Mind Your Own with Lupita Nyong'o

Mind Your Own with Lupita Nyong'o

Get exclusive access to bonus content TODAY!

$US 4,99/mo or $US 49,99/yr after trial

Lupita Nyong’o knows what home feels like. But where exactly is it? In Mexico, where she was born? Kenya, where she grew up? Or the States, where she’s spent the past 20 years? Like Lupita, millions of Africans are spread out across the globe following family, searching for love, building futures and creating stories. It's these stories – wild and messy, intimate and joyous – that she wants to hear. Welcome to Mind Your Own, a storytelling podcast navigating what it means to belong, all from the African perspective. Join Lupita as she shares tales of her own and dives into the lives of real people finding their way in new worlds of every kind. Production by Snap Studios at KQED, ad sales and distribution by Lemonada Media.

Episodes

  1. 5 DAYS AGO

    Freedom Fathers

    When elephants fight, the grass suffers. This episode contains strong language and graphic imagery. Sensitive listeners, please be advised. STORIES “Disappeared”: Being the child of a changemaker can be an isolating experience. For Lupita and her family, it feels like everything is at stake all the time. Original score by Khari Lucas. “The Lions’ Den”: Portia is the daughter of a household name in Rwandan politics who’s larger than life. He keeps his family safe and their spirits high with his irreverent sense of humor. Then the unthinkable happens. Portia Karegeya, thank you for telling your story. Produced by Zahra Noorbakhsh and David Exumé. Original score by Lauryn Newson. Edited by John Fecile and Anna Sussman. Original Mind Your Own theme song by Sandra Lawson-Ndu AKA Sandu Ndu x Peachcurls ft. Ehiorobo. This episode also featured the song Built For You by Wanja Wohoro. Executive Producers: Glynn Washington and Mark RistichManaging Editor: Regina BediakoDirector of Production: Marisa DodgeSeries Producers: David Exumé and Priscilla AlabiMusic Supervisor: Sandra Lawson-NduStory Scouts: Ashley Okwuosa, Fiona Nyong’o, Jessica Kariisa, Lesedi Oluko MocheEditors: Nancy López and Anna SussmanEngineering: Miles LassiOperations Manager: Florene WileyStory Consultant: John FecileGraphic Design: Jemimah EkehOriginal Artwork: Mateus SitholeSpecial Thanks: Allan Coye, Jake Kleinberg, Samara Still, Sarah Yoo, Warner Music Group, and Afripods Episode transcripts can be found here. Mind Your Own is a production of KQED’s Snap Studios, with sales and distribution by Lemonada Media. Hosted and produced by Lupita Nyong’o.  Snap Studios is home to the Snap Judgment and Spooked podcasts.Thank you to our sponsor Magic Mind. You have a limited offer you can use now, that gets you up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one time purchases with code MINDYOUROWN at checkout. You can claim it at: https://www.magicmind.com/mindyourown See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    35 min
  2. 3 OCT

    For You, Anything

    Love is sweeter than reason. STORIES “Sister Trouble”: Lupita, her sister Fiona, and cousins Kitt, Tawi, and Mich get together to recount a legendary nursing mishap. Produced by David Exumé, with assistance from Fiona Nyong’o. Original score by Clay Xavier. “Oha Soup”: Joan, a Nigerian barrister, pours all her love into her signature dish just so she can hand-deliver it for her daughter’s graduation in New York. Produced by Priscilla Alabi and David Exumé. Original score by Jeremy Uwah. Many thanks to Kitt, Tawi, Mich, and Fiona for joining us! And to Joan Okwuosa and her daughter (and Story Scout!) Ashley Okwuosa for sharing their story. Original Mind Your Own theme song by Sandra Lawson-Ndu AKA Sandu Ndu x Peachcurls ft. Ehiorobo. This episode also featured the song Put It On Me by Layzee Ella ft. Majeek.   Executive Producers: Glynn Washington and Mark RistichManaging Editor: Regina BediakoDirector of Production: Marisa DodgeSeries Producers: David Exumé and Priscilla AlabiMusic Supervisor: Sandra Lawson-NduStory Scouts: Ashley Okwuosa, Fiona Nyong’o, Jessica Kariisa, Lesedi Oluko MocheEditors: Nancy López and Anna SussmanEngineering: Miles LassiOperations Manager: Florene WileyStory Consultant: John FecileGraphic Design: Jemimah EkehOriginal Artwork: Mateus SitholeSpecial Thanks: Allan Coye, Jake Kleinberg, Samara Still, Sarah Yoo, Warner Music Group, and Afripods Episode transcripts can be found here. Mind Your Own is a production of KQED’s Snap Studios, with sales and distribution by Lemonada Media. Hosted and produced by Lupita Nyong’o.  Snap Studios is home to the Snap Judgment and Spooked podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    28 min
  3. 26 SEPT

    Guilt Trips

    The longest journey is from daughter to mother. STORIES “Up in the Air”: Lupita and her mom enter a tense standoff on top of a seaside wall in Puerto Rico. Original score by Lauryn Newson. “Who's Bad?”: In Toronto, young Evelyn is proving to be quite the handful for her disapproving mom — skipping class, throwing parties, ignoring curfew. But her parents have an old-school trick of their own up their sleeves. Thank you to Evelyn Koomson and her mother, Yaa Owusu Nsiah, for bringing this story to us! Produced by Jessica Kariisa. Original score by Lalin St Juste. Translation by Oral Ofori. Voiceover by Akua Edusei Al-Hassan. Original Mind Your Own theme song by Sandra Lawson-Ndu AKA Sandu Ndu x Peachcurls ft. Ehiorobo. This episode also featured the song Rolling Loud by Somadina. Executive Producers: Glynn Washington and Mark RistichManaging Editor: Regina BediakoDirector of Production: Marisa DodgeSeries Producers: David Exumé and Priscilla AlabiMusic Supervisor: Sandra Lawson-NduStory Scouts: Ashley Okwuosa, Fiona Nyong’o, Jessica Kariisa, Lesedi Oluko MocheEditors: Nancy López and Anna SussmanEngineering: Miles LassiOperations Manager: Florene WileyStory Consultant: John FecileGraphic Design: Jemimah EkehOriginal Artwork: Mateus SitholeSpecial Thanks: Allan Coye, Jake Kleinberg, Samara Still, Sarah Yoo, Warner Music Group, and Afripods Episode transcripts can be found here. Mind Your Own is a production of KQED’s Snap Studios, with sales and distribution by Lemonada Media. Hosted and produced by Lupita Nyong’o.  Snap Studios is home to the Snap Judgment and Spooked podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    38 min
  4. 20 SEPT

    The Shadow Side

    The dead man does not know the value of his coffin. This episode contains strong language and graphic imagery. Sensitive listeners, please be advised. STORIES “Comeuppance”: 12-year-old Lupita’s split-second playground decision haunts her for years. Original score by Clay Xavier. “Graveyard Shift”: John Kibera has found the hustle to end all hustles in Nairobi. The shillings pour in. But one day, a job goes very, very wrong. Thank you, John, for sharing your story with us. Produced by David Exumé. Original score by Lalin St Juste and Sam Law. Translation by Salome Nduku. Voiceover by Ndungi Githuku. Special thanks to our fixer Michael Kaloki. Original Mind Your Own theme song by Sandra Lawson-Ndu AKA Sandu Ndu x Peachcurls ft. Ehiorobo. This episode also featured the song O.T.T by Rouge. Executive Producers: Glynn Washington and Mark RistichManaging Editor: Regina BediakoDirector of Production: Marisa DodgeSeries Producers: David Exumé and Priscilla AlabiMusic Supervisor: Sandra Lawson-NduStory Scouts: Ashley Okwuosa, Fiona Nyong’o, Jessica Kariisa, Lesedi Oluko MocheEditors: Nancy López and Anna SussmanEngineering: Miles LassiOperations Manager: Florene WileyStory Consultant: John FecileGraphic Design: Jemimah EkehOriginal Artwork: Mateus SitholeSpecial Thanks: Allan Coye, Jake Kleinberg, Samara Still, Sarah Yoo, Warner Music Group, and Afripods Episode transcripts can be found here. Mind Your Own is a production of KQED’s Snap Studios, with sales and distribution by Lemonada Media. Hosted and produced by Lupita Nyong’o.  Snap Studios is home to the Snap Judgment and Spooked podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    44 min
  5. 19 SEPT

    The Sound of Home

    Sound travels in all directions, but your feet can only follow in one. STORIES “Losing My Accent”: Lupita takes on an American accent when she becomes an actor-in-training at Yale. Original score by Ian Hughes Pelton AKA Tofu Jack. “Obaa Sima”: How long can a song stay in your heart? A musical journey from Ghana to Germany to Canada transports Yaw Atta-Owusu from the toy store to the dance floor. Big thanks to Yaw for sharing his story with us! Check out the Obaa Sima album featured in this episode. Thanks as well to Awesome Tapes From Africa for sharing Yaw’s music with us. Produced by Marisa Dodge and Regina Bediako with assistance from Bo Walsh. Original score by Clay Xavier, with additional music from Marla Kether and Ata Kak. Original Mind Your Own theme song by Sandra Lawson-Ndu AKA Sandu Ndu x Peachcurls ft. Ehiorobo. This episode also featured the song Show My Side by CKay ft. Amaarae. Executive Producers: Glynn Washington and Mark RistichManaging Editor: Regina BediakoDirector of Production: Marisa DodgeSeries Producers: David Exumé and Priscilla AlabiMusic Supervisor: Sandra Lawson-NduStory Scouts: Ashley Okwuosa, Fiona Nyong’o, Jessica Kariisa, Lesedi Oluko MocheEditors: Nancy López and Anna SussmanEngineering: Miles LassiOperations Manager: Florene WileyStory Consultant: John FecileGraphic Design: Jemimah EkehOriginal Artwork: Mateus SitholeSpecial Thanks: Allan Coye, Jake Kleinberg, Samara Still, Sarah Yoo, Warner Music Group, and Afripods Episode transcripts can be found here. Mind Your Own is a production of KQED’s Snap Studios, with sales and distribution by Lemonada Media. Hosted and produced by Lupita Nyong’o.  Snap Studios is home to the Snap Judgment and Spooked podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    37 min

Shows with Subscription Benefits

  • We all have terrifying questions that we can’t stop thinking about. Did I make the right decision as a parent? Can I share a secret with my mother or father? Usually, these questions go unanswered because it’s too scary to imagine saying them out loud. This podcast is the place where young people and caring adults in their lives can ask the hardest questions of each other. Lemonada Media presents "I Need To Ask You Something," a unique 10-part series that bridges the gap between the things we need to say and the words we’re afraid to hear. Each week, trauma therapist Dr. Monica Band sits down with a young person and their parent, friend or partner to help them create a blueprint for building stronger relationships while healing out loud. Created in partnership with The Jed Foundation.

  • Being a pop culture fan naturally comes with a lot of opinions. You’ve got your favorites and you’re ready to defend your picks at a moment’s notice. But who’s right, and who’s just plain wrong? That’s what Pop Culture Debate Club is here to decide. Each week, two notable mega-fans square off, ready to convince host Ronald Young Jr. that their opinion on TV, movies, music, and more is the only one that matters. And after carefully considering all the arguments, Ronald picks a winner. Will you agree with him? From Lemonada and the BBC.

  • …Is this it? That’s the question our host Reshma Saujani asks herself daily. She’s the founder of two successful nonprofits, she’s married to a great guy, and she’s raising two beautiful children. She’s gotten everything she’s ever wanted, so why does she feel so unsatisfied? Is this a woman’s version of a midlife crisis? She’s determined to figure it out, and with the strength of her group chat behind her, she’s calling in reinforcements. From Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, to Emily Oster and Cheryl Strayed, to experts, friends, authors and more, Reshma’s going to help us all figure out how we stop trying to just get through this time of life… and actually start living it.

  • To be human is to fail – period. And not just to fail once, but to fail a lot. As the author Samuel Beckett said: “Fail again. Fail better.” This saying means a lot to me and my family – so much so that my daughter got a tattoo of it. Why are we, and so many others, so deeply concerned by failure? And if it’s something we all do so often, why are we so afraid of it – especially those of us here in win-at-all-costs America? In this podcast, I sit down with successful, thoughtful people like Ben Stiller, Bette Midler, Sean Penn and more to talk about failure – or what they labeled “failure,” but what was really an unparalleled opportunity for growth and revelation. I even want to delve into my own hardest moments, when I wrestled with setbacks, shame, and fear. We’ll still fail again. And again. But maybe if we fail better, we’ll feel better -- and maybe if we can all laugh together in failure, that's a start.

  • Good sex is all about good communication. And we believe honest conversations are the best way to get there. That’s why we’ve asked duos of all types to open up to each other - no host! - about pleasure, intimacy and what turns them on. Listen to hear intimate chats, sexual revelations and playful moments between friends, lovers and everyone in between.

  • Dive into the heart of America's childcare crisis with No One Is Coming to Save Us, hosted by veteran reporter Gloria Riviera. In Season 4, we’re peeling back the layers of our nation’s most pressing challenges - intergenerational poverty, homelessness, and climate change - to uncover their deep, often surprising connections with childcare. Each Thursday, join us as we unravel these complex issues, revealing how they intersect and impact the future of our children.  No One Is Coming To Save Us is produced with Neighborhood Villages, a systems change nonprofit that envisions a transformed, equitable early childhood education system that lifts up educators and sets every child and family up to thrive.

Get exclusive access to bonus content TODAY!

$US 4,99/mo or $US 49,99/yr after trial

Ratings & Reviews

4.5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Lupita Nyong’o knows what home feels like. But where exactly is it? In Mexico, where she was born? Kenya, where she grew up? Or the States, where she’s spent the past 20 years? Like Lupita, millions of Africans are spread out across the globe following family, searching for love, building futures and creating stories. It's these stories – wild and messy, intimate and joyous – that she wants to hear. Welcome to Mind Your Own, a storytelling podcast navigating what it means to belong, all from the African perspective. Join Lupita as she shares tales of her own and dives into the lives of real people finding their way in new worlds of every kind. Production by Snap Studios at KQED, ad sales and distribution by Lemonada Media.

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes and get the latest updates.

Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada