The B in BAME Podcast: Stories of Black Excellence Siji Onabanjo

Today Siji discusses the truth behind the Covid vaccinations with life scientist and vaccine specialist Dr Asher Williams. This is an important conversation because we know there is a lot of hesitance and suspicion within the Black community about taking the vaccine. Some of this is due to misinformation, so Asher joins to clarify the facts. Asher, originally from Trinidad & Tobago, is a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow at the prestigious Cornell University and is currently researching Cell-Free Biosynthesis of Conjugate Vaccines. She knows her stuff when it comes to this and has been featured by BBC News, and is part of the United Nation's Team Halo Project. We're delighted she's joined us to share her insights with you, our loyal listeners.

Follow Dr Asher Williams on Twitter (@asher__williams); Insta (asherjw_); TikTok (dr_asherwilliams) and follow us on (@thebinbame).

We're joined by twin sisters Nennia & Nneka Orji (@ninjafro), founders of online platform NinjA'fro - connecting Black people to hairstylists who understand our hair. Our Nigerian twintrepreneurs share their journey that included them both studying the same course at Oxford University and led them to successful careers in consulting and finance. We discuss why they started NinjA'fo; the complex relationship between Black women and their hair; the discrimination experienced by Black people in the workplace because of their hair; and the growing movement encouraging Black people to embrace their natural hair.

Nigerians are known for a number of things...but veganism is not one. So we spoke to Tomi Makanjuola aka the Vegan Nigerian (@VeganNigerian) who is trying to change that. Tomi shares how being Black and a lack of diversity in the vegan/food industry limited the number of opportunities she received and how things have changed since 2020's Black Lives Matter awakening and the pandemic. We also have an interesting conversation about cultural appropriation vs appreciation when it comes to food. Listen to find out how she has turned her lifestyle-based side-hustle into a flourishing platform as a vegan chef and blogger; transforming traditional Nigerian dishes into tasty vegan recipes.

Yasmin Taylor is a young, talented Black woman working in DevOps. Not sure what DevOps is? Well, Yasmin breaks it down in this interview. This summer, Yasmin also divided opinion when her social media posts about her six-figure income and her detailed "Guide to Becoming a DevOps Goddess" went viral. We unpack why her attempts to do something positive received so much heat from some Black people on Twitter and the aftermath of it all as we also discuss whether we need to do more as Black people to uplift each other.

On today’s episode, Siji (@siji_banjo) interviews Ade Adeyemi MBE (@i_Adebusuyi), a global health policy expert who was recently awarded an MBE for his outstanding contribution to global health. Find out what Judge Judy and Batman have in common as we discuss the complexities of identity as well as the dilemma of accepting an MBE (Member of the British Empire) for a Black person. We also speak about the #EndSars protests in Nigeria and the dangerous role of the media in our understanding of the world. We also touch on the importance of a global health security framework in providing equitable worldwide access to a COVID vaccine to ensure poorer countries don’t suffer. Finally, Ade shares why we should never give up on our passions as well as some tips for anyone looking to follow a similar career path to his.

Welcome to The B In BAME podcast. In this short intro, we explain why we started the podcast, the issue with the word BAME, and why we want to put a positive spotlight on Black People by sharing Stories of Black Excellence.