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...

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...

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...

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...

'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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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.

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...

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...

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...

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...