our first page

this episode is about sliding in DMs, first impressions, sisterhood, twittering, and the entrepreneurial journey.

connect with Valentina on instagram: @valenboteroo and on her poetry page @vapoetry 🖋

we turn the mic to our listeners to hear what they thought of season 1 and what they’re looking forward to in season 2.

a special thanks to all of our listeners that sent in their thoughts and reflections 💛

In the final episode of season 1, we talk about why endings can actually be pivot points. What are endings? What can we learn from them?

(ps. this is not the end)

We will resume with Season 2 fall 2021!

all i’m saying is: if you haven’t tried yet, you might just succeed.

we are almost at the end of the season with one episode to go. so, in the spirit of endings that are not really the end, episode 11 talks about why “failures,” and i put the word failures in quotes, are not the end.

my short answer: no

in this episode i reflect on one of the most common things people say to me, “you’re too nice.” but imma be nice regardless. what does niceness even mean?

to me, a big part of being able to deal with many different types of people, is starting with better communication and using your voice strategically.

people really thought i had no social life because i didn’t post my nights out but some of the best memories are the ones we make off the grid. in this episode we talk about social media and assumptions. who are we? and who are we online?

i did miss the old Kanye. we talk about what it's like to miss previous versions of ourselves and others. any human being can change. so can artists. so can art. we invite some new questions into the way we consider our friendships and our circumstances, and our past. we reflect on the importance of letting go. 

in this episode we talk about different ways to think about what “voice” means to us. this episode talks about why it’s important to figure out your story and what we can do with our stories as we figure them out.

this episode talks about a different way to think about competition. we talk about what it means to be our own main competitor as a way to work towards beginnings.

this title for this episode is one of my mottos, "if you're not ready, get ready." as someone who was experiencing imposter syndrome long before i knew there was a term for it, i've had to learn ways to acknowledge feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. we define the term "imposter syndrome," as feelings of inadequacy despite evident success. as a student, an artist, and an educator, there have been many moments where i felt unprepared or unworthy of the opportunities that came my way. i share some of my experiences dealing with imposter syndrome as a student and as an educator and reflect on strategies i took to give myself a fair shot. this episode introduces quotes that might help us to remain grounded when these feelings arise. 

in this episode we discuss what it means when people call us "lucky." i reflect on how our ancestries stay with us and how storytelling allows us to stay connected with our lineage. i speak on my experiences with art and my new looming hobby as it tied me to my great grandmother before i realized it.

title quote from Trinidadian Rapper - Nicki Minaj: "Moment 4 Life"

reflecting on the launch of “Devi(l)” and some milestones along the way. this episode celebrates everyone who was involved in making this virtual event one of a kind. listen to the end until de party done.

in our introductory episode, i re-introduce myself as your host. as we approach the four-year anniversary of my first book, "Write Left," i reflect on some of the intentions and lessons learned along the way. i give some background on my upcoming book, "Devi(l)," as we approach the virtual book launch date. i explain, at a glance, some of my ideas behind the name of the book, and how it came together. we end off the episode with some thoughts and reflections on the importance of communities like these, where people with complex and intricate identities can come together to share stories and learn.