Change Cadet Podcast

Episode 24: Greyboy with Cole Brown Dec 22, 2021

The final installment of our limited series is with Cole Brown! Political commentator, writer, and author of the book, Greyboy: Finding Blackness in a White World. This sprawling conversation bounces from Cole’s inspirations for his book about being Black in white spaces to convincing yourself and others that your story is enough, from two bona fide storytellers. Cole has also worked with Matt James, the first Black Bachelor, and is currently working with Yara Shahidi. Yes, you read that correctly! Cole lives between Sydney, Australia, Los Angeles, and New York. He contributes regularly to the Sydney Morning Herald and Blavity on matters of race and politics and is a fixture on Australia’s news networks. Day-to-day, Cole is working on the screen-adaptation of Greyboy, as well as writing his follow-up novel.

Episode 23: The Wake Up with Michelle MiJung Kim Dec 14, 2021

We’re rolling onto the next in our limited series. Michelle MiJung Kim joins Dr. Akilah Cadet, in a conversation between two equity and inclusion entrepreneurs! After the murder of George Floyd, they found themselves in a similar position. Overworked, swamped with clients, and many were looking to them for guidance. A space existed where many knew something should be done, but not what to do. Michelle talks about aligning your actions with your values (and also in her new book The Wake Up), centering marginalized experiences, and creating a culture of care. Michelle MiJung Kim (she/her) is a queer immigrant Korean American woman writer, speaker, activist, and entrepreneur who lives in Oakland. She is CEO and co-founder of Awaken, a leading provider of interactive equity and inclusion education programs facilitated by majority BIPOC educators, where she has consulted hundreds of organizations and top executives from Fortune 500, tech giants, nonprofits, and government agencies to spark meaningful change. Michelle has been a lifelong social justice activist and has served on a variety of organizations.

Episode 22: Financial Adulting with Ashley Feinstein Gerstley Dec 07, 2021

And just like that, we’re back with a bang for a limited series! We’re joined by Ashley Feinstein Gerstley, who you know as @thefiscalfemme, a feminist who is on a mission to end inequality through financial well-being. America’s lines of economic inequality have only grown in past years. Spiraling income inequality, wage gaps, and rising financial costs make it hard to plan for the future, especially as their effects mainly impact those who are systemically oppressed. Tune in to hear how to take some of the power back, the intersection between finance and race, and of course the importance of rest through it all! Financial Adulting by Ashley Feinstein Gerstley and sensitivity edited by Dr. Akilah Cadet, comes out February 23, 2022. Ashley has been featured by Forbes, NBC, the New York Times, and many others. Happy listening! Instagram: @thefiscalfemme

Episode 21: Give From the Overflow Jul 21, 2020

We are ending Season 2 of the Change Cadet Podcast with a bang! That bang is Dr. Tiffany Lester, a practicing physician as well as an inspirational health and wellness leader. As a physician at Parsley Health, Dr. Lester takes a functional approach to chronic disease to get to the root cause of illness. Trained in internal medicine with additional education in functional medicine and acupuncture, for the last 10 years she has combined the best of conventional and alternative medicine to treat the whole person in clinical practice. And yes she is still accepting new patients! It is hard to give when our proverbial cup is half full or even empty, though some times we don’t have a choice. Tune in this week as Dr. Lester and Dr. Cadet walk through their experiences as givers + change makers and how they practically fill their cups not just for themselves, but for their communities as well. Instagram: @drtiffanylester

Episode 20: Akilah Gets Coached Jul 06, 2020

Meet Laura Hugill of Mindfully Laura! A woman on a mission to transform lives through mindfulness as a practitioner, teacher and coach. For the past several years, Laura has been leading mindfulness initiatives at Google, is the host of, This Full Mind Podcast, along with being a leader in the diversity, equity, and inclusion space and an executive coach - basically she’s awesome. This week the tables turned as Laura brings up powerful questions to mull through during this tough season of shelter in place, especially for Dr. Cadet as her chronic heart condition requires that she indefinitely isolate as we wait for a Coronavirus vaccine - preventing her expressing autonomy (hard for anyone, even more so a Virgo). We encourage you to listen in this week and jot down some of the questions Laura asks Dr. Cadet and answer them for yourself! (In case you are wondering what mindfulness is, Laura defines it as: “The ability to experience what is in the present moment with both with curiosity and kindness.”)

Episode 19: Dr. Red Flags Jun 25, 2020

We checked in with Dr. Lily Jampol, the Head of People Science & Consultant at ReadySet - a consulting and strategy firm that helps companies build more human-centric, inclusive cultures, teams and products - and it was good! In this episode, Lily shares why she loves what she does, that it is okay to reinvent yourself and how to recognize “reg flags” in your relationships - a signal that it might be time for change. Want to know more about this amazing woman? Lily uses evidence-based strategy, behavioral science insights, and data analytics to solve difficult organizational challenges. In addition to a BA in Political Science from Mount Holyoke college, Lily has over 10 years of expertise in organizational well-being and behavior change from her research at Ideas42 think tank, Harvard, Princeton, and Cornell, where she got her PhD in Social Psychology. Before working in industry, Lily was a tenure-track professor at top tier business schools in the UK, where her internationally-recognized work on gender biases in organizations was funded by the National Science Foundation & the UK Royal Society. Besides people science, Lily also facilitates some of ReadySet’s core workshops, and advises companies on strategy and sustainable implementation of DEI programs. Lily was born in New York City but grew up in a hotel in Costa Rica, which inspired her lifelong interest in human behavior and cultures. She is also a huge horror film fan. Trust - this episode will pair well with a nice walk or your favorite place to relax.

Episode 18: For White Women Jun 08, 2020

This week we welcome back the powerful Adrienne Kimball of The Melanated Soul and Chief Talent Officer at Rubicon Programs, for a special episode dedicated to addressing our nations revived outcry against racial injustice and push to embrace anti-racism, particularly as it relates to how White women have and can engage. This movement is highlighting voices that have been committed to these issues for years and providing new opportunities for change on a global scale. Both Dr. Akilah Cadet and Adrienne Kimball have been on the frontlines dismantling systems of oppression for communities of color and have found that there are distinct ways in which White women can play a role in this revolution. If you are looking to gain a better understanding of the work it will take to undo deep rooted systems of discrimination and white supremacy and how you can participate - you will not want to miss this episode.

Episode 17: Therapy for the Soul May 29, 2020

Oh yes, doesn’t that title sound good! We could all use some therapy for the soul these days and this week we are going to get just that with Dr. Cortney Beasley, a Doctor of Psychology, trained in Clinical and Forensic Psychology and founder of Put In Black, a platform designed to improve Black communities' access to health information. Throughout her career, she has focused on learning and sharing information that directly affects Black communities across the nation, as well as gaining insight into how to positively influence the healthcare and justice systems in the U.S. She is committed to demystifying the practice of psychology to help ensure that people have access to information that will enhance their quality of life. She is a creative who draws from professional and personal experiences alike to connect with others, and allow room for authentic living. Get ready to love your amazing self even more after this inspiring conversation. IG: @put.in.black I PutInBlack.com

Episode 16: Meant To Be May 22, 2020

This week we are joined by another true soldier of change, Ana Lugo. Ana is passionate about honoring the women who came before her and pursuing her passion to bring love and support to those who often don’t receive it. She is also that founder of Equity First Consulting and co-host of Los Cincuenta. Her firm, Equity First, works to support organizations to develop internal cultures that foster and celebrate equity and meaningfully engage their leaders at all levels to create a community culture that reflects these values and practices. Equity design ensures that teams and organizations are not replicating systems of oppression and that new structures and leadership are built on a foundation of diversity, equity and belonging.Equity First also serves as a platform for leaders whom are underrepresented in our structures today by connecting and collaborating with individuals and public, private, and non-profit organizations striving toward a more equitable society. Ana’s confidence and vision is radiant! Tune in this week to catch a glimpse.

Episode 15: The Beyoncé Of Wine May 15, 2020

Yes, there is a Beyoncé of Wine! Introducing, Julia Coney. Julia Coney is a Washington, D.C. and Houston, Texas-based wine writer, wine educator, speaker, and consultant. Her wine writing includes stories on wine, winemakers, personal essays, and the intersection of race and wine. She holds a WSET Level Two Certification in Wine and Spirits and is currently pursuing her Master Level Champagne Certification with the Wine Scholar Guild. Her work has been featured in Wine Enthusiast, Vinepair, Food + Wine, The Tasting Panel, Plate Magazine, Forbes.com, WineEnthusiast.com, Glamour, Essence, The Washington Post, and numerous print and digital publications. She is a 2019 Fellow of the Professional Wine Writers Symposium at Meadowood Napa Valley. Julia has spoken on writing, diversity, inclusion, intersectionality, and more at wine2wine in Verona, Italy, Assemblage Symposium, Women in Wine Leadership Symposium, and CIA Sommelier Summit and Beverage Professionals Conferences. She is a lifelong Francophile and hopes all her assignments involve French wine. You can find her on all social media at @juliaconey, her website juliaconey.com, and contemplating a love-hate relationship with Whole 30. Dr. Akilah Cadet and Julia discuss nuances of the wine world and how the intersection race and gender come into play - along with the must see Netflix special, Uncorked. IG: @juliaconey I juliaconey.com

Episode 14: Elevate Your Self Worth And Net Worth May 08, 2020

Just because we're in the middle of a pandemic doesn't mean that we can't ELEVATE. In fact, maybe now is the perfect time! This week we are talking about to grow both your self worth and net worth with Danetha Doe. Danetha Doe is a Jamaican-Ghanaian American entrepreneur, journalist, economist, manifestation teacher and the creator of Money & Mimosas. Money & Mimosas is a financial well-being resource enjoyed by readers in over fifty countries. Danetha was named a personal finance expert by Fast Company and the Wall Street Journal. She was recognized as a millennial thought leader by the Hong Kong Institute of CPAs and a millennial entrepreneur to watch by the office of Congresswoman Barbara Lee. Danetha is the star financial expert in the TV series, Going From Broke, produced by Ashton Kutcher, which garnered over 12 million views in its first season. Her work has been featured in Entrepreneur, Elle, The Chicago Tribune, Cosmopolitan, NBC and more. A former NFL cheerleader turned money maven and entrepreneur, Danetha believes that charting your own path is the key to financial freedom. She is one special lady. Cozy up somewhere nice and have a listen!

Episode 13: Get Your Life May 01, 2020

Welcome back to season two of the Change Cadet podcast! We are so excited to start off with a conversation on the power of storytelling and an overall lovely chat with Lydia T. Blanco! Lydia T. Blanco is a trusted journalist, vibrant host, and digital media personality who is passionate about building community through storytelling. As a journalist, Lydia focuses on entrepreneurship, business, technology, and lifestyle. Throughout her career, she has reported on education, financial literacy, health and more at NBC News, Black Enterprise, and a variety of publications. In addition to writing feature stories, Lydia is an on-air talent, speaker, moderator, facilitator, and brand transformation specialist. Some of her highlight interviews have been with Percy ‘Master P’ Miller, Jemele Hill, Sheryl Sandberg, and Debra Lee. And, her speaking engagements range from Google to Social Media Week in Lagos, Nigeria. Lydia is the host of the ‘how through’ lifestyle podcast, The Get My Life Tour, which focuses on practicing vulnerability and how to show up for yourself. To date, The Get My Life Tour has an international audience and the podcast is distributed on 9 listening platforms. Additionally, Lydia is the creator of Sincere Visions, a digital platform with a focus on media literacy, storytelling, and public interest technology. As a media professional, Lydia is committed to amplifying the voice of marginalized communities. Tune in! IG: @lydiatblanco I lydiatblanco.com

Episode 12: Stop Asking for Free Shit Dec 27, 2019

This week we are having an intimate conversation about the power of forgiveness, working through depression, and embracing the value you possess with Kalkidan Gebreyohannes, founder of Kalu, for our last episode of season one of the Change Cadet Podcast. Ethiopian born, Canadian raised and current proud Oakland resident, Kalkidan has always had a calling for the arts. Kalkidan’s past creative experiences as a ballerina, writer, athlete, makeup artist and personal shopper/stylist were all preparations leading up to her biggest endeavor yet - KALU. KALU was birthed on a sunny beach day in Santa Monica in 2012, not long after the arrival of Kalkidan’s second child. The idea of entrepreneurship as a handbag and accessory designer stemmed from an honest conversation with her best friend about life and motherhood. With these concepts in mind and family to raise of her own, Kalkidan created a brand foundation catered to empowering the fashionable self-expression of a woman who was constantly on-the-go. After two and a half years of perfecting her designs, sourcing materials and mastering her craft, she launched her first KALU collection “Le Reve - The Dream” in December 2014. Since the premier collection, Kalkidan has shared six unique sets all crafted and handmade in ethically sourced leather and debuted her silk head wrap line ‘Head Wrapistry’. Today, she is a mother of three and continuously blazes the trail for women of color in the industry and customers from around the world. Don’t miss the episode packed with gems for your journey in becoming a Change Cadet.

Episode 11: The Power of Embracing Difference Dec 13, 2019

We have Tayo Rockson on the show this week! He is a writer, speaker, consultant, and media personality who runs UYD Management - a strategic leadership and consulting firm that helps organizations incorporate sustainable diversity and inclusion practices. As someone who has lived on 4 continents, he is an authority in communicating effectively across cultures. In addition to that, he's been named a "Top 40 Millennial Influencer" by New Theory magazine. He hosts the popular As Told By Nomads podcast and his book Use Your Difference To Make A Difference is based on how to connect and communicate in a cross-cultural world. His unique insights growing up as a third culture kid and a near death experience has given him a powerful perspective on life that has allowed him to build bridges and inspire people around the world. Dr. Cadet and Tayo share how embracing, rather than shying away from, what makes them and others different has been a powerful key to being soldiers of change. Tune in this week to learn more about Tayo’s story - but sure to also check out his podcast.

Episode 10: That Good Type of Healing Nov 26, 2019

This week is all about the journey of healing, being honest about our pain, and discovering the power your gifts…just in time for the holidays and all the comes along with this time of year. We are joined by the lovely Shirley Johnson. Shirley a licensed psychotherapist, energy healer and yoga teacher in Oakland, California. She is passionate about self care and connecting to intuition as a form of political resistance and spiritual practice. Shirley leads a number of workshops supporting people to trust their inner wisdom align with their inner healer. Inspired by Mother Earth, Kundalini Yoga, her ancestors, years of studying metaphysics. Shirley specializes in working with women, money, self-confidence and sexuality in her clinical practice. If you want more, then tune in to this delightful convo. We are joined by the lovely Shirley Johnson. Shirley a licensed psychotherapist, energy healer and yoga teacher in Oakland, California. She is passionate about self care and connecting to intuition as a form of political resistance and spiritual practice, Shirley leads a number of workshops supporting people to trust their inner wisdom align with their inner healer. Inspired by Mother Earth, Kundalini Yoga, her ancestors, years of studying metaphysics. Shirley specializes in working with women, money, self-confidence and sexuality in her clinical practice. If you want more, then tune in to this delightful convo.

Episode 9: The Fearless Leader Nov 14, 2019

Shhhh...guess who we have as a guest this week?! None other than the Jackie De Jesus, founder and CEO of DEEJAYZOO, a female focused design and innovation company. Her first product launch, flagship brand, and the team's current focus is SHHHOWERCAP, a fashion forward reinvention of the shower cap that has been optimized for both form and function. Throughout her career, Jacquelyn has been driven to create disruptive ideas by finding power in simplicity and a beautiful execution. In 2013, she channeled this same passion and set out on a mission to create a shower cap that wouldn't feel like a sacrifice of aesthetics or functionality. After over a year of meticulous development, SHHHOWERCAP was born. In a few short years, her patented invention has grown into a multimillion dollar company. The unparalleled growth of SHHHOWERCAP has been fueled by the power of thoughtful design in both the brand and the product itself. She has been featured in VOGUE, FastCompany, The New York Times, FORBES, Co: Design, PSFK, Allure, Wired, Nylon, InStyle, ELLE, TheDieLine, Refinery29, and more." In this episode we are gathering all the gems on how to be unabashedly authentic as Dr. Cadet and Jackie get real about being bold with their ambitions. Being an entrepreneur, leader, or creative is hard work, tune in to learn how these two keep moving forward fearlessly despite the challenges on the road to becoming a Change Cadet.

Episode 8: Mission with Your Melanin Nov 08, 2019

This week we are welcoming our first male Change Cadet, Randal Seriguchi of Urban Ed Academy. Randal has been the executive director of this powerful organization for nearly four years. Urban Ed Academy provides educational services that help 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students succeed academically and become productive citizens with the support of their parents, families, schools, and communities. They are committed to improving the quality of life in communities of color in San Francisco by eliminating the achievement gap in education. Randal drops so many gems in this episode and shares why he decided to pursue a career that looked a little different than what he initially pursued in college and his passion for what he is doing now. Along his journey, he has learned that failures while painful, can become assets. This is a message we all need to hear, trust us, you don’t want to miss this convo.

Episode 7: We Are Enough Oct 17, 2019

We are enough, enough said! This is such a powerful episode! This week are joined by Adrienne Kimball, a woman passionate about the advancement of melanated people, a constant conqueror of fear, doubt and oppression. By day, Adrienne is the Chief Talent Officer for Rubicon programs, and continues to encourage and equip people of color, by night, through her platform, The Melanated Soul, a space to honor, ground, and grow all the melanted souls. You have to check out her, Soulffimations, affirmations that center black and brown people. They are incredible. Adrienne exists to liberate and multiply the genius and leadership gifts of marginalized people and communities. She believes doing so is the only way to sustainably transform the world. She is passionate about coaching and leveraging her experience to center the margins. She connects via podcasting, small group and conference speaking, and consulting with organizations seeking transformational change. She was named the 2017 Tipping Point Community Hero! Stay tuned all the way to the end for a special affirmation from Adrienne.

Episode 6: We Have the Same Therapist Oct 04, 2019

This episode of the podcast features Xiomara Rosa-Tedla, born and raised in Sacramento, CA, Xiomara is one-half of the Oakland, father-daughter duo behind UnoEth. Whether it's long journeys or daily commutes, she yearned for classic and casual styles with a story. After a trip to Ethiopia, her father, Dagne Tedla, brought several leather goods home as gifts for friends and family, only to realize that he needed to go back to Addis Ababa for more! Thus, the birth of UnoEth began. Upon embarking on this new adventure and with a background in Merchandising and Marketing, Xiomara only wanted to deliver quality and timeless pieces that could be worn for years on end, surpassing trendy styles and fads. All UnoEth goods are handmade, 100% Ethiopian leather, and crafted by artisans and small businesses in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Even with her success, Xiomara shares that making the decision to pursue her own business was not easy, especially with battling depression. Yet, it was worth it. Both Dr. Cadet and Xiomara have a vulnerable chat about the realities of living with anxiety and depression and share how they work towards healing and change despite the challenges. Tune in and be inspired.

Episode 5: #advisorysquad Sep 20, 2019

Do you have a #advisorysquad? Well, whether you do or don’t, but sure to listen in to this episode of Change Cadet for a conversation that took place a live event with Dr. Akilah Cadet and Lauren Williams, an Internal Communications Manager for Splunk. They talk about surrounding yourself with a team of people who you can trust to receive feedback and insight from. We all need to feel and truly be connected, unfortunately, women and people of color can often find themselves in spaces where they are isolated or misunderstood - it surprising how just a few friends, mentors, or trusted co-workers can change your story and help you find the energy you need to keep moving forward into a place of belonging. This week's guest, Lauren Williams is enthusiastic about crafting compelling narratives to educate broader audiences and considers herself a storyteller at heart. She began her career in hard news at CNN, and has worked a brief stint in public health. Two years ago, she sunk her teeth into tech and now she works at Splunk, a Products Organization. Lauren currently lives in Potrero Hill with her husband, where you can most likely catch her watching awful reality television shows on Bravo. Originally from the DMV, she's a proud Spelman College and NYU alumna who strives to make her ancestors proud on a daily basis.

Episode 4: White Women in Retrograde Sep 06, 2019

Vida Wilson is currently the operations director for Change Cadet. With over 8 years of event planning and project management, she has always enjoyed creating spaces where people can come together and experience change within community. She is passionate about justice and holistic health, especially within the Black community. Recently, she developed her own small business, BeLoved by V (@belovedbyv) - were she creates handmade rice packs for natural pain and stress relief. The story behind BeLoved packs is layered. It started as gifts for family and friends, motivated by wanting to share something that might bring comfort and relief, but is evolving into a space where she is able to promote the message of giving and receiving love in order to combat the myriad of negative physical, social, and psychological effects of stress. In this episode of Change Cadet, Dr.Akilah Cadet and Vida will share some of the craziness they experienced during the so called “retrograde”, and a couple of their traumatic encounters white women in particular (read this for more on Dr. Cadet’s encounter) . Unfortunately, sometimes women can be their own worst enemies, and when we throw race into the mix, it's a whole different ball game. Dr. Cadet gives insights into how to process these experiences in ways that protects us from internalizing the event and encourage us to bring others in for support. Join us as we talk about what it means to be a Change Cadet in the middle of the mess.

Episode 3: Stand Tall in Your Purpose Aug 21, 2019

Enjoy our very first LIVE episode with Alicia Jay of @TallSWAG! We are coming to you from Lux, a soon to open co-working space in downtown Oakland, with all the modern tea party vibes. In this episode, Dr. Cadet and Alicia Jay chat about work, #singlelifestruggles, and being entrepreneurs. Alicia shares how she has overcome many challenges to stand tall in her truth. From bullying to depression, she has used every roadblock to build a bridge to empower herself and others. As a teen Alicia endured ridicule for both her race and her height. She believed the lies and for many years hated who she was. Over time she built up her self-esteem and now she shares her faith-built story with anyone that she can. She created TallSWAG to show others how to follow their dreams by standing tall every day in every way. Alicia is a blogger, writer, entrepreneur, speaker, broadcaster, model and designer. Most recently she shared her story as a new cast member on TLC’s hit show, My Giant Life. We also answer questions from a number of our amazing attendees and end the show with a special affirmation from Adrienne Kimball (@adrienne_kimball) of The Melanated Soul. IG: @TallSWAG I tallswag.com

Episode 2: Two Docs Changing the World Aug 06, 2019

Dr. Shamell Bell is a mother, community organizer, dancer/choreographer, and documentary filmmaker who received her PhD in Culture and Performance from UCLA’s World Arts and Cultures/Dance department. Dr. Bell is currently a visiting faculty at Dartmouth teaching in the department of Theater and the African and African American Studies program. Her work with "street dance activism" situates street dance as grassroots political action from her perspective as a dancer, choreographer, healer, and scholar. An original member of the #blacklivesmatter movement, beginning as a core organizer with Justice 4 Trayvon Martin Los Angeles (J4TMLA)/Black Lives Matter Los Angeles to what she now describes as an Arts & Culture liaison between several social justice organizations such as the BLM network, Blackout For Human Rights, The Undercommons at UCLA, among others. She also consults for social justice impact in the tv, film, and music industry with credits such as “community engagement consultant” for George Tillman Jr.'s film adaptation of Angie Thomas' best selling book, "The Hate U Give". In this episode, Dr. Cadet and Dr. Bell chat about the pressures of academia, being a single mother, and dealing with illness. Despite all these things, they share how the power of facing our fears and braving vulnerability can lead to beautiful opportunities for growth and change. IG: @shamellbell l shamellbell@gmail.com

Episode 1: The Power of Coaching Jul 20, 2019

Michelle Dew is a rejuvenating life coach with the purpose to listen, to see, and to affirm. Growing up in the rural south, Michelle has always seen the power in listening actively, along with utilizing her empathy to see others. Since graduating from Dartmouth College, she is currently a skilled Life Coach at Beyond 12 for first generation, under-resourced college students and peers with the Co-Active Coaching framework. Further, as a queer, disabled woman of color, Michelle is constantly working to empower her communities and fight for equitable access in spaces not ready for them. The inaugural episode of the Change Cadet Podcast, both Dr. Cadet and Michelle discuss the power of coaching, self care, and living with invisible illness and chronic pain. IG: @lavenderncilantro | lavenderncilantro@gmail.com

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