Welcome to this special episode of Dear Diaspora! It's bittersweet to share that this marks my final episode of the show. Over the past three years, I've had the privilege of sharing the stories of African entrepreneurs and changemakers worldwi

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Addressing Period Poverty: Haja's Entrepreneurial Journey in Sierra Leone

May 2nd, 2023 31m 41s

Welcome back! I had the pleasure of speaking with Haja Batsu, founder of Uman4Uman for this episode. Uman4Uman is a social enterprise that provides sustainable menstrual products to girls in Sierra Leone. We dive into: Haja’s journey building

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Esther Armah on Global Blackness, Racial Healing and Revolutionary Black Grace

Apr 18th, 2023 35m 46s

Welcome to the latest episode of Dear Diaspora! I had the pleasure of speaking with Esther Armah, a creative powerhouse and author of the book Emotional Justice: A Roadmap for Racial Healing. Tune in to hear us discuss her concept of "revolutio

Jasmin Church on Living in South Africa, Cultural Identity, and Ending the Diaspora Wars

Dec 20th, 2022 1h 8m

Discussions surrounding the “Diaspora Wars” – cross-cultural arguments among different ethnicities of African people – are often counterproductive. This week’s episode, with social impact professional and digital creator Jasmin Church, aims to

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Review

Dec 6th, 2022 56m 35s

Hey fam, thanks for tuning in – we’re diving into all things Black Panther: Wakanda Forever! My guest co-host is CJ Haamankuli, Globe Trotter, Nurse Practitioner – and one of my favorite cousins. Tune in to hear us discuss: How this sequel c

Why Now is the Best Time to Invest in Africa with daba CEO Boum III Jr.

Nov 15th, 2022 49m 48s

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode with daba Co-Founder and CEO Boum III Jr.! Boum is an entrepreneur driven by his passion for Africa. After working at Nasdaq and earning his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Is Ghana Worth the Hype? My Unfiltered Opinion on Living and Working in Accra

Nov 2nd, 2022 24m 4s

To say that Accra, Ghana has become one of the world’s most influential cultural hubs would be an understatement. This week’s episode is dedicated to sharing my experiences living and working in Ghana! Tune in to hear: How Ghana has positione

59. Destigmatizing Mental Health in African Immigrant Communities with Alice Mills Mai

Oct 18th, 2022 1h 7m

It’s great to be back – thanks for tuning in to this special episode with guest Alice Mills Mai! Alice is a licensed mental health counselor, researcher, entrepreneur, and proud daughter of Ghanaian immigrants. Tune in to hear about: Her jou

Embracing Indigenous African Languages with Yeve Sibanda

Nov 30th, 2021 54m 5s

I was joined by Yeve Sibanda, attorney, public speaker, and author of My First Book of Shona and Ndebele Words. Yeve is a native Zimbabwean who calls the United States her adopted home. Although she wasn’t allowed to speak her indigenous langua

Mutale Sitali on Building a Sustainable Furniture Brand in Zambia

Nov 16th, 2021 30m 28s

For this week’s episode, I was joined by the lovely Mutale Sitali, founder of Likota — a Zambian furniture brand specializing in making furniture from reclaimed and recycled wood material. Their vision? Becoming a pioneer for the industry by cr

African Music Goes Mainstream

Nov 2nd, 2021 56m 26s

Afrobeats is undoubtedly one of the hottest music genres right now! This week's episode explores just how Afrobeats and other African music genres are cementing their place on the world stage. Hint: The Nigerian and larger African Diaspora have

Why hasn’t Africa "developed" as fast as other continents?

Oct 19th, 2021 1h 25m

This week's episode explores the question: Why hasn’t Africa "developed" as fast as other continents? As you can imagine, this is a HUGE, nuanced question. Nevertheless, Joy Malonza (founder of The Down Ballot) and I tackled the question head-o

54. Story Time: Best and Worst Moments in Zambia

Oct 6th, 2021 37m 44s

Dear Diaspora is officially back – welcome to season 4 of the show! Let's just say a LOT has happened since the last episode! First, my short visit to visit family in Zambia turned into an extended, four-month stay. I also started a pretty cool

Zimbabwean-Born Writer and Director Lee Ngwenya on Zambia’s Film Scene and Showing Up for African Creatives

Dec 15th, 2020 1h

Today’s guest is Lee Ngwenya–writer, documentary filmmaker and host of Conversations with Leelabee, a podcast covering topics ranging from entrepreneurship to mental health. Lee was born in Zimbabwe but raised in Zambia, and knew early on that

#EndSARS Movement Reflections with Pod Save Africa Hosts Akinade and Oyin Aderele

Dec 1st, 2020 59m 40s

For today’s episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with brother/sister duo Akinade Adelere and Oyin Aderele—hosts of Pod Save Africa. Pod Save Africa explores the interesting details of our history, our present and our hopes for the future thr

Doing Good Work In Africa: How I'm Connecting College Students To Africa-Based Companies And Non-Profits|Ola Erogbogbo

Nov 24th, 2020 59m 43s

If you’re a student and looking for ways to engage with the continent in an impactful way, this is the episode for you! I had a great conversation with Doing Good Work in Africa (DOWA) Founder Ola Erogbogbo DOWA Fellow Adaeze Okorie. Doing Good

Diaspora Diaries – My Thoughts on the Biden-Harris Win, Celebrating 50 Episodes and What Podcasting Has Taught Me

Nov 17th, 2020 27m 2s

This is Dear Diaspora’s 50th episode! The podcast launched September 2019 and since then, I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing amazing guests from all over the world. To celebrate this milestone, I’m taking some time to reflect on a few things

How I'm Building a Marketplace to Improve Access to Healthcare in Africa | Sam Baddoo, Fleri Founder

Nov 3rd, 2020 1h 13m

For today’s episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Sam Baddoo, Founder of Fleri—a health insurance marketplace that helps immigrants protect the people they love, everywhere. Every year, immigrants across the globe send billions of dolla

Dan Kihanya on Growing up Kenyan-American, Startups, and Doing Business in Emerging Markets

Oct 27th, 2020 46m 55s

For the first part of today’s episode, I share my thoughts on Nigeria’s #EndSARS movement, similar movements across the continent and what us folks in the Diaspora can do to amplify the work of organizers on the ground. My guest today is serial

How to Side Hustle and Supplement Your Income by Trading Stocks With Teri Ijeoma

Oct 20th, 2020 43m 14s

If you're anything like me, you've probably been thinking of various ways you can supplement your income - especially considering how the pandemic has impacted so many of our lives this past year. If so, then you’ll love today’s episode with Te

Unpacking Africa with Emmanuel Gamor: Entrepreneurship, Tackling Youth Unemployment and Africa’s Future

Oct 13th, 2020 46m 2s

For today’s episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Emmanuel Gamor, host of Unpacking Africa - a podcast sharing resources while exploring ecosystems in our communities and figuring out issues pertaining to the African continent. With ove

Iveoma on Moving to Nigeria, Life in Lagos, and Dating as a Returnee

Oct 4th, 2020 56m 44s

For today's episode, we catch up with Iveoma Okparaeke, founder of It's Iveoma, a platform created for anyone interested in moving to a country in Africa. She officially moved to Lagos, Nigeria in December 2019 and has not looked back! During t

Five Growth Trends Shaping Africa’s Future (REWIND)

Sep 27th, 2020 44m 48s

For today’s episode, I reshare an episode that provides a comprehensive overview of 5 key growth trends shaping Africa’s growth and development. These trends are outlined in the book Africa’s Business Revolution: How to Succeed in the World’s

Iyinoluwa Aboyeji on The Future Africa Fund and How Africa’s Challenges Can Be Transformed Into Global Business Opportunities

Sep 20th, 2020 48m 34s

For today’s episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, co-founder of Andela, Flutterwave, and The Future Africa Fund. Iyinoluwa “E” Aboyeji is regarded as one of the most successful African entrepreneurs of our time. He’s he

How Social Entrepreneur Edith Njage is Building Her Business in Kenya and Aiming to Create 100,000 Jobs

Sep 13th, 2020 40m 19s

For today’s episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Edith Njage, CEO and co-founder of Arielle for Africa. Edith is a serial social entrepreneur aiming to create 100,000 jobs by 2030 through Arielle for Africa’s programming. She’s providing