Black. Girl. Iowa.

Emili L. Johnson
  • 5.0 (10)
  • PERSONAL JOURNALS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A Black woman’s experience in a fly-over state.

  1. The Audacity to Leave: Black Women on Life After Divorce with Lya Williams

    3D AGO

    The Audacity to Leave: Black Women on Life After Divorce with Lya Williams

    Divorce isn’t just paperwork. It’s identity.It’s faith.It’s boundaries.It’s rebuilding while life keeps moving. In this candid conversation, I sit down with Lya Williams to talk about what it really looks like to navigate divorce as Black women living in Iowa. We discuss the identity shift that comes with losing the title of “wife,” the emotional weight of healing in real time, and the courage it takes to choose yourself — even when society tells you to “just pray about it” and stay. We talk about: The identity crisis after divorceGaslighting and emotional abuseBoundaries and co-parentingBeing the “strong Black woman” and wanting softnessTherapy, journaling, and faithCareer pivots and rediscovering belief in yourselfSupport systems — and what happens when they aren’t where you expectedThe audacity to leave and rebuild anywayThis isn’t bitterness.This isn’t husband-bashing.This is reflection. Whether you’re divorced, healing, contemplating change, or learning to put yourself first — this episode is for you. 🎧 Listen. Reflect. Heal. Follow & connect:Instagram & TikTok: @blackgirliowaWebsite: www.blackgirliowa.com #BlackGirlIowa #BlackWomenHealing #DivorceRecovery #ChooseYourself #SoftLifeSeason

    1h 8m
  2. Identity After the Game with Jjuan Hakeem

    FEB 23

    Identity After the Game with Jjuan Hakeem

    What happens when the dream you built your identity around suddenly ends? This week on Black. Girl. Iowa., Emili sits down with leader, husband, father, former professional basketball player, and host of The Minds with Hakeem, Jjuan Hakeem. From growing up in Beaumont, Texas to building a life in Iowa, Jjuan shares: The identity crisis that followed retiring from professional basketball Why asking for help is actually strength The power of long-standing friendships What it means to lead as a Black man in Iowa How faith grounds him in divisive times They also get into career pivots, community work through Change Course, masculinity, mentorship, and yes — a little Cowboys vs. Packers debate. This episode is about redefining success, restoring relationships, and remembering who you are beyond your title. 🎧 Listen now.

    45 min
  3. Black. Girl. Afraid.

    FEB 16

    Black. Girl. Afraid.

    After a short hiatus, Emili is back — no script, no outline, just truth. In this deeply personal solo episode, she opens up about fear, anxiety, feeling lost after divorce, turning 40, and the quiet paralysis that comes from not believing your own story matters. Why is it easier to show up for work, for students, for interviews, for church — but harder to show up for yourself? Why is publishing the book harder than writing it? Why is pressing record alone more terrifying than interviewing anyone else? This episode is about: Operating in uncomfortable spaces Being afraid but wanting more The pressure of perfection Feeling lost in 2025 Turning 40 and craving bravery The struggle to believe you are capable of amazing things And choosing to try anyway This is Emili without the polish.Without the outline.Without the performance. Just real. And maybe that’s enough.

    24 min
  4. Creating without Permission: A Conversation with Abena Sankofa Imhotep

    FEB 9

    Creating without Permission: A Conversation with Abena Sankofa Imhotep

    In this powerful episode of Black. Girl. Iowa., Emili sits down with award-winning author, educator, and activist Abena Sankofa Imhotep for a conversation rooted in truth, literacy, and liberation. From growing up Black in Iowa to challenging the myth of “Iowa Nice,” Abena shares how radical imagination, community-centered education, and permissionless living are essential tools for Black futures. This episode explores legacy, storytelling, and the responsibility of passing the baton to the next generation. 📚 About the Guest Abena Sankofa Imhotep is an award-winning author, educator, activist, and the founder of the Sankofa Literacy Academy. Her work centers Black literature, community-rooted education, and radical imagination as tools for liberation. She is the author of Omar’s Big Tree, host of Black and Privileged in America, and a nationally recognized speaker committed to creating spaces where Black people can learn, imagine, and thrive without permission. This episode — and all previous episodes of Black. Girl. Iowa. — are available on:Spotify • Apple Podcasts • Amazon Music • YouTube 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review — it helps amplify Black women’s voices. 🎧 Listen & Subscribe

    38 min
  5. Rooted in Service: Leadership, Legacy & Community with Councilwoman Anita Rollins

    12/15/2025

    Rooted in Service: Leadership, Legacy & Community with Councilwoman Anita Rollins

    This week on the Black. Girl. Iowa. podcast, Emili sits down with Councilwoman Anita Rollins — lifelong learner, advocate, and the first Black woman elected to serve on the Ames City Council. With deep Iowa roots and decades of impact in education and community spaces, she brings a powerful lived perspective into local leadership. Anita shares how growing up in Des Moines during a time of Black pride shaped her identity, how her career with Iowa State’s Science Bound program transformed pathways for hundreds of students of color in STEM fields, and why she believes answering your calling isn’t tied to a specific season of life — it evolves with you. Together, they explore what it means to lead with purpose, build community, care for yourself while caring for others, and remind the next generation that their future is worth fighting for. 📍 Connect with Councilwoman Rollins Instagram + Facebook: @RollinsForCouncilEmail: anita.rollins@cityofames.org 🎧 Stream the episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Pandora & more📍 Follow along on Instagram & TikTok @blackgirliowa🌐 Visit blackgirliowa.com for the blog + deeper reflections🛍️ Shop Black Girl Iowa merch on Etsy: BlackGirlIowaShop

    32 min
  6. Slaying in Her Lane: Purpose, Balance & Reporting with Jodi Long, KCCI 8 Anchor

    12/08/2025

    Slaying in Her Lane: Purpose, Balance & Reporting with Jodi Long, KCCI 8 Anchor

    On this week's episode of Black. Girl. Iowa., Emili sits down with Jodi Long—award-winning journalist, storyteller, wife, mother of two, and beloved KCCI Channel 8 News anchor. From reporting on pivotal Iowa moments to speaking at local schools and community events, Jodi is committed to telling stories with empathy, truth, and purpose. We talk about: What it means to represent Black women on Iowa screens How being raised in Iowa shaped her identity and career Finding compassion in the hardest news moments Balancing motherhood, marriage, and media Why she believes curiosity is a journalist’s greatest tool How she uses her seat at the anchor desk to advocate for better storytelling This conversation is warm, honest, and deeply rooted in community love. Jodi is slaying in her own lane — with purpose and balance guiding every step. 🎧 Stream the episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Pandora & more 📍 Follow along on Instagram & TikTok @blackgirliowa 🌐 Visit blackgirliowa.com for the blog + deeper reflections 🛍️ Shop Black Girl Iowa merch on Etsy: BlackGirlIowaShop

    42 min
  7. Say Yes to the Journey: Motherhood, Advocacy & Leadership with Tiara Mays-Sims

    12/01/2025

    Say Yes to the Journey: Motherhood, Advocacy & Leadership with Tiara Mays-Sims

    In this powerful conversation, Emili sits down with Tiara Mays-Sims — mother of twins, civic leader, community advocate, and a proud Detroit-raised Black woman building change in Iowa. Tiara shares how her journey into advocacy was shaped by motherhood, including raising a child with autism, and how saying yes — to education, service, storytelling, and political leadership — transformed her life. Together, they discuss: Growing up Black in Iowa after moving from Detroit Motherhood, navigating disabilities, and building community support Her leap into public service — from education advocacy to running for the Iowa House Black women in leadership, authenticity, and refusing to ask for permission How she’s fighting for families, equity, and representation across the state Plus — a fun lightning round that reveals her hype songs, bucket-list travels, and what’s bringing her joy right now! 🎧 Tune in for a story of resilience, confidence, and being exactly who you are — loudly and proudly.📚 Books on Amazon — The Adventures of Prince & Tiana + When a Prince Speaks Connect with Tiara:Instagram: @tiaraforiowa TikTok: @tiaramays_iowa Facebook: Tiara L. Mays-Sims for Iowa

    48 min
  8. Between the Pages: Black Women, Romance & Real Life with author, Denise Williams

    11/03/2025

    Between the Pages: Black Women, Romance & Real Life with author, Denise Williams

    In this heartfelt and hilarious episode, Emili sits down with Denise Williams, a USA Today bestselling romance author whose books celebrate Black love, laughter, and healing. From writing her first story in second grade to publishing ten novels, Denise shares her journey of storytelling, representation, and resilience. They dive into what it means to write (and live) as a Black woman in the Midwest — balancing motherhood, teaching, and creativity — while crafting love stories that center real women, real joy, and real life. Denise opens up about body positivity, trauma, and joy; why “love doesn’t fix everything, but everyone deserves it”; and how she found her own happily ever after through writing. If you’ve ever dreamed of writing your own story, this episode is your reminder: you can’t edit a blank page. 📚 Book Recommendations from Denise Williams By Other Black Romance Authors: The Art of Scandal — Regina Black The Oath — T.R. (Tati) Richardson Rafe: A Buff Male Nanny — Rebekah Weatherspoon Curvy Girl Summer & Plus Size Player — Danielle Allen The Princess and the PI — Nikki Payne An Island Princess Starts a Scandal — Adriana Herrera Any Historical Novels by Beverly Jenkins 📍 Find these authors at local indie bookstores like Dog-Eared Books (Ames), Storyhouse Bookpub (Des Moines), and Reading in Public (Valley Junction). 🌐 Where to Find & Follow Denise Williams 📚 Website: denisewilliamswrites.com📸 Instagram: @nicwillwrites🐦 Twitter/X: @nicwillwrites📘 Facebook: Denise Williams Author💌 Newsletter: Signup available via her website 🖤 Where to Find & Follow Black. Girl. Iowa. 🎧 Podcast: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio and Pandora🌐 Website: www.blackgirliowa.com📸 Instagram: @blackgirliowa📘 Facebook: Black. Girl. Iowa. Podcast🎥 YouTube: Black. Girl. Iowa.🛍️ Etsy Shop: BlackGirlIowaShop

    58 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

A Black woman’s experience in a fly-over state.

Information

  • Creator
    Emili L. Johnson
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    56
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Emili L. Johnson
  • Show Website
    Black. Girl. Iowa.