Glocal Citizens

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week’s interview was recorded while my guest and I were on the same time zone in Western Europe--she in Portugal and the UK for me. My guest, Serene Lewis Lyles spent most of her 30-year career making complex things simple. She was on the forefront of launching technologies that, today, are foundational to our lives including digital video recording (the predecessor to streaming content), the Internet of Things (now known as “Smart tech”), and high-design vape tech (much to her embarrassment). Fun fact, our paths crossed while we were both based in New York City in the aughts, and we share Colorado and Northern California as places we’ve also called home. After living and working in the States and the UK, she finished her career in San Francisco, as a Senior Director at Meta, leading the content design team behind Facebook and Instagram’s billion-dollar ads business. At Meta, she was also a leader of the employee resource group Black@ Design and founder of the Black@ Content Design Leads group. Since retiring last year, She has now turned her experience of leading people in solving hard problems into a career coaching people through the challenging process of planning for retirement. Her super powers as a coach are being comfortable talking about money, being excited about other people’s dreams, and creating systems that drive action. Where to find Serene? On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/serenelewis/) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/serenelewis/) On the Experts & Expats Podcast (https://www.buzzsprout.com/2433741/episodes/16857573) What’s Serene reading and listening to? A History of the World in Six Glasses (https://tomstandage.wordpress.com) by Tom Standage Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals (https://www.oliverburkeman.com/fourthousandweeks) by Oliver Burkeman Portuguese Lab Podcast (https://www.portugueselab.com/plp) Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend (lin khttps://teamcoco.com/podcasts/conan-obrien-needs-a-friend) Other topics of interest: About Golden Visa Programs (https://www.globalcitizensolutions.com/golden-visa-portugal/) More about international living in Uruguay (https://internationalliving.com/countries/uruguay/) San Francisco’s de Young Art Museum (https://www.famsf.org/visit/de-young) About the Forty Acres and a Mule (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forty_acres_and_a_mule) Blue Man Group (https://www.blueman.com) About Serene’s Mindset Hack @ 56:43 Special Guest: Serene Lewis Lyles.

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week on the podcast we’re flashing back to June 2020 when we first met Emmanual Agbeko Gamor (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/e-a-gamor) while he was based in South Africa attending Wits Business School (https://www.wbs.ac.za). Now based between his native Ghana and South Africa he continues to evolve on the personal and professional fronts. Widely known as Palmwine DJ, Emmanuel is a trailblazer in Ghana’s music scene, a digital professional, social entrepreneur, and music curator dedicated to preserving and celebrating African musical heritage. With over a decade of experience working remotely and collaboratively with local, regional, and multinational partners, he’s built a career that bridges the digital and physical worlds, creating impactful experiences through music, networking, and community building. As you’ll hear, this phase of EA Gamor is on the cusp of big moves in the coming year. #Listenandlearn more! Where to find Emmanuel? Palmwine DJ (https://eagamor.com) On Glocal Citizens (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/e-a-gamor) What’s Emmanuel playing and listening to? M3NSA (https://www.mensaansah.com) Kwan Pa Band (https://www.kwanpagh.com) Ebo Taylor (https://www.jazzisdead.com/ebotaylor-1) Osibisa (https://www.facebook.com/OsibisaBand/) Kyekyeku (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFGpta66GQqZeraJ3NRuEKg) Oher topics of interest: What is Palm Wine? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_wine) On the roots of Palm-wine Music (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm-wine_music) Gome Drum (https://organology.net/instrument/gome/) Jùjú Music (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B9j%C3%BA_music) About EDM (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_dance_music) On FutureCasting (https://www.newmarketsadvisors.com/navigating-uncertainty-with-futurecasting.html) About MTN (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_dance_music) and MTN Ghana (https://mtn.com.gh/about-home/) My iMali app (https://www.my-imali.com) Special Guest: Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor.

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week on the podcast we have Part 1 of a two-part conversation centering a favorite topic of mine - education. The effectivenss of LinkedIn and it’s networkinng superpower facilitated our connection through common connects, Adja Maymouna Sakho (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/adja-maymouna-sahko) and Laureen Adams (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/laureen-laury-adams). My guest, fellow educator Kwame Sarfo-Mensah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Temple University. For nine years, he served as a middle school math teacher. Currently, he is the founder of Identity Talk Consulting (https://www.identitytalk4educators.com/), a global educational consulting firm that specializes in developing K-12 teachers into identity-affirming educators. Throughout his 17-year career as a classroom teacher, author, and consultant, Kwame has worked in the United States, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, and Zambia. Additionally, Kwame has earned numerous accolades for this work, which include being honored as the 2019 National Member of the Year by Black Educators Rock, Inc. and being recognized as a Top Education Influencer by brightbeam, Inc. in 2021 and 2022. His newest book, "Learning to Relearn: Supporting Identity in a Culturally Affirming Classroom", recently won the 2025 IPPY Award for Best Education Commentary Book and the 2024 Foreword INDIES Gold Book Award for Best Education Book. Another dimension of Kwame’s glocal citizenship is the way that he, as a “trailing spouse” has forged forward despite the obvious challenges and has found success and expansion in his craft. I hope your listening will shed additional light on the ways that borderless mindsets are indeed manifesting a new world! Where to find Kwame? On Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07L8MS615?ccs_id=ab1feada-c3e7-4b9d-b7d5-e06317e06e27) On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwame-sarfo-mensah/) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/kwam_the_identity_shaper/) On Facebook (https://web.facebook.com/kwamesm.idtalk4ed/?_rdc=1&_rdr#) On Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/@kwamesarfo-mensah5785) What’s Kwame reading and watching? The Message (https://ta-nehisicoates.com/books/the-message/) by Ta-Nehisi Coates Untold Fall of Favre (https://www.netflix.com/gh/title/81748451) Coach Prime (https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Coach-Prime/0J0DQNOK5IDQ0F9CH5SX59YYLC) Other topics of interest: About Mampong, Ghana (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mampong) Where is Nsima, Ghana (https://satellites.pro/Nsima_map#google_vignette) About the Akwamu Empire (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akwamu_Empire) Lusaka, Zambia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lusaka) A bit about Nyanja and other Zambian languages (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chewa_language) Education past and present in Sierra Leone (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Sierra_Leone#:~:text=History,-The%20remains%20of&text=During%20the%20nineteenth%20century%2C%20Sierra,educational%20institute%20in%20the%20region.) Why Are All of the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGZniOuoREU) by Beverly Daniel Tatum Special Guests: Kwame Acheampong and Kwame Sarfo-Mensah.

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week on the podcast we have a two-part conversation centering a favorite topic of mine - education. The effectivenss of LinkedIn and it’s networkinng superpower facilitated our connection through common connects, Adja Maymouna Sakho (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/adja-maymouna-sahko) and Laureen Adams (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/laureen-laury-adams). My guest, Kwame Sarfo-Mensah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Temple University. For nine years, he served as a middle school math teacher. Currently, he is the founder of Identity Talk Consulting (https://www.identitytalk4educators.com/), a global educational consulting firm that specializes in developing K-12 teachers into identity-affirming educators. Throughout his 17-year career as a classroom teacher, author, and consultant, Kwame has worked in the United States, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, and Zambia. Now based in Zambia where his glocal citizenship a Additionally, Kwame has earned numerous accolades for this work, which include being honored as the 2019 National Member of the Year by Black Educators Rock, Inc. and being recognized as a Top Education Influencer by brightbeam, Inc. in 2021 and 2022. His newest book, "Learning to Relearn: Supporting Identity in a Culturally Affirming Classroom", recently won the 2025 IPPY Award for Best Education Commentary Book and the 2024 Foreword INDIES Gold Book Award for Best Education Book. Another dimension of Kwame’s glocal citizenship is the way that he, as a “trailing spouse” has forged forward despite the obvious challenges and has found success and expansion in his craft. I hope your listening will shed additional light on the ways that borderless mindsets are indeed manifesting a new world! Where to find Kwame? On Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07L8MS615?ccs_id=ab1feada-c3e7-4b9d-b7d5-e06317e06e27) On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwame-sarfo-mensah/) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/kwam_the_identity_shaper/) On Facebook (https://web.facebook.com/kwamesm.idtalk4ed/?_rdc=1&_rdr#) On Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/@kwamesarfo-mensah5785) What’s Kwame reading and watching? The Message (https://ta-nehisicoates.com/books/the-message/) by Ta-Nehisi Coates Untold Fall of Favre (https://www.netflix.com/gh/title/81748451) Coach Prime (https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Coach-Prime/0J0DQNOK5IDQ0F9CH5SX59YYLC) Other topics of interest: About Mampong, Ghana (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mampong) Where is Nsima, Ghana (https://satellites.pro/Nsima_map#google_vignette) About the Akwamu Empire (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akwamu_Empire) Lusaka, Zambia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lusaka) A bit about Nyanja and other Zambian languages (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chewa_language) Education past and present in Sierra Leone (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Sierra_Leone#:~:text=History,-The%20remains%20of&text=During%20the%20nineteenth%20century%2C%20Sierra,educational%20institute%20in%20the%20region.) Why Are All of the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGZniOuoREU) by Beverly Daniel Tatum Special Guest: Kwame Sarfo-Mensah.

Greetings Glocal Citizens! The spirit of summers past visits with us this week, it’s another Glocal Citizens @‌5flashback forward episode. In 2023, my guest this week, Hawa Kombian (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/hawa-kombian) joined us for a two part conversation while she was based in her adopted home country, Canada. Today she back in Ghana spreading new wiings as leadership strategist, resilience coach, and organizational advisor dedicated to helping mission-driven organizations sustain their impact without sacrificing their people. With 14+ years of experience in social impact leadership, public speaking, and organizational change, she has worked with leaders across North America, Africa, and Europe to prevent burnout, build resilient teams, and create lasting cultural shifts at both the individual and organizational levels. And that’s where we’re picking up this week’s conversation, as a sought-after speaker and facilitator, she integrates mental resilience, emotional intelligence, and strategic leadership to help leaders navigate high-pressure environments without falling into unproductive burnout loops. Where to find Hawa? Hawa Kombian Consulting (https://hawakombianconsulting.com/) On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bhkombian/) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hkombian/) On Soundcloud (https://soundcloud.com/hawa-kombian) What’s Hawa reading? Dead Money (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/746269/dead-money-by-jakob-kerr/) by Jakob Kerr Other topics of interest: Gambaga, Ghana (https://www.modernghana.com/news/909065/gambaga-the-capital-of-east-mamprusi-municipal-be-consider.html) About Najong #1 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moba_people) “Yaya hanya” and other beginning Hausa (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmBUzoN0F9Q) P4 Pilates, Accra (https://www.instagram.com/p4ghana/?hl=en) Kukun (https://www.kukun.co/) Open Mic in Accra Special Guest: Hawa Kombian.

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week on the podcast we have another gift from the Glocal Citizens community. In this two part conversation we meet Dr. Osei Alleyne. A joint PhD in Anthropology and Africana Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and former inaugural postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Experimental Ethnography at Penn, Dr. Osei also holds an MA in Communications from Temple University. A still active internationally touring professional Canadian Hip hop artist and Spoken word poet of Trinidad & Tobago extract, his field research employs a multi-modal ethnography of Reggae, Rastafari, Afrobeat and Hip-hop performance communities and related social justice movements across the African diaspora, with an emphasis on the black Atlantic nexus between Jamaica and Ghana. We recently met while he was in Ghana working on his forthcoming book, Dancehall Diaspora: Rastafari and Rudeness in the African Postcolony, thanks to consumate connector, Muhammida el Muhajir (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/muhammida-el-muhajir). As Assistant Professor of Media Studies and Production at Temple University, his writing repertoire spans African diasporic art and philosophy movements such as afrofuturism, afropolitanism and afropessimism. In this conversation, Dr. Osei offers an insightful glimpse into the spaces he has navigated in honing this and his other crafts. Where to find Osei? On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/osei-alleyne-456406301/) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/dreadless_dread/) On YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@oseialleyne7106) What’s Osei watching? First Peoples Documentary (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqTMNdJem00) Other topics of interest: About Trinidad and Tobago (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinidad_and_Tobago) History about Carnivals in the Black Diaspora (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Caribbean_carnivals_around_the_world) The Book of African Names (https://africaworldpressbooks.com/the-book-of-african-names-as-told-by-chief-osuntoki/#:~:text=Price:,want%20to%20claim%20their%20identity.) On Africana Studies (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_studies) About Liberia’s Edward Wilmot Blyden (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Wilmot_Blyden) About The Black Star Line (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Star_Line), Garveyism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garveyism), and The Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Negro_Improvement_Association_and_African_Communities_League) About Ethiopianism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_movement) Alex Haley’s Roots (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roots_(1977_miniseries)) Association of Black Anthropologists (https://aba.americananthro.org) Zora Neale Hurston, Novelist and Anthropologist (https://whyy.org/segments/novelist-zora-neale-hurston-was-a-cultural-anthropologist-first/) About Cheik Anta Diop (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheikh_Anta_Diop) About what was to be Akon City (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akon_City) Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael), Debate 1967 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtDup63f9t4) About Cultural Theorist Stuart Hall (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Hall_(cultural_theorist)) About Author and Scholar, Paul Gilroy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Gilroy) Martin Bernal and Black Athena (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94shpS4_xQc) Reggie Rockston (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggie_Rockstone) and HipLife (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiplife) About Shatta Wale (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shatta_Wale) What is the Theory of Mind (https://www.verywellmind.com/theory-of-mind-4176826) Black Holes and the Macro Universe (https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=108974) Special Guest: Osei Alleyne.

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week on the podcast we have another gift from the Glocal Citizens community. In this two part conversation we meet Dr. Osei Alleyne. A joint PhD in Anthropology and Africana Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and former inaugural postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Experimental Ethnography at Penn, Dr. Osei also holds an MA in Communications from Temple University. A still active internationally touring professional Canadian Hip hop artist and Spoken word poet of Trinidad & Tobago extract, his field research employs a multi-modal ethnography of Reggae, Rastafari, Afrobeat and Hip-hop performance communities and related social justice movements across the African diaspora, with an emphasis on the black Atlantic nexus between Jamaica and Ghana. We recently met while he was in Ghana working on his forthcoming book, Dancehall Diaspora: Rastafari and Rudeness in the African Postcolony, thanks to consumate connector, Muhammida el Muhajir (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/muhammida-el-muhajir). As Assistant Professor of Media Studies and Production at Temple University, his writing repertoire spans African diasporic art and philosophy movements such as afrofuturism, afropolitanism and afropessimism. In this conversation, Dr. Osei offers an insightful glimpse into the spaces he has navigated in honing this and his other crafts. Where to find Osei? On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/osei-alleyne-456406301/) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/dreadless_dread/) On YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@oseialleyne7106) What’s Osei watching? First Peoples Documentary (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqTMNdJem00) Other topics of interest: About Trinidad and Tobago (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinidad_and_Tobago) History about Carnivals in the Black Diaspora (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Caribbean_carnivals_around_the_world) The Book of African Names (https://africaworldpressbooks.com/the-book-of-african-names-as-told-by-chief-osuntoki/#:~:text=Price:,want%20to%20claim%20their%20identity.) On Africana Studies (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_studies) About Liberia’s Edward Wilmot Blyden (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Wilmot_Blyden) About The Black Star Line (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Star_Line) Garveyism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garveyism), The Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Negro_Improvement_Association_and_African_Communities_League) About Ethiopianism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_movement) Alex Haley’s Roots (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roots_(1977_miniseries)) Association of Black Anthropologists (https://aba.americananthro.org) Zora Neale Hurston, Novelist and Anthropologist (https://whyy.org/segments/novelist-zora-neale-hurston-was-a-cultural-anthropologist-first/) About Cheik Anta Diop (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheikh_Anta_Diop) About what was to be Akon City (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akon_City) Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael), Debate 1967 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtDup63f9t4) About Cultural Theorist Stuart Hall (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Hall_(cultural_theorist)) About Author and Scholar, Paul Gilroy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Gilroy) Martin Bernal and Black Athena (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94shpS4_xQc) Reggie Rockston (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggie_Rockstone) and HipLife (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiplife) About Shatta Wale (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shatta_Wale) What is the Theory of Mind (https://www.verywellmind.com/theory-of-mind-4176826) Black Holes and the Macro Universe (https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=108974) Special Guest: Osei Alleyne.

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week’s guest, Tina Mbachu Obodozie (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/tina-mbachu-obodozie) first joined me in conversation in 2021, thanks fo the #BWiD Connect Whatsapp group. Since our first chat, she has shifted to a bi-continental lifestyle, based mostly in Nigeria as the new Exectuive Director of the Innovate Africa Foundation (https://www.innovateafricafoundation.org), while also managing her business activities in Canada. As a business and sustainable development expert specializing in business design, social impact assessment, and strategy development, her cross-sector career includes technology, natural resources, and the creative economy, where she has led teams, formed partnerships, and built development programs and incubators supporting market-creating innovations. Tina has worked with organizations like DMZ-a Toronto-based tech incubator and global startup ecosystem as well as Plan Canada, securing millions in funding and driving social and economic change. A recognized thought leader and ecosystem builder, she was named The Peak Emerging Leader 2024 in the Entrepreneurship category. Where to find Tina? @catalyst Venture (https://www.catalystventure.ca/) On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinambachu/) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tinambachu/) What’s Tina reading? Conjure Women (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/579838/conjure-women-by-afia-atakora/) by Afia Atakora Other topics of interest: About World Product Day (https://techpoint.africa/news/innovate-africa-fund-product-day/) What is Product Development all about? (https://www.productplan.com/learn/what-is-product-development/) More about Innovate Africa Foundation founder, Christian Idiodi (https://www.svpg.com/team/christian-idiodi/) What is a susu (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susu_(informal_loan_club))?

Republic Day Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week’s guest is another Glocal Citizens connection. In spring 2024, Amma Gyampo (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/amma-gyampo) reached out to me me about connecting me with a like mind in education. And that was the beginning of ongoing conversations with Laureen “Laury” Adams. With over 20 years of experience spanning both international and U.S. contexts as a classroom teacher, school leader, coach, designer, and professor, Dr. Laury possesses a unique skill set. This includes shaping innovative curricula, effectively supporting learning communities of all sizes, and coaching leaders to drive impactful change. Her design background informs her expertise in project-based learning approaches, performance assessment, and liberatory praxis. She collaborates with schools and education organizations to design critical, responsive, and loving curricula, assessments, and professional learning opportunities. Laureen is the founder and Executive Director of the Tutu Institute of Education for Liberation. As well as Senior Director of Professinal Learning at ASCD Ghana (https://ghascd.org). Among her other roles on boards and consulting she is a research Fellow and Adjunct professor at Claremont Graduate University She recently co-authored This Teachable Moment: Engaging Our Kids in the Joy of Learning (https://www.pblworks.org/for-families) to support parents and caregivers with providing project-based learning experiences at home. Download your free copy and #listenandlearn more about Laury’s work in session at SXSW EDU 2025 (https://schedule.sxswedu.com/2025/speakers/286691). Today, July 1st, Ghana marks its 65th Republic Day (https://nationaltoday.com/ghana-republic-day/). Our conversation speaks to many of the themes we continue to work to realize as the country sheds its colonial character as a sovereign, free republic with Ghanaians leading and steering our social and economic destiny. Where to find Laury? https://www.liberatorylove.com/ On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/laureen-adams-tutu-phd/) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/laureenadamsphd/) On Facebook (https://web.facebook.com/laureenadamsphd) What’s Laury reading? One Day, Everyone Will Have Been Against This (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/777485/one-day-everyone-will-have-always-been-against-this-by-omar-el-akkad/) by Omar El Akkad) Finding Your Leadership Soul (https://www.ascd.org/books/finding-your-leadership-soul?variant=123025) by Carlos R. Moreno What’s Laury watching? Forever, a new series (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forever_(2025_TV_series)) Other topics of interest: About Long Beach, California (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Beach,_California) NYC Teaching Fellows Program (https://nycteachingfellows.org) Envsion Academy Charter School (https://envisionschools.org/our-schools/envision-academy/#:~:text=Envision%20Academy%20of%20Arts%20and,in%20college%20and%20in%20life.) Teach for America (https://www.teachforamerica.org) Sponsors for Educational Opportunities (https://www.seo-usa.org) 'Love” in Twi (https://learnakandictionary.com/english-twi/love/)

Greetings Glocal Citizens! I met this week's guest last month as a fellow AfroTalks 2025 (https://afrotalks.com) speaker. Our collective charge for the event was to present our ideas about the how of Pan-African Progress from mindset, to skills development to migration policy and the future of work. While I shared insights from the future of work salon seried, our guest this week, David Hutchful participated on a panel discussion skills development. Born in Ghana, David is a passionate technologist, entrepreneur, educator, and design thinking expert dedicated to building tech-driven solutions in emerging markets. With over 25 years of experience in software development, he has led teams to create award-winning innovative platforms that drive business and social impact in Ghana and abroad. As Co-Founder/CTO of Yemaachi Biotech (YC21) (https://www.yemaachi.com/company/), he is working to build the most diverse genomic database to advance precision oncology. Previously, he co-founded Bloom Impact, led technology innovation at Grameen Foundation, and worked at Microsoft Research. His expertise spans Fintech, Health tech, and Biotech, with a focus on leveraging technology for meaningful change. All topics we touch on in our conversation. Where to find David? On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhutchful/?originalSubdomain=gh) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/dkhutchful/) On Facebook (https://web.facebook.com/dhutchful) On YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz-BUKLGAqE) What’s David watching? Dept. Q (https://www.netflix.com/title/81487660?source=35&fromWatch=true) on Netflix What’s David riding and a few motorcycle clubs in Accra: Yamaha XSR900 (https://yamahamotorsports.com/models/xsr900) Ultimate Riders MC (https://www.instagram.com/ultimate_riders_mc/) Hotwheels Ghana MC (https://www.facebook.com/hotwheelsghanamc/) Biker Girls GH (https://www.instagram.com/bikergirlsgh/?hl=en) Other topics of interest: Apam, Ghana (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apam) Adukrom, Ghana (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adukrom) About Abelempke, Accra (https://www.foxsports.com/stories/soccer/abelemkpe-a-tale-of-two-cities-within-a-city) What is the Africa Rising Movement (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa_Rising) about? About Ahaspora (https://www.ahaspora.com) Why did nurses and midwives in Ghana go on strike? (https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/BREAKING-Nurses-and-midwives-suspend-nationwide-strike-1987698) Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) in Ghana (https://www.modernghana.com/news/849705/community-based-health-planning-and-services-chps-in-ghana.html) About Kasapreko (https://kasapreko.com/our-story/) About WACCBIP - West African Centre for Cell Biology and Infectious Pathogens (https://www.waccbip.org) GDPR - General Data Protection Regulation (https://gdpr-info.eu) +233 Jazz Bar and Grill (https://www.instagram.com/233jazzbarandgrill/) Empire of AI (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/743569/empire-of-ai-by-karen-hao/) by Karen Hao Special Guest: David Hutchful.

Greetings from East Africa Glocal Citizens! Well, kind of…this conversation was recorded last weekend from Nairobi on the eve of Father’s Day and a day after the opening of my guest, Michael Soi’s current joint exhibition, The Print Press (https://web.facebook.com/michael.soi.7/posts/the-print-press-is-an-exhibit-of-woodcut-prints-by-various-nairobi-based-artist-/10162204021212545/?_rdc=1&_rdr) an exhibit of woodcut prints by various Nairobi based artist at the Alliance Francaise Nairobi 13th June to the 29th of June. I met Michael in his studio at The Go Down Art Centre (https://thegodown.org) when I first visited Nairobi in February and after an inspired conversation I wanted to be sure to share his story here. As you’ll hear, he has been working in Nairobi since 1995 after completion of his fine art and art history studies. His distinctive work is inspired by contemporary life in Nairobi providing a photographic diary of Nairobi and is a satirical commentary of social, economic and political trends. His work explores relationships – intergenerational, interracial or generally what he calls the economics of love, commercial sex work and popular culture within the context of globalization & consumerism. A wonderful aspect of Michael’s visual storytelling craft is that he’s figured out the hacks that make his art accessible on many levels from the curious observer to the serious collector. Listen and learn more! Where to find Michael? On Artsy (https://www.artsy.net/artist/michael-soi) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/michaelsoistudio/?hl=en) On Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/michael.soi.7/) What’s Michael watching? About Planetary Parades or Syzygy (https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/skywatching/planetary-alignments-and-planet-parades/) Other topics of interest: About Machakos, Kenya (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machakos) About Ancent Soi and the 1972 Munich Olympics (https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/entertainment/arts-and-culture/article/2000140196/the-great-artiste-who-painted-the-1972-olympics-poster#google_vignette) About the Kuona Trust Residencies (http://kuonatrust.org/who-we-are/programmes/) National Museums of Kenya (https://museums.or.ke) About [Kenya’s second President Daniel arap Moi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_arap_Moi) Special Guest: Michael Soi.

Greetings Glocal Citizens! We’re picking up more momentum toward African progress sharing the stories of dynamic diasporans making impact in the reparatory justice space. On the eve of Africa Day, I attended the premier screening of Omitted, a short film exploring reparatory justice and the legacies of colonialism by Lavinya Stennett, founder of The Black Curriculum. Raised in the UK with Jamaican roots, she founded The Black Curriculum in 2019 at age 22 shortly after finishing her studies at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) which included a study abroad program in New Zealand. Her learning and experience with indigenous communities in New Zealand joined with her activism as a student at SOAS are the framework for the craft of truthtelling that is at the core of The Black Curriculum. Believing in the power of education, social impact and youth social entrepreneurship, her work has been recognised globally from Vogue and GQ to the historic Freedom of the City of London Award in 2024. She also has written on social and cultural themes throughout the African diaspora for outlets including the Guardian, Black Ballad, Quartz Africa. Expanding her entrpreneurship journey, in 2024 Lavinya co-founded the Racial Impact Collective, an initiative supporting social entrepreneurs and seeking equity in the grant making world. The future is brighter with knowing that there is a generation fo social innovators with creative talents like Lavinya committed to justice for marginalized peoples. Where to find Lavinya? https://www.lavinyastennett.co.uk TheBlackCurriculum.com (https://theblackcurriculum.com) On LinkedIn (https://linkedin.com/in/lavinya-stennett-frsa-022290104) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/theblackcurriculum/) On Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/theblackcurriculum) On YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ3q6lnCyT5dMgTPbVRjPDw/featured) What’s Lavinaya reading? Material World (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/703268/material-world-by-ed-conway/) by Ed Conway Free: Coming of Age at the End of History (https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393867732) by Lea Ypi Other topics of interest: Portland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Parish) and Saint Thomas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Thomas_Parish,_Jamaica), Jamaica Barbados (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbados) and the Welcome Stamp Visa (https://www.visitbarbados.org/barbados-welcome-stamp) - Note: the capital is Bridgetown, not Christ Church The SOAS Walter Rodney Prize (https://www.facebook.com/SOASHistory/posts/the-walter-rodney-prizethe-walter-rodney-prize-fund-recognises-student-excellenc/2737891912931953/) Dream New Scholarship (https://www.european-funding-guide.eu/scholarship/dream-new-scholarship) Univrsity of Waikato (https://www.waikato.ac.nz/int/) About the Treaty of Waitangi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Waitangi) and the latest on the protest haka in the New Zealand’s Parliament seen around the globe (linkhttps://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/5/new-zealand-parliament-suspends-maori-mps-who-performed-protest-haka) About Omitted production partner, Transmission (https://www.wearetransmission.com) About Peace First (https://peacefirst.org) Special Guest: Lavinya Stennett.

Greetings Glocal Citizens! As we hit the halfway mark on 2025 our treat this week is a thought-provoking conversation with Wana Udobang, a multifaceted writer, poet, performer, curator, and storyteller based in Lagos, Nigeria. I met Wana last year during the Pa Gya! Literary Festival in Accra where she faciliated her own unique writing workshop - “Comfort Food” a storytelling and poetry workshop that uses food as a conduit to explore memories, history, joy, and healing which was born out of her culinary quality time during the pandemic. In this lively conversation we cover Wana's extensive body of work which encompasses her journey of becoming a creative professional in Nigeria, her spoken word albums and how she has honed her craft building a framework for entrepreneurship using various storytelling platforms. Where to find Wana? wanaudobang.com (https://www.wanaudobang.com/about) On LinkedIn (https://linkedin.com/in/wana-udobang-16063776) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mswanawana) On YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/misswanawana) What’s Wana reading? Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun](https://sarahladipomanyika.com/work/like-a-mule-bringing-ice-cream-to-the-sun-book.html) by Sarah Lipado Manyika All Fours (https://mirandajuly.com/all-fours/) by Miranda July The Big Leap (https://hendricks.com/resources/big-leaps/the-big-leap/?v=0b3b97fa6688) by Gay Hendricks What’s Wana watching? Conclave (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conclave_(film)) The Substance (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Substance) What’s Wana listening to? Florence and the Machine (https://florenceandthemachine.net) Other topics of interest: About the Ibibio people of Nigeria (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibibio_people) Def Poetry Jam (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Def_Poetry_Jam) About Nnedi Okorafor (https://nnedi.com) and Akata Warrior (https://www.instagram.com/p/DJhM9rQJxFr/) as seen in the new Forever series on Netflix (https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/forever-judy-blume-show-announcement) Special Guest: Wana Udobang.

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week we have another flashback forward episode with experienced television host, reporter, producer, public speaker, published writer, and returning guest, Ivy Prosper (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/ivy-prosper). Since leaving her role working with the Ghana Tourism Authority she’s laser focused on her creative media company, Prosper Creative Group, which produces content, consults with clients and supports projects in the creative industries. As an advocate for empowering women and girls, she’s been outspoken on issues regarding self-esteem, positive body image and gender equality; she recently launched The Ivy Prosper Show (https://www.youtube.com/@IvyProsperShow) as a platform dedicated to telling these stories. Where to find Ivy? On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivy-prosper-9872001/) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ivyprosper/) On YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/c/IvyProsper) On Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ivyprosper/) On Pintrest (https://www.pinterest.com/ivyprosper/pins/) Listen to Ivy on Farm Radio International’s Nature Answers (https://farmradio.org/natureanswers/) Get your copy of Ivy’s book Your Essential Guide to Moving to Ghana (https://www.amazon.com/Your-Essential-Guide-Moving-Ghana/dp/1983012920/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.96xo_869RMsH7_EQS2VI_kNwLFAcXcvlqdYaskGB8cM.QfilzRyrMJyvbmOqhxsvOBI-HKEEh2Yv9sVXw2gP-Rs&dib_tag=se&qid=1748315972&refinements=p_27%3AIvy+Prosper&s=books&sr=1-1) Other topics of interest: Tema at the Center of the Earth (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvMxH5eInW8) Maternal Health Channel (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4kR383ti2AImpDmR1w1Y9z8HxyySQM6z&si=2BUiUONY7FlQnNH6) Founder Kwesi Owusu (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwesi_Owusu) About St. Catharine’s and the Underground Railroad (https://www.stcatharines.ca/en/arts-culture-and-events/the-underground-railroad.aspx#:~:text=The%20City%20of%20St.,fleeing%20slavery%20in%20the%201820s.) About Sambra City (https://sanbracityghana.com) About Gated Housing Estates in Ghana (https://www.jstor.org/stable/41107466) Special Guest: Ivy Prosper.

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week Hélène Himmer, a French national with roots in the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, now based in Portugal joins me in conversation about her current work at African Futures Lab (AfaLab) leading a project on climate reparations. I met Hélène last November at FORGE: Harnessing Creative Arts for Reparatory Justice, a convening of artists, media, cultural workers, civil society, and government leaders across Africa, Europe and the U.S. to further the movement for reparations. The event took place in Accra, Ghana and featured Glocal Citizens Esther Armah (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/esther-armah), Makmid Kamara (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/makmid-kamara), and Nyamal Tutdeal (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/nyamal-tutdeal) as facilitators. In addition to meeting so many dynamic diasporans I was introduced to organizations like AfaLab, an international non-profit organization supporting racial justice movements in Europe and Africa through conducting research and developing policy and legal strategies to empower civil society actors and public and private institutions in their fight for justice and reparations. Currently the Policy and Advocacy Officer at AfaLab, Hélène is a committed activist and professional with a diverse background in human rights law, corporate social responsibility and international development. Her activism began in her early teens with a youth organization focused on education, youth rights and inclusion. She then spent several years working for racial justice in France. Moving to the corporate sector, Hélène worked in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in start-ups and technology companies. However, her passion for social impact led her to international organizations where she specialized in advocacy, project management and partnerships. Her work has focused on climate justice, peacebuilding, anti-corruption, women's empowerment, youth cooperation and inclusive societies across Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and the MENA region. Where to find Hélène? AfaLab Policy Paper "Unlocking Climate Reparations: Key Obstacles in the Emergence of a Climate Reparations Framework" (https://www.afalab.org/news/2024-09-18-unlocking-climate-reparations-key-obstacles-in-the-emergence-of-a-climate-reparations-framework/) Listen in on AfaLab’s Season 3 Podcast Future Perfect | futur antérieur on Climate Reparations (https://www.afalab.org/podcast-future-perfect-futur-anterieur/) On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hélène-himmer-886037157/) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/african_futures_lab/) What’s Hélène reading? REDD-Monitor (https://redd-monitor.org/) Other topics of interest: Brittany, France (linkhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brittany) A bit about Guadeloupe (https://kwekudee-tripdownmemorylane.blogspot.com/2013/11/guadeloupe-african-descendants-in.html) Who is Dr. Farhana Sultana (https://farhanasultana.com/)? About the Loss and Damage Fund (https://www.undp.org/belarus/stories/loss-and-damage-fund-developing-countries) Center for International Environmental Law (https://www.ciel.org/) Special Guest: Hélène Himmer.

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week’s guest is a dynamic activist that I had the pleasure of working with while distibuting a documentary (see other topics of interest) featuring the work that has become his origin story in the world of Pan-African development. Hamzat “Hamzy!” Lawal is a global citizen, community organizer, an award-winning advocate and humanitarian who has successfully led grassroots campaigns in over 40 African countries. He specializes in practical issues associated with climate change, open data, advocacy and development policies affecting rural and deprived communities. He is the Founder of Follow The Money (http://followthemoneyng.org), a home-grown, Pan-African grassroots, data-driven initiative currently in 10 African countries. As the Chief Executive of Connected Development (CODE) (http://connecteddevelopment.org/), an organization he also founded, CODE won the ONE Africa 2016 Award recognizing, rewards, and advances the exceptional work of African organizations; dedicated to helping the continent achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). When he is not social entrpreneuring, Hamzy sits on the Executive Board of the largest Youth Movement in Africa: African Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYICC) (http://ayicc.net/), and has joined his voice on different platforms and policy influencing coalitions across Africa such as the Not Too Young To Run (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Not_Too_Young_To_Run) movement which drives youth political inclusion. And also serves as an Education Champion with the Malala Fund, organization working for a world where all girls can learn for 12 years and lead without fear. This is definitely a listening and learning opportunity with wonderful insights into the work of empowering the youth that are poised to lead the Continent. Where to find Hamzy? On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamzat-lawal-85409129/) On Facebook (https://web.facebook.com/hamzatblawal/?_rdc=1&_rdr#) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hamzycode/) What’s Hamzy reading? Love Does not Win Elections (https://www.narrativelandscape.com/product/love-does-not-win-elections/) by Glocal Citizen Ayisha Osori (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/ayisha-osori) Other topics of interest: The documentary that started it all Perspective (https://vimeo.com/272930033) About Kogi State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kogi_State), Nigeria and the Ebira (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebira_people) people About #SaveBagega (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagega) Another side of Bauchi State (https://youtu.be/a7KJxxKTVkA?si=VS0FSk157OAF3dSy) Special Guest: Hamzat Lawal.

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week returning guest, Yasmina Fagbemi (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/yasmina-f-edwards), is flashing forward with us with an update on her latest projects and evolving glocal citizenship. Having emigrated to the United States in the 1990s, she began her career in marketing with major international corporations. Building on this experience, she developed her network to fuel her passion for cinema. She produced her first documentary, "Bigger Than Africa," a film highlighting Yoruba culture that was featured on Netflix. She went on to develop multiple projects and met Gabriel Souleyka, with whom she founded Tioleja Films to bring original projects to life that contribute to Africa's growing prominence in global cinema. The film "My Soul is a Witness" has been announced in pre-production across global media outlets. Her new feature film, "The Soul of Africa," directed by Gabriel Souleyka, will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this May. As an editor and publisher, she is committed to publishing stories that others don't tell. Be sure to check out her socials for updates on where you can view or read more about African stories that are worth getting to know more about! Where to find Yasmina? https://tiolejafilms.com On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasmina-fagbemi-edwards-4200ba5/) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/yasminafagbemi/) On Facebook (https://web.facebook.com/people/Yasmina-FEdwards/100063690843487/?_rdc=1&_rdr#) On TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@yasminafagbemi) What’s Yasmina reading? Tioleja Titles (https://tiolejaeditions.com) What’s Yasmina watching? Sinners (https://youtu.be/bKGxHflevuk?si=HoVJe6bfF6FQ14FM) Other topics of interest: Le Festival des Divinités Noires (https://festivaldesdivinitesnoires.org/) About Lomé, Togo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lom%C3%A9) About Aného, Togo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An%C3%A9ho) About Abrahamic Religions (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abrahamic_religions) Pavillon Afrique @ Cannes (https://www.pavillonafriques.com) More about the persecution of Blacks in the Nazi camp system (https://wienerholocaustlibrary.org/2020/10/26/461/) More about Joy-Ann Reid (https://www.joyannreid.com) Special Guest: Yasmina Edwards.

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week on the podcast, after the inspiring conversation in our last episode with Wesley Watkins about The Jazz & Democracy Project and more, I couldn’t resist giong back into the GC archives for an encore presentation of my conversation with Maestro Wynton Marsalis. We recorded this conversation when the podcast was just a toddler, back in the days when we were just “doing something” and not yet “manifesting a new world.” It was also on the eve of the 2020 election, however, like so many of our conversations the topics and insights remain evergreen. How far we’ve come and continue to carry on! Check out the original show notes for more on his bio and topics of interest (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/47). Where to find Wynton? www.wyntonmarsalis.org The Jazz @ Lincoln Center Orchestra (https://www.jazz.org/JLCO/) On YouTube (http://youtube.com/wyntonmarsalis) On Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/wyntonmarsalis) On Instagram (http://instagram.com/wyntonmarsalis) On Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/artist/375zxMmh2cSgUzFFnva0O7) What’s Wynton reading? American Founders: How People of African Descent Established Freedom in the New World] (link http://americanfoundersbook.com) by Christina Proenza-Coles Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" (https://rep.club/products/barracoon-zora-neale-hurston?srsltid=AfmBOoq6wJeLLvsYg8gQerKMU29bzPgtQIduPOvjE6_4TugqUEgT5ARn) by Zora Neale Hurston Special Guest: Wynton Marsalis.

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week’s conversation comes in two parts. Like it’s geographical spread, northern hemisphere to southern hemisphere, think of this two part discussion as a way of engaging both hemispheres of your brain--the creative and the analytic. My guest is fellow Stanford alum and founder of The Jazz & Democracy Project® (J&D) (https://www.jazzdemocracy.com), Wesley “Dr. Wes” J. Watkins. After several years working in the education sector, Dr. Wes launched the program in November 2009 at Rosa Parks Elementary School, located in San Francisco's historic Fillmore District. J&D is a music integrated curriculum that utilizes jazz as a metaphor to bring democracy to life, enrich the study and teaching of history, government, civics and culture, and inspire youth to become active, positive contributors to their communities. He first proposed the curriculum as part of his undergraduate honors program at Stanford’s School of Education and later conducted research for his undergraduate honors thesis at Oxford University where he engaged and learned from music educators at both local elementary schools and world renowned secondary institutions. Now based in Sydney, Australia, J&D has traveled to countries all over the world and, in these times of global social transition, Dr. Wes anticipates continued opportunities to feature and further innovate using tools that will leave lasting impact on the ways that youth and educators approach building and living in their communities and beyond. Where to find Wesley? On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleywatkins/) On Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/JazzDemocracy) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/jazzdemocracy/) On YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@JazzDemocracy) Who’s Wesley listening to? Joseph Solomon (https://www.youtube.com/@whatisjoedoing) Other topics of interest: Activist Oakland, CA (https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/oaklands-history-of-resistance-to-racism) Northern Beaches, Sydney Lifestyle (https://content.knightfrank.com/research/2789/documents/en/northern-beaches-lifestyle-guide-2024-10795.pdf) United States Studies Center (https://www.ussc.edu.au/about/mission-and-history) Crikey! or Kriky! (https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/crikey#google_vignette) Flat White vs Latte (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_white) Geechi Taylor (https://www.geechitaylor.com/#!/HOME) Find Rachelle Farrell, Meshell N’Degeocello, on J&D (https://www.jazzdemocracy.com/interviews.html) Ledisi (https://www.ledisi.com) Christian McBride (https://www.christianmcbride.com) Betty Carter + Ray Charles (https://youtu.be/1IM3weosOTY?si=PXNlcx1a5UetHPAN) Episode 47 featuring Wynton Marsalis (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/wynton-marsalis) Jazz for Young People @ Lincoln Center (https://jazz.org/education/school-programs/jazz-for-young-people/) Check out the Chris Botti SF Show (https://youtu.be/j9cNsLPXWnA?si=rmoX7ljb9EO4a1y5) About Robert (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_McFerrin), Bobby (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_McFerrin) and Madison (https://www.madisonmcferrin.com) McFerrin Special Guest: Wesley J. Watkins.

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week’s conversation comes in two parts. Like it’s geographical spread, northern hemisphere to southern hemisphere, think of this two part discussion as a way of engaging both hemispheres of your brain the creative and the analytic. My guest is fellow Stanford alum and founder of The Jazz & Democracy Project® (J&D) (https://www.jazzdemocracy.com), Wesley “Dr. Wes” J. Watkins. After several years working in the education sector, Dr. Wes launched the program in November 2009 at Rosa Parks Elementary School, located in San Francisco's historic Fillmore District. J&D is a music integrated curriculum that utilizes jazz as a metaphor to bring democracy to life, enrich the study and teaching of history, government, civics and culture, and inspire youth to become active, positive contributors to their communities. He first proposed the curriculum as part of his undergraduate honors program at Stanford’s School of Education and later conducted research for his undergraduate honors thesis at Oxford University where he engaged and learned from music educators at both local elementary schools and world renowned secondary institutions. Now based in Sydney, Australia, J&D has traveled to countries all over the world and, in these times of global social transition, Dr. Wes anticipates continued opportunities to feature and further innovate using tools that will leave lasting impact on the ways that youth and educators approach building and living in their communities and beyond. Where to find Wesley? On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleywatkins/) On Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/JazzDemocracy) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/jazzdemocracy/) On YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@JazzDemocracy) Who’s Wesley listening to? Joseph Solomon (https://www.youtube.com/@whatisjoedoing) Other topics of interest: Activist Oakland, CA (https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/oaklands-history-of-resistance-to-racism) Northern Beaches, Sydney Lifestyle (https://content.knightfrank.com/research/2789/documents/en/northern-beaches-lifestyle-guide-2024-10795.pdf) United Strudies Center (https://www.ussc.edu.au/about/mission-and-history) Crikey! or Kriky! (https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/crikey#google_vignette) Flat White vs Latte (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_white) Geechi Taylor (https://www.geechitaylor.com/#!/HOME) Find Rachelle Farrell, Meshell N’Degeocello, on J&D (https://www.jazzdemocracy.com/interviews.html) Ledisi (https://www.ledisi.com) Christian McBride (https://www.christianmcbride.com) Betty Carter + Ray Charles (https://youtu.be/1IM3weosOTY?si=PXNlcx1a5UetHPAN) Episode 47 featuring Wynton Marsalis (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/wynton-marsalis) Jazz for Young People @ Lincoln Center (https://jazz.org/education/school-programs/jazz-for-young-people/) Check out the Chris Botti SF Show (https://youtu.be/j9cNsLPXWnA?si=rmoX7ljb9EO4a1y5) About Robert (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_McFerrin), Bobby (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_McFerrin) and Madison (https://www.madisonmcferrin.com) McFerrin Special Guest: Wesley J. Watkins.