En Her Élément

The last episode of Black History Month! Today we continue our conversations about the origins of black history month, the African/Black diaspora, and some final thoughts on the importance of this part of history.Resources:Thomas Alexander-Dumas - FranceHakim Adi- UKOlivette Otele- UKAssa Traoré and the Black Lives Matter Movement in France

It's Black History Month and we are taking this entire month to talk about all things black. In this three-part series, we will be talking about the origins of black history month, why it's important to learn more, and about the African/Black diaspora around the world.Link to resources mentioned/used in this episode:Carlos Guillermo Wilson- PanamaQuince Duncan- Costa Rica Nelson Estupiñán Bass - EcuadorThe Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church's Complicity in Racism

It's Black History Month and we are taking this entire month to talk about all things black. In this three-part series, we will be talking about the origins of black history month, why it's important to learn more, and about the African/Black diaspora around the world.Link to resources mentioned/used in this episode:Origins of Black History MonthNYT :Florida Rejects A.P. African American Studies ClassDefinition of diaspora and African/Black diaspora

First episode of 2023 and we are talking about engagements! With several people in our lives getting engaged and feeling some pressure from our own peers about our current life status we wanted to put our opinions out in the open. But first, we talk about New Year's and our goals of 2023

After a several month break, we are back on the mics! Its been a while since we last got together and today we are discussing it all. From work to grad school and everything in between we reflect on the last few months and our overall year.

The conversation around mental health has fortunately changed for the better in the last few years. However, in many communities of color, the conversations and the idea surrounding mental health are still very taboo. Today, we talk about how those conversations (or lack of) were in our homes and what we wish for the future in our cultures.Statistics from today's episode come from Mental Health America: https://www.mhanational.org/bipoc-mental-healthIf you or someone you know struggles with mental health, please check out these resources:https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/mental-health-resources/

In this episode, Mari and Léocadia talk about what it was like growing up in a bilingual household and how it has shaped how they use language.

It's travel season y'all and today we are talking about our adventures seeing the world as women of color. We talk about the places we've been to this summer, our experiences domestically and internationally, and the privilege that comes with travel.

Its been two years since the murder of George Floyd and the summer of protest that followed. Today, we take a look about what has happened two years out, how our lives have changed and what the Black Lives Movement means to us.References: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/how-many-people-killed-by-police-us-1235121/The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church's Complicity in Racism: https://www.amazon.com/Color-Compromise-American-Churchs-Complicity/dp/0310597269

On this week's episode, we talk about where we find joy, what brings us to it, reflection on the past 6 months of 2022 and what we hope to come. But first, we talk about new updates in Marielena's stay in Holland and Leocadia's current dating adventures.References:Marielena's blog

Leo and Mari will TRY to keep it light with a little game this week.Hopefully, you can get to know your host a little better.

We are talking about beauty today and all the expectations and standards that come with it. Today we discuss our own experiences with American standards of beauty and how it has affected our relationship with ourselves. It's a vulnerable episode, so take a listen!Below are some references that we made during our episode today:The Crown ActTraditional African Hairstyles and their Origins

In today's episode we talk about our experiences trying to fit into the expectations of white society and our own personal path to rejecting assimilation.References:You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation by Julissa ArceJose Olivarez Mexican American Poem Read

Today we are talking about the beauty of female friends, the impact that they have on our lives, and why they need to be valued. But before that, we talk about Marielena's new life in the Netherlands and some updates on Leocadia's marathon training. *Trigger warning: we do briefly talk about suicide in this episode*

Sometimes your only choice is to just do it!

This week on our podcast, we have Eileen Bobowaski, director of the The Sewing Labs. We sit down and talk about the mission of the organization, which is to help marginalized women in the Kansas City area gain self sufficiency, independence and entrepreneurial skills through sewing .The Sewing Labs526 CampbellKansas City, MO 64106To learn more about how you can help The Sewing Labs in their work, check out their website and social media links below:Website: https://thesewinglabs.community/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesewinglabs/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSewingLabs/Climate Council of Kansas City, article on fast fashion and the environment: https://climategkc.org/fast-fashion/

We have a wonderful guest with us today, the one and only Nancy Shawver. A good friend of both of us, Nancy takes a minute to sit down with Léocadia to talk about her journey in journalism, working in corporate America and eventually starting her own career. We also talk about building confidence and knowing your self-worth in the workforce and in life.

Sometimes you record an episode and realize that is not your best work nor your most honest work, so you just start over - and that is exactly what we did. Today we talk about having to scratch our original recording for this episode, life changes that we individually are currently experiencing and how this all ties into the societal expectations we have as women and even the expectations that we put on ourselves.

In a perfect world, all women would lift each other up and encourage one another to move up on the ladder of success. However, that is not always the case. Meet “Ice Queens” - women, who unfortunately, put other women down. Our guest today Rev. Bethany Ruhl - an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and a board certified chaplain- talks about this term that she has coined and her experiences encountering Ice Queens, how to heal from the trauma of dealing with one and how we as women can lift each other up.

Did you know that 3 in 10 Americans have said they used online dating!Mari and Leocadia explore this hot topic and share stories on online dating and ghosting culture.#ifykyk

Marielena dives in to love and being partnered with old friends.Adam and Mark share about married life and starting families.Check out Adams Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/newbalances/

You've heard Léocadia constantly talk about him and now you all get to meet him! Today's guest on our episode is the one and only Darren Beckham. Marielena and Darren sit down to talk about his relationship with Léocadia, his time in the seminary and how he feels he is called to love (as well as a few inside jokes between him and Marielena!).

We are back and finally live after a few weeks of pre recorded episodes! Join us as we introduce season 3 with doozy: Heartbreak! We are diving into what heartbreak means, different types of heartbreak and how we navigate and heal from them.

Last episode of this season and Leocadia is here to close us out! To end on a positive note, I want us to give a toast to being different, finding the values in them and the contribution we bring to the world. You matter and you are important.

College is not for everyone.Leocadia explores living the American dream while at college. She dissects what it means when you're a student from a low-income family living in one of the most expensive cities in the United States. She is joined by her long-time friend, Julianna.

Feeling part of the church and the baggage that comes with it is tale as old as time. In today's episode we talk about our experience with feeling excluded in various moments with the Catholic Church and the lack of representation we have seen with it. Its not an easy conversation that we are going to have but its one that needs to be done.Works referenced:Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Kicking off the first episode of 2022 with no filter- we're not white. For our first episode of this season titled "I'm Different", we are diving into the ways that we have felt different through race, the impact it has had our experience growing up, and our life today.Links for works referenced in today's episode:The Color of Compromise by Jemar TisbyHow do we improve dialogue about race relations? Quote mentioned by Linda Tropp, professor of Race Relations at University of Massachusetts - Amherst

We just wanted to take a moment to say hello and Happy New Year! We're gonna briefly talk about some changes to our podcast, a reflection on the holidays and what we are looking forward to in the next year.

For our last episode of our introduction season, we are gonna talk about the other half of En Her Élément - Marielena Maroquinn. Get to know this woman from New Jersey, how she also ended up in Kansas City seven years ago and what brings her joy in life.

Get ready to meet 1/2 of En Her Élément - Léocadia Tchouaffé! From how she moved to Kansas City two years ago on a whim, discussing her cultural background and the impact its had on her life to her faith, you'll get to have a bit of a deep dive into who this woman is.

Welcome to En Her Élément! Join co-host Léocadia and Marielena as they discuss their friendship, how they met and why they started this podcast.