In this empowering episode of 'I've Been Thinking...' podcast, host Bryetta Calloway warmly welcomes the dynamic and inspiring Soyini Chan Shue, owner of City Safe Partners. Soyini, a trailblazer in her industry, opens up about her journey navigating a sector largely dominated by white men and her relentless drive to create a space where people of color can also thrive and excel. The conversation kickstarts with Soyini sharing her experiences working in the security sector, an industry that has not traditionally been representative of people of color. She speaks candidly about the challenges she faced, the prejudices she had to overcome, and the strength she harnessed to rise to the top of her game. Soyini’s courage and tenacity serve as an inspiration for countless individuals who find themselves in similar situations. As the discussion progresses, Soyini delves into her vision and mission for City Safe Partners. She highlights the importance of providing opportunities for people of color, not just as a pathway towards diversity and inclusion, but as a fundamental right. She believes that nurturing and enabling talent, regardless of race, leads to innovation and progress that benefits everyone. She passionately describes her endeavors to transform City Safe Partners into a diverse and inclusive powerhouse. The latter part of the episode revolves around Soyini’s fervor for entrepreneurship. Being a business owner herself, Soyini shares her insights on starting and scaling a business, emphasizing resilience, perseverance, and adaptability as key attributes for success. She also discusses how her entrepreneurial journey has allowed her to create impactful changes and advocate for a more equitable landscape in the business world. This episode is a heartfelt and motivating exploration of Soyini Chan Shue's professional journey. Her story, a testament to her passion and determination, is sure to inspire listeners, reaffirming the belief that we have the power to overcome the odds, break barriers, and redefine the norm. Tune in to get inspired by Soyini's story and learn about her extraordinary contributions towards fostering diversity, inclusion, and entrepreneurship.

A conversation with Founder and Business Designer, Nagela Dales about the journey to not grow her start-up but support the start-up journey of other founders. Join us for a conversation with Nagela, a first-generation Caribbean founder and Brooklyn girl who leads with curiosity and uses humor as a tool for real connection. Her ability to use imagination for healing, liberation, and community intimacy is to be admired. She is a designer and strategist dedicated to building things designed to reallocate time, social, financial, and health wealth to Black and Brown people in their everyday lives. She is a strong advocate for the dignity of the work, ideas, creative expressions, innovations, and opportunities of Black and Brown people here in America and throughout the diaspora.

In episode three of I've Been Thinking...podcast we chat with Dr. Taniqua Miller a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist with a special focus on midlife/menopause health. After 14 years of practice, Dr. Miller took a step back from clinical care to center herself and her journey of burnout. She is a wife, mother of three children, and the founder of TaniquaMD, an educational platform for women in midlife. She shares how she navigated the pain and shame of burnout, the specific challenges Black women face when navigating professional pause, and how she created a life, and company, that now supports her living a boundless life.

Just in time for Liver Cancer Awareness Month, we interview Donna R. Cryer, JD Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Global Liver Institute. GLI is the only patient-driven liver health nonprofit operating across the US, EU, and the UK. GLI convenes the NASH, Liver Cancer and Pediatric and Rare Liver Disease Councils, as well as the Liver Action Network, collectively more than 200 organizations. In the episode we chat with Mrs. Cryer about how she has channeled her personal experience as a patient with inflammatory bowel disease and a liver transplant recipient into professional advocacy across a career in law, policy, consulting, public relations, clinical trial recruitment, and nonprofit management. At GLI, Mrs. Cryer has raised more than $10 million for liver health initiatives. Among her many accomplishments with GLI, she developed a program featured by the White House on Solving Organ Shortage/Transplantation. She has launched numerous other successful programs at GLI, including the Cure Campaign, Advanced Advocacy Academy (A3), Liver Matters Blog, Liver Matters Health Policy Memo, the NASH Council, the Liver Cancers Council, and the Pediatric and Rare Liver Diseases Council.

With tech layoffs and job offers being rescinded, all against the backdrop of an impending recession and a never-ending pandemic, career anxiety is at an all-time high. We're talking all about professional anxiety, career fear, and work worry with Clinical Psychologist, Author, and Content Creator Dr. Jessica Borushok, Ph.D., C.Psych. Dr. Jessica helps busy minds get unstuck, out of their own way, and back to their best selves. Through one-on-one work in private practice and her popular course, Busy Mind Reboot: 30 Days to Your Best Self, Dr. Jessica has helped hundreds of productive procrastinators, overwhelmed high-achievers, recovering perfectionists, and self-proclaimed "control freaks" transform their relationship with their thoughts and optimize their world. As an award-winning author and recognized expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dr. Jessica has co-authored numerous books and self-growth tools, including The ACT Deck. She has been featured in The List TV, Art of Charm Podcast, Thrive Global, and The Good Men Project. Follow Dr. Jessica at any one of the links below. Therapy: https://www.busymindreboot.com Website: https://www.busymindpsychologist.com instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theacttherapist tiktok: @theacttherapist youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU32xZFYYe0D2CQD9g4AawA

One of my favorite guests to date, Tia Fowlkes joins the podcast to share how she navigates bringing her authentic self to every space she occupies. Tia is a recent Computer Science graduate of Michigan State University. While her minor was in business, she entered the tech industry to explore her passion for customer satisfaction and fostering a culture of diversity & inclusion. Tia joined Google in February 2021 as program manager for the Beta Testing team within Google Hardware. As a Detroit native, she spends her free time making websites, sewing, and raising her french bulldog, Zeus! Tia is also a freelance website designer who helps students and professionals improve their resumé by transferring it to their personal website. She also helps small businesses that are looking to establish their website before an upcoming launch. You can receive a free consultation at www.tialeefowlkes.com.

Season 2, Episode 2 brings a conversation about Black Female Artistic Vision with artist Stephanie Gowdy also known as Alyrical. She is a visual artist born and raised in South Florida. As an artist, Alyrical works with acrylic on canvas along with mixed media graphite and charcoal on paper for portraits. Despite her many struggles in life such as being diagnosed with epilepsy, divorce, and literally losing sight, and becoming legally blind Alyrical continues to use her inner vision to live out her purpose. Alyrical's vision is that art can be for everyone, using it to not only create awareness for multiple topics but bring society together. One of her favorite bible verses is Proverbs 29:18 "where here is no vision people perish." Alyrical refuses to allow her life setbacks, health issues, or the loss of her sight to stop her from sharing her vision and inspiring others to follow their dreams. Website: www.alyrical.com IG: @alyrical

As an actor, there is so much uncertainty in trying to build a career and for many artists, 2020 has meant an unplanned pause in your career. Maggie Bera, the creative mind behind Actor Aesthetic is an NYC based actor, blogger, and podcaster who has dedicated hours to helping actors prepare for a career and navigate the industry. Maggie is such a clear voice to thousands of young actors trying to understand their place in this ever-changing career. Maggie shares with us how adaptability is the career-defining trait of our industry. To learn this new industry is the next best step for those who want to still pursue a career in the theatre.

Navigating the experience of being a Woman of Color in business can be difficult and not always easy to explain. Kaylan Clemons brings to our platform a shared experience with many other women of color in trying to navigate the unspoken but often career-defining challenges of being incorporated into the corporate culture but not necessarily included. How does one navigate showing strength but not being labeled difficult or showing leadership without being called controlling? How does one bring their authentic self to their work when that is not often understood or appreciated? Kaylan and I chat about this unique path.

In Part 2 of my conversation with Nicole Johnson, we delve deeper into the carried trauma of racial injustice. Her recounting of the times in which she has faced and survived racial gaslighting and oppression in the workplace is one that many will find both enlightening and sadly familiar. How does one navigate the betrayal of supposed allies? What does it take to get the point of accountability for the spaces and places that invite Black actors in only not to be safe spaces for them? How do we do the work of healing ourselves enough to be a part of the solution? Nicole Johnson, an artist, storyteller, and advocate walks us through her personal experiences with racial trauma, how she's working through her own healing and why her new initiative EDIFY is her commitment to equipping others with the tools to bring equity to all the spaces they inhabit. About M.O.V.E: In her junior year of high school Nicole Javanna Johnson established Javanna Productions a non-profit 501c3 organization that presents a yearly effort entitled M.O.V.E. (Motivation Opportunity Vision Entertainment). In this effort, members are given the resources, encouragement and platforms needed to creatively raise funds and awareness for social issues and causes. Through M.O.V.E Practical Learning curriculums and artistic production activities, members of all ages participate in civics, artistry and community service in after school, summer programming and week-long traveling intensives year round. Website: https://www.proudtobeamover.com/ Instagram: @proud2bamover

Nicole Johnson is an artist, storyteller, and facilitator who has dedicated much of her career to helping artists dig deeper into their own stories and leverage them for social change. As one deeply connected to spaces and places where social justice is being actively discussed, Nicole brings a unique perspective about how Black actors and artists can be more comfortable claiming their authentic creative space while holding the systems we navigate accountable. During this episode we discuss her production company and the M.O.V.E. initiative she founded which helps young artists learn how to move for the causes they care about artistically; the reckoning of our creative industry; and why now more than ever the need for honesty and transparency is critical for healing our creative sector. About M.O.V.E: In her junior year of high school Nicole Javanna Johnson established Javanna Productions a non-profit 501c3 organization that presents a yearly effort entitled M.O.V.E. (Motivation Opportunity Vision Entertainment). In this effort, members are given the resources, encouragement and platforms needed to creatively raise funds and awareness for social issues and causes. Through M.O.V.E Practical Learning curriculums and artistic production activities, members of all ages participate in civics, artistry and community service in after school, summer programming and week-long traveling intensives year round. Website: https://www.proudtobeamover.com/ Instagram: @proud2bamover

You may not know her name but Myunique Ferguson is the woman behind a popular Christian Instagram account @instagramforbelievers. She is a blogger, youth pastor and reluctant social media influencer who has created a space where more than 80,000 believers access inspiration, hope and community. However, as the country reeled from the heightened focus around race and justice, Myunique discovered that balancing her desire to highlight social justice with her commitment to creating a space for believers to be connected more difficult than anticipated. How does one navigate the desire to show-up fully in the spaces and places where they are called. Myunique is a woman whose love of God and faith has pushed her to be honest about the things and causes she believes are at the heart of a nation at the cusp of change. She shares with us how she navigated showing the Black face behind the popular Instagram account, the difficulty navigating those who don't want their faith tainted by "politics" and why she believes that her mission and purpose hasn't changed despite the ever-changing times.

Sammetra Daniels joins the I've Been Thinking...platform to share a candid conversation about the nuances of being Black in business. We discuss how the current focus on diversity and inclusion in the workplace is shifting the conversations around perceived equity in business; what sustainability in diversity and inclusion work looks like for Black people; and why doing the "work" of educating within the spaces we occupy is a balancing act that must be navigated carefully. Sammetra shares her history growing up in East Palo Alto, CA, a predominantly Black community just outside the tech epicenter on the West Coast and how she has grown comfortable occupying more spaces as her most authentic self.

Pursuing a career in the arts can be riddled with heartbreak, restarts, and tons of self-reflection. The ability to tenaciously pursue your creative path while navigating the specific challenges of being a woman of color can be even tougher. Luckily, there is a community of amazing Black actresses and performers committed to uplifting and facilitating space for their fellow sisters. Ashley Versher is an amazing film, tv, and stage actress who spent time with me chatting about the unique sisterhood of Black Actresses and why this is a moment to be even more committed to authenticity of self, experience, and expression through our craft. Speaking with Ashley was a bit like coming home. She's that rare mix of thoughtfulness, genuineness, and love of the industry. We discuss how to be a part of the change of the industry we love all while taking care of ourselves emotionally and mentally.

Somewhere at the intersection of Black femme art, creative and personal agency, and Black Womxn wellness you'll find visual artist and Brand owner Doriana Diaz. Doriana spent some time chatting with us on the I've Been Thinking platform. Her assuredness in who she is as an artist and a womxn is an example of the space many Black female creatives are finding themselves. With newfound agency as the collective affirmation around the Black experience continues to grown Doriana shares her insights on how to be rooted in your creative work, how to stay true to your authentic voice, and the power of never questioning the audience and communities you serve. She is an absolute shining jewel in the Black digital creative space. Instagram: Website:

While much of the country grapples with racial justice, equity in the business space, and a shifting narrative around diversity and inclusion, Black and Brown women are creating and holding space for the amplification and the affirmation of their experiences in life and in business. Guest Kastoory Kazi shares with us her experiences as a Bangladeshi-American woman navigating the business world. We discuss the unique challenges women of color face when navigating career growth, authenticity in their work lives, and the nuances of being a Brown versus Black woman in business. Kastoory is a skilled marketer working at the intersection of creative and growth marketing for many years in NYC. She's an amazing businesswoman and a friend.

In this episode of I've Been Thinking we have an in-depth discussion with International Career Coach, Altruist, and Recovering Management Consultant Eli Bohemond. With Broadway closed until 2021 and the entertainment industry on an indefinite hold many artists are struggling to find ways to pivot careers in the short-term to meet their financial needs. Eli shares the ways creatives can navigate the ambiguity and uncertainty of the current job market. Eli helps us identify the skills and abilities that creatives have that can be transferrable to the job market today. We discuss the power of leaning into your authentic artistic personality and why the desire to do more during this forced downtime may not be the best use of your time and energies. Trust me, you'll learn a lot and walk away with tangible steps to implement today! About Eli Bohemond: After navigating 5 successful career transitions from management consulting, business development, start-ups, and higher education, Eli’s spent the last 6 years supporting 2K+ individuals across 90 countries with purposeful career and life transitions of their own. He’s built, inspired, and led teams of 100s of career coaches to support 1000s of career changers in landing meaningful jobs with a 93% placement rate at global companies like WeWork in NYC and SEVEN Career Coaching and Hult International Business School in London. He is a co-founder of Your Career Strategy and a top-ranked workshop facilitator who is striving to make coaching more accessible to millions of people. LinkedIn: : https://www.linkedin.com/in/elicareercoach/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamelibohemond/ Website: www.yourcareerstrategy.com - coming soon

Is your mind clamoring with all the stimuli from the world around you? As creatives our minds are fertile ground for imagination and innovation but, has your busy creative mind been in overdrive lately? Dr. Jessica Borushok, The Busy Mind Psychologist, stops by the I've Been Thinking podcast to help us get unstuck from our busy minds so we can live our best and most authentic lives. A registered clinical and health psychologist, award-winning author, and trainer in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dr. Jessica works one-on-one with clients and through her popular course, Busy Mind Reboot, to teach adults how to break unhelpful patterns of avoidance and develop healthier relationships with their busy minds. Website: www.busymindreboot.com Instagram: @busymindpsychologist LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/busymindpsychologist