What does it mean to be fully human? In this episode, I sit down with author, strategist and space-holder Giselle La Pompe-Moore, whose work explores that very question through creativity, connection, spirituality and the art of paying attention. We talk about creativity as something far bigger than making things: as a process of receiving, transforming and bringing something into being. Giselle takes us back to childhood afternoons spent in her grandmother’s kitchen, where she first witnessed ordinary ingredients becoming something beautiful, and to finding a home on the page as a child. From there, we follow some of the breadcrumbs of her creative life — from almost studying forensic psychology to fashion journalism, writing and working across London and New York, and eventually into the work she does today. Along the way, we talk about being multi-passionate in a world that wants to put us in boxes, friendship as creative nourishment, fear as an invitation to go deeper, the importance of stillness, and why some of our richest creative material can be found simply by walking through the world and paying attention — all leading to the permission Giselle is giving herself in this season: to trust everything and know nothing. Giselle has since become part of the world we’re building at Espresso Press as our very first Head Auntie, making this an especially lovely conversation to open the series with. In this episode, we talk about: Creativity as alchemy, transformation and receivingCreating the conditions for ideas to arriveGrowing up around her grandmother’s baking and cateringFinding a home on the page as a childThe breadcrumb that led her from forensic psychology to fashion journalismBeing multi-passionate in a world that wants to put us in boxesFriendship, connection and creative nourishmentLiving with depth in what Giselle calls an “age of shallowness”Fear as an invitation into a deeper truthWriting, stillness and silence as ways back to ourselvesThe art of witnessing and finding inspiration in ordinary lifeGiving yourself permission to trust everything and know nothing About Giselle La Pompe-Moore Giselle La Pompe-Moore is an author, strategist and space-holder whose work explores one of life’s biggest questions: what does it mean to be human? After studying Fashion Journalism and Visual Culture, she spent a decade writing, researching, producing and creating across London and New York, working with leading brands and magazine titles before following a deeper calling into mindfulness, wellbeing and the inner lives we carry beneath the surface. Since then, she has worked with nearly a thousand people around the world, written Take It In, and now helps people find the words waiting inside them. Mentioned in this episode Giselle La Pompe-Moore’s book, Take It InJournaling as an everyday practice for processing thoughts, feelings and finding your way back to yourselfYoga nidra and meditation as practices for stillnessTulsi tea and cacao as Giselle’s creative drinks of choiceYoung Miami’s Spend That as Giselle’s soundtrack to this season Espresso Press Espresso Press is a new literary non-profit for Black women writers where we publish and platform our stories, craft and authorship, so we can exist in our own way, on our own terms. We’re right at the beginning of building this world. If you’d like to help us bring it to life, you can quite literally buy us a coffee. Every coffee helps us create more opportunities for Black women writers. Buy us a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/espressopress Find out more: espressopress.org Connect Giselle La Pompe-Moore Instagram: @gisellelpm Website: gisellelpm.com Espresso Press Instagram: @espresso.press Website: espressopress.org Ella Achola Instagram: @ellaachola Website: ellaachola.com
