Kume: Turning Point Diaries

Navigating life transitions with clarity and self-awareness. In this special edition of the Kume: Turning Point Diaries podcast, we explore the practice of self and the power of journaling. We introduce the MyKume Journal, a new tool designed to provide a consistent and introspective practice in your life through its many phases and transitions.Throughout the episode, we discuss the inspiration behind the journal, demonstrate how it works in real-time, and share testimonials from individuals who have seamlessly integrated it into their daily routines.Join us for a step-by-step guide to unlocking your infinite capacity to change, evolve, and create the life you desire!Join the waitlist and be the first to know when the MyKume Journal becomes available.

Today, we are privileged to have Abou Sow, the owner of Prince Abou's Butchery—one of the few Black-owned butcher shops in New York. Abou descends from a line of pastoral people from West Africa and learned the craft from his uncle's business at the young age of 11.While he was initially reluctant to work in his uncle's shop, he now operates a successful butchery, which started from Instagram DM. Along the way, he learned to respect and honor all life and embrace his role in the cycle of life.Abou's journey resonated with me as it mirrors my path of expanding on my family's traditions and transforming them into community-building tools. I hope you'll find this conversation as fascinating as I found it recording it.Full show notesSign up for our curated weekly newsletter with stories and inspiration on life, love, well-being, and much more delivered right to your inbox. Get Rootless (save 15 percent on your purchase of the Starter Kit by using code KUME15).

We start 2023 with a spirited conversation with Jenneh Kaikai, a self-taught baker, cake designer, and owner of Pelah Kitchen. In our conversation, Jenneh speaks candidly about her journey of building a business and brand rooted in her African heritage and investing in the communities there. We explore our identities and responsibilities as people of the African diaspora. Jenneh shares the principle of humility which guides her in all she does. This is a story of following your curiosity and alignment. Be prepared to savor morsels of wisdom.Full show notesGet Rootless (save 15 percent on your purchase of the Starter Kit by using code KUME15).Sign up for our curated weekly newsletter with tips on well-being, self-knowledge, happiness, and much more. 

We are excited and grateful to welcome back Kewulay Kamara, a fan favorite, master storyteller, and worldly scholar.Today's conversation is about freedom as a guiding principle in creating the life you want. We often talk about our hopes, dreams, goals, and the life we want, but we often don't connect these aspirations to freedom. However, living the life you wish usually means knowing and creating the freedom(s) you desire. Join us as we dive into Kamara's Finah journey and discover his key life lessons. Nourish your body with Rootless (save 15 percent on your purchase of the Starter Kit by using code KUME15). We may earn commissions from qualifying purchases using the affiliate link. Full show notes: https://www.kumehouse.com/episodes/creatingalifeofreedomandchoice

'Take freely, give cheerfully' These are the words that welcome visitors to the Love Stand, a community pantry in Ypsilanti, Michigan.In this week's episode, we speak with Tyler Weston, steward of the pantry. Tyler shares a message you received from God one morning in March of 2020 that led him to turn the front porch of a neighborhood home into a food pantry. But this is not just any food pantry. The Love Stand is a space for love, hope, and inspiration. In our conversation, Tyler opens up about his experience serving his community during Covid. He shares his personal story, struggles, and the beauty in it. We also talk about setting aside our egos, humbling ourselves, making room for grace, and trusting God with the details of our lives.It is an uplifting conversation and just what you need if you're losing hope in humanity.Let's keep the conversation going in the comments section of our website! Share the story.

This week we are getting on the mat with yoga teacher Victoria Rutledge. In our conversation, Victoria moves us through her yoga practice, from the moment she stepped into a studio to now guiding others through breath, body, and soul. For Victoria, yoga is a physical, intellectual, and creative endeavor. She talks about being a Black woman in a predominantly white wellness space, challenging the status quo in the yoga community, and developing the discernment to ask for and get what she wants.Victoria's story encourages us to be brave, live joyfully, and pursue our highest calling.Let's keep the conversation going in the comments section of our website! Share the story.

This week we have a lively and hilarious conversation with comedian and fellow podcaster Meka Mo. In our conversation, Meka walks us through her comedic journey. She shares how she went from using humor as a weapon to defend herself to now using it as a tool to relate, heal and bring joy to others.  We also talk about owning your identity and taking your craft seriously.Meka's cheerful spirit is contagious, and I hope that you laugh as much as I did while recording this episode. Let's keep the conversation going in the comments section of our website!

We kick off season three with a rawly uplifting conversation with Jesse Wilson. In this episode, Jesse opens up about his upbringing in an intense religious organization, the epicenter of the ecumenical charismatic renewal movement of the 1970s and 80s; his strange mini-celebrity status as “The Obedient Child” and his nearly 20-year career as a full-time pastor. He also talks about the moment he decided to pull the plug on his church to save his inner child. Jesse courageously models how to build a new life after a significant chapter closes—piecing together a new home, a new work, new relationships, and a new sense of self.In between, Jesse shares his fascinating research on how we become, stay, feel and find inspiration.Let's keep the conversation going in the comment section of our website! Full show notes: https://bit.ly/3nzVwBc

In season three, we strive to know ourselves more. We are connecting with our inner child, making room for grace, prioritizing joy and learning how to safeguard our personhood.  Join us as we gift ourselves and each other of healing that can be experienced once our wholeness is embraced and shared. We begin sharing this Tuesday, October 26. Listen to the trailer above and keep the conversation going in the comments section of our website.

We are officially done with our second season! For the season finale, we've compiled excerpts from both seasons 1 and 2. These are the conversations we rarely have, truths we never dare to say out loud, and the fears we bury deep, but something miraculous happens when we are allowed the space to tell our stories. In this episode, our guests share their revelations, transformations, and affirmations on creating and living a life true to who they are, and recall moments from their lives that shaped their character, vision and values. This a great episode to share with family and friends who have yet to listen to podcast. We hope you enjoyed this compilation. To keep up with us in the off-season, follow us on Instagram and Facebook. For full show notes: https://bit.ly/3AsDZAt

This week we have an enlightening conversation with Marius Iliescu about life transitions. Marius takes us on an epic career adventure from a highflying corporate attorney to a tourism entrepreneur to now a mindfulness and personal development coach. He tells us about the moment he decided to abandon the vain pursuit of material success and began to own his calling. Marius's journey urges us to pause and ask introspective questions along our journey.Full show notes: https://bit.ly/2SsdGJz

This week we speak with Cielo Villa, a trailblazing entrepreneur with a bold vision to revolutionize college access. Cielo is the founder of Road to Uni, a free online resource that acts as a supercharged and hyper-accessible college counselor, open to all. In our conversation, she shares her fascinating, winding journey into entrepreneurship. Cielo details some of the most painful moments of her life, which developed an inner fortitude to survive life's vicissitudes. She also talks about scaling her vision since winning The David Prize, a new philanthropic award that comes with a $200,000 cash no-strings-attached. Join us as we talk about resilience, inner fortitude and creating a new path.Full show notes: https://bit.ly/3uFQ5BW

There’s no denying that money plays a significant role in our everyday lives, yet many of us are uncomfortable to talk about it. This week our guest Rosa Colin, ASW, talks openly and vulnerably about her journey with money. Rosa is a social worker with a passion for personal finance. For Rosa, the value of money took on a whole new meaning once she began to take charge of her finance. In our conversation, she reflects on her earliest money-related memories and experiences. Rosa explains the shame and embarrassment she felt when she had to ask or borrow money from friends and how freeing it has been to no longer be one asking but instead providing financial support to others. Through her personal finance reading club, Rosa is helping other women build strong relationships with money without feeling shame about their past money decisions. Rosa’s story encourages us to invest in ourselves.

Knowing and accepting ourselves unconditionally is not a one-time event, but a continuously unfolding reality. In this episode I dive into the concept of nyerelon, which means self-knowledge in my familial language of Kuranko from West Africa. I take you on the journey that led me to seek therapy and the discoveries I have made along the way. I share some aha! moments and owning my identity as a Finahmusu, or storyteller. For me therapy has been my practice of self-knowledge, and I hope that this episode inspires you to find something you can do on a regular basis that enables you to discover who you really are. Full show notes: https://bit.ly/2Sj0Soc

You think you’ve met the love of your life? Stop. Step back. In this week’s episode, guest Anthea Taeuber tells a cautionary tale of love and manipulation. What began as a fun and exhilarating courtship quickly descended into something unloving and dangerous. She walks us from the moment her ex-boyfriend’s mask slipped and she saw and felt the violence within him, to the day she broke free from the cycle of abuse. Anthea is the co-founder and resident mind guide at We Are Warriors (WAW), an interactive platform for women focusing on personal development and community connection. Her work and walk is a powerful testimony of freedom. You can also find more information about what love bombing looks like here. If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse or intimate partner violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline has trained experts available 24/7 to assist. You can call them at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). The website also has a live chat service. 

You think you’ve met the love of your life? Stop. Step back. In this week’s episode, guest Anthea Taeuber tells a cautionary tale of love and manipulation. What began as a fun and exhilarating courtship quickly descended into something unloving and dangerous. She walks us from the moment her ex-boyfriend’s mask slipped and she saw and felt the violence within him, to the day she broke free from the cycle of abuse. Anthea is the co-founder and resident mind guide at We Are Warriors (WAW), an interactive platform for women focusing on personal development and community connection. Her work and walk is a powerful testimony of freedom. You can also find more information about what love bombing looks like here. If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse or intimate partner violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline has trained experts available 24/7 to assist. You can call them at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). The website also has a live chat service. 

This week we explore the topic of healing with Dr. Worokya Duncan, Ed.D. Worokya is a professional educator, wife and mom of four. In our conversation, she shares the most intimate, personal and complicated details of her dual upbringing in America and Liberia, which shaped the compassionate person she is today. Worokya also opens up about a sensitive, yet important topic; sexual abuse. With great courage, she walks us through the path of wrestling with shame, guilt and her Christian faith. Worokya inspires us  with her vulnerability and persistent strength. Join us as  we dive into her journey of self-love and acceptance. Full show notes: https://bit.ly/39NnVNO

At a time like this when there is a call for accountability around anti-Asian sentiments and racist violent acts, we need to elevate the voices of Asian people. This week we have a timely conversation with Carolyn Tran, a single mom running for New York City Council in District 25 in Queens. The daughter of refugees from Vietnam, Carolyn shares her journey of developing her own politics and values in college; working behind the scenes as a public servant for the last twelve years; and now boldly running for office. Carolyn’s story is a powerful testimony of daring to challenge the status quo.Full show notes: http://bit.ly/3cdVNVD

On this week's episode we are talking about loving your life and not chasing someone else’s with Liyah Washington, a young professional with a moving life story. In our conversation, Liyah walks us through her childhood in foster care and how that particular part of her life taught her the importance of gratitude and being content. This is a source of knowledge that has aided her in becoming the positive and resilient person she is today. Join us in this beautiful and inspiring conversation.Full show notes: http://bit.ly/3t1lzlB

We kick off season two with an enlightening conversation with my dear friend Aminata Dia, a design thinking consultant residing in Dakar, Senegal. Aminata opens up about the first time she wore a hijab in Paris and how it dramatically changed her lived reality. This is a powerful story of accepting yourself and holding on to your values in the face of other people’s criticism. Full show notes: https://bit.ly/2ZGmsDx

This season we journey through experiences that altered our lived realities. We also make space for lessons learned along the way. Join us as we explore the untold moments that shaped our character, vision, and values. We are reflecting all season, and it all starts this Tuesday, February 23. Here's a preview. JOIN THE MAILING LIST: https://www.kumehouse.com/Kume: Turning Point Diaries IG: https://bit.ly/3bv6LoaKume: Turning Point Diaries FB: http://bit.ly/3aDAKes

This episode draws from a profound conversation I had on Instagram Live with my storyteller father, Kewulay Kamara, back in April, about family history and community, and its relevance to the difficult times we are living in. He encourages us to celebrate change. Everything is going through changes and we need to learn to be comfortable with change and uncertainty. This is the time to have faith--to think beyond the current circumstances. "If you don't look beyond this point you are in, you will be living in fear. You will be doing things that are very small." I hope that you take this message with you into the new year and that you are fearless about your dreams and all that you want for yourself, your family and your community.

What happens when you get two Finahs in a room? They tell stories. This week's episode is a genuine conversation between our host and her storyteller father, Kewulay Kamara, about their dynamic relationship. They discuss significant turning points in their father-daughter relationship and the differences they see in those stories. Along the way, they uncover the hidden assumptions that underlie their narratives and disagreements. This episode reveals how we are all operating under hidden assumptions and how those assumptions can lead to conflicts in our interpersonal relationships.

This week we have a fun, honest and inspiring conversation with Sia and Tommy Tarawalie, a young African couple on the move. Sia and Tommy co-host Shifting Perspectives podcast, where they share their experiences growing up in West African households and challenge many of the beliefs and norms that they were raised with. In our conversation Sia and Tommy reflect on their childhoods in urban and rural Sierra Leone, the transitions they had to make when they immigrated to the United States and the values that they are passing on to their children. Along the way, they share the story of how they met and the traumatic conditions that have forced them to see new things and put a spotlight on their partnership. We can all gain something from reflecting on our upbringing and how it can affect us as we navigate life. So, let's dive in.

We have all heard the phrase “when life gives you lemons make lemonade”, right? Well, making lemonade is not always the easiest thing to do. In this week’s episode, we have an inspiring conversation with Susan V. Wheeler about the lemons thrown her way and how she was able to use the those lemons to make her life sweeter. Susan is a life-long entrepreneur, mindset coach, author of 'The Lemonade Diet,' mom of four and grandmother of seven. She shares the circumstances that led her to marriage and motherhood, all before the age 18. We discuss the debilitating accident that shattered her pelvis and broke her back, but did not break her spirit. Her story encourages us to embrace change, face our fears, let things go, and live in our full potential.

In this week’s episode, we sit down with a Renaissance man, Erik Goldman. Erik is a musician, medical journalist, and editor and co-founder of Holistic Primary Care - News for Health & Healing. He talks about the struggle of being authentic to himself and forging his own path over following his father’s wishes of him becoming a physician. In between, he shares his reflections on this current moment, and what his experience and narratives have been as a Jewish person in America committed to social justice. Erik’s story encourages us to engage with the stories we have received and to question them in a honest, but loving way.

This week we have an invigorating conversation with Tyler Brewington, author and faith-based life coach from Los Angeles, California. In our conversation Tyler shares how she navigated seasons of uncertainties, including unexpectedly being let go from her job, and harnessing the power of her faith. Her story encourages us to ask ourselves who we are independent of contrived self-worth based titles and accolades.Tyler's book, I Cried Oceans: A Journey of Faith, Hope, and Resilience, is available on Amazon and her website.

In this episode, I chat with Eric Abrego, an LA native working as a tech professional in NYC at LinkedIn. He shares his story of being raised by his grandmother in South Central LA, with an absent mother and incarcerated father. Through this experience, Eric developed an inner fortitude to survive life's vicissitudes.Join us as we talk about resilience, inner fortitude, and finding home within ourselves.

In this week’s episode, guest Tylee Sewell takes us on a trip into nature from her native New York City to Virginia, Georgia and finally Sacramento, California. She shares the path that has taken her from commercial graphic design to her current artistic medium as a landscape designer and horticulturist. In between, Tylee tells the scary story of how at almost the point of death she abandoned the pursuit of the American Dream to discover her love of the outdoors and growing things. Tylee’s life journey is a powerful story of freedom.

We all experience aches and pains from time to time, but very few of us know what it's like to have that pain completely take over our lives. In this episode, we talk to David Koeppel about silently living with chronic pain and its impact on his life. David is the Associate Director of Communications at The New School in New York City, a novelist, and a former freelance journalist for the New York Times. As he soared to success in his career, he began to suffer from various forms of chronic pain. David’s journey is one of reclaiming life and finally feeling empowered to share your truth. Join us as we dive into David's story for the first time publicly right here on Kume.

In today’s episode, we chat with Michelle Kelley about her upbringing as an adopted Korean American and its salient influence on her personal and professional development. Michelle is a social media community manager as well as a certified health and life coach. In our conversation, Michelle talks about being forced to engage with her ethnic identity in college, reconnecting with her birth parents, and finding for herself what it means to be Korean and Korean-American. Michelle’s life journey is a powerful story of self discovery.

In our first episode, we dive into the life story of James Crawford and his turning points that include the loss of his grandfather, the only significant male elder in his life, and the bewildering circumstances in which he met his father at the age of 22. Crawford is a young Black educator from Pennsylvania, a high school basketball coach, and, above all, a father of two beautiful children. In our conversation, Crawford opens up about how this loss and trauma molded him into the person and father is today.

Kume: Turning Point Diaries is a platform for people from all walks of life to share stories of critical moments in their personal and professional lives. Join host Yelka Kamara and her fascinating guests as they dive into personal stories covering identity, health, relationships, purpose, spirituality, loss and transformation. Be inspired along the way.