The Empress Addi Podcast

Melissa Bryce Interviewing Addi Casseus

A short clip on my personal definitions of Voice, Sound, and Audio

A Conversation with the legendary Carole Demesmin Arty Maroulé

Season Two of The Empress Addi Podcast opens with a powerful and unforgettable conversation featuring the legendary Carole Demesmin — artist, cultural icon, Manbo, producer, and fierce guardian of Haitian memory. In this episode, Empress Addi sits with Carole to explore Haiti beyond the surface: music as ancestral archive, Vodou as cultural inheritance, the responsibility of artists, the bridge between Haiti and Benin, and the sacred work of preserving who we are. This conversation also honors Carole’s upcoming production, Ayiti Bèl Nanm, a theatrical celebration of Haitian heritage through poetry, music, dance, visual storytelling, ancestral wisdom, and spiritual tradition. 🎟️ Purchase tickets for Ayiti Bèl Nanm here: https://www.arshtcenter.org/tickets/2025-2026/ayiti-bel-nanm/ayiti-bel-nanm/#buyTickets [https://www.arshtcenter.org/tickets/2025-2026/ayiti-bel-nanm/ayiti-bel-nanm/#buyTickets] 📍 Adrienne Arsht Center — Ziff Ballet Opera House 📅 August 15, 2026 🕖 7:00 PM Subscribe to The Empress Addi Podcast for conversations on culture, spirit, history, identity, and the stories that keep us rooted. #TheEmpressAddiPodcast #CaroleDemesmin #AyitiBelNanm #HaitianCulture #Haiti #Vodou #HaitianArt #AncestralMemory #BlackDiaspora #Benin #HaitianHeritage

Nationality, Identity & Treaties: Geronimo Moimaiya on FBA/Indigenous, Lineage Proof & Sovereignty

What does it really mean to claim Indigenous identity in the U.S.—and how is that different from “Foundational Black American” (FBA)? In this episode, constitutional advocate Geronimo Moimaiya joins Adlore “Empress Addi” Casseus to unpack the intersections of nationality, identity, treaties, and documentation. We go deep on maternal lineage research (to 1741 NC), treaty history (Powhatan, Miami, etc.), reclassification from “Indian” to “Negro/Colored,” and why federal recognition can complicate ideas of sovereignty.You’ll hear practical steps for tracing family history (Library of Congress accounts, Fold3, Ancestry), how contract law and trusts show up in everyday identity paperwork, cautionary notes on commercialized “tribal citizenship,” and why reconnecting to custom, language, and governance matters. We also touch on child support administration, the voluntary program debate, and the larger question: how do we rebuild identity with integrity—across the African diaspora, Caribbean lineages (Haiti, Jamaica), and the Americas?Educational content only. Nothing here is legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a qualified professional.Correction on Africa's original name(s): Alkebulan, as in, "mother of mankind" or "garden of Eden"-however, the many names of Africa over the ages are: Kemet, Ethiopia, Cush, and Corbye. It is believed that the name, "Africa" was coined by Romans. Chapters:00:00 Intro & intent (education, not legal advice)02:05 Geronimo’s lineage: maternal records to 1741 (North Carolina)08:22 Contract law, courts & becoming a constitutional advocate14:10 Child support administration: structure, penalties & reform questions19:40 FBA vs. Indigenous identity: definitions, overlaps, tensions27:18 Treaties 101: Powhatan, Miami, reclassification & 1924 citizenship35:55 Federal recognition vs. sovereignty—what people miss42:10 Tracing your lineage: elders, records, Library of Congress, Fold3, Ancestry49:30 Cherokee “citizenship” cautions & commercialization concerns55:05 Spiritual customs, fasting, Sabbath, and cultural continuity1:00:15 Caribbean lineages (Haiti, Jamaica) within Indigenous histories1:05:40 Trusts, names, and documentation: getting the paperwork right1:10:10 Action steps & resources + closingShow Notes / Resources Mentioned:Library of Congress (create a free account to access treaty scans and archives)Fold3.com (military records)Ancestry.com (census, birth/marriage/death records)City/county clerk & archives (local deeds, probate, and vital records)Elders & family documents (Bibles, letters, photos, obituaries)Call to Action:If this conversation helped you think differently about identity, subscribe and share. Have a lineage win or question? Drop it in the comments. For future episodes and essays, follow Empress Addi and The Empress Addi Podcast.Guest: Geronimo MoimaiyaHandles: IG: @GeronimothecherokeeIG: @TrusttheconstitutionTiktok: @GeronimothecherokeeTiktok: @TrusttheconstitutionFacebook: @Geronimo Chaha Moimaiya Facebook: @TrusttheconstitutionEmail: GeronimoMoimaiya@Trusttheconstitution.comLinktree page: https://linktr.ee/TrustthenstitutionHost: Adlore “Empress Addi” CasseusPodcast: The Empress Addi Podcast | Essays: addicasseus.com

E10: Beyond the Stereotype: Black Women, Work & What Real Merit Looks Like

Coach and advocate Tamera Rowls joins Empress Addi for a candid, solutions-focused conversation on navigating hostile systems, documenting retaliation, protecting your peace, and building careers that match your brilliance. We ground this talk in data, lived experience, and practical tools leaders can use to fix the “broken rung.”What you’ll hear:Receipts vs. rhetoric: why merit must be measured, not assumedDocument–then–decide: a simple playbook for speaking up safelyThe “broken rung” for Black women—and how to repair itMoney as community power: circulating dollars, building brandsSelf-care as strategy: boundaries, therapy, and soft-era practicesGuestTamera Rowls — Coach, brand strategist, and advocate for Black women at work.Connect with Tamera on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamera-rowls/Keep going!!!Read the companion article on The Write Movement:https://addicasseus.com/2025/09/18/beyond-the-stereotype-black-women-work-and-what-real-merit-looks-like/Grab Addi’s book: What’s Next For You: Living In Purposehttps://a.co/d/1VNWtd8Work with Addi (Ascend Revenue Group): hello@ascendrevenuegroup.comIf this resonated with you, please like, subscribe, and share with someone who deserves people-centered systems at work.#EmpressAddi #BlackWomenAtWork #WorkplaceEquity #CareerAdvancement #Leadership #DEI #Retaliation #Meritocracy #TheWriteMovement

E9: Body, Spirit, System: Health Equity in the Haitian Diaspora

Physician–memoirist and CMO Dr. Marie Andrine Constant joins Empress Addi to explore care that honors the whole person—clinical excellence, cultural wisdom, and spiritual safety. We talk language as a medical intervention, trauma-informed design, diaspora identity, and the systems moves that make equity real.What you’ll hear:Equity as design (not charity): levers leaders can pull nowSpiritual safety in exam rooms: honoring faith, ritual, languageMigration-aware care: trust, interpreters, and outcomesMemoir as medicine: stories that teach leadershipGuest: Dr. Constant—physician, former Consul of Haiti in Boston and Ambassador to Cuba, now Chief Medical Officer at a federally qualified health center.Work with Addi:• Ascend Executive Prep (8-week leadership for young adults)• Book: What’s Next For You: Living in Purpose (https://a.co/d/dN2U5pF [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnVLdXNWbVJCTV9SLWlwUmZKSUhSQkF3Y1dQd3xBQ3Jtc0tuM3EyOEJMS1NRMzhDSnF1NHFreG4xemVvejVMdjhQUjB6RnVwOEJtc19ONTFhektxS2ZOc0lwWS10WjVkX1lpazBpZ2V1a1VkOC1lTW03QWR5Nm4zUk1VbGt6ZklPSTZ3LXlMWHRXZ0ZKSGZ4VzlaNA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fa.co%2Fd%2FdN2U5pF&v=9O1HoHfIPF8])• Contact: hello@ascendrevenuegroup.comLike, subscribe, and share this episode with someone building people-centered systems.