Monuments to Me

Latest Episodes:

Navigating Life's Seasons: Celebrating Milestones and Memories Jun 22, 2023

Show notes

In the final episode of the season, join our hosts on a heartfelt and reflective journey as they explore the changing seasons in their lives. With a touch of nostalgia, they take a moment to reminisce about the most popular episodes of the season, sharing behind-the-scenes stories and their personal reflections on the impact those episodes had on them and their listeners. It's a candid and introspective conversation that celebrates the growth, challenges, and triumphs experienced throughout the season.

To learn more about our hosts, check out their Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter pages.

• Akilah- @akilahffriend Website: https://akilahffriend.com/

• Dawn- @_dawnmontgomery YouTube: @BreakofDM and Twitter: @_dawnmontgomer

• Monuments To Me Show: @monumentstome

Show Production: Adode Media www.adodemedia.com

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Reclaiming the Southern Kitchen with Carla Hall Jun 08, 2023

Show notes

On this episode of Monuments to Me, Chef Carla Hall discusses her journey of reclaiming the kitchen and creating community in the process.

As a Black southern woman, Carla Hall embraces the culture of soul food - and spreads the good word about cooking with love. She shares her unique insights about divine timing, aging with grace, and pivoting in your career.

Carla didn’t always cook, but she always loved to eat. She went to culinary school at 33 and competed on Top Chef at 44. Proving that it is never too late to chase your passions, Carla emphasizes that everything happens for a reason. What dreams or ideas do you have, sitting on the shelf? This episode will make you want to pull them down, dust them off and run with them at full speed.

Chef Carla Hall has been featured as a contestant on Top Chef and appeared on Top Chef: All Stars. She is the Author of multiple cookbooks including Soul Food: Everyday and Celebration, which landed on annual “Best Cookbook” lists across the country and received an NAACP Image Awards nomination. She spent 7 years co-hosting ABC’s Emmy award winning, popular lifestyle series “The Chew”, and is featured on the Food Network in shows such as “Thanksgiving, Holiday and Halloween Baking Championships” as a Judge.

Connect With Carla

Website: https://carlahall.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlaphall/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chefcarlahall
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfZYLw8eI690el8dkO54sJg

To learn more about our hosts, check out their Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter pages.

Akilah- @akilahffriend Website: https://akilahffriend.com/
Dawn- @_dawnmontgomery YouTube: @BreakofDM and Twitter: @_dawnmontgomer
Monuments To Me Show: @monumentstome

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Show Production: Adode Media www.adodemedia.com

Poetry, Journaling and Self-Expression for Black Women with Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D. Jun 01, 2023

Show notes

Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D. is the sound of a new generation. She is a magical, alchemical, viral Poet and Author of the poem “You So Black.”

Theresa is a performer of many talents including poetry, empowering children’s literature, vocals, and acting. She has been a Keynote Speaker at corporate events and educational institutions, made television and media appearances and performed at festivals and conferences.

In a true monument to Black women, Theresa showers us with the power of her words: inspiring us to be intentional with our beauty, allow ourselves to be soft, and trust our intuition. She shares how she worked through imposter syndrome and learned to express herself through making her own clothes, curating her one-of-a-kind public image and extending her self-love to kindness towards others.

If you ask Theresa what makes her so expressive, she will tell you that she inherited her mother’s “delusional confidence.” Bask in the magic of Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D. and prepare to be invigorated by your own power.

Connect With Theresa

Website: https://www.thasongbird.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thasongbird/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/thassongbird
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theresathabird
Purchase Theresa’s book, You So Black: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/you-so-black-theresa-tha-songbird/1141651804

To learn more about our hosts, check out their Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter pages

Akilah- @akilahffriend Website: https://akilahffriend.com/
Dawn- @_dawnmontgomery YouTube: @BreakofDM and Twitter: @_dawnmontgomer
Monuments To Me Show: @monumentstome

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Show Production: Adode Media www.adodemedia.com

Heal Your Gut, Change Your Life with Johane Filemon May 25, 2023

Show notes

Johane Filemon believes that beautiful food is the ultimate vehicle for self-love. As a certified Nutritionist, Johane teaches her clients to live more fully and vibrantly with food.

Johane M. Filemon, MS, RDN, CLT, is a Registered Dietitian with 10 years of experience in Nutrition. Johane holds bachelor’s degrees in Exercise Science and Dietetics and a master’s degree in Food and Nutrition Science. Today on Monuments to Me, Johane shares how she became a devotee of cultivating the life and body you want using nutrition.

Johane was studying Pre-Med when she took a required nutrition class. Suddenly, she realized that nutrition could be her entire career - and she was hooked. While she got some heat from her Haitian parents about her course of study, Johane knew it was the right choice for her. Now, she is inspired by the changes she sees in her clients every day. After running bloodwork and receiving diagnostics, Johane assesses her clients’ food intolerances and helps them rebuild the very foundation of their health - their gut harmony! Using a thoughtful and sustainable nutrition plan, she helps them push the reset button on their health and happiness to become their optimal selves.

Connect with Johane Filemon

Website: https://wonderfullynutritious.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blacknutritionistmama/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wonderfullynutritiousbyjohane
Podcast - Nutrition Lifestyles with Kim and Johane: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nutrition-lifestyles-with-kim-johane/id1479479889
Receive her *free* Guide to 50 Foods that May Help Your GI Symptoms: https://digestivetherapy.johanefilemon.com/

To learn more about our hosts, check out their Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter pages.

Akilah- @akilahffriend Website: https://akilahffriend.com/
Dawn- @_dawnmontgomery YouTube: @BreakofDM and Twitter: @_dawnmontgomer
Monuments To Me Show: @monumentstome

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Show Production: Adode Media www.adodemedia.com

Uncovering the Unseen: How Black Women are Revolutionizing Media with Shayla Cowen May 18, 2023

Show notes

The latest episode of Monuments to Me features Shayla Cowan, the Chief of Staff at Will Packer Productions. She discusses her journey to her current role in Hollywood, emphasizing the importance of being seen, cultivating relationships, and trusting her instincts.

Shayla shares insights on empathy, mentorship, self-care, and being genuine and discerning in relationships. She also discusses the challenges of navigating the industry and the progress being made by black women in leadership positions. The hosts of Monuments to Me praise Cowen's leadership skills and inspiring story of making it to the C-suite in Hollywood.

Connect With The Guest Shayla Cowan

Website: https://www.willpacker.com/shayla-cowan-bio

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shayla_pc/?hl=en

Forbes Feature - Shayla Cowan is All Business: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jessicapliska/2022/11/09/shayla-cowan-is-all-business/?sh=484750b23375

To learn more about our hosts, check out their Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter pages.

Akilah- @akilahffriend Website: https://akilahffriend.com/
Dawn- @_dawnmontgomery YouTube: @BreakofDM and Twitter: @_dawnmontgomer
Monuments To Me Show: @monumentstome

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Show Production: Adode Media www.adodemedia.com

Respectability & Black Women in Politics with Nsé Ufot May 11, 2023

Show notes

Nsé Ufot has helped register nearly 600,000 Georgia voters. In this episode of Monuments to Me, Nsé shares her passion for impact, politics, and change with listeners - including a compelling case for why Black women should vote.

To Nsé, voting is an act of self-love. Focusing less on the actual vote, she argues that showing up and speaking out is a profound method of mobilizing voters of color toward a better future. Because of Black women, Georgia turned red to blue in the 2020 presidential election - and the effects have been widespread.

In 2014 Nsé was introduced to Stacey Abrams, Georgia State Representative and House Majority Leader for the Georgia General Assembly. After showing up to the conversation doubtful of Stacey’s vision, Nsé realized that she was looking at the real deal - and that Stacey’s strategy would change American politics forever.

For the past seven years, Nsé has served as the Chief Executive Officer of the New Georgia Project (NGP) and the New Georgia Project Action Fund (NGPAF), leading a team of culture creators, organizers, activists, and thinkers to build a movement home for young folks and people of color. Nsé was born in Nigeria and raised in Southwest Atlanta, Georgia. As a proud naturalized citizen, Nse’s experience as part of an immigrant family living in the deep south has shaped her commitment to civil and human rights. Throughout her career, Nsé has been dedicated to creating impact and change around issues that center civil, human, and workers’ rights.

Connect With The Nsé Ufot

Website: https://nseufot.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenseufot/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nseufot

To learn more about our hosts, check out their Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter pages.

Akilah- @akilahffriend Website: https://akilahffriend.com/
Dawn- @_dawnmontgomery YouTube: @BreakofDM and Twitter: @_dawnmontgomer
Monuments To Me Show: @monumentstome

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Show Production: Adode Media

Website: Adode Media

No More “Ride or Die” Black Women with Shanita Hubbard May 04, 2023

Show notes

Shanita Hubbard wants to flip the script and change the conversation around Black women in hip hop…and society as a whole. Through her exploration of the “ride or die chick,” Shanita invites us to take a deeper look at how we as Black women value our worth, work, date, parent, innovate and make music.

Shanita is an acclaimed Writer, Professor of Journalism at the University of Toronto, Chair of the Freelance Taskforce for the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), Soros Fellow, and Author of the book “RIDE OR DIE: A Feminist Manifesto for the Well-Being of Black Women.” Her work has been featured prominently in The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Guardian, Pitchfork, Essence, Vox, and beyond. She spends her time advocating for marginalized communities through her work as a Writer, Educator and public speaker.

In this thought-provoking and powerful conversation, Shanita examines what “ride or die” means, especially for communities of color. Is it a compliment, or a tactic of manipulation? Is it a way of valuing someone, or devaluing them? What does it look like to separate our labor from our worth, and what is the role of capitalism in the dissolution process? And most importantly - how do we celebrate Black women more fully?

Connect With The Guests

Shanita Hubbard

Website: http://shanitahubbard.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professor_nita/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/msshanitarenee
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShanitaHubbardLLC

Be sure to purchase Shanita’s book at your local bookstore or grab it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ride-Die-Feminist-Manifesto-Well-Being/dp/0306874679

To learn more about our hosts, check out their Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter pages.

Akilah- @akilahffriend Website: https://akilahffriend.com/
Dawn- @_dawnmontgomery YouTube: @BreakofDM and Twitter: @_dawnmontgomer
Monuments To Me Show: @monumentstome

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Show Production: Adode Media Studios

Website: Adode Media

Black Girl Magic with Cynthia Bailey: The Brilliance of Black Women Apr 27, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, we have a very special guest, Cynthia Bailey, an American model, actress, and reality television personality with a history far deeper than The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Cynthia joins us to share her story, offer advice for success, and celebrate the unique value and power of black women.

Throughout the episode, Cynthia opens up about her personal journey, from growing up in Alabama to pursuing a successful career in the entertainment industry. She discusses the challenges faced along the way and the lessons she learned about perseverance, resilience, and self-love.

Throughout the conversation, Cynthia's warmth, humor, and wisdom shine through, making this episode a must-listen for anyone looking to be inspired, uplifted, and empowered. So tune in to "Monuments To Me" and join us as we celebrate the beauty and brilliance of black women with the ultimate MVP, Cynthia Bailey.

Healing Communities Through Activism with Shar Bates and Lerae Funderburg Apr 20, 2023

Show notes

This episode delves deep into the world of activism with Shar Bates and Lerae Funderburg, but not so much from a political standpoint. Akilah navigates the conversation with them from the point of view of how they make space in the world of activism, but also in their everyday lives.

Shar aka The Community Healer aka Martin Luther Queen is a Radio and TV host as well as the Founder of Breaking the Chains of Hip Hop Coalition which helps youth heal through creative arts. Lerae is the Founder and Managing Partner of a boutique law firm, Funderburg Law in Atlanta, as well as a Health and Wellness Practitioner.

Both women share how they got thrown into activism, their journey to get where they are at with it today, and how they prefer to help the communities as activists in their current roles. In this conversation, they all discuss the different movements of 2020, how activists should enter into communities they want to help, performative activism, and the essential role that health and wellness play in the lives of activists and much more.

Tune in to hear how Shar and Lerae are able to continue the work of healing communities by prioritizing themselves to lead from a place within and don’t forget to follow them on social media to see how you can help support the work they do.

Connect With The Guests

Shar Bates

Instagram: @iamsharbates @breakingthechainsatl @myvoteishiphop

To get involved with saving the youth or programs and jobs for youth, email: btcofhiphop@gmail.com

Lerae Funderburg

Instagram: @holisticlawyermommy

Website: www.elevatelegallly.com

To learn more about our hosts, check out their Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter pages.

Instagram:

Akilah- @akilahffriend

Dawn- @_dawnmontgomery

Monuments To Me Show: @monumentstome

Dawn - YouTube: @BreakofDM and Twitter: @_dawnmontgomer

Breaking Down the Creator Door with Atlanta Creators BIG Tiny and Ashley Dixon Mar 30, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, Akilah sits down with BIG Tiny and Ashley Dixon to discuss entrepreneurship as content creators and influencers. Both Atlanta-based, BIG Tiny is a singer, and songwriter and Ashley is a full-time entrepreneur creating content focused on home decor and DIY projects.

Having two very different paths, BIG Tiny and Ashley share their journeys to becoming successful full-time content creators, not shying away from the realities of what it took to get to where they are now - imposter syndrome, zero-income months, preparing to leave secure jobs, and more. They also talk about the evolution of being a creator, what it means to be a Black woman in this space, the ebb and flow of social media, and what’s actually important when it comes to working with brands (hint: it’s not the number of followers you have).

Listen in to hear valuable tips for newbies or anyone who wants to break into the creator scene and solid advice for monetization, but more importantly, how to stay true to yourself, reclaim your power, and operate in your purpose in the world of content creation and influencing.

To connect with and learn more about content creation, home design, and to support our guests, check out their websites and follow them on social media.

BIG Tiny

Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @indeskribeabull

Twitter: @indeskribeabul

Merch: www.ok2bapparel.com

Ashley Dixon

Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @alexanderreneedesign

Website and blog: www.alexanderrenee.com

To learn more about our hosts, check out their Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter pages.

Instagram:

Akilah- @akilahffriend

Dawn- @_dawnmontgomery

Monuments To Me Show: @monumentstome