A Sojourner’s Truth

Bonus Episode 43: #GriefAND Intersectionality featuring Latasha Morrison. LATASHA MORRISON is a bridge-builder, reconciler, and a compelling voice in the fight for racial justice. Her book, Be the Bridge, released in 2019, is a NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER, ECPA BESTSELLER, and is the ECPA 2021 Christian Book of the Year. In 2016, Tasha founded Be the Bridge, a non-profit organization equipping more than 1,000 sub-groups across five countries to serve as ambassadors of racial reconciliation. Numerous organizations have recognized her as a leading social justice advocate, including Facebook's Community Leadership Program, Forbes, and EBONY magazine. A native of North Carolina, Tasha earned degrees in human development and business leadership. She resides in Atlanta, Georgia.

Bonus Episode 42: #GriefAND Thanksgiving featuring Patricia Raybon. Patricia is an award-winning Colorado author, essayist, and novelist who writes stories of faith and mystery. Her debut 1920s mystery novel, All That Is Secret: An Annalee Spain Mystery, was a Parade magazine fall 2021 “Mysteries We Love” selection and a PBS Masterpiece's “Best Mystery Books of 2021: As Recommended by Bestselling Authors.” As an African American follower of Christ, she encourages people globally to love God and each other. patriciaraybon.com   Resources:  My First White Friend by Patricia Raybon

Episode 41: #GriefAND Generation Z featuring Medgina Saint-Elien. Medgina is a writer and creative who is called to highlight the elephant in the room throughout her work. This Haitian American poet is a Fulbright Scholar and an emerging voice of direction in the media industry. She redefines beauty at Byrdie Beauty, Snapchat, and beyond to amplify the stories of Women of Color.    Connect via her Instagram account. Hyperlink to her writing column:  https://www.housebeautiful.com/author/228418/medgina-saint-elien/  Resources:  Netflix documentary, A Social Dilemma

Episode 40: #Grief, Poetry AND Artistic Expression featuring Grace P. Cho. Grace is a Korean American writer, poet, speaker, and acquisitions editor at Revell. She creates space for people to be known, nurtured, and challenged through her work and desires to elevate women of color's voices in the publishing industry.  She is also the co-editor of Take Heart: 100 Devotions to Seeing God When Life's Not Okay, co-author of Empowered: More of Him for All of You, and the author of the (in)courage Bible studies, Courageous Influence and Create in Me a Heart of Wisdom.

Episode 39: Grief, Beauty, and Artistic Expression with Octavia Ink. Octavia is a printmaker, illustrator, and graphic designer. Originally from Chicago, Octavia graduated from DePaul University with a BFA in graphic design. Now located in Grand Rapids and also a local activist, she uses her artwork as a fundraiser for marginalized groups around the city. She believes in art as a form of expression, using her art to represent those who are underrepresented while bringing social justice issues to the forefront. As an illustrator, Octavia is driven and inspired by Black women. She wants to see women that look like her at the helm and she reflects that in her art. Constantly utilizing bright colors and dynamic movement in each piece, Octavia loves to incorporate flowers throughout her work. Pushing the message that we should give ourselves our flowers and celebrate growth and joy. www.prettyininkpress.com

Bonus Episode 38: #GriefAND Lent featuring Tish Harrison Warren. Tish is a priest in the Anglican Church in North America. She is the author of Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life (Christianity Today's 2018 Book of the Year) and Prayer in the Night: For Those Who Work, or Watch, or Weep (Christianity Today's 2022 Book of the Year and 2022 ECPA Christian Book of the Year). Currently, Tish writes a weekly newsletter for The New York Times, and she is a columnist for Christianity Today. Her articles and essays have appeared in Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Comment Magazine, The Point Magazine, The New York Times, and elsewhere. For over a decade, Tish has worked in ministry settings as a campus minister with InterVarsity Graduate and Faculty Ministries, as an associate rector, and with addicts and those in poverty through various churches and non-profit organizations. Now, Tish serves as Writer in Residence at Resurrection South Austin. She is a founding member of The Pelican Project and a Senior Fellow with the Trinity Forum. She lives with her husband and three children in the Austin, Texas area.

Episode 37: #GriefAND Community featuring Sandra Maria Van Opstal. Sandra is a second-generation Latina pastor, activist, author, and a powerful leading voice on the intersection of faith and justice.  She is executive director of Chasing Justice, a BIPOC-led movement that mobilizes Christians to live justly. Sandra's distinctiveness comes from working in both local and global contexts as a practitioner and academic, which has solidified her calling to disrupt oppressive systems within the church and center marginalized voices. She holds a Masters of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and is currently pursuing doctoral work in Urban Leadership and Transformation. Sandra is the author of The Next Worship, as well as contributor to the New York Times bestselling book A Rhythm of Prayer.

Episode 36: #GriefAND White Supremacy featuring Gregory Thompson. Gregory is a pastor, scholar, writer, producer, and amateur cook whose work focuses on racial healing in America. He currently serves as Executive Director of Voices Underground, an initiative to build a national memorial to the Underground Railroad in Southeast Pennsylvania. Dr. Thompson is also a Research Fellow in African American Cultural Heritage at Lincoln University (HBCU), the Visiting Theologian for Mission at Grace Mosaic Church in Washington DC, and the co-author (with Duke Kwon) of Reparations: A Christian Call to Repentance and Repair (Brazos Press, April 2021). He received his PhD in the Theology, Ethics, and Culture program in the University of Virginia's department of Religious Studies, where he wrote his dissertation on Martin Luther King, Jr.

Episode 35: #GriefAND Theology featuring Kat Armas. Kat is a Cuban American writer and podcaster from Miami, FL. Her first book, Abuelita Faith: What Women on the Margins Teach Us About Wisdom, Persistence and Strength, sits at the intersection of women, decolonialism, the Bible, and Cuban identity. She also explores these topics and more on her podcast, The Protagonistas, which centers the voices of Black, Indigenous, and other women of color in theological spaces.

Episode 34: #GriefAND Lament Part 2 featuring Natasha Sistrunk Robinson

Episode 33: #GriefAND Lament Part 1 featuring Soong-Chan Rah.  Profesor Rah (ThD, Duke Divinity School) is Robert Munger Professor of Evangelism at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. He is the author of Prophetic Lament, The Next Evangelicalism, and Many Colors, as well as coauthor of Unsettling Truths, Forgive Us, and Return to Justice. In addition to serving as founding senior pastor of the multiethnic, urban ministry-focused Cambridge Community Fellowship Church (CCFC), Rah has been a part of four different church-planting efforts and served with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in Boston. 

Episode 32: #GriefAND Leadership featuring Natasha Sistrunk Robinson

Episode 31: #GriefAND Advent featuring Bette Dickinson. Bette is a prophetic artist, writer, and speaker who invites audiences to connect with God through visual parables of the spiritual journey. Through creative communication, she helps her audience awaken to the beauty of God and His Kingdom and see more clearly the eternal realm in the heart and in the world. Through her work, Dickinson helps her audience connect the inner life of spiritual formation with the outer life of mission. Bette earned her Masters of Divinity with an emphasis in Pastoral Studies, is ordained in the Reformed Church in America, and serves with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in Spiritual Formation. She is author of Making Room in Advent: 25 Devotions for a Season of Wonder (2022, IVPress).

Episode 30: #GriefAND Homelessness featuring Rebecca Deng. Rebecca is the author of What They Meant for Evil: How a Lost Girl of Sudan Found Healing, Peace, and Purpose in the Midst of Suffering and one of the eighty-nine Lost Girls of Sudan who came to the US in 2000 as unaccompanied refugee minors after living eight years in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in northern Kenya. She is an international speaker and advocate for women and children victimized by war. She is African American of South Sudanese origin.

Episode 29: #GriefAND the Immigrant Story featuring Bethany Rivera Molinar. Bethany serves as Executive Director at Ciudad Nueva. She was born and raised in El Paso She is a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso where she received her bachelor of science degree. She completed graduate studies at Baylor University, earning both Master of Divinity and Master of Social Work degrees. Bethany's community development experience includes: community organizing at local and state levels, parental engagement, and bridging the local church to their neighborhood. She has worked at Ciudad Nueva since 2013 and has served in multiple capacities including middle school program coordinator, youth programs director, grant writer and director of operations. Bethany is passionate about faith-based community development and worshiping God with mind, body and spirit. She also serves on the board Christian Community Development Network. She lives and works in the Rio Grande neighborhood with her husband Adrian and their three children.

 #GriefAND Indigenious People featuring Mariah Humphries. Mariah is a Mvskoke Nation citizen, writer, and educator. Through her experience navigating the tension between Native and white American culture, she brings Native awareness to non-Native spaces. With over twenty years of vocational ministry service, she is focused on theology, racial literacy, and reconciliation within the American church.

Episode 27: #GriefAND Wilderness featuring Ashley Robinson.

#GriefAND Exodus featuring Natasha Sistrunk Robinson

In this episode, we feature Rev. Dr. Prince Raney Rivers. Dr. Rivers is the Senior Pastor of Union Baptist Church in Durham, North Carolina. He earned degrees from Morehouse College, Duke University Divinity School, and a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from North Carolina A&T State University. Dr. Rivers is the author of a commentary of sermons on the gospel of John entitled John published by Helwys in 2019. Dr. Rivers currently serves as a Trustee at Wake Forest University in Winston Salem, North Carolina.

In this episode, we feature Dr. Jemar Tisby, author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the Church's Complicity in Racism, and How to Fight Racism. His latest book is How to Fight Racism: Young Reader's Edition. Jemar has been a co-host of the "Pass the Mic" podcast since its inception seven years ago. His writing has been featured in the Washington Post, The Atlantic, and the New York Times among others. He is a frequent commentator on outlets such as NPR and CNN's New Day program. He speaks nationwide on the topics of racial justice, U.S. history and Christianity. Jemar earned his PhD in history and he continues to study race, religion, and social movements in the 20th century.

In this episode, we feature sista and friend, Ekemini Uwan. Ekemini is a public theologian and co-author of Truth's Table: Black Women's Musings on Life, Love, and Liberation.  She is the co-host of the award-winning podcast, Truth's Table and Get In The Word With Truth's Table. Uwan is also a contributing writer for Hallmark Mahogany and Christianity Today named her among "10 New or Lesser-Known Female Theologians Worth Knowing.”   Her writings have been published in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post Black Voices, Christianity Today, and The Witness: A Black Christian Collective to name a few. Ekemini has appeared on MSNBC, and her insights are quoted by NPR, CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The New Yorker among other publications. As one who is passionate about theology, Ekemini has a fierce commitment to the gospel and its implications for issues pertaining to racial injustice, anti-black racism, and white supremacy.

In this episode, we feature brother and friend, Esau McCaulley, Ph.D. Esau is an associate professor of New Testament at Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL, and theologian in residence at Progressive Baptist Church, a historically black congregation in Chicago. His first book entitled Sharing in the Son's Inheritance was published by T & T Clark in 2019. His second book, Reading While Black: African American Biblical interpretation as an Exercise in Hope was published by IVP academic in 2020. It won numerous awards including Christianity Today's book of the year. His most recent work was a children's book entitled Josey Johnson's Hair and the Holy Spirit for IVP kids. He is a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times. His writings have also appeared in places such as The Atlantic, Washington Post, and Christianity Today. He is married to Mandy, a pediatrician and navy reservist. Together, they have four wonderful children.

#GriefAND Introduction & My Journey with Grief with Natasha Sistrunk Robinson.

In this episode, Natasha speaks with her dear sister, friend, and peer mentor, Lieutenant Colonel select, NaTasha Everly (U.S. Marine Corps) about peer mentoring. NaTasha Everly is a native of North Carolina and graduate of the United States Naval Academy. She has served 17 years in the Marine Corps and traveled all over the world. NaTasha is married to an another active duty Marine and they have 3 young children (6, 3, 1). In her past time, NaTasha enjoys spending quality time with her family, volunteering and organizing non-profit events, reading (or rather listening to audio books), watching movies, and cultivating meaningful relationships with new and old friends. Show notes will be available at A Sojourner's Truth blog. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Natasha speaks with her mentor, friend, and colleague, Dr. Tracey Nicole Hayes and two mentees from her nonprofit, Leadership LINKS, Inc., about mentoring youth. Dr. Tracey Nicole Hayes is a passionate advocate for equality in education. She is an entrepreneur, professional writer and editor at JHwriting+, assisting others in attaining their personal and professional goals. Her vision is to inspire by example, to encourage and uplift, and to raise expectations, ensuring academic success is not only anticipated, but required. Nicole received her Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Naval Academy, completing 20 years of honorable service in the field of Human Resources. She received her Master's degree in Human Relations with a concentration in Leadership from the University of Oklahoma. She earned her doctoral degree in Education from Capella University; her dissertation examined factors supporting the academic success of African American male adolescents. Nicole currently resides in Greensboro, NC with her husband of 22 years. Dr. Hayes is a founding director of Leadership LINKS, Inc. Show notes are available on A Sista's Journey blog. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Natasha speaks with global leaders, Dr. Leighton Ford and Dr. MaryKate Morse about cross-gender mentoring, specifically how we cultivate healthy mentoring relationships between women and men. Dr. Leighton Ford, evangelist, author, social activist, leader, communicator and mentor, was singled out by Time Magazine as “among the most influential preachers of an active Gospel.” Dr. Ford is president of Leighton Ford Ministries. As an author, he has written 11 books. His most recent book is The Attentive Life. As a social activist, Dr. Ford has been an advocate for such issues as world hunger, poverty and racism. As a communicator, he has spoken to millions of people in scores of countries on every continent of the world. He is an ordained Presbyterian minister and was vice-president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, where he served for 31 years. He was also a regular alternate speaker with Billy Graham, his brother-in-law, on the Hour of Decision, one of the most popular religious broadcasts of its time. As a leader, Dr. Ford serves as the Honorary Lifetime Chairman of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, having served from 1976 to 1992 as chairman of this international body of Christian leaders. His book, “Transforming Leadership,” is one of the most comprehensive books on leadership ever written. Dr. MaryKate Morse is Professor of Leadership and Spiritual Formation at Portland Seminary of George Fox University. Currently, she is the Lead Mentor for the Doctor of Ministry in Leadership & Spiritual Formation. Raised in the Air Force, MaryKate lived in various US states and overseas. She completed her BS in Secondary Education and English Literature at Longwood University in Virginia. Upon return she did a Masters in Biblical Studies and a Master of Divinity at Western Evangelical Seminary (now Portland Seminary). She began teaching, studied spiritual formation and spiritual direction, and was certified as a spiritual director and recorded as a pastor with the Evangelical Friends. MaryKate completed her doctorate at Gonzaga University where she studied the characteristics of renewal leadership as modeled by Jesus. After her doctorate she planted two churches and served in various administrative positions at the university including Seminary Associate Dean, Director of Hybrid programs, and University Director of Strategic Planning. She is a spiritual director and leadership mentor and coach, conference and retreat speaker, and author including Making Room for Leadership: Power, Space, and Influence and A Guidebook to Prayer. Show notes are available at A Sista's Journey blog. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Natasha speaks with author and founder of the IF:Gathering, Jennie Allen, about mentoring and mobilizing. Jennie Allen is an Arkansas native but Texan forever, Bible teacher, author, and the founder and visionary of IF:Gathering. A passionate leader following God's call on her life to catalyze this generation to live what they believe, Jennie is the author of Nothing to Prove, Restless, Anything, and her most recent devotional, Made for This. Her Bible studies include Stuck, Chase, Restless, and Proven. Jennie has a master's in biblical studies from Dallas Theological Seminary and lives in Dallas, Texas, with her husband and teammate, Zac, and their four children, Conner, Kate, Caroline, and Cooper. Show notes are available on A Sista's Journey blog. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Natasha speaks with Margaret Yu and Kristy Garza Robinson about mentoring across cultures. They talk leadership, sponsorship, patriarchy, being ethnic minorities and predominately white spaces, and so much more. Kristy Garza Robinson is a Latina minister, activist, and co-author of the new book, Hermanas: Deeping our Identity and Growing our Influence, currently living in Austin, Texas. She is passionate about advocating for those on the margins and seeking to help people integrate all of who they are into their calling, especially their ethnic identity. She enjoys good food, good friends, and deep conversations. She has a Masters in Global Leadership from Fuller Seminary and is co-founder alongside her husband, Eric, of a consulting ministry called 58 which helps ministry leaders take next steps towards greater justice, diversity, and equity in their organization. Kristy and Eric are also parents to two beautiful daughters. Margaret Yu is the National Director of Epic Movement, the Asian American ministry of Cru and the Executive Director of Ethnic Focused Communities of Cru. Margaret has served with Cru's Campus Ministry for over 30 years. Her campus experiences span the globe from Milwaukee to Berkeley, to East Asia to Uzbekistan or to Los Angeles where she currently resides. Margaret loves college students. Her passion is to see God form many more culturally competent leaders for the kingdom of God. (Hence, she holds a Master's Degree in Global Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary.) Her interests include mentorship or leadership development, talking shop about the NBA, and being at the beach. Show notes are available at A Sista's Journey blog. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Natasha talks with guests, Laurie Polich Short and Brooklyn Lindsay, about mentoring women across generations, and their dream for SheGrows women. Laurie Short is a speaker, author and adjunct preacher at Peninsula Covenant and Oceanhills Church. She is a graduate of Fuller Seminary and the co-founder of SheGrows, a cross generational women's conference to promote mentoring relationships. Laurie's books include When Changing Nothing Changes Everything (May 2017), Finding Faith in the Dark (August 2014), and 40 verses to Ignite your Faith (coming April 2019). Laurie has been in ministry with youth and adults for thirty years, and has served on staff at four churches. She lives in Santa Barbara with her husband Jere, and stepson Jordan. Brooklyn Lindsey is an advocate for being a mentor and for being in mentor-rich environments. As a mom, pastor, writer, and international communicator, she values relationships and supporting the potential of every human possible. She's been a leader in youth ministry for two decades and recently launched a new community, Somos Church, with her husband Coy in Lakeland, Florida. She was the visionary founder of The Justice Movement, a global youth community that creates educational resources and events to empower youth to do justice together, and is currently empowering women through mentoring education and advocacy with She Grows Conference. She has authored eight books including “Confessions of A Not-So-Supermodel”, “Opposite Day”, “Kingdom Experiment”, “A Parent's Guide to Understanding Teen Girls”, ” 99 Thoughts For Junior Highers”, “Sacred Life”, “To-Save-A-Life” and “Advent.” Show notes are available at A Sista's Journey blog. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Natasha has a conversation with Dr. Liz Selzer on the topic "Mentor as Coach." They discuss the professional side of mentoring, and why mentoring is such an important leadership tool. Dr. Liz Selzer founded the Mentor Leadership Team, a consulting and training company that helps organizations unleash the potential of their people. Dr. Selzer's passion for helping organizations better value and engage employees led to numerous articles on mentoring and the publication of her three books: 3G Mentoring, Your Culture at its Strongest and Real Leaders. Her radio show, Mentoring across Differences or MAD radio was a top rated digital program for two years. Her published dissertation demonstrated the positive longitudinal effectiveness of mentoring as an adult learning strategy. As an internationally sought after speaker and trainer, Dr. Selzer has trained in leadership development on six continents and throughout the United States. Show notes are available at A Sista's Journey blog. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Natasha has a conversation with Susan Seay, author, life coach, and mom of seven, and mentoring moms and families. They discuss why they don't read parenting books, and why business and leadership resources are more helpful for managing a family. Susan Seay uses her “Mentor 4 Moms" Podcast as an extension of the relatable teaching style found in her book “The Intentional Parent: Parenting On Purpose When Life Gets Busy." Though her resources, you can get a sense of Susan's heart to provide encouragement to moms combined with helpful practical tools. Susan truly understands the challenges of being an Intentional Parent. Susan has been a mentor to women locally in Austin, TX and internationally for over a decade. Show notes are available at A Sista's Journey blog. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Natasha speaks with Nancy Beach about mentoring and leadership. They discuss the #MeToo and #ChurchToo Movements, women in leadership, what pastors need to know, and their hope for the future. Nancy Beach is most known for her groundbreaking ministry to more fully unleash the arts in the local church, and for leading artists with grace, wisdom, and skill. For over 20 years she served as the Programming Director of Willow Creek Community Church in suburban Chicago, building a community of artists who sought to create transformational moments in weekend church services. Nancy also served as a Teaching Pastor, periodically bringing the weekend message. She invested five years as a leadership team member of the Willow Creek Association, an organization that exists to envision and inspire church leaders all over the world. In over 26 countries and on 6 continents, Nancy has shared her passion, teaching at conferences and workshops. Show notes are available at A Sista's Journey blog. Show notes are available at A Sista's Journey blog. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Natasha speaks with some of the founding directors of her nonprofit, Leadership LINKS, Inc. about how to cultivate a mentoring community. They share lessons learned, intentional actions, and the benefits of mentoring communities. This is your introduction to Ms. QuaWanna Bannarbie, Mr. Davede Alexander, and Admiral Arthur Johnson, Jr. (U.S. Navy,Retired). Mrs. QuaWanna Bannarbie has over 15 years of professional writing experience in both the corporate and private sectors, specializing in administrative correspondence in support of non-profit start-ups and public service agencies. She is an Adjunct Professor of Nonprofit Leadership at Indiana Wesleyan University. Mr. Davede Alexander is the CEO and Chief Strategist of Innovo Strategic Solutions. Throughout his career he has conceptualized and developed ongoing, popular, leadership programs for organizations such as the U. S. Marine Corps, the U. S. Naval Academy, and the Ron Burton Training Village. Admiral Arthur Johnson, Jr. is the Founder and CEO of Destiny Aviation Services, LLC. After leading and commanding at all levels in the U.S. Navy for 33 years, he now seeks to broaden the nation's pool of aviation professionals through various aviation and education initiatives. Show notes are available at A Sista's Journey blog. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode I have the privilege of having a conversation with my 11 year old daughter, Ashley S. Robinson. We share our stories, talk about her life and recent experiences, and what we are both learning about choosing freedom and courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Natasha interviews Ms. Janie L. Mines, the first black female graduate of the United States Naval Academy. Janie shares her story of leadership and redemption with us. Janie L. Mines entered Annapolis—the U.S. Naval Academy— in 1976 as the only African American female in the first class of women. After leaving the military and corporate America, she continued to serve her country as the Senior Advisor, Business Process, in the Office of the Secretary of the Navy. She currently serves on the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS and is an independent executive management consultant. As a Sloan Fellow she earned an MBA from the Alfred P. Sloan School of Business Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Ms. Mines founded and managed a non-profit organization for over 10 years serving socioeconomically disadvantaged adolescent boys in the community. She won numerous awards and was selected to carry the Olympic torch. She has maintained her relationship with the U.S. Naval Academy throughout the decades and continues to positively impact the lives of midshipmen and naval officers through her mentorship and ongoing support. Check out her new book release, "No Coincidences: Reflections of the First Black Female Graduate of the United States Naval Academy." Launch: November 10, 2018, Ms. Janie L. Mines and Mrs. Anne Springs Close in Fort Mill, SC Availability: Pre-orders starting November 10, 2018 at https://nocoincidencesbook-com.myshopify.com/ Shipping: December 10, 2018 Website & email: https://custommessagesinc.com/ customerservice@custommessagesinc.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode we are talking about our Redemption Stories with two community leaders in the Triad, NC area, Dr. Michelle Johnson and Miss Chase Clark. Dr. Michelle Johnson is a wife and mother, committed first to the spiritual and personal development of her family, and second to her assignment with her husband to build the Kingdom of God through community development and education reform. She pastors A People of God Church in Jamestown, NC with her husband, Rev. Tacuma Johnson, and also owns and operates The Point: Center for Education, Inspiration, and Transformation. In 2012, they opened the community's first charter school to offer free transportation and meals to families seeking choice for their children. Miss Chase Alexandria Clark is the compassionate and lively 14-year old founder and visionary of Chase's Chance, INC. “Chase's Chance” is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 2013 with a focus on the youth and young adults locally and internationally. To date the organization has raised and donated over $28,000. Our hope is that ALL youth feel supported and encouraged to move towards the life that God has designed for them. Chase is a ninth grader and attends The Early College/Middle College at GTCC-Jamestown. Her plans include attending Spelman College and becoming a successful pediatric orthopedic doctor. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, we discuss Our Stories in the WILDERNESS with Pastor Florence Mugisha of Africa New Life Ministries in Kigali, Rwanda. Florence Mugisha is the Co-Founder of Africa New Life Ministries with her husband, Dr. Charles Mugisha, and serves as the organization's Director of Women's Ministry. Florence is a graduate of Multnomah University in Portland, Oregon. She is a preacher, motivational speaker, and dynamic communicator of the good news of Jesus Christ. Passionate about the gospel and revival, she has been invited to preach at a variety of churches across Uganda, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, and the United States. God has raised her to be a voice for the poor and the orphaned children of Africa. Florence is a mother of five children. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This episode features a conversation with my dear friend, spoken word artist and author, Amena Brown. We are having a conversation about Our Stories in the WILDERNESS. Amena Brown is a poet, speaker, author, and event host. Named one of Rejuvenate Magazine's Top 40 under 40 Changemakers, Amena is the author of five spoken word CDs and two non-fiction books: Breaking Old Rhythms and her latest release How to Fix a Broken Record. She has performed and spoken at events across the nation such as Creativity World Forum, IF Gathering, and Chick-fil-A Leadercast, as well as touring with Gungor, Ann Voskamp and the Voices Project Historically Black College and University Tour. Amena is the host of three podcasts: HER With Amena Brown, the limited edition How to Fix a Broken Record podcast about her book of the same name, and Here for the Donuts. She and her husband, DJ Opdiggy, live in Atlanta where they host an open mic every fifth Thursday at Urban Grind Coffee. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This episode features a conversation with my dear friend, godmother, mentor, and acclaimed choir director and Bennett Belle, Joyce Garrett talking about the HISTORY of Our Stories. In it, she shares her personal experience participating in the Civil Rights Movement as a college student and the continuous fight for racial justice today. Joyce Garrett, a native of Kinston, North Carolina consistently produced outstanding choral ensembles for over thirty years at Eastern High School, Washington, DC. A consummate musician and exemplary music educator, Garrett served as Founder/Artistic Director of the Excellence Without Excuses program, a youth intervention, values-training and scholarship program she created for the award-winning Eastern High School Choir of Washington, DC during her teaching career there from 1972-1999. Garrett directed the United States Naval Academy Gospel Choir in Annapolis, Maryland from 1990 until 2006, performing throughout the United States from California to New York, showcasing the Gospel Choir's talents, and serving as a catalyst for Academy minority student recruitment and retention. Garrett received the Bachelor of Arts Degree from Bennett College, and the Master of Music Degree from The Catholic University in Washington, DC. During her teaching career, she received numerous honors and awards Currently, she serves as the Music and Worship Arts Ministry Director of the Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, VA. She is married to James Garrett and is the mother of two adult children, Rodney and Melanie Messer. Follow her work through the Joyce Garrett Fan Page. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The episode features a conversation with Mrs. Latrice Wiliams talking about the HISTORY of Our Stories. Latrice is my aunt, my mom's baby sister, and we are sharing some of our family history in this episode. Latrice is a marketing and communications professional with more than 25 years of experience in community relations, media relations, strategic planning and event coordination. Her career experience includes promotions and exposure for various non-profits and associations. Latrice successfully managed several award-winning projects and public awareness campaigns, coordinated volunteer retention efforts, led creative and production teams and maintained departmental budgets. Latrice's area of expertise includes digital content and story development, branding and volunteer coordination and retention. She currently provides web and digital content services and program coordination for the South Carolina Heart Gallery, an agency seeking to provide permanent homes for children in foster care. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This episode features a conversation with Dr. Twaina Harris, Campus Director of the Career Pathways Initiative and Director of Academic Advising at the Historically Black College and University (HBCU), Claflin University. Twaina is from Orangeburg, South Carolina, and she graduated with a bachelor's degree in Psychology from South Carolina State University. She earned a Master's degree in Counseling from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Upon completion of her Master's degree, she was employed by UAB as a professional academic advisor in the Division of General Studies. After serving several years as an academic advisor at UAB, she relocated to Columbus, Ohio and served as Admissions Manager for the College of Optometry and chair of the Diversity Committee for the health sciences (including the health professions) at Ohio State University. In 2014, she earned her Doctor of Education degree in Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. The primary focus of her dissertation was academic advising at HBCUs. She has been employed at Claflin University for 14 years. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This episode features a conversation with Jo Saxton about the FORMATION of Our Stories. Jo Saxton is an author, speaker, leadership coach, and visionary. Born to Nigerian parents and raised in London, England, Jo brings a multi-cultural and international perspective to leadership. She has served on staff in multiple churches in the United Kingdom and the United States. Today, Jo co-hosts the popular podcast Lead Stories: Tales of Leadership and Life with Steph O'Brien. She is also the founder of the Ezer Collective, an initiative that creates intensives and experiences to invest in women who lead. Jo's most recent book is called, The Dream of You: Let Go of Broken Identities and Live the Life You Were Made For. Jo and her husband, Chris, live in Minneapolis with their two daughters.She loves Starbucks, running, her people, and the everyday stuff, like good music, good food, and good books, and Target. She really, really loves Target! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join us for our first epiosde of A Sojourner's Truth, where we explain the purpose and passion behind Season 1: Our Stories. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.