Listen, Ladies Maryalice Aymong

World-renowned street artist Andrea von Bujdoss, AKA Queen Andrea joins the podcast to discuss creative expression in challenging times, how she got her start in the world of graffiti, what inspires her, and what it takes to create a professional mural from start to finish. 

Missouri State Representative Yolanda Young represents Jackson County, which includes Kansas City, Missouri. On this episode of Listen, Ladies, Rep. Young discusses the impact of Covid-19 from the perspective of her constituents of all ages, as well as the potential for positive change for people of color as advocates push for police reform. 

New York Times journalist Dionne Searcey joins Listen, Ladies to discuss her new book, In Pursuit of Disobedient Women: A Memoir of Love, Rebellion, and Family, Far Away. The book is a fascinating inside look at what it was like to take on the role of West Africa Bureau Chief for the New York Times. Searcey recounts her conversations with young women who escapes from Boko Haram, her observations of women's advocating for their rights, and the personal challenges of moving with her family to take on the opportunity. 

Nedra Deadwyler is the founder of Civil Bikes. She joins to the podcast to discuss her awesome organization that gets people on the road to learn and discuss the history and contributions of incredible individuals who may not have made their way into the history books. Her focus on how people of color and women shaped the city of Atlanta is eye-opening, and highly important to the way the city operates today. Her message is relevant and meaningful for the country as a whole. 

If you hear "community organizer," and know that it was President Obama's first step into bringing people together, but still feel unclear on what the job entails, this is the episode for you. Esther Beard is a community organizer and joins the podcast to discuss her role in helping people learn how they can bring about real and meaningful change in their own communities. She also talks about how those who want to make a difference can make sure they are having a positive impact.

Rakmi Shaiza is the founder of Stitching Change, a social enterprise designed to empower refugee women in the Kansas City area. Shaiza discusses the program's mission to teach valuable skills in creating unique items and developing the financial knowledge to sell the creations. More broadly, Shaiza shares her insights on the challenges facing the women involved in the program, and the incredible potential they have to contribute to their communities.