The Optimist Project with Yara Shahidi

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Host Yara Shahidi sits down with incredible changemakers to unlock their secrets to conquering life, love, career, and everything in between with unwavering confidence and hope. We often discuss joy and happiness, but this podcast goes deeper. Optimism is where the magic happens! Join us as we find ways to cultivate the practice of optimism in our own lives.

16. JULI

Lena Waithe Redefines Legacy, Listening, and Radical Acceptance

🎬 Storytellers, Builders, and Believers—This One’s for the Architects of Culture Who Speak Truth and Shape Tomorrow. This week on The Optimist Project, Yara Shahidi welcomes Emmy-winning screenwriter, producer, and trailblazer Lena Waithe for a deeply introspective conversation on happiness, radical acceptance, and creative disruption. From navigating emotional impermanence to embracing the daily discipline of realism-rooted optimism, Lena shares her personal practices for cultivating inner peace—like meditation and silent retreats—and challenges our assumptions about what it means to be “happy.” Through powerful reflections on societal norms, capitalism, and representation in the arts, Lena offers a blueprint for unlearning, growth, and intentional impact. She opens up about creating new infrastructure in Hollywood, honoring the legacy of local theaters, and fostering spaces for true dialogue over divisive debate. In this expansive exchange, Lena and Yara explore how optimism isn’t about ignoring life’s challenges—it’s about accepting the full spectrum of experience and still choosing to create, connect, and care. 🎧 From Broadway to the South Side, from storytelling to systems change—Lena reminds us that legacy is built on one radical act of honesty at a time. 📩 How do you practice optimism? DM us, drop a voice note, or tag us in your story. 📲 @optimistprojectpod // The Optimist Project Podcast ✨ Executive Producer: @yarashahidi // Yara Shahidi ✨ Executive Producer: @chocolatemommyluv // Keri Salter-Shahidi 🎙 Guest: @lenawaithe // Lena Waithe 🔔 Experience Lena’s play Trinity at Baltimore Stage Center from Feb 12–March 8, 2026. 🎧 And don’t miss her podcast Legacy Talk with Lena Waithe—a deep dive into creativity, community, and the voices shaping culture. 📞 Voicemail: (323) 761-0837 🎭 Tune in—because radical acceptance is a revolutionary act.

1 Std. 1 Min.
9. JULI

Nikkolas Smith Reimagines the World Through ‘Artivism’

🎨 Creators, Visionaries, and Changemakers—This One’s for the Revolutionaries with a Paintbrush. This week on The Optimist Project, Yara Shahidi welcomes celebrated artivist, author, and concept artist Nikkolas Smith for a powerful exploration of optimism through the lens of creativity, justice, and bold imagination. From designing theme parks as a Disney Imagineer to creating iconic movie posters and illustrating best-selling children's books, Nikkolas has made a career of dreaming aloud. In this conversation, he shares how his signature Sunday Sketch series evolved into a public ritual of art-as-healing—and how optimism fuels his ability to honor lives, amplify marginalized voices, and spark social transformation. We dive into the art of balancing engineering and expression, the deeply personal process behind The History of We, and why creating moments of pressure can still be rooted in joy. With reflections on empathy, representation, and the mural he painted in tribute to Chadwick Boseman, Nikkolas reminds us that art can be both protest and prayer. 🎨 Nikkolas challenges us to see optimism not as passive hope—but as an active call to reimagine what's possible. What stories are you telling through your creativity? How are you expressing this through regular practice? 📩 We'd love to hear your story—DM us, send a voice note, or leave a message sharing your vision of optimism. 📲 @optimistprojectpod // The Optimist Project Podcast ✨ Executive Producer: @yarashahidi // Yara Shahidi ✨ Executive Producer: @chocolatemommyluv // Keri Salter-Shahidi 🎙 Guest: @nikkolas_smith // Nikkolas Smith 📚 Explore Nikkolas’s new book The History of We : https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/721499/the-history-of-we-by-nikkolas-smith/ 📰 Read Nikkolas Smith's National Geographic Article about The History of We: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/nikkolas-smith-book-the-history-of-we 🎧 Tune in—because optimism builds bridges.

48 Min.
2. JULI

Estelle on Trusting Yourself & Being a Light

🎶 Creators, Dreamers, and Artists—This One’s for the Light Shining in You. This week on The Optimist Project, Yara Shahidi sits down with Grammy Award-winning musician Estelle for an intimate conversation on purpose, presence, and the art of living with intention. In a world that often prizes popularity over authenticity, Estelle invites us to consider a more grounded truth: that being a light matters more than being liked. Estelle unpacks what it means to move through life with optimism—not as blind hope, but as a conscious choice to respond with grace, clarity, and ease. From the influence of family and the ancestral wisdom we carry, to the personal practices that fuel her artistry, Estelle opens up about self-trust, navigating fatigue, and creating from a place of ease and truth. We journey through the heart of her creative process, her reflections on career, and the freedom that comes from embracing who you are—without apology. ✨ Estelle reminds us that optimism isn’t just a feeling—it’s a discipline. A way of being that lets us choose joy, again and again. What does it mean to live as your fullest self? Where can you choose ease without guilt? 📩 We want to hear from you—DM us, send a voice note, or leave us a message and share your version of optimism. 📲 @optimistprojectpod // The Optimist Project Podcast ✨ Executive Producer: @yarashahidi // Yara Shahidi ✨ Executive Producer: @chocolatemommyluv // Keri Salter-Shahidi 🎙 Guest: @estelledarlings // Estelle 🎤 Listen to Estelle's new album Stay Alta Out NOW! 📞 Voicemail: (323) 761-0837 🎧 Tap in—because optimism feels like home.

55 Min.
25. JUNI

Cole Arthur Riley's Black Liturgies and the Beauty of Unanswered Questions

✨ Writers, Seekers, and Tender Truth-Tellers—This One’s for You. This week on The Optimist Project, we’re joined by writer, poet, and spiritual curator Cole Arthur Riley, author of This Here Flesh and creator of the transcendent digital space Black Liturgies. Cole’s wisdom invites us to consider optimism not as loud hope but as sacred stillness—a quiet, rooted stance that makes room for contradiction, wonder, and doubt. In this profound conversation, she speaks with reverence and clarity about the spiritual life as one of complexity: where skepticism meets faith, and silence becomes presence. We explore the birth of Black Liturgies, the discipline of noticing beauty in the mundane, and the delicate dance between public witness and private becoming. Cole shares stories of her ancestors, the role of ritual, and what it means to create from a place of embodied truth. ✨ Cole reminds us that optimism doesn’t erase despair—it sits beside it, breathes through it, and dares to imagine a world where our questions are held, not silenced. What questions allow you to embrace the unknown? What beauty are you making space to witness? 📩 We want to hear from you—DM us, send a voice note, or leave us a message and share your version of optimism. 📲 @optimistprojectpod // The Optimist Project Podcast ✨ Executive Producer: @yarashahidi // Yara Shahidi ✨ Executive Producer: @chocolatemommyluv // Keri Salter-Shahidi 🎙 Guest: @colearthurriley //Cole Arthur Riley 📖 Book & Online Community: @blackliturgies // black liturgies 📞 Voicemail: (323) 761-0837 🎧 Tap in—because optimism, like ritual, is an act of return.

48 Min.
18. JUNI

Alok Vaid-Menon on Art, Identity & the Radical Power of Joy

🌈 Artists, Seekers, and Boundary-Breakers—This One’s For You. This week on The Optimist Project, I’m joined by the brilliant and genre-defying artist, writer, and performer Alok Vaid-Menon, whose work invites us to embrace our full selves with tenderness, complexity, and courage. In this luminous conversation, Alok redefines what it means to be optimistic—not as blind positivity, but as a sacred practice of embracing the unknown and choosing beauty, again and again. We explore their early artistic influences (yes, including Avril Lavigne!), the transformative power of imagination, and how humor and honesty become tools for survival. Alok shares what it means to resist hate without becoming hardened, to find joy in the ordinary, and to stay rooted in community and friendship while navigating the spotlight. ✨ From stage fright to soul-deep reflections on authenticity, creativity, and the human condition—Alok reminds us that art isn’t just about performance. It’s about presence. And in our Giving Flowers segment, they honor the people and practices that have helped them bloom. How do you find joy in your everyday life? What does resistance look like when it's grounded in love? 📩 We want to hear from you—DM us, send a voice note, or drop us a message and share your light. 📲 @optimistprojectpod // The Optimist Project Podcast ✨ Executive Producer: @yarashahidi // Yara Shahidi ✨ Executive Producer: @chocolatemommyluv // Keri Salter-Shahidi 🎙 Guest: @alokvmenon // Alok Vaid-Menon 📞 Voicemail: (323) 761-0837 🎧 Tap in and join the conversation—because optimism is more than a mindset. It’s a movement.

53 Min.
11. JUNI

Ashley Cunningham on Courage, Cinnamon Rolls, and the Discipline Behind Optimism

✨ Food Lovers, Dreamers, and Anyone on a Journey Toward Self-Mastery—This One’s for You. This week on The Optimist Project, we’re joined by classically trained chef, self-taught baker, and founder of Bad Ash Bakes, Ashley Cunningham. Ashley’s story is one of fearless evolution—from teenage culinary prodigy to full-time entrepreneur with a deep spiritual practice and a next-level cookie game. In this intimate and inspiring conversation, she opens up about learning discipline through early responsibility, navigating tough kitchens with compassion, and facing fear head-on in pursuit of her dream. We talk about the rituals that ground her, the power of silence and prayer, and how she creates space for joy, intention, and community through her bakery. Ashley’s brand of optimism is rooted in showing up, staying steady, and pushing past fear—not just for herself, but for the young Black women she hopes to inspire. ✨ Ashley drops gems on growth, grace, and building a legacy that tastes as good as it feels. What does discipline mean to you? What space are you creating to welcome others? 📩 We want to hear from you—DM us, send a voice note, or leave us a message and share your version of optimism. 📲 @optimistprojectpod // The Optimist Project Podcast ✨ Executive Producer: @yarashahidi // Yara Shahidi ✨ Executive Producer: @chocolatemommyluv // Keri Salter-Shahidi 🎙 Guest: @sobadash_ // Ashley Cunningham 🍪 @badashbakes // Bad Ash Bakes // 247 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91101 📞 Voicemail: (323) 761-0837 🎧 Tap in—because optimism, like a good cookie, is best when shared.

47 Min.
4. JUNI

Mir Harris on Using Storytelling and Service in 'Realistic' Optimism

🌟 Deep Thinkers, Creative Leaders, and Purpose-Driven Souls—This Episode Is for You. This week on The Optimist Project, I had the honor of sitting down with multihyphenate creative strategist and cultural force, Mir Harris. As the founder and CEO of MirSays, Mir has built a career rooted in storytelling, social impact, and the kind of optimism that doesn’t ignore reality—but reshapes it. In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, we unpack realistic optimism—what it looks like to hold faith and clarity through dark moments, how rituals and community ground us, and why leading with integrity is a revolutionary act. We also explore Mir’s rich and layered career journey—spanning music, media, activism, and beyond—and how her love for storytelling, faith, and service fuels every chapter. ✨ Mir drops gems on navigating burnout, honoring your voice, and staying creatively inspired—even when the world feels heavy. And in our Giving Flowers segment, she pays tribute to the artists and changemakers lighting the way forward. What helps you stay rooted in optimism? What’s your personal ritual for staying ready? 📩 We want to hear from you—DM us, send a voice note, or drop us a message and share your light. 📲 @optimistprojectpod // The Optimist Project Podcast ✨ Executive Producer: @yarashahidi // Yara Shahidi ✨ Executive Producer: @chocolatemommyluv // Keri Salter-Shahidi 🎙 Guest: @meremir // Mir Harris 📞 Voicemail: (323) 761-0837 🎧 Tap in and join the conversation—because optimism gets more powerful when we share it.

41 Min.
28. MAI

Tara Roberts Honors History by 'Diving' into Purpose

🌊 Truth Seekers, Legacy Builders, and Lovers of Deep Stories—This One’s for You. This week on The Optimist Project, I had the absolute joy of sitting down with award-winning storyteller, explorer, and changemaker Tara Roberts. Tara is the voice behind the National Geographic podcast Into the Depths and the first Black woman to grace the cover of Nat Geo as an Explorer. Her work dives—literally—into the stories of lost slave shipwrecks, amplifying ancestral truths that were almost erased by time. In this soulful, searching, and ultimately empowering conversation, we explore what it means to pursue purpose with courage, how optimism can be a form of resistance, and why honoring our histories is a path to healing. ✨ Tara shares wisdom on listening to your calling (even when it takes you underwater), following curiosity as a compass, and turning passion into something beautifully transformative. We also talk about her journey from magazine editor to global explorer—and how her life has become a living archive of resilience, remembrance, and radiant hope. If you’ve ever felt called to do something bigger than yourself, if you’re trying to reconnect with legacy or ignite a new chapter—you’ll find fuel in this episode. 📩 What histories are calling you forward? How are you choosing optimism in your everyday life? We want to hear from you. DM us, leave a voice note, or send us a message and share your light. 📲 @optimistprojectpod // The Optimist Project Podcast ✨ Executive Producer: @yarashahidi // Yara Shahidi ✨ Executive Producer: @chocolatemommyluv // Keri Salter-Shahidi 🎙 Guest: @tararoberts_explorer// Tara Roberts 📞 Voicemail: (323) 761-0837 🎧 Tap in—and let this conversation remind you that even the deepest waters hold light.

34 Min.

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Host Yara Shahidi sits down with incredible changemakers to unlock their secrets to conquering life, love, career, and everything in between with unwavering confidence and hope. We often discuss joy and happiness, but this podcast goes deeper. Optimism is where the magic happens! Join us as we find ways to cultivate the practice of optimism in our own lives.