Ordinary Thoughts

visibility and vulnerability in poetry with the bee

We're talking to Harlem-native artist and poet, The Bee. Tune in to learn more about how they turned personal struggles into powerful performances, winning their first competition, and navigating the complex world of professional poetry. Moments: 1:32 Meet The Bee  4:26 Learning poetry and finding inspiration  7:20 Challenges as a young person in poetry  10:12 Balancing personal vulnerability and public performance  13:18 Themes in Bee’s writing and real-life impact  18:58 Thinking about audience  21:30 Writing vs performing and some history on spoken word 33:45 Highlights of the year 2024 and looking ahead at 2025 38:15 Advice to aspiring poets  43:50 Some of Bee’s favorite things  Connect with The Bee: https://www.instagram.com/thebee.theartist/

soft life, real work with priscilla o. agyeman of saddie baddies

We're talking to Priscilla Agyeman, the visionary behind Saddie Baddies®, a platform dedicated to reshaping mental health discourse for young Black, Latinx, Asian, Indigenous, and multiracial communities. As a creative entrepreneur, thought leader, and mental health activist, Priscilla founded Saddie Baddies® in 2019 to address the gaps in digital conversations about mental health. Since then, the community has gone on to develop important mental health resources, The Soft Life podcast, many online and IRL events, and more!  In this episode, we explore the realities of balancing full-time jobs with entrepreneurship, the importance of mental health, and what self-care looks like for community leaders. We’ll also dive into the impact of Saddie Baddies® and its partnerships with some of our favorite brands. Moments:  1:40 Meet Priscilla, founder of Saddie Baddies  4:20 Influences on mental health advocacy and entrepreneurship  8:20 The journey to founding Saddie Baddies  18:20 Redefining self-care and healing while balancing 9-5 and a 5-9 38:32 Remaining authentic to your mission while collaborating with big brands 41:28 The microscope on Black and Brown creators 50:17 Advice to aspiring creative entrepreneurs  54:28 Some of Priscilla’s favorite things  Connet with Priscilla: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/priscilla.o.agyeman/] Follow Saddie Baddies [https://www.instagram.com/saddie_baddies/] Listen to the Soft Life Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/thesoftlifepod/] More Important Links [https://bio.site/saddiebaddies]

poetry, publishing, and mental health with leisly ann roman

Leisly Ann Roman [https://www.instagram.com/_literaryhope/#] is a writer and poet whose work explores the intersections of cultural identity, mental health, and personal resilience.  Born and raised in New York City as the eldest daughter of Dominican-immigrant parents, Leisly has been shaped by her experiences and the diverse cultures around her. A passionate advocate for mental health, Leisly Ann's poetry addresses themes like cultural expectations, self-doubt, and the struggles of living with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and disordered eating. In this episode, we dive into her journey through poetry and mental health, discuss the impact of cultural expectations on self-perception, and explore her path to healing.  Moments:  1:30 Meet Leisly Ann 3:00 Early inspirations  7:38 Writing from lived experience  10:32 Publishing and working with Alegría 16:25 Writing in English and Spanish as a first-gen kid 25:36 Community and support systems 31:40 Advice to her younger self  36:40 Creative process and pressure for a second book  39:38 Some of Leisly-Ann’s favorite things  Connect with Leisly Ann: On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_literaryhope/# [https://www.instagram.com/_literaryhope/#] Purchase her book: https://linktr.ee/leislyann_ [https://linktr.ee/leislyann_]

the art of storytelling with zhane'l speaks

Everyday at the crack of dawn, Zhane’l Speaks enjoys sipping her chamomile tea as she writes about the one thing that intrigues her the most - love. For as long as she can remember, she has always been fascinated by love. Love enthralls her soul and pulls her closer to her purpose. Though love is a concept she follows, she does not keep her work within bounds. She enjoys writing tasteful erotica and screenplays that mimic poetry.  Zhane’l Speaks work has been featured on platforms such as; Rest Assured Podcast, Indie Author Tuesday, ColorBloc Magazine, and Substack. Moments:  1:17 meet Zhane’l  3:08 childhood and inspiration  5:13 vulnerability in writing and deciding on what to share 8:06 challenges in writing  11:08 audience and purpose  14:12 storytelling through visual arts and creative direction  19:50 spike lee and pursuing filmmaking  23:18 community building, social burnout, and taking time to find your people  29:26 untapped creative outlets and future plans  31:30 2024 wins and reflecting on the year  34:21 advice for emerging storytellers  36:20 some of Zhane’l’s favorite things  Connect with Zhane’l Speaks On Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/zhanelspeakstome/]  On Substack [https://zhanelspeaks.substack.com]

slam poetry and writing techniques with ShakinDaWorld

ShakinDaWorld [https://www.instagram.com/p/C9kXO6DOXk7/] is a rapper, singer, guitarist, and poet from Queens, New York. We’re talking to him about his introduction to poetry and music, his experiences as a mentor and teacher in those spaces, and what’s ahead for Troublemakers Collective [https://www.instagram.com/troublemakers.ac/]. Moments: * 1:06 meet ShakinDaWorld * 8:03 writing techniques across slam and paper poetry, rapping, singing, and beyond * 16:08 trauma poetry and themes in writing * 13:13 audience and legacy * 20:45 community building and curating events with Troublemakers Collective * 25:09 changing the narrative about becoming an artist when you don’t grow up around any * 28:55 lessons from the industry * 30:55 teaching songwriting and mentoring youth * 34:46 reflecting on 2024 and looking ahead * 36:33 advice for poets, writers, curators, and community builders * 38:00 Some of ShakinDaWorld’s favorite things