Up From Here

Kelsi Lee and Janai Iman

Up From Here is the unfiltered podcast where Kelsi Lee and Janai Iman bring the raw conversations they've always had on the couch - about culture, womanhood, motherhood, money, identity, and survival — straight to the mic. It's equal parts therapy, chaos, and truth-telling. For women who are evolving in real time, this is the group chat gone public.

  1. 3d ago

    College Dropouts, School Failed Us, & Reading Changed Us, | Episode 36

    In this episode, we talk about something that's been on both of our minds lately: learning. We share the books we've been reading, the ideas that have challenged us, and why we've both developed such a deep desire to continue educating ourselves—even years after leaving school. As college dropouts, we reflect on our very different educational journeys and ask ourselves a question we never thought we'd be asking: Would we actually go back to school? The answer surprised us. We talk about how much more equipped we feel now than we did at 21, 22, or even 25. How life experience has changed the way we approach learning, discipline, and curiosity. Sometimes maturity gives you the tools that traditional education couldn't. The conversation also expands into the education system itself. We question why schools often prioritize conformity over curiosity, and why so many children aren't encouraged to discover their natural strengths and interests until much later in life. What would happen if we nurtured passion as intentionally as we taught memorization? Ultimately, this episode is about redefining what it means to be educated. Whether that comes from a classroom, a book, lived experience, or simply staying curious enough to keep asking questions. If you've ever felt like school wasn't built for the way you learn, wondered if it's too late to go back, or found yourself falling in love with learning as an adult, this conversation is for you. Follow us on Instagram: 🍒 @thekelsilee 🍒 @janaiiman ✨ @xo.upfromhere

    College Dropouts, School Failed Us, & Reading Changed Us, | Episode 36

  2. Jul 7

    Girl Talk, Never Have I Ever, & Slumber Party Confessions | Episode 35

    This week, we're taking it all the way back to sleepovers. The theme of this episode is Slumber Party, and we wanted to recreate that feeling of being teenage girls—staying up way too late with your best friend, talking about absolutely everything, laughing until your stomach hurts, and somehow ending up in the deepest conversations without even trying. We play Never Have I Ever, put each other on the spot with Rapid Fire, and answer questions we probably shouldn't have answered 😂. From hilarious confessions to girlhood moments, relationship takes, embarrassing stories, and the kinds of conversations that only happen between best friends, this episode is pure fun from beginning to end. Sometimes you don't need a deep life lesson. Sometimes you just need to laugh with your girls. So grab your favorite snack, put on your pajamas, and pretend you're at the sleepover with us. If you've been missing those late-night conversations that somehow covered every topic imaginable, this episode is for you. Follow us on Instagram: 🍒 @thekelsilee 🍒 @janaiiman ✨ @xo.upfromhere

    Girl Talk, Never Have I Ever, & Slumber Party Confessions | Episode 35

  3. Jun 30

    The Men Who Raised Us, The Love We Needed, & Growing Up | Episode 34

    In this episode, we celebrate the first men we ever loved—our dads. We reflect on the relationships we've built with our fathers, the lessons they've intentionally and unintentionally taught us, and the ways they've shaped how we love, trust, and move through the world today. We also ask an age-old question: Do we date people like our dads? And if we do, is that necessarily a bad thing? As we've gotten older, we've begun seeing our fathers less as superheroes and more as people. People with childhoods, wounds, dreams, fears, and experiences that shaped the men they eventually became. We talk about how their upbringings influenced their ability to experience freedom, vulnerability, and joy—and how beautiful it is to witness growth in our parents, even in adulthood. There's something incredibly healing about realizing your parents are still evolving. This episode is about gratitude, perspective, and giving our fathers grace while celebrating the men they've become—and continue to become. If you've ever looked at your parents differently as you've gotten older, wondered how they shaped your relationships, or found yourself rooting for them just as much as they've rooted for you, this conversation is for you. Follow us on Instagram: 🍒 @thekelsilee 🍒 @janaiiman ✨ @xo.upfromhere

    The Men Who Raised Us, The Love We Needed, & Growing Up | Episode 34

  4. Jun 23

    Birds of a Feather, Friendship Audits, & Outgrowing Expectations | Episode 33

    In this episode, we dive into friendship — how much our friends influence us, what it really takes to maintain long-term relationships, and whether "birds of a feather flock together" is actually true. We discuss how the people around us shape our decision-making, perspectives, habits, and even our judgment. Are we more influenced by our friends than we'd like to admit? From there, we get into the realities of long-term friendship. Loving people through different seasons of life. Accepting that your friends will change over time. And understanding that the version of someone you met years ago may not be the version standing in front of you today. Kelsi opens up about her tendency to cut people off quickly when they disappoint her, and how she's learning that every conflict doesn't require a complete ending. Sometimes the healthiest thing isn't removing someone from your life altogether — it's simply reorganizing where they belong within it. We also talk about friendship hierarchies and why not every friend should occupy the same space in your life. Some friends are for deep conversations. Some are for fun. Some are for business. Some are for growth. And expecting one person to be everything can create unnecessary disappointment. This episode is about releasing unrealistic expectations, understanding relationship dynamics, and building healthier friendships that can evolve with time. If you've ever struggled with friendship changes, cutting people off, or figuring out where people fit in your life, this conversation is for you. Follow us on Instagram: 🍒 @thekelsilee 🍒 @janaiiman ✨ @xo.upfromhere

    Birds of a Feather, Friendship Audits, & Outgrowing Expectations | Episode 33

  5. Jun 16 ·  Video

    Reacted with a sticker to "Legacy, Community, & The Power of Black Excellence | Episode 32

    In this special Juneteenth episode, we decided to do something a little different. Instead of focusing on the pain, oppression, and suffering that often dominate conversations around Black history, we wanted to spend time celebrating the incredible contributions Black people continue to make today. After discussing the origins of Juneteenth and why the holiday exists, we shift our focus toward honoring some of the brilliant Black innovators, entrepreneurs, creatives, and visionaries shaping our culture right now. From Olamide Olowe and Breanna Daniels to Virgil Abloh and many others, we highlight the people building businesses, creating opportunities, influencing culture, and leaving lasting legacies for future generations. We also talk about our responsibility to not only know our history, but to actively celebrate our people while they're here. Too often we wait until someone has passed to acknowledge their impact. This episode is about giving flowers in real time. The conversation expands into the importance of supporting our community through intentional action: buying Black, building Black, investing in Black businesses, and preserving the culture that has given so much to the world. This episode is a celebration. A celebration of resilience. A celebration of innovation. A celebration of community. A celebration of Black excellence. If you've ever wondered how to contribute to the culture beyond social media posts and hashtags, this conversation is for you. Follow us on Instagram: 🍒 @thekelsilee 🍒 @janaiiman ✨ @xo.upfromhere

  6. Jun 9

    Internet Outrage, Youth Culture, & Chasing Relevance | Episode 31

    In this episode, we unpack the strange state of modern culture and ask a simple question: Has everybody become a critic? We start by talking about music and why so much of it feels stagnant. Why do some of today's biggest artists seem stuck creatively? Why does it feel like growth, evolution, and artistic risk-taking have become less important than staying relevant? That conversation leads us into our culture's obsession with youth. From celebrities to influencers to everyday people, we discuss the pressure to remain young, desirable, and culturally relevant at all costs—and what gets lost when aging is treated like a failure instead of a privilege. We also dive into the recent Painted by Esther and Jackie Asamoah conversation and the growing tendency to disguise perfectionism as accountability. At what point does "holding creators accountable" become expecting them to be flawless? We unpack the contradiction of demanding perfection from public figures while refusing to examine our own behavior. Why do people passionately criticize creators for missing a brand or making a mistake, yet continue supporting companies, industries, and institutions they claim to oppose? From boycotting one celebrity while consuming content produced by another problematic figure, to calling out strangers online while making no meaningful changes in our own lives, we explore the hypocrisy that has become normalized in internet culture. We also discuss "internet gangsters"—the confidence people have behind screens that rarely translates into real life—and how outrage has become a form of entertainment. And as always, we close by speaking directly to younger women, sharing some of the lessons we wish we understood earlier about identity, growth, integrity, and finding your own voice in a world that constantly tells you who to be. If you've ever felt exhausted by online discourse, frustrated by performative accountability, or curious about where culture is headed next, this episode is for you. Follow us on Instagram: 🍒 @thekelsilee 🍒 @janaiiman ✨ @xo.upfromhere

    Internet Outrage, Youth Culture, & Chasing Relevance | Episode 31

  7. Jun 2 ·  Video

    Family Matters, Power Dynamics, & Questioning What We Normalize | Episode 30

    In this episode, we talk about family, womanhood, power dynamics, and the ways our perspectives evolve as we get older. Kelsi shares what it was like having her in-laws visit and how unexpectedly healing the experience was. Watching David interact with his parents — especially his father — added an entirely new dimension to their relationship and gave her a glimpse into a family dynamic she hadn't fully experienced before. We talk about how meaningful it can be to witness your partner as someone's child, and how seeing healthy family connections can change the way you understand the person you love. That conversation leads us into a bigger question: how important is family compatibility when choosing a partner? Janai reflects on whether she could see herself building a future with someone whose family she didn't feel genuinely connected to. From there, we shift into a discussion about women in the workplace and the reality that many women are still met with condescension, objectification, and inappropriate behavior simply for existing in professional spaces. Using a recent viral moment as an example, we unpack the disturbing tendency to blame women for the behavior of men and how predators thrive in environments where bystanders stay silent. We also discuss the growing disconnect between traditional career paths and modern work. Why are content creators, streamers, and influencers still dismissed as "not having real jobs" when they've become some of the most influential economic drivers of our generation? Finally, we dive into age-gap relationships and how our perspective has changed as we've gotten older. What once seemed glamorous now raises very different questions. We discuss why so many older men pursue women decades younger than them, what maturity actually looks like, and the uncomfortable realities hidden beneath some of these relationships. This episode is about power, perspective, family, and the importance of questioning narratives we've accepted without thinking twice. If you've ever reconsidered something you once normalized, this conversation is for you. Follow us on Instagram: 🍒 @thekelsilee 🍒 @janaiiman ✨ @xo.upfromhere

  8. May 26

    Girl Code, Infidelity, & Erasing Gender Roles | Episode 29

    In this episode, we unpack loyalty — what it actually means, what our boundaries are, and how friendships can completely shift when someone hurts the people we love. We talk about choosing our best friend's side in conflict, especially when there's genuine disrespect, betrayal, or harm involved. Not out of immaturity or "blind loyalty," but because some actions naturally change how safe or aligned someone feels to us moving forward. From there, the conversation turns to cheating — and whether we could realistically remain friends with someone who is actively cheating on their partner while refusing to make a decision about what they actually want. We unpack the discomfort of watching someone continuously betray another person while trying to maintain closeness with them. The episode also dives into gender roles, partnership, and the realities of building a home together in a way that actually makes sense for your relationship. Kelsi talks about her and David redefining responsibilities in their household based on functionality, capability, and preference — not traditional gender expectations. We discuss how, even while criticizing patriarchy, many of us still unconsciously benefit from certain aspects of it. And if we truly want to deconstruct those systems in our own lives, it also means reevaluating the ways we participate in them too. This episode is about loyalty, accountability, fairness, and creating relationships rooted in intention instead of default roles and expectations. If you've ever questioned where your loyalty lies, struggled with friendship boundaries, or redefined what partnership looks like in your own life — this conversation is for you. Follow us on Instagram: 🍒 @thekelsilee 🍒 @janaiiman ✨ @xo.upfromhere

    Girl Code, Infidelity, & Erasing Gender Roles | Episode 29
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3.3
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Up From Here is the unfiltered podcast where Kelsi Lee and Janai Iman bring the raw conversations they've always had on the couch - about culture, womanhood, motherhood, money, identity, and survival — straight to the mic. It's equal parts therapy, chaos, and truth-telling. For women who are evolving in real time, this is the group chat gone public.

Information

  • Creator
    Kelsi Lee and Janai Iman
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    Up From Here