The Impact Podcast

I had the pleasure of meeting Qutaiba Hassoon for the first time in January with my friend Salim. On my first encounter, I knew right away that Qutaiba and his family were something special. They treated me like family despite only meeting me for the first time and I had a heartwarming experience at their restaurant from their kindness. The second time I met Qutaiaba is when I interviewed him on his journey to starting a restaurant in Portland, Maine. If you are ever in the Portland area, you absolutely must go to this restaurant for amazing Iraqi food and the best customer service. Address: 1053 Forest Ave, Portland, ME 04103 (207) 536-1550 https://www.falafeltimeme.com/ Podcast: https://linktr.ee/theimpactpod 8:20 Thank you Chorder for the musichttps://instagram.com/chordermadeit?i...

In this special bonus episode for Season 2, I share the commencement speech that I delivered at the class of 2020 Bowdoin Graduation. While graduation was delayed over a year, being able to share fun memories with friends was truly a delight. In my speech called "The Rubber Band Ball of Life" I speak about the many fun and difficult experiences bands that we collectively endure and collect over time, and how crafting our rubber band ball of life until our heart is content, allows us to achieve whatever we might put our minds to.Youtube Video: https://youtu.be/Q4UeD2TEhGQ?t=1626Website: theimpactpod.com

Fortuno is comprised of three — Ellis, Eli, and Tobi — whose shared proclivity for warm, nostalgic, ambient melodies has carried them from their hometowns along the East Coast to Los Angeles, where they now reside. The group coalesced in 2018 near the ragged shoreline of southern Maine, where Ellis and Tobi shared a music major, acapella group, and a cover band at a small liberal arts college. Eli, then a USC kid, jazz guitarist and former high school classmate of Ellis', joined shortly thereafter. By the fall of 2018, the trio had released its first singles, Be/Feel, and began to plot a move to Southern California.In late 2019, Fortuno appeared across LA at venues including the Roxy, the Peppermint Club, and intimate pop-up shows with Sofar Sounds. At the advent of the pandemic, the group burrowed into its Koreatown studio to produce its debut EP, which is preceded by singles ‘This Life,' 'Scared,' and ‘Leaving Here,' and has been celebrated by Lyrical Lemonade, Dummy Mag, and — not to be forgotten — an enthusiastic biker gang of junior high boys from Westport, CT. “How This Goes” will be released on October 8th of 2021 and promises more clear-headed, tender-hearted moments.Website: theimpactpod.comFortuno on Spotify and Apple Music

In this episode, I spoke with the co-founders of Niofarr, which translates to "We are together" from Wolof. Niofarr is a consulting agency that desires to help small, African-owned businesses to find and scale up their market reach. Through understanding the potential and power of Africa, I spoke with Djamil and Oumou about their future goals and aspirations with their business and the ways they would like to drive impact in this space.Website: Theimpactpod.comInstagram: Niofarr 

In this episode, I interviewed Jourden, an amazing friend from Highschool and a talented musical artist who is now signed to MBK Entertainment, the same label that musical artist H.E.R is also a part of. Throughout knowing Jourden, there was an energy that she brought wherever she went, and that was being uniquely different. From her intellectual lyrics to her smooth flow and cadence, Jourden is an artist to definitely be watching out for as her journey is definitely on the rise. Website: Theimpactpod.comYoutube: Jourden CoxCheck out Jourden on Apple Music and Spotify as well!

In this episode, I spoke with the co-founder of The Harlem Children Zone and The Institute for Urban Leadership. George took me back to his days at Bowdoin, finding his drive for education, and the ways he drives impact within Education. Website: theimpactpod.com

In this episode, I invited my friend Daevon Adman to talk about his clothing company CORE NYC. From Daevon's musical influences, to creating a brand from scratch, this conversation has a lot of valuable insight that follows Daevon's journey and what it takes to run a clothing business. Website: https://theimpactpod.com/CORE NYC

For the Season 2 Premiere of The Impact Podcast, I had the honor of speaking with Marvin Anderson, who serves on the Board of Directors for the Innocence Project and was exonerated in December 2001. Marvin spent 15 years of his life in prison for a crime that he did not commit. I spoke with Marvin about his life and the powerful perspective he shares with the Innocence Project along with his message of valuing each day as a blessing. Website: https://theimpactpod.comhttps://innocenceproject.org/cases/marvin-anderson/

For the Season Finale, I had the honor of speaking with the amazing Jacques Slade. I would usually always check out unboxings of sneakers on his Youtube channel for years so it was really a lot of fun just getting the chance to talk to him. From the importance of storytelling to hearing more about some of Jacques' great moments, I learned about the importance of being a self-starter and really pushing yourself to be the master of your own craft, no matter what that might be. 

In this episode, I invited my good friend Ben Hopkins to help me co-host and read some Impact Submissions that were a part of a gift card raffle. In these submissions, I asked participants to highlight an individual or set of people that have impacted their life in any way. With laughter and some great banter, Ben and I read through some very thoughtful messages to provide an opportunity for those that were written about to hear their praises and appreciation from the people who look up to them. 

In this episode, I invited my two older sisters, Awa and Maryama, to talk about their career journeys and experiences. Having two accomplished older sisters was very grounding in my upbringing as they provided me with not only wisdom but also a helping hand whenever I may have tripped or needed extra support. This episode reaffirms that it is okay if you ever feel doubt or uncertainty, just know that you are capable and a lot greater than you may initially perceive yourself to be, as long as you give yourself grace.Check out the website: www.theimpactpod.com

In this episode, I invited the founders of Underscore, a network that connects creatives of all disciplines to an ecosystem of artistry, community, and career-advancing opportunities. On top of gaining insight into why every creative should be tapping into this network, Joshua, Eddie, and Dante truly showed me what it means to be yourself and have a good laugh, while also providing valuable insight and knowledge that can be applied to almost anything that you do. Follow Their Instagram: www.instagram.com/underscore.aveJoin The Underscore Network: Underscoreave.com/creativesLearn About Underscore Ave: Underscoreave.comCheck Out The Website: theimpactpod.com

This very special episode is in honor of Max Martinez, a close friend of mine who died by suicide on February 28th of last year. When thinking of the word impact, Max is one of those people that automatically comes to mind because he meant so much to so many people. He was one of the friendliest and kindest people that I knew and he would stop at nothing to make sure that you felt valued and heard anytime you spoke with him. I interviewed several close friends to speak about the impact Max had on their lives and to also further highlight why New York City was blessed to have him. There is a bench honoring Max in Central Park to the left 97th street entrance on the west side with the engraving "In loving memory of Max Emil Martinez, an unforgettable part of our lives and our city 1998-2020"Check out the website: theimpactpod.comSuicide Prevention Resource: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/Beyond just the link and the phone number, you are never alone and you matter immensely. Email theimpactpod@outlook.com if you would like any more resources for help. 

For the season premiere of The Impact Podcast, I invited my cousin Abdulaye Niang, a force in fashion and a co-creator of his own brand "Kill Complacency". We sat down and talked about his aspirations, experience in the fashion industry, and what kind of impact and legacy he wants to leave with his brand and influence. Check out the website theimpactpod.com

Season 1 starts Thursday, March 25th!