HER With Amena Brown

Amena talks with Micky ScottBey Jones also known as The Justice Doula about life after divorce. Micky shares how her work as a birth doula informs her current work in justice and activism. Micky also shares her personal experience of divorce and gives practical tips for those walking through divorce or walking alongside someone else going through a divorce. For more information about Micky and her work with Faith Matters Network and The People’s Supper, visit https://www.faithmattersnetwork.org/.

Amena talks with podcaster and education advocate, Dr. Alma Zaragoza-Petty, about how she overcame obstacles on her path to education. Dr. Zaragoza-Petty shares the barriers first generation students encounter on their path to higher education and why it’s important for marginalized people to pursue higher education. For more information about Dr. Alma and The Red Couch Podcast visit http://redcouchpodcast.podbean.com/.

On this bonus episode, Amena talks with actress Javicia Leslie who is featured on the CBS show God Friended Me. Javicia shares her audition journey and what she’s learning from playing her character, Ali, who is sister to an atheist podcaster brother and daughter to a traditional reverend father. Javicia also shares why it’s important to be persistent in pursuing your dreams. For more information about God Friended Me, check your local listings and visit https://www.cbs.com/shows/god-friended-me/.

Amena talks with musician, filmmaker, and emerging theologian SueAnn Shiah. SueAnn shares the journey of making her documentary HuanDao about her return to her parent’s home country Taiwan for a biking pilgrimage. Amena and SueAnn talk about the power of indigenous music and how returning to a familial home can help us to find what has been lost. For more information about SueAnn and her documentary, visit https://www.sueannshiah.com/.

Amena talks with two-thirds of the three hosts of the popular Truth’s Table podcast: writer/speaker and public theologian, Ekemini Uwan, and academician and mental health therapist, Dr. Christina Edmondson. Amena, Ekemini, and Christina discuss how Truth’s Table began and how as hosts and they foster community among their black women listeners. Ekemini and Christina share the importance of building our own tables. For more information about Truth’s Table, visit https://www.truthstable.com/.

Amena talks with author, poet, educator and poetry slam champion Theresa Davis about how we can use writing to process grief. Theresa shares how she became a performing artist and how she teaches young students to use writing to process difficult emotions. Amena and Theresa discuss helpful ways to walk alongside someone who is grieving. For more information about Theresa, visit www.theresa-davis.com/.-- Amena Brown Owen Poet. Author. Speaker. www.amenabrown.com

Amena talks with travel blogger and co-owner of coffee roasting company, The Running Over, Kat Armas. Kat shares her story of quitting her job to travel the world and the lessons she learned from getting lost. Amena and Kat discuss what we can learn when we choose to experience adventure and how to see getting lost as a positive learning experience. For information about Kat, visit https://katarmas.com/.

Amena talks with author, speaker, leadership coach, visionary, and podcaster, Jo Saxton. Amena and Jo discuss healthy leadership and the tensions between what we perceive as leadership and what leadership looks like in real life. Based on the themes in her book The Dream of You, Jo shares how we can center our identity in the right place and heal where our identity is broken. For more information about Jo, visit https://www.josaxton.com

Episode description: Amena talks with international speaker, leadership consultant, diversity and mentoring coach, and author Natasha Robinson. Exploring the themes of Natasha’s new book, A Sojourner’s Truth: Choosing Freedom and Courage in a Divided World, Amena and Natasha discuss Beyonce’s “Formation,” navigating the wilderness of life, and where we we can find redemption as we seek love, justice and freedom. For more information about Natasha and to order her book visit http://www.natashasrobinson.com/.

Episode description: Amena talks with Florence Mugisha, co-founder and director of women’s ministry at Africa New Life Ministries. Florence shares the story of her home country, Rwanda, post-genocide and how education for children and vocational training for women continues to help the country rebuild. For more information on Africa New Life Ministries, visit http://www.africanewlife.org/.

The theme for Season 2 is “Lost and Found.” This season Amena and her guests explore themes of surviving and processing loss, finding the joy in getting lost, returning home, finding freedom, and building something new. Listen here for a live performance of “Here Breathing” which inspired Amena to curate this season’s theme.

Amena talks with dancer, curator, and embodiment scholar Helen Hale about how we can learn to listen to our bodies. Helen shares what she’s learning about the healing process, being a full-time artist, and how dance and floral design connect to her to creativity. For more information about Helen Hale visit http://helenhale.com/.

Amena talks with Native American author, speaker and worship leader Kaitlin Curtice about why the voices and leadership of Native leaders is necessary and important. Kaitlin shares about her book Glory Happening and how the process of laboring is important in many areas of our lives. To find out more about Kaitlin Curtice, visit https://kaitlincurtice.com/.

Amena talks with emcee, activist, and U.S. Music Ambassador, Mahogany Jones, about hip hop and why art and justice are connected. Mahogany shares her story as a battle emcee and how she uses her influence to better the lives of women and girls. For more information about Mahogany Jones visit https://mahoganyjones.com/.

Amena talks with author, speaker, and yoga teacher, Kathy Khang about the importance of using our voices and the ways our bodies speak to us. Kathy shares from her new book Raise Your Voice: Why We Stay Silent and How to Speak Up and gives some tips on how to find your voice and how to find the courage to speak up. For more information about Kathy and her new book, visit http://www.kathykhang.com/.