The Mentors Circle
By Ariane Hunter
The Mentors CircleJan 15, 2020
Dear Black Girl - a love letter to us
Tamara is back with her latest book, Dear Black Girl -- a collection of essays and stories that serve as a loving reminder of both our tenderness and power.
In this episode, Tamara tells us:
- How she built her career as a writer, the building blocks to getting traction in your work
- How her first book was born out of frustration from hearing how people talk about Black women as something to be “fixed”.
- The path towards finding our own voice and defining our own narrative; never allowing others to tell our story for us.
- What it’s like to choosing ourselves again and again in the face of adversity
- Her new book; Dear Black Girl -- a collection of stories and positive mantras, shared experiences that amplify and uplift.
- Undoing misogynistic teachings and the importance of finding rest and refuge to heal your heart and restore your spirit
Join us for this episode as we unpack the unique experiences of Black womanhood as it relates to pulling apart negative biases, breakthrough through internal barriers and how despite all this we continue to thrive in the world. Pick up a copy (or two, or three!) of Tamara’s new book, Dear Black Girl everywhere books are sold! Learn more about Tamara Winfrey Harris visit her site and @whattamisaid on Twitter and Instagram.
Breaking Down (Prison) Walls - The Incarceration of Black Women and the Journey to Reclaiming Our Voice, Our Story, & Our Humanity
“No matter what has been done to you or what you’ve endured you have the power to change everything around you. You are not the worst thing that has ever happened to you. ” - Donna Hylton
Today on the pod, I am in conversation with Donna Hylton, women’s rights activist, criminal justice reform advocate, speaker at the 2017 Women’s March and author of A Little Piece of Light. Donna is an outspoken advocate on prison reform, recidivism and gender inequality in America's jail systems. She’s led an incredible path of personal triumph and transformation amidst extreme hardship and pain. As a repeated rape survivor and formerly incarcerated Black woman, Donna has become an incredible leader, voice and advocate for change and bringing an end to violence against women.
In this episode, Donna shares:
- Her story of being trafficked as a child and the events that followed including being convicted at age 20 and incarcerated for 28 years
- The mistreatment of Black women that contributes to shame, secrecy and a damaging internal narrative of self worth and value
- The factors that contribute to the rise of Black women in the prison system
- The path towards changing the narrative and taking back our power as Black women
- Being a steward and voice for change in our communities
I am extremely honored to bring Donna’s story to light.
This episode contains content pertaining to sexual violence that may be triggering and what you hear might feel personally challenging or difficult to sit with. My intention for this episode is to illuminate the stories that oftentimes go unheard, challenge our assumptions, and positively expand your worldview.
From Paycheck to Paycheck to Building Real Wealth: Stuff They Never Taught You About Real Estate Wealth
Are you throwing away your hard earned money or building wealth for the long term?
Today, we’re in conversation with Kendra Barnes, Founder and CEO at The Key Resource. Kendra is one of the market's top real estate entrepreneurs who built her business from scratch to now bringing in six figures per year through real estate income alone. What started off as a friendly board game at home turned into a burning desire to acquire and build wealth. Kendra learned how to make her money work by teaching herself the real estate market and investing. In this episode you’ll hear:
- Kendra tells us about the renting verses owning.
- How to break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle.
- How by leaving money in a savings account, you’re actually losing money
- How to bet on yourself and take (smart) risks with your money.
- 5 steps you can take TODAY to get started in real estate
Also in this episode, I asked Kendra about her legacy. As a mama, entrepreneur and wife, building wealth is not just about the money but being able to teach her daughter how to empower herself and be whatever she wants to be without limitations.
You don’t want to miss this episode. Grab your favorite glass of wine and join us for this super inspiring conversation!
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Are you on a mission to build your dreams? Click over to join us at The Mentors Circle -- the career and business mentoring platform for women of color. Get matched to a mentor to build your dreams in 2020. Applications are open! https://forms.gle/qN3dT9XGqm2CDDAo6
The Joy (& Pain) for Black and Brown Moms with Sarika Jain & Jezebel Paulino-McFadden
We’re in conversation with two of my dear friends Sarika Jain and Jezebel Paulino-McFadden who are telling their journeys of motherhood. As women in business, oftentimes it’s hard to choose between your career and becoming a parent. Sarika and Jezebel talk to us about their process of embracing motherhood and the literal role of birthing the next generation of human beings.
Socially, there is a blatant disregard for the value of moms, especially black and brown moms who are disproportionately impacted by maternal health. All of which leads to anguish, sickness, harm and death.
“When I think of motherhood, I think ‘labor of love’. And that’s something we as a society have to value. We cannot expect our economic system to value that, I think that we as individuals have to start waking up to that. To make love work, requires a labor of love.”
In this episode, Sarika & Jezebel share their lessons learned in:
- Choosing motherhood over ambition of growing your career
- Grappling with your identity as a mom and partner while still staying true to your own passions and interests.
- Challenging gender norms and social expectations of motherhood
- The lack of support of basic needs for mothers within this country compared to other countries
Join us for this candid conversation. Grab your favorite glass of wine and join us for this super inspiring conversation!
Are you on a mission to build your dreams? Click over to join us at The Mentors Circle -- the career and business mentoring platform for women of color. Get matched to a mentor to build your dreams in 2020. Applications are open! https://forms.gle/qN3dT9XGqm2CDDAo6
Redefining Music in the Era of COVID -- DJ Reborn Tells Us How
We’re in conversation with the one and only DJ Reborn, DJ, Arts Educator & Sonic Activist based in Brooklyn NYC. For over a decade, Reborn has been moving and inspiring audiences with her blend of soul, hip-hop, reggae, house, Latin, electronic, and Afrobeat. She’s toured with Lauren Hill and has worked alongside the Roots, Common, Talib Kweli, John Legend, and India Arie; appeared on BET’s Rap City; and served as the 2004—2005 international tour DJ for Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam.
In this episode, DJ Reborn opens up about her path to becoming one of the most sought after DJs in the world. Growing up in Chicago, she was Inspired as a child among a family of musicians she ultimately followed her passion to do music for a living. We talked about her come-to-jesus moment her career crossroads when it hit her on a NYC subway that she needed to take the leap and go from side gig of dj’ing and start her musical career full time.
Reborn tells us how she made her mark in a male dominated field through relationships and being the best at what you do. She shares the ups and downs and how to move through the fears of striking out on your own. Reborn tells us how artists and marginalized persons can learn to stand their ground and stay true to the work while still making a living. Amidst the backdrop of the COVID pandemic, Reborn also shares how she is using this time to reinvent herself and bring new marks of inspiration to her work.
You don’t want to miss this episode. Grab your favorite glass of wine and join us for this super inspiring conversation!
Going Back to Normal Will Not Serve Us Now
One can argue that COVID is the process we are in right now that is causing us to re-evaluate what’s important, the decisions we make, who we want to be and the world we want to live in. In a lot of ways this makes us uncomfortable to not be able to predict with full certainty the right next step or what will happen in the end. To confront the demons of inequality or injustice both within ourselves and what we see happening in the world. To trust in a process that we cannot see or that has no guarantee. To trust in a process that is not our own is by no means passive or empty. It is a call to abandon our old ways and embrace the messiness that comes with creating a new way forward without the blueprint.
In today’s mini episode of The Mentors Circle process, I’m sharing about Trusting in the Process and letting go of the old world. There is a force that is calling us forward into the greatest version of ourselves despite our kicking and screaming. We can’t go back to “normal”. Normal will not serve you here.
Have a listen then go do your part to build a new world.
Going Beyond the Paycheck -- How Black Women Can Build Generational Wealth
Today, we’re in conversation with Karen Mitchell, Owner & Founder of True Indian Hair -- a hair extension company with clients such as Rihanna, Taraji P. Henson, Serena, Kelly Rowland, Lil Kim, Zoe Kravitz, Naomi Campbell and so many more. Karen hails from her home town in Jamaica who became an entrepreneur and set up shop in Brooklyn, NY.
Karen opens up about getting laid off from her job and what she did next. She takes us through the ups and downs from day one of starting her company to how she built her now 7-figure business. We talk about the sacrifices and risks our black immigrant parents took to provide opportunities for us.
In this episode, Karen shares how we can set ourselves up to not just get by financially but to really create financial wealth as black women in business through home ownership and investments. Despite having bankruptcy on her record, Karen did what others would tell you not to do in order to make her dream work. As black women founders, we traditionally have less access to capital and resources to start our own business. Shifting our mindsets around long term building and going beyond the paycheck positions us to thrive and create sustainable success within our community.
You don’t want to miss this episode. Grab your favorite glass of wine and join us for this super inspiring conversation!
Want to work with one of our mentors? Click over to join us at The Mentors Circle -- the career and business mentoring platform for women of color. Get matched to a mentor to build your dreams in 2020. Applications are open! https://forms.gle/qN3dT9XGqm2CDDAo6
Creating Certainty to Build the Business of Your Dreams
We’re in conversation with Jessica Perilla, Creative Director and Founder of the Award Winning Branding Agency JPD Studio. Jessica opens up about her decision to go from full time employment to starting a business from the ground up. Her dreams were fueled by a desire to have artistic vision and work with her own clients using technology as the gateway. She tells us how having both fear and excitement when starting a new path is absolutely normal and that having a mindset of certainty helps build confidence and attract new opportunities.
We also get into much deeper conversation about being a woman of color entrepreneur in a traditionally male dominated field of technology. As a minority women owned business, Jessica's company is sought after and continues to attract clients who specifically want to work with women like her.
You don’t want to miss this conversation!
Want to learn from the best and work with Jessica as your business mentor? Click on over to join us at The Mentors Circle -- the career and business mentoring platform for women of color. Applications are open! https://forms.gle/qN3dT9XGqm2CDDAo6
Owning Your Corner -- What Women of Color Can Do to Blaze a Trail in Career and Life
We’re in conversation with Tumi Soyinka, Head of Marketing at Mizani/Loreal. Tumi opens up about her career path from Music Technology to her serendipitous opportunity that led her to now be the head of one of the largest textured hair care brands. The path to doing work you love and finding a career that aligns with you is often a squiggly line and life will take you in different directions than we originally intended. Tumi shares how to be open to that process.
We also get into much deeper conversation about navigating the workplace as a woman of color. How do we navigate microaggressions and insensitivities from our well intentioned colleagues? We talk about loving our natural hair and proudly owning the pieces of identity that make us who we are.
Grab a cup of tea and join us for this super inspiring conversation!
Want to work with Tumi as your mentor? Click on over to join us at The Mentors Circle -- the career and business mentoring platform for women of color. Applications are open! https://forms.gle/qN3dT9XGqm2CDDAo6