Navigationship

We are wrapping up our first season of Navigationship and we are so so excited to finish this very interesting year with a little audit of our 2021. This year has been full of ups and downs, challenges and triumphs. So, we wanted to do a bit of reflecting with one another and look at how our perspectives have changed as we made it through the year. Plus, we discuss what we wish and hope for in the new year. Join the conversation and follow along the questions we ask ourselves, to reflect on how your 2021 has been and what you are most looking forward to, and planning, for next year. This will be the last episode of Season 1 until we return in the new year. More details to come on when we are returning. In the meantime, continue to follow us on Instagram and support the podcast! If you would like us to cover any topics that we didn't cover in Season 1, feel free to reach us at our links below. We would love to hear from you on your year, your year ahead, and your feedback! W: www.navigationship.com I: www.instagram.com/navigationship E: navigationship.podcast@gmail.com

This week we discuss how we navigate white spaces. Particularly, how we shift our energies to make ourselves feel and be more "palatable" and "acceptable" in those spaces. We basically get into the topic of double consciousness. We feel we are constantly having to navigate two or more identities. We have to be conscious of who we are authentically, and the perceived identity that is often associated with Black womanhood / femininity. We feel like we act in these spaces as ourselves; but we can't be too ourselves for fear of being seen as too sexual, loud, boisterous, "sassy", ghetto, angry, and the list goes on... As such, this double consciousness and the sometimes constant feeling of needing to shift our energies to make others comfortable, can leave us feeling a perpetual sense of displacement. Feel free to let us know how you feel when you are navigating white spaces; whether in friend groups, at work, or with in-laws, etc? Have you notice that you naturally shift your energy in those spaces to seem more "palatable"? Tune in to hear the discussion! And be sure to email and DM us on Instagram with your thoughts on the episode. W: www.navigationship.com I: www.instagram.com/navigationship E: navigationship.podcast@gmail.com

This week we are talking about dating apps again! More specifically, we discuss the option on certain dating apps to choose which races' / ethnicities' profiles one would prefer to see. We look at Hinge, particularly, but this "ability", if you will, is not specific to this app alone. We give our opinions on whether this option is more about preference, or whether it is just plain racist. We also talk about, whether it is useful, as Black women, given we are constantly living in a world centring white men, as the beauty standard and the ideal "prototype"; to use this option for our own dating app experience. Hear our thoughts and more; and join the conversation! We would love to hear from you what you think of the ability to select your dating preference based on your race and ethnicity? Be sure to email and DM us on Instagram with your thoughts on the episode. W: www.navigationship.com I: www.instagram.com/navigationship E: navigationship.podcast@gmail.com

This week we are discussing what it means to live our lives unapologetically. To us, we aspire to live our lives free of needing to accommodate anyone's needs and wants but our own. We aim to live a life that is an alignment for us and defined by us. At least that is a taste of what we mean to live our lives unapologetically. We also discuss how we stand up and commit to living this way of life. So, how do you live your life unapologetically? Do you live your life fully aligned to your values and thoughts? Tune in to hear the discussion! And be sure to email and DM us on Instagram with your thoughts on the episode. W: www.navigationship.com I: www.instagram.com/navigationship E: navigationship.podcast@gmail.com

This is the second part to our two part episode on Mental Health. Last week we defined mental health and our own struggles with it. Now, we are discussing the positives. This episode is all about self-care and how we show up for ourselves when we are trying to combat our symptoms. We would love to hear from you. What are your healthy habits to combat mental health? How do you show yourself self-care? Tune in to hear the discussion! And be sure to email and DM us on Instagram with your thoughts on the episode. W: www.navigationship.com I: www.instagram.com/navigationship E: navigationship.podcast@gmail.com

This episode we are discussing mental health; our own experiences and what we understand it to be. Mental health is getting increasingly more important. We are in the midst of a global pandemic and we are having to really confront our mental health a lot more. We also are two Black women that experience variations of racism in systems of oppression; that can often lead us feeling drained, depressed, anxious, and out of place. It is so important we discuss our mental health so that we can normalise the conversation. And, by starting this conversation, we would like to create a safe space to discuss it openly and honestly together; so we can all support each other. We would love to keep the conversation going and we would love to hear from you. Let us know how you would define mental health, and if you feel comfortable, your experiences with your own mental health. Don't worry, we will not share anything on our podcast that breaches your privacy around the subject matter. And, you can always write to us anonymously. Tune in to hear the discussion! And be sure to email and DM us on Instagram with your thoughts on the episode. W: www.navigationship.com I: www.instagram.com/navigationship E: navigationship.podcast@gmail.com

We are discussing the 3rd part of our dating series. The last two episodes were really summing up the rubbish of our experiences, the toxicity and the app life. Now we are looking at ways we are cutting through all of that and ensuring we have better dating experiences in future. We also discuss what works best for each of us so that we stay sane out here in these streets! Have a listen in on the conversation and of course we would love to hear from you! How have you detoxified your own dating life? What has worked for you to cut away all the frogs to find, or be on the way to find, your ideal partner? Tune in to hear the discussion! And be sure to email and DM us on Instagram with your thoughts on the episode. W: www.navigationship.com I: www.instagram.com/navigationship E: navigationship.podcast@gmail.com

In the second part of our three part series on dating, we are answering the question, whether we think men are toxic. We get into what we think toxic means, in reference to dating men; and why we might consider them to perpetuate toxic behaviours in dating. This episode follows on from our Dating App Episode last week, because we already started to get into how modern dating has gotten harder and more laborious for us as Black women looking for a potential partner on that app. Some of those experiences in the dating app world have a lot to do with why we might consider men to be toxic. So, have a listen to that episode first, then jump back to hear more of the conversation! And, of course, we want to hear from you....Are men toxic? What does toxic mean to you? AND what do you do to combat the toxicity? Tune in to hear the discussion! And be sure to email and DM us on Instagram with your thoughts on the episode. W: www.navigationship.com I: www.instagram.com/navigationship E: navigationship.podcast@gmail.com

On this week's episode we are starting a 3 part series on our dating experiences. #Scandalo. We speak about the pains of the dating app experience. This was inspired by a Tiktok we saw from @ramalauw. He basically pointed out that we all go to dating apps usually to find someone to date and get met with soul sucking experiences that really have us wondering what was the point in the first place? As Black women on dating apps we don't feel that these experiences are fun and exciting. We usually feel like we are wasting our time between the fetishization and those who would never consider us their "ideal type". We have a deeper discussion about why dating as a Black woman on these apps is far less than fun and our different approaches to them now. We would love to hear from you, what have been your experiences on dating apps? Do you vibe with them and how has your approach changed or not changed due to your experience on them? Tune in to hear the discussion! And be sure to email and DM us on Instagram with your thoughts on the episode. W: www.navigationship.com I: www.instagram.com/navigationship E: navigationship.podcast@gmail.com

Today, is a follow on from the feedback we got from one of our previous episodes. In that episode, the topic of expectations came up. In this episode we dive deeper into that topic. We talk about navigating the expectations we place on ourselves and those we have internalized from others. As Black women, it feels like we are constantly trying to compartmentalize and live up to the expectations from society, our parents, our co-workers, teachers, etc. Most of the time, it is hard to navigate all of them at once! So, we discuss what they are and the best ways to manoeuvre through, whilst living our lives exactly how we want, aligned. As we navigate this topic ourselves we want to also hear from you: How are you best navigating other people's expectations over your life? Do you feel others have placed any (limiting) expectations on you, due to your race or/and gender? Tune in to hear the discussion! And be sure to email and DM us on Instagram with your thoughts on the episode. W: www.navigationship.com I: www.instagram.com/navigationship E: navigationship.podcast@gmail.com

We are getting into the discussion of dating. Now that things are opening back up, and we are looking to mingle, Stephanie and I want to do things a bit differently this time. We are vetting these dudes out here. But how? Well, we will be talking about how to bring up the discussion of politics. Not just about which party you support or which politician you follow; but whether you acknowledge and support the humanity of all. And, we are exploring whether they understand systemic oppression in all forms: race, gender, class, and sexuality. Do you talk about politics on the first date / first few dates? What types of questions do you ask? Tune in to hear the discussion! And be sure to email and DM us on Instagram with your thoughts and feedback on the episode. W: www.navigationship.com I: www.instagram.com/navigationship E: navigationship.podcast@gmail.com

This episode will be the start to our new format, where we have shorter episodes, diving deeper into topics that were raised on previous episodes. We will be discussing the importance for us, as Black women to have a voice and to share our voices with the world. As Black women we can often feel like when we share our voices they can be instantly shut down, or ignored. We may even feel that our voice doesn't matter way before we even decide to share it, so we naturally make ourselves smaller. Well, we talk in this episode why now, more than ever it is so important for us to take up space, speak about our experiences, and share our knowledge with the world. In order to centre Black women and our experiences as central to the overall human experience, we must share our voices loudly and proudly. Tune in to hear the discussion! And be sure to email and DM us on Instagram with your answers to our questions, on the episode. W: www.navigationship.com I: www.instagram.com/navigationship E: navigationship.podcast@gmail.com

This is the second part of our two part series where we are sharing more about the industries / spaces we individually occupy, with you all. This week Stephanie will be expounding on her experiences within the space of academia. She discusses her Masters degree experience and why she has ultimately decided to pursue a PhD, exploring the intersection of race and gender in postcolonial Europe. Interested in Stephanie's work, you can connect with her below: http://www.stephanieifill.com Tune in to hear the discussion! And be sure to email and DM us on Instagram with your thoughts on the episode. W: www.navigationship.com I: www.instagram.com/navigationship E: navigationship.podcast@gmail.com

This will be the first part of a two part series where Stephanie and Ashley will be introducing themselves and sharing their experiences in the spaces / industries that they occupy! This episode, we discuss Ashley's background. She is an intuitive tarot card reader, content writer, and entrepreneur! She didn't always work within the creative and wellness industries. She recently transitioned from law and banking to follow her passions towards spirituality and writing. She discusses her views on the wellness industry and the inequalities she has seen there. She also discusses her values, definition of success, and some of the things she is still working through as an entrepreneur. If you want to learn more about Ashley's services please take a look at her websites below: Content: thoughtfulthorough.com Tarot: thoughtfulthoroughtarot.com Tune in to hear the discussion! And be sure to email and DM us on Instagram with your thoughts on the episode. W: www.navigationship.com I: www.instagram.com/navigationship E: navigationship.podcast@gmail.com

We discuss what it means to be conscious and Black. We share our experiences of when we became "awakened", as it will, that we were Black. And, we talk about when we were "awakened" to the conscious part too. And there are definitely layers to that bit! These questions are always a bit difficult to navigate. Usually when we talk about what it means to be Black, there are negative connotations. Either because society has crafted stereotypes around what is Blackness and what it represents. For us, I think we delve in a bit deeper, and discuss all the different ways it means for us. Tune in to hear the discussion! And be sure to email and DM us on Instagram with your thoughts on the episode. W: www.navigationship.com I: www.instagram.com/navigationship E: navigationship.podcast@gmail.com --

When it comes to having conversations about racism with white people, we know how often it can so quickly move from the subject of our lived experiences with racism to their inward looking and feckless excuses defending some form of racism; and/or becoming defensive about the topic. We discuss how we really feel about this self serving, fragile, and frankly privileged tactic to steadily avoid accountability of the system that stays benefiting whiteness and much more! Tune in to hear the discussion! And be sure to email and DM us on Instagram with your experiences and thoughts on the episode. W: www.navigationship.com I: www.instagram.com/navigationship E: navigationship.podcast@gmail.com

Our first podcast episode was an impromptu discussion on the British "institution", that is the Royal Family; and racism, we've experienced, in Britain, more generally. The Meghan & Harry Interview triggered and deeply saddened both of us. We thought it be a great first topic as we have separately discussed our feelings about the underlying systemic racism in British culture; and how it has been almost silenced or silent (nod to Oprah) in the cultural narrative, perpetuating the same imperialistic systems of oppression. Tune in to hear the discussion! Email and DM us with your thoughts on the episode and/or on the interview! W: www.navigationship.com I: www.instagram.com/navigationship/ E: navigationship.podcast@gmail.com