical transformation. As the senior strategist at Bridge Every Gap Tonya and her team build optimal systems and strategies for success with individuals, teams, and organizations in leadership and self-development.Her role as a mother to her three children Briana, Evan, and Grace, plays greatly into her identity – she even professionally goes by the moniker “Mama T” She recognizes her kids are at the center of so much m...2022-12-061h 00
YOU Better!Face Yourself with Coax MarieCoax Marie is a powerful talent - an artist whose music affirms what is unique and magical about us. She uses her gifts to promote energetic freedom and liberation and creates the type of music that holds your hand throughout the beautiful challenges of being human. She has moved thousands of people to assert “I Am Enough.” In this interview with Kiesha, Coax talks about her artistic origin story, how she challenges herself to show up as the person she says she is, and how she looks within for insight for her journey. She also digs into some people’s tenden...2022-11-291h 16YOU Better!Recognize the Offering A conversation about grace in the workplace from one of Kiesha's Culture Conversations with a corporate client group is lingering on her mind along with the memory of the last three minutes of raw vulnerability from Deon Cole's Netflix comedy special Charleen's Boy. In this solo episode, Kiesha reflects on two recent moments of introspection, both centered on being able to recognize the goodness that other people are sometimes offering us. Contact InfoWant Kiesha to host a YOU Better! experience for your team? If you are ready to strengthen the foundation of your tea...2022-11-2115 min
YOU Better!Unlock Your Voice with Quinn ConyersIn this episode, Kiesha Garrison interviews Event Emcee and Author Quinn Conyers who shares her story of giving up, finding her way back to her unique gift, and defining success on her own terms.Episode Resources:HOME | Quinn ConyersQuinn's Speak Black Woman Podcast - Episode wit Kiesha! Following Your Inner Voice to Do What You Love - SBW Ep #56 with Keisha Garrison - YouTubeBooksSpeak Black Woman: How Women In Business Can Profit from Public SpeakingAtomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad OnesContact InfoWant Kiesha to host a...2022-11-1456 min
YOU Better!Pursue Your Dreams with Anthony ColeGrowing up Anthony Cole dreamed of being a recording artist, but like many talented creatives who enter the job market, corporate pursuits became his source of stability. But you know that saying, wherever you go, there you are... Well, eventually Anthony’s musical self became a part of his corporate life which has led to the artist in Anthony taking center stage in his life. In October of 2022, he released his first album, Good Vibes Only. In this interview he shares with Kiesha about how he finds fulfillment and what he has learned about embracing his full self and spea...2022-11-0852 min
YOU Better!Get in the Game with Chipalo StreetChipalo Street has worn many hats throughout his life – in addition to being a groundbreaker and mentor in the tech world, he’s had a “nights and weekends” career refereeing international, professional, and collegiate soccer matches. In this episode, Chipalo talks with Kiesha about how his dreams of playing in the NBA morphed into something else - a life filled with solving dynamic problems in a variety of spaces. Currently, Chipalo is combining his excitement for problem solving with his desire to create positive change in the world by running for the office of Washington State Representative for Legislative District...2022-10-3157 min
YOU Better!Embrace Your Pain with Joy WhiteAfter reaching many of her professional and personal goals, Joy White still found herself unfulfilled and unhappy. Once she allowed herself to acknowledge things that she survived, feel her way through her painful past, and love her inner child better, she was able to move forward boldly towards a more fulfilling and authentic life. In this interview, she shares with Kiesha her about her decision to tell her story publicly to help other women like her find their path towards healing.Episode Resources:Watch Joy's Short Film: Finding Joy in the Journey - A Flawed Masterpiece | Sh...2022-10-241h 03YOU Better!Honor Your LimitsIn this solo episode, Kiesha reflects on one of the areas of personal work that continues to unfold for her - honoring her limits. This commitment to a lifestyle that allows for more reasonable expectations of mind, body, & spirit is not as simple as making the decision. Check out the episode to find out more of how this work is informing Kiesha's identity today.Episode Resources:Books: Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia HerseyThe Sleep Revolution by Arianna HuffingtonContact InfoSend booking inquiries for Kiesha to (info at kieshagarrison.co)Kiesha on IG: ...2022-10-1715 min
YOU Better!Come Home to Yourself with Troy WilliamsWhile serving time in San Quentin State Prison Troy Williams was able to step all the way outside the box of one would typically imagine for an inmate and create a media organization inside the walls that confined him. In this episode of YOU Better!, Troy shares with Kiesha about his passion for being a student of life, his evolution towards listening to his inner knowing, and how love for his family kept him anchored in his humanity. They also discuss the power of storytelling and why Troy sees it as a powerful tool in personal and societal transformation. 2022-10-081h 16
YOU Better!Master Self-Discipline with Kena TchiteyaKena Tchiteya is a skincare entrepreneur who puts nutrition and discipline as top priorities in her message; She rapidly grew an audience of over 1 million followers on TikTok in only 9 months by sharing her vulnerable journey to clear skin after suffering from severe acne, deep hyperpigmentation and more. She is widely regarded for using her platform to share the steps she took to achieve her skincare goals to empower other acne sufferers to do the same.In this interview, Kena shares with Kiesha how she gained deep insight about herself through her relationships, how she cultivates her...2022-10-0253 min
YOU Better!Break Free From Normal with Prairie Rose FreePrairie Rose is an author, trained sommelier, wine and spirits educator, and host of the popular podcast Bit by a Fox. She is also a woman who, after a childhood that began in a hippie commune, found herself making bold choices to show up for herself. From saving up to take a life-changing solo trip to Europe in her twenties, to launching the Bit by a Fox platform after a major heartbreak, Prairie has moved through her life making friends her family and her wholeness her priority. Episode Resources:Books:Mixology for Beginners: Innovative Craft Cocktails for...2022-09-2559 min
YOU Better!Walk Through the Fire with Kim BlueIn this episode Kiesha goes inside the life and lessons of Kim Blue, an HR powerhouse who cherishes her role as a mom first and foremost. She shares her blueprint for self-care and her reflections on a life of big moves and even bigger lessons. She's a woman who is using her voice, practicing her boundaries and continually making space for her own healing.Episode Resources:Books:Right Within by Minda HartsNobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen: The Emotional Lives of Black Women by Inger Burnett-ZeiglerThe YOU Better! BookshopContact InfoFind Kim online: Ki...2022-09-1853 min
YOU Better!Be More Than Enough with Dr. Shelly BhowmikIn this interview with Kiesha Garrison, Dr. Shelly Bhowmik discusses her own personal journey of self-discovery and recovery after experiencing burnout so bad it motivated her to launch a platform for helping others not end up in the same place. Her practice is based on the belief that mindset is medicine, a belief she came to realize through her own journey that began at the edge of a subway platform. Shelly is impacting the world through her work as a physician specializing in Preventive Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine and her programs for companies who appreciate having employees who enjoy p...2022-09-1054 min
YOU Better!Reload Yourself with Latorsha PeakeIn this interview with Kiesha Garrison, wellness consultant Latorsha Peake shares her lessons of learning to care for herself better. Her experiences led her to write a book titled Iced Coffee and Self Care® in which she aims to help us move ourselves higher on our own to-do lists. Self-care is not only about spa treatments! So join this conversation where Latorsha and Kiesha share their insights on what else it entails. Episode Resources:Iced Coffee and Self Care by Latorsha PeakeProfessional Troublemaker by Luvvie Ajayi JonesUntamed by Glennon DyoleThe Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health: Navi...2022-09-0353 minYOU Better!ICYMI: Healing from Within with Tira FeiersteinIn this episode, we talk about what it looks like to go on a healing journey towards self-love. Kiesha is joined by a dear friend who has made her life’s work about helping others understand and get to “the work.” Her name is Tira Feierstein, and she is a writer, artist and spiritual thought leader who is passionate about helping other woman feel less alone on their journey. Through her artful expression and storytelling, it is her mission to help illuminate a path of authenticity and healing for feminine empowerment. Her work focuses on women, but fellas, rest assured tha...2022-08-2749 minYOU Better!ICYMI: Taking the Leap with Sukie JeffersonSo many people have the experience of feeling like they are in the wrong profession. But they stick it out for years even when that work environment is so bad it feels like it’s going to break them. We have gotten so used to sacrificing our selves in the name of survival, that it is hard to even imagine what another kind of existence could look like.This episode's guest, Sukie Jefferson, is someone who allowed herself to pursue another way. Sukie and I share the experience of both being young Black women who left corporate jo...2022-08-2055 minYOU Better!ICYMI: Being Present with Mark HatcherDetroit native and Morehouse Man, Mark Hatcher, sits down with Kiesha to share his life story. He talks through his journey from his premature birth to his mother's guidance which provided inspiration for how he moves with purpose and how he fathers his elementary school aged daughter Maris Mays. He also celebrates the goodness that was poured into him on the campus of historic Morehouse College. Take in this story of a Black man whose model of manhood highlights community care, service-based leadership and honoring black femininity. There are lessons here about being open to new ideas and perspectives and...2022-08-1359 minYOU Better!ICYMI: Blooming in Hope and Love with Charles E. Sims. Jr.What happens when you feel like your environment does not properly reflect love back to you? On this episode of YOU Better! Charles E. Sims Jr. reflects on his melancholy filled childhood and his journey to seeing himself as a “60-year-old late bloomer.” This self-proclaimed prisoner of hope also shares his learnings about self now that he is experiencing the ultimate safe space with his boyfriend. Shop book recommendations from this episode:The Bluest Eye a book by Toni Morrison (bookshop.org)Song of Solomon a book by Toni Morrison (bookshop.org)You Are Your Best Thing...2022-08-0642 min
YOU Better!Take Action: Shine a LightIn this last episode in the YOU Better! Take Action Series, Kiesha highlights the work of storyteller Ava DuVernay whose aunt sparked her interest in the arts when she was a little girl. Kiesha reflects on how she has learned from and taken action based on Ava's work, chiefly the documentary 13th. She also discusses how shining a light on issues and opportunities for learning is a critical action to take as we work for a more humane society.Episode Resources:Watch 13th in full for freeThe Uncounted Workforce - NPR InterviewExample of a documentary engagement g...2022-07-3127 min
YOU Better!Take Action: Get Creative!Most Black people, despite our ingenuity, still have to push through a wall of distrust, opposition and financial impediment that was built at the base of our family trees from the beginning. In this episode from the Take Action Series, Kiesha focuses on learning from work of Kerry Coddett, an activist and multi-hyphenate creative in NYC, who is doing her part to chip away at that wall. Kerry and her sister have showed moxie and creativity in designing and running a pub crawl with an aim to demonstrate black buying power, support the local black economy, and honor the s...2022-07-1717 min
YOU Better!Take Action: Squad Up!In this episode from the Take Action Series, Kiesha focuses on learning from the life of women's health advocate and activist Byllye Avery. She shares some stories from the early parts of Byllye's life and how she ended up beginning her work as an activist supporting women who were seeking abortions in the 70's.Episode Resources:Learn more about Byllye AveryVIDEO: 2018 UCSF Medals - Byllye AveryVIDEO: Byllye Avery: Warming Up the ClinicINTERVIEW: Voices of Feminism Oral History Project: Avery, Byllye (smith.edu)Books:The Feminine Mystique (Anniversary)Liberating Masturbation a Meditation On Self Love Paperback Con...2022-07-1023 min
YOU Better!Take Action: Explore Mutual Aid WorkIn this special summer series about taking action to care for community, Kiesha is taking a pause from interviews to share what she is learning about people who have led important movements in their communities along with the actions they are inspiring her to take. This episode features the writing of activist Dean Spade, who authored the book Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (and the Next) and has inspired Kiesha's current focus. Mutual aid projects are a form of political participation in which people take responsibility for caring for one another and changing political conditions no...2022-07-0217 min
YOU Better!Brace for Impact with Bobby MorganBobby Morgan is a man committed to education. He is also a husband, father, and founder of Liberation Lab, an educational consulting firm that builds pathways of internal and external accountability. In this interview with Kiesha Garrison, Bobby talks about how he freed himself from the toxicity of chasing acceptance in places he was taught to value that did not value him back. The two also discussed the mixed feelings of both Father's Day and Juneteenth.Episode Resources:Liberation LabBooks:Ratchetdemic: Reimagining Academic SuccessPushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in SchoolsInside the quiet rooms - nj.comT...2022-06-2559 min
YOU Better!Get to the Other Side with Allison ZinczenkoAllison Zinczenko is many things - a mom, wife, educator, business leader and so much more. But above all else, she describes herself as a work in progress and shares with Kiesha on YOU Better! how she has taken that work seriously. She recounts her journey of growing up as a young child who felt unsafe, trying to navigate that by portraying perfection - to now being a mother who is nurturing a home environment with her husband and two teenage children that prioritizes healing from the inside rather than the appearance of goodness.TRIGGER Heads-up: There ar...2022-06-1855 min
YOU Better!Spread Truth and Joy with Alliah L. AgostiniAlliah L. Agostini is a proud native of Buffalo, NY and a developing creative. In addition to being a mom, a Harvard grad, and so much more, Alliah is the author of the kids book The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States (released in May 2022). In this interview with Kiesha, she discusses the importance of preserving heritage and of integrating the new layers we find in ourselves as we grow into who we have always been.Episode Resources:Books:The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United StatesPlaying Bi...2022-06-1150 min
YOU Better!Overflowing Out of the Box with Shermica FarquharShermica Farquhar is many things including being a multi-faceted Black woman and a Brooklynite proud of her Trinidadian heritage. She is an incredibly strategic problem solver who also runs two companies – Solutions by SF, a business growth strategy firm, and Soka Tribe, a cultural organization that spreads the joy of carnival through dance. In this episode, she shares with Kiesha her stories of taking bold steps for change in her life, living in alignment with her values.Episode Resources:Soka TribeBook: Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful LifeContact InfoSend book...2022-06-0458 min
YOU Better!Replenishing the Soul with Kev MarcusKev Marcus is a Grammy nominated recording artist and co-founder of Black Violin, a band he formed with his longtime friend Wil Baptiste, in which they combine their classical training and hip-hop influences to create a distinctive multi-genre sound. In addition to being a musical groundbreaker, Kev is a father, husband, activist, author and a person who pushes for progress and seeks to shatter expectations. In this interview, Kev shares with Kiesha about finding his way after feeling trapped by the very success he pursued and about how he has approached navigating depression and replenishing his soul. Epi...2022-05-2755 minYOU Better!Apply the LessonsKiesha Garrison reflects on having to shut her productivity down while being sick and lessons from the one work assignment she allowed herself to still do during that time - a speech for the Stanley Ann Dunham Scholarship Fund which celebrates young women who exhibit excellence in academics, leadership, and community service. Episode Resources:Organization: The Stanley Ann Dunham Scholarship Fund | Empowering young women to be leaders and active world citizens through education and active service (stanleyanndunhamfund.org)Books: The Color Purple by Alice WalkerRising Troublemaker by Luvvie Ajayi Jones Contact InfoSend booking inq...2022-05-2014 min
YOU Better!Know That You Can Matter With Shaya Lyon Some in the classical music scene might know Shaya Lyon as the founder of a nonprofit organization called the Live Music Project. For Kiesha, Shaya is also a very dear friend full of global perspective, earnest curiosity, and sincere compassion. In this episode, Shaya - a descendent of both a blacklisted physicist and a Holocaust survivor - shares about her upbringing as a young woman who was raised with a charge to make the world better. Tune in to hear Shaya outline the ways she supports herself so she can have her dreams and how she allows herself to matt...2022-05-141h 08
YOU Better!Reclaim Your Imagination with Zerandrian MorrisLiving a life that doesn't center Whiteness is bold and requires intentionality and imagination. Zerandrian Morris joins Kiesha on this episode to talk about turning points in her life that led her to listen to imagine what's possible and listen to spirit instead of following oppressive social conditioning. She also shares about the powerful work she does with her organization The Ignant Intellectual Group, LLC. They also discuss getting comfortable with the "both/and" aspect of dynamic parts of life as well as the importance of dreaming and how White Supremacy robs us of imagination and steals our innate ab...2022-05-061h 10
YOU Better!Apply The Right Pressure with Aspen Fitzgerald-DorseyAspen Fitzgerald- Dorsey shares with Kiesha Garrison details from her life story as a young Black woman who dealt with the pressures of attending Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology, one of the country's highest ranked magnet schools, and her experience needing to leave graduate school because of crippling student debt. With Aspen being pregnant with her first child at 40, the first cousins compare notes about the different messages they received about the "must-dos" of womanhood and about when was the right time to become a mother. Episode Resources:Books: The War on Moms: On Lif...2022-04-2956 min
YOU Better!You Are Worthy of Dignity with Nikki Gane-ButlerIn this episode, Kiesha is joined by Nikki Gane-Butler, the Founder and Director of Dignity for Divas, who shares her story as well as her perspective on self-leadership, our connectedness as humans, and how own experience with homelessness has led to her finding the personal power she always hoped was there. More about Dignity for Divas: Nikki Gane- Butler is committed to creating an impactful and replicable approach to supporting women as they transition out of homelessness. In 2012, Inspired by her own experience fleeing an abusive marriage and becoming homeless, Nikki founded Dignity for Divas. Dignity for D...2022-04-221h 02
YOU Better!Choose Joy and Come Alive with Dr. Jun Love YoungJun Love Young, PhD is many things...CEO of ZUM Communications, founder of Beloved Arise which celebrates and empowers LGBTQ+ youth of faith, a father, a storyteller, and so much more. In this interview with Kiesha Garrison, Jun shares his journey to being a person who has come alive and chooses joy.Episode Resources:Beloved Arise - The first national organization for queer youth of faith. They fight for the lives of queer youth of faith by building relationships, offering support, and inspiring youth to embrace life to the fullest.Episode: Jun interviews Kiesha on A C...2022-04-1547 min
YOU Better!The Superpower of Sensitivity with Ben ShimizuJoin Kiesha Garrison and Ben Shimizu of Canine Cornerstone for this episode featuring many lessons about love, connection, and relationships we can glean from people who are intuitive enough to communicate well with animals. Ben enlightens about the deep connections between pets and their owners and uses his life story as an example of how our human lives impact the animals in our care and how our pet relationships impact our lives and our growth as individuals. They also talk about staying connected to things you care about throughout your life, caring for oneself during a grieving process, and h...2022-04-081h 10YOU Better!Rethink ResilienceCalling someone resilient is usually meant as a compliment. And for many years, Kiesha hoped to be more resilient. But her experience of pushing past fibromyalgia pain, weathering the negativity directed at Black women, and also learning more about how we inherit trauma from our ancestral line, has caused her to rethink her expectations around what it means to "bounce back" and press forward.Episode Resources: This episode features perspective on epigenetic inheritance of trauma in Black families from Jacquelyn Clemmons, of De La Luz Wellness. Please see her full text here: Black Families Have Inherited Trau...2022-03-3116 min
Black ResilienceS.H.I.N.E Series: Meet Kiesha GarrisonTune in now for a great conversation with Kiesha Garrison, an extraordinary women of excellence, who shares her journey about leaving a highly successful six figure career at Microsoft to launch her own professional emcee and public speaking business. Her work, including her successful podcast YOU Better!, focuses on professional development, self-love and affirming Black women. To connect with Kiesha Garrison visit her website at https://kieshagarrison.co/2022-03-3044 min
YOU Better!Let Empathy Change You with Nyah PeytonKiesha met Nyah Peyton in LuvvNation, an online community founded by NY Times Best-selling author, Luvvie Ajayi Jones. Together, Nyah and Kiesha co-host Sunday Souls Sessions in LuvvNation, a monthly event about mind, body, and soul wellness discussions in a safe space. Arkansas native Nyah is a college student who also happens to be the author of the book In Favor of Everything Right, published in 2020. In this episode, Nyah shares some of her reflections about how easy it is to be super firm in your own point of view when you haven't necessarily been in someone else's shoes. And...2022-03-2547 min
YOU Better!Observe Where You Are with Les AlfredIn this episode, Kiesha shares her thoughts about some of the faulty ways we think about self-development and then is joined in conversation by Les Alfred, the founder of Balanced Black Girl, an online wellness community and podcast focused on health, wellness, and self-care from the perspectives of Black women. Together they talk about the self-development trap - this seemingly endless pursuit of things we can fix about ourselves - and Les shares learnings from her own self-love journey. The two also discuss tips for learning from our subconscious and our memories and how to engage in healthy self-awareness i...2022-03-1848 min
YOU Better!At the Edge of Growth with Phill NosworthyIn this episode, Kiesha heads over to Australia (virtually!) to connect with Phill Nosworthy to indulge in mutual curiosity about how it feels to grow and how you compassionately guide yourself when you find yourself at the edge of growth. The two discuss the idea of slowing down to move at the speed of wisdom so you can do less, better. And they also talk about how to tackle that gap between all those things you learn and the things you actually put into practice. At the time this episode airs in March of 2022, our human family on...2022-03-111h 10
YOU Better!Happiness Takes Courage with A. Jade SmithKiesha and A. Jade Smith met on the internet 20 years ago and bonded over a shared connection to the phrase "Happiness takes courage." The two come together for a conversation that begins with discussing the idea of the purpose in our lives…and then Jade reflects on how her journey found her looking for purpose and value of her life through things such as finances, jobs, and relationships outside of herself. She then shares about life-saving advice from friends, a period of deep self-inquiry, pausing to face herself, and a commitment to inspire others to answer the call to cour...2022-03-0452 min
YOU Better!Being Present with Mark HatcherDetroit native and Morehouse Man, Mark Hatcher, sits down with Kiesha to share his life story. He talks through his journey from his premature birth to his mother's guidance which provided inspiration for how he moves with purpose and how he fathers his elementary school aged daughter Maris Mays. He also celebrates the goodness that was poured into him on the campus of historic Morehouse College. Take in this story of a Black man whose model of manhood highlights community care, service-based leadership and honoring black femininity. There are lessons here about being open to new ideas and perspectives and...2022-02-2459 min
YOU Better!Rooted in Community with Yaribel MercedesKiesha and Yaribel became fast friends after finding one another frequenting the same online spaces, cheering for the same authors and generally being in community with each other digitally. In this episode, the two dig into a conversation about identity and community and how we can be impacted by genuine and connected love from others who live in alignment with our purpose and vision. Yaribel shares stories from her life as a Black Latina growing up in Washington Heights in NYC and the responsibility she feels as one of the "guardians of the community garden." Shop book rec...2022-02-1754 min
YOU Better!Blooming in Hope and Love with Charles E. Sims. Jr.What happens when you feel like your environment does not properly reflect love back to you? On this episode of YOU Better! Charles E. Sims Jr. reflects on his melancholy filled childhood and his journey to seeing himself as a “60-year-old late bloomer.” This self-proclaimed prisoner of hope also shares his learnings about self now that he is experiencing the ultimate safe space with his boyfriend. Shop book recommendations from this episode:The Bluest Eye a book by Toni Morrison (bookshop.org)Song of Solomon a book by Toni Morrison (bookshop.org)You Are Your Best Thing...2022-02-1142 min
YOU Better!Healing from Within with Tira FeiersteinIn this episode, we talk about what it looks like to go on a healing journey towards self-love. Kiesha is joined by a dear friend who has made her life’s work about helping others understand and get to “the work.” Her name is Tira Feierstein, and she is a writer, artist and spiritual thought leader who is passionate about helping other woman feel less alone on their journey. Through her artful expression and storytelling, it is her mission to help illuminate a path of authenticity and healing for feminine empowerment. Her work focuses on women, but fellas, rest assured tha...2022-02-0349 min
YOU Better!Taking the Leap with Sukie JeffersonSo many people have the experience of feeling like they are in the wrong profession. But they stick it out for years even when that work environment is so bad it feels like it’s going to break them. We have gotten so used to sacrificing our selves in the name of survival, that it is hard to even imagine what another kind of existence could look like.This episode's guest, Sukie Jefferson, is someone who allowed herself to pursue another way. Sukie and I share the experience of both being young Black women who left corporate jo...2022-01-2755 minYOU Better!Starting with WhyGiven that most YOU Better! episodes will involve interviews with other people about their life stories, it's only fair that Kiesha start with a bit of sharing about herself as well. So, for Episode 1, she's starting with “Why.” She then highlights some of her motivation for creating this show and the joy that teenage Kiesha would feel about her using her gift for gab in this way. And finally, she discusses feelings of urgency to “give herself” a show and her commitment to you for the type of reflective and care-filled space she intends for this to be.Find Kie...2022-01-2713 minYOU Better!TrailerIn this introduction, Kiesha shares what the podcast is about and what you can expect from the weekly episodes.Write to theyoubetterpodcast at gmail.com to submit a question for the show. Follow Kiesha on Instagram at @kiesha_garrisonTo book Kiesha to speak or host a conversation, visit https://kieshagarrison.co
2022-01-2503 min