Vocal ACTION Podcast Rashanna | Vocal ACTION

What a year! This is the first and last episode of 2023. It’s a reflection of the year and an idea of what you can expect on Season 2024 (Season 3)! Bye 2023. See y’all in the new year!

Just in time to begin planning for the new year, I sat down with Chidoze Ibeabuchi and Jasmine Ramirez. They are the united force behind financial mentoring program, BAM "By Any Means.” As “Money Mentors” they are helping people, primarily of color, get their finances in order with tools and resources. Not only did I enjoy this conversation but it made me think about my own finances and what smart decisions I could make now to set myself up for later or even next year.

Amity is the Deputy Chief Marketing and Storytelling Officer of Color of Change, the nation’s largest online racial justice organization where they “design campaigns powerful enough to end practices that unfairly hold Black people back and champion solutions that move us all forward.” Amity is currently leading change in how Black stories are told on social media, in film and television, and during fundraising efforts, just to name a few areas. But before Color of Change, Amity was a girl in Boston attending social events with her parents, exploring the arts, and “going with the wind”- allowing her skills and experience to lead her to contribute to projects that she felt most passionate about. These projects included journalism, creating her own outfit for New York Fashion Week (NYFW), being apart of the conception of Black Lives Matter, and now growing her own produce with her husband. Amity is a shining example of how listening to your own voice wins every time. I needed this reminder and I am grateful that the young girl from Boston that I met in 5th grade was able to give it to me. 

It feels so good catching up with two young ladies (now) who pulled me into something that none of us thought would become an ongoing discussion about race, access, and equity in Boston Latin School, Boston Public Schools, and the city. Meggie Noel and Kylie Webster-Cazeau are now pursing education and equity work as “responsible and engaged citizens.” In this episode we talk about how they are living their best and rewarding life after starting a movement in high school!

Have you heard our intro and outro? Well that is the sound created and produced by my cousin, COBi Williams. He recently moved to California to purse is dream of becoming a renown music producer and in true Gen Z fashion, he is taking on adulthood and adulting on his own terms (with help and encouragement from his mom). When we talk about generational differences, particular in career, Jacobi is a great example of taking a risk, making mistakes and figuring it out. Tune in now because this will be apart of his documentary when he’s famous!

What started out as a conversation about being an ally turned into a conversation about how one’s life circumstances and experiences lead them into diverse friendships, relationships, and alliance. I’ve known Patsy Jean-Pierre since the 7th grade when she was still a Foley. We have traveled the world together, literally as “13” and “34” in Europe, graduated from the best high school in America, Boston Latin School, and followed each other through social media over the years. And recently she married the love of her life, is pregnant with twins, and started her private practice which led to me sit down with her and ask, “yea Patsy, how did you find yourself amongst so many Black people?” And this piece- her life- was so important to discuss and new to me. Patsy’s life experiences made her ask the same question in different ways as she navigated in and out of predominantly Black spaces. Now in her own way, she continues to ask but also finds her footing in being a part of the solutions. I hope that this episodes reminds people that we are in this together and that there are some people who aren’t new to this, but true to this regardless of race. Patsy is one of those people.