Ep 6 | Redefining my relationship with social media.

Ep 9 | Cowboy Carter DIYs & Interviews

In this episode, I shout out my TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@ziggiefresh16] and Lemon8 [https://www.lemon8-app.com/@ziggiefresh16?region=us&pid=website_seo_share] accounts, as well as The FRESH Media Podcast [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G04GFEc_STs&list=PLq-D4vmH2Hj52v1XLxmBWY_rLtSLqd_ZZ]. Recently, I’ve had some setbacks, but some life advancements. In my next article, I’m going to give you an update on the direction of my website. For now, here’s what you missed (in June)! Finding My Creative Rhythm: A Mid-Year Check-In As we move through the year, I've been reflecting on my productivity and creative journey, and I'm excited to share some updates with you. This month, I focused on Black Music Month content for my Fresh Media Podcast. While I only managed a couple of episodes, I've learned valuable lessons about planning that I'm applying going forward. I'm already looking ahead to August, where I'll be featuring someone I met at the African-American Marketing Association's Marketing for the Culture Summit—she has an exciting event coming up that I can't wait to share. Celebrating Juneteenth and Beyoncé One of my highlights was creating two newsletter editions about Juneteenth events, helping people find ways to participate in this important celebration. But perhaps my biggest project was preparing for Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter tour coming to town. I'm attending the show this Sunday, and I went all out creating my outfit. The creative process became deeply personal. I upcycled a hat and transformed jean shorts into a skirt, but the centerpiece was a sash I designed with a Texas homecoming "mom"—a tradition that might be unfamiliar to those outside Texas. This project connected me to my high school days when I was on the drill team, and I even incorporated a button from my memory box from that time. The inspiration came from Cowboy Carter's themes of reflection and "coming home," which reminded me of homecoming and gave me the chance to create the mum I never had in high school. I documented the entire four-part process on TikTok (@ziggiefresh16 [https://www.tiktok.com/@ziggiefresh16]), and the response from followers has been incredible. Crafting Through Challenges This project served a deeper purpose beyond concert preparation. As someone who processes emotions through crafting, this elaborate undertaking helped me work through the grief of losing my dog. The creative outlet provided exactly what I needed during a difficult time. I'm calling myself the "lavender cowgirl" for the concert, staying true to my love of purple while prioritizing comfort—because anyone who's been to a Beyoncé show knows it's a party, and comfortable feet are essential. Moving Forward While I haven't been as consistent with my morning book reading goals, I've maintained a steady TikTok posting schedule and established a better wake-up routine. Balancing a full-time job means my energy fluctuates, but I'm finding my rhythm and feeling genuinely proud of my consistency. The summer ahead looks promising, and I'm excited about the creative momentum I'm building. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zondra.substack.com [https://zondra.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Ep 8 | Creating my morning routine

I did want to update y'all with something exciting because the whole purpose of this podcast, exclusively on Substack, is so that I can be more consistent, right? And I think I'm getting there. So I've been working with my nutritionist to establish a good, healthy routine. She's my nutritionist, but she's also helping me because everything impacts how you eat, like getting enough rest and having a routine so you can eat on time and all those things, right? And then she's also helping me to change my mindset around, like, feeling FOMO if I went to sleep early or didn't have enough time for myself. But I feel like when I habit stack, that is when things click. (My morning routine is shown at zondra.substack.com [https://zondra.substack.com/].) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zondra.substack.com [https://zondra.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Ep 7 | I produced a new episode of my FRESH Media Podcast!

Y'all. I got to interview Blaze x Black [https://www.instagram.com/blazexblack/%C3%A2%C2%81%C2%A0], a creative duo making their mark on the Houston music scene. Take a look at my interview at freshmediablog.com [https://www.freshmediablog.com/fresh-sounds-of-houston-with-blaze-x-black]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zondra.substack.com [https://zondra.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Ep 6 | Redefining my relationship with social media.

With all of the chaos that social media brings nowadays, Substack is a cozy haven. I’m loving the juicy stories and thought-provoking commentary on here so much. People can write, uninhibited, about their theories, their thoughts, and their action plans on how to get to their next level in life. I appreciate every post and every note from writers on here. A personal joy of mine is learning more about how people think and also, what makes them FEEL. What things in life and in our society are affecting people the most? A lot of that is answered on here. So, yes. This is indeed a Substack appreciation post and nothing more. This platform has re-energized my love for creating and also my love for writing. That being said, I have started a third newsletter on here called The Creole Compass. I look forward to sharing my personal stories about journeying through my childhood as a navy kid and learning about the various cultures around me. My past and heritage has truly shaped who I am today and why I always aim to spread more love and light into the world. Stay tuned, because I’m just getting warmed up! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zondra.substack.com [https://zondra.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Ep 5 | I used an AI tool to create a new podcast!

Ok, so I actually was super excited after making this podcast episode using AI…then I realized that only the first episode was free! They got me, though. Hook, line, and sink her. (Whatever that phrase is lol.) It actually starts at $29/month if you want to keep going and make more episodes–I’m still thinking about it, though. Listen below :) This episode celebrates Katherine Dunham’s journey from Glen Ellyn, Illinois, to global prominence as a cultural pioneer. Her innovative Dunham Technique, blending Afro-Caribbean movement with ballet, transformed dance, while her activism, including works like Southland, broke barriers in performance spaces. We also explore her enduring influence on modern dancers and activists. Fav AI tools (affiliate links): veed.io: ⁠https://veed.cello.so/xrX0YvkF0qq⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbkZTdGpkNld5SlFDS0VqcnZvWkhWSnROa1JYUXxBQ3Jtc0trTjk2c1E5ZTFCRDNnbzdjOHVzaG5qb1l0c25yUEp1TERuYjN4aUpYNXBQMjhhbXZSY1AySzlMbTM2YzdmVDdqdXZQV0xXaWxRak8zRm1YdURRX3hqT1YtUHVQN2RiZVRrNkdkN2sxTDJDektlQV80TQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fveed.cello.so%2FxrX0YvkF0qq&v=GmyluTSF4OA] canva.com: ⁠https://www.canva.com/join/kfq-cnk-dcl⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbEZNem1WVWxUR0NRa3prOE9zcjJUMmI3emFEQXxBQ3Jtc0ttYlpSX2lEem8taG1jd0d0SFFNR0VmNHo3eEpmWkk2bGRROGlHSWt0XzNRYTlBa3NHZ1R3cVpkWlVOdHU3MjktVWpoREh4Wk1JYXpIRXJucFJMcThBRlJWaDlCejQ2WlpQWlVIaE5ZU2FYT0IyQkw0MA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.canva.com%2Fjoin%2Fkfq-cnk-dcl&v=GmyluTSF4OA] jellypod.ai (used for this podcast): ⁠https://jellypod.ai/?invite=_9lHmGnS⁠⁠ [https://jellypod.ai/?invite=_9lHmGnS] FOLLOW ME: Website: ⁠https://www.freshmediablog.com/⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGZUM1RIYzJfQnRlWGxyal9iUWRIY052cnoyd3xBQ3Jtc0trbml3OGpKZ1VpLW41SHljRU5zVldOQ2NRdkZ1T1RoQkRwS0hFcUphVkhQYWVCbEVhS1VrbFl5N2VDdy1xTkpVdTlOT2ZlT2VEd3lNNFJjMjdpa0hxZGo2ajFhVG1Lbl96MWVlOVB0d2RnRTB5VjRaaw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.freshmediablog.com%2F&v=GmyluTSF4OA] Substack: ⁠https://freshmedianews.substack.com/⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmhYeTU2RUUzeDh3TVc2bjYxdUtoQml4NU1BUXxBQ3Jtc0tsVDVuRjdWTzYwRVJjWkN1bHJhNlgzYS12VTY5Z3ZqTWh0VGlmMmtuMGIwX05JY2s3azhQd1VvdnhVempCZFRXaU9vSkRKNUpONHp3cDBDNjhVWnFiX1ZqYVRSOTRlS0t0QUZRdDBsODhjRUJFYWdRTQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Ffreshmedianews.substack.com%2F&v=GmyluTSF4OA] Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/freshmediablog/⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa2xyNGJLUXc2c21zVjZZSVR2Z3J6OXRrZzM4d3xBQ3Jtc0trY29ZRFFlTjgtWHRlWlFFbWhGNnk0WjBjbC10bFdZby1aNDVFREhlQW5oWXZOSlJTZ3N2dHdSMWc4Ny1OMWZkbjhDVnRQUXRwYjN5RlZkdm82bEJ4QkdacUZITi10YlVpUHc5ZXc4aVMzb1RSYVVvUQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Ffreshmediablog%2F&v=GmyluTSF4OA] Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/freshmediablog/⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbDZPYlFxdktPVHpSb3Z4Smdjc3I4cERESDdpQXxBQ3Jtc0tteHNXSUFQaHhDZHA3WmpYeXVMZXlVMFdpZ3hQcHdGVG9XYnVxUVQ0OHhaNG50dlJPNmR2eTVfZURwd1Z0T0xzR192VDZDYUJ0UkxGeXA0eWFWMHp1NHRHNkpTSDFEN1Y5LXc4UmJBZkVzY1pmQVJEbw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Ffreshmediablog%2F&v=GmyluTSF4OA] Threads: ⁠https://www.threads.net/@freshmediablog⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGlSVElxVVl3N0gxQ1lWUXBDejkyX2IyOWozUXxBQ3Jtc0ttTUc3bnRHMDR1S2F5cmdSUUYwV3Z4R2FhcmoxeEhCc05JUmhiTGhleHMyaG01V09OazNYR09ZWnFiRkhFWmRlZldsWVBHS3ViOWVncXdRdnZfTWFXY2FMeTI4aTRxbGRONFhacGhmY2twR01IdmJJTQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.threads.net%2F%40freshmediablog&v=GmyluTSF4OA] Pinterest: ⁠https://www.pinterest.com/freshmediablog/ ⁠ [ https://www.pinterest.com/freshmediablog/] TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@ziggiefresh16⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbF9RYXg2UXhoa2NUNHZ4WE9vOEhtYXRpcUQxd3xBQ3Jtc0tsZUM0WVZGMmhscXBYMmJQSE9Ic0ZJcFNqanFDVmhFRmx4UUhSQ3A0a0hfWGFqekRUeWlPNEJ2N2ZmWW9aM1hTaFVfV2h5VUlvUDVGRTMzV0NSenpDVEc5d3J2Q2FsTlNzLXF1R3l4Q0VjWjNKNHpzaw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40ziggiefresh16&v=GmyluTSF4OA] BlueSky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/ziggiefresh.bsky.social ⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/ziggiefresh.bsky.social ] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zondra.substack.com [https://zondra.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]